Starting September 1 - Who's with me?

[misslindy]

Hi

Am motoring along and compliant, can't believe how much I am eating, didn't think I could eat as much as I am able to since changing oils and adding more protein to lunch. Man alive. But it also seems to be making some difference to how I feel--improving that is. 

 

I would like to stay with the group after October 1 as well so if we can start a new thread, that would be great. We could be called Tiger Tots! or we could have a naming contest, or just call ourselves, The Group.

 

Weekend almost over here and I am ready to light the fire and start dinner. I do okay all day long but when evening comes I am ready for my bed--good thing I'm not a major party animal.

[NancyW]

Re: Fruit/Dates/Nuts  I am very surprised that I have not had an issue with fruit, given my sweet tooth. I bought 2 huge nectarines and 4 plums last week, and have only eaten 2 of the plums. I've never had dates, so not a problem. And I have had the same bag of cashews and the same small container of almond butter since day 1. I think it helps that the cashews are raw and unsalted. I made that choice suspecting that "real" cashews (roasted and salted) would not be around for more than a day or two. One of the fund raisers that Girl Scout troops (I work there) is a nut and candy sale in fall. We are gearing up for that now, which means containers of both will be readily available and will sneak up on us at any time. I checked the label of the cashews (the best I've ever had!) and they are roasted in peanut oil. I mentally put them on the "no" list.

 

I'm so glad there's interest in a group starting October 1--the thought of continuing support makes me happy. If I wander off on my own, I'll certainly get lost among the things that will be harmful to my current health and happiness. I feel like an unprotected toddler when it comes to food! 

 

Have a great Sunday, everyone. Cleaning the fridge and making sure I have enough food prepped for the week and the whole long weekend up north. Good thing I'm a Girl Scout--those preparedness skills will come in handy!

[vozelle]

...My biggest problem right now is cooking enough protein sources in advance for when I need to grab something and go. Suggestions welcome.

 

Yep, making the time for that weekly cook-up can be challenging. I always keep about a dozen boiled eggs in the fridge because they require so little prep time and are SO portable (they also do fine without refrigeration for a few hours, so I've been known to carry them around in my purse "just in case"). Epic bars are quite good, very portable, good dose of protein... available at Whole Foods (https://epicbar.com/). I like the Bacon flavor best.

 

If you have time for a cook-up, and prefer a super easy one, I suggest making big batches of meatballs and storing them in the freezer in ziplock baggies (3-5 per bag)... I just grab one of those if I'm desperate and running out the door, can take it for emergency protein on-the-go, they defrost fairly quick at room temp (i.e., my purse, lol). Here is an a-m-a-z-i-n-g meatball recipe link... 44 kinds of Paleo Meatballs!!: http://paleogrubs.com/meatball-recipes

 

Good luck.  : )

[NancyW]

If you have time for a cook-up, and prefer a super easy one, I suggest making big batches of meatballs and storing them in the freezer in ziplock baggies (3-5 per bag)... I just grab one of those if I'm desperate and running out the door, can take it for emergency protein on-the-go, they defrost fairly quick at room temp (i.e., my purse, lol). Here is an a-m-a-z-i-n-g meatball recipe link... 44 kinds of Paleo Meatballs!!: http://paleogrubs.com/meatball-recipes

 

Good luck.  : )

GREAT idea, vozelle! 

[vozelle]

I made it 10 whole days without NUTS!! Just bragging. : )

Didn't notice any major differences though, so not sure what I'm gonna do... there were some strong cravings, but not too often. Hmm.

[kplake]

Day 21 halfway done-I lost something. My double chin! lol

 

I made the chocolate chili yesterday-improvised with lean cuts of beef rather than ground beef. When my boyfriend asked if we were having cornbread with it I said no. Served his on top of a baked potato and mine on a sweet potato. He wants all his chili like that now. He put shredded cheese and sour cream on his and I had basil chimichurri instead. 

 

Chiming in on the fruits and nuts discussions....I had to find other ways to add the nuts(healthy fats) in my meals or I would have found they could be a FWOB item. Roasting cashews, almonds or walnuts and chopping them up to add some crunch to a few dishes has helped. I had been eating apples and grapes lately-they are in season and on sale. I have added chopped apples to salads and sauteed them with sweet potatoes. I stopped eating the grapes after suspecting them to have something to do with an onset of "new" pain. I didn't feel like I was eating fruit in excess and I don't feel I was craving sugar or sweets.  It has been 5 days since I had any grapes and my pain is gone.There has been a few times that after eating my last meal and being completely full I have felt hunger pains right before or right after I go to bed. Water doesn't always help, in fact, I try to stop drinking anything after my last meal so I can get more uninterrupted sleep. I have eaten olives when I feel like I have to absolutely have something but I also feel like I am doing something incorrect. Maybe not having enough fats at meal time? 

[misslindy]

Re: Fruit/Dates/Nuts  I am very surprised that I have not had an issue with fruit, given my sweet tooth. I bought 2 huge nectarines and 4 plums last week, and have only eaten 2 of the plums. I've never had dates, so not a problem. And I have had the same bag of cashews and the same small container of almond butter since day 1. I think it helps that the cashews are raw and unsalted. I made that choice suspecting that "real" cashews (roasted and salted) would not be around for more than a day or two. One of the fund raisers that Girl Scout troops (I work there) is a nut and candy sale in fall. We are gearing up for that now, which means containers of both will be readily available and will sneak up on us at any time. I checked the label of the cashews (the best I've ever had!) and they are roasted in peanut oil. I mentally put them on the "no" list.

 

I'm so glad there's interest in a group starting October 1--the thought of continuing support makes me happy. If I wander off on my own, I'll certainly get lost among the things that will be harmful to my current health and happiness. I feel like an unprotected toddler when it comes to food! 

 

Have a great Sunday, everyone. Cleaning the fridge and making sure I have enough food prepped for the week and the whole long weekend up north. Good thing I'm a Girl Scout--those preparedness skills will come in handy!

When you mentioned the candy and nut sale I remembered when the Girl Guides came around last time they offered cookies or natural soaps--I snapped up the soap option and loved it. Perhaps you could suggest an option to the candy/nuts selection. You might be the local hero.

[NancyW]

When you mentioned the candy and nut sale I remembered when the Girl Guides came around last time they offered cookies or natural soaps--I snapped up the soap option and loved it. Perhaps you could suggest an option to the candy/nuts selection. You might be the local hero.

We do offer an option to make a purchase and then have it donated to a food pantry--that's how I show my support! I'd sure like to see the soap option though. At least if I came upon a soap dish in the office kitchen, it wouldn't knock me off my Whole30 like a candy dish would... 

[jodmaxfeldt]

Day 20 has flown by!  We've been so busy...but not too busy to eat three healthy meals.  And I had a snack around 3:30pm.  I've been really good about not snacking most days, but I was pretty active today and needed a little more to get me through until dinner.  It's been all good.  Tonight I need to do some food prep for the week.  I'm tired and I want to lounge but I know it'll be worth it come Monday!  So, I'm going to crank of my tunes and make some crockpot chicken, pork sausage, lunches for my kiddos, and hard-boiled eggs.  

 

I haven't been eating much fruit at all.  Maybe a banana here or an apple there.  I don't really like fruit with my meals and I'm trying super duper hard not to snack because that is what always gets me in trouble.  So, I fill my plate...and I mean fill it...with vegetables (and the other template foods along side).  Maybe that would work for some of you who are trying to curb the fruit love.  Also, I love coconut butter much better than nut butter and a little goes a long way.  I put it on my morning sweet potato and it fills me right up.  Maybe give that a try instead of nuts and nut butters....

 

???  I don't know.  We all like different things...but if that helps any of you...  

 

Happy Day 20!  peace.

[misslindy]

Hi

Would someone please post a link to or tell me where I can find the chocolate chilli recipe? I know it has been posted but have trawled through and can't see it. Thought I would try it tonight for dinner. Thanks.

[misslindy]

Cancel that, just found it!  Birdbrain in operation today.

[Crimsann]

Day 21 halfway done-I lost something. My double chin! lol

 

I made the chocolate chili yesterday-improvised with lean cuts of beef rather than ground beef. When my boyfriend asked if we were having cornbread with it I said no. Served his on top of a baked potato and mine on a sweet potato. He wants all his chili like that now. He put shredded cheese and sour cream on his and I had basil chimichurri instead. 

 

 

Loved the comment about a double-chin, I was griping about having one in a recent picture my sister took where my 6-week old niece and I seem to have that in common.  My sister argued back that even Kate Moss would have a double chin with her head angled down sharply to adore a baby nestled under her cheek.

 

Maaaaybe.    It's definitely cuter on her is all I'm saying.

 

I made the chocolate chili today also!  I have been putting off making chili as it's one of my all-time favorite things...except I make a purely vegetarian version usually that is loaded with black and kidney beans and portabella mushrooms along with the fire-roasted tomatoes and onions.  I was afraid swapping meat for the beans would result in something pretty disappointing.  I haven't tried it yet, it's for lunches next week, but it smells rather nice and oddly similar to my recipe spice wise though mine doesn't take cocoa powder...so I'm optimistic.  It certainly gets a lot of comments here, so it was a positive reinforcement to see it mentioned today!  I'm looking for some other recipes to try next month as I'm off for two weeks and while I won't be doing Whole30, I am looking to keep many of my food habits over those weeks with the added bonus of more than usual time to prepare food.  Specifically I would like to find a good version using portabella, and possibly a version using pumpkin (which I'm nearly sure I've seen before.)

 

While I was jotting down notes from the chocolate chili recipe to compile my shopping list, I also spotted the recipe for Bora Bora Fire Balls so a nod to those thinking meatballs for the week...those turned out rather well.  It sounds like they are better even the second day, I'm thinking to make them a part of a somewhat non-traditional breakfast option.  I am hoping the pineapple comes through a bit more than it did straight out of the oven, if not I may try them again with fresh pineapple rather than canned and just run it lightly through a food mill to "crush". 

 

As to fruit, well dates I can dismiss out of hand as I'm not a fan so there is no desire to use them.  Even in the paleo treat recipes I've contemplated during my Hole60 or the month I was doing reintroductions I looked for other options.  When I have fruit, I do nearly always use it in a meal quite literally, see pineapple use above...I've also used papaya juice in a pulled pork dish, grapes in a chicken salad, and blackberries in a pan sauce over pork chops.  If I eat fruit straight, it's always during a meal deliberately planned out ahead rather than an impulse or snack, and was always something in season and packed in a small serving portion to take where I had no ability to reach for more anyway.  I read somewhere that fruit consumption is almost expected to be a tad higher in the summer months while it's seasonal and tapers off sharply in the winter months, for what that's worth.  During my first 30 days I was particularly conscious of it, having seen some negative comments regarding using it as a sugar dragon crutch, but when I found myself very steady on the snacking and craving fronts I looked for as much variety as possible in produce, fruit and veggies alike, and didn't worry as much about it personally.  It was kind of my mission in life to try everything in the produce section at some point so I never settled for too much routine and ate as wide a rainbow of variety as possible.

 

I agree, this one is going to be deeply personal, and only you can know if it's "use" or "abuse".  As for me, I've mentioned before that I'm pretty much against banning a food simply because I enjoy it.  If I had ever found myself craving a fruit specifically, in between meals or wanting it to be the first thing I stuffed in my mouth, that would have sounded all kinds of alarm bells and I would have reconsidered using it.   

 

If you are concerned about fruit, but not sure if you are abusing it or just enjoying it, I would suggest maybe asking yourself when you reach for it..."Would I be just as happy with something else?"  If the answer is "no" and you want that (insert fruit here) more than anything else you have at hand, it might be time to try and do without it for a few days and push past what has become a craving.  You really don't want to put all this work into a Whole30 and come out the other side with as much of a sweet tooth as ever!  But again, I say that solely from my perspective and one of the things that is most important to me is learning to live in balance with all whole natural foods.  I'm just as concerned about banning foods out of hand just to save myself the "work" of sticking to moderation as I am about eating the occasional mango and considering it a treat.  (Inside joke there, I'm still so bad at picking/pitting/peeling a mango that by the time I'm done mangling it I'm lucky to get a tablespoon of ripe fruit to eat and I've probably already burned all the resulting calories in sheer demented frustration!) 

 

Nuts I've probably used more, mostly because they are a super simple thing to pack for that mini M3 I need to get in mid-evening while working a 14 hour day.  I find a small quantity really works well for me that time of day since I won't be getting an actual meal break and they are easy to eat at my desk.  I haven't always done nuts there, but that tends to be in high rotation.  I do try to swap up what kind of nut, what I have with it, butter versus roasted, again to keep up the variety and since this is something I pack...the portion is completely controlled, no bag in sight to dip back into.  Being primarily vegetarian pre-Whole30 meant I did think of nuts more as a protein than a fat, and I've had to work on not considering it a meat-free protein source.  I can't say I would credit myself entirely with a "win" there, but M4 always contains a meat protein so I've been more flexible on M3 containing one as well.  My strategy for that has been to think of those two meals as halves of a whole both in content and size.  If I combined them and came out to a full template meal that was successful enough for me. 

 

I do think though that part of going past 30 days with this program involves constantly checking yourself and tweaking anything you start to overly rely on, if you are considering a W30 or near W30 lifestyle I don't think you want to compromise on variety for that long a haul and I would support using every available option to up the color/taste/texture/creativity you put into your food.  I respect the purists who trim fruit/nuts down to the bone as well, that's just really not where I'm coming from.   

[halfpint_aggie]

You know what is discouraging?  Planning a menu for the week, buying all the groceries, and as you sit down to your Sunday night meal 3, your DH looks at you and says, "Did I forget to tell you I have to offshore Tuesday through Friday?".  Yes, yes you did.  My menu plan, grocery order, and grocery bill would look a lot different had  I known that 4 hours ago.  Hopefully I can figure out a way to not waste half the veg I bought, wasted food makes me want to cry.  I really get a bit oversensitive about it.  Then I start looking at adoption blogs, and fall down a wormhole that usually ends with me trying to give away everything we own.  Our closets could actually use a good clean out, so maybe this is good timing.

 

Went to a mother/daughter tea party yesterday for a friend's daughter's birthday party.  It was so cute.  The hostess is preparing to do a W30, so she let me know before hand what would be available for me to eat.  Which was so awesome.  But then I got there and there was not any of the promised guacamole, her avocados were bad when she went to make it.  So I didn't get to have any fat at that meal, and really had very small portions of protein & veg compared to what I normally have because I was having to keep my toddler out of the sweets the whole time (she was allowed a cupcake and an oreo).  So I was sure I'd be hungry and head-achy later.  But surprisingly I was fine until dinner time.  The headache I've been fighting off for a week actually completely disappeared.  Weird.

 

Speaking of my grocery order & avocados, I ordered my groceries on-line and when I was unpacking them yesterday I realized that instead of buying 6 avocados, I had bought 6 3-packs of avocados.  Nice, right?  Lots of guacamole happening for us this week.  Luckily it's one of the 2-year-old's favorite foods.  Remember licking the batter spoon growing up?  In our house, she gets to lick the guacamole spoon.  (And the clarified butter spoon, that kind of makes me gag though).

 

20 days done! 

[stephsk8r]

Thanks for the ideas, everyone! I appreciate it.

 

I made the chocolate chili last night and it was great (although I don't really like all the fat and oil that make up the liquid part -- eating this much of these kinds of fats is new for me). We had the chili again tonight and there's still some left over. Day 20 is in the books -- we're 2/3 of the way done!

 

I'd definitely be interested in following along with the group in October as some of us reintroduce some foods and some of us continue.

[ksheedy2]

Hi, everyone!

 

This weekend I started to turn a bit of a corner.  I'm feeling better and not as bitter about foregoing the grains and sweets.  We had a function at church today and there were donuts from the bakery - like, REAL donuts with lots of cream in the middle (I was feeding my daughter the cream, she has CP and can't feed herself so I did and didn't have even a taste) that looked fabulous.  But, I didn't have any.

 

We spent most of the day out getting a new computer, etc. and therefore ate at the food court at the mall.  They had a Chipotle there so I gave it a try.  Wow!  It was delicious!  I'm thinking I might have to get more food from there this week - we rarely eat out so I hadn't known what I was missing.  I've already googled copycat Chipotle chicken marinades and am thinking I need to put that on the rotation this week.

 

Regarding the chili - has anyone ever tried to make it with ground chicken?  I just bought some extras to try it out as I'm getting a little sick of all the beef we've had in the Whole30.  I love doing the chili as it is easy to make and then freeze in individual portions for easy meals when needed.

 

For preparing, I've found that you can keep shredded sweet potato in a container in the fridge and it keeps nicely for a while.  I shredded up a few when the food processor was out the other day and since I only use about a 1/2 sweet potato for breakfast homefries, I put the rest in a container with a dry paper towel on top (to capture any excess moisture) and then store in the fridge.  In the mornings, now, I just heat a little ghee in a pan and toss in some sweet potato, salt and pepper and have a great side for my eggs.

 

I also made some sweet potato crust egg cups this weekend.  They taste good but it's a disaster to clean the muffin pan so I won't be making them again!  I googled it and it seems like soaking the pan with a dryer sheet overnight should do the trick to clean it.  Fingers crossed!

 

I had been looking forward to my fruits at my M2 and M3, but lately I'm hit or miss.  I do like it but don't have to have it.  And I'm enjoying my veggies more than when we first started.  I didn't think that would have happened so I'm thrilled about this change since I'm not the biggest veggie lover by nature.

 

2/3 done.  I'm thinking I might do well with a Whole45.  But, there is still time to figure it out.

[DMVer]

NancyW - I'm a former Girl Scout, and I'm definitely prepared for anything
This weekend went well - I brought my own food to my cousin's party, but I actually wasn't hungry, so I ate it later and made it through just fine. A good time was had by all.

Today I still felt tired, even though I've been sleeping much better -- need to figure out what's causing that. I had to pass up some homemade apple butter at church, but my friends were understanding. (When I told them I was on a diet, I had to explain it's not to lose weight, since I'm already pretty thin.)

After evening church, some friends invited me out to a barbecue restaurant -- I went along and just had unsweetened iced tea, which the cashier at the restaurant gave me for free. Awesome!

I am also starting to love cooking in a Crock-Pot, which I've never really done before the Whole30. Made buffalo chili from the Whole30 book today -- very tasty!

Hope everyone has a good week, and I'd also be up for an October forum!

[halfpint_aggie]

Update:  DH's business trip for this week was canceled, so potential food-wasting-crisis averted.  And yay for getting my hubby at home with me for the week

[Carolee]

Yep, making the time for that weekly cook-up can be challenging. I always keep about a dozen boiled eggs in the fridge because they require so little prep time and are SO portable (they also do fine without refrigeration for a few hours, so I've been known to carry them around in my purse "just in case"). Epic bars are quite good, very portable, good dose of protein... available at Whole Foods (https://epicbar.com/). I like the Bacon flavor best.

 

If you have time for a cook-up, and prefer a super easy one, I suggest making big batches of meatballs and storing them in the freezer in ziplock baggies (3-5 per bag)... I just grab one of those if I'm desperate and running out the door, can take it for emergency protein on-the-go, they defrost fairly quick at room temp (i.e., my purse, lol). Here is an a-m-a-z-i-n-g meatball recipe link... 44 kinds of Paleo Meatballs!!: http://paleogrubs.com/meatball-recipes

 

Good luck.  : )

Thanks for the meatball link, Vozelle.  I saved several of the recipes.

[Carolee]

Hi, everyone!

 

This weekend I started to turn a bit of a corner.  I'm feeling better and not as bitter about foregoing the grains and sweets.  We had a function at church today and there were donuts from the bakery - like, REAL donuts with lots of cream in the middle (I was feeding my daughter the cream, she has CP and can't feed herself so I did and didn't have even a taste) that looked fabulous.  But, I didn't have any.

 

We spent most of the day out getting a new computer, etc. and therefore ate at the food court at the mall.  They had a Chipotle there so I gave it a try.  Wow!  It was delicious!  I'm thinking I might have to get more food from there this week - we rarely eat out so I hadn't known what I was missing.  I've already googled copycat Chipotle chicken marinades and am thinking I need to put that on the rotation this week.

 

Regarding the chili - has anyone ever tried to make it with ground chicken?  I just bought some extras to try it out as I'm getting a little sick of all the beef we've had in the Whole30.  I love doing the chili as it is easy to make and then freeze in individual portions for easy meals when needed.

 

For preparing, I've found that you can keep shredded sweet potato in a container in the fridge and it keeps nicely for a while.  I shredded up a few when the food processor was out the other day and since I only use about a 1/2 sweet potato for breakfast homefries, I put the rest in a container with a dry paper towel on top (to capture any excess moisture) and then store in the fridge.  In the mornings, now, I just heat a little ghee in a pan and toss in some sweet potato, salt and pepper and have a great side for my eggs.

 

I also made some sweet potato crust egg cups this weekend.  They taste good but it's a disaster to clean the muffin pan so I won't be making them again!  I googled it and it seems like soaking the pan with a dryer sheet overnight should do the trick to clean it.  Fingers crossed!

 

I had been looking forward to my fruits at my M2 and M3, but lately I'm hit or miss.  I do like it but don't have to have it.  And I'm enjoying my veggies more than when we first started.  I didn't think that would have happened so I'm thrilled about this change since I'm not the biggest veggie lover by nature.

 

2/3 done.  I'm thinking I might do well with a Whole45.  But, there is still time to figure it out.

Great tip for the shredded sweet potatoes. I'm having trouble getting vegies in at breakfast. Thanks.

[NancyW]

Day 21 is off to a slow start. Headachy and sluggish this morning. Can't be anything I'm eating, so it must just be one of those days. Will hope it passes quickly--lots to do in the first part of the week so I can goof off up north for a long weekend! (Is "up north" just a Wisconsin thing? I'm heading as far north in WI as you can go without crossing into the upper peninsula of Michigan. Beautiful area up there!) Have a good start to the week, everyone!

[Shosh2015]

So I read a resent whole30 email that really hit home with me. The email was sent on the 14th. If you read it, you know it talks about overusing fruit and dates. Having done a whole 30 in the past, I already knew I'd be eating dates, and fruit, and overdoing it? Most likely yes. It occured to me the other day, that when I did the whole30 in the past, I did it for 2 months. My first month I was very strict to following the rules. The second month not so much. Meaning I did eat complient foods, but the second month I snacked, and ate a lot of fruit, and drank a lot of juice. Needless to say, my results were a lot more significant the first month. So for the rest of the month, I'll be trying to be more mindful of my fruit and date intake, limiting myself to one fruit a day, and probably zero dates. Anyone else over using and abusing? I know I can't be the only one. 

No, you most certainly are NOT the only one. I had an ongoing love affair with dates (and almond butter) which they even cited in that article long before embarking on my first Whole30 twenty-two days ago! I began Whole30 for emotional/psychological reasons more than anything. I was getting very compulsive with sweets and doing things I hadn't done in years with food! Basically chasing a sugar high most days and feelings guilty, remorseful, weak, etc. ANYWAY, that has reduced but I definitely have relied too heavily on fruit, dates and nuts/nut butters during my Whole30. Some days were better than others but I know I have not slayed my sugar dragon,I have tamed it a bit, perhaps it's in shackles for now but it's still quite strong.

 

Anyway, I'm with you. I like that someone else really wants to commit to reducing their reliance on fruit in a public manner. I know I'm not going to like it and I've resisted it this far into the program but it's the only way to change my taste preferences. My cravings have improved immensely and I feel a lot more food freedom than 3 weeks ago when I started but there's definitely room for improvement.

 

Starting small (not so small for me but may appear so to others  )- Goal for the week: 2-3 servings of fruit daily; 1 serving of nut butter or nuts. If the nut goal is a bust then I will revise and remove nut butter for a week. In fact, in writing that it's clear to me that the goals needs to NO NUT BUTTERS this week. 1 servings of nuts daily is okay. Alright then here we go. Best to you all on your last week?!?! What?!?! I'm also considering joining Whole30 starting October 1st to continue working out these kinks and getting more adjusted to this lifestyle! Thanks gang!

[art-school-girl]

Hi all! Ha! This nut and fruit thing! After all the post readings last night I decided that I've really got to get rid of the cashew dragon. And the any kind of fruit, any place, any time issue! I feel it's hurting my progress. I've worked too hard to let that get in the way.

Anyway, vozelle, thanks for the hb egg reminder and the meatball recipes! Will be picking up some ground meats today to try out some of those. And I tossed the cashews out (ok, I ate the last few) and made some hb eggs and put those in the cashew bowl and put in fridge! My new habit. Also, have vowed to (been thinking about this for a while since limiting my nightly TV watching!) get on the stationary bike instead of plopping down after dinner. Husband will keel over. He's an ex-pys-ed teacher and regular excerciser, golfer, swimmer. His wife is none of those (she'd rather draw and watercolor the golf course).

kplake, that comment about losing the chin made me laugh out loud! I've lost some of my butt and about a quarter cup of boobs! I know this because my skinny jeans are longer and my t-shirts looser!

Mondays are spent with two of the grandchildren--hubby and I watch them while parents are at work. We make dinner for us all. It's a good day. Hope you all have a terrific day! Glad I'm this journey with you all. Please let's do continue.

[art-school-girl]

Day 21 is off to a slow start. Headachy and sluggish this morning. Can't be anything I'm eating, so it must just be one of those days. Will hope it passes quickly--lots to do in the first part of the week so I can goof off up north for a long weekend! (Is "up north" just a Wisconsin thing? I'm heading as far north in WI as you can go without crossing into the upper peninsula of Michigan. Beautiful area up there!) Have a good start to the week, everyone!

NancyW, hope you feel better as the day gets on! Envy your trip "up north!"

[milonac]

Good morning all!  I think I've finally found the Tiger Blood!

My dad and stop mother are in town this week and I've navigated through my fear of eating out which is a huge accomplishment.  In fact it was a lot easier than I thought.  I skimmed the menu looking for things that were compliant or close to it, where substitutions would be easy.  Yesterday I had an amazing kale salad with grilled chicken with shredded carrots, bits of sweet potato, and red onion (sans goat cheese and praline pecans).  It was delicious and I didn't even miss the dressing.  For dinner, I had grilled salmon with steamed veggies and a baked potato. I forgot to tell them no butter, so I scooped out the butter and any bit of the potato it could have touched. Luckily they didn't put a lot on there.  LOL...never thought I'd be doing that before.

We had a great day yesterday, we went for a leisurely 2 1/2 bike ride and then went to the beach where we spent quite a bit of time swimming in the ocean.  We followed that with our great dinner out.  On my ride home, which was around 8:30 I realized I wasn't even a little tired. I felt like I could get home put on my running shoes and start running!  It feels so awesome to have this kind of energy!  Normally after a day like that I'd be dreaming of snuggling up on the couch.

 

The previous couple days I was battling a dull headache. Not sure why.  My foods are pretty consistent and I haven't really introduced anything different.  I've been really good about drinking my daily H2O requirement.  So, maybe it was just the sun?  So far today, I'm feeling great and hoping that continues.

 

I started taking some magnesium and that has definitely helped with my muscle twitching/spasms in my legs.  I'd only get them when I was exercising or really active and I'd only notice them at night when I was trying to go to sleep.  I don't know if it's actually helping already or just a placebo, but either way I'll take it.  I've definitely been way more active this past week.  Usually I try to find every reason not to be, but getting up and moving has become really easy.

 

The group seems to have quieted down a bit.  I hope everyone is just staying quiet and we didn't lose everyone! 

Keep strong everyone!

[vozelle]

...Starting small (not so small for me but may appear so to others  )- Goal for the week: 2-3 servings of fruit daily; 1 serving of nut butter or nuts. If the nut goal is a bust then I will revise and remove nut butter for a week. In fact, in writing that it's clear to me that the goals needs to NO NUT BUTTERS this week. 1 servings of nuts daily is okay...

I feel you, and I wish you luck. I just cut out nuts and nut butters for 10 days based on the moderators' recommendation to only eat them a few times a WEEK (unheard of for me, a daily nut snacker! And several times a day at that!). I had MAJOR cravings a few times, and thought about nuts/butters almost daily.... but I survived. Then I tried some nuts last night (a closed fistful), and woke up with a stomach ache. So I'm committing to finishing out this Whole30 without any nuts or nut butters... I need to figure this out for myself and understand what is going on with my relationship to them. Best wishes to you!