Starting my first W30 on April 1!

[ksea]

Today is Day 1 for me as well.  I just finished my first Whole30 on March 22nd and did a round of introductions.  Ready to dive right back in!  I felt incredible this last month, and want to continue eating the most nutritious foods for the health of both my baby and I.

I'm rooting for all of you!  You can do this!! 

[katieblue]

Hi ksea!! Rooting for you, too!!

[ambuz]

you guys have all been great! excited we are on this journey together. Its almost 4pm of day 1 for me. Caught myself putting a handful of jelly beans from the office treat corner in my mouth -- totally without thinking. {I spit them out without swallowing any so I'm not counting that as having to re-start} -- but it really made me realize how much of my eating-crap is without even paying attention. Or picking foods I even like - I dont even like jelly beans! 

 

It's the weekend and I had already planned a girls night with two of my best friends for Saturday - guess we know who will be the DD!!! 

[Alexislock27]

Hi all, I'm so excited to see other people starting this and being so supportive of each other. I am starting my first whole 30 this Monday April 4th. (Using the weekend to do my shopping and prep and then it's go time). I have been struggling with exhaustion, depression, anxiety, IBS, OCD, ADD, etc...for as long as I can remember. I've been seeing doctors over the years complaining about these issues, mostly being tired ALLL the time, and always end up getting blood tests to check my thyroid levels and anemia and everything always came back normal. So they chalk it up to depression, give me scripts for antidepressants and send me on my way. Mostly its the fatigue and stomach issues that's been driving me to look for a change lately as I spend the majority of my weekend in bed and in the bathroom, being depressed bc I can't get out of bed and get stuff done, and then struggling through another week of eating out and snacking bc I didn't go shopping or plan any meals. Vicious cycle. Eat bad, feel terrible, sleep, but get no rest, feel worse, eat worse and so on and so on... I'm 31 years old but more and more I feel older than my years. I try to stay active but my body hurts, my head hurts, my back and neck and shoulders hurt, my joints hurt, most of which I've blamed on my profession (I'm a hygienist) but no matter how conscious I am of my posture or how much yoga I do, things just do not feel right. I had been researching the paleo diet for a while and trying to cut out sugar but my addiction to sugar got so bad, I would only last Mon-Thurs and then lose all control on the weekends. (Chocolate chip cookies are my heroin). I found out about the Whole 30 through a friend who just finished it and she highly recommended and explained it is different from paleo. I just finished reading "It Starts With Food" and am now super pumped to start, and actually optimistic (for the first time in my life) that I may actually be able to feel well. I did what I called a "dry run" this week, eating mostly veggies and meats, but wanted to use the rest of my "bad foods" like salad dressings and sauces up. So I considered this week just a practice week. But even though I was still eating some processed food and some cheese (parmesan) day by day I started feeling better. I didn't need a 2nd cup of coffee by Tuesday and Thursday, I made it through the whole day without ANY caffeine. (I did get the caffeine headache and took a couple Advil, but no naps were required!) Long story short this morning (Friday) we have a breakfast club at work. I decided to partake this last Friday since I haven't "officially started yet" and had a greek yogurt and portion of an egg, cheese, and biscuit casserole. Almost immediately after eating I was in the bathroom and have been having gastrointestinal distress ALLLL day (sorry if TMI) 2 cups of coffee today and I still came home and napped:( Needless to say after one meal of non-whole 30 compliant foods and I feel like crap again. Which has just reinforced my desire to do the whole 30 completely and right! I'm also signed up to run a 10K at the end of May which I have yet to start training for and am hoping by doing this it will jumpstart me in to getting my butt in gear. I'm excited to hear everyone else's experiences and hopefully we can help and support each other through the way! 

[Alexislock27]

Ren - I too was prescribed meds to help with cramping from IBS and was told to take probiotics but no direction as to what probiotics. I haven't taken the pills because I'm frustrated with doctors who just prescribe drugs to treat symptoms rather than asking why we have the symptoms in the first place. It's so good to hear that after only a few days in you have been feeling better and gives me hope!

 

Renee - I'm with you girl. I knew I couldn't start April 1st on a Friday. Way too risky for me and if I set myself up for failure, I'd probably give up altogether come Monday. So for me Monday is Day 1. But I'm still going to eat somewhat well this weekend so I the "hangover" symptoms aren't quite as bad like you said! We are in this together! This weekend is all about planning and prepping, but I'm with you too Hilary! Keep it simple. I started getting overwhelmed when I was reading all the recipes in the book. All great sounding recipes and good ideas, but I know that if I try to do too much or make it too complicated I won't stick with it. Maybe as I get better at shopping and prepping I can get fancier with my cooking, but for now I think I'm going to keep it at boring old meat and veggies, cooked in olive oil, salt, pepper, and probably a whole lot of garlic . My poor husband will just have to deal with my breath...

 

Laurie - thank you so much for opening up to us. It takes a lot of strength to to put your heart out there and make the decision that #1 - you want to live and #2 - you want to live well. As someone who has coped with depression for as long as I remember, I know how hard it is to pull yourself out of the darkness when you really don't want to. You are a very strong person and a great asset to this group. Stay strong and stay positive!

 

Katie - I wanted to thank you also for your unwavering support in this thread! I feel like you are the ringleader here with your constant welcoming of everyone and responding to posts! No need to respond to me, just wanted to say thanks for the positivity! 

 

I think the hardest part of this month for me is going to be avoiding bad foods and drinks that are still in my house! My husband is NOT on board yet (although my plan is to get him there) so while I'm shopping and cooking good foods for me, I'm also shopping and cooking bad foods for him:( Also, he is a musician and plays in a band and has a few shows coming up in the month of April, most of which are at bars and pubs and start around 9 or 10 at night. I love to go to his shows and watch him play, but my habit is always having a few beers and then going to the diner after the show. (yes, we are in our 30's but still live a college lifestyle:) I still plan on watching him play but my biggest obstacle is going to be refraining from drinking and eating...which I'm a little nervous about. And also explaining to friends and co-workers why I am not partaking in all the goodies and them not wanting to hang out with me because I'm not "fun" anymore. To be perfectly honest, I've always been annoyed at people who don't drink or who are on strict diets because they're not fun to hang out with! And now I'm going to be that person:( Any advice on how to still be fun without binging on beer and french fries? And how to explain why I'm doing this strict diet without being too preachy because that's annoying too. 

 

I did make a deal with my husband that if I complete this plan and it changes my life, that he will read the book and do it too. We pinky swore. So I HAVE to succeed, not just for my health but for his. He is the love of my life, but not the most health conscientious. His diet revolves around meat, potatoes, beer and fast food. The only green thing I can get him to eat is peas which is also not allowed! I've even tried to hide spinach and other vegetables in meals and he always knows and refuses to eat it. (He's a bit of a child). He is 35 and overweight, snores, has a history of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and pre-diabetes, although the last doctor visit his numbers were normal so he took that as an excuse to continue eating whatever he wants. But it will catch up to him. Nearly everyone in his family has type 2 diabetes and various other resulting health problems and as I've told him time and time again, I don't want to end up a widow, because I WILL be the scary crazy cat lady in the broken down house down the street that all the kids on halloween are afraid to go trick or treating at. He just laughs and says "no you won't" but thats my biggest fear!! So this isn't just for me, it's for him. Any advice you have on getting family members on board would be great! I know the book says lead by example so thats my plan, but I'm worried that won't be enough with my overgrown man-child

 

Sorry for the long posts and all the rambling! Good luck to everyone this month!

[Laurie]

Hi Alexis - welcome to our family. I also have IBS (and many of the other problems you listed). Watch out for fodmaps, fruit, nuts/nut butter - these can be hard on the stomach. The fruit and nuts are also food with no breaks. Over the years (but not recently), I have been on different meds for IBS - nothing has helped - finding the right foods (some don't work for me) on the whole 30 has been the answer for me. It may take some time and experimentation to find the foods that properly support your system within the Whole 30 framework. Thanks for your supportive comments. Unfortunately, I don't feel very strong; in fact, I am emotionally weak. Grief, depression, PTSD is one nasty combination.

How was everyone's day 1. I did okay - could have been better but all food was compliant. I exercised, drank 6 cups of water, took a shower and got out of the apartment. Did some food shopping for myself and my mom. My mom lives about 30 minutes from me and she was just released from her rehab facility for physical/occupational therapy. As I mentioned before, I will be taking lots of baby steps which are big steps for me given my circumstances.

Just want to also welcome all the new people.

[Determined Ann]

Hi everyone!  I've started my first W30 yesterday, sorry I'm late to the party.  This is a fantastic forum, so many of you are battling the same issues I'm facing.  I've struggled with my weight for my entire life.  I've probably lost and gained 100's of pounds over the last couple of decades.  Over the last several years, I've felt like I'm addicted to carbs (pasta in particular).  When I recently mentioned this to my Dr., he reassured me I wasn't crazy, that certain foods trigger pleasure centers in the brain, so my "addition" could be real.  When I found the Whole 30 program, I realized it was the program I've been looking for.  I can now really learn what my food triggers are.     I was a little nervous about eliminating dairy - I'm not a big milk drinker, but I do like flavored creamer in my coffee and I LOVE cheese!  Yesterday was good - we had a big baby shower at work, but I was able to resist all the goodies and stuck to eating fruit.  Looking forward to this ride together.  Have a great day 2, everyone!

 

[ksea]

katieblue - Fancy seeing you here! 

 

Alexislock27 - (This first part applies to everyone here really!)  It is awesome that you are listening to your body and realize that something needs to change.  You are taking a step in the right direction, it is so amazing what effect food has on out body and minds.

I know too many people who are taking a cocktail of medications prescribed to them, to no avail.  And they continue to treat their bodies like crap.  I would love to suggest changing other aspects of their lives, like their diet, but don't want to be preachy or condescending.  

I don't know if I can offer you any advice concerning your social life.  But here's what I personally experienced.  I used to use alcohol as a tool to help me socialize.  But I realized that the people who didn't enjoy being around me while I was sober didn't really have any place in my life.  I realize now that I am so much happier, just allowing myself to be genuine, rather than trying so hard to be "fun".  You can still go out and socialize, and people will most likely give you flack for not partying.  But if the same people constantly give you a hard time and are obnoxious about it, you should consider whether you really need to be around them at all.  Don't give yourself a hard time for trying to take care of yourself.

[ksea]

Yesterday I prepped some ghee, hard boiled eggs, and chopped up a bunch of different veggies so I can grab handfuls and just throw them in a sauté pan.  

My typical breakfast has been a couple handfuls of sautéed veggies, three fried eggs, a scoop of sauerkraut or fermented ginger carrots (I don't heat those, don't want to destroy the beneficial probiotics), and half of a baked sweet potato (cold, I love the juxtaposition of sweet, cold sweet potato with the warm veggies and eggs).  I've had a huge pot of tomato-meat sauce in the fridge, and sometimes toss some of that with the veggies, and top it all with a fried egg or two.

My husband caught some halibut with a buddy yesterday, so we pan fried it with just salt and pepper last night.  I made some tartar sauce, and we had green beans and sweet potato for sides.  I'm going to try coating some halibut in almond flour tonight I think.  I need to make another batch of mayo today also.

 

Hope everyone is feeling well today.

[katieblue]

ambuz, WOW and way to go on the jelly beans!! I think that's awesome you were able to spit them out - I totally would have given up at that point!! You rock!

 

Alexis - That was REALLY sweet, thank you so much! Thanks for sharing your story. I think you'll definitely find some improvement, but I could say that for everyone, regardless of the issues that brought them here. I think you're really brave for still keeping non-compliant foods in the house! We had a few lying around, like the Kirkland cashews which are cooked in peanut oil (why??) and eyeballed them so hard for the first few weeks. I will say, though, my boyfriend is not doing this round with me, either, so we have a lot of foods in the house again that I definitely don't want to be eating. So I'll be in the same boat with you, and we can totally gripe about how much they suck. But it's awesome that you got a pinky swear out of him, and I hope that he'll get on board with you after the fabulous results I know you're going to have!

 

Laurie, I'm so glad your mom was released, and that was so sweet of you to help her with food shopping. Congrats on a good first day!!

 

Ann, on my first Whole 30, cheese was the one thing I missed hardcore for the first three weeks or so, but it DID eventually go away!! Stay strong, you can totally do this!

 

ksea, Oh good, I'm so glad I get to see your recipes again.

[Alexislock27]

Thanks everyone for the welcoming. I gave in to the "sugar dragon" last night and made chicken burritos with lots of cheese and then made my husband go out and get me a couple candy bars:( and then stayed up till 2am watching The Walking Dead. Needless to say I felt like crap this morning which made me decide "Screw it, I'm not waiting for Monday" So today is Day 1! I've done well so far today. Even though I have yet to go shopping, I had enough on hand to make a healthy breakfast and lunch (scrambled eggs with kale onions, peppers and avocado, salad with chicken, strawberries and balsamic vinegar/olive oil). Which made me discover that even without prepping, I can still manage to eat well. Aside from being a little spacey and distracted today, I feel pretty good and even went for a run! And now I'm off to do some shopping and prep for the rest of the week. 

 

Laurie- just admitting you feel weak but still getting up out of bed and trying is UNBELIEVABLE strength! So kudos to you. Just take it day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute if you have to. You will keep getting stronger. 

 

ksea- you are definitely right about omitting people who don't think I'm fun when I'm sober. My husband and I can have a ball just sitting at home in pjs watching tv or going out and socializing. What I put and don't put into my body shouldn't affect my ability to have fun. And actually, I feel like I'll probably have more fun going sober because alcohol always just makes me sleepy... So thank you for the input! And thank you for the link to those recipes! I've never been a huge fan of sauerkraut even though my family LOVES it (Pennsylvania Dutch), I could never stomach the taste. But I want to try to incorporate more fermented foods so I might give it a try again and the fermented ginger carrots sounds good . 

 

Katie-again thanks for the words of encouragement! Hopefully 30 days from now I can cash in that pinky swear

[Laurie]

Good Morning. Today is day 4. Let's make it a good one.

My day 2 sucked. Way too much compliant food. I am embarrassed to admit how much I ate but I am sure many of you will understand. I made 12 egg muffins (used 6 eggs, pound of ground turkey and spinach - just protein, fat, veggies). Whenever I make these, I have to (I say "have to" because that's how it feels but I know I don't have to do anything) eat all of them. I don't know why. It's not like I am trying to recreate real muffins and I know these are allowed. I have not eaten real muffins in years (gluten free). Well, I know these are now out for me - food with no brakes. In addition, to the muffins I ate more food - mainly protein and veggies, also strawberries and a kiwi. I kept on eating even though I was not hungry.

Day 3 was better but I still don't have it right. I have the knowledge to do the program correctly and have the desire.

It is so important for me to follow the spirit of the whole 30. There is so much in my life that I have no control over and many things that are causing great sadness. This is one area of my life that I should be able to find success.

Alexis - My entire life I have never given myself credit for the good things I do. I always felt I was never "good enough". Dealing with Steve's death is definitely a day by day or even a minute by minute process. Lots going on in my life which will either make me stronger or kill me.

Hope everyone will check in. If anyone fell off the wagon, just get back on.

[katieblue]

Hey, Alexis, welcome aboard officially!!  How have you been doing so far?

 

Laurie, don't be so hard on yourself. You might have eaten more than you wanted, but we've all done it, we've all been there. The important thing is you recognize that doing so made you feel bad - and you can use this knowledge in the future. You made it through, you stayed compliant, and you're moving forward. You found a FWNB and you can eliminate it as needed. You. Are. Awesome. And you will get a handle on the things you feel are out of your control, because they aren't. You are.

 

I had the same sort of issue last night. I went to dinner at my mom's as a sort of belated Easter gathering, and my mom - to put it mildly - stresses me the hell out. She's textbook crazy mother: narcissistic, clueless, reckless, passive-aggressive, etc. You know the deal. I managed to talk her into cooking the pulled pork in its own juices rather than in BBQ sauce and root beer, and leaving dressing off the salad and roasting the veggies in just EVOO. I brought my own Whole30 BBQ sauce, a broccoli-pineapple slaw with Whole30 mayo, and a sweet potato, apple, raisin and walnut roast with some spices and clarified butter. So while I stayed technically compliant in what I ate, I was not okay with how I ate it. I was feeling full after my first plate, but I went back again. And then again. Three heaping plates of pork and veggies. While it was all nutrition, it was too much. I was stuffed. I woke up at 3am with a stomachache. And I know I just did it because she was stressing me out. But instead of feeling bad about it, I'm taking this knowledge forward and deciding that I won't plan food gatherings with my mom if I can't handle it. There's no need.

 

Conversely, my grandma made deviled eggs, which are one of my favorite appetizers ever, but it really wasn't that hard to say, "no" to them!

[Determined Ann]

Hi everyone! I hope Day 4 is a great one.  I made it though the weekend, but I know I need to start adding some new recipes to my menu.  Does anyone have any suggestions for things they love - hopefully quick and easy!  Have a great day!

[SugarcubeOD]

 

 

I had the same sort of issue last night. I went to dinner at my mom's as a sort of belated Easter gathering, and my mom - to put it mildly - stresses me the hell out.  So while I stayed technically compliant in what I ate, I was not okay with how I ate it. I was feeling full after my first plate, but I went back again. And then again. Three heaping plates of pork and veggies. While it was all nutrition, it was too much. I was stuffed. I woke up at 3am with a stomachache. And I know I just did it because she was stressing me out. But instead of feeling bad about it, I'm taking this knowledge forward and deciding that I won't plan food gatherings with my mom if I can't handle it. There's no need.

I love things like this... not that your mom stresses you out but the things we learn on Whole30.  Some people are not the people we share meals with... I like this NSV in your realizing that it's not necessary!  Great!

[SugarcubeOD]

Good Morning. Today is day 4. Let's make it a good one.

My day 2 sucked. Way too much compliant food. I am embarrassed to admit how much I ate but I am sure many of you will understand. I made 12 egg muffins (used 6 eggs, pound of ground turkey and spinach - just protein, fat, veggies). Whenever I make these, I have to (I say "have to" because that's how it feels but I know I don't have to do anything) eat all of them. I don't know why. It's not like I am trying to recreate real muffins and I know these are allowed. I have not eaten real muffins in years (gluten free). Well, I know these are now out for me - food with no brakes. In addition, to the muffins I ate more food - mainly protein and veggies, also strawberries and a kiwi. I kept on eating even though I was not hungry.

Day 3 was better but I still don't have it right. I have the knowledge to do the program correctly and have the desire.

It is so important for me to follow the spirit of the whole 30. There is so much in my life that I have no control over and many things that are causing great sadness. This is one area of my life that I should be able to find success.

Alexis - My entire life I have never given myself credit for the good things I do. I always felt I was never "good enough". Dealing with Steve's death is definitely a day by day or even a minute by minute process. Lots going on in my life which will either make me stronger or kill me.

Hope everyone will check in. If anyone fell off the wagon, just get back on.

Can you try popping these in the freezer right out of the oven in ziploc bags so that you're not tempted to eat them all but you can use them in meal prep?

Or maybe make it pan sized and make a frittata instead?

[katieblue]

Thank you so much, Sugarcube. I appreciate it - it's nice to hear some validation that I'm thinking correctly. Sometimes I think I should be just able to eat normally around my mom and should keep trying until I get it right. But then I think, it's okay to admit that this is really hard for me and definitely still strong to choose to avoid the situation instead.

Ann, I definitely have some recipes I can share - I'll rummage through my Pinterest and post some favorites later!

Day 5, everybody!!!

How are you all feeling? Making it through the potentially foggy part okay? Has anyone killed anyone yet?

[vancy31]

Ann - I don't necessarily have any quick recipes up my sleeve that I can think of right now, but I do have a tip that I have been living by since I started my Whole30...always have cooked sweet potatoes on hand. No matter what form they are in (still whole, diced, mashed, spiralized). If I didn't plan well and all my pre-made meals are gone and I need a quick meal, I always seem to base it around my cooked sweet potatoes.

 

- Split one open, add some cooked ground meat, some fresh made guacamole, diced tomatoes, steamed broccoli or whatever you fancy and make a stuffed potato for dinner. Hint: sweet potato and guacamole actually go together really well!

- Sauté some meat in fat, toss in chopped onions and bell pepper, then add your diced sweet potatoes and some spices to get a quick hash on the table.

- Make the shepherd's pie by sautéing up some ground meat and veggies, then adding the mashed sweet potato on top. Or plop spoonfuls of mashed sweet potato in a hot pan with some melted fat to make simple sweet potato fritters as a side dish.

 

Actually, thinking about it I do have a quick meal idea for you (perfect with summer vegetables coming soon). Take some cooked diced meat, add diced cucumber, tomatoes, diced onions, either diced avocado or EVOO as your fat source, a splash of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, any other fresh herbs you'd like. Quick meal done.

 

The protein salads in the book are always quick and easy. But I'll see if I can ponder up some more quick ideas to share

[SugarcubeOD]

Hi everyone! I hope Day 4 is a great one.  I made it though the weekend, but I know I need to start adding some new recipes to my menu.  Does anyone have any suggestions for things they love - hopefully quick and easy!  Have a great day!

There are great resources out there, such as Well Fed and Well Fed 2 the cookbooks by the the author of the blog www.meljoulwan.com.  Also lots of people like Nom Nom Paleo and Stupid Easy Paleo.  I would recommend the Well Fed books for simplicity and the sheer fact that almost every one of her recipes, while wonderfully flavorful, is made with no special ingredients so you can usually whip something up straight from the book without needing to go hunting for something quirky.

[Determined Ann]

Katieblue, Vancy31 and Sugarcube, thanks so much for the great suggestions and resources for easy and delish recipes!  I had a great day 5 and I hope you did too!

[prynceszh]

Hi everyone! I had a few slip-ups these past few days. I didn't eat anything off-plan, but my birth control pills were making me feel terrible. I'd be nauseous for hours in the morning, so I wouldn't eat meal 1 until 3-4 hours after waking. I'd alternate between super bloated, cramping, and nauseous to ravenously hungry, so whenever my stomach settled down a bit I just ate whatever sounded good at the time... which involved a lot of fruit. Needless to say, I'm feeling "carb flu"ish again, right after I thought I was finally beginning to adjust! It is frustrating to feel like I made some progress and then to lose it all again. I hope your journeys have been smoother than mine!

 

On the bright side, I discovered a new love for pureed soups. I tried both the golden cauliflower and ginger zucchini soups from Mel Joulwan's site made with homemade chicken broth. I definitely preferred the texture of the cauliflower soup, but I liked the flavors of the zucchini soup, so I think next time I'll just swap out the zucchini for cauliflower AND I found a purple cauliflower, so my next soup will be purple! It's a great way to get some more veggies in.

[katieblue]

Hey Ren, sorry you haven't been feeling well. It's still early on in the process, I know it took me like three weeks to start feeling the tiger blood!

Mel Joulwan's soups do look so amazing! My dad bought me an immersion blender for Christmas and having them to make pureed soups has changed my [cooking] life! Haha. I had never seen her recipe for the golden cauliflower one - I'll have to try it!

I hope you feel better quickly!!

 

Ann, here are some of the easiest/favorite recipes that I made during the First Whole30!

Egg Roll in a Bowl (I made with ground turkey)

Salsa Chicken (but I found adding the crock pot juices makes it watery and had to add more salsa)

BBQ Chicken (doesn't really taste like BBQ sauce but it's SO good - especially inside a sweet potato)

Chicken Tenders (I baked them - 425 for 10 mins, flip, then 10 more, cranked up to 500 for the last few to brown them)

Beef & Butternut Squash Stew

Sweet Potato Chili (I added a teaspoon of cinnamon and a dash of allspice - little bit of chopping prep but otherwise just walk away and let it simmer!)

Paleo Meatballs (over spaghetti squash with compliant sauce OR just plain, either way amazing!)

Balsamic chicken (I make this every week and put it over salad for lunch!)

Tacos with this seasoning (in lettuce wraps, with pico de gallo and guac, or maybe some fajita veggies!)

Carnitas require a little bit more work if you choose to do the extra step of the crispy bits, but good god, is it worth it!!

[vancy31]

Katie - those are some yummy looking recipes! I've been so in love with Well Fed/Mel Joulwan that I haven't branched out much to try other recipes. I'm going to have to try some of these out soon

 

Thanks for all the links!

[Alexislock27]

Day 5 (for me) : So far so good. I've been hella busy and haven't had a chance to sit down at the computer. But through the crazy I've been able to stay compliant and have actually really been enjoying my meals. I've been making a lot of cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles and using that as a base and then adding meat and even more veggies on top of that. I made my own ghee on Sunday which made the house smell AMAZING. That being said, I'm super tired (which isn't new for me), a bit constipated (which is new for me), and CRAVING things like crazy. I had a dream about macaroni and cheese the other night. And work is difficult because there's ALWAYS sweets there. Chocolate chip cookies on the counter, peanut butter in eggs in the fridge. Everywhere I go, it's taunting me. The first couple of days I didn't really want that stuff, but all of a sudden the sugar dragon rears its ugly head. I've stayed strong so far but I know its going to get worse because people are always bringing in food:( Friday my coworker said she is going to bring in sticky buns for everyone. They all know I'm doing the whole30 and she looked at me and said "Sorry" with smirk on her face... I'm thinking i'm just going to plug my nose on friday so I don't smell it....

 

Ren - I am also nauseous in the morning and not at all hungry, but I've been forcing myself to eat. I usually find that I feel better afterwards. And I've been trying to cut down on coffee so I've been getting the caffeine headache almost daily. Normally I would pop a couple Advil, but since I'm finding out more and more that there's sugar in EVERYTHING, I've been trying to abstain from that too. Eating and exercise helps. I had a small snack Monday night after work (2 hard-boiled eggs and a handful of nuts) and went for a run. Bam. Headache gone. It was miraculous. No Advil or caffeine necessary. I'm having little epiphanies every day. I can't believe I've been living my life wrong this whole time...

[Leanna]

I started my Whole30 on April 1st!  So far I am really doing well.  I knew I had to get off sugar and other bad foods, but I am amazed at how I feel!! The first 3 days were kinda bad.  I thought I had caught a cold, but I think maybe it was just my body purging. Today (day 6) I feel like a totally new person.  My mood has gone from depressed to calm and happy.  I had terrible joint problems that made it painful to go up and down the stairs, and now I am almost pain free!! This is astounding.  I actually went to the Doctor to have a whole Rheumatoid Blood Panel done on myself because I thought I had Rheumatoid Arthritis.  On day 6 I can see that this program will change my life.  I am starting to feel like I did in my early 30's.  (I am 56).  I'm so excited to see how this goes for the rest of the month and beyond!!