musclesglasses5 Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Hey all -- very excited to be here. Today is the first day of my Whole30. I saw Melissa Hartwig at a seminar in NYC in December 2014 and she gave me some awesome advice on managing stress during the Whole30 (and she also signed my copy of ISWF). It took me 7-8 months, but I finally realized I needed to switch jobs in order to stay in my industry and have a life that is supportive of W30 tenets. I'm currently taking a few months off in between jobs, and I figure today is the best day to start my Whole30. I've had a couple false starts but this really feels like the real thing because at this point my livelihood depends on completing this W30. Hoping to have some great before / after pics to send Melissa to show her that I was definitely listening! Took the befores this morning and I will go hide my scale in some place inaccessible for 30 days after I post this message. Here are the gory details of what 4 years of stress can do to a body, from this morning's measurements: Gender: Male Age: 26 Height: 6'1.5" Weight: 245.9 lbs Scale Body Fat Calc: 32.8% (I'd guess it's closer to 30 but accepting what scale said for tracking purposes) Widest Belly Circumference, no suck: 44.5 in Waist Circumference, no suck: 40.75 in Hip Circumference (widest), no suck: 42.5 in Chest Circumference: 45 in. Right Thigh (widest circumference): 26 in. Ailments: UC/UP/IBD, gout and other joint pain, insulin resistance, low energy levels, insomnia, among others. I'm taking at least 15 pills and vitamins a day. I'm too young to have a lot of these ailments, most would say, but I am thankful and blessed that curing most of these ailments is generally in my control. I'm going to cook myself real food, count calories, up my cardio when I'm ready (I've been on/off Paleo for years), and stay focused on the prize. I suspect there will be a lot of non-scale victories. Thanks for reading. And let's do this thing. I'm hoping to write a phenomenal success story post on September 4 (DAY 31)! Zack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ShannonM816 Posted August 5, 2015 Moderators Share Posted August 5, 2015 Hi, Zack! Welcome to the forum. I just wanted to mention, we actually ask you not to count calories during your Whole30. Follow the meal template. You can keep a log of your food, either here on the forum in the Your Whole30 Log section, on a piece of paper if you prefer to go old school, or even with pictures on Instagram if you like, but don't track calories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fmr_sailor Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Hey, Zack! I've also had a few of what you call "false starts." A friend of mine here in the forums called them "warm-ups!" Today is my fourth Day Two. Lol. Glad you've found a less stressful way to make a living, and I hope your Whole30 goes great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators SugarcubeOD Posted August 5, 2015 Moderators Share Posted August 5, 2015 It all sounds wonderful and we're SO happy to have you here! To second what Shannon says, please don't count calories. A calorie counted is a missed opportunity to listen to your amazing and complex body tell you what it needs. Listen to your body, come here and post your meals if you need advice/help and really commit to the spirit of the program! Wonderful things will happen! Promise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musclesglasses5 Posted August 5, 2015 Author Share Posted August 5, 2015 Thanks for the replies all. Guess I was having a mental block detoxing off of all of that non-W30 food from the past week. Definitely aware of the no calorie counting rule -- don't worry, I won't! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musclesglasses5 Posted August 6, 2015 Author Share Posted August 6, 2015 Well it's day 2, first day went well. Second day definitely was feeling like a truck hit me as predicted. I had a 9:20am appointment for some ankle therapy, and I'm usually able to read the WSJ while I'm waiting for the doctors, but today it was all I could do to stop myself from passing out in the chair. even writing this is making me tired right now. I also think that my body is completely cleansing itself of toxins. Maybe I'm not drinking enough water but my urine is yellow which means that uric acid is exiting, a good sign for gout. I may also be producing urate but at least I know I'm getting rid of it. That should normalize once my body is used to processing fat more effectively and my liver and metabolism are getting stronger. First NSV though, just a day in taking all of my meds and Whole30ing, I had the most normal set of BMs I have had in a while. No bleeding, nothing unsuspected. As someone who has UC/IBD, this is huge. I have had a bunch of BMs though, which may be my body getting rid of toxins as well, but I am shocked and heartened to see lessened symptoms after just one day. Can't imagine what'll happen in 30. Ok -- I feel like a ton of bricks just hit me so I may have to take a nap. Zack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators SugarcubeOD Posted August 6, 2015 Moderators Share Posted August 6, 2015 Hi Zack! This is great! I'm so glad to hear that you're seeing and feeling improvement! It's definitely easier to get through the tough times when you know you're on the right track! Just a reminder that our recommendation is to drink 1/2oz of water per pound of body weight, so for you, that's around 125oz... which is a little over 3.6 litres! That should help the toxins flow out and your pee should be a nice clear color! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musclesglasses5 Posted August 6, 2015 Author Share Posted August 6, 2015 thanks yeah great idea. I will get some water in bulk -- I believe poland spring sells by the gallon. for the record -- I was very tired after the last post, ended up taking a 2.5 hour nap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musclesglasses5 Posted August 6, 2015 Author Share Posted August 6, 2015 other notable comments: fuji apples now taste like candy (even just 1 for breakfast) and I almost feel sinful brushing my teeth with Crest toothpaste -- I make sure not to digest it haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators SugarcubeOD Posted August 7, 2015 Moderators Share Posted August 7, 2015 thanks yeah great idea. I will get some water in bulk -- I believe poland spring sells by the gallon. for the record -- I was very tired after the last post, ended up taking a 2.5 hour nap. How about a Brita or Bobble or some type of tap water purifying system? I'm not sure about the tap water where you live... I think I might be awfully lucky to live where I do... I drink gallons of tap water... straight from the tap... no filtering required.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musclesglasses5 Posted August 7, 2015 Author Share Posted August 7, 2015 I've got a brita, which works, but given that I seriously want to drink 128 oz of water per day, mentally it's psycholocally easier if I have a gallon in my hand and I can focus on achieving the consumption of that gallon rather than keep count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musclesglasses5 Posted August 7, 2015 Author Share Posted August 7, 2015 it's day 3 now -- again I did well on day 2 but this morning day 3 I feel like I have a massive hangover as the timeline predicts. hoping tomorrow is better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britishgal Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 It does get better, I promise it is so worth it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators SugarcubeOD Posted August 7, 2015 Moderators Share Posted August 7, 2015 Nothing helps the hangover like enough fluids and making sure you're eating template sized meals with sufficient fat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musclesglasses5 Posted August 7, 2015 Author Share Posted August 7, 2015 Well it's day 3 and I think I got to another NSV that I'll have to test later today in the gym. I've been having elbow pain for the past few days, which I suspected might be related to gout/joint issues. whatever it is, the pain seems to be completely gone. I couldn't bend my elbow a few nights ago without pain but now it's gone. Just took a substantive midday catnap. Now going to find myself some lunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musclesglasses5 Posted August 8, 2015 Author Share Posted August 8, 2015 well it's the end of day 3 and for whatever reason I'm feeling a bit insomniac. must be all of those cravings. it's absurd right now I have terrible cravings for substantive juicy and greasy meat foods like fried chicken or a big hamburger with fries and ketchup right now but i am just trying to stay strong and realize that there is a bigger purpose here which is eliminating my gout and other chronic conditions so I can live a pain free and healthy life and also secondarily progress along the road to getting into amazing shape. anyways this is my thread so I can rant here but I just had to get this out to know tht someone else knows how much it hurts me not to bite into something nice and juicy right now. I consumed enough food today, so I know that these feelings are just my brain talking rather than my stomach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators SugarcubeOD Posted August 8, 2015 Moderators Share Posted August 8, 2015 Glad you are aware that it's your brain throwing a tantrum and you're not going to give in! Stay strong my friend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musclesglasses5 Posted August 9, 2015 Author Share Posted August 9, 2015 today is day 5 and last night and this mornign I was feeling really shitty about the shape that I was in and how it seemed insurmountable to make it 30 days or ever achieve any of the long-held goals that I had and I really wanted a sugary alcoholic drink -- obviously a massive W30 off-limits drink, particularly because I'm trying to cure gout. I dunno I guess it's hitting me how long I have de facto sabotaged my body to get in a situation where I look and feel the way i do sometimes, but anyway I went and saw the movie Southpaw last night by myself and this morning I went to take a shower and realized that my torso actually looked somewhat less inflamed from the side view, some face/body acne/inflammation had cleared up, and I felt at the margin incrementally leaner. It was a great feeling. anyway, as tough as they are to stomach, here is what I have to consider. 1. there's no scenario in which drinking alcohol or sugary drinks will alleviate my gout -- unfortunately this applies to caffeinated drinks, symptom-wise, especially sugary caffeine drinks -- particularly the DD flavored lattes I've been craving past few days. 2. 26 is too young to have a condition such as this and it is completely curable through weight loss, diet management, and improving my insulin sensitivity / metabolism / ability to process and excrete urate. 3. It is impossible for me to get to 200 lbs with 8% body fat, when I started at 245.6, without going through 240, 235, 230, 225, 220, 210, 205, 200, and probably round trip down to 195 and 190 as I transition from cutting to bulking. the journey is long. realistically I shouldn't expect to see any of this happen before February of 2016. for me that's inherently disappointing, but I can't let that obscure away from the fact that the ONLY and QUICKEST way I can get there is to make the right choices at the margin and literally nothing else can get me there beside me making good choices for myself. Nothing. Not surgery. Not pills. Not hoping. Not talk. Nothing. Just doing. 4. I've never seen myself through an entire 30 days of W30 living. I'm sure I will look MUCH better than my before photos, given how much better I seem to look and feel after only the start of day 5. If Jake Gylenhaal can get into the shape that he did and get clean and only drink water to train for a big boxing match while Forest Whittaker's character is only drinking alcohol in Southpaw, I can definitely give it my all and stay strong these next 25 days, nay the next few months as I look to achieve my goals and alleviate the conditions I face. but I've gotta remember that 1+1 = 2, and that you can't get to 2 if you don't have 1 and 1. So each step matters, each bite matters, each move matters. All right, going to go procure some protein, veggies and healthy fat to bolster my mood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators SugarcubeOD Posted August 9, 2015 Moderators Share Posted August 9, 2015 Wonderful write up! I'm still very proud of you for what you're doing! The one thing I"ll also tell you is that as you get 'better', the distance between A and B is shorter... meaning that you're looking from A.. the beginning of your journey and forecasting to B... where you want to be... And its hard not to let the past and present dictate the future (as in, it feels sucky now, it will feel sucky the whole journey to . However... as you continue on your quest, you'll undoubtedy start to feel better. It will feel less sucky and the distance between A and B gets shorter... the journey doesn't seem as rough because you see the progress and you can look back and see how far you've come. Don't get discouraged... it gets easier as you get used to it and start seeing results! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britishgal Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 "It is impossible for me to get to 200 lbs with 8% body fat, when I started at 245.6, without going through 240, 235, 230, 225, 220, 210, 205, 200" I love this! You are doing marvellously Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musclesglasses5 Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 so -- bit of an update -- I was hospitalized today for 8 hours -- called 911 because I had such horrible abdominal pain. turns out it was a kidney stone. anyway -- they needed me to take some medication during the day and I was in such bad pain that I ate a few graham crackers. unfortunately I don't suspect those are Whole30 approved! Anyways, it's frustrating, but I guess I'll start with day 1 again tomorrow. Getting right back on the saddle. Thanks for your support everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcbn Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Nope, the Graham Crackers aren't approved LOLGlad you got the kidney stone sorted, and good for you for re-committing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musclesglasses5 Posted September 20, 2015 Author Share Posted September 20, 2015 So -- in all honesty, after the kidney stone I got very depressed, and had to question everything I was doing, what was working nutrition-wise, and what wasn't. I realized: 1) I need to eat less protein because of gout for now 2) I need to decrease my overall portions because of gout for now 3) I need to get rid of caffeine because of gout for now, even black coffee, because it makes me make bad decisions 4) I still need to get rid of alcohol for gout and for fat loss and inflammation and everything else 5) I definitely need to get rid of sugar So after I finally stopped wallowing in my depression over the gout and kidney stone at my age etc, I decided to take it one step at a time. I told myself that while I clearly have a dependency on / addiction to caffeine, alcohol, and sugar, I cannot get sugar completely out of my life until i am happily done with caffeine and alcohol, because caffeine and alcohol impair judgment. If i can just have sugar in my system (temporarily), I will eventually realize I need to internalize the externality of how bad sugar makes you feel without the benefit of caffeine / alcohol to make me feel better. So -- I got rid of coffee and alcohol from my diet as of September 1 and am 20 days sober from those. Huge accomplishment for me. In order to allow that to happen, I have allowed myself to be more lenient on sugar and I have definitely been indulging. Today, for example, I had a pumpkin spice latte with no espresso or caffeine and a pumpkin scone from Starbucks! Talk about sugar bomb! Even with still consuming sugar, no alc/coffee and smaller portions seem to be helping me lose weight and alleviate some of my symptoms. When I'm ready to start the whole30 again sugar-wise, I will get back on here and declare it. But I really do feel like I'm moving in the right direction, which is what matters. Coffee and alcohol have been crutches of mine for too long and they don't deserve to get back into my body until am at a place when I can consume them in a healthy manner again! Thanks, MG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mergthemagnificent Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 MG, I admire your honesty...no BS here. You will only succeed when you are truly honest with yourself about what makes you want to consume this or that, honest about how many minutes you have to wait to get through a craving and take one more step to build up that brain muscle to say no to things that do not make you feel good beyond the 15 minutes of fame or thrill you get from then. When you really come into the daylight...as you have already with alcohol and caffeine, you will soon just not want to put anything in your body that hurts it. Sticking that feeling is our goal. One step at a time, brother, but just keep walking the walk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musclesglasses5 Posted December 26, 2015 Author Share Posted December 26, 2015 Hi all, Signing in to announce my 4th attempt at a Whole30. My first two times I did it, I didn't eat enough sugar and got myself sick with hypoglycemia. The 3rd time I did it, I ate too much protein and didn't drink enough water and gave myself (although it was probably there before the W30 started) an 85% uric acid-based kidney stone. Gender: Male Age: 27 Height: 6'1.5" Ailments: UC/UP/IBD, gout and other joint pain, insulin resistance, low energy levels, insomnia, among others. I'm taking at least 15 pills and vitamins a day. Pre-W30 Achievements: Sober from alcohol since 10/16/15, sober from coffee since 11/16/15. Last dragon to kill is the sugar dragon. Uric acid down to 7.5 from 9.6 mg/dL (was 12.0 right before kidney stone) from doc-supervised medication. less joint pain means cardio is easier -- but I need to manage sugar/fructose intake or gout-related joint pain will return. I will post my measurement stats on January 1 when the W30 starts. Another reason that this W30 should work is that I now know how to cook for myself well, and I bought a zucchini spiralizer which should help me chop vegetables quickly and create easy sautes. I will have to do the AIP to get rid of IBD/gout, but I can do it. I have the tools to cook for myself, exercise without pain, and manage the rest of my life. The proof will be in the pudding. Here's to abs in 2016 and starting that journey off with a W30. MG5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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