So Far, So Good

[CatholicDad]

We just wrapped up day 3 of our family's Whole30.  All six of us are in this together and I feel like that is what's going to make it successful for us.  I know it's only 3 days but, I feel really good about this.  For years I've struggled with my weight.  Over the years I've felt worse and worse about myself and would eat to feel better which has just compounded my problem.  I know I have a long way to go but, I also have a renewed sense of purpose.  There have been a couple headaches these past 3 days but the way I see it, there's a  purification process that my body has to go through and the headaches are the price I have to pay for years of doing damage to my body.  Better to pay that price now than a more costly price later in life.  I can't wait to see what the future holds for me and my family.

[racheleats]

15 hours ago, CatholicDad said:

We just wrapped up day 3 of our family's Whole30.  All six of us are in this together and I feel like that is what's going to make it successful for us.  I know it's only 3 days but, I feel really good about this.  For years I've struggled with my weight.  Over the years I've felt worse and worse about myself and would eat to feel better which has just compounded my problem.  I know I have a long way to go but, I also have a renewed sense of purpose.  There have been a couple headaches these past 3 days but the way I see it, there's a  purification process that my body has to go through and the headaches are the price I have to pay for years of doing damage to my body.  Better to pay that price now than a more costly price later in life.  I can't wait to see what the future holds for me and my family.

Wow that is amazing that your whole family is participating! I hope you'll update here often, I'd love to follow along!

[CatholicDad]

Day 5 and we're still alive.  I think our kids thought we'd be dead by know.  I mean, man-n-cheese is a necessary food substance that we need to live on, right?  What's really interesting is our pickiest eater is embracing trying new foods.  We've asked him to at least try the foods we prepare.  He's done so without any protest, which is a huge accomplishment.  We're constantly praising him and giving him lots of positive feedback for getting out of his comfort zone with food.  Our other kids are also trying and mostly eating what we prepare.  Although, at least one of them is afraid she'll never be able to have a PB&J sandwich again even after we complete our Whole30.  I've assured her that's not the case but, I also talked to her about her emotional attachment to food.  I'm so glad that they've agreed to participate in the Whole30 with my wife and I. It's made this experience so much easier, not too easy though, we still have to plan the menus and prepare the meals.  I look forward to the next 5 days to see how things change.  I hope that this new way of looking at food and healthy living becomes habit for my family.  Only time will tell.

[CatholicDad]

Wow!  My family just started day 8 and we feel great.  I can't believe the changes that have taken place in just one short week of eating healthy.  At this point, my clothes aren't feeling any looser but, I wouldn't expect that in just one week.  I did have a friend ask me yesterday if I've lost weight.  However, the big news is; In the past 4 or 5 days I've been able to get out of bed pain free.  I'll explain.  I have a very bad lower back.  In addition to being overweight, I have spondylolisthesis in my lower lumbar between L4 and L5 and moderate disk degeneration between L5 and S1.  At times I feel as if someone is stabbing me with an icepick in my lower back.  I currently see a pain specialist and have had steroid injections which greatly helped with the pain.  I also take pain medication.  However, in the last few days, I've felt as if I can stop taking the pain medication as I've had little or no back pain at all.  This is a really BIG deal for me.  The pain has been so bad at times, it's literally brought me to tears.  I really hope this isn't just a fluke.  If this trend continues, I'll be a lifetime Whole30er.  Here's hoping for another successful week and continued reduction in pain.

[CatholicDad]

Day 10 in the books and on to day 11.  As for me, I feel great.  I'm still enjoying significantly less back pain than pre-Whole30.  I don't have the words to to adequately express how happy this makes me.  Because I've seen such a dramatic reduction in pain and improvement in the quality of my life, I think the cravings don't really affect me as much as they do the rest of my family.  It's interesting to see how each of our children are embracing or fighting against the Whole30.  My daughters are the ones fighting it the most.  My oldest daughter (18) just can't seem to accept that she's not supposed to eat fruit or have a fruit smoothie when she wants a snack.  I've explained that we're trying to help her beat her sugar cravings but, she just doesn't want to hear that.  My youngest daughter (9) just hasn't learned how to eat properly from my wife and I.  She says she just wants to eat "normal food again".  I had a good talk with her a couple nights ago.  I explained to her; "If mom and I did a better job of preparing healthy food in the past, what we're eating now on our Whole30 would be called "normal food". I think she gets it.  My boys are really embracing our Whole30, especially since we eat bacon, eggs and other meat more often.  They're both growing boys (15 & 11) so I'm happy to see them eating protein and veggies more often instead of ramen noodles and mac-n-cheese.  I know these next few days are going to be the toughest and food boredom is a problem.  Using Real Plans has really been a big help with a variety of recipes and allowing us to customize our weekly meal plan.  I really don't think we would have gotten this far without Real Plans.  I know, I sound like a commercial but, it's true.  I'm looking forward to see  the changes over the next few days.  I really hope those of us who are still dealing with cravings for sugar and snacks can fight through them.  We'll just take it one day at a time and persevere.

[CatholicDad]

I can't believe today is day 16 of our family's Whole30 journey.  The kids have stopped asking for "normal" foods and I've completely forgotten about snacking every night after dinner.  Our friends have started to notice a difference in our appearance and are asking if we're losing weight.  As an amateur chef who loves to cook, I thought I had a lot of knowledge about the foods I prepare.  Boy was I wrong.  I've learned so much in the last few weeks of research and putting Whole30 in to practice.  I know our family will never eat the same way we did before Whole30.  I'm looking forward to the next two weeks.

[madness]

Awesome! I loved reading your progress. My kids (5 and 7) aren't following it completely - packed lunches still have sandwiches. But just getting a healthy breakfast and dinner in them is a huge plus.

[CatholicDad]

Wow! I can't believe day 22 is already here.  Only 8 days left on our family's first Whole30.  At this point it seems like we're on autopilot.  We're not having to think so much about what foods we're going to eat.  Even our kids who, for the most part have fully participated, are making good choices or an least not complaining when we the choices make for them.  Our meal planning is getting much easier.  My wife and I have been planning our weekly menus on Saturday afternoon then go shopping on Sunday after church.  

Speaking of shopping; I've REALLY enjoyed shopping with my wife these past few weeks.  Before Whole30, I hated shopping.  I'd send my wife out to the store with a kid or two to shop for whatever she felt like getting for lunches and dinners.  Now, it's turned into a learning experience and we're shopping for items that we've never used before.  It's also turned into a mini date for my wife and I.  We get some alone time driving to the farmer's market to maybe one or two other stores, we get to talk about subjects that we can't bring up in front of the kids all while learning about the foods we'll be preparing for the week.

This has been such an awesome experience for us.  I've already announced to the family that our lives will never be the same.  Sure, we'll introduce certain foods back into our diets to see if we're sensitive to them or not however, we're never going back to eating all the processed, sugar filled food we used to.

There is only one downside that I've experienced so far.  As I've previously stated, I used to suffer from chronic back pain and am being treated by a pain specialist with powerful medication.  Since about day 4 or 5 of our Whole30 my pain has been nearly completely eliminated and I'm not taking the meds the way I used to.  The problem is; I've been on the pain meds for so long that now I'm dealing with withdrawal symptoms.  Nothing too serious, just some restlessness, especially at night.  On the bright side, I know they will pass and I'll be free of the medications.  Unless you've suffered with chronic pain, especially low back pain, you can't understand how happy this makes me.

So, we've got 8 more days of our Whole30 but, I feel I have the rest of my life to eat healthy and live to my fullest potential and that's pretty awesome.