Moving right along!

[katieblue]

Update: I made it gluten-free. I may regret this.

[Wendy and Frankie]

Hello friends,

   Sorry I haven't posted in a few days, the end of the school year is crazy busy.  I have one more teaching day left! (Yes, my school district is making the students come back for ONE day this week the day after a holiday). <sigh> Report cards are done, all that's left is awards assembly on Tues. and "fluff" the rest  of the day, with early dismissal!  Yahoo!  Another school year down, 10 more until retirement! 

    I liked the peach bbq pulled pork.  I used canned peaches, I wonder if fresh peaches would have made it more peach-flavored?  Next time I make it I will double the amount of peaches.  Colleen, I highly recommend next time you make the sweet potato fries that you use the guac recipe. I LOVE guac, and this was absolutely the best guac I've tasted.  

     Two more days of round 2 of W30!  I agree with jen c, this time it has gone so much faster (could be I've just been busier), but I have not counted down the days like last time.  None of, "Oh my gosh, it's only day 10, how can I go without my wine for 20 more days??"  hehe Or, "This coffee tastes terrible with coconut milk, I want my sugary hazelnut Coffeemate!"  I still say the beverages have been the hardest for me to give up.  I really haven't missed the carbs like pretzels, crackers, bagels, etc. And the desserts really have not tempted me either time.  

      My husband and I think we will take the summer "off" of W30, but still try to eat as many compliant meals as we can.  We eat a lot of salads anyway, and veggies and fruits.  We have the grad party in a few days,(and I am looking forward to a big piece of cake!) then a family vacation in July, and it since I'm off work all of June and July, I want to be able to have a glass of wine on the deck in the evenings if I want.  We're planning to do another Whole 30 in September, after my husbands birthday in late August.  By then school will be back in full swing, and I'll need a reset after the summer festivities.  

 

katieblue, your cake sounds amazing!  I'm glad you decided to make it since it's your specialty.  I hope it tastes just as good gluten-free.  

 

Wendy 

[jen c]

katie, I'm glad you've made the cake with the option to try it.  If you have some, I hope it's worth it.  It sounds delicious! 

 

I tried the blueberry bbq sauce this week on pulled pork and the whole family liked it.  We got a whole quart out of it though and I don't know how long it should last in the fridge.  Anybody have a guess?

 

wendy, congrats for making it this far and on having just one day left of school!  You've done amazing!

 

I stepped out of W30 yesterday, having a creamy sweetened iced coffee while out to lunch and some corn chips at an evening social event.  It was a few days shy of 30, but I gave it some thought and after last week's realization that I wasn't counting the days, it felt alright to stop early.  The "30" part is no longer dictating my food choices.  It would have been easy to continue through Monday to reach the official 30 days, but the number just isn't important to me anymore and because I did reintroductions in April, I have all the info I need on what I can tolerate and what I can't.  So why should the 30 matter if I'm not really changing anything on day 31 or 32 or 33 or after that?  Today was totally compliant and most days will be with just an occasional off-plan item now and then.  Is this what they mean by food freedom?  I'm not sure, but do know that I'm in a good spot.  Gluten avoidance is no longer stressing me and this way of eating has become habit. 

 

This week my brain has been going 100+mph with the list of 60+ things I still want to get done before my trip next week.  Some are have-to's:  planning and prepping for my substitute teacher at work, new brakes on the car, clothes shopping, etc.  Others are want-to's:  leaving my family with clean laundry, a clean house, and fridge full of healthy food.  I finished my clothes shopping on Thursday and can't remember a time I was actually eager to shop for jeans, bras, and a swim suit:  the 3 most dreaded things to endure in a dressing room!  Putting on swim suits, I thought, "Dang!  I look good!"  That's NEVER happened before!  Lol.  I will wait until Monday to take my measurements and weight, but I'm still in disbelief at the size clothes I'm buying.  I've not worn this size since 1995!  I need to settle here though so that I make sure I get good wear out of them.  Time to stop shrinking.   

 

Tomorrow after church I'll spend the rest of the day working on laundry and housecleaning.  Monday will be grocery shopping and food prep.  Tuesday will be car brakes, errands, and packing.  Wednesday is my travel day.  I won't be taking a computer on my trip.  When I get back, the kids have one last week of school which will be plenty busy.  If I'm not back here for a while, I wish you all a great month to come!

[Wendy and Frankie]

jen c, 

     Congrats to you on your productivity!  Sounds like you've got the Tiger blood!  I agree with you totally, this second time around, the total compliance has not been as important, or the numbers.  My husband and I are stopping just a day shy of 30, since we're going to a concert tonight, and would like to partake in a beer or two.  This has actually been more like a "Whole 28" for us, as we skipped another day due to a special family event.  The most important thing is we have made a lifestyle change, and we both needed a reset to our diet and health.  That is really exciting that clothes shopping is fun for you now!  I can relate.  I've gone down at least 1 pants size, and I see a number on the scale I have not seen for over 10 years.  According to my husband's calculations, since the first W30 in February, I've lost 11% of my weight.  I hope you enjoy your trip, and get everything done you've planned out the next few days.  I didn't realize you are a teacher, too?  When is your last day? 

 

     I still need to make that blueberry bbq sauce that everyone has raved about!  I made a new recipe last night from the W30 book that my husband and I really liked, the shrimp with Romesco sauce over zucchini "Zoodles." I got to try out my new Julienne slicer, and it was really cool!  Now that we've tried Zoodles and spaghetti squash, regular enriched pasta just doesn't sound appealing at all.  I used to eat a ton of all those empty carbs. Now I know why I felt so bloated all the time.  

    Hope everyone is enjoying the 3 day weekend!

 

Wendy

[katieblue]

Wendy, I'm so excited for you that you only have one more day of class!! I totally remember the "fluff" you're talking about - it was always like, well, we're done with everything, why are we still here? I hope you have the best summer. Your plan for eating sounds really smart to me and really like what Melissa talks about when she talks about "riding your own bike." Eat food that makes you feel good, but when you find something that's worth it, eat that too! It's totally up to you, and it's all about choices. We are in control, not the food. And it sounds like you have definitely gotten to that attitude! Enjoy your cake and your wine!

I also think it's amazing that you ladies are already almost done with your Whole 30!! So glad to hear that you've had an easier time this round! I definitely felt like I didn't miss foods nearly as much in the second round as I had in the first. I guess it really does become a lifestyle rather than a restriction!

Congratulations on all your amazing victories, both scale and non!!

 

I have actually made this cake gluten free many times before so I know it's still wonderful! (I've been gluten free for many years before undertaking the Whole 30). It's very dense and fudgy and moist, so you honestly can't even tell the difference. I know my dad is totally skeptical about gluten free things, but when I made this cake for him for his birthday, I made it with my gluten free flour, and then I told him afterward that it was gluten free, and he said he couldn't tell!

 

Jen, I know I kept the BBQ sauce for about two weeks before I used it all, and it was fine! I kept it in a tightly sealed mason jar. I have the peach one in there now for going on three weeks and it still looks okay, no mold or anything, but I'll see when I go to taste it! Lol!

It sounds like you have a really amazing attitude now toward food as well -- really a lot like Wendy! I think it does sound like food freedom, because you're at a place where you aren't being mean to yourself for stepping off plan, you're just accepting it and making conscious decisions. I think it just shows how much you've grown since we started this whole journey!

And I LOVE that you feel like you look good in your new clothes!! That is the BEST NSV you could ask for!!! So proud of you, congratulations!!!!

I hope you have an absolutely amazing trip!!

 

And Wendy, I am so with you on the alternatives to noodles being so much better - I have so many gluten free pasta boxes sitting in my cabinet from like two years ago, that I just don't think I'm going to use! They really do make you feel stuffed and bloated and uncomfortable - and the veggies are totally just as good with the right stuff on them!

 

I hope you're enjoying the 3 day weekend, too!!

I live one town over from the beach, so today and yesterday it was FINALLY warm enough for me to head over to the boardwalk after my strength training at the gym to do my cardio. It was so quiet, even with the holiday, because it was so early (I got there around 7am), and I literally had a moment where the total stillness and beauty of it all just brought tears to my eyes. I felt truly grateful to be alive. And for someone who has such a history of depression and anxiety, this was amazing for me. I really do feel like changing the way I eat has changed the way my brain works. I haven't had a moment where I was glad to be alive in years. But the beach, the ocean, the quiet, being alone - it all just makes me so happy!!

We're going to our friend's Cinco de Mayo/Celebration of the Tauruses barbecue this afternoon, and I'm challenging myself to eat mindfully. Normally, I just gorge myself (literally, we've started calling these gatherings "Gorgefests"), until I physically am in pain and can't possibly fit anything else in my stomach. But this time, I know I can do better. I know my relationship with food is different. I can eat whatever I want to, and I can stop whenever I want to. The power is with me!! Lol!

And I will not let the sugar dragon talk me into eating more than one slice of cake!! I will have one because I want to, but I will not have more because I "need" to!!

[katieblue]

Well, I had great intentions, but I still ate an inhuman amount of food. On the bright side, I don't feel too bad today, physically or emotionally! For one, I DID manage to stop before I was in pain, so that's at least one good thing! And, I just got right up and went to the gym and went about my day. I'm just starting to get hungry now after doing five miles on the treadmill and food shopping. So, I dunno, maybe it was worth it... I am still kind of disappointed in myself because I would have liked to have eaten way less than I did (just to paint a picture, I had, five ribs, at least three sandwich-sized servings of pulled pork, five or six half-dollar sized pieces of char tsui... so at least six or seven palm-sized servings of protein... not to mention all the sugar they were glazed in with the BBQ sauce, chips and guac/queso/crab dip, the sweet potato tahini salad and pineapple slaw, and the cake and some berries and boozy homemade whipped cream/custard thing... quite a bit of food for a 5'3 girl. I ate like, three or four times more than Rob did, and he's six feet tall and weighs in at like 230. You can see why I feel a little bit ashamed that I couldn't stop myself!! Lol!) I'm not sure how I should address this in future gatherings, because BBQs are inevitable and I ALWAYS overeat and then feel it the next day.

 

Hope you have all had a fabulous weekend so far!!

[Wendy and Frankie]

Wow, katieblue. you and should have a eat-off sometime! j/k   I can polish off the food like nobody's business as well! I've been known to eat as much as my husband who isn't tall for a guy at 5'9", but weighs over 200.  I have noticed, esp. this second round of W30, that I really started stopping eating when I was pleasantly full instead of gorging myself (even on healthy food), like I used to.  And I did a lot less snacking this time. During the first round, I was constantly popping a handful of almonds in my mouth whenever I was the least bit hungry.  Your "Gorgefest" sounds like it was all very yummy, so don't be hard on yourself.  I'm SO happy that you are so happy to be alive!  You are such a sweetie, and I think I speak for all of us on this forum that we are all VERY happy you are alive and well also!!!   

     I agree with you about the depression.  For the last 3 years, since my mother and stepdad passed away within a week of each other in May, this month has been a month of depression for me.  It didn't help that their anniversary and my mother's birthday are also in May, along with Mother's Day.  But this May is the first since their deaths that I haven't gone into a deep depression. On their special days, I said a prayer and spoke to them about how much I missed them, but didn't even cry (though came close).

    Ok, I have to admit I had more than a beer or two at the concert, along with a piece of really crappy pizza and half of a soft pretzel.  I felt lousy this morning, but I think it was due to the beer than the crappy carbs.  But I'm not beating myself up for it.  After the stressful school year (thanks to my principal and a kid in my class who's been suspended 20+ times), I'm telling myself I deserve it. Tonight we're having a family cookout, but I've already decided I will have my burger sans bun, and I WILL have corn on the cob! And maybe a glass of wine...

 

Wendy 

[katieblue]

Haha oh Wendy, thank you for making me feel better! Nice to know another lady can hold her own at the food table!

But I think it's AWESOME that you found you were able to stop eating when full rather than gorging - that was my goal with my second round but I couldn't quite get there! I'm so proud that you were able to!!

And thank you SO much for the kind words, I really, really appreciate it. I'm all warm and fuzzy now. :)

 

I'm so sorry that your May has been so hard for the past few years.. I can't even imagine all of that compounding on top of itself, the losses and reminders with anniversaries and holidays. I think it's incredible that you have been able to stay above depression this month... eating well may be healing more than just your physical body, it seems. I really hope that your future Mays continue this way. <3

 

I hope you're feeling better after the carbs and beer at the concert (who did you see?? did you have a blast?!) And I hope your cookout went well, too!!

 

I'm on my last week of classes for this quarter!! So excited!!!

[galaxigrl]

Katie and Wendy, I'd like to be part of your food challenge, too.  I don't remember exactly how old I was (at least in my late teens), but I can vividly remember being at a cookout at my uncle's house on his deck, and he said to me, "You know what I like about you?  You can eat a lot."  He was definitely saying it in a complimentary way, and it's always stuck with me.  I can definitely eat a lot!

 

Wendy, I'm so sorry to hear about your Mays of the past.  I can totally understand it being a terrible month for you.  I'm so happy that this year you didn't get depressed.  It sounds like you handled the days really, really well.  And Katie, I am so glad you're here!  Every day!  You're so upbeat and happy on here.  I love reading your posts!  

 

Congrats to you both on finishing school / being almost done school!

 

I'm definitely going to make my own guac next time for the sweet potato fries.  I did use fresh peaches in my BBQ sauce, but maybe next time I'll try canned.  I still haven't tried the blueberry BBQ sauce, but I really need to get that on my meal plan soon.

 

I did make this hot slaw last week, and it was yummy!  I know that sounds kind of gross, but it was really good.  And I agree with you two on noodles.  I definitely don't miss boxed pasta.  Now homemade pasta at a restaurant is another story, but the kind I would use at home I don't miss at all.  I'd much rather have zoodles or spaghetti squash.  I made the Paleo meatballs Katie told us about a while back over zoodles with this awesome W30 compliant marinara from Costco on Friday, and it was great!

 

My MIL is coming to my house this evening, because my husband's nephew, Ben, is graduating from HS tomorrow.  They're going to be here through Sunday.  I honestly don't know that I can deal with it.  It will be 12 days out of 29 that I will have spent with her, which is just TOO much!  I'm kind of dreading tonight especially, because my husband's good friend is also in town from NY, and he's going out to dinner with her and some other people, so it will just be me, my son, my MIL, and her husband.  I might have to fake sick and go lay in my bed early .  It's just the last thing I want to deal with after a long day at work.  Please send positive vibes .

 

On a happier note, my Mom and her husband just left SC today.  They were here since Thursday getting their condo in Murrells Inlet together.  It's about 1 hour and 40 mins from my house.  It was so great to see them and know they'll be down here more often!  We had a really nice time.  They spent part of their time in Charleston, and we spent Memorial Day in Murrells Inlet with them.  

 

Ok, back to the grind.  Happy Wednesday!

[Wendy and Frankie]

katieblue and Colleen,

    Thanks for your kind words.  It least it's June now.  Colleen, I am sending positive vibes your way.  I can totally relate to the stress...My son is graduating from HS, tomorrow, too, and on Friday evening we have the grad party for him and my daughter, who graduated from college a few weeks ago.  My former MIL will be here for the party.  My head hurts from thinking about all I have to do to get ready for the party.  

    That hot slaw recipe looks amazing. I have pinned it, and will be definitely trying that sometime soon.  That's on my list of yummy recipes to try, along with the blueberry bbq sauce.

    

katieblue,

   We saw Travis Tritt in concert.  We go to a lot of concerts, mostly country, but not always.  My daughter took me to see Norah Jones in the fall, and she was so good!  The concert Sat. was a lot of fun.

    Well, off to work on my son's display of photos for the party!  Why do I always procrastinate about stuff like this?

 

Wendy

[katieblue]

Hey, ladies!

 

I have been SO busy with school coming to an end -- Wendy, you're done now, right??

 

It's also hard working in a job where I'm not allowed to access Internet for fun anymore.

 

Colleen, you are definitely among friends who can eat!! Unfortunately, this is part of our problem! Haha. It's funny how taking in massive amounts of food can be a point of pride or something to compliment... yet I've had the same people complain about me gaining weight. It's like, what do you want from me?!

 

The hot slaw sounds AMAZING, actually - I love sautéing broccoli slaw in butter and tossing in some almonds and raisins and serving that as a side dish! Rob can't get on board with it, but I just love more variation for veggies.

 

I hope you survived your MIL's visit alright and have sufficiently recovered by now! I'm so sorry she causes so much anxiety... I really wish that we could pick our families!

I'm actually kind of sad to be honest that I will never get to have a MIL. Even if Rob and I did get married one day, his mom has passed away before I even got to meet her. Seeing as my mom and I have such a terrible relationship, I have this big void there in the mom space. But my stepmom is amazing, so at least I get to have her.

And so happy that your mom will be close to you now!!

 

Wendy, I hope you have a blast at the graduation party tonight!! Congratulations to your "little ones" on their big accomplishments!!

 

I'm a big fan of country music (in spite of my love of metal, also) so that sounds fun! I'm actually going to my first country concert this summer, in July!

I'm having my mom over for dinner tomorrow night (and her fiancé, and my grandma). When Rob and I went to Savannah last summer as my graduation gift to myself, I asked my mom if she would mind letting our dogs out once or twice while we were away, and  told her I'd make her dinner in return. Now, every time I have seen her since then, she has reminded me that I owe her dinner still. Ugh!! So I was like, you know what, my homework is winding down, let's just get this out of the way. Rob was wondering why I care at all, why don't I just ignore her, but it's the principle of it. I will be able to say I followed through on my word and be done with it. And then she will have nothing left to hold over my head.

We're making tacos because it's so easy, and a side of fried plantains. I hope I can contain myself and not stress eat the entire 3lbs of ground meat.

[Wendy and Frankie]

katieblue,

     I hope your dinner goes well with your mom. I know from what you've said her presence can be stressful.

     

     Thanks for the congrats.  The grad party went well, and we had a good turnout.  Unfortunately, there was some family drama before the party.  My ex-husband's family at first RSVP'd that they would come, then at the last minute called my daughter to say they refused to attend since they found out I had not invited my ex-husband.  They chose to call my daughter literally as the party was starting.  My daughter explained that her father was not invited as he had shown zero interest in her and her brother's school events and accomplishments the last 12 years (since the divorce), and had not contributed to her college expenses at all. They made her feel really bad, and it still makes me angry that they continue to defend him and enable him.  It's no wonder he is the way he is...  ok, I'm done venting about that!  I just really felt bad for my daughter, as they gave her the guilt trip, when she did nothing wrong.  If they had an issue with it, they should have called me, not her.  It didn't help that none of my daughter's friends showed up, either.  She tried to act like it didn't bother her, but I know it did.  

She helped a lot with party preparations, and made some really yummy peach sangria that the adults really enjoyed.  (Don't worry, we had plenty of non-alcoholic  beverages available for the HS crowd!) 

     I'm relieved the whole thing is over, and now I can relax and enjoy my summer break now.  We have a ton of non-compliant leftovers like mac and cheese, pasta salad, chips, cake, etc. Trying not to go into a food coma!  I had some grad cake last night, at first it tasted great, then I couldn't even finish it due to the icing being SO sweet.  

 

Collen, how did your visit go with your MIL?  

 

Wendy

[katieblue]

Ugh, I'm so sorry to hear that your ex-husband's family was causing drama! I know you were concerned about that. I really, honestly wish that people would just grow up. We're all adults here and we could really behave as such...

On the bright side, it really sounds like your daughter handled everything gracefully and maturely, though! I give her a lot of credit; I don't know if I would have been as diplomatic in dealing with that passive-aggressive phone call.

 

I definitely hear you on the frosting thing!! I wasn't able to finish my piece of cake at the BBQ last weekend for the same reason! It's amazing; sugar is like a BOMB to our taste buds now!

My mom made a green bean salad last night that she just put one tablespoon of honey in, and I was like guzzling it because it was SO sweet with just that tiny bit of sweetener! Honestly, the taste bud adjustment alone is enough for me to want to keep eating this way -- everything tastes SO much better!!

 

Dinner with the family went pretty well, all things considered - we had my mom, her fiance, and my grandma over, and everyone was mostly well behaved. I'm just upset because I had resolved not to eat dessert because I really wasn't interested. But my grandma was pushing and pushing me to just have a little, and finally I caved in and just took a little bit and she got SO excited and happy and kept telling me, "good girl", and to me, this was so weird - like what am I, a dog? And why are you rewarding me for eating junk food? I think she just felt better about eating it herself if I was having some, too... But of course, I wound up eating WAY more than I wanted to, because the sugar dragon was like OMGTHISISSOGOODMORE and today my stomach is all in upheaval. I'm able to look at it objectively, though, and not be too hard on myself - clearly this shows me there is some malfunction with thinking about food that I grew up around!!

[Wendy and Frankie]

Katieblue,

     I'm glad your family dinner went well.  It's funny how people try to peer pressure you into having dessert, just to justify themselves.  (or alcohol!) 

 

I'm just so relieved the whole grad party event is over, and I have nothing urgent to stress about.  (I'm sure I'll find something to stress about- just give me some time!  lol  

   This morning, I took my dog for our normal 2 mile stroll around the neighborhood, and I think we'll do it again since it is just so beautiful out.  I never have time for more than one walk a day when I am teaching during the school year, so I really enjoy two walks a day in the summer.  I'm trying to motivate myself to get back to the gym.  I really need to do some weight training to get some toning.  

 

   Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday. 

 

Wendy

[katieblue]

It is funny how that works! I definitely relate with the alcohol - I was never a big drinker even before the Whole 30. I'd have maybe one or two drinks per year, and usually wouldn't finish them. I don't like the feeling of being buzzed, so I've never been drunk. I haven't had many drinks that I actually like. And when I tell people that, they seem like they take it on as their mission to get me drunk or to find me a drink that I do like. And I'm just sitting here going, "...but why? Aren't I better off without the empty calories anyway?"

 

I'm so happy for you that your stress levels are lifted, too!! Don't try too hard to find something to worry about -- it's summer, enjoy it!! You've been working so freaking hard to get here!

What kind of dog do you have?! They're great partners for forcing exercise. I take mine out with me when I don't feel like going somewhere alone but people are busy! Lol.

 

It's finals week!! I have only one final, and it's open book, open notes, which means after this week, I can BREATHE!!

For a week at least, and then I go into the next quarter. Haha. But that will be part time, not full time, so hopefully it will be more manageable!!

My best friend Ryan is treating me to a mani/pedi on Saturday because he says I deserve it after all the stress, and when I told him if he bought me a gift card I'd probably never use it, he insisted on coming with me and getting one too, to make sure I relax for a little bit. He's awesome, and I'm excited. I've only ever had one mani/pedi before, for my dad's wedding last summer, but my nails looked so pretty afterward!

And Rob and I are taking a trip up to New England for a few days to get out of here - we're going to stop in Salem, MA on our way up, and then stay in Kennebunkport, Maine, and spend one day there, one day in Portland, and stop in Mystic, CT on our way back home. And I am SO ready for that -- and NOT having to worry about homework for 10 days!!!

[Wendy and Frankie]

katieblue,

     Good for you for not succumbing to peer pressure regarding the alcohol!  That's rare, especially at your age.

 

   I have a 13 year-old beagle mix.  She's a bit overweight, so sometimes when I'm feeling lazy and don't feel like walking, I remember what the vet said, "She'll live longer if she exercises and loses weight!"  She's always enjoyed her walks.  I firmly believe that's one reason she's lived to a ripe old age.  My neighbor's dog was overweight and a couple years younger, and they never took her for walks.  She had to be put down a few months ago.  

 

     Good luck with your final!! You have a great friend in Ryan!  The mani/pedi sounds like a real treat, and you deserve it!  Your trip with Rob sounds like so much fun! I've always wanted to visit New England.  I always hear about how beautiful it is.  

 

     We're going on vacation to Myrtle Beach, but not until the last week in July.  Until then, I'm just going to relax and do a few projects around the house, like

painting a couple of rooms, and painting the shutters.  I never have time for projects like that during the school year.  

 

Wendy

[katieblue]

Thank you! I've honestly just never been interested in it. If I'm going to splurge, I'd rather have cake. I feel just as crappy the next day.

 

Do you have a picture of your dog?! I'd love to see her! (I love animals!)
And good for you getting her out there and keeping her healthy!!

 

Thanks for the good luck!! I'll need it; I just realized there is NO index in my textbook so I have to find everything from memory! This is going to be time consuming for sure!!

 

If you have a chance to see New England, I would definitely recommend Maine. It's absolutely gorgeous. It's easy because it's only a few hours' drive for us!

 

I've always wanted to see Myrtle Beach -- I hope you enjoy it!! And have a good time with all your projects.

[katieblue]

I have officially decided to start my third Whole 30 as soon as we get back from our vacation, on June 16. I've really been having a hard time because I weighed myself again (like a moron) and realized I've gained 5 pounds in the last month since coming off the second Whole 30. So I freaked out and started logging food again for the past three weeks or so, and I'm still steadily gaining weight - AGAIN. And so I'm back to being mean to myself and hating my body and being crazy obsessive over the scale and calories. It's time to break up with both of them again. I had such bad habits for so long, I really don't know how much time it will take to truly break them. But I refuse to give up until I do. I deserve better than this and I WANT to care about things other than food and how much I weigh!

 

Happy Wednesday, ladies!!

[Wendy and Frankie]

katieblue,

    Please don't be so hard on yourself! You have made some really healthy lifestyle changes during your Whole 30 journey thus far.  Remember all your NSV's?  If it makes you feel any better, I have gained 5 pounds back just in the last week due to grad party food, leftovers, cake, and wine whenever I feel like it.  I hope you will enjoy your vacation without guilt and obsession over the scale and calories.  Just try to do all things in moderation (like I need to do with my wine  ).

     I couldn't figure out a way to post a pic other than to change my profile pic.  I'd love to see a pic of your dog/dogs, too!  I also have a kitty, Franco (aka Frankie) who was in my first profile pic.  

 

Wendy

[katieblue]

Thanks Wendy, you're so awesome!! I think you have a point that moderation is the key here because I've learned I do better completely abstaining  from things rather than moderating - and it would be ideal if I could just have "one bite" of things. Sorry to hear you're gaining back, too - I know that the mods said that it may not be actual "weight", but inflammation as a result of foods we can't tolerate, but the only way to figure that out for sure is to do proper reintroductions, which is apparently my achilles heel.

 

Also, your puppy is soooo adorable!! And I remember the kitty, too!

 

Posting pictures on here is definitely complicated - I had to upload the picture of my Vans to a separate site and then link to it here. But my babies are below! The brown one is Ziggy, he's mine, and the David Bowe eyes is Abby, she's Rob's. And the scaly beast is Luna, who we rescued together! We have two cats, too, but I don't have pictures of them handy.

 

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[Wendy and Frankie]

katieblue,

    Your dogs are SOOO cute!  Their eyes are adorable!  I'm not a big fan of scaly pets (I refuse to visit the reptile building at the zoo, I'm so afraid of snakes and anything scaly), but I think it's great that you're such an animal lover. My dog is a rescue too, we got her at the animal shelter when she was 4 months, and my kitty was rescued from the Humane society as my 14 year-old daughter's birthday present last December.  

 

     As far as moderation, I understand what you mean.  I don't know how many times I've said to myself.  "I will just have one glass of wine with dinner."  Then I refill my glass after dinner, and before the evening is over, I've had 3.  And I can't just have a handful of chips, so it's best I just keep those out of the house.  

 

Wendy

[katieblue]

Thank you!!

I'm sorry you don't like the scaly pets! I have a great love of reptiles, I actually get skeeved by guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, the little rodenty-type things! Lol!

And good for you rescuing your babies! My sister is actually in Utah right now on an internship with a place called Best Friends who are teaching her how to run an animal shelter. She and I have had her differences but I think it's awesome that she's pursuing this. I feel like not enough people adopt their animals. Rob actually got Abby because a friend of ours is a vet, and she also fosters animals, and she had been fostering Abby and she was adopted. But right after Thanksgiving, the family brought her in because she'd gotten into the holiday garbage (she was only about 6mos at the time) and she had gotten a turkey bone lodged in her throat. When they found out how expensive it was going to be to remove it, they told her to just put the dog down!! So she was like, "Give me back my dog!!!" and she called Rob and he wound up with probably the dumbest dog I have ever met! Haha.

 

Did you ever see the article about abstainers vs. moderators that one of the mods on here has posted on some other threads? It's actually really interesting. I have the same problem as you; I often will leave my retainer in so I don't start eating, because I know once I take it out, there's no stopping. Especially with things like chips, like you said, and at parties or social gatherings where there is a lot of food.

 

I AM DONE WITH FINALS TODAY! I officially begin my ten-day vacation from classes!!!! I feel so free!!!!

I'm meeting two of my girl friends at Surf Taco for dinner tonight to celebrate, and if it's warm enough we may go walk on the beach afterward (but it really doesn't feel very warm out - I don't understand, it's June but it's 50 degrees right now!)

 

Anyone else have good weekend plans?

[Wendy and Frankie]

katieblue,

    Congrats on being done with finals, and enjoy your 10 day vacation!!  It's been kind of chilly here, too, but that is all supposed to change tomorrow when it hits 90 degrees.  I can't wait until our vacation to Myrtle Beach in July to walk on the beach.  I have very fond memories of walking on the beach for miles with my dad every year when he'd take us to Myrtle Beach.  The beach (any beach) is definitely my favorite place in the world to be.  

 

    I'll have to look up the article about abstainers vs. moderators. Sounds really interesting!  

 

     I agree with you about rescuing animals.  I have always been a pet-lover, especially dogs.  Since childhood, I have had pet store bought dogs (from my parents), purebred dogs from breeders, and mixed breed dogs from shelters.  My dog now, Yoyo, has been the cheapest (60.00), but most well-behaved and gentle dog of all, and lived the longest of all of my previous dogs.  And our cat, Franco, cost 10.00 from the humane society, and that included neuter surgery, and all his shots!  Good for your sister.  I could totally see my youngest daughter doing something like that. She is such an animal lover.  She rescued a baby bluebird a couple years ago that had been forced out of its nest by the neighbor's cat.  We brought it in and fed it for a week or so, then took it to the local wildlife center, as we weren't sure we could keep it alive.  We didn't hear anything from them for months, and then when we received a letter eventually, I was sure it was going to say the bird had died.  However, they said they were thrilled to say that it had been released into the wild again.  

 

     As far as weekend plans, my husband and I are taking my son out to watch the Cavaliers game after he gets off work tonight, then we have a wedding to attend tomorrow.  This is going to be so fun.  It's our daughter's roommate from college, and she and her groom are both Indian, and having an Indian wedding.  Our daughter is in the wedding, and she gets to wear a sari (not sure if I spelled that right), and if the lunch afterwards is anything like their engagement party, I better eat beforehand. I just do not like Indian food, or anything with curry.  I am not a picky eater, but the food at the engagement party was extremely spicy, and just weird stuff!  (Hope I'm not offending anyone). When we left, I was still hungry, and we actually hit Chipotle on the way home!   But the wedding will be beautiful, and very extravagant.  

     Then on Sunday, my 16 year-old daughter (who just got her driver's license this week!!) is in her final dance recital (all day long, 3 two and half hour shows).    She's decided (with a lot of encouragement from us), to quit dance classes in order to focus more on her grades (which have not been the best the last 2 years), and just do theater and choir at school, which she enjoys just as much and is a WHOLE lot less expensive than the dance classes.  And a lot less drama than the mean dance girls...

     Hope everyone has an awesome weekend.  Where has everyone else been?  Lately, it's just been me and katieblue.  Hope all you other ladies are doing well!  

 

Wendy

[katieblue]

Ahh I'm so jealous you get to have a 90 degree day! I am TOTALLY with you on the beach. Rob and I definitely don't want to stay in New Jersey forever, and whenever we talk about moving, my one condition is we need to be near the ocean. I grew up in a beach town where I could walk to the ocean in 20 minutes, and it's been so hard living more inland since I moved in with Rob, and it's only the next town over!

I hope you really get to enjoy the beach on your vacation; there's nothing else in the world like it! How long are you going for? Is it just you and your husband, or the kids, too?

 

Yoyo is such an adorable name for such a cute dog!! And yes, it definitely pays off to adopt them! There are just so many benefits and I think many people don't understand unless they are familiar with it growing up or something, I feel like.

I LOVE the story of your daughter with her bluebird! That's so amazing that she was able to rescue it. How old is she?

 

The game and the wedding both sound like (extremely different kinds of) fun!! If you don't want the Indian food, just mail it to me; I love spicy weird exotic foods! Haha. But Indian weddings are so different and such a blast, I understand. I've never been to one, but I studied them in my Religion class and also dated a guy whose dad was Indian so he told me a lot about their traditions. I'm sure the whole thing will be amazing - and maybe you will be able to find something you like! Some of the dishes are more simple and less spicy, like tandoori chicken.

It sounds like your daughter is really mature for her age and will be going out with a bang (I can't even imagine an all day dance show!)! But it totally sucks that she had to deal with mean girls... 16 year old girls can be so vicious.

[Wendy and Frankie]

Katieblue, I'm with you on wanting to live in a beach town! After my husband and I retire, (and before if we can swing it financially) we are definitely buying a beach home or condo.  We're considering either Myrtle Beach, SC, or Outer Banks, NC, but are open to other areas as well.  We are going to Myrtle Beach the last week in July with most of our kids. (Our 2 oldest sons can't get off work). So it will be my husband and I, and 4 daughters, plus my daughter's roommate.  Our eighteen yr. old son may go, also, but I'm not sure how he feels about being so outnumbered by girls!  My husband and I both love the beach so much that we got married in the Outer Banks on the beach 5 years ago this July!  (2nd marriage for both of us).  It was the happiest day of my life, and all our kids and several other close family members were there, also.

 

     My daughter who rescued the blue jay is 14 now (she was 12 when she rescued the bird). She also saved a cat's life by insisting we take him in when it was  an extremely harsh winter 3 years ago, and he was abandoned by a neighbor. (Now that's a long story). Sadly, we lost that cat unexpectedly last Labor Day, so that's why we got her a new kitty for her birthday (that's the only thing she wanted). 

 

     I'll let you know how the wedding goes.  I'll try tandoori chicken if there is any.  I wish I could send you some! 

 

Wendy