100 %

[pipes]

I am on Day 4 and decided I'd like to keep a log.  So far, I find the things that are most challenging are afternoon hunger and my family.  Last night I called my husband before coming home from work and said, "if you make dinner, set aside some of the cooked protein totally plain for me."  And he did that.  He's a supportive guy.  But then for dinner I ate my delicious ground beef, broccoli and home made mayo (and compliant hot sauce) and he and my son ate spaghetti.  I could smell the sugar in that sauce, but man I wanted it.

 

So pat on the back:  100% means not taking one noodle, not eating any when my husband left and I was the one who had to clean up the MASSIVE amount of leftovers.  100% means not feeling bad about throwing some of the leftovers in the trash.

 

I made myself a mushroom frittata for breakfast yesterday.  DELICIOUS.  I ate too many nuts, but now I don't have any nuts left so PROBLEM SOLVED.  I am switching to olives for snacks.  I love this food, but I don't know if I can do it without snacking.  How do I change my eating plan without feeling anxiety about my health and my life?  It's what I've done forever.  I have a dentist appt today and I have anxiety about that.  But I know the better I eat, the less anxiety I feel.

 

Today i got to work and the break room was full of cakes and someone brought in some grapefruits from their tree.

 

BEST choice would have been to have nothing, but I ate a grapefruit.  Progress.

 

Today's Plan:

Breakfast:  Leftover stew (chicken, brussel sprouts, potatoes, carrots) reheated.  Coffee w/ coconut milk, and a grapefruit

Lunch: More stew with a small container of fruit salad (pineapple, strawberries, kiwi)

Snack: Packed 2 scrambled eggs with 1/2 avocado

Dinner: Salmon Cakes and Salad with oil/vinegar

If I feel a need for a snack tonight I can do blueberries with a tbs of coconut cream

 

Looks deicious.  VERY hard not to analyze calories, as I have spent a lifetime doing that.

 

[Jager07]

Welcome aboard, pipes!  You have so many great reasons for doing this and those will be key to your success.  After a lifetime of habits (calorie counting, weighing, food guilt), this journey will help instill new/better habits and give you amazing clarity about your choices.

 

It's great that you joined the forum and staying connected will help inspire you to keep going...that's what we're all here for! 

[Lorelai91]

Some great choices there Pipes! You deserve that pat on the back- go you!! I am struggeling with the no weigh rule after a lifetime of that habit... might have to go get hubby to hide the scales somewhere

[pipes]

Day 5!  I feel like this is a milestone.  I feel amazed that I haven't cheated.  I am noticing my patterns of eating a little more...certainly want to eat more when I'm tired.  My blood pressure was high at the dentist yesterday...143/84.  It's not been too high, but I'm noticing a raise as I head into my 40s and I'm not exercising as much.  One more good reminder that I need to make a positive food change, and I have serious reasons for doing this.

 

I feel really thin.  This may mean only that this is the way you feel when you eat well, but I will take it.  My rings are slipping around, but my underwear isn't loose at all--that's my standard measurement   I am peeing constantly.  Like a crazy amount.  Like I've worn the carpet down on the way to the bathroom.

 

Yesterday I snacked a little at night.  Half a can of olives (SO salty), some grapes with my son.  I ate a salmon cake that I made for today, Also a few small pieces of turkey dipped in the homemade mayo and an apple.  So much snacking!  I didn't need any of that.  I suppose that's the behavior part of this coming out.  Maybe it was because I'd just gone to the dentist and gotten stressful news.

 

But I have LOTS of bad food in my house right now, and again it was not hard to just reach in the fridge and make a better choice.

 

Today:

3 egg muffins (eggs, sprinkling of ground beef, chopped tomatoes, spinach in muffin tins) and a grapefruit

3 salmon cakes with homemade mayo/half mustard. 

strawberries in the afternoon

possibly going out for a steak salad tonight, no dressing needed.  It's big so I won't eat after that.

[pipes]

Fasting bs 186 this morniing. Mi don't,love the number, but it's down from the 200 it was. Day 6. Yesterday was the worst for cravings. It really was like a dragon following me around. Today I have plans....to keep me out, away from food, and if I'm out and starving, my first Lara bar.

[ShannonM816]

Fasting bs 186 this morniing. Mi don't,love the number, but it's down from the 200 it was. Day 6. Yesterday was the worst for cravings. It really was like a dragon following me around. Today I have plans....to keep me out, away from food, and if I'm out and starving, my first Lara bar.

Larabars are not going to do anything to help with your blood sugar levels or your sugar cravings. When you're planning to be out at mealtimes or need emergency food to carry just in case, pouches or cans of salmon or tuna, jerky, or something like Epic bars that are higher protein and less sweet would be better options. You could even carry a small insulated bag with chopped vegetables and some olives so you could make a full meal.

[pipes]

This weekend was so rough.  It was emotionally rough and that made the food part rough.  This morning I still have a headache, feel stressed, feel like one raw nerve.  Today is day 8.  Day 8 without touching sugar or dairy or grains.  It's really amazing.  It hurts right now, but I expect there will be another side of this.

 

I didn't take my sugars this morning.  I'm a little afraid at what the stress is doing to them.

 

My plan for today:

 

2 1/2 eggs with spinach

1 grapefruit

 

coffee with coconut milk

 

ground beef with chopped tomatoes

over mashed cauliflower

 

more leftover ground beef with steamed green beans

and a baked sweet potato

 

possible banana

[pipes]

DAY 9!!!

 

Yesterday, I am proud to say, I barely snacked!  I felt more full and my afternoon snack was just an iced coffee w coconut milk.  AND I didn't feel hungry for the first time.

 

Other important things:  I got off my ass and called an endocrinologist.  There's a big hassle with getting a referral from my former doctor who made me want to cry.  After seeing her I just freaked out and haven't been keeping up with my medical needs.  Big no no.  I am hopefully going to nip this in the bud and see a real endo next month.  Fingers crossed.

 

I am woefully constipated.  I think the banana didn't help me.  my planned dinner last night ended up being similar but actually more like a ground beef salad with some homemade lemony mayo as dressing.  oh, and some avocado.  Much more filling.

 

I was up about 6 times last night, WIDE AWAKE.  I ate some mashed cauliflower with ghee and 7 (really, 7) raisins in the middle of the night because I felt starving.  Changes in blood sugar?  I am not sure, but it was not a good night.  It made me feel hopeful...I want this body to do some major changes.

 

I went into my husband's trailmix (full of stuff we don't eat, peanuts, m&ms, etc) and ate out all of the almonds.  There weren't many but I still feel guilty

 

Today's food

 

Iced coffee/coconut almond milk

3 scrambled eggs with wholly guacamole

 

Salad with chopped chicken, olive oil & lemon for lunch.

 

Apple

 

Grilling (either chicken breast or ribs, not sure), baked potato with ghee, big pile of green beans.

[pipes]

Awww, when I got home from work last night my husband had bought the ingredients to make Whole 30 barbecue sauce (except for coconut aminos, or whatever that is, that seems expensive and not worth one recipe).

 

We had ribs for dinner and they were delicious with that sauce!!  I ended up putting some chicken legs/thighs and veggies in a crock pot with the remainder of the sauce and that was my breakfast.

 

I feel good.  I feel thinner, and I feel "cleaner"...less groggy, but that doesn't quite describe it.

 

I am suddenly waking up periodically at night and feeling very hungry.  two nights now.

 

breakfast:  slow-cooked chicken and brussel sprouts

lunch:  probably leftovers from that, feeling lazy.

snack: grapes, possibly 1 tbs almond butter

Dinner:  Big salad (going out) with oil/vinegar

 

I have not taken my blood sugars the last two days.  I am eating correctly, taking meds and making a doctor's appointment, but I am worried about being obsessive about whether this is "working" instead of trusting it.

[ShannonM816]

If you need to measure your blood sugar -- especially if you adjust how much medicine you take based on it or if you're going to need to report to your doctor, do take it. This is all about improving your health, and for some people, this measurement is a big part of that. 

 

Are you able to go 4-5 hours between meals? I see that you have a snack listed -- if you're not going 4-5 hours between meals yet, you may need to increase the size of your meals. If it's that your meals are actually further apart than that, it makes sense that you need to have an extra snack/meal, but it would be better if you had a mini-meal of protein, fat, and vegetables, or at least two of the three. Having fruit on its own can cause blood sugar to spike and then drop, which can leave you tired and craving sweet things. 

[pipes]

Are you able to go 4-5 hours between meals? I see that you have a snack listed -- if you're not going 4-5 hours between meals yet, you may need to increase the size of your meals. If it's that your meals are actually further apart than that, it makes sense that you need to have an extra snack/meal, but it would be better if you had a mini-meal of protein, fat, and vegetables, or at least two of the three. Having fruit on its own can cause blood sugar to spike and then drop, which can leave you tired and craving sweet things. 

I will still take my blood sugars, but I'm in no risk of going low (they have still not dropped even into a "slightly above normal" range.  I take them frequently (usually 3 times a day) and I just thought I needed a few days to take the meds, do the right eating and not stress about them.  I will have to report to a doc in a few weeks, so I'll probably be back on this weekend.  My primary goal in doing the Whole30 is to improve my blood sugar.  A few years ago I ate paleo for two weeks with my sister and for the FIRST TIME my morning numbers dropped under 100.  However, I had much better control when I started and was exercising more.

 

 

Lunch is at 12:30ish, but dinner sometimes not until almost 6.  I really am finding I need something in there.  I'm very happy to say that my 8am breakfast and 12:30 lunch don't need anything snack-wise! Sometimes I can get away with just a big iced coffee in the afternoon (with or without the coconut milk).  I have had days where I packed better for the afternoon snack, I was just lazy today...

[pipes]

A weird development on Day 10: my coworker orders tomato bisque and grilled cheese often for lunch.  On day 5 this sounded like the best thing Ever and I was suffering from the glorious aroma of that food.  Day 10 I don't really care.  I like my lunch.  When I imagine eating the bisque it seems like it would be too sweet, haha.

[pipes]

Day 11.  Woke up to a horrible blood sugar of 255. My highest fasting ever in my life, in the middle of not eating grains or sugar.  I feel very discouraged and depressed.  I cried a little.  I thought about quitting whole30 "what's the point?" 

 

There are factors--I am trying desperately to get in to see a new doctor because my last one was terrible, but in keeping with her terrible-ness, she's waiting forever to get me a referral and my new doc requires one.  I am not on insulin, as I used to be, because of two doctors insisting I didn't need to be and my old insurance company denying it.   I'm hoping the next one will see these numbers and put me on just a long-acting insulin.

 

The other factor is that I have a tooth that needs to be pulled.  I have an appointment in 6 days.  Maybe it's infected.  I don't know.  Either way I'm just really really frustrated.

 

The bad choice I've made so far is that I didn't eat breakast.  It's hard to eat after you see that number.  I've just been drinking water and just now I had what I had handy--a handful of shreeded coconut.

 

I'll have to eat eventually.  I realize that.  I'm just so afraid that whatever I want to eat will be in reaction to my sadness and not what I really should be eating.

[pipes]

DAY 14!!!!  wow.  I feel quite slim.  My clothes are looser and my tummy is not touching the steering wheel in my car.  I had a rough night yesterday and ate way too much "compliant" food.  I didn't eat anything off the program, but I snacked like mad.  So I'm not proud of that.  But there is much sugar in my house and I did not go for any of the stuff I could have!  I didn't even go for the low calorie non-dairy frozen treat my husband has saved up for me.

 

I want to talk about my blood sugars in case anyone in the future stumbles across this.  I feel like it's hard to find people really talking specifically.  For the last 10 days, my blood sugars have been very very good most of the day.  I am generally running in the 140s after most meals, occasionally hitting the 160s at night.  Interestingly, my fasting bs shoots up over 200 still.  I am hoping that will come down.  I have tried all the crazy recommendations, drinking 1/4 cup of vinegar before bed (ouch) protein before bed, taking metformin late at night.  Docs just try to give me more meds over all, but I just need to address the fact that obviously my liver is leaking sugars into my blood stream while I sleep.  Arrgh!  I am trying to see a new endo this month, and maybe more answers will come.  Or maybe on day 60 i'll have repaired my liver enough to go on!

 

I am thinking longer time this week.  This will end on June 22, but I don't want to go crazy.  I am absolutely not reintroducing grain and considering not reintroducing most dairy.  Then I'd like to try another whole 30 in July.  I can already tell positive changes here, I can't let go of.

 

A cure for my headaches seems to be 1/2 cup of coconut flakes (no sugar) and a seltzer water.  Not sure if that is generally accepted but it does wonders for me in the afternoon with my 5.5-6 hour stretch between lunch and dinner.

 

I believe that this program is so great for a lot of things, but to change my habits with just food is something that I don't think is easy for me.  I need other sources, more emotional and physical possibilities, in order to change habits like snacking and satiating bad feelings with food.

 

Today:

coffee w/ coconut milk

2 eggs, very small amount of ground beef, spinach

 

salad with chicken breast, homemade mayo dressing (i'm experimenting here, blended 1/2 avocado and a bunch of spices)

 

afternoon nectarine

 

ground beef, broccoli, hot sauce, raisins.  (weird but good)

i may have another decaf coffee w coconut milk after dinner

[pipes]

I'm here.  It's day 15.  I am feeling unexcited today.  I feel like I'm still having a lot of body adjustments, including momentary headache and nausea.

 

My skin is amazing.  I've never had problem skin but my skin is suddenly soft, extra moist and like...I'm 25 again.  (I am also getting pimples which I don't normally, but not that many).

 

My face looks thinner, and my clothes feel a bit looser.  I am not exercising much.  It's 112 degrees here today so I'm having trouble feeling physically inspired.

 

I'm still here though.

 

Breakfast: 3 eggs, 1/2 very small avocado, spinach, tbs salsa

lunch: sauteed cabbage with chicken curry (chicken, coconut milk, green thai chili, potatoes, squash pieces)

7 strawberries

dinner:  grilled salmon, salad, coconut

[pipes]

oh I had coffee too, with a tad of coconut milk.

[pipes]

Huh.  I got labeled "hot" this morning!

 

Today is like...day 16!  Holy crap.  I don't know if I feel this "tiger blood"thing yet.  I feel good.  I have no issues to speak of.  I take two diabetes medications (metformin and glipizide) and both of them are known for a myriad of gastro-intestinal side effects.  So I guess I am still having an occasional one of those.  But it's hard to tell, and it's not frequent.

 

Tomorrow I am having an old wisdom tooth pulled.  I know smoothies are not advised, but it may be a smoothie day.  I would say soup, but uh...105 degrees is the predicted high for tomorrow.  I am not sure I can do soup.

 

In the meantime, I am sticking to it.

 

Things I do very well:  I don't consider sugar, I don't open the pantry unless necessary, I don't take bites of my 3 year olds food.

Things requiring improvement:  portions (I ate probably 7 oz of salmon last night), nuts (I still love them), exercise (need a plan).

 

Today:

trying black "chai" tea instead of coffee.  Nothing added.

3 eggs, spinach, salsa, olives

 

big chicken thigh cooked in a pan with "italian seasoning" and ghee

all veggie salad, olive oil, vinegar, salt & peppa

 

very small measured out bag of coconut flakes, sliced almonds & raisins for my long afternoon break

 

hubby and I are going out, so still working on that plan.  Anyone want to suggest where to go?

[pipes]

Day 18.  I feel pretty darn good.  I am a little bored of cooking.  I had a tooth pulled yesterday so I am cheating and having vegetable juice.  I know this is off program, but the veggies are all getting stuck in my "tooth hole" unless I puree them.  For lunch I planned out some pureed cauliflower.  I'm enjoying the loose clothes.  Not super loose, I'd say.  For example, my pants from 20 pounds ago do not fit (ha).  But I am feeling somewhat "bouncy".  I notice that without carbs my morning diabetes med (glipizide) definitely makes me nauseous.  Having a little fruit usually helps.

 

Here's my day:

coffee with coconut milk (i put too much coconut milk in it and it was like having dessert!!)  oops.

Ok...two hard boiled eggs, can of spicy v8 juice (i know, not recommended)

 

caulfilower puree, another two eggs and a small container of chopped fresh pineapple

 

I'm going to attempt some pork chops, garlic sauteed spinach and possibly more pureed cauliflower.

 

Nice story:  last night we went out (why? I do not know) and I ordered a burger, no cheese, no bun.  Then after I ordered it I sat down and realized that they would probably put ketchup on it.  I shrugged and told my husband I'd just scrape it off (I was too shy and felt like I was being pushy).  So he went up to the counter (i didn't know) and told them "just mustard".  YAY   He can be supportive (even if he just bought two containers of ice cream this week).

 

My 3 year old keeps asking about what I'm eating all the time.  I am trying so hard to get him to join me, since he already has bad habits I've given him.  I made "cinnamon carrots" the other night (steamed baby carrots, cinnamon, ghee) and he liked them, but only ate one and then asked for Doritos.  trying.

[pipes]

This is day 21.  I went off this weekend where I ate a few bites of something with cane sugar in it.    I think I have struggled with not snacking from day 1.  I have a better idea of how to not do that now. 

 

The story of the slip follows (please don't make negative comments on this, I grew up with parents with severe eating disorders so I beat myself up plenty).:

 

1.  The idea is planted in my head by someone near and dear that if I'm not losing weight, what's the point?

2.  I feel thinner, though, and I assure them I'm losing weight.

3.  Hubby says he can feel the difference in me being smaller and I should definitely weigh myself, what could it hurt?

4.  I weigh myself, (I have, I'd say, about 80-90 lbs to lose) and I have lost 1.5 pounds in 19 days.  I am devastated.  I spend the whole morning in bed.  I try to work out how it is that I fail at everything, I have been trying to lose this weight my whole life, my good friend lost 13 pounds on this thing.  I am no longer myself.

5.  I talk myself into continuing.

6.  24 hours later I cheat, because that is my habit.

7. I wake up the next morning, to get better at this, because I believe as a diabetic that removing foods like sugars, grains and dairy cannot be anything but SMART.  I am playing a long game here, to live for my kids.  I am back on track.

 

So I don't know what day this is.  I think I may just get to 30 days, take a few days of planning the next one, and start my next whole 30.  I'm thinking July 1 would be a good day for the second one   I will have a new goal that time, not snacking.

 

In the meantime, I am here and I spent all yesterday cooking beautifully compliant foods!!!

breakfast: like....1/3 of an "egg pie"? whole recipe:  6 eggs, 1 zucchini, spinach, teeny tiny bit of ground beef, 1 small potato, layered in a pie pan.

coffee w/coconut milk, 6 raspberries

 

Lunch: meatballs (ground beef, spinach, spices), cauliflower pureed with 2 tbs homemade mayo

rest of raspberries (maybe 12)

 

Dinner: spaghetti squash, homemade spaghetti sauce, ground beef

nothing after dinner.

[ShannonM816]

Good job getting back on track.

Now work on upping your portion sizes. Your log reads like you're still thinking in terms of restricting, and you'll do a lot better with this if you don't. A serving of eggs is as many whole eggs as you can hold in your hand, which is probably three or four. Your egg pie sounds like probably two servings, and probably needed extra veggies and depending on how much coconut milk was in your coffee, may have needed more fat as well. Your dinner doesn't list any fat.

This isn't meant as criticism. It takes time to figure this stuff out. But I can tell you from experience it is a lot easier to resist the urge to go off plan if you are eating hearty meals that keep you satisfied 4-5 hours at a time.

Also, take the scale outside and smash it with a hammer or run over it with your car or just throw it in the trash. All it does is mess with your mind and you don't need it. If you're feeling good and you have energy, you are getting healthier, whether you are dropping weight as fast as you'd like to or not.

[WholeMama623]

Hello there! I've been reading your whole log so far, and just want to commend you for doing a great job. Try not to worry too much about the cane sugar because you're here and you are trying.

 

I had a moment like you described earlier. I did a whole30 and then chose to extend it to at least 60 days, so on day 31 I decided I was going to weigh myself. I had GAINED 2 lbs. I lost it. I ugly cried. I wanted to quit. I sat on that for a day or so, and got up more resolved than ever to keep going and ended up doing 100 days and it was the best thing I've ever done for myself.

 

So, keep going! if you want to do another in July, do it! Make more goals for yourself. I do think that you are not eating enough based off your log, and I know it's hard to wrap your head around eating MORE food. I find it hard to eat the template or I physically feel ill and cannot function, and this usually means I have to have a snack. Just try to do something with protein, like hardboiled eggs, or something that's not too snacky like nuts that you can eat, and eat.  It's also helpful to eat a LOT of the healthy fats and oils because they keep you full!!

 

I'm going to keep reading and following along. You are doing great.

[pipes]

Thank you for the encouragement! I'm here to see a real change in my health.

[pipes]

I am so baffled at how the scale last week showed a miniscule change, but I am absolutely feeling my clothes looser, and I have not gained any muscle, for sure, I am just walking a little bit each day.

 

I feel like my mind is playing games with me.

 

Today:

 

Eggs (not enough eggs I realized), zucchini, spinach, 1/2 potato, olive oil

1 nectarine because I was worried I still felt hungry

 

Black flavored coffee

 

Trying to find a meal that will tide me over 4.5 hours:

2 cups spaghetti squash sauteed with tomatoes, olive oil, green peppers, hot sauce

1 cup green beans, steamed

palm-sized portion of whole30 meat loaf

1/2 small avocado

(That was insanely filling.  It's 3:15, I ate that at noon, still definitely not hungry, have to make it to 5:30 though)

 

Dinner

Big salad with grilled chicken & salsa

[pipes]

I'm just checking in quickly. Coming near the end of this I am already making plans for my next one.  Good news is that my husband has learned to cook this stuff for me (and even ate a little).  I find changing my attitudes toward food is the hardest part.  I don't know if I can do that with eating.

[Jager07]

Hi there!  Your log is so brutally honest.  Thank you for sharing your journey. 

 

I'm starting Round 2 today if you'd like to partner up for your next go at this (or whenever you decide to start).