Extending first whole30 to whole60, possibly need help...

[Whole30Sue]

I completed my first whole30 yesterday. I was 100% compliant on everything that I am aware. I am confident that I need to go longer. I have lots of health problems and my eating prior to whole30 was terrible. The first 23 days I had very distracting leg pain and fatigue, so it's only been seven days that I've actually felt okay and had any kind of energy.

I still getting sleepy every afternoon. I lost six pounds. I battle sleep apnea, tried several different masks and am finally finding one that works. I am a breast cancer survivor but still on prevention treatment to put me into menopause. Cancer treatment did a number on me (chemo, mastectomy, radiation, six surgeries, lymphedema etc. ) still trying to get back to new normal. Have high blood pressure that is now doing good with my meds. I did not exercise during first thirty days. Ordered a fitbit to start tracking steps. (Used to run two miles a day prior to cancer diagnosis and weighed 40 pounds less.) Need to start slow.

Finally, to my request for help. I would like it if some of you experienced healthy eaters would please take a look at my food log and help me tighten things up. I know I have lots of room for improvement. Really, for me, these first 30 days were so different than my usual eating, that I was doing good to change the food, perfecting my template and some of the other details was too much. But now I am ready to tweak some more.

I have read enough of the forum to have some ideas of where I need improvement, but I would like to hear from other live people to help me be more accountable for further change. Thank you!!

Here is the link to my food log:

http://forum.whole9life.com/topic/26462-sue-f-whole30-log/

Sue

[ladyshanny]

I just went and looked and as far as I can see without critiquing every single day and meal, you're doing pretty well (with the exception of the couple days I saw where you missed breakfast).  Try to avoid having fruit alone as a snack, that's no good for your blood sugar.  You could probably also use more veggies with every meal but other than that, you seem to be doing well.

 

What do you see?  What ideas do you have for your own improvement?  Where do you feel that you should make changes?

[Whole30Sue]

Thanks for looking at it.

There were days that I had coffee first, which as warned, suppressed my appetitive and led to a late smaller breakfast.

I still have nuts almost daily. It usually feels like I'm not in complete control when eating them, probably because I am using them as an emergency food.

I am eating a lot of sweet potato, wondering if that is playing into my afternoon sleepiness. Or may be sleep apnea related. Think I need to get some other veggies in there.

Some of my veggie serving sizes need to go up (but obviously you can't judge that from my log description.)

Glad to know that I don't have significant issues.

Thanks!

[ladyshanny]

Yep, I didn't know you were coffee'ing before breakfasting, I was just reading your food.  Make sure that you don't let coffee suppress your appetite, you need to still eat a full meal.

 

If you are eating nuts frequently as an emergency, that probably speaks to needing better planning and some more template-happy emergency foods like hard boiled eggs or canned sardines/salmon/tuna etc.  If you are snacking because you're hungry before your next meal, you need to formulate larger meals to get you through.

 

You definitely seem to have described some sleep issues and some overall health issues that you are recovering from which probably is to do with your sleep. Apnea creates broken sleep, health issues require adequate sleep for recovery so you're kind of behind the eight-ball at the moment. Working on your sleep is going to go a long way to improving your situation.

[jmcbn]

I'll leave the tweaks to your food log in the capable hands of the mods but just wanted to wish you well on your journey to full recovery. My sister is living with secondary breast cancer so I know how tough things will have been for you before you got to where you are now.

My sister had a mastectomy, radiotherapy, & chemo, and she now has a cocktail of meds every three weeks to help prevent the cancer from spreading and with a few spots having been found in her bones she ended up having her femur pinned around this time last year. I've spoken to her endlessly about improving her diet but she loves her mugs of tea & accompanying biscuits, and the convenience of pre-packed foods as she tires so easily.

I'm hoping if I keep at her eventually she'll sit up & take note, but she's the eldest, I'm the baby, and obviously she knows best.....

Well done you for taking the steps to improve your health - I wish you every success x

[Whole30Sue]

Best wishes for your sister. You are a good younger sister to encourage her to healthy eating but still respecting her choices and her journey. So far I haven't had a recurrence. It is a whole different challenge when facing it spreading. I am trying to change my eating in hopes that it will reduce my risk. I had a little awakening at two different funerals recently during which teenage daughters had to say goodbye to their moms due to cancer. It hit awfuly close to home. Thanks for your encouraging words!

[kirkor]

Dialing back the sweet potato and cashews couldn't hurt, certainly. Also bananas are pretty high in sugar, but it looks like you started tapering off those towards the end of your 30, so maybe that's already been addressed.

[Whole30Sue]

Thanks for so thoroughly looking through my food log kirkor. Without really trying, I started eating less fruit toward the end. But I think you are right, I might see more improvement with less sweet potatoes and less cashews. I am feeling that tug of resistance at the idea of letting them go, so I guess that tells me something right there.

Thanks again.