Jump to content

Starting February 20


MargaretAM

Recommended Posts

@MargaretAM Absolutely agree!!  A glass on wine is needed on day 31.  We are on the same boat, I don't have to loose any weight, but it would be a nice surprise!  You have to enjoy yourself on those special occasions.  ;) 

I'm sleeping 7 hours every night, 8-10 on the weekends!  I still get up in the middle of the night, sometimes several times, because I drink too much water.  Acne still the same, I've been taking meds for a while for it so I wasn't expecting much there. 

@JenniferPasoFino  I'm all up for it!  I am thinking about starting another 30 days on April 3 or the week after that.

@Jeanster47  Lots and lots of cooking definitely!  I enjoy being in the kitchen, so it doesn't bother me.  I feel good knowing I can eat something healthy that tastes good!  Yummy leftovers for work.

Enjoy Day 16!  Downhill from now on.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 453
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Hi everyone.  Logging in today after not having logged in for several days, there seems to be a more upbeat vibe (despite several ongoing challenges... when comparing to the previous week these seem to have gone down).  Congrats everyone on making it half way.

I'm on day 17 and my cravings are THROUGH THE ROOF.  I feel like every 5 minutes I'm craving something else or fantasising about eating some other junky food.  It is unlike any bout of cravings I've experienced before and I think I've been using fruit to cope.  I'm eating 3-4 servings of fruit a day!!! aah!!  Recognising this now, it's something I'll work on over the next few days.

Also, I got a random rash on my face the other day.  The only new thing I tried was an apple lara bar.  Having only eaten dates once or twice in my life before, I thought it might be from that.  The rash is mostly gone and I ate half a cashew lara bar today pre-workout and will see if anything comes up again.  Weird.  

 

My energy levels are stable until I get stressed, then they plummet (as would be normal I imagine).  Food is good although I'm pretty sick of eggs. My stomach is feeling better then ever (no bloating or cramping or constipation).  And my workouts are going great again.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, jmcbn said:

Unfortunately, having eaten some off plan foods your gut re-set has been re-set and you may not get 'true' results. At the very least you should wait 30 days since eating gluten before trialling gluten as it's known to be a huge gut irritant.

Re the afternoon slump I'd suggest saving any starches until meal 3 when the body will be more receptible to it - there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that this will also help with sleep.

Hm, maybe I'll wait till after Easter to do the reintroduction then. Seems like a good Lenten observance anyway. :) But on Easter I will definitely want to celebrate with my family and eat what's available. So if I eat foods from several off-plan groups that day, would it be enough to wait a few days after that to start the reintroduction?

And thanks for the advice with the starches!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, MButcher said:

So if I eat foods from several off-plan groups that day, would it be enough to wait a few days after that to start the reintroduction?

The more off plan foods you eat the longer you're going to have to wait.

In all honesty ANY off plan foods are going to skew your results, so it's unlikely you'll get true results without that 30 day clean slate, and then the subsequent 2 days of compliant eating in between each reintro.

And if you're going to be indulging in off plan combos (say gluten & dairy for instance) and you DO have a reaction you'll need even longer to allow the symptoms to subside and then you'll need to do individual trials for each food group.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, jmcbn said:

Not weighing is as much a rule as not drinking alcohol, or not eating dairy.

I have edited your post to remove any mention of weight as this can encourage others to weigh too and their results may or may not be similar to yours.

Remember that weight-loss is not the goal here, nor is it linear ladies, and what you weigh today is highly unlikely to be what you will weigh tomorrow, or the day after or a week from now as MANY things can effect the number on that scale (sodium, stress, sleep, muscle loss/gain, hydration, hormones etc). That number will not tell you how much good you are doing for your body eating this way, how much your family & friends love you, how helpful & kind you are, how good you are at your job etc - and whether that number is up or down it changes NONE of those things...

Is there a list somewhere of what we are allowed to post about?  I certainly didn't mean to break any forum rules nor make anybody else feel badly about their own progress.  

I'm just a little confused as there are many other posts here about eating off-plan foods or even quitting all together that have not been edited.  I fully admitted that I broke the rules.  I was simply posting about my experience and for me weight loss is an indicator that my health is improving.  I have been working with my doctor, health coaches, dietitians, etc. for 4+ years to try to figure out why I am unable to lose weight no matter how healthily I eat.  So it is a huge win for me even if it will fluctuate from day to day.    Not craving sugar or not having creaky joints also don't affect how much my family loves me or how kind I am, etc.  I agree that weight-loss is not the goal, it is leading a healthier life.  For me, weight loss is a symptom that I'm heading in the right direction.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Road trip! Left last night, stopped to visit with a friend I hadn't seen in quite a while.  We shared a cup of tea and an hour of lively conversation.  At one point she told me she completed a Whole90 and is still 90/10 with the plan.  How many people have you discovered are W30ers? 

I had packed dinner and a snack and when I checked in, my hotel room had both a frig and a microwave.  Easy dinner.  

Found a bagel cafe for breakfast and had a beautiful delicious egg sandwich without the bagel!  With avocado tomato and spinach. Yumm (still had a HB egg as back up). 

Arrived at my meeting to find boxes filled with breakfast pastries! In the old days I would have sucked down a few, just b/c they are there.  Definitely making good food decisions instead of just eating b/c I am bored (which I am!). Reading and commenting is a much better activity to fight boredom than eating pastries. 

Staying strong b/c I am worth it! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jmcbn said:

The more off plan foods you eat the longer you're going to have to wait.

In all honesty ANY off plan foods are going to skew your results, so it's unlikely you'll get true results without that 30 day clean slate, and then the subsequent 2 days of compliant eating in between each reintro.

And if you're going to be indulging in off plan combos (say gluten & dairy for instance) and you DO have a reaction you'll need even longer to allow the symptoms to subside and then you'll need to do individual trials for each food group.

Alright, thanks for the input. I'm still considering what to do, but right now I'm thinking I'll just stick with my original plan. It was such a small amount that although my results won't be 100% accurate, I think they would be better than if I waited till after Easter. I receive communion every week anyway, so I guess I'll never be able to do this completely perfectly (although I was glad to find a thread saying that communion doesn't "count" since it's a religious observance - I wasn't about to give it up!). I also don't have any particular reason to suspect I'm gluten intolerant aside from the fact that many people are; if I did, obviously I would look at the situation differently.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Allison1022 said:

Is there a list somewhere of what we are allowed to post about?  I certainly didn't mean to break any forum rules nor make anybody else feel badly about their own progress.  

I'm just a little confused as there are many other posts here about eating off-plan foods or even quitting all together that have not been edited.  I fully admitted that I broke the rules.  I was simply posting about my experience and for me weight loss is an indicator that my health is improving.  I have been working with my doctor, health coaches, dietitians, etc. for 4+ years to try to figure out why I am unable to lose weight no matter how healthily I eat.  So it is a huge win for me even if it will fluctuate from day to day.    Not craving sugar or not having creaky joints also don't affect how much my family loves me or how kind I am, etc.  I agree that weight-loss is not the goal, it is leading a healthier life.  For me, weight loss is a symptom that I'm heading in the right direction.   

There are forum posting guidelines/rules but to be honest I'm not sure that posting weight is mentioned there - it has just always been the case that these posts are edited in order to help re-direct the focus as weight loss should not be the primary focus or goal.

I realise you didn't do anything wrong intentionally but the thing about weighing is that say *you* weigh & discover you've lost 15lbs and someone else reads that & thinks 'Oh, I wonder what I've lost...' and they weigh and they've gained 3lbs (as can & does happen), where is their motivation to continue? Or if your goal was to lose 15lbs and you did it in 15 days so you think 'Well there's no need to continue...' See where I'm going here? The thing is, weight loss is not linear & those 15lbs are not fat because losing 15lbs of fat is not possible. Those 15lbs will a combination of fluid & inflammation and a little bit of actual loss, and so those 15lbs might only be 10lbs if you checked again in a few days. The point is that it's not the number on the scale that is the focus here. There are SO many other (& better) indicators of health, and we are trying to encourage others to see it that way by removing the focus on the scale & that number for 30 days - and beyond.

Maybe you're a 'data' person and you like to see that number drop, but it's entirely possible to improve your health AND gain weight by trading fat for lean muscle. How would you feel if your clothes fitted better, your moods & energy were stable, your sleep was vastly improved, but that number had gone UP at the end of the 30 days? Would you feel that it had been a waste of time?

As far as off plan foods are concerned I always point out that the re-set has been re-set - your gut has gone back to day one whether you decide to go back to day one or not. In fact all of the mods monitor the group threads & point out any off plan foods to keep you all on the right track, and people think we're being the Whole30 Police when we do, but that's what we are here for.

I hope this helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jmcbn said:

 

I realise you didn't do anything wrong intentionally but the thing about weighing is that say *you* weigh & discover you've lost 15lbs and someone else reads that & thinks 'Oh, I wonder what I've lost...' and they weigh and they've gained 3lbs (as can & does happen), where is their motivation to continue? Or if your goal was to lose 15lbs and you did it in 15 days so you think 'Well there's no need to continue...' See where I'm going here?

But couldn't the same thing be true for NSVs?  For example, somebody posts that they are no longer having sugar cravings.  But I still am even though we have eaten similarly and haven't gone off track, eaten too much fruit, etc whatever other factors may contribute to this.  In the same vein as your example, it's completely possible that this may cause me to feel less motivated because my results don't match somebody elses.  It seems to me that any admission of weakness for an off-plan food or breaking the rules (like eating fish that was cooked in non-compliant oil like another poster mentioned) has the potential to be a disincentive to somebody else reading this board.  I could also make the opposite argument that it could be motivational to read about somebody else's success even if you are not yet experiencing it yourself.  It lends to the "if she can do it, then so can I" mentality.  It seems to me that is a big part of why these forums exist: Hearing about others successess or struggles and sharing your own.  One of the posters quit several days back (she had her reasons) and posted about drinking a martini.  Arguably quiting and having a cocktail has just as much or more potential to be de-motivating to others than me weighing myself.  Yet, her posts remains*.  

I am completely onboard with your point that weight is not the only indicator of W30 success or overall good health.  In the very same post, I described some of my NSVs as well as my intention to continue along the W30 path past Day 30.  I certainly did not state that any of those successes were a waste of time.  So, all I am saying is that I feel that my comment was unfairly singled out as being de-motivating.  Others have posted about their struggles and even failures and I found it immensely helpful to my own journey.  And you have certainly commented that they should start over or other ideas.  But you didn't edit their post to remove their comments*.  I'm just trying to understand what made my rule breaking any worse/de-motivating than anybody elses post.  

*I am certainly not making the argument that theirs or anybody's post should be edited or removed.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Allison1022 said:

 I'm just trying to understand what made my rule breaking any worse/de-motivating than anybody elses post.

Because this is not a weight loss diet, and we try extremely hard to prevent weight loss being the primary focus, hence the encouragement to share NSVs.

We actively encorage people to look out for NSVs so that they can see/feel their health changing. Anyone NOT experiencing NSVs is encouraged to post in the Troubleshooting forum where, more often than not, we can very quickly suggest some tweaks that see things improve.

I apologise if you feel victimised, but over the years many posts like your own have been edited in the same way and for the same reasons - I'll certainly highlight the issue to the rest of the mod team to see how we choose to deal with similar situations going forward.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, jmcbn said:

Because this is not a weight loss diet, and we try extremely hard to prevent weight loss being the primary focus, hence the encouragement to share NSVs.

We actively encorage people to look out for NSVs so that they can see/feel their health changing. Anyone NOT experiencing NSVs is encouraged to post in the Troubleshooting forum where, more often than not, we can very quickly suggest some tweaks that see things improve.

I apologise if you feel victimised, but over the years many posts like your own have been edited in the same way and for the same reasons - I'll certainly highlight the issue to the rest of the mod team to see how we choose to deal with similar situations going forward.

 

 

 

Sure, I understand that.  It's also not specifically a plan to get shinier hair or cleaner skin or better sleep, etc., but those are all valid results to be shared.  I have shared multiple NSVs and even mentioned that they are motivating me as well.  Weight loss certainly is not my primary focus as is shown in my multiple posts about NSVs.  It's just really frustrating for me that you are discounting weight loss completely as a way to see/feel my health changing.  While it's certainly not the only measure of health, it certainly can be in some situations.  

If there are things that are prohibited from being shared here, it would be helpful if you could provide that in the FAQs or instructions for forum use.  Following rules because that's the way it's always been makes it very difficult for new posters to know what is expected.  We will have to agree to disagree that the rationale makes sense for this metric of health vs. all the others.  Focusing on any one metric is always going to be a problem.  Weight just happens to be a very common one.  

Again, I apologize to anybody who has been de-motivated by my comments.  It was certainly not my intention.  To try to make up for any damage I may have caused to your journey, here's a delicious pumplin recipe I found.  I have been eating this for breakfast along with a hard boiled egg.  

http://www.louisianabrideblog.com/2015/07/breakfast-pumpkin-custard.html#.WL8KFW_yuM8

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Allison1022 said:

Again, I apologize to anybody who has been de-motivated by my comments.  It was certainly not my intention.  To try to make up for any damage I may have caused to your journey, here's a delicious pumplin recipe I found.  I have been eating this for breakfast along with a hard boiled egg.  

http://www.louisianabrideblog.com/2015/07/breakfast-pumpkin-custard.html#.WL8KFW_yuM8

Yeah, you're not gonna like this, but this is no bueno. You can even read in the comments below the recipe that Melissa herself has classed it as SWYPO.

Compliant, yes. A good choice considering the high fat content in relation to the protein & veg, no.

But then we're all adults here, and the recommendations are just that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, jmcbn said:

Yeah, you're not gonna like this, but this is no bueno. You can even read in the comments below the recipe that Melissa herself has classed it as SWYPO.

Compliant, yes. A good choice considering the high fat content in relation to the protein & veg, no.

But then we're all adults here, and the recommendations are just that.

Well, dang it!  Sorry guys!

Can I ask why it's SWYPO?  I'm not eating it as a dessert.  It's entirely possible that I've misunderstood the meaning of SWYPO, but I thought it was recreating a dish you usually eat with compliant ingredients.  Like pizza or ice cream.  I can see how this would be SWYPO if I was using it to feed a craving for pudding.  Is SWYPO contextual?  Or is it just anything that is a spin on an unhealthy meal?  

I promise, I'm not trying to be a troublemaker!  It didn't even cross my mind that this would be non-compliant.  Can you please delete that portion of my post so others don't fall into the same trap. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Allison1022 said:

I promise, I'm not trying to be a troublemaker!

Pinky promise?! :lol:

Yes SWYPO can be contextual, but it's also a lot to do with ratios of ingredients - and using banana & fat to make anything custardy, ice-creamy and/or pancake-y...

Think of how each meal fits the recommended template. This one is low on protein, low on veg, and high in fat - coconut milk, nuts AND nut butter (bearing in mind that nuts & their by products should be limited to a closed hand-ful or equivalent, every other day max).

As an occasional side dish with some other protein & veg on the side I'd proffer a reluctant *m'kay*, but eaten for breakfast it's kind of reminiscant of yoghurty breakfasty foods....

Hope this helps.

 

PS. I'm leaving your post as is just so as everyone else knows what kind of dish we're talking about!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Allison1022  I have been inspired by your posts, as they are about your actual experience on Whole30.  As many of us have posted, they include both positive and negative experiences.  That's what this forum section is all about if you ask me.  The small group of us who started together on 2/20 are posting our timelines.....of course we want to hear EVERYTHING.  I started this program to continue to eat healthier foods, to eliminate medications, AND to continue my weight loss.  I'm not gonna freak out if I don't lose any weight , but someone else loses 10 lbs....we're all different.    Congrats to you and everyone who's made it past the half-way mark!   Love hearing what you all post!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Allison1022  I too have been inspired by your posts, please continue to post about your journey.  We're in this together!  

@ShellyM Amazing job sticking with it on a road trip and eating out!  Congrats!

I stayed clear of the snack food at my staff meeting yesterday, even though by 5pm, it looked tempting!  I made it home and had a healthy dinner.  I'm actually quite surprised at how long I can now go without snacking.  I really do only have 3 meals a day and I don't feel the urge to snack.  That's a big win!  Also... I bought a new shirt today!  I brought a large and x-large into the changeroom but ended up going to pick up a medium when neither fit properly!  Yay!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@*Aurora* I have a new approach to being confronted with all the food you cannot eat on W30 (and probably shouldn't be eating anyway!).  Shoot it don't eat it.  I take a photo and then walk away.  I posted the breakfast pastries on Instagram! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been a bit silent the last couple of days but have been reading.  I very much appreciate the conversation happening and @Allison1022 your willingness to ask questions. I do think the rules or guidelines about what to post are not very clear and it helps all of us to have more clarity.  I love your posts and hope you don't stop!

I have been in a slump that past couple of days...no "Tiger Blood" here right now.  Some of that is other stuff going on in my life. I'm ok with it and can ride this wave, but it means I just haven't had a lot to say. But I am still here reading and cheering you all on!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi all,

Trucking past the halfway point! I'm doing okay, but not expecting "tiger blood" because of my current health issues anyways. My big NSVs: 1. I fit in a Large shirt from the bottom of my dresser (buried beneath the 2XLs that fit and the XLs and Ls that don't)! 2. I have started "mini-workouts" of 15-20 mins each day (with medical issues and severe fatigue, even walking for a short bit is difficult, but I'm trying to slowly rebuild my stamina).

Plus, I've been enjoying the great food. I eat so much better when I'm cooking real food. I don't feel deprived, I feel excited about what I'm making at eating.

Favorites for this week:

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie: http://therealfoodrds.com/shepherds-pie/ (I make it with ground lamb which is lovely and it reheats and freezes well).

Ratatouille: http://acleanbake.com/ratatouille/ I was looking to mix up my vegetables (my go-to here is to just roast everything in a pan with some olive oil and seasonings). Super tasty and easy to make.

I also made bone broth for the first time, and it is so rich. I used it instead of red wine in a pot roast recipe and it was delicious!  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes thank you for the recipes.  I'm going to try the shepherd's pie tonight.  When I get some time tonight, I'll post some interesting updates with me for day 17.  I don't have tiger's blood yet, but I think I'm getting tiger's vision:) seriously! Things are starting to look "different". Colors seem more vibrant.  Objects sharper. I know that must sound crazy but it's true!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I am just now starting to get sensible with my portions. I made a pork, sauerkraut, apple combo in my slow cooker. I have 5 reasonable servings and lots of veggies left over for other meals where I can add chicken sausage. The thing that trips me up right now is when you are making these meals how should you add your fat? Avocado doesn't go with this meal so I guess if it is not plantain nachos or a lettuce burger where I can use Primal mayo. I feel the need to add a few olives as a side or some nuts to make sure I am getting the fat as requested. Anyone else running into this issue or have any ideas/suggestions?

I have made many things over this journey so far and I feel my portion problem is solved, but the fat thing which is important is not always so clear. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2017-03-07 at 2:15 AM, jmcbn said:

If you'd like us to take a look at your meals to see if anything jumps out that might be causing acne, bloat, or lack of energy please feel free to post a few days worth of your food log here or in the troubleshooting forum and we can take a look - sometimes all it takes to feel better is a little change to the composition of your meals, or it could be that you are sensitive to something you're eating more of than usual...

Sorry, I haven't been tracking my meals so I've been trying to keep track over the past couple of days. Will post a couple of day's worth of meals for you all to have a look at and maybe help me figure out what's not working!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Kelley Flees said:

I have made many things over this journey so far and I feel my portion problem is solved, but the fat thing which is important is not always so clear. 

I'm feeling the same way. I think I might be adding TOO much fat to some meals, and then other times I'm worried I don't have enough in there. I seem to be eating avocados with every meal or adding mayo to things (like my eggs this morning) just for the sake of having the fat. But then I'm like, "do hard boiled eggs need more fat?" I have no idea. But I err on the side of too much fat out of fear that I'm going to be starving later otherwise and caving to off-plan foods.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi everyone!  Day 17!!!  Whoo hoooo!!

I'm so excited for those of you reporting on different clothing sizes.  How awesome is that?!  And @JenniferPasoFino - clearer sight?! .... crazy! (but in a great way!)  Can't wait to hear the story!

@brandyontherun - how are your cravings doing?  Any better?

@MargaretAM - hang in there.  You're doing so great!

Thank you, @TryingOver for the recipes.  I'll put the sheperd's pie on the list to try!  I love when y'all share recipes you've discovered.  I think I'm going to need a new breakfast recipe soon.  Right now I'm only alternating between a breakfast scramble (potatoes, sausage, eggs, veggies) and the fajita breakfast casserole someone here posted awhile ago (that is delish!).  But there are two weeks left .... and ummmmm........ I'm going to get tired of those for sure.  And yeah, yeah, I can have dinner or a salad for breakfast ... but really?..... doesn't quite appeal.  Any other ideas? (please keep in mind that I hate eggs.  Only manage to eat these two breakfasts with eggs as the eggs are well, well hidden)

@kelleyflees and @DotinTO - I am also a bit befuddled with the fats.  So I feel your pain.  I made the crockpot butter chicken recipe that one of you posted on here (and it is delish too!) but found it a bit watery so added another can of coconut milk to it (for a total of two cans).  Granted, it ended up being about 8 servings (well, actually, 8 servings, plus another whole tupperware of just extra sauce).  So is 1/4 can of fatty coconut milk too much per serving?.... I have no idea.  But as I said, tastes great!! lol

I hope everyone has a great day!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...