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Prepping for my first Whole 30! Starting October 1


Mary, Elsie's mon

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I'm 51, and while I consider my eating habits to be relatively healthy (my mom had all Adele Davis's books, and we grew up eating home-made yogurt, and drinking "pep-up" shakes), I've succumbed to sugar, and know I'm completely addicted. For years I've struggled with inflammatory and immune disorders, and have slowly put on middle-age weight. So here I am! I'm going to try this and give it my best shot, and am actually quite excited. I'm starting October 1, and am going to be doing it on my own, so I'm looking forward to the community and support the forum provides. 

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Mary,

Best of luck. I'm the same age and on day 17 and its tough but has made a difference already.

Prepping is the key I've found. Always have something ready

A slow cooker is a must, I cant really cook but with a slow cooker its almost impossible to do something wrong and having a big batch of food takes away temptation

Paul

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I'm on R2 starting 10/1. Feel free to jump to the thread I started "October 1st....Ready, Set..."   My best advice: pay close attention to ingredients in things you buy. It's what's done me in countless ( succeeded on my 3rd try for R1. Busted on my first attempt at R2).

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Hi Mary,

I'm 53 and live in Minnesota as well. I'm also starting my first Whole 30 on October 1st.  I try to eat mostly healthy, but do love sweets, chips and pasta, as well as other unhealthy foods.  I have struggled with gaining/losing the same 30 pounds as I've gotten older.  I'm a certified health coach, but don't always practice what I preach.  I've lost the weight off and on through various diets, but it's harder now the older I get.  I like the concept of Whole 30, so after reading the book, decided I would try it.  I'm also meeting with an allergy doctor tomorrow to have some tests done, so I feel like the timing is good to see how my body reacts to eliminating all the various items from my diet.

I started running when I was 45 years old and have run 2 full marathons and over 20 half marathons.  I also started cycling and have participated in 6 MS-150 rides.  However, I started a new job a year ago with a longer commute and had my appendix out in late May, so while I used to be fairly active, I've just not had the energy or been making the time to be very active - so I need to also work on getting some more healthy exercise in as well.  I also struggle with getting healthy sleep I'm a night owl and with my longer commute it's harder to get to find the time to sleep - another thing I need to work on.

I would appreciate any support this community can give during this 30 days+ as I learn to follow the Whole 30 plan.  I'm excited to start although I have a 2-day seminar next week, that I'll have to bring my own food for, so that might be challenging.

Have a good day and keep in touch!

Stephanie

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Hi Stephanie!

Tomorrow's our day! I'm excited to start too! My 'fridge is full of good things, and like you, I've been a pretty healthy eater, and am a good cook, so that part doesn't feel super challenging. I really admire the folks who have relied on pre-prepared foods for much of their lives; they're really inspiring.

I hope your first day and your conference go well -- I purposely scheduled this for October because I don't have any work travel on my calendar. GOOD WISHES! You can do it! What do you plan to take?

Happy first day tomorrow!

 

peace, Mary

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Hi everyone!

I was able to reply directly to Stephanie's post, but can't figure out how to reply individually to the rest of you. I'm a little bit tech-challenged, apparently! First, THANK YOU to everyone for your encouragement and support! And hooray for all of us -- those of us who have started, and those of us who begin tomorrow!

Paul, I am so impressed and inspired by the fact that you've taken this on, and are finding success even though you have much less experience in the kitchen than I do. GOOD FOR YOU! You're really an inspiration to others. I hope your body is starting to turn the corner, and that you'll be feeling more energy soon! Keep up the wonderful work!

Emily, thanks for the vote of confidence! You've got this too! You can do it! And yes! Isn't Pinterest fun for finding recipes? I just bought myself a vegetable spiral-thingy, and am looking forward to zucchini "noodles" with pesto that I'll make from the huge basil patch in my garden. I actually have a batch of 72-hour beef bone broth simmering on the stove now. I look forward to sharing culinary adventures!

Brensuma, you can do it! I applaud your perseverance; if at first you don't succeed, just try again. We get really good at things we practice; I have faith you'll succeed on tomorrow's goal.

And Trish: congratulations on making it through your first day. I hope you're well into your first week, and I send good wishes and positive energy your way. 

Here's photo of my fridge, all ready to go (Don't worry! The peanut butter is for my dog, and the yogurt for my chickens -- I am not making them do the whole 30 with me, and those are among their favorite treats!).

Happy Saturday, everybody!

Mary

image.jpg

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Hi Mary & everyone,

So far so good on Day 1. Had my coffee with Nut Pods in place of my normal creamer - not too bad.  Made my meal plan for the week and went to Whole Foods yesterday and spent a lot of money since I had to buy all the staples as well.  

Today I’ve been cooking all day prepping some things for the week.  I subscribed to Whole 30’s meal planning program/app called Real Plans.  I really like it.  Once you select your meals for the week, it populates a grocery list for you.  Made Broccoli ham Fritatta for brunch and making  BBQ pork (in the crockpot) , roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli for dinner.

I made some veggie egg & proccuito muffins for breakfasts this week and boiled some eggs too.  Since I have a 2 day conference, I plan to bring hard boiled eggs, apples, bananas, carrots, nuts and Lara bars along.  I’m not sure what will be on the conference menu, but I’m guessing it’s box lunches, which means I won’t be able to eat most or any of it.

Drinking lots of water and have been very full. Portions seems more than I need, so that is good. Off to work tomorrow, so that will be more of a test.  I like to chew gum and there is always a candy bowl around, so need to stay away from those.

Good luck to everyone this week.  Stay strong!  Have a good week!

Stephanie

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Hi, I just completed the September W30 (my third) but I am going to extend it, so I am going to hop in here!   It has (once again) helped a great deal with inflammatory issues, and I am scheduled for arthroscopic knee surgery in a couple of weeks.  I want to stay W30 to keep inflammation down as much as possible through the surgery and recovery.  

I am 61 years old, with cranky (arthritic) knees, and other chronic inflammation issues. Also would love to knock off a few pounds but that is not a major concern.  

Sunday is usually a big food prep day for me.  For lunch I made tuna salad with homemade mayo, then I made turkey burgers and I roasted a big beautiful romanesco that I bought at the farmers market a few days ago.   Oh, and sun tea! 

 

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Hi everyone! I'm starting today, Oct. 2nd, so thought I'd join this group. I'm 48 years old and this is my 3rd or 4th annual W30, which I usually do it in July, but things weren't optimal for W30 life during the last couple of months, so I'm going with October. I have been living the Paleo lifestyle for about 4 years with great results, but I feel like doing an annual W30 helps refocus me and reset my habits that tend to slip. I have definitely slipped lately and I'm not sure why - trying to sort that out this month.

In addition to the W30 basics, I have a couple of other goals this month: 

1. Drink 110 ounce of water/day

2. Eat more good fats!

3. Improve digestion by drinking some ACV with water before meals. 

4. Begin doing yoga. There's an app for that! :)

I'm working with nutritional therapist to fine-tune my health and nutritional goals. 

Looking forward to this journey with everyone - I have found this forum to be so helpful during my previous rounds, so happy to see you all here! :)

Betsie

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Shelly and Betsie and everyone!

You two are where I hope to be in 28 days and next year. Today is just day two for me, and it was both easy and hard. I love the meals, and am not hungry, but OH! the sugar and soda withdrawals have begun, and I'm headachey as heck. I can do it though. None of the things I'm experiencing are unusual or unexpected, so that helps. Plus, all of you keep me feeling focused and inspired.

And yes! I'm going to return to yoga too! Stay strong everyone! We can do it. Tomorrow: day THREE!

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@Mary, Elsie's mon Hang in there Mary the headaches hopefully will only last a day or two.  

@Betsie_n 110 oz of water daily!!!!  This is definitely a weak link in my nutrition.  I definitely do not drink enough water.  I sadly need to start with a goal of 16 oz a day.  

@PurpleLadyMN I LOVE my crockpot!  I also have an Instant Pot which I am still working on using more. 

I love the frig photo. I sometimes take pics of all the food I bring home after a weekly shopping trip. I will try to remember to post after the next shopping day.   

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@Mary, Elsie's mon - the withdrawals can be hard, but they are temporary so just keep plugging! Try to get more water  and more fats in your system to counter the yucky feelings your body is experience. I'm starting my new yoga practice today - going to keep it short and simple so as not to get overwhelmed by too much, too soon.  Have you had a regular yoga practice in the past? I've only ever dabbled, but have always enjoyed it and thought that the mind-body connection would be ideal right now. 

@ShellyM - I actually managed my 110 oz yesterday, but it was a lot harder than I expected because I thought I was already pretty good with my water intake - apparently, not so much :) My nutritional therapist says to halve your body weight and drink that many ounces per day, but if you drink non-water drinks like coffee, caffeinated drinks, alcohol, etc., you have to add 10-12 ounces per non-water drink you have. However, I think you start where you're at - and setting attainable goals, like get those 16 oz in, is the best path to success. I did download a water drinking tracker app and it's helping me stay on top of it - it reminds me hourly to drink :) 

@PurpleLadyMN - I hope you survive the box lunch at the conference! Those are so hard, but it sounds like you have a plan! Maybe there will be some salad or veggie trays, too. 

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Hello everyone I also started on October 1st and was hoping I could join your group.  A friend of my mother in law gave her the book to borrow over the summer and when I read it I decided to challenge myself to do it because the results seemed so amazing.  I eat relatively healthy and not a lot of sweets  but bread, chips, cheese and wine have been real issues for me. The first couple of days went relatively easy for me and I didn't really have to many of the hangover symptoms everyone talks about but I was very cranky and irritable today and felt cravings for pretty much everything I cant have. If anyone is going through the same experiences or just needs someone for support I would love to hear from you.  Good luck to everyone !

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Welcome @Sharon O !  Hoping tomorrow is a better day.  Hope you get a good night's sleep, that might help reduce your crankiness. 

Wednesday is my day off and when I usually do my main food shopping. Its also the day of the farmers market in the city where I live (White Plains NY). So I am doing a little planning this evening.  I am planning on cooking this salmon and delicate squash sheet pan dinner; I already have the delicate squash.  http://acalculatedwhisk.com/sheet-pan-salmon-and-delicata-squash/

I also found this recipe for tomato-basil soup  in the Instant Pot: https://thedomesticman.com/2016/08/02/tomato-basil-soup/

What better time to make a pot of tomato soup, with all the beautiful tomatoes at the farmers market.  I like making vegetable soups, can have a cup or bowl alongside almost anything at any meal. 

Anybody else cooking' up some good eats?

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Hello everyone I also started on October 1st and was hoping I could join your group.  A friend of my mother in law gave her the book to borrow over the summer and when I read it I decided to challenge myself to do it because the results seemed so amazing.  I eat relatively healthy and not a lot of sweets  but bread, chips, cheese and wine have been real issues for me. The first couple of days went relatively easy for me and I didn't really have to many of the hangover symptoms everyone talks about but I was very cranky and irritable today and felt cravings for pretty much everything I cant have. If anyone is going through the same experiences or just needs someone for support I would love to hear from you.  Good luck to everyone !

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Thank you Shelly M for your well wishes!  I'm just about ready to get to sleep and hopefully it will be a good one!  I don't have an instant pot but I will definitely check out your salmon and squash recipe...thanks for the idea!

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@ShellyM - how did that salmon recipe turn out? Sounds great - I adore every squash, so I love this time of year when they are plentiful. Did the salmon bleed into the squash on the pan at all? My hubs would not go for that ;)  I bet that tomato soup was delish, also! I'm an Instant Pot groupie, too!

Hope everyone is on track and feeling ok, so far! 

Betsie

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@Betsie_n The tomato soup was kinda boring, I may have added too much broth so the flavors were diluted.  Will add something to spice it up! I put a quart in the freezer and still have close to another quart in the frig.  

The salmon and squash was very good, especially the squash rings! I had to cook the squash a bit longer, at least  20 minutes to get it soft. The salmon filets didn't bleed into the squash at all, but you could just cook it in separate pans if you want to be sure they don't touch! I might recommend that, so you don't have to worry about the squash being over or under cooked.  

Here's a photo of my "haul" today. I went to the farmers market and then the supermarket.  Why pork rinds, you may wonder.  That's because I am going to try this crispy chicken! http://acalculatedwhisk.com/crispy-chicken-salad/

Tomorrow is my "long day" at work.  I don't get home until 9 pm, so I usually try to pack 2 meals.  I have 1.5; need to figure out the last .5, a protein to throw into my salad. 

 

FullSizeRender.jpg

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@ShellyM - Great haul! All looks so fresh and yummy! Thanks for posting the pork rinds recipe! I had seen that one or one similar but didn't save it and I know my picky hubs will buy into anything that has pork rinds involved :) 

You look well prepared! I'm lucky that I work from home, so I don't have to do as much planning or packing of meals - but then it's hard not to go astray in the pantry during the day, lol. 

Cheers! Betsie

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Hey everyone! Joining in for the October rock stars! :D This is my 3rd round of Whole30. After vacation at the end of August, I found myself saying "yes" to too many not worth it foods, and starting to inch toward the all-or-nothing eating (all good or all bad) that I've been battling my adult life. Time for a reset! I'm already appreciating the return to normal digestion and not feeling bloated and blech after meals or the "need" to graze. 

For you new folks, are you doing this solo in your house or do you have a significant other or kids? I coached my husband through one Whole30, but this time around, he's opting out of doing it with me, instead just sticking to a strict gluten free, dairy free diet (reintroduction told us those were his problem foods). I have two kids - 8 and 10 - and they are pretty healthy eaters, so they eat what I eat, plus any modifications to their tastes, i.e. tacos on shells instead of as a salad, gf noodles instead of zoodles, cheese and some grains as they seem to tolerate them ok. 

Looking forward to this journey with you all!

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Oh my gosh you guys. I'm sorry to be out of the thread for so long; I had an absolutely crazy week at work but I applaud all of you! You're fantastic, and though I wasn't able to write, I did read your posts and you kept me going. Welcome all new posters! Thanks for joining us! Together we are stronger!

I did make it through my first week, but man, it was harder in many ways than I expected! The food part was pretty easy, actually, but the brain part (the rage on day two! the weird food dreams! the blasting headaches! the struggle to concentrate ...) yikes. It gives me a whole new understanding of what people struggling against addiction deal with. 

@Betsie_n: yes! I do have (well, I DID) a daily yoga practice. I practice at home for 30 to 60 minutes a day MN. mostly restorative and yin yoga to help with muscle pain and stress relief. I love it, and recommend it. You can do it!

You've inspired me to drink more water, and I'm proud to report that I'm matching your 110 ounces!

Here's some of the meals I've made!

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