TTT and Renewed Crew January Journey

[misslindy]

Bad morning, had to wait several hours to cool off enough even to post about it...

 

We are having the first work carry-in that has actually hit while I'm on a W30, which isn't really a huge problem except for all the previously explained "issues" I have with being known as the "the cook" and the tricky balance of participating without being able to actually participate all that much.  They are doing a Super Bowl food theme so this was actually easier than it could have been.  I also sort of mildly hate middle of the week things since I can't pre-make much on the weekend (especially when they decide to announce it on Monday) and my evenings are already sort of...full.

 

So, I went with the Toasted Rosemary Almonds...done it before, super simple, really tasty, and hey...not even something that is obviously diet food and could very easily be the sort of thing someone put out for a Super Bowl spread. 

 

Ran out on my lunch break yesterday, got all the three things it takes, spent last night juggling making dinner and trying to keep them turned in the oven so I had perfectly toasted nuts.

 

And then this morning driving in some oblivious moron slams on his brakes for no apparant reason and in trying not to hit him I do the same which causes my work tote to go sailing into the windshield, land upside down with force, which in turn causes the lid of the container of nuts to pop off....and nuts fan out in a perfect wave to coat the carpet on the passenger side. 

 

I kid you not guys.  SIX CUPS OF ALMONDS, and about 10 each stayed in the container.  The rest were thrown so far and wide I will expect them to be finding them still the next time I have an oil change done.  Completely ruined.  And now, I have a delicious layer of olive oil, garlic salt, and toasted rosemary coating my carpet gently soaking in all day today no doubt.  Marinaded floor mats, just what I always wanted.

 

Sure, my car will have a lovely aroma...which will just remind me how blisteringly furious I am...and probably make me hungry. 

crimsann

I spilled a container of activated charcoal in my passenger side last week. Together we could make a mess and clean it up!

 

I sympathize with the loss of your nuts and except for using your grandmothers china, love the solution to the problem. I wouldn't use that china because I am sentimental but I do agree it would have to be something precious and valuable to really get the satisfaction factor.

 

I think recycling the spilled nuts would work--who would know the difference? Garlic salt, road salt? Is there a salt expert in the house?

[Crimsann]

I sympathize with the loss of your nuts and except for using your grandmothers china, love the solution to the problem. I wouldn't use that china because I am sentimental but I do agree it would have to be something precious and valuable to really get the satisfaction factor.

 

 

Oh yeah, but here is how my mind works...if I tried to imagine something else really familar like the heavy white pottery stuff my mother used...all I would get back is an image of it bouncing off the side of the barn and braining me.  And if I tried to imagine another pattern I would get sidetracked in coming up with the right details and never get to the fun part.  All I know is, it beats counting to ten.

 

I do think I will take the scent of rosemary over charcoal though...if I'm getting a choice about it...but you are welcome to mentally join me in dish smashing, sounds like you also deserve a little destructive daydream!

[NancyW]

Oh yeah, but here is how my mind works...if I tried to imagine something else really familar like the heavy white pottery stuff my mother used...all I would get back is an image of it bouncing off the side of the barn and braining me.  

This whole conversation is cracking me up, but especially the image of Crimsann and this plate bouncing off her noggin. My mom has plates like that too, and I can well imagine what a dent they'd make!

[misslindy]

Oh yeah, but here is how my mind works...if I tried to imagine something else really familar like the heavy white pottery stuff my mother used...all I would get back is an image of it bouncing off the side of the barn and braining me.  And if I tried to imagine another pattern I would get sidetracked in coming up with the right details and never get to the fun part.  All I know is, it beats counting to ten.

 

I do think I will take the scent of rosemary over charcoal though...if I'm getting a choice about it...but you are welcome to mentally join me in dish smashing, sounds like you also deserve a little destructive daydream!

What about using the blue china with gold rims that belong to your (my) (our) imaginary snotty sister-in-law who has never had a problem in her pimple free life? Those would make a delicious sound and we could also throw in (see what I did there?) her crystal glasses to add a bit of high tone. It would also allow her to go buy a new set of very expensive dinnerware so she'd be happy too. (Personally I think the heat is getting to me.)

[bpaitsel]

This is so funny!  I have so many good visuals.  On a serious note - Nancy do you think maybe you need to have your thyroid checked?  I guess a lot of your not feeling so good could be from the gloomy weather and I don't know if this is normal for you this time of year or not - just seems like an extreme change from Columbus Crew days.  Hope everyone has a sunny perfectly temperate Thursday.

[Crimsann]

What about using the blue china with gold rims that belong to your (my) (our) imaginary snotty sister-in-law who has never had a problem in her pimple free life? Those would make a delicious sound and we could also throw in (see what I did there?) her crystal glasses to add a bit of high tone. It would also allow her to go buy a new set of very expensive dinnerware so she'd be happy too. (Personally I think the heat is getting to me.)

 

This could totally work, the closest thing I have to a sister-in-law is my sister's sister-in-law and we've only really met once.  She fits the bill.  And, she is a psychiatrist so she immediately asked me why I am not married and when I relpied I've never had the slightest interest she then asked me why I "sound wistful, when you say that".  Riiiiiight.  I'm the girl who went all the way to the board in high school because I refused to write my senior paper on married life or raising kids and insisted on doing in on being single.  When I say I've never....I mean NEVER. 

 

She has loads of crystal, I'm sure of it. 

 

 

So, working on next weeks meal plan...and first off, let me remind all that we are launching into February momentarily, so expect my meal plans to start skirting the edges a bit with the compliant ingredients.  I freely and openly acknowledge what I'm planning to do in February is NOT a W30.  I do not intend to reintro any actual noncompliant food, but I may be playing with things like coconut flour blueberry muffins at some point and I may bring back last summer's "Nah-an" bread.  Or I may not. 

 

This first week though is clean which is good because technically I still have 6 days left to go having started 1/4 not 1/1.  I'm planning to try that shake and bake chicken and serve it warm over salad.  This made me want a honey mustard dressing though.  For a few minutes I toyed with adding honey back but that is one step too far for what I committed to for February so I've decided no.  I did however start playing with the "sweetener" we have left to us....fruit...and in doing so I ran across a technically compliant dressing that gets a double apple hit from using apple cider (not the hard stuff) and ACV.  You can check the recipe here:  http://www.marthastewart.com/344518/cider-dijon-dressing  Will see how that goes, but it sounds promising!  Hardest part may be finding a compliant mustard, I believe I remember reading that most of them are but that some of the dijon tend to include wine?  Looks like good ole' Tessemae has a dijon though and no wine on the ingedients list plus the W30 stamp on their website on this item so I may see if I can find that one.

[NancyW]

This is so funny!  I have so many good visuals.  On a serious note - Nancy do you think maybe you need to have your thyroid checked?  I guess a lot of your not feeling so good could be from the gloomy weather and I don't know if this is normal for you this time of year or not - just seems like an extreme change from Columbus Crew days.  Hope everyone has a sunny perfectly temperate Thursday.

bpaitsel, this really is me in the gloomy weather. I'll spring back to life as spring gets closer (see what I did there?). I did just sign up back at Planet Fitness, so if I can actually get my sorry ass there, it'll help. That's a big if right now though... 

[bpaitsel]

Crimsann - looks like you are the W30 version of Martha Stewart - that dressing looks great.

 

Nancy - I think the fitness plan sounds great.  Several years ago I had a job working mainly by myself at the same time that my husband was working nights.  When I realized that I was lonely and missing the socialization from having co-workers, I started doing a lot of group exercise classes just to be around other people and it really helped.  Whatever works for you go for it.

 

Tomorrow is my day 30.  Almost time to start reintro's and practice making good choices.  Are we going to stay here or start something new for February?

 

Funny observation:  Today I put my lunch in the fridge at work but I sort of hid it behind my water bottle because you could see there was a lot of fat in it - healthy coconut oil though.    Then I looked around and just laughed out loud because there was a box of donuts, cookies and brownies sitting on the table

[mergthemagnificent]

Hey, Crew...these posts have been a blast to read. Thanks for the chuckles and great spirit and insights. Crimsann, you had me in tears and laughter at the same time. Your writing is beautiful and engaging...so honest and clear.

I think I am also going to follow your post 30 plan...just stretching a very few boundaries, although I am looking REALLY CLOSELY at each candidate because I have to be able to answer the questions associated with such choices.

For example, if I have felt so much better with NO WINEn my diet, why would I strain my brain to come up with a scheme where I could add in a little?? Maybe, instead, on each occasion where I am considering a glass, I should go through the same process I have all month and try to wait out the craving or try an alternative instead....same with (and read this in a really high squeaky voice) adding just a little bit of hazelnut syrup and a touch of cream in my coffee...but WHY when I have done well without either all month....in fact, when I have pretty much made the transition from coffee to tea?? See what I mean?

I am pretty clear about several goals. I would like to move away from so much animal protein and add in more fish (including PLEASE a few more imaginative ways to cook it).....if possible also I want to understand more about other protein options...just to do more research...and of course to ramp up quite doable veggie recipes....can't wait for fresher produce....am feeling pretty stale on that score.

So, for me it may be more fish, cooked more ways, more veggies cooked more ways....and staying with some good habits of cooking up on weekends, having breakfasts all done, drinking more water, bone broth, bone broth, bone broth...and better sleep hygiene...that all actually sounds like quite enough.

My w30 this time has been easier in some ways than the last, but less dramatically impactful. I think I am improving on past gains, although I am quite sure my body mass is about the same...but that is OK. As someone said, there are lifelong habits here...and their consequences....so the digging out will take some time and repetition.

Nancy, I am glad you will snap back once winter passes...bpaitsel is right....this just hasn't quite been the YOU we knew in the last round....but this is a good YOU to see as well...still a great gift to all of us.

[Crimsann]

Crimsann - looks like you are the W30 version of Martha Stewart - that dressing looks great.

 

 

Okay, so funny story on this one because it's actually something I get accused of a lot in real life also.  I think they mean the cooking/decorating/silly matchy-matchy stuff too and not the stock fraud but I'm never entirely sure.  ::skeptical glance at friends and family::

 

Anyway, my first apartment had a lobby area where visitors could only enter that far and then had to buzz a specific apartment and we had to go down and let them in.  The call box only listed residents by first initial and last name and one of my neighbors was an M.Stewart. 

 

My sister never got tired of the joke that she had rung, and rung, and rung "my" apartment and why was I not answering...it said right here on the board, M. Stewart; 214 but no one picked up. 

 

Ha.  Ha. 

 

 

Anyway, as some of us are near the end here I just want to say thank you for all the nice things you guys have said over the month, particularly in regards to my writing style.  I usually kind of blush and pass that off, because it often embarrasses me just a little, but I can't think of anything I would rather be complimented on so just once I wanted to kind of acknowledge that.  I wasn't really sure I wanted to do another month with a new group, but we had so many familiar faces and such a nice core of committed people that I'm really glad I jumped in when Nancy suggested moving back here for January. 

 

I will tag along wherever if you decide to move, puns and all though, so if you need to sneak out the back door I can't say I wouldn't understand.  LOL!

 

@merg, I really liked your thoughts on weighing what we want to start adding in and I should probably adopt that sooner rather than later even for my compliant ingredient plan.  It's a balance between looking for ways to broaden my choices but without falling into eating habits that completely lose sight of the template.  I don't want to find myself subbing in a blueberry muffin in place of a meal, between a meal, or as a dessert...if something that edges off the path is not a calculated part of a meal it's suspect.  On the other hand, if I'm planning five days in advance to use apple cider in a dressing...yes because it will make it sweeter...but not because I'm currently craving sweet but in fact because the meal seems to be looking for that touch...well I'm a lot more comfortable with that.  The rule I made for myself last summer on some of these things was that the first time I found myself wanting "another one" right after eating the first or instead of my next planned meal, that item had some craving potential and needed to be put aside for awhile.  I did really well with the muffins that time, I enjoyed them for a week straight in their proper place on my plan, and while I remember them as a nice change of pace and something I want to make again, it has been nearly six months without me doing so. 

 

It also helps that I know perfectly well that February is a bridge to March and in March I plan to go back to being fully compliant so there is no point in getting too attached to any new recipes.  I don't want to set myself up for having to "dry out" all over again so I'm doubly motivated not to go for something I think I will avidly crave.  This is a break not a free-for-all.  Says I, now.  But I've also been planning this since September so I'm pretty firm on that!  I didn't come up with this while chaffing under the strictures this past month, it was always the plan to see how I was coming along and what I can handle on my own now.

[NancyW]

It's become very clear to me, along with the fact that you guys are wonderful, and funny, and amazing, that most people put far more thought into planning than I do. I wonder if that's why I've struggled for so long? I've been flying by the seat of my pants since I was 16 and having coffee, donuts, and cigarettes for breakfast, and then "dieting" all day till I got to work (McDonald's) and having a quarter pounder or big mac and large fries with a large Coke for dinner. In a way, I'm still doing that now, only without the cigarettes and McDonald's... Sure, I make a big pot or pan of something, or stock up on salad ingredients, but I don't really think about it aside from that. I assume there will be beer eventually, and some cheese, but I haven't really thought much more about it. **scratches head** I wonder if there's a lesson to learn here? The one thing I'm sure of is that sugar needs to stay out!!

 

Ok, duty calls!

[misslindy]

Day 30 for me and this weekend is a marathon cooking trial. I am almost out of my liver/veg breakfast solution, hardly any meat in the freezer, so low on veg the baskets are looking like orphans. So shopping this morning, chopping and freezing this afternoon. Then I don't have to think about food for another week or two. The only thing I have ahead at the moment is my bone broth and I would never be without that again in my life! Love it. 

 

Nancy, I understand about your not wanting to think about it but honestly since I started doing the prepare and freeze trick, I don't think about food and I don't have to spend a huge amount of time planning meals, they are done. That leaves me free for what I want to do and I am finding this way of eating so lovely I really can't think what I would want to add back in. I don't have to even entertain that thought for another 2 months so my life is even easier!

 

I have finished my major project, much to the surprise of others who couldn't imagine doing it in the short time I had. Truth to tell I wondered how I would manage, then forgot about how and just did it. Thrilling. Now get it packaged and away. 

 

I haven't felt any tiger blood and for a while I was so tired I couldn't stay awake for more than a few hours at a time this past month. BUT: I have finished a major project, I have been swimming at least once a day, have done short walks, am sleeping 7-8 hours or more at least 6 nights a week and feel happier than I have for a long time. This morning I am just buzzing and can't stop grinning. It has maybe taken time to kick in but the sustained energy day after day is more what I want and sleeping well is such a bonus.

 

I am so glad I decided to do this AIP and it may need some tweaking along the way yet but I am 1/3 through and can not imagine doing anything to force a restart. Feels too good this way. Sadly I still miss coffee--but there are things in life that are out of reach even if temporarily: George Clooney doesn't even know I exist, sometimes life just ain't fair.

 

What have you all decided about going forward: new thread? reintros?  Like Crimsann I will tag along wherever if you are happy that I do my own thing.

 

"Thanks for the memories..." and all the kindness, concern, laughs and being you. xxx

[NancyW]

Nancy, I understand about your not wanting to think about it but honestly since I started doing the prepare and freeze trick, I don't think about food and I don't have to spend a huge amount of time planning meals, they are done. That leaves me free for what I want to do and I am finding this way of eating so lovely I really can't think what I would want to add back in. I don't have to even entertain that thought for another 2 months so my life is even easier!

 

What have you all decided about going forward: new thread? reintros?  Like Crimsann I will tag along wherever if you are happy that I do my own thing.

I do cook ahead. It makes breakfasts and lunches at work so much easier. I just don't do a formal plan. I grab a recipe and make a huge pot or pan and freeze it individually. When it's gone, I grab another recipe. And I've been cooking with lots of veggies in my soup and shepherd's pie, so I don't even have to have veggies as a side--it's all in there, including the fat! 

 

I'm happy to stay right here. All of us seem to be doing our own version of things, so no worries about who's doing what. I think I'm going to start making some compliant ingredients into other things to help me not feel deprived as I move forward. I bought coconut flour for the first time today and I'm intrigued by the wrap recipe on the bag. It would be nice to have that as an option without setting myself up for the flour/sugar cravings I'd have if I ate bread. And I have some dinners out coming up, so I will plan ahead for those--salads with grilled meat, or steak with compliant-ish sides. But this IS my new way of eating. Period. I'm happy to carry dressing and clarified butter to restaurants, and to ask the necessary questions. But I think I will consider sweet potato fries as acceptable once my official 30 is done. 

 

Big salad for dinner tonight, one already-cooked chicken breast left in the freezer, so it's a no-cook night! I'm going to try breading my chicken with the coconut flour and sauteing it in coconut oil or clarified butter and put that on tomorrow's salad. Yum!

[bpaitsel]

OOPS  . . .  so last night when I posted I actually thought that today was the 30th, which would be my day 30.  Except that it isn't   Oh well.  I'm fine with one more day.  I like the way of thinking about eliminated foods to decide if we even want them back.  I need to adopt more of that.  Nancy, I don't plan ahead very well either - except for batch-cooking breakfast - so meals have gotten very simple and boring with not many real recipes involved.  I am known as a recipe collector - not necessarily using them so this is another area to improve on.

 

I have had better energy the last couple of days which has been nice.  Especially considering that I made a big medication change.  I have taken estrogen for the last 10 years after surgically induced menopause and was very happy with it.  However, for several years I have had extremely dry eyes that nothing has helped.  Some drops even almost seemed to make it worse.  After some research last week where I learned that estrogen can inhibit tear production I decided to stop taking it about 8 days ago.  Hallelujah!  This has been the best few days in a very long time without dealing with the grittiness, burning and blurred vision.  And, I have only had very minimal side effects - so far

 

I agree we just stay right here and keep on our journey together.

[hsheffield]

well okey dokey we're at day 30!

 

bpaitsel big congrats on your eyes feeling better. were you taking progesterone too and did you stop it as well? 

 

yesterday was a bad day-first real sugar dragon issues. I was so cranky and out of sorts that I had 2 Lara bars and a bowl of chicken salad. It was totally emotional eating. 

 

I ALMOST had a drink at a party last night but loving husband said something along the lines of 'you're almost there and if you feel bad tomorrow, you'll be mad at yourself'

 

so today I feel GOOD. hands and feet only a little swollen. head mostly clear.  deep sleep after a party which is unusual. drank some of the magnesium calm stuff before bed-seemed to help. anyone else used that and have stories to tell?

 

so enough NSV to keep on.  I just have to find a way to keep enough good stuff around that I don't have cookie dough cravings. 

 

(btw, I believe that the sugar dragon shouldn't be fed Lara bars but I was acting out with food)

[NancyW]

I woke up this morning and realized two things:

1) Today is the last day of my second W30 and I can eat whatever I want tomorrow!

2) I have a fridge and freezer stocked with good W30 food, and I don't plan to do anything any differently than I have been.

 

I do plan to reintro half and half for my coffee, but for now, I have about ten 8-oz. cartons of coconut milk that will last for about a month. The Aroy-D is my favorite to use in my coffee. It mixes in better. And the smaller cartons stay fresh longer than opening a can that's twice the size. Come to think of it, I could just continue to use the coconut milk...

 

Here's an example of me NOT planning: I went to the grocery store yesterday without a list. I ended up grabbing two bags of broccoli slaw. For what? No idea, but I'll throw them in something. So breakfast this morning will be scrambled eggs with sauteed broccoli. Boom! This lack of planning has worked well for me most of the time. The trick is, the grocery store purchases have to be compliant. It doesn't work so well if I'm not on a W30 and am, instead, buying binge food... So here's to continuing on a compliant path, which, to those who know me well, is ridiculously funny--my nickname through high school was Rebel!

 

Off to the salon today to see my daughter for a cut, color, wax, and manicure. I'm itching to get something really different (short!!) done with my hair, but I'm a bit worried because I have NO hair styling skills AT ALL. My hair will look beautiful when I leave the salon, and when I try to do it myself, it'll look like Monty (my cat) did it for me. <sigh> I just can't talk Julie into driving 40 minutes every morning to style it for me! Ungrateful child!  I should shut up since all the aforementioned services are free for me... 

 

After the salon visit, it's home to clean, clean, clean. I've been pretty lax all winter, and I'm having company next Saturday. We'll be having crock pot fajitas (if I can find peppers for less than $4 a pound!!!) so that I can continue my compliant path. I know I can live with my fajitas on my plate instead of a tortilla, so no worries. 

[QuilterInVA]

I woke up this morning and realized two things:

1) Today is the last day of my second W30 and I can eat whatever I want tomorrow!

2) I have a fridge and freezer stocked with good W30 food, and I don't plan to do anything any differently than I have been.

 

 

I don't think you have done a Whole 30 is you just eat anything the 31st day. You really need to do a reintroduction. I'm in for another 30 days.

 

I went to visit my friend at the convalescent center yesterday and I want to warn all of you, regardless of age, that sitting more than 3 hours a day is dangerous. Her lungs became peppered with blood clots, not just one but dozens. She did her housework and then basically sat most of the rest of the day quilting or watching tv or reading, and a lot of time with her feet up. The absolute worst thing you can do. Even if you have a desk job, you need to get up and move 10 minutes every hour. Stand while you are on the phone, get up during commercials on tv and walk around the house or in place, You are actually shortening your life by sitting too much. I came home and set a time for 50 minutes. When it goes off, I get up and walk around the house, do a few body weight exercises, or just march in place. I downloaded Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds video to my phone and I will do some of that. I exercise at the Y every day but that is not an excuse to go home and sit the rest of the day. Darn!

 

I have chicken thighs and breasts in my Instant Pot. When they are done I'll shredded them. Some of it will go for chicken salad and some for chicken soup and Pad Thai Chicken. My cat is sitting in the kitchen staring at the pot. He loves chicken.

 

I went to my quilting bee on Thursday. One of the ladies, knowing I have to be gluten-free brought gluten-free crackers for her shrimp spread and another made me a whole pan of gluten free brownies. Just what I didn't need. Fortunately there was a veggie tray with cucumber slices and celery so I took about a tablespoon of shrimp dip and used those. I claimed to be too full for the brownies which she then insisted I take home so I put them into the back of the freezer. I took compliant chicken salad so I knew I'd have something with protein that was W30.

 

Nancy, I have depression and take Celexa for it. In the winter I'm okay if the sun it out but on cloudy days I'm just depressed and feel like curling up in a ball and doing nothing. I make myself go to the gym (and I really enjoy it) but the rest of the day is a mess. I can't wait for Spring which will come to VA before MN. My pansies are recovered from the snow and cold and still blooming. We plant them in the fall here and they bloom all winter. In the winter, I get frozen tri-colored pepper and onion strips for cooking. They are around $1.50 a pound that way and the prep is done.

 

Have a wonderful day.

[NancyW]

I don't think you have done a Whole 30 is you just eat anything the 31st day. You really need to do a reintroduction. I'm in for another 30 days.

Susan, I could eat whatever, but I'm NOT! See #2 in my post. I'm fully stocked with compliant foods and intend to stick to them. It was just the realization that I almost made it through the 30 days. 

[bpaitsel]

Day 30 - for real this time   hsheffield - I was only taking estrogen because I don't have uterus.  Have never taken progesterone.  When I read that it could impact tear production I actually thought this was one more thing that I would try, wouldn't work, move on.  So I have been very surprised that it actually worked.  Been off estro for 10 days  now and actually feeling really good.  I figured by now I would be having hot flashes galore, not sleeping  and feeling like crap.  Maybe it's the better nutrition.  

 

Nancy - I like your realizations and I think that about says it - we can eat whatever we want but we are choosing to eat real food and when it's worth it make a careful reintro.  This is where I messed up last time so will try to keep it straight this time.  How's the hair?

 

Susan - did your friend just develop the blood clots or did she have something where she was hospitalized first?  Scary to think that this could happen in the absence of another injury/sickness just from her daily routine   I'm still waiting for my pansies to revive from the snow but I know they will - to be so small and look fragile they definitely are hardy.

 

Will probably go ahead an reintro corn or rice tomorrow so I can have gluten free bread or pasta - only occasionally because I found out before this W30 that heavy carbs like that sit like a bowling ball in my gut.  I had worked for several months on developing a nice gluten free english muffin recipe that was also egg and dairy free so I would like to occasionally  have one of these.

 

If anyone is interested in a good book on low carb/keto diet I am reading Art and Science of Low Carb Living by Volek and Phinney.  It is a great book.  I know I feel better on the lower carb end so it's nice to read the actual science behind it.

 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

[hsheffield]

so got up and weighed this am, have lost 1 pound in the last month. my BMI is 35 and I could stand to lose 75 pounds. 

[NancyW]

As I discussed with my daughter in the week leading up to my hair appointment, it is a change! The color is much darker than the light brown/dark blond we usually do. And the length is an inch or so above my chin in front, shorter and stacked in back. Love it! Now I just have to practice styling it because the hair styling gene isn't part of my genetic inheritance. In fact, I SUCK at it. 

 

I weighed in this morning. I'm down 10.4 pounds, but (in a stunning display of how out of control I was over the holidays!!!), I still weigh 5 pounds more than I did after my September W30. If there is a better picture of how bad grains and sugar are for me, I haven't yet seen it. I gained back all of the weight I lost in September in just a few short weeks of holidays. I don't want to dwell on the downside of this, but I do have to face it squarely, head-on. It speaks volumes about my relationship with food, both the emotional AND the physical. I think I will download the book bpaitsel is reading. Sounds like my analytical mind could use some more science on the subject to help my neural pathways make the change permanent. 

 

I single out grains and sugar even though I haven't done a true reintro yet because I know full well how those things affect me. I've done enough dieting, struggling, relapsing, craving, etc. to be sure. The question now is, can I eat legumes without any ill effects? I know they don't set me up for cravings, but I need to know if the have any physical side effects I should be aware of. I don't think so, as they have been a part of my food plan in some of my healthiest, thinnest times. And I have NEVER binged on a bean... I have binged plenty on pasta, bread, and sugar. There's a fine line between those foods and the whole grain versions of that kind of thing. I like whole grain pasta, but I can probably do just as much damage with that, or with brown rice, quinoa, or steel cut oats. Perhaps I can try those things after many more days of W30 style eating, but it would be a slippery slope. 

 

Lots to think about at this point. No immediate changes being made. And a new book to read, thanks to the magic that is ebooks!

[QuilterInVA]

so got up and weighed this am, have lost 1 pound in the last month. my BMI is 35 and I could stand to lose 75 pounds. 

 

What other improvements have you had? This program isn't about weight loss. It also takes some of us more than 30 days to get all the benefits we can and to establish new habits.

[QuilterInVA]

Nancy, I missed out on the hairstyling gene as well and since I'm in the pool at the Y 5 days a week I keep my hair very short and spiked on top. That's the best I can do. I stopped coloring my hair last year when I retired from work. I was hoping it would be nearly white. Fat chance. It's light brown with hardly a gray hair. Sometimes I have a purple or hot pink streak put in. Congratulations on the weight loss. Having celiac disease has taken wheat, rye, barley and spelt off my plate for a long time for the consequences are really bad if I eat even a bite of them. But gluten free cookies, bread, crackers, other grains are my downfall. I just can't eat them or the binge is on. Are you extending another 30 days? I'm going to add 60.

[QuilterInVA]

bpaitsel, my friend was not sick at all before the blood clots. That is what is so scary. We often think we'll have a warning that something is wrong with out body before it gets dangerous, but that is not the case. Our ancestors had to work hard and didn't have time to sit much. We, on the other hand, have labor-saving devices, technology, and jobs where we sit all day. Not good for our health. My friend is on high doses of blood thinners and will have to stay in the convalescent center until the blood clots are gone because if she started bleeding, they have a shot to basically reverse the blood thinner. They have her up and walking hourly and working in the gym (first time for her).

[C_Cezeaux]

Oh, my that does sound unhealthy. You might try diatomaceous earth on the carpet to help take up some of the carpet nasties. I also have sprayed penny royal on old furniture to kill greeblies--seemed to work.

Moving sounds like the best option!

I did not know of the penny royal, I will search some out and try it.  We're stuck with a lease here until July, but are intending to be elsewhere with our permanent address then.