Miss_Clean Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 Hi everyone, I am so excited to have discovered this program. I am already eating paleo for the last couple of weeks and doing quite well, but sometimes it feels a bit lonely so I am so happy to find this forum and link up with like-minded people. Some of the things where Whole30 is stricter than paleo is absolutely no added sugar (I sometimes add stevia or coconut nectar though not often) and no baked goods even with paleo ingredients. I also sometimes have a sip of alcohol at a party so that will be a big challenge around the holidays! Currently, I am looking for meal plans so I can change up a bit what I am eating as it starts to be too much of the same stuff every week. I am not a natural cook though, so this part is hard for me. What are you all doing to keep your meals interesting? Hope to hear from others on your challenges or ideas for meal plans! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IGAmom Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 I am also starting tomorrow, 12-12-16! I have also done Paleo but fallen off the wagon several times. Starting is exciting! The first go around with Paleo I lost 69 pounds.. gained back 35. The weight loss is not my #1 driving force. I have IGA (autoimmune) kidney disease and need to restrict grains, dairy, legumes, and sugars. Thus to get and stay healthy, Whole30 sounds like my prescription. For me I need to know how these "bad" foods affect me down to the cell level. Then when I start to cheat, I know just how that bite will damage my body and I can pass it by. Sorry I am not a help with resources. Just wanted to connect our starting dates. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I am disciplined and empowered Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 Exciting! And Hello! I have accessed the daily emails and in them there are tons of recipes. I am excited about pad Thai as well as the coconut amino peanut sauce called sunshine sauce... have you tried that? Or seen it? I like to enjoy an occasional puff so that is going to be my hardest challange over the holidays. I also enjoy a glass of wine but I hate the day after so no big deal. I do see how substances put me into a cyclic of negetive feelings and then bad eating habits. That being said I started on Monday as well. I feel good. Although my bowels are not quite healthy yet. I have not cheated and I won't. Not even a bite. And watching my bowels is my game changer. I am an active wellness coach and to realize I have been putting unhealthy food into my one and only body for so many years...it makes me happy I am here now. Thanks to you both. I look forward to connecting more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna-B Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 Finally found someone brave who started it just before holidays. Hi! This is my first round and I also started from 12/12. So far so good. But the one thing I messed up with is an almond milk (I overlooked the brand I bought contained cane juice and it's off-program). So it's possible I'll extend the program for these three days I had this milk in my plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elsie Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 I started my first round on 12/12, too! The biggest reason I've decided to do this is to see if some foods might have an effect on my chronic depression. I know that diet has been found to be effective in keeping various psychological issues under control for some people, and I would love to give this a try. I'd also like to just feel healthier in general. After having two kids, I'm in the upper range of the "healthy weight" for my body frame, so if Whole30 also helps me shed a few pounds, I wouldn't be against that either. It's going well so far; I've found lots of interesting recipes online and am really enjoying the food. The most difficult thing for me so far has been not snacking. I'm realizing what a habit it was for me to nibble on different foods all day long - not because I was hungry, but out of boredom or just because something "sounded" good. Compliant meals are really leaving me satisfied, which helps keep me out of the pantry. It's been eye-opening though; before, I never would have said that I was a snacker. The one issue I'm having is with bloating/water retention. For the past few days, my hands have felt really swollen and my rings fit tighter. Is anyone else having this issue? I can't imagine what could be causing it, unless it's one of the symptoms of detox. Anyway, I'm so happy to find like-minded people here on this forum. I'm definitely going to need the support to make it through the holidays with absolutely no cheating (champagne, I'm looking at you!!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna-B Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 @elsie so cool, it's more and more of us who is doing it right now! As for your bloating/water retention, I understand that some symptoms (any) can be noticed during first days. I feel strange, for example. I'm quite emotional starting from day 3, and like I'm noticing everything around, every movement of the leaf... all sounds I hear, I notice them... like each sound is so special. I didn't experience that before.I'd not say it's because I don't take wine these days, I had periods without a glass of wine before. But really, something different now. Besides weight loss (which would be great), I want to get health benefits, of course. I also want to get rid of dermatitis (I have some on the neck behind the ears and on the chest, for years) and acne. After reading a lot of reviews, I can see that many people got terrific results for their skin. I even made photos today, so I can compare them with results I get in the day 30. What do you all plan to have in Christmas/New Year Eve? What will you drink? Eat? How your family members react? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elsie Posted December 16, 2016 Share Posted December 16, 2016 First major challenge: I made a huge batch of chocolate chip cookies for the teachers at my daughter's school WITHOUT SO MUCH AS EVEN LICKING A FINGER!!! Oh my goodness, I'm not going to lie...it was really difficult! The dough looked delicious and the cookies smelled so good straight out of the oven! I'm really proud of myself, though, and I don't feel frustrated or deprived. I know that cookies will always be there for when it's really worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna-B Posted December 17, 2016 Share Posted December 17, 2016 17 hours ago, elsie said: I know that cookies will always be there So powerful. We can change "cookies" for anything else. For me it's like...I know that bread, honey and wine will always be there... It helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarcyArnold Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 Hi everyone! I am so thankful to have found this group! I started on 12/13! So I am in just about the same boat as you all, just a day behind! The reason I started the Whole30 was twofold: 1) My best friend wanted to find a diet that could help with her Crohn's disease and I told her that if she found something that I would do it with her. Well, I actually found Whole30 and ended up loving it, and she found something super Crohn's specific, but that is still similar to the Whole30. This way we are able to do it together and I am able to help and encourage her. 2) I was never really aware of how many issues in my body were caused by food. I'm young, unmarried, no kids, and I think that this is definitely the best time to figure out how my body works, what food works best for me, and the best way to cook most effectively for not only myself but for my future family. I struggle with minor issues like migraines and many people have tried to point me to solutions before, I think the Whole30 will give me some answers to those problems. Other than that, I am definitely just wanting a more whole, healthier, happier version of myself. I am already learning that comfort doesn't come from food. I have sought some direct accountability (outside of my best friend) at home. So my mom is doing it with me! I am so thankful to have found people that are willing to take on this time of the year too! I was telling one of my closest friends just the other day that if I can get through this season I can definitely say no to a plain old chocolate chip cookie when April comes around! Ha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna-B Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 How is everybody doing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elsie Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 Doing well, moving into the end of the first week! I've been surprised by what has and hasn't been difficult...no sugar - surprisingly not so difficult, no mindless snacking - surprisingly very difficult. This morning, while getting dressed, I noticed that my midsection is a little less "fluffy" than usual (I have a sneaking suspicion that bread gives me tummy bloat and am very interested to see if the reintroduction period confirms that). My hands are still a bit swollen, but less than before. But most of all, I'm just really enjoying the food. I've found lots of recipes online and everything I've tried so far has been so flavorful and filling! Even my kids are enjoying it, and my two year old is usually very picky. That, in itself, is a victory. I'm the only one in the house doing a "real" Whole30; my husband and kids are still having bread, dairy, and the occasional sweet. We're all eating the same meals, though. My husband has been really considerate and tries to eat "treats" out of my view. I'm starting to consider my game plan for Christmas and New Year's. As usual, I'm in charge of making the dessert for Christmas dinner, so that will be a particular challenge for me. We're also going to a fancy New Year's party this year, which will surely be filled with temptation. I have a hard time saying "No", out of politeness, so I'm trying to prepare myself mentally for declining offers of certain foods and, most of all, alcohol. I'm feeling really motivated after this first week and I just hope that that same motivation will carry me through the holidays and into January. How about everyone else? How are you feeling after this first week? What particular challenges will you be facing over the holiday? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarcyArnold Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 I am also doing pretty well! Yesterday was a super busy day, so in those days I found that I need to do better at meal-prep before hand. For lunch, I ended up having to just through together a salad and put some left over turkey meatballs and complaint bacon on top. It wasn't bad, but it also wasn't ideal. The recipes have also been so fun for me! One of my favorites has been the chili! I don't know if you all have tried it yet, but I would definitely suggest it! Tonight for dinner, we are having an Italian Chicken Stew. I am really excited about it. We love warm soups and stews, especially with it being so cold out. I'm attending a family party on Wednesday where we are all going to watch a basketball game. This will also serve as a holiday party. The food of choice is going to be pizza (Honestly, this has been one of the foods that I have thought about the most, which is strange because I really don't eat that much of it normally. Maybe just the combination of bread and cheese right now sounds good.) But, I think I have decided to just bring my own meal since I know it is family and that they won't mind. I have a delicious BBQ Meatball recipe that I'm excited to try for that day! Other than that, today starts some holiday baking that I must get done for friends and family. I have tried to be intentional about picking things that are still tasty, but not necessarily my favorites. We will still see how it goes. Here's to not even licking my finger! @elsie, it is so encouraging to hear that your kids are loving your meals! I am so glad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
We've got this Posted December 21, 2016 Share Posted December 21, 2016 Hello everyone, I also started December 12th so I've enjoyed your posts and decided to join in the discussion. Are you hearing from many people how silly it is to try to eat differently during the holidays? I think we are brave and committed to doing something good for ourselves during this time. Let's keep the positive energy going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarcyArnold Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 How is everyone feeling about now? I read on the Whole30 timeline that Days 10 and 11 can be the hardest days. I'm sure you all are doing FANTASTIC. Is everyone feeling ready for Christmas? I know I still have a little bit of baking to do. Some of it has proved easier than I anticipated and some of it has proved to be a lot harder to resist. What are you all doing to gear up for family gatherings and holiday parties? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elsie Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 The last couple of days have been a bit more difficult for me; I'm sure it has something to do with being in the kitchen a lot, baking holiday treats. I did have a snack today to keep the cravings at bay (an apple with organic 100% almond butter). I know that's not recommended, but I felt like it was either 1) have a compliant snack, or 2) dive head-first into the bowl of coconut cream cake batter...so I went with the compliant snack. haha. I'm starting to feel an increase in energy, which is great -- especially for taking care of all those last-minute holiday chores/errands. I just generally find myself feeling "better" and am looking forward to that feeling continuing as the 30 days continue. I've been giving a lot of thought into continuing a Whole30-ish diet after the 30 days are over (I guess that would be a Paleo diet?). Is anyone else considering this? If so, will you do the reintroduction period first, or will you just continue eating compliant foods indefinitely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleighwilson Posted December 25, 2016 Share Posted December 25, 2016 Hi all! I started 12/12 also! This is my 3rd time doing Whole30 and it's surprisingly been super easy so far. Today, however, I started to question my decision to do this through the holidays! I tried to prepare as much as I can for Christmas Day tomorrow so we'll see how I feel! I've noticed that if I stay on top of eating meals, then my cravings are usually minimal...but if I wait until I'm SUPER hungry, then all I want to do is eat all the junk food!! Anyways, it's nice to have others doing it at the same time! Keep pushing through! We are almost half way there! "Tiger Blood" feelings are on the horizon! Merry Christmas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
We've got this Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 Merry day after Christmas everyone! Well, it was a family eating and drinking fest at my house yesterday but I managed to stay on the program, a first for me. Not sure why the energy was there but pre-planning does seem to be the key. How did everyone else survive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elsie Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 I survived!!! For cocktail hour, I stuck with olives, veggie sticks, and boiled shrimp with sparkling water. Dinner itself wasn't so bad - most of it actually ended up being compliant. I did eat a clementine while the others ate Yule Log, which I'm not sure follows the rules 100% (it was technically "dessert"), but I'm not going to beat myself up over a piece of fruit. Now I have a week of "normal" eating until the next challenge arrives: New Year's Eve. I'm actually a little more nervous about that one than I was of Christmas, but sticking to the plan through one holiday makes me feel like I can do it again. Hope everyone else is doing well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarcyArnold Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 I am so, so glad that we have all made it through Christmas successfully! I can also report that I have survived these past few days! Most of the time it wasn't too bad at all, but there were definitely times when I was aware of all of the things that I wasn't eating. Unfortantely, my entire family has gotten sick. I just haven't felt like meal prepping much or cooking much at all. So, I've just been sticking to simple meals that can give me some protein. I haven't found a whole lot of bland/good for a sick stomach Whole30 meals yet. We've also been eating some leftovers that we've had (thankfully roast, potatoes, and carrots lasts a while). Hopefully, energy will pick up soon and we'll feel like being back in the kitchen. @elsie, I wouldn't feel bad at all about your snack choice or the clementine. I think that both of those choices were great options during the holiday circumstances! We're halfway there!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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