Dirty Thirty "Roundup and Ride"!

[MeadowLily]

Posted by SpinSpin on 01 July 2013 - 12:49 AM

I would go for full fat dairy after your Whole 30--whipping cream is the best for least amount of dairy sugars (it is what I use when I am not on the whole 30 because 'regular' milk really messes with my blood sugars--in fact, I have been told by my diabetes nurse to have milk to counteract a low blood sugar). Full fat is best--full fat plain greek yogurt, full fat milk, cheese and the whipping cream I mentioned. Do take it slow in your reintroduction phase to be sure that you do not have an issue with dairy.  

[MeadowLily]

 Posted by SpinSpin on 27 June 2013 - 01:32 PM

Use fruit as a garnish--a few blueberries in a salad, a sprinkle of raisins in a chicken curry salad, or grapes instead of the raisins--the important thing to remember is not to allow fruit to push other, more nutritious foods off your plate.  

 

[MeadowLily]

 Posted by SpinSpin on 19 June 2013 - 05:22 PM

I would say right now is the best time to start them on whole 30. My 2 year old has been raised paleo so it wasn't difficult to switch him over, well, he does still get dairy--full fat greek yogurt and full fat milk, and his dad slips him a bit of cheese now and again, but for the most part, he eats exactly what we do. 

 

For me, I wouldn't necessarily hold them to just 3 meals--that would be a stretch for young kiddos, and certainly growing boys! I would make sure that they get good healthy meals and then mini meal snacks between--like jerky or hard boiled eggs and veg, a chicken leg or thigh with a few olives and celery sticks, raw veg and dip with slices of turkey breast (home roasted!) the ideas are endless! I highly recommend Well Fed and Eat Like A Dinosaur for ideas--we do a lot of meat balls and recently home made chicken tenders dipped in seasoned almond flour and baked--little man is all about those. I think the younger you start them, and the more involved they are in making meals, the easier time you will have. 

 

[MeadowLily]

SpinSpin's posts are for everyone who's fighting sugar cravings or wants to avoid moving from thrill eating into diabetes.  I have a study on my reintro thread....binge eaters early in adulthood are prime candidates for diabetes later on.  Stop the merry-go-round and get off now.  The sooner the better.  The pancreas can only handle so much sugar at one time and one day, it doesn't allow you to just walk off from the merry-go-round with a free hall pass.

 

 Posted by SpinSpin on 18 July 2013 - 10:11 AM

I am a type 1 (adult onset) and I can tell you that my blood sugars are SOOO much better doing Whole 30/paleo then before. I am much more level and I am doing quite well with out snacks between meals. I do 3 eggs and 2 cups of veg and good fats for meal 1, a large salad with protein, a homemade dressing for lunch and a good dinner of protein, various veggies and good fats again. Since I cut out the grains, I have not had to have the every 2 hour snacks and the have to take insulin to cover the rise in my blood sugar. I think you will be pleasantly surprised! 

 

[MeadowLily]

 Posted by SpinSpin on 15 July 2013 - 09:29 AM

I think you are going to have issues doing points with the whole 30. You will be better served following whole 30 and not doing WW. Focus on whole foods, protein, veggies and healthy fats. I shoot for at least 2 cups of veg per meal, cooked with eggs for meal 1, salads for meal 2 and 3 as well as cooked. Follow the meal template and you won't go wrong. Do not try to do this 'low fat'.

[MeadowLily]

 Posted by SpinSpin on 30 August 2013 - 04:06 PM

I have found in my own life that the things I break my good habits for don't seem to ever live up to my  expectations.

 

 

[MeadowLily]

Thanks, SpinSpin.   You can read the rest of her inspirational journey.  She's been at this for a long time and clearly drawn her line in the sand.  

 

It shouldn't take a health crisis to come to the crossroads with food but usually it does. That's human nature.  There is a higher way to live after a Whole 30 that does not involve falling back into old habits.  It may take longer than 30 days to create new patterns.

 

If you do what you've always done,  you'll get what you've always gotten.

[MeadowLily]

“It’s not just overeating,” Dr. Mazzeo said. “Binge eating is what we call ‘loss of control eating.’ You feel like you can’t stop, even if you want to.”

The most common of the three types of eating disorders, binge eating affects more women than men, and it usually starts during their early 20s."

 

"People with binge eating disorder tend to:

• Binge at least twice a week for at least six months

• Binge in secret

• Binge during a negative mood

• Feel uncomfortably full afterward

• Often feel distressed, guilty, and depressed after binging

• Be overweight "

"Because binge eating can lead to Type 2 Diabetes and binge eaters experience a poor quality of life and nutritional problems."

[AprilS]

Morning all,

 

Espie, I hope you slept better last night<3

MegaG, love the teeny little octopus, I'm hanging' in there!

Loulabelle, gorgeous cycling route!

SpinSpin- Christmas cookies, mmmmm. Lifelong love affair.  What can I say?  I have to treat treat them like a bad boyfriend and just stay away.  

Hey Meadow, thanks for recapping all that good info!

 

Well it was supposed to rain all day yesterday, so I went to my cardio sculpt class and yoga.  Then my cycling partner called to say the forecast changed, did I want to ride after all?  Of course I did, so we ended up doing about 40 miles.  It felt like 40 miles of headwind on rough roads, but we did stay dry and the temperature was perfect at about 65'.  The rain started pouring down the minute I got back to my car.  Whew!    The reason rain is bad for cyclists is because brakes don't work as well, wheels can slide out from under you on corners and a damp saddle can cause saddle sores   Ouch!

 

I was thinking that cycling and W30 have both taught me a lot about how endurance and tenacity bring success.  I just keep my seat on the saddle and keep riding.  I can do more than I think I can, and the happiness comes after the hard bits.  Also, there is a lot to be said for the value of just not quitting.

 

So I am trying to dial in quantity.  I am paying attention to hunger and fullness, to eat just enough to be hungry at the next meal, but not in between.  Sometimes my body needs a little more, sometimes less.  Sometimes my heart is hungry, not my body.

 

My son cooked again last night. WooHoo!   

 

News on the robbery!  The police pulled over a guy driving a stolen truck.  He had Margo's check book and a bunch of (her?) purses with him plus other stuff.  She has not been asked to come id the stolen property yet. 

 

Making zucchini soup this am.  2 pieces bone marrow, 1 large onion, quartered, handful of peeled garlic, 6 zucchini, and a box of chx broth.  Put all in the pressure cooker for about 15 mins.  Then push the marrow out of the bones and puree all together w a stick blender.  I make this with one veg or another every week almost.  It seems to simple, but is so satisfying.  It helps me keep up my veg quota, and uses up what veg I haven't gotten around to cooking.   Endless variations with coconut milk and curry, or different spices etc etc.  I like plain a lot though. 

 

Day 12 today for me.  Tummy still more round than normal.

 

M1 cauliflower plus eggs and ground pork again (like fried rice)

coconut water and a few cashews on the ride (not my cashews, my partner had some and I just needed to eat bc of a longer than planned ride)

M2 crab cake, sweet potato, apple 

M3 spaghetti squash, cauliflower alfreddo, chicken breast, salad, decaf w coconut cream

 

xox

[MeadowLily]

We're moving towards the end of this Whole 30 on June 3rd.  Some of us  it's May 30. This is what separates those from returning to all the old habits on Day 31  and/or  "I gained it all back + 10 more" .......

 

The Slow Roll Reintro is the way to experiment with food and find what works for your body.   The secret is to find foods and exercise that you enjoy enormously and satisfy your appetite without rebound weight gain.

 

If you don't test and experiment with a  Slow Roll Reintro...the implication is there that you immediately go back to old habits because that's the old familiar ways and rebound weight gain comes back with the same old habits.

 

The closer you get to your weight management setpoint and you're  "nursing this baby right on home"...all of the former motivators of extreme disgust with thrill eating or feeling rotten...go right out the window.   Those old heartaches disappear into the ethers the closer you are to your setpoint because you're feeling so much healthier and happier.

 

So you focus on "Happy Awareness" vs.  the vigilance it takes to WIN every battle and CLIMB every mountain.  Riding the Bike takes  Time,  Practice, Introspection,  Reflection, Flexibility and Self-Like-Love-For-Yourself and Support.

 

A battle is helpful in the beginning but exhausting in the end.   It's a delicate balance to find your way to "Happy Awareness".   

 

You have to remove all value judgments that you've attached to food.   No bad girl,  I'm being naughty and all of the other childish terms used for describing off-roading with junk food.

 

This is who we are - and instead of talking about our issues with food, we focus on - "OUR personal,  individual, unique and maybe even quirky".... food management skills because there is no finish line.

[MeGA"gardener"]

Applause!!!

[MeGA"gardener"]

Yeah Meadow !

Thanks for recapping SpinSpins informative posts

I couldn't find them looked in the wrong places

SpinSpin is truly inspirational and I do admire her determination and fortitude She Gets It

And so do you

April you are doing great from what I see

I'm so glad they caught the creep who needs to get a real job

Oh for all those things you described Meadow that I've never crossed that threshold of turning diabetic which could've easily happened

I've stopped myself so many times

I've been true to this way of life now Day 20

And feel so much better for it

My goal preW30 was 10lbs by Memorial Day I'll weigh in next week or so post W30 but that just coincided with discovering this way of life

Now it seems that I've gone from Granny Smith to

Lunch box Apple My goal is to eventually blend in with the rest of the crab apples except I'll be eating real food

[MeadowLily]

MamaG - you are hilarious.  You make me laugh and smile....    

 

April - ditto MamaG.  "I'm so glad they caught the creep who needs to get a real job."  Okay, that reminds me of a song.

 

"Get a Haircut and Get a Real Job".

Clean your act up and don't be a slob

Get it together like your big brother, Bob

Get a haircut and get a real job.

 

[MeadowLily]

MamaG and April....Maybe he needed rent money. vvv

 

 

 

 

Another EQ in Nevada an hour ago.

 

Magnitude ML 3.6 Region NEVADA Date time 2015-05-24 17:06:02.6 UTC Location 38.92 N ; 116.02 W Depth 8 km

 

A new volcanic eruption is now confirmed to be taking place off the West Coast of the United States.The new undersea volcanic activity is occurring approximately 300 miles off the shores of Central Oregon,    along the Axial Seamount, where a fresh fissure has formed, producing new undersea lava flows, and seismic activity.This undersea eruption follows a series of earthquakes at dormant volcanoes along the West coast in California, and Nevada,     as well as several large “steam plume” events from Hot Springs, Cold Springs, and dormant volcano locations.

 

 

[MeadowLily]

[MeadowLily]

[MeadowLily]

 

Slide bar to 36 secs.

[jmcbn]

Hey all - I'm back and in need of a good sleep - turns out the apt my folks have for the week is two bedroom rather than three so I ended up sharing a single bed with my youngest. This child doesn't even stop moving/talking in his sleep so with a day full of activities, a night lacking sleep, followed by a second day of activities and a long drive home, followed by the fastest batch cook session EVER, I'm shattered!!   

Had a great time away though - the weather was kind all day Saturday, then it rained over-night. It was cold today, but we still managed a few brisk walks along the coast and up & down the sand dunes.... Food wise we ate well, and I ended up doing a little unplanned reintro of dairy...   

For my main course on Saturday evening I had chilli & lime monkfish with guac & a nice green HUGE salad, then when the boys were asking for dessert I saw they had pavlova and thought 'Oooh, I quite fancy me a slice of that...' and I was so close to telling myself I didn't really want that pavlova then I thought well it has to happen sometime and now's as good a time as any.... So, after pretty much 90 days of being dairy free I had a slice of pavlova with fresh cream and fresh berries (I'd had salmon with added sugar on day 60 and I've been eating eggs throughout the programme obviously so my only reintro ingredient here was the fresh cream). Was it awesome? Yeah, it was pretty good  The meringue was chewy the way I like it rather than powdery, and the cream was whipped to just the right consistency, but half way through the slice the inevitable cough started and by the end of the slice I felt bloated. My nose/head felt a little congested overnight but it had cleared by this morning, as had the cough, although the bloating was still there... So, no MAJOR reaction, and I'd say pavlova would/could be on my 'special occasions only' list as it's an easy option when eating out which will still keep me away from any accidental grains, but given the cough I know that if I went back to dairy on a permanent/daily basis I'd suffer the consequences - just as I'd always suspected.

So I was back to whole30 eating as of meal one this morning and will stay that way until I feel like trying to reintro something else...... 

 

[MeGA"gardener"]

Gotta laugh unfortunately life's too short

We will stay positive and when we aren't we

Will find the strength to be

Gee those seizmos are hoppin poppin

Thanks Meadow for keeping all informed

It's very interesting and you are so good at it

Jmcbn have that well deserved rest

It's fun to go but there's no place like home!

You are making good decisions healthy ones

The slow roll is the way to go I'm thinking too

How did you feel like batch cooking? I'd have said forget it tomorrow's another day!

SpinSpin you are so accomplished Stay well

What a journey and you stuck to the landing

April and all keep up the great work it's so worth it

[MeadowLily]

Caffeine Clean: Four months without coffee

 

By Melissa Urban, who doesn’t do “moderation” very well at all

Just over four months ago, I gave up caffeine for good.  It wasn’t the first time I’d done without – periodically through the last two years, usually when our coffee habits had quietly and sneakily grown past the point of healthy, we’d do a week or two of no caffeine, and then reset our consumption to a more reasonable level.  I’d get to the 14 day mark, figure I was as good as cleansed and then happily make my first cup of coffee, promising myself that I’d go back to consuming “in moderation”.  In under a month, however, my consumption was usually right back to where I left off. I’d make every excuse in the book for my 3-4 cups a day – I needed a boost while traveling, a small coffee mid-workshop made the day a little easier, coffee pre-workout was an ergogenic aid. I knew I was kidding myself – and my adrenals knew it too. (News flash: the folks who counsel you on nutrition and health are human, too.)

The last time we gave up coffee for a few weeks was in August 2010, as we were moving from New England to Salt Lake City.  I went my usual two weeks without, but when I went back to my beloved Misha’s Route 66, something was different.

Sometimes, awareness sucks

As many of you have experienced with our Whole30 program, the more “cycles” you complete of (a) going without a particular food, and ( reintroducing it, the more acutely aware you are of the effect that food is having on you.  It was the same with my periodic coffee cleanses.  Each time I went back to drinking coffee, I noticed just a little bit more how it was negatively affecting my mood, my sleep, my energy levels – even on just one or two cups a day.  In August, however, the caffeine straight-up kicked me in the crotch with its nasty effects.  These are the things I noticed after only two weeks away, and returning back to just two small cups of coffee a day:

• Caffeine gives me crazypants.  Literally.  I get anxious.  It makes me irritable.  I pick fights, I snap at people, my fuse is abnormally short.  In general, I’m an unpleasant person to be around sometime around cup one-and-a-half.  Sorry, Dallas.

• I become maniacal about my work.  I would mindlessly, slowly sip my two cups while typing up blog posts or responding to emails and find myself in this unhealthy place where I’d refuse to break for the gym, to answer a personal phone call or even to pee (for real) because I was firmly entrenched in “work mode”.

• I didn’t eat a full meal until noon.  Ever.  Caffeine is a powerful appetite suppressant, and despite our rule to eat before our first cup of coffee, I just wasn’t hungry.  Though I’d force myself to eat something, two hard-boiled eggs was hardly enough to see me through until lunch.

Stating the obvious

Dallas was the first to say the idea out loud – carefully, mind you.  “Maybe you should, um, I don’t know, it’s just an idea, but maybe you should just… give up coffee?”  I’d been thinking the very same thing for quite some time, to be honest – at that point, it was easy to see the caffeine wasn’t doing me any favors.  I just wasn’t sure I was ready to pull the trigger.  It’s a daunting proposition, to give up coffee forever.  But on October 24th, surrounded by witnesses, I swore off caffeine… again.

This time, however, was different.  While I still went through the same withdrawal symptoms –headaches, lethargy, crankiness – the mental cravings disappeared virtually immediately. The difference this time was that  I was giving it up for good.  There was no 30 day period, no end point in sight, no “I’ll give myself a longer break and see how it goes.”  I decided right then and there that, given the way caffeine affected me, there was no reason for me to keep it in my life.  And the finality of that made everything so much easier.  (I’ve never been good at moderation, anyway.)

Emerging from my caffeine coma

It took a full month before things (sleep, energy, my over-worked adrenals) started to come back around – that quick fix I was hoping for was nowhere to be found, in fact.  Things actually got worse before they got better, which I wasn’t expecting.  And even four months later, I’m still noticing slow and gradual improvements in areas I never expected.  Sure, I was aware of the mood swings, the irritability, the lack of appetite.  What I hadn’tnoticed was how caffeine was affecting other areas of my life – until, of course, I gave it up.  (And Whole30 principles come around again, right?)  These are the things I’ve noticed in the last four months of “caffeine-free”:

• After a full month, I was sleeping so much better.  This was a tough battle – the first month, my system was all kinds of confused, and my sleep patterns were all over the charts.  I had trouble falling asleep at first, and then I’d fall asleep okay but wake up at 1 AM, 2 AM, 3 AM as my hormonal balance continued to shift.  After a solid month without caffeine, I started to fall asleep easy, sleep straight through the night and wake up refreshed without an alarm.  (I thought I was doing this already.  Comparatively, my sleep quality sucked compared to where it is now.)

• After two months, I started to wake up hungry.  Not ravenous, but genuinely, normally, happily hungry.  Good lord,  I haven’t woken up hungry since 1994.  This is an amazing phenomenon in which my body is actually sending me valid signals (hunger) when it’s actually supposed to (after fasting overnight).  Amazing… but only after only eight full weeks of being caffeine-free.  (Interestingly, feeding yourself a healthy meal within an hour of waking is very helpful in recovering from adrenal fatigue – certainly, waking up hungry makes that a whole lot easier.)

• After three months, my emotional volatility in a certain one week period each month has greatly dissipated.  This is the most surprising change – I had no idea my caffeine consumption was connected to such a serious case of “hormone poisoning” during that week.  Makes sense in hindsight, but I’m grateful that I no longer ride the hormonal roller coaster every 28 days.  (I’m not the only one happy about that.)

• After four months, I noticed my general awareness of stress – and its negative effects – has dramatically improved.  For those who know me well, I’ve always thrived on being in a constant state of stress.  Work, training, day-to-day activities were all conducted at a maniacal pace, not because they had to be.  I just thought I liked it that way.  Now, after several months of sleeping well, eating more, and generally allowing my adrenals to recover, I can feel that stress-state creeping on… and I no longer like it.  Now, it just feels, well… stressed.  (Because in most day-to-day life situations – say it with me – “Stress is bad, m’kay?”)  While I’m not great at nipping it the bud every time it pops up, and it’s usually work stuff that sets me off the fastest, I’m much better at recognizing it early and taking measures to ensure my periods of stress are less frequent, and shorter in duration.  Progress.  And you’re welcome, adrenals.

The road to recovery

I’m hopeful that things will continue to progress and improvements will continue to appear over the next few months – I fully expect it will take at least a year to reap the full physical and mental benefits of a caffeine-free lifestyle.  I’ve decided not to mess around with a good thing, and will avoid all caffeinated products for the time being.  Turns out I don’t miss black coffee enough to justify a decaf, and I’ve been told by a few smart people that even decaffeinated beverages are too much for the extra-sensitive.

Now, if you think this entire post is just propaganda on the evils of coffee, think again (and re-read our Coffee Manifesto).  We’re not trying to tell you what to do – coffee isn’t all good, nor is it all evil.  But if you’ve noticed, as I did, that your caffeine consumption takes more than it gives, maybe it’s time to take a good, hard look at your habit, too. The rewards may surprise you.

[MeadowLily]

Melissa Hartwig says

March 12, 2014 at 2:20 pm

The worst of the withdrawal effects should be over by the fourth day, so I hope you were able to make it over the hump! Remember, though, for me it took about six months to experience all the benefits of being caffeine-free (and reducing stress at the same time). Sleep was slow to come around, but hang in there!

 

Melissa

[MeadowLily]

Melissa @ Whole9 says

March 7, 2011 at 5:35 pm

You hit the nail on the head. I’m an all-or-nothing kind of girl, and with caffeine, nothing is just so much better for me. And Dallas.

 

@Spencer: I get the bulk of my anti-oxidants from fresh vegetables and fruit, so I can skip the green tea with it’s small quantity of free radical-fighters and caffeine chaser. If you like green tea, it’s not got anywhere near as much caffeine as coffee… but for me, none is best.

For those wondering “How much caffeine in my favorite drink?”, the Mayo Clinic has a decent comparison by type of beverage here: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeine/AN01211

 

@Martin: I agree with everything you’ve said. Even a little will probably make me feel terrible, and I just don’t miss it. I look at it this way – there’s only one general “flavor” of coffee, but I have an unlimited number of herbal teas at my disposal. Bonus!

 

@Mel: You’re the bomb, and you don’t need anything (including caffeine) to make you bright and shiny.

@Patty: It’s easy to give something up once you realize it makes you feel like junk. And makes you a miserable person to be around. (I’m talking about me, not you.)

 

@Devon: In a sensitive bladder, the acid, caffeine and tannins in coffees are well known for causing intense irritation and discomfort. Your experience isn’t at all unusual – we’ve had several consulting clients report the same thing with DU’s and other jumping exercises. Glad you figured it out on your own!

 

@Kytashie: (Not sure who is commenting – but hello to both of you!) I drink lots of herbal teas – all are caffeine free. (I skip teas that are green, white or black, even if it’s been decaffeinated.) I also drink lots of mineral water (sometimes flavored with lemon or citrus), the occasional coconut water (not very often – too much sugar) and tons of plain old water. The herbal teas are money, though… it’s a warm cup first thing in the morning, and there are tons of flavors, which makes it hard to get bored.

 

Thanks to all for commenting!

Melissa

[MeadowLily]

Dallas @ Whole9 says

 

March 9, 2011 at 12:44 pm

Caffeine (from coffee) = caffeine (from guarana). You shouldn’t use (or need to use) a stimulant drug to survive your life, or it will take a serious toll (on your neuroendocrine system) over time. Skip the guarana as a (regular) caffeine source and your body will thank you. A little coffee, mate, black tea, or guarana is okay occasionally, but occasionally is the key .

[MeadowLily]

Melissa @ Whole9 says

March 10, 2011 at 5:59 pm

 Well, it wasn’t our intention, to call you out on your chocolate habit… but it’s probably the same story. And yes, even us veterans stumble from time to time. Glad to see you’re taking a hold of things, you’ll be happier and healthier for it. It could be worse – YOU COULD BE EATING CORN. (Gasp!) Thanks for sharing – keep us posted as to how things are going, yes?

 

@Jody: The first week is the worst – you’ve just gotta stick it out. The withdrawal symptoms tell you how serious your habit really was, though, huh? Hang in there!

 

@Natasha: I’ve not heard of heartburn being associated with withdrawal… usually that comes from the coffee itself. But lots of wacky things happen in the first week or two without, so be patient.

 

@J Spice: First, miss you. Second, you know how hard it was, during those first few weeks! But I’m so much happier without it. Also pick up a box of Traditional Medicinals Throat Coat – my favorite flavor, but you’ll have to deal with all kinds of 12 year old boy jokes from Sam. It’s worth it, though. Love you!

 

@Jess: No decaf for me – they don’t get ALL the caffeine out in the process, and I just don’t want to upset a really good thing here by introducing any caffeine into my diet at all. Strictly herbal tea… but there are lots of great varieties. Nice to hear from you!

 

@David: Doesn’t it suck, hearing from your significant other that you’re a much nicer person WITHOUT the coffee? Sorry to hear you’re having some trouble with it, but I do think you’ll be happier and healthier in the long term by cutting back your habit… or going without altogether. The benefits continue long after the first few weeks, so stick with it, my friend! Keep us posted.

Best,

Melissa

[MeadowLily]

Melissa @ Whole9 says

 

March 14, 2011 at 2:07 pm

You nailed it, sister. I’m STILL noticing benefits from my caffeine-free living, and I fully expect to continue to see things improve as the year goes on.

 

Shelly: I’m sorry, but that’s my exact experience too. I literally watched the clock as my cortisol levels creeped… first I’d wake up at 1 AM, then a few days later it was 2 AM, and so on. It got better in the second month, but you’ve got to put your time in before things start to calm down – and the more life stress you have (like moving, travel, etc.) the longer it will take. Hang in there!

 

We’re actually planning to do some testing (an ASI panel, for one) now to see how things shake out. I won’t have anything to compare it to, but I know stuff is starting to come back based on how I feel – how much they’re back to “normal” would be interesting to find out.

Melissa