Tracey Lynne Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Hi There! I started the Whole30 on October 1, and just found the forum!!! So far, so good. However, last night was a bit rough. I made some homemade coconut oil mayonaise, with olive oil and mustard, a little lemon and eggs... tasted DELISH! I decided to use it as a 'hollandaise" over my steamed broccoli and made my own version of turkey divan, layering broccoli, turkey and fake hollandaise. The smoked turkey I bought said "ALL Natural" and I trusted the label. I couldn't read ALL the ingredients as the were covered by the huge store price tag. WOW! By midnight my eyes were watering and my nose was running. My heart was beating like I had just done a Zumba class and I couldn't sleep at all. No more smoked turkey for me. I am going to stick to a blended salad tonight! I want to sleep. Other than that, I have felt great! Solid in my commitment and grateful to God for the strength to stay on course! Great to read everybody's triumphs and challenges. Keep up the good work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn fengels Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 @ tracey lynne -- welcome, and good luck! @ thechels -- i have been eating a fair amount of sweet potatoes and other dense vegetables, but perhaps i need to step it up? i had pureed sweet potatoes with coconut milk with my dinner on tuesday and then proceeded to not sleep well that night, so not sure. will definitely keep that in mind and try to add more of those veggies to my meals. thanks for the suggestion! last night was, again, not a good nights sleep grrrr! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fee Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Glad you joined us, Tracey! So I've had two small "Hooray!" moments in the past 12 hours. Last night my husband was going to the grocery store so in a moment of weakness, I asked him to pick up a bottle of wine. But once it was sitting on my counter, I had absolutely no desire to drink it. And that was after a 13 hr day filled with both good and bad stress. Two weeks ago I would have popped that cork as soon as I walked in the door. And this morning, I woke up feeling amazingly alert and happy this morning, not sluggish at all. Love that feeling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Lynne Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Ok, so we are on day 13! I have successfully completed 13 days without faltering!!! WHOOOOHOOO! 2 days of Zumba, 2 days of TRX and Kettlebells and 2 days of yoga and walking in the park. Feeling good!!! Since I love LOVE LOVE to cook, I'd love to share with you some of my recipes. I don't know if this is the right place... Se La Vi! Today I made a "creme" of celery soup. Best made in a vitamix or high powered blender. 3-4 cups of homemade chicken stock (depending on how thick you like it) 6 small stalks of celery diced (or 4 large) 1/4 cup of slivered almonds 1/4 of a lemon 1 tsp of Trocomare Put stock and celery in a sauce pan on the stove, bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and simmer 15 minutes. In the mean time, put the remaining ingredients in the vitamix, when the celery has softened and the stock is hot, pour it in the vitamix and blend, WAHLA! Its so yummy, and so healthy! Celery is great for reducing inflammation. Hope you all have a great weekend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn fengels Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 @tracey -- love that you posted this delicious recipe. i'm going to give it a try this week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Maryann Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 @Fee: I'm having much less trouble in the wine department this time around. I came to the same conclusion I did when I quit smoking 12 years ago. We, as women, don't cut ourselves much slack. We feel we have to be 'doing'. People who take a smoke break at work have an excuse to get up, leave the area, and go spend 10-15 minutes decompressing. Having a glass of wine in the evening is really giving yourself permission to relax. For some reason, we don't give ourselves these permissions when we don't have an 'excuse' to do so. That's the thing we need to change. You have as much right as a smoker to leave your desk, go outside, and spend a few minutes easing the stress. You have as much right as a drinker to take a deep breath and see cooking as a relaxing, therapeutic way of caring for your family. Now that I am learning to give myself that time to decompress without the 'excuse', I find I don't really need that glass of wine. Mostly, I don't even think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fee Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 1Maryann, you are totally right. I've taken a cup of hot tea or a bottle of water out on the deck with me in the evenings and guess what? I'm still able to relax and take time for myself! Wine has always been a part of any big family celebration--we lived in Northern California for several years and Napa Valley was a regular weekend stop--and after Whole30 I'm sure I'll enjoy a glass of wine and not feel guilty. But breaking that wine = permission to relax cycle is important to me. Tracey, I will definitely have to try that soup recipe! Broke out the mandolin and made some sweet potato chips, thinking that I'll bag them and take them to work to snack on. I'm going to have to hide them from myself or there won't be any left to take to work! Coated them in coconut oil and after I pulled them out of the oven I sprinkled them with sea salt. YUM! Also clarified 2 lbs of butter this morning. Ready for the week ahead! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Lynne Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 @ Fee - I love that you are clarifying your own butter, please point me in the right direction, I'd like to try it. I just spent $9.99 on a tub of Organic Ghee at Whole Foods.... OUCH! @ Jenn, thanks for the welcome. The recipe is one of my favorites. Soup always tastes best with homemade stock. I looked at getting some organic broth from Whole Foods, so shocked that it had sugar in it! When I bake chickens, I save the carcass in the freezer. If I don't have any in the freezer, I like to buy the rib/carcass by the pound at the local farmer's market in Atlanta. I buy 2 lbs of it and throw it in the oven to roast... once roasted I cut up the bones, put it in a stock pot with lots of veggie left overs and root veggies too, some peppercorns and a Tbl of apple cider vinegar, fill it to the top with filtered water, bring to a boil for 30 minutes, skimming the foam/scum off the surface occasionally, and then putting the lid on and reducing to a very low simmer, to where it just stays bubbling. I leave it on over night. Wake up, add more filtered water to top off the pot, let it cool, drain it. Delicious homemade chicken stock. Freeze what you don't use. Thanks everyone, for sharing your triumphs and trials. I am inspired. My tough one is the sweet tooth at night. I have been curbing it with a date and 1/4 cup of nuts. Seems to do the trick. I just have to limit the dates... ONE, is plenty. Good night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzywhit Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Hey everyone! I'm late posting on the forums, but have been loving the daily emails and the results from my change in eating habits. I never weighed myself, but have been comparing the before pictures with current ones and cannot be happier. On top of that the foods I have been eating are so delicious! I am in no way regretting what I started on Oct 1st. Now that I'm half way through I look forward to continuing with the fundamentals continuously. I haven't had that many issues with food, although I definitely had some 'drug dream' style pizza and dessert dreams Preparing food for me has been the hardest during lunch, as a sandwich was always my go to. Now I try and focus on a salad for lunch, but sometimes I don't feel like making one. Does anyone have any ideas or guidance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzywhit Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Where is everyone?! How are we all doing?? I am starting to come around the corner and feel really good. I have had a sleep issue where I suffer from exteme exhaustion. Long story short, 5+ years and 5,000+ tests and all I came back with was, "we know you're really tired, we just don't know why". Awesome. So I start to fall asleep while i'm working and have to go take my 15 min break, at which point I take a nap. Yes, I am able to sleep AND dream in 15 minutes. No I am not narcoleptic. Yesterday was the first time in years that I didn't have one spell of falling asleep! Could be a fluke, but we will see what happens today. I'd say that if I don't fall asleep today, it is not a coincidence. My natural path doc told me to do a special elimination diet years ago and I just wasn't in the right head space to be successful and disciplened enough to do it. It could have been the answer! If this works I will be psyched! I'm looking forward to hearing more about this! I got Eczema a couple of years ago and have been using a variety of steroids to control it. I have been having significantly less flare-ups since starting on the 1st and they continue to go down. I hope that this is the answer because steroids don't seem to be a lasting solution and the disease is a constant nuisance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fee Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 @ Tracey, clarifying the butter was much easier than I imagined! I put two lbs of butter in a small saucepan (don't use a big one), turned it on low, and let it slowly melt. Once it was totally melted, I took it off the stove and let it cool. Any foam on the top will congeal and you can scrape it off. If you are a patient pourer with a steady hand, you can then pour the clarified butter into a container (I have a glass container that I use), leaving the milk solids in the bottom. Or you can pour it through a cheesecloth, which will catch the milk solids. Supposedly you can leave clarified butter out, but I refrigerate mine just to be safe. @jazzy, lunch is the toughest to deal with for me as well. I always bring several pieces of fruit to get me through the day and I try to cook enough the night before that there are leftovers. Tonight I'll make a double batch of shrimp curry and stash some in a travel container before my kids eat it all! I wouldn't be surprised if the Eczema is less apparent. I went paleo last spring and realized a couple of months later that I hadn't had a migraine since making that change. The only time I've had to take migraine meds since last March was when I chaperoned an Outward Bound trip and we ate nothing but carbs. The first day--after two meals of mac-n-cheese and bagels--I could feel the migraine coming on. That has certainly given me motivation to stay grain-free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzywhit Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 @Fee That is great to hear! I am looking forward to a decrease in inflammation as I increase the nutrients and health of what I take into my body. I am eating an orange as we speak and I think I'm going to have some of the chicken soup I made over the weekend to get me through until dinner! Thanks for the tips. It's very funny how much more leftovers I eat now, and love, compared to before I started - there were always leftovers sitting in the fridge for days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechels Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 http://www.health-bent.com/beef/paleo-butternut-squash-lasagna I'll be making this tomorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fee Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 Looks good! Please let us know how it turns out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechels Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 Guys....I fell off the wagon.... ( I am so sorry to be a debbie downer. I was thinking of not saying anything because I didn't want to be any source of negativity, but I am here because I want this and need this and I have no intention of going back to my normal eating habits Even after the whole30, my intention is to slide right into paleo. Because I am so determined to change my way of life I decided I would rat myself out so as to get any encouragement possible. Sorry to let you guys and myself down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fee Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 Hugs, thechels! Please don't beat yourself up. I did it the "easy" way, first going paleo for several months and then giving Whole30 a try, and it's tough not giving into cravings. I can't imagine how challenging this would be if I had jumped right into it. Just dust yourself off and pick up where you left off. You've already done great things for your body by starting this. Now keep going! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechels Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 @Fee Thanks. I'm just so discouraged that I let it go and i'm scared I will spiral...I have done really great with new recipes and such but just need to try harder! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzywhit Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 Guys....I fell off the wagon.... ( I am so sorry to be a debbie downer. I was thinking of not saying anything because I didn't want to be any source of negativity, but I am here because I want this and need this and I have no intention of going back to my normal eating habits Even after the whole30, my intention is to slide right into paleo. Because I am so determined to change my way of life I decided I would rat myself out so as to get any encouragement possible. Sorry to let you guys and myself down Well now you just have to look forward to challenging yourself with another 30 days! Just reset and take it from the beginning once more. If you plan on sticking with this after your 30 days are up then you shouldn't focus on this slip-up. Congratulate yourself for being honest with yourself and knowing what you did is unhealthy! People go through their entire lives ignoring the signs from their bodies in blissful ignorance. You know you don't want to return to that. This is something to celebrate, not something to scold yourself over!! Start again, be honest with yourself and the community and keep trying. In the immortal words of Alfred: Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn fengels Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 @thechels -- big hug to you! you did really well getting this far. don't give up! you have a good solid foundation now and you know exactly what expect, so give it another go. i'm with jazzywhit on this one -- congratulate yourself for being honest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fee Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 So I've never had major problems with my skin--actually was one of those lucky teens who never battled acne--so I wasn't sure if I would see any differences to my skin being on Whole30. Well just yesterday one of my best friends with whom I work said, "I have been meaning to tell you, your skin just glows now!" It has to be the way I'm eating because I haven't changed anything else. Was really worried yesterday because several of us went out of town for work and we were going to be served lunch at the place we were visiting. It wasn't the kind of situation where we could say, no thanks, or we'll bring our own food, so we just crossed our fingers. We were served a fresh salad with romaine, grape tomatoes, and sliced, grilled chicken breast (salad dressing on the side), sliced fresh fruit, and potato salad (which I felt fine about not eating). I passed on the yummy looking cookies as well. So we dodged a bullet on that one! Working the concession stand at my older kids' last football game (band geeks, not football players) last night was tough only because I was in charge of plating and serving the pizza. But I resisted the urge to sneak even the first pepperoni. Have started working jogging back into my life. Have gone twice in the past week and will go again this afternoon. Weather is perfect for it here. Great way to clear my head and be by myself after a long day of work. How is everyone else doing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn fengels Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 @Fee -- sounds like things are really going great for you! glad to hear you were able to dodge the bullet at lunch yesterday. going out to eat has been the scariest thing for me, so i have just tried to avoid it all together. i did go to a steak restaurant last week and managed to stay within W30 guidelines, thankfully! unfortunately, i haven't been blessed with glowing skin during this experience (yet!). in fact, 2 days ago a pimple popped up on my chin! i can't remember the last time i had a pimple. i was really surprised. i'm just going to chalk it up to the fact that my hormones are changing for the better through this process. and, i am STILL not getting the amount or the quality of sleep that i have been expecting. i feel great after my morning shower and have a good consistent amount of energy throughout the day, but i'm just not getting that sleep, sweet sleep that i've been looking forward to. i'm guessing that the w30 magic is just taking a little more time for me, and that's ok. i feel great and my clothes are fitting better, so i can't really complain! and i'm really loving all of the yummy food i've been cooking/eating. i haven't snacked or had any cravings in the last couple of days -- and this is monumental. really glad to hear how well things are going for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fee Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 @jenn, the sleep thing really is hit or miss for me too. Part of it really does depend on just how crazy my day has been. I think I'm sleeping more soundly, though. Most mornings I feel more awake and alert than I was pre-Whole30, though, so I'm counting it as a win. This morning I definitely wanted to sleep longer, but I was going non-stop from 6 a.m. until almost 10 p.m. And I didn't have a chance to eat supper until 10 (zoodles and tomato sauce). Hooray for conquering cravings! I am loving the food I've been cooking as well. That really is what's keeping me going. I love to cook and I can't stand feeling deprived. So having really yummy tasting recipes is wonderful! You know what? Now that you mention the pimple thing, I had one try to show up a week or so ago also on my chin! I grabbed a Stridex (glad I have two teenagers at home!) and that took care of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Lynne Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 @ Fee, thanks for the ghee recipe. I'll give it a try. Yes, OK, about the skin. Day 21 and I am still really loving this way of eating. I don't know that I will ever add sugar back in... I may try a few of the non-glutenous grains, but I am thinking I will stick with mostly Paleo and a Intermittent Fasting version of Paleo. Back to skin... UGGHHHH, the break out started this week. My chin, between my eyebrows and along my nose. I wonder if I am not getting enough veggies, and maybe I am running more acid than alkaline?!? They pimples aren't like I used to get with dairy and gluten, those were like cysts that never came to a head. These aren't as bad, but they are still pimples. I am 40, I want clean clear skin... please. I have been using my Galvanic Face Spa and it's helping, however, I am really ready for this part of the cleanse to PASS!!! FYI - I FRIGGIN LOVE THE WHOLE30 Program... best thing I have done in years. I have already dropped a pant size! Started at a 14, in a 12 now, and I am almost back into my 10's, which I am perfectly happy with! Still haven't weighed myself... waiting until the end of the month! That's all for now. Goodnight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fee Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Tracey Lynne, I just did a quick online search for Whole30 and skin breaking out and it appears that what you are experiencing is really, really common. But the good news is that it seems like everyone has amazingly clear skin once they get past this phase. Didn't see any definitive answers for the cause but some people were positing that it was the sudden increase in fat in their diet (obviously these were folks who had been intentionally eating a low fat diet prior to Whole30). Others said it was hormones balancing out. I'm totally with you about not adding the sugar back in. I really think that's doable for the most part! I just love how much more aware I am. And if I keep the sugar out of my food, I won't feel guilty about adding some red wine back in. I did let curiosity get the better of me about a week ago and I weighed myself. I was beyond thrilled! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechels Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 I had fallen off and spiraled a bit for about a week. Let me tell you what, I feel like crap. I've started falling asleep at my desk again, my stomach is all bloaty and gross...heartburn...need I say more? So although I am not as excited to start as I was the first time, I said to myself the other day that i'd be stupid to not get back on track ASAP as opposed to when i'm "excited" again. If I have looked for an answer for years to my sleep issue and I have found the answer then i'd be dumb to suddenly decide it wasn't worth it. This time around I joined the news letter. Sugar is THE DEVIL!! I am pretty sure it's what has triggered the sleepiness. It's so shocking though that it only took 10 days for me to feel reallly good, and another 7 to feel terrible. The nice thing is that it happened so fast that I was able to see an immediate difference and that will help keep me in line this time around. I will be journaling how I felt so that I have something to refer to when i'm having a hard time....I can't believe I worked so hard with food prep and recipes etc and now I have to detox AGAIN. Idiot. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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