Starting February 20

[Lilkathy]

Just found these two articles that are making me feel a little better about reintroduction. Thought I'd share:

http://whole30.com/2012/01/ride-your-own-bike-2/

http://whole30.com/2014/09/dear-melissa-slow-reintroduction-roll/

[Allison1022]

Day 29!  We are almost to the end!  I'm excited to do the reintroductions to see how my body reacts.  I'm going to do the standard reintroduction, but start with Dairy because cheese is what I miss the most.  I have cheese slices all prepped for my lunch on Wednesday.  I think I'll get a little ice cream for dinner to test that out.  I'm going to skip milk and yogurt because I never really liked those anyways unless they were chocolate milk or strawberry yogurt.  I haven't really missed the other things so much, but I know I'll want them again on occasion so I'm going to find out how they affect me too.    I've decided that going forward for all the non-compliant stuff, I will still not keep it in the house regularly like I did before.  I will only eat them on special occasions, etc. 

I wouldn't necessarily say I'm feeling "Tiger Blood", but I have noticed a lot new NSVs over the last week or so.  The dark circles under my eyes are gone!  I've had them since high school and it didn't really matter how much sleep I was getting.  Also, my menstrual cramps are about 95% better.  At the beginning of the Whole30, I needed 800mg-1600mg of ibuprofen a day for 4-5 days to keep the pain manageable.  I'm on day 2 and have only taken 400mg TOTAL! So, that's huge.  My seasonal allergies are also much better.  When I started, I took an OTC allergy pill every day or like clockwork I would start sneezing.  Now, I can go about every other day before symptoms reappear.  Spring is usually my biggest trigger season, so I'm hoping that as the seasons change, I'll be able to reduce that even more.  Another big change, is that I'm finally learning how to cook!  It's been mostly my husband that's been the cook in our household, because I never felt particularly good with knives and I couldn't do anything without a specific recipe.  And forget me trying to cook meat correctly.  Well I did the meal-prep for the week yesterday completely by myself!  I cooked up all the meat, chopped all the veggies, creating my breakfast concoction without using a recipe.  And I did it in just over an hour!  Then, probably the biggest NSV for me is the craving.  They are mostly gone.  Even by suggestion or when everybody else around me has something.  This weekend in my class, it was the last day so everybody had decided  before hand to order pizza.  I, of course, opted out and brought my own food, but thought it was be hell to sit there and smell the pizza and watch everybody else eat it.  This is the same class that has the huge bowls of candy that I have been avoiding like the plague since the class began 3 weeks ago.  The pizza came and the smell filled the whole room.  It smelled really good, but I was perfectly happy with my Tuna pouch and veggies and other compliant items I brought with me.  It was kinda amazing to discover that the smell was enough for me.  I didn't need to go gorge myself on pizza to be satisfied.  We went shopping after class and my husband was getting hungry before we were done (because he ate pizza and not my template meal :D) So, he stopped and got fast food and filled up the car with those smells again.  He even got Cheddar Bites (my favorite!).  But again the smells were enough and I knew I was not yet hungry.  I'm also continually surprised by how my taste buds are noticing sweetness is foods that I never noticed before.  Like Carrots taste much sweeter to me now.  Fruit, of course, tastes much sweeter than before.  I ate a grape yesterday and it tasted so good!  Nothing like the watery, blah, nothing ball that it tasted like before I started!  

For the standard reintro, are days 2-3 (after day 1 of a reintro of one of the groups) supposed to be strict Whole30?  Or is it ok to relax on the added sugar piece?

[brandyontherun]

11 hours ago, Lilkathy said:

Just found these two articles that are making me feel a little better about reintroduction. Thought I'd share:

http://whole30.com/2012/01/ride-your-own-bike-2/

http://whole30.com/2014/09/dear-melissa-slow-reintroduction-roll/

Very helpful articles.  Thanks for sharing.

I'm on day 30 today!

[brandyontherun]

Day 30 update & NSVs:

1.  My energy levels are officially stable, which is AMAZING.  I was previously crashing mid day every day and hungry at ridiculous times all day long.  Not anymore!
2. My gut loves me for perhaps the first time ever. No more bloating, pain, cramps, constipation, etc.
3. I've learned so much about cooking, something I didn't know how to do before really.  My grocery bill is up about $60/month but NONE of that food is going in the trash.  It's worth every extra dollar.  I'm eating and loving more vegetables then ever.  This is the thing I am happiest about in regards to my whole30 experience... I feel like I understand food more and I am enjoying planning, prepping, and cooking.  Not something I ever thought I would say!
4. I miss regular butter like crazy and it's the first thing I'm adding back.  I'm worried dairy might cause some problems though so I'll be taking it easy and doing it mindfully.
5. I don't miss grains at all.... I'm debating if/when I want to reintroduce grains.  I won't be adding back sugary treats or junk food until I have a super awesome great reason.     

That's all for now.  I'll be taking measurements/after pics/weighing in soon.  But I already have several pairs of pants that are fitting better, so I'm not too concerned about the actual numbers!

[Kelley Flees]

@brandyontherun Yes!! I too don't want to add sugary items back into my diet. Why do it? Why add that stress back? Other people are so controlled by a sugary treat. I want to continue this freedom. I want to be an example. 

I had a dream last night that I ate a cheese quesadilla before I was "allowed" and I hated it. I could not eat it all. I find it funny. It is not like that was something I ate a lot before. 

I think over these next 30 days is where we are really testing our desires and food. We are making changes that we want to continue forever. We have the opportunity to evaluate food and decide what we think is best for us. I find freedom in this process. It is certainly on my mind. 

I know I have gained muscle over the past month. I am not missing the weekly stress of weighing myself and letting that number on the scale determine my level of happiness. I am curious to weigh myself, but I am super excited to continue to walk in the freedom from the scale. It must not control us. 

[DotinTO]

Happy DAY 30!!!

I accidentally licked a spoon I used to stir the (non-compliant) gravy last night and had a moment of panic. Do I start over?! I figure the trace amounts of whatever I wasn't supposed to have aren't going to do me any harm, especially this close to the finish line. At least, that's what I'm telling myself

Anyway, on this, our last official day, I wanted to say thank you to all of you for your funny, honest, and inspiring posts. I'm planning to continue on this food journey, as I still don't feel like I've got it 100% down, but I will be doing a slightly less stringent version. The stress of having to make sure there isn't honey in my salad dressing and not being able to enjoy eating out with my family is not something I will miss, though I will be sticking primarily to the rules and only making exceptions occasionally.

Hope you all have a great day.

[JenniferPasoFino]

I am going to weigh myself tomorrow morning first thing, and I am so excited!!  Although, if it's not that dramatic, I won't be discouraged as I am doing at least one more 30 (with an occasional glass of wine and grain free oatmeal.)  My clothes are looser, my watch and rings are much looser, I am sleeping solidly through the night and I have steady energy throughout the day.

My normal morning time is 5:20, but I got up early this morning specifically to make the whole30 lasagna recipe that Aurora suggested. So I have to say (and I'm a New Yorker) Holy Cannoli!!  That lasagna is amazingly good!  And teenager approved  Thank you for sharing the recipe. it was well worth getting up early to make.

Until tomorrow....

[MargaretAM]

Wow Day 30. We made it! No matter what your reintroduction plan, no matter what your results, our commitment to doing this together makes me feel such joy, pride and camaraderie with each of you, especially as I read the most recent posts. 

@Lilkathy thank you so much for those links. Part of what "sold" me on the Whole30 is their realistic and balanced approach outside of the 30 days. I am a therapist and I have worked with eating disorders and (obviously!) have my own struggles  with food and my body. In the ED world, there is a term "orthorexia" which refers to compulsivity about and preoccupation with healthy eating rules. W30 specifically discourages this kind of relationship with their rules/guidelines but instead lays out a path to finding ***freedom***.  Much harder in the short run but much healthier in the long run.

Having said that, I am in no hurry to reintroduce and definitely am going to wait with any dessert-y thing or breads until, as @brandyontherun said, I have a "super awesome great reason." That is a great bar!

@xfrapgirl how are you feeling?

@brandyontherun I also love reading your NSVs. I am going to go through the W30 NSV list later today and will post. Here is a link if you haven't seen it http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-nsv.pdf

Have a great day.

[TryingOver]

Today starts my restricted diet for my medical procedure. No vegetables other than potatoes for the next three days! After enjoying so many! 

I have really enjoyed being part of this group. It definitely helped make the 30 days go by faster. I hope everyone is celebrating the huge achievement of sticking to healthy choices! Thank you all for sharing your journey, victories and struggles, and your awesome recipe finds.

I'll share a few of my NSVs: 

My hair looks great. It is shiny without looking greasy and it feels stronger. 

I haven't been eating for stress/comfort and have had significantly fewer snacks. 

I've been consistently increasing my mini-workouts and have worked out or done yoga every day for the last 2 weeks! Consistency is key. 

My clothes fit better. 

and I have a good plan to continue these changes (including signing up for a CSA so that I can get fresh, local produce all summer). 

We'll be doing another 30 days starting 3/27 (after my medical procedure) and then doing slow reintroductions, starting with legumes and then non-gluten grains. If we reintroduce those without issue, we'll be doing a vegetarian Whole30 (as I mentioned previously). We both have some health issues we're working on, and 1 round won't be enough to get the healing we want to see, but I also know that this isn't intended to be "Whole365." Eventually we'll also reintroduce added sweeteners (honey and maple syrup) as well as possibly gluten grains for me (I have a loaf of local sourdough bread in the freezer calling my name). Unfortunately I already know dairy is a problem, but I may try reintroducing goat's milk or sheep's milk to see if I can tolerate that better. 

[ShellyM]

Thanks for all the inspiration and support during the past 30 days!  I am of the same mind as @DotinTO, going to stick with the W30 plan but not get all stressed out about salad dressing and being able to enjoy a meal out with family or friends. Here are some NSVs I have noticed:

1. Lost a few pounds and feel less puffy, especially around the middle.  Clothes fit better.

2.  Energy levels much more even, don't have that craving for a "snack" at 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon. I can walk through Grand Central Terminal without feeling the urge to buy something for the train ride home. 

3. Sleeping MUCH BETTER; plus my husband is snoring MUCH LESS which is also contributing to a better night's sleep.

4. Less bladder urgency.  

5. Greater confidence in the kitchen, better meal planning, better use of food $$. @brandyontherun I am definitely spending more money in the supermarket but not buying lunch is a huge savings (lunch in midtown Manhattan is easily $10/day). 

I hope those of you who are staying "mostly Whole30" will stick around here.  @TryingOver wishing you the best of luck on your journey.  

 

[Kabob]

Thanks y'all for being here during the last 25 or so days (I found this thread after being a part of a facebook support group where people "cheated" and continued their countdown, oh the horror, LOL). Being able to read your posts has inspired me to carry on. I'm super stoked that I finally completed another Whole30. I've attempted about twice as many as I've completed, so it's always a good feeling to get to the "finish" line. 

I mostly did it as a reset. I know what foods I shouldn't eat so I will resist eating them until I cannot anymore and then I'll do another Whole30. How I feel physically and how tight my jeans are are usually my motivators. Wish I could treat myself and then get back on the straight and narrow, but so far that hasn't been my m.o.

I feel pretty good and want this feeling to continue. My hope is that you all get as much out of this as I have over the years. Thanks again.

[clara912]

Wow!  Day 31 is finally here!  I'm glad I took this journey with you all.    I made a bee line to the scales this morning and was shocked that I GAINED 1 pound.   I had been eating pretty clean before I started whole30, so I knew I would NOT be the one who would lose 10 lbs, but I did think I would lose 2-3, so I am a bit disappointed in that.  I am proud that I stayed committed to the entire 30 days with not even one cheat or snack.  Maybe it's my thyroid level fighting me yet again??  I do still feel better and have energy..... not "over the top"energy.....but "steady" energy,  throughout the day without any fatigue.  I will probably go back to low carb eating  rather than paleo as I do believe my body just doesn't do well with carbs like potatoes.  I certainly enjoyed my one serving of potatoes with dinner for most of this plan.  I also had added 1 fruit with most lunches, and I had not been eating much fruit at all prior to whole30.  It felt liberating to completely eliminate sugar....including the fake stuff, which I had never given up in the past.  Good grief its in everything you pick up!  LOL!  So all in all, I'm happy that I have experienced the whole30 and for the first time in my life, will truly be able to assess how foods affect ME during the reintroduction phase.   I missed my cheese, so dairy was first on the list.  Just finished a bacon, spinach, mushroom, onion and cheese omelet.  YUM!  

Good luck everyone with your journey moving forward!  Will enjoy reading everyone's posts about their evaluation and plans.

[JenniferPasoFino]

Good morning all, I had to go re-read my post yesterday about how excited I was and how I would not be disappointed if the weight loss wasn't dramatic because all the other feel-goods are great. Well, I certainly didn't expect to not lose one single pound.  In fact, I thought it was impossible, given how much I had gained and how much I need to lose. I was telling everyone I knew and even those I didn't, that the expected weight loss, based on how clothes are fitting and how I feel is somewhere between 10-15 pounds. I was secretly thinking 17 and mentally preparing for the worst if it was, oh, say 6.  But no. Zero.

The old me would have called in sick to work and had a blow out day with a bottle of  whatever-Is-handy. But instead I did deep breathing exercises.  I read forum after forum, post after post. People just like me, and I get it. It takes time and the progress need not be un-done with recklessness or discouragement. It's not a straight line curve (what does that even mean? oxymoron. straight line curve.)  

I'm not going to quit. I plan to do another 30 and not undo the momentum but I would be lying if I said I wasn't pissed off. I do want to read about everyone else's thoughts on their 30 days, and thank you Clara for posting yours, you are much more upbeat than me  

[*Aurora*]

I've loved reading your NSV's and the benefits that you've felt after W30!  I hope those that didn't lose don't feel too discouraged as you've still been doing great things for your body and helping it heal. 

Personally, my skin looks better (although I still do get hormonal breakouts... seriously, you think you'd be done with this by 40).  My clothes fits better and I've gone down a size.  My tummy issues have dissapeared and I feel great.  I'm sleeping way better and my husband says I'm not snoring (yay!).  I've had lots of comments that I've lost weight especially in my face. I wish my face were clearer and I really gave to get more active... more to work on! I almost don't want to mention it... I don't want to make anyone feel discouraged... but I am down 10lbs and have lost 2" on both my chest and waist!

I'm going to continue to at least W40 and then I think I'll do the reintroductions.  I know dairy will be out and I really don't want to start sugar again.  I know my sugar dragon will rear its ugly head!

 

[MButcher]

Thanks everyone for the inspiration and accountability! I seriously couldn't have done this without you.

I'm waiting till tomorrow to post measurements, when I'll have access to the same scale as I did at the beginning.

But some NSVs:

-clearer skin

-stronger workouts

 -not feeling guilty about my food choices

-learning more about how certain foods affect me

-freedom to enjoy people/activities without obsessing on food (this is still a work in progress)

For my first "reintros," I'm actually doing walnuts today and almonds on Saturday, because I had some issues with one of them and not sure which. So I cut them out for a few days and let the symptoms go away and now want to try them one at a time to see if one or both causes the problems. Then I'll do the typical reintro plan, and decide where to go from there.

@JenniferPasoFino If your clothes are fitting looser and the number on the scale didn't budge, that probably means you lost fat and gained muscle, since muscle weighs more than fat. So there's the bright side, even though I can definitely relate to it being difficult when the actual weight doesn't change!

[xfrapgirl]

Happy Day 31, everyone!!!  We did it!  We did it!!  I am so thankful I had y'all to share this with.  And I plan to continue here to see how everyone is doing on reintroductions and continued W30.

I did measurements and scale today.  I knew I had lost something as my jeans were looser.  Not as much as I had hoped (as I have a lot to go!) but still a start!  I did not exercise throughout as 1) I have had one of two colds just about the entire time (this last one is on its way out finally but .... still here! argh!), 2) I was curious how the eating healthy would effect things soley on its own, and 3) I am lazy!   But down 12.2 pounds with an inch to two inches here and there.

To those that didn't lose like they had hoped .... @MButcher is right.  Did you do measurements to compare?... because clearly your body composition changed if your clothes are looser.  But regardless, I can understand the frustration.  Don't give up!

Today I am reintroducing dairy!!  Dairy and gluten are the two I am most interested in (though I'm not really looking forward to the gluten).  But anyway, today I am having:

   - Non-fat Greek yogurt (has no sugar) with fruit.  And a handful of almonds (clearly this does not meet the Whole30 "template" so I have concerns about that ... but not enough not to eat it! )

  -  A salad (mixed greens, cucumber, red bell pepper, and a splash of Tessamae ranch dressing) with steak.  And topped with shredded cheddar cheese!!

-  Then I think I will make a coffee run and get a decaf latte (making sure it is only espresso and steamed milk).

Plus whatever I have for dinner tonight (which may or may not contain dairy.  I guess if I shred some Parmesan cheese it will be with ... though I doubt I will ).

Aurora - thank you for the lasagna recipe.  Looks delicious!  I'll have to try that.  We tried spaghetti squash last night for the first time.  Worked great as "spaghetti" under a delish meat sauce my bf made (W30 complaint ground sausage with 1 lb ground turkey cooked in bacon fat.  With a little creole seasoning, garlic, onion, salt and pepper.  Delicious!)  We had the "spaghetti" dinner with a nice wedge salad (with homemade ranch dressing and crumbled bacon and sliced cherry tomatoes.)  We loved  the entire thing!  And have enough for leftovers tonight!.

Anyway, happy day 31.  To those of you having your wine tonight .... enjoy!!! lol

 

 

[Allison1022]

Happy Day 31, everybody!!!  Reading about your journeys has definitely been inspirational to me!

I'm starting my standard reintroduction schedule today, except I swapped the order a little bit.  I'm doing dairy today because cheese is the thing I'm most interested to add back in.  

I sprinkled some shredded cheese on my egg casserole this morning.  It tasted so good!   I have some cheese slices to add to my lunch and I'm thinking I'll try out some plain vanilla ice cream with dinner.  I don't really care if I never have milk or yogurt again, so I'm not going to worry about reintro-ing them now.  

If all goes according to plan and I don't have any dairy reactions, I'll reintro legumes on Saturday with a nice bowl of chili, some peanut butter, and maybe some lima beans added to one of the meals.  

I don't really enjoy any alcoholic beverages, so I think I'll just go ahead and eliminate them now without a reintro.  I only ever drank in social situations anyways.  I'll be interested to see how my Sugar Dragon does as I begin to re-add the occasional sugary item.  

[Kabob]

Goodness, talk about putting the cart before the horse. I white knuckled it to the finish line yesterday. All that talk of success and completion must have sent a message to my craving center(s). I feel calmer today thank goodness. Not in a big hurry to throw all the NSV away:

• not bloated
• more and consistent energy
• I'm where I wanted to be weight wise, but after doing this for awhile I hardly ever weigh myself. I weigh myself on day 1 of a Whole30 and if I remember, on day 31, otherwise it how my clothes fit and I do not like my clothes to be too tight and I'm too tight to buy new ones 
• smother emotions, not as quick to frustration/anger

Good job everyone, we all deserve a pat on the back. 

[xfrapgirl]

Oh, and for some NSV (keeping in mind that I've been sick most of the time so that was a big NEGATIVE .... lol.  And the colds have clearly affected my energy level and overall well being.  Plus who knows if the cold medicines have skewed/ruined things.  But regardless:)

 - The biggest thing I am happy about is finding new things (veggies) to eat that I will now include in my diet going forward.  Actually, even better than that is that my boyfriend has found new things to eat which he will include in our meals going forward! ...lol.   He used to ALWAYS want a starch (potato or a pasta .... and often a "cheesy pasta") with dinner.  Always!  And discovering cauliflower mash, cauliflower rice and spaghetti squash as substitutes has been AWESOME!  He loves them and will cook them (which is great since he is really the main cook in the family).  So for that I am so grateful.  I think that will help us both health-wise going forward.

- We have also both learned how important it is to read the labels.  He gets migraines, and he thinks one trigger is MSG, and was appalled to find that one of his go-to enchilada sauces has msg in it!  Plus, how many items have sugar hidden in them?!  It's CRAZY!  So we both read labels now and are making the choices that don't have the non-compliant ingredients.  Win-win!

 - Eating three meals and not needing to snack.  That's been great!  Most days I have been completely and utterly not hungry in between meals.

 - Discovering that I can make MAYO!  It took 5 tries (2 from me, 3 from my bf) before I found a video which used the same ingredients as in the W30 book, but used a different method to put it all together.  Now, when I make homemade mayo, I am practically strutting around the house crowing about being a Mayo Goddess for creating this white substance out of yellow ingredients (still a mystery!).  Cracks the boyfriend up ...... and he says it tastes delicious (I still don't really know as I've had a stuffed nose just about this entire time! lol).  But ... I CAN MAKE MAYO!!

Downsides:

 - the aforementioned colds.  Two colds in 30 days for this gal who rarely, rarely gets sick.  Coincidence?.... I think not! lol

- I had hoped my skin would get better (psoriasis).  It hasn't gotten worse ... and truth be told I would expect longer term better eating habits to have an effect.  But that I am sporting a zit on my face today when I don't often ever have zits on my face .... is also a little suspect. lol

- breakfasts!  I really need to figure out something to eat for breakfast that is healthy, satisfying, and DOES NOT INVOLVE A BREAKFAST SCRAMBLE AND/OR EGG!  I used to do a protein shake (Whey protein, fresh spinach, water with a splash of OJ, and some frozen fruit) 5 days a week and loved it!  (as in never, ever got tired of it!).  What's the scoop on whey (to those of you who have read my novel here?! lol).  Does that fit into one of the food groups we can reintroduce?  I'd really like to get back to those shakes and then have W30 compliant lunch and dinners.

 - I had really hoped for the Tiger blood.  My energy has really been low.  I think it evened out on this ... but again, feeling so crappy with the colds has really undermined any positive effects.  But I THINK it is a smidge better and even .... just not the higher energy I had hoped for.

Okay, that's it for now.  Hope everyone else is having a great day. 

p.s.  It would appear that body does not love the Greek yogurt.  Phooey.  I will retry it next week just.to.be.sure....lol.

[TryingOver]

@xfrapgirl Congrats on finding positives, especially with the colds! I also have psoriasis, and you may find that there are Whole30 compliant foods that affect that (such as nightshades). You can also try topical tea tree oil. Mine is mainly on my scalp, but with using a tea tree oil shampoo is almost completely cleared up! For whey, I would reintroduce that with dairy since it is a dairy-based protein. 

 

[Kelley Flees]

Okay well, I too ran to the scale first thing this morning with high hopes. I knew I was stronger. I did lose 1.4 lbs. I am quite okay with this result. Anything worthwhile takes time. I am one who is quick to make changes. I want to make sure I am not too quick with this one. I love the new passion I have for cooking. I am curious to try Whole30/Peleo delivery options. I will start my dream job on Monday. They are providing a breakfast and lunch. It is my plan to look for some fruit as I will have eaten something before I arrive. Lunch time, I will do my best to make the best decision possible and then come back home to my wonderful healthy choices. 

I started listening to the Food Freedom Forever audio book this afternoon. It is scary to hear Melissa talk about eating a cupcake or some fries. Neither of those are a temptation. I think it will take some time to find out if there is anything that I feel I am missing out on. Is there anything that my body needs? I believe it will tell me when I need it. Listening to your body and making healthy choices and finding food freedom it makes this plan totally worthwhile. 

I will evaluate my NSV items by tomorrow and see if there is anything noteworthy to share. 

[xfrapgirl]

Good morning, everyone!

@TryingOver - thank you for the tea tree oil suggestion.  I haven't used that before.

@Allison1022 - how did your dairy reintro go?  Mine was .... interesting.  And I'm going to say the results are inconclusive.  After Greek yogurt in the morning I noticed a wee bit of a stomach upset which quickly resolved.  Then I had some grated cheese on my salad at lunch followed within an hour by a Starbucks tall decaf latte (plain).  No more stomach issues all day (yay!).  But before really making much of a dent in the latte I noticed a headache which persisted for several hours.  But I have doubts that the headache is dairy related as I've had dairy much in the past without headaches.  And I have also had headaches during the dairy-free Whole30.  So ...... dairy related?  Cold related?  Or is it from one of the other items I'd had that day (the tea?  Asparagus?  Steak?).  Who knows?  Because, as I've said, I've had them before during Whole30 and I am not one who normally gets headaches unless dehydrated (not the case here).  So...I'm going to do two things:  1) retest dairy next Tuesday (as Saturday I am testing gluten).  And 2) start journalling what I'm eating each day to see if I can find another Whole30 compliant item causing the headaches (assuming they reoccur).

Also interesting about Dairy Day yesterday .... I got home from work and had a lot of energy (unusual!).  It was great!  Is it Tiger Blood that has been masked by cold lethargy the past week or two?  Or is Tiger Blood finally starting?  Or did I get that energy from Dairy Day and I'm back to normal energy?  Inquiring minds want to know! lol.  So I am bummed that the results yesterday were inconclusive .... and Impatient Me does not like that testing takes SOOO long what with having to wait two days in between .... but overall it is kinda cool to be able to do this.  Looking forward to figuring things out.  Hope everyone else had a great day!

[MButcher]

I had a handful of walnuts with every meal yesterday (definitely more than I would usually have in a day) and have had no problems with them so far!

@xfrapgirl I've noticed in the past that Greek yogurt can give me a bit of an upset stomach, usually just sort of a bloated/overly full feeling - more so than other dairy. I've attributed it to the fact that it's cultured; I'm not sure if this is the correct interpretation, but it's certainly possible. So if you haven't been eating fermented foods, that could explain the reaction you experienced. Also, congrats on the energy, even if the source is mysterious lol!

[Allison1022]

3 hours ago, xfrapgirl said:

Good morning, everyone!

@TryingOver - thank you for the tea tree oil suggestion.  I haven't used that before.

@Allison1022 - how did your dairy reintro go?  Mine was .... interesting.  And I'm going to say the results are inconclusive.  After Greek yogurt in the morning I noticed a wee bit of a stomach upset which quickly resolved.  Then I had some grated cheese on my salad at lunch followed within an hour by a Starbucks tall decaf latte (plain).  No more stomach issues all day (yay!).  But before really making much of a dent in the latte I noticed a headache which persisted for several hours.  But I have doubts that the headache is dairy related as I've had dairy much in the past without headaches.  And I have also had headaches during the dairy-free Whole30.  So ...... dairy related?  Cold related?  Or is it from one of the other items I'd had that day (the tea?  Asparagus?  Steak?).  Who knows?  Because, as I've said, I've had them before during Whole30 and I am not one who normally gets headaches unless dehydrated (not the case here).  So...I'm going to do two things:  1) retest dairy next Tuesday (as Saturday I am testing gluten).  And 2) start journalling what I'm eating each day to see if I can find another Whole30 compliant item causing the headaches (assuming they reoccur).

Also interesting about Dairy Day yesterday .... I got home from work and had a lot of energy (unusual!).  It was great!  Is it Tiger Blood that has been masked by cold lethargy the past week or two?  Or is Tiger Blood finally starting?  Or did I get that energy from Dairy Day and I'm back to normal energy?  Inquiring minds want to know! lol.  So I am bummed that the results yesterday were inconclusive .... and Impatient Me does not like that testing takes SOOO long what with having to wait two days in between .... but overall it is kinda cool to be able to do this.  Looking forward to figuring things out.  Hope everyone else had a great day!

My dairy reintro was a little inconclusive as well.  But I think it was my own fault.  I sprinkled a little shredded cheese on my egg and veggie casserole in the morning.  I didn't have any issues so I ate some cheese slices with lunch.  So, I'm feeling good and I may have went overboard on the dairy reintro for dinner.  We were having Sloppy Joe Baked Potatos  (a recipe I found in the Well Fed cookbook).  I was just going to do a sprinkle of cheese again with some ice cream for dessert.  But I went ahead and added a little butter and a small dallop of sour cream as well to the potato.  There was about an hour between dinner and eating the ice cream.  But probably within minutes of eating the ice cream, I had stomach pains.  I was nauseous with the tingling stomach pain until bed (about 2ish hours).  I also felt a little dizzy too.   I was back to normal this morning.  Though, I do feel a little mopey today.  Not sure if it's just one of those days or if it's the dairy affecting my mood. 

So, I'm not sure if I just overdid it with the multiple dairy sources at dinner or if it's the ice cream giving me the reaction.  Either way, I'm going to extend my reintroduction to test each of them individually.  I'll probably do that with all the categories.  Just gradually add back one non-compliant food at a time, so I can really know which food it is and determine whether or not the reaction is "worth it". 

I have yet to feel "Tiger Blood" so I don't know on that part.  

[Lilkathy]

So I had my first re-introduction last night. Alcohol. Instead of my beloved wine, I opted for vodka and club soda, since it is reccomended to start with something like that before wine because of the sulfates in wine. Well I feel AWFUL today.

I'm thinking I feel worse than I may have with wine. I will find out eventually but I'm not in a rush to find out any time soon! How is everyone else doing?