Notyouravrgpaleomama Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Hello to those still standing! I'm still going, I'm just finding myself extremely busy. I'm currently working part time in the evenings, in addition to being a stay at home mom to two younguns, one with special needs. I'm also working toward two professional certifications: placenta encapsulation (what's more Paleo than that?) and doula. Not to mention that everyone is sick. Ugh. With a full plate, both literally and figuratively, I'm finding it hard to really get into this Whole 30. It's no big deal though, because sometimes your food is just fuel to get life accomplished. That's a lesson I needed. Not every meal needs to be a gourmet meal; sometimes it is just going to be salmon and broccoli. On the upside, my body composition is changing rapidly. I would not be surprised if I've already shed close to ten pounds; that's how roomy my clothes are getting. I started off at a healthy weight, but it definitely shows that my food sensitivities cause a lot of inflammation and water retention. My skin is also looking great, and my anxiety is under control. I am also starting to the about reintro. I do miss dairy quite a bit, so I will try to reintroduce that properly to make sure I tolerate it. I'm sure alcohol will find its way back in, but I will definitely be changing my relationship with drinking. It will be reserved for special occasions, and with extreme moderation. I think I will approach added sugar with the same caution, as it is the main trigger for my anxiety. Okay W30 friends, there's my update. Best of luck to you all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfox Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Meshell and Sharfish - I have to agree on the abstinence position. It was ultimately what I had to do to beat alcohol over 3 years ago. I also believe that "In Moderation" is BS. It is rare that anyone has sustaining control over moderating bad habits. The term moderation has no unit of measure applied to it, so there's no way of establishing what moderation even means. I've learned that the only real way I can moderate bad eating habits is to eliminate bad eating habits. If I am on a road trip and get french fries somewhere, maybe twice a year, that's true moderation. But to one person moderation could mean a small fry every day instead of a large fry every day, while to another it could mean fries only once per week. Either one is probably not good.If moderating is necessary due to risk of over consumption, then to me herein lies the problem. If one must moderate behavior, one has identified the negative impacts of that behavior, and therefore should probably simply avoid it all together. My reasoning is simple, I don't have the stats, but would guess that 90% of the time someone modifies behavior to become healthier, they will inevitably find themselves back where they started as moderation generally evolves back to normal. Our minds are poor at deciphering the difference between perceived frequency versus actual frequency of bad behavior. I will be doing without sugar, wheat, and most dairy in the future for this very reason. And I wont be missing out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeadowLily Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Meshell and Sharfish - I have to agree on the abstinence position. It was ultimately what I had to do to beat alcohol over 3 years ago. I also believe that "In Moderation" is BS. It is rare that anyone has sustaining control over moderating bad habits. The term moderation has no unit of measure applied to it, so there's no way of establishing what moderation even means. I've learned that the only real way I can moderate bad eating habits is to eliminate bad eating habits. If I am on a road trip and get french fries somewhere, maybe twice a year, that's true moderation. But to one person moderation could mean a small fry every day instead of a large fry every day, while to another it could mean fries only once per week. Either one is probably not good. If moderating is necessary due to risk of over consumption, then to me herein lies the problem. If one must moderate behavior, one has identified the negative impacts of that behavior, and therefore should probably simply avoid it all together. My reasoning is simple, I don't have the stats, but would guess that 90% of the time someone modifies behavior to become healthier, they will inevitably find themselves back where they started as moderation generally evolves back to normal. Our minds are poor at deciphering the difference between perceived frequency versus actual frequency of bad behavior. I will be doing without sugar, wheat, and most dairy in the future for this very reason. And I wont be missing out. That was a beautiful explanation of moderation. There is a mini-mum and the zero-mum that I embrace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted January 22, 2015 Administrators Share Posted January 22, 2015 If moderating is necessary due to risk of over consumption, then to me herein lies the problem. Really interesting observation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfox Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Day 22. Feeling really good. Yesterday I was a little tired and hungry. I couldn't seem to get full at dinner so I kept grazing and even ate a few too many dates and coconut. I think it was because I ran 8 miles before work two days in a row. Sometimes you burn more calories than your body can satisfy with regular meals, and my pre-post meals must have been too timid. I don't run on Fridays, so today I feel strong as heck and energetic, with a smile on my face. I actually feel pretty hyper. It's good. I've been continuing to think a lot about the reentry plan. I read forum posts from people who are doing W30 a second or third time, and almost all of them comment about how far off-plan they've gone, and that they're trying to reestablish good eating habits. I take that as a warning. As we've already discussed about moderation, most of us are unable to effectively moderate and almost invariably fall back into old ways. This is why a recovering alcoholic cannot simply have a beer once in awhile. Maybe he can for a time, but eventually the old habits find there way back into becoming the norm. This is why it's best for the problem drinker to just abstain. If sugar has proven to be problem in your past and the Whole30 helps to recognize that life is better without it, trying to reintroduce it in moderation will almost surely result in eventually returning to overconsumption. I feel good without sugar and wheat. If I choose to abstain, that is not the same as missing out. The only thing I'll be missing out on if I eat them is feeling good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meshell725 Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 I have not slayed my sugar dragon... Woke up and as I am feeding my 14 yr old daughter ( who has Rett syndrome) 2 homemade waffles with syrup and half a banana the smells of the vanilla and maple are screaming to me. I really wish I could kick the sugar cravings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pechristie Posted January 24, 2015 Author Share Posted January 24, 2015 I am on day 23 of my whole30, I am feeling great. My digestion issues have improved, the dark cloud that I had hanging over my head for a long time is gone, I am much happier, I think I have lost weight(although this is not my main goal), the sugar dragon is slayed. I suffer from RA and it has been a bit worse, probably cause I eat alot more eggs than I did before.I am thinking I should do AIP to see if that helps. What happens after 30 days?? I dont want to go back to the old eating patterns. Maybe try AIP whole 30 for next 30. What are your thoughts? Paula Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfox Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 I am on day 23 of my whole30, I am feeling great. My digestion issues have improved, the dark cloud that I had hanging over my head for a long time is gone, I am much happier, I think I have lost weight(although this is not my main goal), the sugar dragon is slayed. I suffer from RA and it has been a bit worse, probably cause I eat alot more eggs than I did before.I am thinking I should do AIP to see if that helps. What happens after 30 days?? I dont want to go back to the old eating patterns. Maybe try AIP whole 30 for next 30. What are your thoughts? Paula My plan is to stick to the basic template of eating a lot of vegetables and some meat and fruits, but to add in rice and popcorn. I will remain sugar, wheat, and dairy free. I have minor arthritis, usually manifest in fingers, and while it seems better during W30, it isn't totally gone. Popcorn is probably my biggest addiction in life. We went to a film last night and I was just dying in the theatre smelling the popcorn. I already don't get theater butter on my popcorn since it's basically a non-food petrolium like product, but smelling it was pretty hard. I personally have not slain the sugar dragon but I think that may be because I am a runner so my body craves the fuel. Dates have been a help. Good luck with your plan. I think the AIP approach to your post W30 plan is a good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharfish Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 I did a 19k run yesterday -- look ma, no gels! I had 10oz of coconut for electrolyte support. Felt strong at the end. Slow pace, but I think given how strong I felt at the end of the 2 hours I feel like my body is showing signs of fat adaptation at last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfox Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 I did a 19k run yesterday -- look ma, no gels! I had 10oz of coconut for electrolyte support. Felt strong at the end. Slow pace, but I think given how strong I felt at the end of the 2 hours I feel like my body is showing signs of fat adaptation at last. Sharfish, It's encouraging to see that your body is adjusting too. 19K is a good long run. Today was my second day in a row running 9 miles (15K). Yesterday was track work, and today was just easy running. Both yesterday and today were very good, strong, and fast. Yesterday I pre-fueled with dates, but today I did not just to see if I needed it. I didn't. I think I'm finally fat adapting too, and it's worth it to me to stay close to the W30 template if this continues to work. I feel great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ShannonM816 Posted January 26, 2015 Moderators Share Posted January 26, 2015 I am on day 23 of my whole30, I am feeling great. My digestion issues have improved, the dark cloud that I had hanging over my head for a long time is gone, I am much happier, I think I have lost weight(although this is not my main goal), the sugar dragon is slayed. I suffer from RA and it has been a bit worse, probably cause I eat alot more eggs than I did before.I am thinking I should do AIP to see if that helps. What happens after 30 days?? I dont want to go back to the old eating patterns. Maybe try AIP whole 30 for next 30. What are your thoughts? Paula Going straight into an AIP version is one option, and it might be easier to do it now than to wait. At some point, whether it's when this Whole30 ends or after you do an AIP one, you will probably want to do reintroductions to see how different foods affect you. Read more about that here (for the original reintro plan) or here (for the slow roll reintro plan). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfox Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 It's the last week! We can do this. Yes, it's been a lot of work, and even more expense, but our bodies are thanking us. As mentioned before, I plan to stay with a REAL FOOD diet when done, continuing to exclude sugar and wheat (and most dairy). So my next step, now that I have a lot of kitchen experience, is to start working on ways to continue eating really well, but cut costs and time. I have already found that making at least two slow-cooker meals a week help a lot since you can get a lot of meals for your money that way. I do feel really good. It's taken awhile to hit. Almost too good - I am often too wired to sleep even though I get up early. I may be needing less sleep on this diet. I normally get at least one nap every weekend - especially after a long run - but I haven't had a nap all month. I hope all you other Jan 2nd groupies are having a successful W30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notyouravrgpaleomama Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I'm with you on the cost issue, dfox; it's my next thing to tackle. I'm thinking a large vegetable garden may be a big help. It would help differ food costs a bit, plus it's a great way to get some fresh air and sunshine. Also, maybe a Costco membership to have access to quality meats at a better price point. I'm definitely missing dairy at this point. Being able to buy organic half-and-half for my coffee again will be a true pleasure. I don't seem to have issue with full-fat dairy, so I totally plan on reintroducing it. That may also offset a little cost; coconut milk and cashew milk are getting pricey with two of us participating. I'm feeling really great at this point. Sleep is good. Skin is bright and clear. I have tons of energy. My clothes are very loose. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I just kind of wish we were there already Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glamglamkitty Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Four more days after today! Still feeling pretty good. Managing to fit more exercise in and I'm impressed with my skin and how my body is changing. Its becoming second nature to look for alternatives in situations. I bring my own food to parties and drink a lot of sparkling water. Looking forward to rice and pop corn. But those are the only things I've missed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfox Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Four more days after today! Still feeling pretty good. Managing to fit more exercise in and I'm impressed with my skin and how my body is changing. Its becoming second nature to look for alternatives in situations. I bring my own food to parties and drink a lot of sparkling water. Looking forward to rice and pop corn. But those are the only things I've missed. mmmmmm, popcorn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted January 27, 2015 Administrators Share Posted January 27, 2015 mmmmmm, popcorn. So interesting how we are all so different. Popcorn is actually the one thing, 5 years ago, that initially made me go grain free and then, eventually, Whole30. Upset my stomach so badly! I'd have it as a treat every Friday night during movie-time and go to bed feeling just horrid. So sad, too, because I loved it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharfish Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I do an easy run, a 10k route, before work twice a week. Strava tells me my pace for this route was 5:35/k in November, went down to 6:25/k in early Jan (!), yesterday I clawed back almost half of the lost speed, 6:08/k. All at the same RPE. Not exactly tiger blood but I'll take it. Yes I miss my Boom Chicka Pop with yeast too...ice cream...not much else, really. I willl continue W30 for another 30 I think. "Don't quit before the magic happens"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfox Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Day 27 - As we draw nearer to our completion date--just four more days!-- I hope everyone will chime in on Sunday with results: How do we feel, what are we panning to stick to, add back in, weight and body comp changes. I'm curious to know how you all feel once we can exhale and give the proverbial high-five. I didn't take a "before" photo because I was already within a healthy weight and didn't think I could change much in such a short time. However I know I've lost some inches, and I have a few abs trying to poke out, so I wish I had taken the photo. This has been especially good because as a runner training for an important race, sometimes it's difficult to get those last stubborn pounds down. For a marathon, an extra pound is roughly a minute lost from your overall time. I'm about 3 months away from Boston Marathon and I think I'm probably really close to my desired racing weight. This morning I had a track work session that went reasonably well. I noticed that I had a few more sit-ups in me than I normally do. I'm nearly normal in my workouts, so compared to my first two weeks I'm feeling really really good. As I walked from the coffee shop to work this morning I audibly commented, to myself, how great I felt. I'd like to harness that goodness and experience it everyday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfox Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Day 30, where is everyone? I hope I hear from you all tomorrow! I'll be here to report my success, so I hope to see how the rest of you feel about your 30 days. I feel good, my workouts are much better than in the beginning of the month, and I don't want to reverse the gains I've made this month by reintroducing crap. I hope you all are well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glamglamkitty Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Day 30 and it's almost over! My internet has been out for a few days... I don't think my total weight loss will be much but my overall body shape has definitely improved. Tomorrow I am looking forward to enjoying some light snacks with friends for Super Bowl Sunday. I plan to either go snowshoeing or to the gym in the morning and enjoy the knowledge that I successfully did something I put my mind to. I am going to gradually add back in the foods I've been avoiding and see how they make me feel. I'm starting with corn (need popcorn!) and then I think I will try rice. Then on to legumes, dairy and gluten. Dairy and gluten are the two I am most nervous of. I'm going to try to follow what is suggested in It Starts With Food, but in my own order. I am also going to continue to avoid additives, preservatives and colours in my food. I don't see why so many products have so many extra 'ingredients' added in. The more I read, the more disgusted I am. Why are we adding three different kinds of salt to one food item? Well done everyone! Talk to you tomorrow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pechristie Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 We made it!! I went into it to get rid of the sugar dragon and to help digestion issues but got so much more. My depression is so much better I stopped one of my meds and hope to reduce the other. my stomach issues are better, fewer headachs ( used to wake up with one everyday), no acid reflux, much better sleep, lost 13.8 pounds and just feel heathier. I really dont miss the eliminated foods that much and just dont plan on going back. I will go paleo from here on out. I know I will need to do some reintroductions to find out what is causing the problems, but right now I feel so great I dont want to go back to feeling crappy. how is everyone else doing? ~Paula Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glamglamkitty Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 We did it! It doesn't feel like a very different day to me though. I won't go crazy eating foods I avoided. I feel like a lot of things I was eating I just don't want any more. I lost 5 pounds, which I was hoping would be more, but my shape has changed so I think if I had taken measurements and photos I would probably see a difference. I also lost the bloat which has been a huge issue for me for a long time. Congrats Paula on the 13.8 loss! Thats awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfox Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Congrats Paula and GKitty! The most important thing for me today is to acknowledge how difficult the first 10 days or so was. I had no energy for workouts, my running was really slow, and I just felt out of balance and craved bad things. Now I'm pretty much back to normal, and I feel great. My eating habits were already mostly organic and real, but not nearly as much as I thought. I've always used my kitchen a lot, but not like I have over this past month. I have a much better knowledge of how my body resonds to good real food. I sleep well, my head stays clear and bright throughout the day, my joints are strong (as a runner, I'll know if there's inflamation in my joints). Unfortunately my normal January seasonal alergies started during my Whole30, so I know I can't do much about them with food. I always thought the elimination of gluten and dairy would help with that. Not so. As I've mentioned in prior posts, I was already at a mostly healthy weight, but with some stubborn fat around the middle, so I didn't take a before picture thinking I couldn't really change much. Not true. I lost 9 pounds and show a clear change in my body composition. I will continue for 10 more days because my sweetheart started 10 days after me and she's doing really well. I don't see the point in reintroducing some things. If this much change could occur in 30 days by eating W30, why would I reintroduce obvious toxins? After my addional 10 days I will reintroduce popcorn, organic corn tortillas (important to avoid GMO corn), and rice. No point in reintroducing wheat or sugar. They aren't good for anyone, really, and moderation usually transitions into normal in a relatively short time. So for me it's best to just avoid. I won't use creamer in my coffee, or use cheese in home cooking, but I may allow some goat or bleu cheese on an occasionl restaurant salad. I feel good and I want to keep it this way. Thanks to all who shared this experience with me. I wish you all much health and happiness, and the best of luck using this experience to continue living at your healtiest! ~David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaitJ Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I'm starting tomorrow too - I had planned to start today, but remembered too late that the homemade beetroot burger I brought to work for my lunch had oats, albeit a small amount, in them so that was today out the window. I like the idea of starting on a Monday anyway I'm a relatively 'clean' eater - I cannot tolerate dairy or wheat at all and keep it out of my diet 95% of the time, the other 5% is usually splurges and special occasions I instantly regret. I've wanted to do this for a long time but only know feel that I'm in the right place to do so. I've been underweight and dealt with severely disordered eating and bulimia from age 14. I began 'recovery' two years ago, a process I view as lifelong, though I can say now this is the strongest and most positive I have felt toward food and myself since I can remember! My goals are to 'reset' my relationship with food, and iron out the last of the difficulties I have - namely using it as an emotional crutch. I also want to give up counting completely. It is neither sustainable, helpful nor healthy, and while I've had moderate success with letting it go before, I always panicked and eventually got hooked again. In line with this, I want to get better at listening to my body, and eating the amount that I need -not too much, not too little- and not some arbitrary recommended portion size. And of course - working out allergy (sinuses) and stomach upset triggers, and hopefully increasing my energy. I also use far too many artificial calorie free sweeteners which I know are poison but still use like they're going out of fashion so they have to go! Does anyone have any good recipe blogs? I'm just concerned about getting in a lunch/dinner rut and eating grilled chicken and spinach out of laziness everyday! I was a vegetarian for a long time so am only now learning how to cook meat- no time like the present! Good luck to all X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted February 1, 2015 Administrators Share Posted February 1, 2015 I'm starting tomorrow too - I had planned to start today, but remembered too late that the homemade beetroot burger I brought to work for my lunch had oats, albeit a small amount, in them so that was today out the window. I like the idea of starting on a Monday anyway I'm a relatively 'clean' eater - I cannot tolerate dairy or wheat at all and keep it out of my diet 95% of the time, the other 5% is usually splurges and special occasions I instantly regret. I've wanted to do this for a long time but only know feel that I'm in the right place to do so. I've been underweight and dealt with severely disordered eating and bulimia from age 14. I began 'recovery' two years ago, a process I view as lifelong, though I can say now this is the strongest and most positive I have felt toward food and myself since I can remember! My goals are to 'reset' my relationship with food, and iron out the last of the difficulties I have - namely using it as an emotional crutch. I also want to give up counting completely. It is neither sustainable, helpful nor healthy, and while I've had moderate success with letting it go before, I always panicked and eventually got hooked again. In line with this, I want to get better at listening to my body, and eating the amount that I need -not too much, not too little- and not some arbitrary recommended portion size. And of course - working out allergy (sinuses) and stomach upset triggers, and hopefully increasing my energy. I also use far too many artificial calorie free sweeteners which I know are poison but still use like they're going out of fashion so they have to go! Does anyone have any good recipe blogs? I'm just concerned about getting in a lunch/dinner rut and eating grilled chicken and spinach out of laziness everyday! I was a vegetarian for a long time so am only now learning how to cook meat- no time like the present! Good luck to all X Hi CaitJ, you might want to pop into a February 1st thread, most of the folks in this January 2nd thread are probably done and onto reintros, there's a big group starting tomorrow! http://forum.whole9life.com/topic/24672-february-1st/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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