Starting September 20!

[orca0406]

Hi, my name is Amy, and I'm a carbaholic.  (hi, Amy)  I heard about Whole30 through SparkPeople and decided to look into for myself.  I first bought The Whole30 to read while on vacation (because THAT made sense) and recently picked up It Starts With Food.  So much of the information scares me, but so much of it also turned on the light bulb in my brain.  I have chronic high stress, am almost 100 pounds overweight, have borderline high blood pressure and cholesterol, and have a family history of hypothyroidism.  I do not want to live like this, and I do not want to have my own carry on full of medicines when I am older!  So here I am, getting ready to start my first Whole30 on Sunday.  My husband will be doing this with me, although I don't know how long my sweet-loving Southern boy will last.     Personally, I know I need to tame my Sugar Dragon and break up with my carb addiction.  I need to reset my metabolism and get back in balance.  I need to plan, and I need to post to be accountable.  I am looking forward to this! 

 

GO TEAM ME!        

[MissLouise]

Wow, good for you. I am on day three and struggling, but refuse to give up. Feeling so tired and no energy, I'm sure it is withdrawal symptoms. I know it will get better as time goes by. Made the chicken cacciatore for dinner tonight and served it over spaghetti squash. It was yummy. I love to cook so I will be checking out the recipes. Hang in there and don't get discouraged

[IreneKe]

Hi Amy,

perhaps it is allowed to join you here in this thread. Only, I didn't begin with you, but 26th of September.

 

I read about Whole30 during my stay in the USA, read the book "It begins with Food" first in English with help of my son (I am German), and then, I found it in German and load it on my Kindl. It was easier to undertand! Quickly was clear for me that I would give it a try. But I had to wait until my return to Germany. During a flight is no possibility to do whole30!!!

 

I came back 25th of September and began the next day. The program will be a little easier for me, I think, because we made LowCarb since June. But, whole30 is much more! I have to learn a lot. What I miss at most are the dairy products, not sweeties. And, I had to end, already in June, my beloved hobby: I was the baker in our family, all what we needed, wonderful German, French and San Franzisco bread. And all the other baked food too.

 

The reasons for doing this W30 program is first of all, to improve two immune sicknesses. I thought about the special program for that, but one of the moderators gave me the tip, to begin first with the standard W30. Perhaps alone this could be successful. 

 

Hope, my English is good enough that I can take part here.

I have to say, my age is 74 - time to be successful.

[orca0406]

Thank you ladies!  After a long conversation with my husband, we decided to push our start date back to October 11.  We have so many things going on between now and October 10, most of them all-day events with no opportunity to bring our own food and no good food choices available (think music festivals).  Rather than setting ourselves up to fail, we chose to delay.  We are incorporating Whole30 meals into our rotation now and trying to follow some of the rules (more protein, less carbs), so that the change will not be as sudden in October and we have some habits in place. 

 

MissLouise - that dish sounds delicious!! 

 

IreneKe - your English is beautiful!  I sincerely hope that the Whole30 helps you with your immune sicknesses. 

[IreneKe]

@orca0406

Thanks for your compliments. I have family members in the USA and I learned English for beeing able to speak with them.

One of my nephew said one day, after getting an email, "oh, I understand what you wanted to say".

 

I would be better in learning.

 

For you, best wishes for your start! I will see what happens after the 30 days. And it is absolutely good to plan the start.

[IreneKe]

Today is my 4th day. I received the daily Newsletter (I ordered it) and there are tips to fight agains the sugger dragon.

 

Because I began in June with LowCarb, it is no longer a problem for me.

What is much more difficult, to avoid dairy products. I have some portions of food in my refrigerator where I don't know, if there is cheese or feta in.

So, I cannot use them.

 

The sleep is not yet possible without some breaks - and so, not the best, but perhaps it is still the result of my jet lag. 

Apart from this, no problems and nothing what is worth to mentioned.

[Chickenlady]

Let me join this thread, if I may. I started on September 23. Today is September 29. I am doing great until afternoon when I feel hungry and agitated.

My boyfriend is not doing it with me and so I do make him nice high carb meals. It doesn't bother me too much so far. I figure I'm the good girl and he's the bad boy.#foodasmoralmeasure.

It is such a good time to start because my gardens are all over the top with good produce and my chickens are laying sunny bright eggs every day.

I suspect my biggest sacrifice is wine. I think I have used wine to stave off hunger while I cook dinner. Now I get the hunger signal and can't dull it with chardonnay.

Does anyone relate?

[orca0406]

Welcome Chickenlady!  The more, the merrier!  I think it's great that you have your own chickens!!!  I would love to do something like that.  My husband and I are talking about moving, but I have no idea how long that will take.  So do I get chickens?  Or not?  Murphy's Law - if I get chickens now, my house will sell in a year; if I don't, then we'll still be in this house five years from now!!   I'm sure the eggs taste fresher too, don't they?

[jmcbn]

Let me join this thread, if I may. I started on September 23. Today is September 29. I am doing great until afternoon when I feel hungry and agitated.

My boyfriend is not doing it with me and so I do make him nice high carb meals. It doesn't bother me too much so far. I figure I'm the good girl and he's the bad boy.#foodasmoralmeasure.

It is such a good time to start because my gardens are all over the top with good produce and my chickens are laying sunny bright eggs every day.

I suspect my biggest sacrifice is wine. I think I have used wine to stave off hunger while I cook dinner. Now I get the hunger signal and can't dull it with chardonnay.

Does anyone relate?

Are you eating fruit or starchy veg for meal one by any chance?

Or not eating enough in general....?

If you'd like to post a few days worth of your food/liquid intake, indicating portion size, along with sleep/stress/activity levels we can make sure you're on the right track, or maybe suggest some tweaks - we don't want you feeling hungry!

[IreneKe]

In the News, I am asked to write one point that is better as it was at the beginning.

 

The hurt on my hip is better and the Restless-Leg-Syndrom, too.

 

But on two days I had severe diarrhea. One day after M2, and two days later after M3. My stomach didn't felt well, too.
 don't know it that is a good sign or not.

[jmcbn]

In the News, I am asked to write one point that is better as it was at the beginning.

 

The hurt on my hip is better and the Restless-Leg-Syndrom, too.

 

But on two days I had severe diarrhea. One day after M2, and two days later after M3. My stomach didn't felt well, too.

 don't know it that is a good sign or not.

Try keeping a log/record of your food so you can pinpoint any possible triggers - some change in bowel movements is normal as your body adjusts to the change in diet, but some foods can cause digestive stress.

Are you eating a lot of nuts/nut butters? or maybe a lot of raw vegetables? Or cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, or sprouts?

[IreneKe]

I will do what you recommended. Yes, I eat all the things you mentioned. But yesterday and today, everything is normal.

My son assumed the same that the changing causes digestive stress. 

I really know that I have problems with my bowel since years.

 

Really bad is that I cannot sleep since our return from the USA. We are here since 24th of September, but I cannot slip without many interruptions.

My son recommended to use a pill of Melatonin this evening. I think, I will do this to come back in a normal rhytm. An older body needs visibly more time :-)

[jmcbn]

Really bad is that I cannot sleep since our return from the USA. We are here since 24th of September, but I cannot slip without many interruptions.

My son recommended to use a pill of Melatonin this evening. I think, I will do this to come back in a normal rhytm. An older body needs visibly more time :-)

Melatonin is okay to take from time to time, but when taken regularly will interfere with the body's ability to produce melatonin on it's own.

You'd be better to try a magnesium supplement (most people are magnesium deficient anyway), and try improving sleep hygiene - dimming the lights & limiting screen time for an hour or so before bed, making sure your bedroom is cooler than the daytime temperature you are used to, making sure your room is suitably dark with no 'blue lights' (radio alarm etc), & then spending 15mins or so outdoors upon wakening (or at least at the same time every day) - all of which will help settle circadian rhythms & get your body producing melatonin & cortisol at the right times which should in turn improve sleep & appetite.

I hope this helps. 

[IreneKe]

Thanks for the many tips!

 

Magnesium, I think isn't the best at the moment, because it requires often defecating, too :-)

We don't have any electricity next the bed in our sleeping room - through a special kind of electric connection (? the right expression?)

 

To end TV a little bit earlier is a good idea! To end the work at the computer, too!

 

I will try it.

[IreneKe]

After using the first pill of Melatonin, my sleep was not yet good but better.

But last niight, after using the second pill, again many interruptions and long time without sleep.

I think, I have to wait a little longer for this success. If a body is older, it needs more time to cope a Jet-Lag, too.

 

Today, my second week with W30 begins. 

I cannot tell such great successes after this week as I read from others often. For me, it is not surprising, because I began with LowCarb in June. But already in this time, I could see some changes.

 

The most important point, to begin with W30 was that I read from success in MS and Myasthenie, and I know, this can not be over in such a short time!

 

I am also hopeful in these points! 

[IreneKe]

One night ok - one night bad - it seems to be a game. Will see how the continuation will be and when the night comes, where I sleep without any interuption and without pill (I don't like to use it).

 

In the today News, Melissa wrote about vacations and how to handle it during Whole30. Yes, it can work, I think, during the time I am not in a plane and want to fligh a long distance. Our flight back from the USA was about 20 hours - and the food in a plane isn't W30 compatible. Furthermore, it isn't allowed to bring food on a plane! For our flight to the USA, we had some food with us but we had to destroy it at the Security Checkpoint.

 

My recommendation is: avoid a long flight during W30!

 

Yesterday, after M1, I had again a very short term diarrhea. This emptying is always a dramatically one, after that, everything is OK again. I have not yet discovered the reason. But I don't have all in all a bad feeling and enjoy to be in the second week!

[orca0406]

it sounds you're feeling better! I'm so glad.    My new start date is coming up soon!

[IreneKe]

I didn't write so long. The reason is that I wanted to wait untill I can sleep well.

 

Today, day 23 ended but I am not successfull with that! Sleeping like a baby is the promise in the News from the third week on. Not for me!

My restless leg symptoms aren't disappeared, too, and even some hurt at a special bone in the hip (but it is more from time to time).
Better is the situation with seeing the double pictures. But there appeared another strange thing in my throat like an alien corn. Perhaps I should go for a control to a doctor.

 

Will see, what the last week will bring. I will be careful with my food in the last days, too, but I am not sure, if I will  do it for longer or I give up Whole30 then.

 

You can see, I am a little disappointed.

 

With what I am really sure is, to go on with low carb! This was already a great improvement, and I could see that I am in the ketogene stadium, too. I will be careful with reintroduction, too. Perhaps I can discover something news.
There is only no big difference with Low Carb and Whole30 for me. Perhaps, I should not wait for more in my age.

[orca0406]

We finally got started last week.  This is much easier for my husband, who is a "meat, meat, and more meat" kind of guy.  I am hanging in there, eating a lot of eggs, fruits, and veggies.  Cravings really hit me over the weekend, but I stuck to my plan!  I didn't really go through the "Kill/Eat All the Things" stage, just a bit of whiny wanting.    

 

We are now on Week 2 and we did a lot of grocery shopping over the weekend.  Now I have compliant tuna fish, we have more chicken than we thought possible, and a fridge full of veggies.  Last week, we made a large amount of compliant pulled pork to have for lunches.  This week, we made beef and veggie soup.  I'm not a big pork eater, so this week's lunches will be much easier for me.  I am going to try to make cauliflower rice on Thursday, so we will see how that goes!

 

Irene, are you coming down with an illness that is making you feel bad?     I hope not!