We Got a First Timer Over Here! Round 1 for Ariane

[Ariane]

So I just realized that you can just keep replying to yourself to keep a diary of your daily experiences.  Wow.  I'm only 12 days late. Oh well.

So yeah!  Today is DAY freakin 12 for me!  I'm not only in the double digits, but almost half-way.  My biggest NSV today is that I realized I don't even care about the number of days left anymore.  I don't have that dragging feeling that I wish this would just be over already.  This is a huge deal for me cause perhaps I'm actually finally developing a habit that will stick.  I feel so energized, no bloating for over a week, and I'm finally getting this meal planning down to a science!  Of course my boyfriend plays a big part in keeping me motivated because he is so supportive and helps out with the cooking, but overall the looking for recipes and the challenge of finding compliant ingredients are the highlight of this whole program for us.  And another NSV--we've gotten 5 people to at least listen to us make our case as to why they should try this program, with 3 actually committing to doing it!  Preachin the word to those who will listen.  Another NSV: this is ovulation week for me and usually I'm bloated, tired and sleepy in the afternoons and really emotional and highly irritable.  Those symptoms have greatly been reduced.  I even challenged myself at the gym today, running faster and lifting heavier, and doing more reps!  Gosh--life has always been great for me but now I feel like I'm on a whole other level.  I'll admit, I still miss ice cream daily but today was the first day that the Sugar Dragon didn't creep up on me--another NSV.  I think one of the adjustments that I made is that I incorporate a little bit of fruit at the end of my meals.  Who knows? It works!  

 

Anyway, it's 8 pm and I'm already sleepy.  Can't way to seize another day tomorrow.  

[Kelbel123]

Fantastic! 

Keep up the good work - love your attitude. 

[Ariane]

Star Date Day 15: THE HARDEST DAY THUS FAR

For the past 15 days, I have managed to survive the cravings, the temptations, and especially the temptation to just throw in the towel.  For some reason, today was especially hard.  I'm attributing all of these negative emotions to PMS and I'm hoping in the next couple of days I'll feel differently.  But yes, today was a complete mental struggle with myself.  I had to have a rebuttal for every question that went through my mind.  For instance--why am I doing this again?  This was the hardest question to fend off.  I think because I've never really been an "unhealthy" eater so to speak.  I'm not the type to eat a bag of chips or put butter on my toast.  I don't particularly like drinking lattes and drink soda about once every 4 months.  So I'm asking myself, why am I doing this?  But now as I'm typing, I realize that even though I avoid a lot of "bad" foods, I've always had cravings I could never say now to and that I have certain habits of eating a lot of not "worth it" foods just because it's there.  I also utilize food as a means of dealing with boredom.  I've learned a very important lesson about myself--that while I may not binge on "bad" foods, I also can't say no when I see candy or desserts in our break room.  I've always been mad at myself cause I couldn't for the life of me get myself to eat even 1 portion of veggies some days.  This program has showed me that a relatively "healthy" person still can have internal struggles with food and that this is normal and happens to the best of us.  So the best thing I can do is to just acknowledge that I feel the way I feel today--that yes I don't really want to do this anymore and hope for a better day tomorrow cause I will finish 30 days.  It's just taxing when I have to be out with other people and eat at restaurants, watching others eat the things that really are "worth it" to me.  That is extremely grueling.  For sure that's the hardest part of all of this because I really have a passion for great food and have already known the "worth it" foods.  I've formulated a list in my head for when I finish this program.

Just for future reference when I hit another low day:

• Remember--it's only for 30 days
• Remember--seeing how happy my boyfriend is with his results is important so I have to stick to it for his sake too
• Remember--there are going to be bad days like this and it will pass
• Remember--how much energy you have now and how much better you're sleeping, how much better your clothes look on you and feel
• Remember--you rant a marathon and that was way harder
• Remember--prevention is better than treatment; investing in your health is the most important thing you can do for yourself
• Remember--you are not alone

[Ariane]

Star Date Day 16:  Living as a Whole30er in a NonWhole30 World

Today was another challenging day as a Whole30er.  Met a lot of people with a lot of questions who don't know what I'm doing and why.  Yes, this "eating plan" is extreme and yes even I can't believe I'm doing it and have gotten this far.  Just keep telling myself--nothing worth doing is ever easy and that you gotta take the hard path in order to grow.  

So today was 1: my friend's daughter's baptism and 2: my daughter's birthday dinner back to back.  The morning started ok until 1.5 hours prior to the baptism I realized "What the heck am I gonna eat the whole day?"  Well my backup plans: bring compliant dressing and order a salad at some restaurant or pack my own food.  Didn't have time for the latter for sure so I brought my own dressing (and freakin left it at the restaurant . So after breakfast, I realized that I'm just gonna have to eat right after the baptismal ceremony and be late to the reception.  The reception was gonna be at a Chinese restaurant, the Mecca of non-Whole30.  So we went to a Japanese restaurant prior to the reception and thank goodness!  They had so much food available.  Got grilled fish x3--mackerel, salmon, & hamachi.  Got 3 types of sashimi.  Ordered a side salad no dressing.  BAM!  Made it through one meal.  Got to the reception and people were wondering why I wasn't eating.  I dodged the question by  playing with Ella (the baby who got baptized!). BAM made it through there alive.  I just realized I'm picky about cakes now.  I'm not just gonna eat every cake served at a party.  From now on, I'm gonna wait till someone eats a piece, ask them if it's good and then maybe I'll try it.  Same way with cookies and cake pops.  I just remembered something from the book Essentialism:  if it's not a definite yes, then it's a definite NO.  That's how I'm gonna view my "worth it" foods.  They must be a complete "yes this is the best thing created on Earth" for me to even taste it.  Otherwise, I'll pass.  So I made it pass that.  People are saying "You're already skinny friend.  You don't need a diet."  I just didn't want to explain myself.  I know this isn't about weight anymore.  In fact it never has been.  It's about giving myself a change to reset my cravings.  That was my reply and yes, the rebuttals were infinite.  Like "We'll see about that on day 31."  I mean yes I crave ice cream everyday and I think about 10x a day literally, but the difference now is that I can not eat ice cream and I'm ok--genuinely.  Yes I miss it but I won't die without it.  Another NSV for me.  And I noticed my slacks are a little looser on me!  NSV #2.  My aunt asked me what I'm doing and why I look like a twig!  NSV #3.  Not dreading this life for the next 14 days-NSV #4.  I hope to feel the same way tomorrow!

[Ariane]

Star Date Day 17:  How Whole30 Is Like Your Ex-Boyfriend

So today is Day 17 and I'm at that point where I know I'm gonna finish Whole30 it's just I'm so damn bored with this way of eating already!  I had a full day at work and had to eat out for lunch and dinner.  Can I just say dinner was pretty sad--burger on lettuce.  No Bueno.  I kept thinking, "Wow.  This does make a difference when it's on bread."  But again, maybe that because we expect burgers to be on buns cause that's how they originally were designed.  But they don't really have to be eaten on a bun if you don't like buns!  OK.  Tangent.  Anyway, it's been a rough day.  I always start off strong in the mornings, determined.  Then lunch rolls around and I get restless.  By dinner, I just don't even have the mental energy to expend on what to eat next.  I guess I better work on this tomorrow.  

Breakfast:. shrimp and spinach omelette

Lunch:. Beet salad with shrimp?

Dinner:  Help me!

 

Anyway in the car, I thought about how doing Whole30 is akin to you're boyfriend--you wanna let it go but you can't cause of all the benefits that you , in the end, reap from doing Whole30.  It's like Whole30 has this hold on you even though you so badly wanna eat ice cream.  For instance:

• getting rid of bloating
• weight loss
• energy gained
• increased self-confidence
• satisfaction of knowing that you're doing something majorly good for your health
• satisfaction of knowing that you're doing something 98% of people will flat out refuse to do cause it's too hard
• personal growth from accomplishing something so hard
• people commenting on how you've lost weight
• getting to be creative with food and amazing others
• developing will power to say no to foods
• getting rid of cravings

I used to think those who were on Day 18 we're so lucky and was amazed on how far they've made it.  Well look at me now!  I've made it just as far and know deep in my heart I will finish.  12 days seems so far from now but it really isn't cause time passes so fast.  Trying to stay strong.  Eat not so much for pleasure these next 12 days!  Keep telling yourself that.  

[Sarah_MT]

Congrats on all the hard work you've put in so far!

I'm on Day 9 myself...looking forward to the challenge you're going through (looking forward as in time not forward as in excited about).  Hearing you triumph over your tepmtations is inspiring, keep it up!