Ali's Feel-Good, Gain Control, Marathon-training Whole 30

[Alisonlcarver]

Hey, thanks for this!   I see it on the product page now.  I am spreading the word to the entire forum.  

 

Amazon.com is the BEST!!

 

I am loving 'That Sugar Film' and it is SUPER pissing me off!!!

[littleg]

That kid's teeth. Ugh.

[Alisonlcarver]

I am, once again, quoting my original goals and intentions for the Whole 30.  These were my 4 main goals for doing this Whole 30.  In the past I focused on weight loss, fat loss, body composition, etc. (the scale victories.)  This time, I chose to focus on my health, and it REALLY gave me a different perspective.  It gave me happiness and peace during the program, because the NSV's were tangible, palpable, feel-able (is that a word??) and so much more evident than the scale victories.  Once again, here is a list of my 4 original goals, in all their hopeful glory:

 

Thanksgiving is over, and I gorged and binged and didn't care about calories! We need a few days like that per year, where carbs, butter, and sugar are not forbidden! But now I'm over it and I am completely 100% ready for another Whole30! In the past, my reason for doing a Whole 30 was weight loss. I am currently 5'3" and 115 pounds now. Now my reason for doing another Whole 30 is that I want to feel good again, and not blech or yuck, like so many sugar-laden commercial, fake products make me feel. I want 4 things this go round:

1. Feel good. I want to wake up feeling good and not in a food hangover. I want to wake up rested. I want to stay hydrated (sugary foods dehydrate be so bad!) I want to feel good physically and emotionally about what I am putting into my body.

2. Food freedom and a sense of control. I have no (emphasis needed--NOOOOO) self control when it comes to Diet Coke, anything with sugar, and peanut butter. I want to have control over what I eat, not the other way around.

3. Be healthy. I want to eat whole foods that make me more healthy, not processed convenient foods that lack nutrition and make me feel bad physically and mentally.

4. Fuel my workouts and marathon training. I run, bike, and do exercise classes, including step, strength, and yoga, about 5-6 times per week. I have raced a few half marathons, several 10k races, and several 5k races in the past and now it's time for the big mama. Marathon is in early March and I am following the Hal Higdon Novice 2 training guide.

I know without a doubt that all of these goals will be accomplished through the Whole30. I am so excited to be starting another Whole 30 today!

 

What a list!  I set my hopes high for this Whole 30!  Although they are a little vague, I knew even on Day #1 that they were all achievable and accomplishable (seriously, I am pretty sure I'm making up words now.)

 

#1--Feel Good.  Yes, this has come true.  I remember Day #5 and #8 most specifically because I felt the Tiger Blood on those days for sure.  I had not felt that before, even during my previous Whole 30 experiences.  I believe one of the reasons I felt the TB this time was because I was focusing on my health, happiness, and feelings, instead of looking in the mirror and trying to pinch less of an inch on my waist than I was previously able to do.  I was focusing on my NSVs and by doing so, I was able to tune in on how amazing real food (and the lack of non-food, sugar, trigger foods, etc.) was actually making me feel.  Because I was feeling so good, I was not missing the old foods I used to eat.  I was not missing the Diet Coke's that I used to daydream about.  (I used to have to keep my wallet in my car so that I would not buy a Diet Coke at work, and even then I would sometimes go out to my car to get some money for the vending machine.  I had it BAD.)  I was not missing the sugary treats that I used to fight myself about on a daily basis.  I remembered clearly how bad sugar made me feel and how strong of a hold it had on me, and I thought--why in the world would I ever want to go back to that, when I can feel this good without it?!  I'll get to that more later in this post, when I discuss my sugar addiction discovery (stay tuned and try to stay awake.)  Actually, go ahead and grab a cup of joe right now, because we're gonna be here awhile.  OK, back to it.  In the past, I had eaten sugary treats in excess (because that's the only way I eat sugar) and although it made me feel bad, I always wanted more.  Even after eating sugar, I wanted more later that evening or night, even though I was full.  I would want more the next day, even though I had a sugar hangover.  I would want more even though I was exhausted, dehydrated, bloated, full, constipated, lethargic, irritable, and depressed.  Um, what?  I got into the habit of baking new treats 3-4 times per week, all new recipes, and trying them.  It was a hobby at first, but them became an obsession/compulsion that I would think about frequently.  I would look up recipes and bake something new almost every other day.  Sometimes I would be good during the week and then allow several indulgences on the weekend, then on Mondays I would feel TERRIBLE.  I would feel bad and unlike myself for about two days, but then would finally be feeling back to normal by Wednesday.  I did this every week for a while.  Sugar binge on the weekends, feel awful Monday through Wednesday, feel OK part of Wednesday through Friday, and then once I was feeling good and normal again (and had partly forgotten how bad sugar made me feel), I would do it all over again.  Yikes.  The only reason I point this out is to remind myself of my past and the effects of sugar on me.  Even though I loved it, it was so bad for me and did nothing good for me after the initial taste.  In the past I have forgotten the effects of sugar on me, until I sugar binged again, and then I would remember once again just how negative sugar affected me.  Well, even 30+ days after eating sugar, I remember exactly how it made me feel.  This time, I am not forgetting it.  So that's sugar, for now at least.  So far, I am not missing Diet Coke or sugar because I am feeling so good...still with me?  OK.  Those were HUGE improvements already and I was feeling so great eating healthy, real, non-processed, non-sugary foods that I did not ever want to go back to eating foods that made me feel less healthy, bad, or out of control again.  So yes, I can say that practicing the Whole 30 lifestyle has helped me to feel good.  Not only that, but it has allowed me to be more in touch with my body and have self-awareness.  During my Whole 30, I had GI upset and discovered that I am sensitive to nuts and nut butters.  Am I completely omitting them from my diet?--no.  But I know now that they are to be eaten in moderation, and I know that they are likely to upset my stomach so I need to be very certain that they are worth the splurge.  Another thing that this Whole 30 has helped me with is learning how to deal with a craving.  I had some pretty serious cravings twice during this Whole 30, and dealt with them by first realizing that they were cravings and not hunger, and second with distraction (going on a walk, calling someone, getting on the forum and chatting with my new friends), and third realizing WHY I was having cravings so I would avoid those trigger situations in the future.  I discovered through this self-awareness and introspection that looking up recipes and baking, thinking about food, the lack of structure on the weekends, eating nuts, and boredom were trigger situations that could possibly lead to cravings and just wanting to eat food to eat food, even though I wasn't hungry.  Hooray for self-awareness!  So, back to feeling good.  It's simple really.  After all is said and done, eating real, whole, nutritious foods and not eating non-foods with no brakes makes me feel good.  I feel good physically, mentally, psychologically.  It's wonderful.  Everything listed in this category has come true--I have not once woken up in a food hangover, I have not regretted anything I have eaten, for the most part I wake up rested, I stay hydrated (because I'm not eating sugar!), and I feel good about what I am putting into my body.

 

**What can I still improve upon, as far as Feeling Good: Well, I had a major breakthrough very recently that sugar is an addiction for me.  I need to avoid sugar, in all of its forms.  I need to avoid baking.  I need to not even paleo bake.  I need to not look up recipes for baked goods because they increase my cravings and desire to bake.  Throughout this Whole 30 I discovered that I am better at abstaining than moderating.  It's easier for me to have 0 cookies as opposed to just 1-2 cookies.  It's easier for me to not bake any baked goods as opposed to baking only once or twice a month.  It's easier for me to not look up recipes than to look them up and still not bake.  Darn you, Pinterest! In the past I always thought I would like to be a better moderator and wondered why I had a hard time with it.  It's because I am an abstainer, not a moderator.  I need to be OK with that, and own it, and MOVE ON.  I have learned that this is the way I am.  I have a history of not being able to trust myself around sugar and treats.  This is me.  I am so glad to have learned this about myself and it is because of a discussion formulated by SimpleNotEasy that got me to come to this realization (thanks!    ) Now that I have this knowledge of my sugar/baking addiction and my abstainer vs. moderator behavior, I know what I must do.  Not eat sugar and not bake.  It's as simple as that.  I am at a place right now, post-Whole 30, where it is easy for me to continue not eating sugar.  My system is clean, I do not crave it, I do not want it, so why reintroduce it?  So, what I can improve upon is basically just remember how sugar effects me and how my baking hobby has become more of an addiction, and REFRAIN!  One other thing that I need to improve upon is to eat nuts mindfully in moderation.  Although sugar is hard for me to moderate, nuts are easier.  I just need to remember that GI consequences follow nut and nut butter ingestion.  My final thing I think I need to work on is drinking Crio Bru every day, multiple times a day.  Yes, it's the Crio Bru topic once again.  I have a history of caffeine-addiction.  (There's that A word again!) When I was drinking coffee, I was constantly drinking coffee.  Like 6 cups a day.  It was the reason I would function. But I have been coffee-free since I became a Mormon in 2011 and haven't looked back since.  It's gotten easier too, and I don't want it now.  I have already mentioned by previous Diet Coke addiction.  I don't want Diet Coke anymore.  It's nasty, it's chemicals, it causes cancer.  I'm done.  Although Crio Bru doesn't contain much caffeine at all, I am starting to feel a bit of an addiction factor to it, needing it first thing in the morning.  I don't like that.  I have noticed that I sleep better at night and wake up more restful in the morning when I have refrained from drinking Crio Bru.  One thing that I definitely need to improve upon is my Crio Bru habit.  I need to figure out how often to drink it (maybe just on the weekends?)  I would like to continue to drink it occasionally, but not every day as a necessity.  I know that my sleep and rest will be better without it (dangit.)

 

#2--Food freedom and a sense of control. (Holy crap, I'm only on #2!) I have said it here already, but I do have food freedom and control what I eat, not the other way around.  Throughout this Whole 30 I have had cravings twice, and I did not indulge them.  I know what my craving triggers are, and I know to avoid them, and I know what actions to take when I notice I am craving.  I know what my trigger foods are (Diet Coke, sugar, and peanut butter) and will not reintroduce those foods.  Really, the only foods I would like to reintro are cheese and yogurt (with no added sugar--I'm talking plain greek yogurt, the sour kind.)  I am not scared to reintro anything, but I am feeling so good without the addition of those off-plan foods that I feel no sense of urgency to reintro anything right now.  If something 'worth it' comes along, I will indulge but until then I plan to keep chugging along Whole 30-style.  It does stink that there are so many products with added sugar.  It's hard to get around the grocery store sometimes.  I have to read every nutrition label, still!  I really don't want to eat sugar in its obvious forms (cake, cookies, ice cream, etc.) but also don't want to even eat sugar in dressings, marinades, ketchup, etc. because it's SO bad for me!  It's hard though, because it's in so many products!  I am really going to focus my efforts on choosing real, whole sugar-free products and making my own things.  Sugar Free is the way I want to be!

 

**What can I still improve upon, as far as Food freedom and a sense of control: I actually think I'm doing pretty good here.  I need to continue to be mindful of my triggers and avoid them.  I need to never have a 'What the Hell' attitude.  I don't need to be perfect, but I also don't need to give myself an excuse to binge and lose control.  I don't need to be a self-enabler, allowing myself to have treats because it's Christmas, or Valentine's Day, or some other holiday that comes around once a month.  I need to allow special treats when I deem them worth it, not just because it's a holiday or because yummy food is around.  I need to continue to own what I buy at the grocery store, what I stock in my fridge, what I cook and eat, and what I eat at a restaurant.  I have the control, not the other way around!  And I know that I choose what I eat and I CAN eat anything I want to, but I just choose to eat the healthy things that make me feel good.  I am not deprived or missing out on anything, unless you count bad feelings, regret, bloated feelings, lack of sleep, depression, GI upset, and lack of control something to miss out on...

 

#3--Be healthy.  This is an easy one.  Yes, the whole, real, nutritious foods that I have been eating have made me healthier.  I have been eating protein, veggies, healthy fats, some fruit and nuts.  That's it.  I have listened to my body and decreased my nut consumption.  I know that eating fruit at M1 is not the best thing for me, but including it at M2 or M3 is fine.  Avoiding processed, artificial, foods-with-no-brakes, including my known addictions, is healthy.  This one is easy.

 

**What can I still improve upon, as far as Being Healthy: Keep up what I have been doing.  Eat protein, veggies, and fat at each meal.  Occasionally include fruit and nuts, but really watch my nut intake since it has the potential for causing GI distress.  Also, be careful with fruit and nuts if I start to have cravings for other foods.  Continue to listen to my body and change things if things need to be changed.  One piece of advice that I got near the beginning of this Whole 30 has stuck with me.  It was this: "Eat. Assess. Tweak."  As long as I am eating whole, real foods I know that I am moving in the direction of health.  If anything starts to seem not-as-good, then I need to be able to listen to my body and figure out what is going on in order to get back on track.

 

#4--Fuel my workouts and marathon training. Before the Whole 30 I had NO IDEA how to fuel my workouts.  There is so much information about this online.  Do I eat beforehand, or eat on an empty stomach?  Do I eat starchy carbs before a workout, or just protein and fat?  Do I recover with protein or not?  Do I eat during a long run, and if so what do I eat?  Man, there is so much conflicting information out there!  Really does lead to 'paralysis by analysis!' But the Whole 30 makes it simple.  Through the Whole 30 I have changed from needing to eat every 2-3 hours to being fat-adapted, which lets me remain full with steady blood sugars for 4, 5, even 6-7 hours after a meal!  My fat-adaptation has also helped me with my workouts and marathon training.  When I started this program I did not understand the point of not eating carbs pre-workout but I tested it by eating only protein and fat pre-WO and surprise--it worked!  Following the template for pre-WO meals and post-WO meals works.  Eating a little bit of protein with fat pre-WO, and eating low fat protein plus starchy carbs post-WO works.  I do occasionally eat a fruit post-WO and I know it's not ideal, but it's something to work on.  Before the Whole 30 I used to fuel my workouts with a huge apple and peanut butter and I would wonder why I would feel hypoglycemic during my run.  (Duh, Ali.)  Now that I do not eat carbs pre-WO I have sustained blood sugar throughout my workout!  I don't always have time for a post-WO meal though, so sometimes I just go right into the next meal.  I think that's fine.  I am still trial-and-erroring (another made up word!) my during-long-run meals.  I have learned that applesauce packets work well, but carrot sticks might not work so well because of the aspiration/choking risk (minor details.)

 

**What can I still improve upon, as far as Fueling my Workouts: I need to make sure to eat protein and fat only pre-WO.  I need to continue to trial-and-error and tweak my during-long-run meals.  I need to make sure I eat low fat protein and carbs post-WO, especially after the major runs.  However, if I don't have the time for a post-WO meal I need to at least try to eat my next meal as soon as I can.  I need to try to refrain from eating fruits as my post-WO carb.  Although this is not Whole 30 food related, I need to do some strength training!

 

Besides these 4 initial goals, I have gained so much from doing the Whole 30!  Here are all of the amazing things that have happened to me, in list form.  Some of these are repetitive, but repetition shows importance and significance to me...

--a sense of control over my food choices

--very decreased and even absent cravings for foods I used to either find irresistible or dominated my thoughts and time

--an ability to deal with cravings when they occasionally come up

--improved mood and ability to deal with irritating/frustrating situations

--overall happy, all the time

--this is the first year in a long time that I have not gotten SAD (seasonal affective disorder, that type of depression where you get sad in the winter and it goes away in the summer)--this is a HUGE bonus that I did not even expect!

--better sleep, especially when I am not drinking Crio Bru

--focus on health, instead of weight/body composition

--early on in this Whole 30 I voiced concern that eating so many calories and so much fat was going to make me gain weight, but I stuck with the program anyway.  Well, I am here to say that after 30+ days of eating Whole 30, I weighed myself yesterday and (drumroll, please), I lost 1 pound.  I know 1 pound is not a lot, and maybe it's just weight fluctuation even.  But I was very concerned throughout the beginning and middle of my Whole 30 (before I had a revelation that my health is more important than weight, and that whatever weight I eventually end up at eating this way is a healthy weight for me, and one that is both maintainable and sustainable eating healthy wholesome foods at my current exercise level.)  This has shown me that eating healthy foods in a healthy way can help me to maintain a healthy body weight with no deprivation or starvation, without over-exercising, without eating chemical-laden bars or shakes, without counting calories (HUGE!), without tracking every single macronutrient, and without completely scrutinizing or obsessing about the food I put into my mouth.

--my clothes are *slightly* looser

--I am able to eat to satiety and trust my body's hormonal signals

--I have made some pretty cool new friends

--I have learned that I am an abstainer (vs. moderator) thanks to a wonderful thread by SimpleNotEasy

--I have learned that I am a sugar addict, and that refraining from all types of sugars, whether white sugar or agave or honey or molasses, is what I need to do

--I have realized that paleo baked goods are as bad as the real deal, and that I should also avoid them

--I have learned that looking up recipes and baking are obsessions for me, and that I need to refrain from them since I do not want to eat sugar or have my cravings increased

--I have learned that I love eggs with ghee, sugar-free bacon, roasted vegetables, sweet potatoes with lots of ghee and cinnamon or coconut butter, chocolate chili, chicken salad, tuna salad, MAYONNAISE, avocado, and so many wonderful delicious healthy vegetables

--I know that by refraining from the Frankenfoods with no brakes, I can actually appreciate the natural delicious flavors in healthy, wholesome foods

--I have learned that it is difficult (and often expensive) to eat Whole 30, and that's a shame

 

I'm sure there are many other wonderful things that I have felt or learned during this experience, and I am so grateful that I got to do this Whole 30 over the holidays.  I refrained from eating so many bad foods (SO MANY!) and learned good eating habits and craving coping mechanisms.  I am loving how I feel, and am so appreciative for this program and everyone who has contributed to my success during these past 30+ days.

 

I told you I had a lot to say

[Alisonlcarver]

That kid's teeth. Ugh.

 

I couldn't believe he would go back to drinking more Mt. Dew.  What in the world?!  Talk about an addiction!!

[Brewer5]

That kid's teeth. Ugh.

 

That's the only part of the whole thing that bothered the kids.  It was a bit detailed and up-close.  

 

I feel like I should warn people...  But I almost always forget to do that.

[SimpleNotEasy]

Ali - your summary of your Whole 30 is fabulous! What awareness you have gained during this experience! Yay for you. I am so happy for you that you feel so great having accomplished your goals. 

 

I'm also glad we will continue onward from here in our no-sugar journey! Having you and the others as supportive friends makes a big difference to me and I know I'm going to continue down the road to improved health and consistency with y'all at my side (electronically speaking. )

 

And I agree with y'all - that kid's teeth in the movie... oh, the horror! It's hard to imagine that any mother would think that putting Mountain Dew in her baby's bottle was a good idea. I guess it just shows that education is still very much needed, especially in certain areas of the country or among certain socio-economic groups. 

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Congrats Ali - I read your summary and you know what, it didn't radiate a sense of being "in control" (because you know I loathe that concept) - it radiated peace and TRUST.  You trust yourself to make good choices.  You trust that you know how to handle cravings.

 

Looking forward to our next phase together!  I stopped following all of the "healthy" dessert bloggers I was following on Instagram and Twitter.  I think I might as well just de-activate Pinterest.  Baked goods seem to outnumber actual meals by about 20-1.  Now, if only I could find an avid baker to gift all of my baking supplies to...

 

P.S. - if your clothes are looser, I'll be that you've been building muscle fiber and have actually lost more than 1 lb of body fat!  Pretty impressive with no tracking, no counting, and eating filling quantities of delicious and nutritious real, whole foods!  We're almost back to eating like 4 year olds (properly fed ones, that is - I think That Sugar Film is going to make me very, very angry.  And very, very sad).

[Alisonlcarver]

Congrats Ali - I read your summary and you know what, it didn't radiate a sense of being "in control" (because you know I loathe that concept) - it radiated peace and TRUST.  You trust yourself to make good choices.  You trust that you know how to handle cravings.

 

Looking forward to our next phase together!  I stopped following all of the "healthy" dessert bloggers I was following on Instagram and Twitter.  I think I might as well just de-activate Pinterest.  Baked goods seem to outnumber actual meals by about 20-1.  Now, if only I could find an avid baker to gift all of my baking supplies to...

 

P.S. - if your clothes are looser, I'll be that you've been building muscle fiber and have actually lost more than 1 lb of body fat!  Pretty impressive with no tracking, no counting, and eating filling quantities of delicious and nutritious real, whole foods!  We're almost back to eating like 4 year olds (properly fed ones, that is - I think That Sugar Film is going to make me very, very angry.  And very, very sad).

Thanks Lauren! It is comforting to be able to trust myself. Whew, what a relief!

I am looking forward to being sugar-free together too! I just finished 'That Sugar Film.' I wish I had bought it. I want to watch it again and reference it if I ever forget what I learned in the future. And show it to my husband. And (future) kids. And everyone I know. I am super pissed and motivated to not eat sugar! I don't even want to eat regular ketchup (thank goodness for Tessmae's!) I don't even want to make my own ketchup with paleo sweeteners! Victory!

The movie did make me sad for what has happened to the definition of 'healthy eating.' I found it interesting that the companies that funded a lot of sugar-promoting research are in fact Coca-Cola and other such companies. Gee, I wonder what the results of that study will be. I am so glad I was able to do this Whole 30 and come to the conclusion that I am addicted to sugar, because without that I would probably have gone right back to it, and my old habits. Thank you Brewer for the movie reference, and thanks to my Whole 30 friends for calling me out on wanting to paleo bake when I previously said I have no control over sugar. You all caught me before I made a HUGE mistake.

And I totally agree about Pinterest. I had to deactivate my account some time ago because I was so into looking up recipes and baked goods food porn. No more sugar, no more baking!! Hooray!! Man, that is so liberating and freeing!

[Brewer5]

Alison, I probably "like" that HUGE post you made up there ^ but I'm gonna need a little bit of time.........  

[Alisonlcarver]

Alison, I probably "like" that HUGE post you made up there ^ but I'm gonna need a little bit of time.........  

Ha! Settle in, Brewer. You're gonna be here a while.

[Brewer5]

Ha! Settle in, Brewer. You're gonna be here a while.

 

Later......  Much, much later......  

[littleg]

I just worked a 12 so I'm too lazy to do that multi quote thing... but your post was wonderful!  

 

You've got 30 days of some pretty significant personal growth (or shrinkage, since you did lose a pound ) going on!  I'm glad to read that you have found some peace with some things about yourself you can not change (*cough* abstainer *cough*) and some that you can (like that Crio Bru habit, if you so chose).  

 

I'll just sit here and wait for you to post all your great new not-baked-goods-recipes

 

Speaking of which - did anyone chose a stinking thread name yet?!

[Alisonlcarver]

One thing that I have yet to write down is my plan. It is still evolving, but I know that I want to stick very close to Whole 30 template eating.

I may reintro unsweetened yogurt and cheese, but don't really see reintroducing anything else. The more Whole 30's I do, the fewer foods are worth reintroducing.

I do know my plan for sugar now. No baking, no sugar in any form unless it is fruit. I do have some applesauce sweetened with fruit juice concentrate--I'm honestly not sure what I'm going to do with that since I am sugar-free now.

So yea, I guess that's it. Focus on protein, veggies, and healthy fat. Add in some fruits and occasional nuts. Maybe reintro and experiment with yogurt and cheese. In the future I may allow something special and non-Whole 30 or Paleo but this will be rare, not planned, and not my nutritional focus. I will cook Paleo, focusing on Whole 30 recipes. I will aim to eat 3 meals per day, at least 4-5 hours apart. If I am hungry for a snack, I will have a mini meal. I will be mindful and evaluate my satiety. I will not count calories or macros. I will continue to eat, assess, and modify. I will fuel my workouts based on the Whole 30 recommendations. I will focus on the NSV. And I will expect that I do my best, but will not expect perfection.

So, really not a lot of changes from Whole 30 to post-Whole 30, other than possibly reintroducing some sugar-free dairy.

[Alisonlcarver]

Speaking of which - did anyone chose a stinking thread name yet?!

You know my vote is for Sugar Dragon Slayers!!

Littleg, What do you vote on? SNE? GGG?

Who's gonna make this thread? And what will we discuss? Will it be about our sugar issues, post W30 logs and feelings, or just whatever we want to talk about?

[Alisonlcarver]

Day 32 (12/28):

(Scheduled Rest Day--Love 'em!)

M1: 3 cage-free scrambled eggs cooked in 1 tsp. bacon grease, roasted butternut squash (roasted in coconut oil with salt and cinnamon), 1/2 avocado, 1 cup crio Bru, at 6am

M2: my fill of chocolate chili, side salad with lots of veggies, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, at 12pm

(I didn't eat my entire serving of chili at lunch, so had the rest of it at 3pm.)

M3: my fill of homemade chicken salad, 1 large baked sweet potato with 1 packet of coconut butter, at 6:30pm

Still nothing reintroduced or off-plan yet.

[littleg]

I'm going to start it!  

 

As soon as everyone says its ok    And picks a name.  Darn it, more personality traits revealed...

[Brewer5]

Alison, re: strength training:

 

Bret Contreras' book:  Strong Curves is my favorite EVER.

 

He has everything from beginner to advanced.  Things you can do at home, or in the gym.  Bodyweight, dumbbells, barbells...  It's all in there.

 

This is not -- I repeat -- NOT a book I would want to own in Kindle edition.  You gotta hold it in your hands.  You'll want to be able to flip through the pages, go back and reference things, highlight, bookmark, etc.

 

There are detailed, full-color pictures in the back with step-by-step instructions for every move.  You may have to read them a couple of times to fully understand what you are doing, but they leave no confusion.  Everything is explained really well.

 

I told another woman about it, and she waited forever to get it from the library.  Once she finally got to check it out -- guess what?  She bought it.  ...I tried to tell her...  Just buy the book!

 

(I am in no way affiliated with Bret Contreras.)     haha

[Alisonlcarver]

I've been nervous about posting these, but here they are nevertheless. I'm not sure if I can tell a whole lot of difference, but I feel better, healthier, and happier so wherever my body composition ends up is just fine with me

Pre Whole-30:

Post Whole-30:

[SimpleNotEasy]

Ali - you have definitely lost inches! Well done. Looking good!

 

I like the Sugar Dragon Slayers for our name. 

 

In my opinion, it can be about all the things you mentioned. Any and all post-Whole 30 stuff - sugar issues, logging stuff that we want to, discussing related topics... I don't think we have to specify too much. It seems like it will be easier, as littleg mentioned at some point, to have one central place to support one another. Keeping up with multiple logs is pretty time consuming. Not that I don't enjoy browsing through various logs, but it seems helpful to have one place to write and know that I am being "seen" and where I can be certain I read and respond to all of yours.

 

What say you? GGG? littleg?

[littleg]

Ok. Done.

[Alisonlcarver]

Thanks littleg!

 

OK guys, I guess I am done with my Whole 30 and need to quit cluttering the Whole 30 log thread.  

 

From now on I will be posting to a post Whole 30 log, found here: http://forum.whole30.com/topic/32780-sugar-dragon-slayers/

 

Thanks for following me on my December 2015 Feel Good, Gain Control, Marathon Training Whole 30 Adventure!! 

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Thanks for sharing with us!  Kudos to you for posting pics - you look great (the smile in your profile pic really tells more of the story).

 

Maybe I *should* post my "reverse transformation" pics.  Not quite as dramatic as these (note this is NOT me) - check more about Taryn here: http://bodyimagemovement.com.au/

 

[Alisonlcarver]

I completed my December 2015 Whole 30 a few weeks ago.  Post-Whole 30, except for one occasion where I ate restaurant dressing which may have contained sugar and another occasion where I intentionally reintroduced cheese and creamy dressing on a salad and one slice of pizza, I have kept to the Whole 30 100%.  Since the start, this would have been Day # 46.  Not that that matters--just giving context.

 

I have decided, with help from friends, to continue my Whole 30  journey but up my game.  I have decided to do a keto Whole 30.     I am starting this Friday.  Why Friday?--Well, I bought groceries last Friday and bought some starchy carbs and fruits and don't want to throw them away!  Also, I need to do some more research on why I am doing keto and what the details are.  I like to be prepared.  Before embarking on such a task I decided to write down a few things (pearls, lessons learned, etc.) before I forget them.  Since I plan to log my keto Whole 30 foods, I might as well log my pre-keto thoughts here too.

 

1. write down the Whole 30 principles

 

The principles of the Whole 30 are to eat real whole foods that make me feel good, decrease my risk for sickness, promote a healthy GI tract, decrease inflammation, and promote overall health and wellbeing.  The Whole 30 involves eating 3 meals per day of protein, vegetables, and fat.  You eat when hungry, to satiety, and stop when full.  These meals should keep me full for 4-5 hours, and this is a sign of being fat-adapted (using fat for fuel instead of glucose.)  If I am hungry for a snack between meals, I need to make sure I am legitimately hungry by using the “Would I eat baked fish and steamed broccoli?” test and if the answer is yes I should eat a mini meal involving at least two of the following: protein, vegetables, and fat.  Fruit and nuts (besides peanut) are allowed in moderation.  The foods that are to be avoided include gluten, non-gluten grains (oats, quinoa, corn, rice), dairy, legumes and soy, sugar and artificial sweeteners.  The Whole 30 focuses on eating healthy foods mindfully, avoiding old negative eating habits, but also promotes a healthy relationship with food.  Gone are the days of giving into cravings because the Whole 30 helps us recognize a craving and intervene before we give into that craving.  Gone are the days of fighting to not eat a certain food that we desire, but don’t really want to eat.  Gone are the days of being tempted frequently by the foods that we crave.  Gone are the days of craving, giving into temptations, feeling out of control and discouraged, and having the ‘what the hell’ binge mentality.  Gone are the days where I allow myself to eat poorly knowing that I am about to embark on a healthy diet—these enabling behaviors are never helpful and only increase the likelihood of binging.  The Whole 30 promotes overall health--physical, psychological, and mental.  It’s freeing.

 

2. write down what I learned from this Whole 30, including victories, coping strategies, etc.

 

I have learned so much.  I have learned that Whole 30 foods are delicious.  I have learned how to avoid eating foods, even when they are found in abundance at my work during the holidays, that I do not really want to eat.  I have learned how to make it through the holidays without indulging my sweet tooth.  (I do have willpower!)  I have learned how to recognize a craving and how to deal with it.  I recognize a craving because it is the unwanted desire for food.  When I want food but am not hungry, it’s a craving.  When I want food because I am bored, tired, not motivated, or just because it’s movie night, that’s a craving.  I have learned that it is better to not indulge cravings AT ALL (not even with anything healthy like an apple with coconut butter) and to ride it out.  Starve the sugar dragon.  I have learned that certain situations and foods are trigger foods for cravings.  I already knew that peanut butter, sugar, and diet coke were trigger foods.  I will avoid these going forward and have not had peanut butter or diet coke since before my December Whole 30.  I have had sugar in salad dressing twice, but am going back to sugar-free now.  These are foods that I am better off without.  I have also realized that gluten is EXTREMELY craving-inducing.  Just one slice of pizza will cause me to go through carb-withdrawal symptoms and give me cravings and have the ‘what the hell’ mentality.  I never want to experience that again—the lack of control, the shakes…it was as if I was actually going through withdrawal.  Besides recognition and not acting on a craving, I cope with cravings and unwanted desires for foods by distraction—I go for a walk, I take a nap, I take a shower, I call my Mom, I DO NOT EAT ANYTHING, I do not bake, I try not to even go into the kitchen.  I have only done one official reintroduction (cheese and gluten in the same night) and learned from that that dairy breaks out my skin (duh, Ali) and gluten gives me INTENSE cravings.  I previously had no desire to reintroduce non-gluten grains, legumes or soy, or sugar (because she’s a mean mistress), and NOW I have no desire to eat anything with dairy or gluten.  I have truly tested on a 44-day squeaky clean system the effects of off-plan foods and I am happy to be back to eating Whole 30.  I am so mad at sugar after watching “That sugar film” that I will not do the relaxed sugar rule, not even for ketchup or salad dressings.  Therefore, my plan is to maintain the Whole 30 way of life, and to actually take it up a notch by practicing LCHF/keto.

 

3. revisit my initial goals for this past Whole 30 and what I gained

 

My initial 4 goals for doing this December Whole 30 were to 1. Feel good, 2. Be in control of what I eat, 3. Fuel my marathon training, and 4. Be healthy. 

 

#1—I felt great during my Whole 30.  I felt empowered.  I felt like I could trust my satiety signals and hormones.  I felt freedom from the scale.  I was focusing on my NSVs.  I was never out of control or regretful of what I ate—never.  I was psychologically in a very positive place, loving myself and my body and even though I was not rapidly losing weight or seeing vast improvements in my performance at the gym, I was happy with my fitness.  I loved how mindful I had become of the foods I was eating.  I frequently tried to remember how I felt before doing the Whole 30 and that gave me great perspective.  I knew that I never wanted to go back to that.  Goal #1 was accomplished.

 

#2—I was in control of what I ate, when eating the Whole 30 way.  The one single time that I felt out of control was the day after my pizza reintro.  The cravings were so strong.  If it hadn’t been for the lessons I learned during this Whole 30, as well as the help and accountability from my friends here, I may have blown it and given into the craving.  It was that strong.  I will not forget that.  Pizza is just not worth it anymore.  That makes me sad in a way, but it’s just not worth it so I’ll have to get over it.  I know that I will be in control of what I eat again, back on the Whole 30.  Goal #2 was accomplished.

 

#3—My marathon fueling is going well.  I was previously fueling my workouts by eating a pre-WO meal of protein with fat (usually 1-2 hard-boiled eggs, sometimes with homemade mayo) and for runs longer than 90 minutes I was eating some source of glucose during the run at the :50 and 1:50 marks.  After getting some moderator advice, I decided to see whether I could run a long run without fuel.  I tried it out during my 14-mile run this past Saturday and I was able to make it through the entire run eating nothing during the run.  I’m slow so it took me about 2.5 hours, but during that time I ate nothing and did not even become hungry.  I was using my fat for fuel.  I am going to transition to LCHF in a few days once I learn more about it and I have a feeling that this fat-adaptation and ability to fuel my workouts with flexibility will improve even more.  Goal #3 was accomplished and is getting better even.

 

#4—I know that the foods that I am eating are healthy when eating Whole 30.  Furthermore, and perhaps more important for me, I know that avoiding the foods that I am NOT eating is making me healthier too.  Goal #4 is accomplished.

 

4. write down what I plan to use from the Whole 30 moving forward

 

I plan to use the meal plan template with the suggested amount of times between meals as a standard tool moving forward.  I will eat protein, vegetables, and fat at each meal, eating when hungry to satiety and stopping when full.  I will not eat again until the next time I am hungry.  Since I am planning to go keto, I know that my fat-adaptation will improve even further.  I am planning to use all of the psychological lessons I learned during my Whole 30.  I plan to maintain my mindfulness, and be able to control what I am eating instead of it having control over me.  I plan to be mindful of any cravings, figure out why I am having cravings, and intervene before they become a standard. 

 

5. write down how that pizza made me feel

 

Out of control.  Cravings, wanting to binge, wanting to eat whatever is in the cupboards, hypoglycemic and shaking, not caring (even though I knew I would care later).  It was an out-of-body experience.  I knew what was good for me, but almost didn’t seem to care.  Gluten is not good for me.  Do not eat pizza or gluten again.  NOT WORTH IT!

 

6. write down WHY I want to move onto LCHF, including decreased cravings, marathon fuel flexibility, more in tune with satiety signals, and "Why we get fat" info

 

Decreased cravings.  Flexibility with marathon fueling.  More in tune with satiety signals, and ability to stop eating when full and eat no more.  I learned so many things about the role of carbohydrates on blood sugar and insulin.  Carbs (even from sweet potato, carrots, squash, fruit, the ‘healthy’ carbs) increase blood sugar, which increases insulin.  Increased insulin causes glucose to be burned as the primary fuel source, while fat is stored.  While insulin levels are raised, fat is not liberated from the cells and therefore it is not used as fuel.  This means that the fat that is on my body is not being burned.  I learned that a LCHF diet is not only heart-healthy, but is completely satisfying and sustainable.  I am interested in this diet for many reasons, but the most important one is probably decreased cravings and an increased level of control over what I eat.

 

7. look into LCHF diet--use this IN ADDITION TO Whole 30 (keep Whole 30 principles), still not using gluten, grains, dairy, legumes or soy, sugar or artificial sugar, preservatives, etc.

 

That is what I am working on this week, and will continue to work on moving forward.  It’s a process.  I am still not sure if I want to measure foods, count macros, or do anything excessive like that.

 

8. write down my goals for LCHF

 

Just like at the beginning of my December 2015 Whole 30, I will write down my goals for my LCHF way of eating.

 

1. Have control over what I eat, no cravings.

2. Avoid sugar in any form.

3. Learn to eat when hungry, to satiety, and stop when full.

4. Gain flexibility with fueling my marathon training.

5. Increase my health by maintaining a balanced insulin level.

 

9. document in Whole 30 forum until I get the hang of things

(I'm starting this on Friday...)

 

10. read as much info on keto as I can get my hands on

 

11. write down what I learned from "Why we get fat"

 

Carbsàblood sugar spikeàinsulin spikeàglucose burned as fuel and fat storedàget fat(ter)

[Alisonlcarver]

6. write down WHY I want to move onto LCHF, including decreased cravings, marathon fuel flexibility, more in tune with satiety signals, and "Why we get fat" info

 

Decreased cravings.  Flexibility with marathon fueling.  More in tune with satiety signals, and ability to stop eating when full and eat no more.  I learned so many things about the role of carbohydrates on blood sugar and insulin.  Carbs (even from sweet potato, carrots, squash, fruit, the ‘healthy’ carbs) increase blood sugar, which increases insulin.  Increased insulin causes glucose to be burned as the primary fuel source, while fat is stored.  While insulin levels are raised, fat is not liberated from the cells and therefore it is not used as fuel.  This means that the fat that is on my body is not being burned.  I learned that a LCHF diet is not only heart-healthy, but is completely satisfying and sustainable.  I am interested in this diet for many reasons, but the most important one is probably decreased cravings and an increased level of control over what I eat.

 

I've been thinking about this more today and since this is my week of figuring things out regarding LCHF/keto I want to write down what my initial thoughts are on the benefits of transitioning to keto.  Why am I doing this and what do I want to get out of it?  I wrote down a few thoughts yesterday, but this is such an important question and something that I want to revisit during my keto Whole 30, that it needs more information.

 

The benefits of LCHF:

--blood sugar regulation, stable insulin levels

--fat-adapted, using ketones instead of glucose for fuel

--the ability to tap into my fat stores for fuel, burn body fat

--decreased/absent cravings

--food freedom, control over what I eat

--flexibility with fueling/eating (if I happen to miss a meal I won't get hangry, and if I happen to not eat during a long run I will be all right)

--structured meals which are delicious but don't offer the ability to cheat

--don't allow gluten (craving inducing), dairy (causes me to break out), legumes, grains, sugars, artificial anything or preservatives

 

The most important benefits to me include the ability to burn body fat, decreased/absent cravings, and food freedom.  My December 2015 Whole 30 taught me SO much, but I know there is more.  I am still allowing nuts, nut butters, fruits, and carbs.  After reading "Why we get fat" I can't deny the science; I know that carbs are unhealthy, even the 'healthy' carbs like sweet potato and butternut squash.  I have been eating these at least 1-2 times every single day.  And I've been OK with it because they are whole, real, healthy foods that provide energy and vitamins.  But they are carbs.  And now they've gotta go.  I want to be able to burn my body fat for fuel and not rely on these carbs for fuel.  Besides, they stall my fat-burning.  I am coming to the conclusion that exercise is almost futile when I am allowing carbs into my diet because carbs increase insulin, storing fat.  During these increased insulin times, fat cannot be used for fuel, so if I am exercising during these times, I am not burning fat.  Futile.  Once I become completely fat-adapted I will be burning fat for fuel.  Then exercise makes sense again.  Friday, here we come! 

[ArtFossil]

  I have been eating these at least 1-2 times every single day.  And I've been OK with it because they are whole, real, healthy foods that provide energy and vitamins.  But they are carbs.  And now they've gotta go.  I want to be able to burn my body fat for fuel and not rely on these carbs for fuel.  Besides, they stall my fat-burning.  I am coming to the conclusion that exercise is almost futile when I am allowing carbs into my diet because carbs increase insulin, storing fat.  During these increased insulin times, fat cannot be used for fuel, so if I am exercising during these times, I am not burning fat.  Futile.  Once I become completely fat-adapted I will be burning fat for fuel.  Then exercise makes sense again.  Friday, here we come! 

Alison, you get to choose your own path and good for you for exploring as you develop your food plan and work toward a way of eating that is sustainable for you.

But I must push back against your statement that exercise is (almost) futile if you are eating carbs.

Exercise is never futile. It has so many benefits, which can include cardiovascular benefits, stretching and strengthening of muscles and joints, protection against bone loss, improvements in coordination and balance, and more. It can relax us, energize us, calm us and boost our mood. Most of all, there is joy in movement. We were made to move.

(I know you know all this, but for others who might read I want to extol the virtues of exercise and it's utility even if one is not eating in what one regards as a perfect or optimal way. :-) )