Starting September 1 - Who's with me?

[StarLiteSkyGazer]

How much water did you put in initially? I make broth and usually have enough to do a few weeks, often freeze it. I don't add anything except the bones and water, some people put ACV in and that helps draw out the gelatin. The recipe in 'Nourishing Traditions' is how I started and have used it successfully. Now if we're talking mayo--I need lessons!

 Misslindy, I put 8 cups into the crockpot along with carrots, celery, onion, bay leaf and parsley. A splash of apple cider vinigar also. I strained all of the solids and scraped the fat and was left with very little liquid. Maybe it's the crockpot method?

 

Those of you having trouble with bloat - shooting from the hip here the biggest offenders tend to be:

Nuts/nut butters

Fruit/dried fruit

Raw veg

Cruciferous veg

Raw cruciferous veg (yes I'm looking at you broccoli...)

Seltzer

If you're having a lot of any of these you might want to cut back a little.

OR - you could take a look at the low FODMAP shopping list, and if you are eating a bunch of any of the items in grey you might want to cut back on those...

For the headaches - are you drinking enough water? Salting your food? Including enough fat? If you're not then you should 

 

 

Jmcbn, I have been drinking at least 48 ounces by 4pm daily. I'm really not overeating anything specific. I haven't eaten any nuts really except almond flour twice. I suppose it's possible that I haven't had sufficient fats with my meals. I have recently been watching my fat and red meat intake because I have been having pain attacks I believe to be attributed to my gallbladder removal a year and half ago. Maybe I cut back too much. 

[kplake]

Day 18 for me. Yesterday was tough. Work was hectic and chaotic. I had so much back pain and felt horrible. I had to fight back my tears of frustration. It easily could have been a day of burying myself in crappy food. I thought I would treat myself and enjoy the ArtWalk going on in town. I couldn't find anything to eat at the 3 places I checked out so I came home. Luckily I had marinated chicken in coconut aminos and garlic. Cooked up quickly with broccoli and cauliflower rice. 

Today I finally feel so much better. My back barely bothered me and the fibro pain I usually have in my shoulders is almost gone. My moods are evening out. The little things aren't bothering me-like driving past DQ on the way home to see Pumpkin pie blizzards are back. And I am not even craving a Sam Adams Octoberfest. Cravings for something sweet later in the day are on their way out. I am holding out for Honeycrisp Apples, looser clothes(I'm down half a size already), working out in cooler weather because I have more energy now and my big treat to myself-getting a massage. I haven't had one in a few years and even though I hurt after I get one because of the fibro I have hopes this next one will be rewarding. 

 

Today's email with all the sauces and dressings was just what I needed. I am making chimichurri tonight. 

[NancyW]

Boy, this was a tough day. I felt like a cranky toddler, wanting everything I couldn't have...make that CHOSE not to have. I came home with that same bad attitude, pouted for a while, and then made a nice compliant dinner and had a LaCroix. Not sure what all the attitude was about. I know that the next few weeks will be tough. I work in finance, and our fiscal year end is two weeks away. That means we've got an audit coming up, and people will be less than calm and serene...

 

I've been thinking a lot about how I will continue this after our 30 days are over. I'm SO all-or-nothing that it's hard to be moderate with things like sugar and grains. How do all of you who have done this before handle the situation? Do you go back to old, bad eating habits so that you have to do a reset again, or do you stick to the new, healthier food you've been eating for the last month? I'm really enjoying the strict rules, but I don't think it's possible to do this forever. I'm really afraid that I'll allow myself a treat, and end up in a corner, in a sugar coma, surrounded by candy wrappers! Suggestions greatly appreciated... 

[milonac]

 

I've been thinking a lot about how I will continue this after our 30 days are over. I'm SO all-or-nothing that it's hard to be moderate with things like sugar and grains. How do all of you who have done this before handle the situation? Do you go back to old, bad eating habits so that you have to do a reset again, or do you stick to the new, healthier food you've been eating for the last month? I'm really enjoying the strict rules, but I don't think it's possible to do this forever. I'm really afraid that I'll allow myself a treat, and end up in a corner, in a sugar coma, surrounded by candy wrappers! Suggestions greatly appreciated...

I've been having those same thoughts. I think w30 is working so well for me because there is no wiggle room. There is no slippery slope for me to slide down. I'm a bit nervous about post w30. Im really thinking of turning this into 60 days in the hopes that the new habits will really stick and then try the reintroduction. I definitely want to continue with this way of eating and I believe that I've had enough nsv to help me continue, but there's this little voice taunting me and making me nervous. It helps that my boyfriend is doing this with me and also agrees this is something we should continue with maybe a few slight modifications and become part of our lifestyle. It's just so easy to get caught up in all those bad habits.

[cristin1868]

Ladies,

So right there with you. Today was a little tough. Going away for the weekend, my daughter has a big tournament and I did not want to fill the fridge up too much...but do not think I ate the right combinations of food... too repetitive and I am starting to feel a little deprived... I have to get a little more creative with the food I think...There is a lot of down time for parents at these tournies so I think with bring my Whole 30 book and finds some more exciting food options.

If I had to be really honest..work is getting tough and I am missing my comfort. For this reason I know for me personally going to have to keep myself on a very tight rope with the reintroduction and figure out some kind of thing like. Sunday is my day to eat something off plan..and maybe one night a week I can have a prosecco? I have been thinking a lot about it. I want to keep taking steps forward.

Best to everyone C

[misslindy]

Put on a pair of jeans that I've barely been able to button in months.  Halfway through Round 1 and they fit...still snug, but they fit. :-)

Hurray! Well done you.

[misslindy]

 Misslindy, I put 8 cups into the crockpot along with carrots, celery, onion, bay leaf and parsley. A splash of apple cider vinigar also. I strained all of the solids and scraped the fat and was left with very little liquid. Maybe it's the crockpot method?

Hi, I don't know what the problem could be, sounds right to me, unless perhaps you had it on high for too long and need to leave it on low longer so it doesn't boil all the water away???? Sounds like you did the right thing. Sorry not much help.

My beef broth was not great today and that is because I used beef bones and not a long bone, cut in half to fit the pressure cooker. When I did that I had such thick thick broth I couldn't believe it. Going back to the butcher for one of those again.

[misslindy]

Day 18 for me. Yesterday was tough. Work was hectic and chaotic. I had so much back pain and felt horrible. I had to fight back my tears of frustration. It easily could have been a day of burying myself in crappy food. I thought I would treat myself and enjoy the ArtWalk going on in town. I couldn't find anything to eat at the 3 places I checked out so I came home. Luckily I had marinated chicken in coconut aminos and garlic. Cooked up quickly with broccoli and cauliflower rice. 

Today I finally feel so much better. My back barely bothered me and the fibro pain I usually have in my shoulders is almost gone. My moods are evening out. The little things aren't bothering me-like driving past DQ on the way home to see Pumpkin pie blizzards are back. And I am not even craving a Sam Adams Octoberfest. Cravings for something sweet later in the day are on their way out. I am holding out for Honeycrisp Apples, looser clothes(I'm down half a size already), working out in cooler weather because I have more energy now and my big treat to myself-getting a massage. I haven't had one in a few years and even though I hurt after I get one because of the fibro I have hopes this next one will be rewarding. 

 

Today's email with all the sauces and dressings was just what I needed. I am making chimichurri tonight. 

Hi kplake

I have found that even with the mistakes I was making, I have much much less systemic inflammation and things like massage are not as painful. Hopefully you will find the same, any way it is a lovely thing to treat yourself to. I hope you enjoy it.

[misslindy]

Hi, I have been reading through the posts and there is so much anxiety about post W30.

 

I am a bit embarrassed posting this but know it was useful for me so it may help put some things in perspective. When I found out I was eating peas that I shouldn't have been, I nearly went out of my tiny little mind. I cried and threw a major hissy fit, my friend talked me down and eventually I realized, as vozelle pointed out: 'peas aren't exactly twinkies'  Peas are only food - and good food at that, just not on this programme. And now I have more information. 

 

One thing I have noticed doing this is that we (I) have the power, not the food. Once the sugar has been defeated there isn't the almost compulsive urge to find more--therefore I don't feel as driven and out of control like I used to. This programme is so much easier to manage than the one the nutritionist had me on because using fat as fuel instead of carbs is much much more satisfying on a physical level. Because I have had some health issues for years, want to lose weight, and gain energy, I have decided to carry on beyond the end of the month and won't do reintro for a couple months. If in the meantime I am in a situation where I can't avoid something, I won't be cutting my life short with stress reactions! Even if I end up in a sugar coma, at least now  I know the way back from it, I have the power because I have the knowledge and experience.

 

Not sure if I can post this properly but this is what my friend sent me once I had quit crying.

http://i3.cpcache.com/product/192093257/give_peas_a_chance_toddler_tshirt.jpg?color=White&height=460&width=460&qv=90

[Crimsann]

 

I've been thinking a lot about how I will continue this after our 30 days are over. I'm SO all-or-nothing that it's hard to be moderate with things like sugar and grains. How do all of you who have done this before handle the situation? Do you go back to old, bad eating habits so that you have to do a reset again, or do you stick to the new, healthier food you've been eating for the last month? I'm really enjoying the strict rules, but I don't think it's possible to do this forever. I'm really afraid that I'll allow myself a treat, and end up in a corner, in a sugar coma, surrounded by candy wrappers! Suggestions greatly appreciated... 

 

I'm not sure if this is even going to count as a suggestion...but I can really, really relate to the sentiments here so I feel like I need to speak up and at least share what I did. 

 

At the end of my Whole30 in June, I felt like it had all come a little too easy.  Not that there weren't some rough patches, but I had surprised myself with finding new foods and new menus during the month to the point where I hadn't really hit the food boredom struggle.  I also knew I was seeing some changes in my body, weight specifically, but others as well and I was nearly terrified of looking at the scales.  I knew my stumbling block in the past has always been the weigh in.  Didn't really matter, positive or negative, I would either relax thinking "I had it" or give up thinking I'd failed.  But here I had gone 30 days on the hardest regime I had ever tried, nailed it (in spite of getting sick during week 2), was seeing results...and I wasn't ready to know that number and risk either doomsday scenario.  I also wanted to keep pushing myself until I had really had to make some hard choices with food and I wasn't there yet.  I still had recipes to try and I just wanted more time to cement the habits, like some of you are starting to say.

 

On the other hand, our 30 barely ended before we were into another long holiday weekend and the weekend after I had already committed to host a gaming event...two things I had planned to be off Whole30 for. 

 

So I did my Hole60.  I call it this because while I stayed 100% compliant on ingredients...I did start to venture out into some non-compliant intention areas.  I made that frozen banana ice cream for the Fourth of July, I made coconut flour paleo waffles for the gaming weekend.  I completed July before I weighed in or reintroduced anything ingredient wise that was non-compliant...and looking back on it, I think this was maybe a great thing for me. 

 

And let me repeat, this is not exactly a suggestion, the whole point of "riding your own bike" is taking what you have learned over the last few weeks and figuring out how to go forward for yourself.  What do YOU need to succeed.  That could look very different than what I needed.  The rules about using compliant ingredients for baked goods and ice cream are there for some really good reasons and I would never have abused that during my Whole30, I also won't call what I did a Whole60 because it wasn't.  Period.  Rules are rules. 

 

That being said, for me, July was about seeing how close to template I could stick, while also experimenting even more with food.  I never wanted to get to the point where I was deliberately abstaining from food out of fear of enjoying it too much.  If I can't eat a perfectly clean food item in moderation because I like it too much, then I haven't really learned everything I need to learn and that was something I needed to test.  I completely agree with it being a critical part of success during a Whole30 to avoid those SWYPO items, but I also felt like I could end up choosing to stick to the rules because that was comfortable now and that was maybe no better for me in the long run. Having some fun with compliant ingredients helped me push the boundaries while still staying very close to the "safe zone".  Most days I was pretty much compliant even intention wise, but I was playing with how I could relax the rules for myself.  I was also still pushing myself to find new recipes and cooking/baking techniques that I could incorporate, hopefully WILL incorporate, into a longer Post-Whole30 stretch. 

 

I didn't start doing any real introductions until August and took it slow then, in fact I only managed to get in about three of those before I decided to go back to the full plan for September.  Well, Whole30 + Working Out, which is another story.  Partly this was because I wanted a reset from the reintroductions that hadn't gone well (corn syrup it seems is not my friend so that's a fun one) and to up the challenge a bit more before I started to plateau...to see if the first 30 days was repeatable.  Could I get even more results if I challenged myself in a new way?  I also wanted to be as firmly grounded as possible before I really kicked off the training wheels for awhile which I saw as the next step for me.  I know moderation is hard, but I'm no longer quite so intimidated by hard.

 

My plan from September on is to ride my own bike through the end of the year, possibly rejoining in January no matter how the last quarter goes.  I think that is something I would like to commit to ahead of time before I take such a long detour just so it's always in my mind that I haven't rode off into the sunset or anything here.  I realize this means planning to be off plan during the worst of the holidays but that actually IS my next personal challenge.  Not having the "excuse" of Whole30 while navigating from pumpkin latte's to sugar cookies.  I expect this to be just as hard as those first 30 days....but I also know now that I can DO hard, in fact I'm pretty darn good at it.  So if it sounds completely crazy, even to me, that's probably a good thing...so did this whole (pun intended) program when I first heard about it and look how that turned out!

 

Mostly though, I think just take these next 10-20 days to reflect on why this is working for you now, what has enabled you to stick this far, and what hasn't worked for you in the past...where you were before, where you want to go, and how close do you feel to that goal?  The answers to those questions could help shape your plan.

 

Remember how you started this Whole30 thinking about the first thing you wanted to eat when your tour was done?  Start a new list now of the things you found on this journey that you want to keep!  New foods, new tools, new resolve, new pants....whatever.  When your perspective makes that switch, I think you are on the right path to finding the best possible "what comes next" for you.   

[art-school-girl]

I've been having those same thoughts. I think w30 is working so well for me because there is no wiggle room. There is no slippery slope for me to slide down. I'm a bit nervous about post w30. Im really thinking of turning this into 60 days in the hopes that the new habits will really stick and then try the reintroduction. I definitely want to continue with this way of eating and I believe that I've had enough nsv to help me continue, but there's this little voice taunting me and making me nervous. It helps that my boyfriend is doing this with me and also agrees this is something we should continue with maybe a few slight modifications and become part of our lifestyle. It's just so easy to get caught up in all those bad habits.

NancyW and milonac, I am thinking the same things. How is this all going to play out. I hope/know that the email messages may contain some discussion on this topic, but I'm still worried. Doesn't help that I'm kind of a worrier anyway! im afraid that I'll just slide back in to old habits and I really don't want to! I feel like I want to stay eating compliant forever...that I need to. If I take a bite of sugar or ice cream that I'll binge and not stop. Bad dreams about this too.

[NancyW]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the input on life post-Whole30! I do know that I want to continue this lifestyle because...

 

...I had a DENIM NSV this morning! Most of my NSVs revolve around jeans and how they fit. I've been living in capris for the summer, and I pulled out jeans today (Jeans Day at work is how they motivate us...) and found that they fit FAR better than before! Most of that is the result of W30, because during my whole summer of Weight Watchers, I didn't lose more than 3 pounds. Thank goodness I ran out of money for Weight Watchers, because that brought me here! I have jeans that my daughters gave me for Christmas/Birthday a few years ago, and I'd LOVE to be able to wear them again, no matter how long it takes to get into them. (Of course, I'm probably spending more on W30 food than I did on WW meetings, but I'm ok with that!  )

 

Busy day ahead at work, and I have a pork roast and sauerkraut to look forward to this weekend!

[Crimsann]

I'm laughing at my page-a-day calender from yesterday...which I managed to switch to without actually reading I guess because I just noticed this morning that the quote is:

 

"I'm glad I don't have to hunt for my food.  I don't even know where sandwiches live."

 

A rather amusing visual for those of us contemplating the more paleo lifestyle! 

[Shea74]

Day 18! I went to coffee with a friend last night and while I'm doing Whole30, she is doing HCG shots as a crash diet for a beach vacation. I'm sure she'll lose more than me and look great but I have to tell myself that I'm chosing the healthier option. I was watching reruns of 30 Rock last night. Liz and Jenna share a cake over glasses of red wine. I'm not even a sugar person and I was drooling. I don't think my cravings are getting better, I think they are getting worse! I don't think it's good for me to deprive myself all the time. 30 days? Yes, that's doable but I have issues with food as it is and I think this is making it worse. I don't even want "bad" things. I just want some chips and salsa with a vodka/lacroix. I don't want to be a downer because I really do think this is a great way to eat but I couldn't do this for 60 or 90 days. I would go crazy.

 

M1-Spinach fritta, hashbrowns, sausage

M2-Grilled shrimp, cauliflower rice, cilantro lime mayo, clementine

M3-Chipotle carnitas salad.

Snack-I'm going to allow myself a Friday snack of almond butter and an apple.

 

ETA: I do want to mostly eat Paleo and I know giving up sugar completely is necessary. I'm also so happy that this has rid of my calorie counting obsession.

[shwillia]

Yesterday I felt like I made a huge step forward by having a "non-breakfast" breakfast - left over grilled turkey, butternut squash soup and some potates. And I actually enjoyed it.  My husband and I are finding great success in our new lifesytle - we very much see a continued W30 for a few more months and an adapted lifesyle afterwards - will have to bring my occasional glass of wine back!

 

I have tried many ways to lose weight before and I have to say this is the one that spoke to me because it is a change in lifestyle habits and it just makes sense to me so I really think it is my new lifestyle.

 

On a side note- I always find it interesting how people from all of the globe get together to accomplish things - for us it is getting healthy - that being said - I noticed some people say where they are from but not all - want to share your location? I am from Sammamish, WA - right outside Seattle.

 

Thanks everyone for sharing this amazing ride with us!!!

[vozelle]

Crawling out from under a rock... spent the last two days with flu symptoms, ugh! Boy, is it hard to stay Whole30 compliant when you're feeling unwell, but I did it, and things are looking up today. I have enough energy to cook, and even go to the grocery store! Husband wasn't much help while I was ill, ate scones and comfort foods right in front of me… oh, the humanity! Sure wish he would get on the Whole30 bandwagon, but it's really hard to separate this German from his baked goods.
 

..."I'm glad I don't have to hunt for my food.  I don't even know where sandwiches live."...

  
HaHA. I wish there was a LMAO button on these forum posts... Sometimes "Like This" is not accurate enough!
 

...I don't think my cravings are getting better, I think they are getting worse! I don't think it's good for me to deprive myself all the time. 30 days? Yes, that's doable but I have issues with food as it is and I think this is making it worse. I don't even want "bad" things. I just want some chips and salsa with a vodka/lacroix. I don't want to be a downer because I really do think this is a great way to eat but I couldn't do this for 60 or 90 days. I would go crazy...

I feel your frustration, I wanted to throw in the towel several times over the last few days, just to have a plain old bowl of oatmeal. Could be that you are experiencing some Extinction Burst mixed with Food Boredom though (or maybe that's what I'm experiencing!). For those of us that don't overdo sweets normally, it's more about the chips, alcohol, and other go-to treats/snacks/habits than about the Sugar Dragon. I call it the Snack Dragon. For me it's nuts. Roasted, salted, crispy, crunchy NUTS. Ahhh!! I am going crazy for nuts this morning... BUT I'm going to stick to my promise to abstain for 10 days, because they are totally SWPO for me.

 

Your post brings up an interesting point though, what about the psychological aspects of "all or nothing", strict rules, feelings of deprivation, desire to rebel, etc? A few other posts have mentioned the benefits of restrictive rules/guidelines, coupled with fear of losing control when the reins are removed. These are important topics! Maybe a visit to my therapist will help, haha...

 

Good luck to you! We are each finding our way and learning a lot on this journey...!

[vozelle]

...Has anybody kept track of how many started and how many are still posting?...

 

I was wondering that too, seems like we started with a gigantic group. And where are you Linda75? You were posting regularly until this week... hope your tinnitus is improving!

[milonac]

So I've decided that I need to start giving myself more credit and really start reveling in my NSV's!!  I've been working really hard and deserve to feel good about all that I've accomplished in the last couple weeks.  I've come leaps and bounds from were I was just 18 day ago. It' hasn't always been easy, there has been a lot of ups and downs.  But to be honest, out of all the diets, and silly weight loss plans I've tried over the years, this feels less like a struggle than any of the others.  Obviously I didn't go into this as a 'get thin quick' approach.  I was looking for something that would truly help me become more healthy and get me to a healthy weight. I was looking for a lifestyle change.  My family has a less than stellar medical history, so I know I need to do everything I can to get and keep myself as healthy as possible.

 

Last night I posted about my post W30 concerns, and they are certainly still there. But, I decided that I better start arming myself with some ammunition and reminders of why this program is good, why it is working for me and why this is something that is worth continuing.  I've been keeping a log of all my meals and how I've been feeling each day. Nothing lengthy, but just something to keep me in check.  Moving forward I'm going to be writing down at least 2 NSV each day. It'll be hard to look a list of over 26 reasons of why this AWESOME and not continue, right?   I can see and feel the changes happening!  How exciting is that!

 

I hope everyone is hanging in there and doing well!!  So proud of everyone pushing through!! 

[QuilterInVA]

I plan on extending my Whole30 until the end of November just to have the habits perfectly cemented into place. I will have a few treats during the holiday season, but not many.

 

For those of us who plan on extending, perhaps we could start a new thread on October 1 since this one is getting so long and it seems like a lot have dropped out.

 

I'm so loving this way of live and regret not having found it the day it started. I can't believe I don't crave chips and ice cream. Veggies for breakfast? Bring them on!

[MelissaT]

I haven't dropped out!  I'm still here...day 19 for me and I'm feeling good.  My pants aren't super loose on my but they definitely seem to have more room than they did when I started.

 

I appreciate reading everyone's posts and seeing how you all are doing.  I've been starting to think about life after this Whole30.  I'm going on vacation October 7-10 and I do plan on having some wine then. And maybe some dessert.   I'm thinking of getting back on the Whole30 wagon starting October 11th though.  My experience with food choices when I'm not doing a Whole30 seems to be pretty good in the first few days/weeks after completing the 30 days, then slowly adding back my bad food habits until I start falling face first into bread and candy and next thing I know, my stomach is bloated and my pants are tighter.  I don't want to get back to that point but it's been a challenge for me finding a good balance between Whole30 compliance and occasional treats.  I guess that's why I keep coming back to the program.  Maybe someday it will click in my head and I will be successful at "riding my own bike" without crash-landing into stuff that I know makes me unhealthy.

 

Anyway, I am proud of you all for continuing to keep on with it.  Have a great weekend everyone!

[MelissaT]

One of my biggest obstacles with this lifestyle is how to handle it in social situations.  I have the hardest time with this, which is why I plan my Whole30s around 30 day periods when I don't have any social engagements.  The social aspect of food is a huge reason why I crash and burn and make bad choices when I'm off the Whole30.  This is something I need to work on.  One of my strategies in the past has been to try to eat as close to Whole30 as possible when I'm not out with friends and family, and decide to off-road carefully (sometimes not so carefully, I'll admit) when I'm out.  I need to take a closer look at my off-roading and decide what off-plan foods are worth it, and which are not.  I know that's something Melissa Hartwig has mentioned before - before you choose to eat something that's off-plan, ask yourself if it's worth it.  If you think it's worth it, take a bite and then re-evaluate if it's still worth it.

[E_OKeefe]

Wow guys, day 18! NSV: had a horrendous shift last night, and I mean HORRENDOUS. Short nurses, families treating us bad, pts deteriorating with not enough nurses and families yelling at us.....lol!!! Normally I'd have a coke as my treat and, when I finally sat for the first time at 230 am, it didn't even cross my mind! There were donuts, rolls and muffins in break room and it wasn't even hard! Normally, my addiction takes over and I eat and eat! WHOOP WHOOP NSV!

Sounds like day 18 is a little hard, but I hear you guys persevering through, and that's a nsv! *High five*

[NancyW]

At work today, a coworker asked what I was doing that had me feeling so good. My "cube-mate" told her that I was on "some crazy diet." These words were spoken by a diabetic who eats granola bars all day long. I didn't say a word. I just listened to that cube-mate talk about how awful she feels and how much she hurts, and had a moment of gratitude for the program that has me feeling so much better!

[jodmaxfeldt]

Good Evening Everyone,

 

Yesterday I made the black olive salsa that was suggested in the daily email.  Oh my yum!  We ate it over tuna for dinner, I ate it as salad dressing for lunch, and tonight I filled 1/2 an avocado with it.  Totally delicious.  The recipe makes a lot so it will last the week, I'm sure.  I'm enjoying making sauces and dips.  So fun and such a different direction for me.

 

Today is day 18 for my Whole30.  I feel so energetic.  I had the best run ever this morning and I usually have a tough time on Fridays after a long work week.  I'm feeling positive at work, which can be hard in my work environment.  I went for a long walk along the beach this afternoon.  I cooked two separate healthy dinners in about 40 minutes and cleaned up the entire kitchen.  Feeling full of life!  And I'm happy!  At the moment all of my insecurities about body image and negative talk are gonesville.  

 

I feel for those of you who are having cravings and feeling deprived.  I've felt that way for years upon years of my life.  I feel your pain.  I've felt that way through several different food lifestyles I've tried, including vegetarian, vegan, juicing, raw food, high carb low fat, and my own creations of a lifestyle.  Only a few things have been easy...like giving up fast food.  And now this.  This Whole30.  This is so doable for me.  I'm not even interested in planning the afterlife...October...I think I'll just continue...with some prosecco added in on a date night.  At the moment I don't miss any of the foods I used to snack on constantly...dark chocolate, nuts, nut butter, homemade breads & muffins, smoothies.  I'm never really hungry, only before a meal, and I'm never full to the point of a stomach ache.  it's really awesome.

 

I've got to break my date with the scale and stay positive about my image.  I need to be confident in my health and not worry what people think about the way I look...going back to my never-ending "am I enough" problem.  I almost think the Whole30 is going to force me to answer that and be at peace with it because my mind goes there constantly these days.  I bought a self-help book by Byron Katie (I saw that Melissa Hartwig recommended it) and I have a dear friend who has recommended it.  So, let's see if I can shift my perspective on me in the next few weeks as I continue to eat things that are that keeping my hamstrings happy and my body satiated.

 

I wish you all weekends of enjoyment and good fuel and laughing and love with your family, your friends, and mostly with yourselves!

 

peace

[marthab]

I am thinking I will make it a whole 40 to start with, then maybe a 60. If it works don't fix it.

Although some of the paleo treats look tempting, I will hold off as long as I can. I agree that social situations are the most challenging. I usually just make sure I am fed either before I go or by bringing my own food. I have never encountered any one being hostile or aggressive.