Starting On March 28th!

[sprboston]

Hey, everyone. Congratulations on day 10! 1/3 of the way.

I'm doing ok. Digestion is still a bit off, but getting better. I am really looking forward to this energy I'm reading about. Although when I'm asked if I feel any different, I absolutely recognize that I don't get that 3pm crash.

My challenge remains the 10 pm urge to snack. I eat a healthy portion for dinner (last night grilled chicken breast, zucchini, summer squash, with guacamole ) so I can't imagine eating more than that. I'm trying to discover if it's just boredom eating.

Made it through a Brunch Buffet eating scrambled eggs, salad and fruit...I have to admit I did want the waffles. But it's only 30 days right.

I discovered Sunshine Sauce...you should do the same if you haven't. It's a nice treat.

The one thing I really miss is ketchup! Not pizza or butter...funny I'm going to look for a compliant one at WholeFoods today.

Well, onward! Stay strong!

[AmisOtis]

Good Morning Day 11-ers,

I have been awake since 4 a.m. I woke up in a panic from a dream that I was eating cookies and drinking wine. Tummy is doing that bloating thing too. I'm determined to hang in there!

[Dem]

Whew, thank goodness we are past Day 10!  Yesterday was a horrible kill-all-the-things day combined with needing a nap.  I was definitely NOT acting like the mommy I want to be!!  I felt fat and bloated too, when just a couple of days earlier I thought my face looked less puffy.  I guess that's a common experience on Day 10.  

 

 

Good Morning Day 11-ers,
I have been awake since 4 a.m. I woke up in a panic from a dream that I was eating cookies and drinking wine. Tummy is doing that bloating thing too. I'm determined to hang in there!

Yikes that must have been scary!

 

 

 

 

Hey, everyone. Congratulations on day 10! 1/3 of the way.

I'm doing ok. Digestion is still a bit off, but getting better. I am really looking forward to this energy I'm reading about. Although when I'm asked if I feel any different, I absolutely recognize that I don't get that 3pm crash.

My challenge remains the 10 pm urge to snack. I eat a healthy portion for dinner (last night grilled chicken breast, zucchini, summer squash, with guacamole ) so I can't imagine eating more than that. I'm trying to discover if it's just boredom eating.

Made it through a Brunch Buffet eating scrambled eggs, salad and fruit...I have to admit I did want the waffles. But it's only 30 days right.

I discovered Sunshine Sauce...you should do the same if you haven't. It's a nice treat.

The one thing I really miss is ketchup! Not pizza or butter...funny I'm going to look for a compliant one at WholeFoods today.

Well, onward! Stay strong!

I think the key to figuring out if it's just boredom eating is to ask yourself if you are hungry enough to eat steamed fish and broccoli.  If not, it's just a craving.  If so, it's true hunger, in which case you probably need more fat at dinner.

 

I tried Tessemae's "ketchup" the other day.  Wow, it is nothing like the ketchup I normally eat but it is tasty.  If you can't find compliant stuff at WF you might try that.

[ElkaSimmy]

 

I think the key to figuring out if it's just boredom eating is to ask yourself if you are hungry enough to eat steamed fish and broccoli.  

 

LOL. Thanks for the tip.

[sprboston]

 

I tried Tessemae's "ketchup" the other day.  Wow, it is nothing like the ketchup I normally eat but it is tasty.  If you can't find compliant stuff at WF you might try that.

I'm going to try and come up with a ketchup recipe on my own...dates and tamarind are allowed that I think can easily take the place of anything sweet in the ketchup. But first I'm going to cook it for a while trying to bring out the natural sweetness of the tomato and add vinegar and spices. Then I absolutely know what's in it.

 

I'll report back how it goes.

[Dem]

I'm going to try and come up with a ketchup recipe on my own...dates and tamarind are allowed that I think can easily take the place of anything sweet in the ketchup. But first I'm going to cook it for a while trying to bring out the natural sweetness of the tomato and add vinegar and spices. Then I absolutely know what's in it.

 

I'll report back how it goes.

I am excited to hear how it turns out!

 

Day 11 folks and it's gettin' real hard.  I just re-read the timeline and yep, Days 10 and 11 are the hardest.  http://whole30.com/2013/08/revised-timeline/ Our brains are trying to trick us ino eating junk. Let's stay strong together!

[Palmira]

Day 11 - doing good! I'm feeling better and have more energy, but the timeline is so true; my pants feel tighter!

Good luck everyone!

[prynceszh]

Hi everyone - Day 11 checking in

 

I no longer feel lethargic at all, even when I'm hungry. The first few days I would feel weak and achy (but not hungry) 2 hours after my meals because that's when all the carbs were gone. It was so bad, my hands would shake. Happy to say that's completely gone now!

 

My biggest challenge is nighttime snacking as well. I had a really bad slip up last night, I knew I wasn't hungry, but I just kept eating until I was so stuffed I could barely move. I'm trying to figure out what my trigger is - doesn't seem to be boredom since I'll get that urge to eat in the middle of a video game or a show I'm watching. Drinking water and tea doesn't help, even the herbal teas with appetite suppressing qualities like mint and cinnamon. I'm trying out a new strategy today that I read about somewhere on Reddit: whenever I get up to get food I'll narrate out loud what I'm doing in a neutral way (ie. "I'm going to walk to my cabinet and grab a handful of cashews. I'm not hungry because I just ate dinner but I want more food anyway.") So far it's doing an okay job of making me realize how ridiculous that is!

[ElkaSimmy]

@prynceszh - I feel your pain. I'm a snacker too, and I'm finding it hard to break that habit, no matter whether my meals were filling enough or not. My typical daily schedule is breakfast around 7:00 a.m., lunch around 12:30, afternoon snack at 4-ish, dinner around 6:30-7, and nighttime snack around 9:30. I'm having a difficult time breaking the habit of the afternoon and nighttime snack. The good news is that I'm not grazing all day long like I used to, but I still find myself wanting something at those in-between times. I'm making healthier choices about it (fruit/nuts), and having a very limited portion (only a closed handful), but I haven't been able to eliminate it completely. I'm not sure if it is actually hunger, or if my body is just used to being fed at those times so it sends the "feed me" signals. I try to distract myself and power through it, but some days I'm not as successful as others.

 

The other rule I broke this morning was that I weighed myself. I knew it was a bad idea and I resisted for the past few days but caved this morning. I'm not going to share what it was, because I do not want to encourage/discourage anyone. I'll just say that for me, it was a bad idea because the scale never shows me what I want to see. It just feeds into lifelong negative self-esteem issues.I'm going to hide it somewhere that is difficult to get to so I don't make that mistake again.

 

I'm actually looking forward to the weekend. Hoping to have the time to play around with some new recipes that take more time to cook. Does anyone have any favorites so far?

[Dem]

I love paleo pad Thai from Melissa Joulwan. If you haven't tried it yet you should.

I think I'm getting to the fun part! My clothes feel looser. I am more patient with my hubby. I had plenty of energy to clean the kitchen tonight. Looking forward to more of this!

[SugarcubeOD]

For those of you having a hard time with snacking for the sake of snacking, it IS a hard habit to break but really work on it just like not eating the disallowed foods.... you'll do so much better in the long run.

The rule of thumb is, that if you're not willing to eat bland fish and broccoli, or a plain unseasoned chicken breast, then you're not actually hungry, you're craving. Feel the uncomfortable feelings of not giving in to this craving... it's part of this journey and covering it up with snacking, even if they're healthier choices is not doing you any favors.

Also, it's not 'healthier' to eat fruit and nuts on their own. Fruit on it's own will cause a large blood sugar spike which messes with your hormones and nuts can be really hard on the digestive system as well as be a food without brakes for a lot of people and end up with hand to mouth mindless snacking...

It might feel bad at first to not indulge in the snack but power through it!

[Dem]

Another day down! I am feeling strong. How is everyone else doing?

[AmisOtis]

Hi Friends,

 

I'm struggling a  little on the dawn of Day 14.  I keep having parts of days where I feel great and I think I've eliminated cravings and then the next hour feeling really tired, emotional, and wanting to put butter on my potato.  Yesterday was particularly hard.  We had a couple of kids' birthday parties (I have a 5 year old and a 3 year old). I worked out in the morning and had my post workout meal.  I thought I ate enough to tide me over while I went to the party, but while there I got really hungry.  My friend, the host, almost always has a veggie platter, but this time didn't.  I uneasily ate some deli meat wrapped in lettuce and tomato and a ton of fruit.  I think the fruit and my hunger spiked some cravings because I was so grumpy for the rest of the day and found myself really tempted at the next party.  Last night, my back really hurt, so I was questioning whether the deli meat had carageenan in it.  All in all, a really good lesson that I MUST plan at all times.  Also, Lara Bars make me poop way too much (Sorry if that's tmi, but I don't know how everyone is not talking about poop all the time with this plan.  It's become an obsession the last couple of weeks), so I don't think I can use those in an emergency.  This morning I woke up and was just crabby that i couldn't put sugar in my coffee and crappy that I couldn't put cheese in my scrambled eggs.  I'm committed to seeing this thing out, but every time I think I have a handle on it, some  mood swing, bout of fatigue, or craving knocks me back on my ass.  I love reading Melissa's articles and blog posts, so that is helpful.  I love how relatable and no-nonsense she is.

How are you guys doing?

[Ksprljan]

Day 14! Almost half way there! Love reading everyone's posts. They are very helpful! Just knowing I am not alone!

AmisOtis, I completely agree that planning is key! I skipped breakfast on twodays and those were the two days I struggled the most! When I plan Quality meals for every 5 hours I have a great day! As far as digestion is concerned, I go once or twice a day. I have had a couple of isolated instances of diarrhea in the beginning. The change I've noticed in that regard is decreased quantity and softer quality!

I am still having cravings! Bread and wine and cheese but they are further apart and happen less often! Overall I am feeling good and can definitely see positive changes physically!

Failed in the workout department last week. Only 3 workout days! I had a super busy week with some late nights. I plan to focus on exercise this week!

[Dem]

AmisOtis I know where you're coming from. I've experienced that fluctuation in my mood on severall past attempts. For some reason this time I am mainly just feeling great. My only problem is not having enough food around. I have been really hungry the past few days. Fortunately the freezer is now stocked with meat so I just have to make some time to cook. I am still waking up tired but my face is looking thinner.

[AmisOtis]

Thanks, Guys.  This morning I feel great (although as me again in 7 minutes and that very well could change).  I'm realizing that I really need something like half an avocado at every meal to feel functional.  I dont' feel like I've lost a ton of weight, but I feel like in some ways the conclusion of the 30 days is really just the start of that process.  I'm trying to focus on retraining my body and mind, and in that respect I feel like I'm getting somewhere.  Congratulations on Day 15!!

[Palmira]

Day 15: staying strong! I've been really tempted to weigh myself lately (bc I wasn't feeling progress), but luckily woke up less bloated and more motivated.

Weekends are tough for me since my family keeps me running around, so I snacked on fruit and nuts a few time.... Trying to cut out snacks during the week. I read that it's hard for the body to burn fat, if it's given snacks.

Good luck! Half way!!!!

[prynceszh]

Day 15 - first food-related dream, which is remarkable because I haven't remembered a dream in months! I dreamt that I was mad at my friend (who's doing the W30 with me) for eating spaghetti and meatballs. I don't even like spaghetti and meatballs...

 

The only thing I'm really craving is full fat Greek yogurt. I don't miss any other kind of dairy, but I definitely want to see how my body responds to yogurt during reintroduction. I have been lactose intolerant for a while but could usually eat small amounts of yogurt and be fine... I'll have to decide if it's worth it

[Amyz3395]

Day 15- halfway through!! Ive started to notice that my cravings have diminished a bunch. When I see other people eating things that I want to eat, I don't have that immediate craving feeling, I just kinda ignore it. I walked by people serving free pizza on campus and was not phased at all, instead I was a little disgusted by the smell. 

 

I can see that I am able to move one hole down on my belt! Which is awesome. 

 

I still feel tired though, but it's probably because as a student, I don't get nearly enough sleep as I should and having to cook my every meal takes up a lot of time so I get to sleep even later. 

 

Also, I feel like I'm starting to feel a different rhythm to my life. I used to not eat breakfast, but now I get up 15 min earlier to make some eggs and veges. And for lunch, I eat a big salad. Then for dinner I either have something leftover or make something new. I rarely ever feel super full (which I used to from buying food) and I'm able to see how much I really need to eat to not be hungry (I used to overeat and now realize it).  

[Ksprljan]

I've noticed it takes less food for me to feel full. Lunch is our main meal here so there are days when I only have a bite or two for dinner because I am just not hungry. I definitely appreciate that I no longer feel the need to stuff my face.

[SugarcubeOD]

I've noticed it takes less food for me to feel full. Lunch is our main meal here so there are days when I only have a bite or two for dinner because I am just not hungry. I definitely appreciate that I no longer feel the need to stuff my face.

Unfortunately a 'bite or two' of dinner is not enough... I recognize that lunch is a bigger meal but you still need to be eating three template meals a day... that's a minimum that an adult human needs to eat.  Nutrition is cumulative and while the first few days of only having a bite or two of dinner may not feel bad, it will catch up with you... you're setting yourself up for failure by not eating to the template 3 times a day.

[Dem]

I am feeling pretty good but I am still having trouble finding time to cook so much.  I guess I just need to suck it up  I am hungry constantly but with all these kids (5!) and a hubby who is not doing the whole30, it's hard to find time.  It's also kind of hard to find time to just eat period.  Like, to sit down and focus on my food.  I'm constantly getting up with the kids.  Whine whine whine...

[Amyz3395]

So I read that we can eat potatoes...but should we keep it to a minimum? Like if I were to had a side of mash potatoes per meal, would that be too much? (not for breakfast, but like lunch and dinner)

[Ksprljan]

Unfortunately a 'bite or two' of dinner is not enough... I recognize that lunch is a bigger meal but you still need to be eating three template meals a day... that's a minimum that an adult human needs to eat.  Nutrition is cumulative and while the first few days of only having a bite or two of dinner may not feel bad, it will catch up with you... you're setting yourself up for failure by not eating to the template 3 times a day.

Thanks SugarcubeOD! I appreciate the info and will refocus my energy to make sure to eat to the template meals. The not feeling hungry in the evening has only started as a symptom a couple of days ago!

[Dem]

Last night I had a mini breakdown. I was just feeling so overwhelmed by life and really wanted to stuff my face with sugar and simple carbs. I just went to bed early, let myself have a good cry, and slept all night. I feel a lot better this morning and I'm so glad I didn't go off plan. Happy Day 16!