100 Days of Awesome "Whole 100" Group Log

[Renee Lee]

I love you guys

[Karen]

If you insist, Justine!

I'm 35, born and raised in Wisconsin, though I live in a larger city now than I did growing up. Growing up, I was always sick. I had my first cold at 3 weeks. Bronchitis and sinus infections were a regular thing for me. I had my first round of allergy testing in 1st grade and went through years of allergy shots. I still have the records of what I reacted to! Eczema started on my hands and feet in 2nd grade and it got so bad at times that I couldn't even open my hands. Looking back, I think living with a smoker in an unfinished house likely had something to do with all my issues, as did living a half mile from a dump. They used to burn it back then and the smoke always made it our way.

I went to college for education and taught high school math for 6.5 years - pre-algebra through calculus. I was a great at teaching, but was miserable being a teacher. I bought my condo at 25 and had to work 1-2 jobs on the side to afford it and the remodeling I wanted to do and it got really old. I made the ballsy move to quit mid-year to work at a design/construction firm. Construction is in my family's blood. My tool collection began at age 5, and I spent many a day in the basement workshop with my dad growing up. It made me much happier than teaching. I wanted to get away from the repetition and wanted something that I could appreciate at the end of it all. Construction gives me that. I started out as an admin with hopes to work my way up at the company.

Life got derailed in 2008. I was dating an architect at my company for a while and things were going well. So I thought. Out of the blue, he called it off. And I still had to work with him. Ugh. Coupled with our company's downsizing that started that same week, I was a ball of stress. A few months later, I was crippled over in pain. Looking back, I'm certain the stress triggered it all to start then. I went from doctor to doctor and have a gazillion tests done, some that were incredibly painful and demoralizing, only to continue to be told everything checked out fine. I'm normally pretty rational and calm, but at this point, I was a wreck. I was all alone. My family is spread out all over the country so I had very little support.

I finally found a gynecologist a few months later that recognized the signs and agreed to open me up. She found endometriosis and some organs adhered to each other. She yanked my appendix out as it was adhered to my cecum and removed my cecum from my sidewall and sent me on my way. I was supposed to feel better. I didn't. To top it off, the IUD she inserted during surgery made my life Miserable with a capitol M. The non-narcotic pain meds she put me on had me seriously considering driving into oncoming traffic and walking on the lake in the spring when the ice was melting. That was my lowest point ever.

I started seeing a chiropractor and he's the first person that suggested diet changes. I read about the insulin resistance diet and within days of starting, was able to get off the pain meds. Shortly after, I ditched the IUD and swore off synthetic hormones. I eventually found a functional doctor that helped me better balance my hormones using bio-identical hormones, and eventually we found that all my hormones were low, as was my thyroid (non-hashimotos). There were some other signs and symptoms that my pituitary gland is under-functioning, though no doctor has ever been able to explain why so I continue to struggle with finding the proper balance, but I'm persistent and smart and keep pestering my doctor for the next thing to check out. She tested me for food allergies and that helped narrow down what foods make me feel awful. She treated my thyroid effectively - everyone else had told me it was normal for over TEN YEARS. It really wasn't! Without her, I don't know where I'd be. All in all, I've seen about 25 practitioners since 2008. Acupuncture, therapy, physical therapy, specialists, you name it. All that ran my life and my finances for a while. It's exhausting. But, I've learned how to assert myself with doctors and am not afraid to tell them I disagree with their suggestion to give me multiple medications without understanding what is wrong with me or even why. Most don't like that, but I don't go back to them so it doesn't matter.

But, I'm in a much better place now than I was back then. I eventually got laid off from my former company (the same day as my ex, too - wish he would have gotten cut sooner!) but landed at my dream job. Started out there as an admin and worked my way up to project management. We do commercial construction - from very small to very large, complex projects on campus. I absolutely love what I do and where I am. I'm doing well enough to consider selling my condo and buying a house. I need another fixer-upper to keep me busy - that's when I'm most happy. I'm still single - date here and there - but find it's hard to let someone in with all the crud I've gone through. I still have some bad days here and there and that's hard to explain to someone new. But I keep trying and keep putting myself out there.

It's nice to know that there are so many like-minded people here - that understand food will either make you more healthy or less healthy. Had I not changed my diet, I don't know where I'd be now, though I know it wouldn't be pretty. I'm not perfect and I still struggle when I go out to eat, but I keep refocusing my efforts because I know how bad things could get again. Even though I didn't continue my journey with the rest of you, I'm still with you in spirit!

[Jtandi]

thanks guys! I was just about to chime in and complain about wanting to know more about you guys!

Lisa - I am so inspired by your story. you have amazing resilience and your children are so lucky to have you, what an amazing parent you are! I think it is amazing when people like you and Karen are willing to do the work to change your whole life and diet to correct physical ailments rather than continue to stuff large amounts of medications down your throat. I see so often people who just don't want to take the time, or think they aren't able to do the work. I am so happy you have such a supportive husband, that is so helpful. thanks for sharing with us

Karen - thank you for sharing your history, too! again, amazed at people who are willing to take their own health into their own hands and actually DO something about it. and love the fact that you were able to be honest with yourself and quit doing what you didn't love, very cool how doing so got you to right where you want to be.

seems pretty common to have stress set off some serious challenges for us physically. amazing to me how the body works and attempts to compensate when need be.

bad news on my home front: my dishwasher died. I am so bummed, I'm sure you all can sympathize with how much we need out dishwashers for. I use that thing at least once a day. we are going to have to go get one tomorrow...I know my hubby will want the cheapest so I'm going to have to explain to him the importance of getting one that's at least decent. I don't need all the bells and whistles, but I do need something that's good!!!

[melbournegirl]

Wow, we are one sick bunch of people LOL... I am so happy to know you all and share your support.

What doesn't kill us makes us stronger???

Seriously, we all deserve a medal for trying so hard and not giving up.

And I would like to thank all the Mods and Melissa and Dallas for helping us so much on our journey to better health.

[shelley417]

Justine, Lisa and Karen-- you amaze me. Going through life with such extreme health issues is so very difficult. So much suffering and yet so much grit and determination to find answers and live life to the fullest. And parenting. Not the easiest under the best if circumstances but Lisa-- you have led a life of devotion.

I am so blessed to be 61 with no real health issues. No prescription drugs. Til this week I had the high blood pressure under control.

I do watch my 59 year old husband meet his challenges every day with grace and I can only imagine what it has been like for all of you.

I am so honored to be part of this group and wish we were around the coffee bar so we could have a group hug.

I wonder where Mary Ann is. Are you ok?

[1Maryann]

Aaacckk!!!! I'm totally swamped and haven't read this page in days, and every time I peek in, there's more! Sorry, gang, will try to catch up this weekend.

[shelley417]

MaryAnn-- just glad you are ok. Xo.

[Jtandi]

morning (afternoon?) all, hope we are all doing well as we are into our FINAL WEEK. I seriously cannot believe it. I have a friend who is doing a whole30 right now (I told her about it), and she is almost 1/2 way through. she has had "a few slips" and I hope she follows through and at least tries to get the last 1/2 without any, but it also makes me realize that I have gone almost 100 days with ABSOLUTELY NO SLIPS! EVEN WHEN NO ONE WAS LOOKING! I always waited until people weren't looking and then shoved something in my face that I didn't want to admit was there. NO ONE HAS BEEN LOOKING! sheesh! I'm sure I have eaten something non-compliant, but the fact that there is nothing that I know of (other than a baby corn in the beginning which was in my stir fry and I didn't know about) makes me want to jump with joy. especially since, after she told me she has had a few non-compliant foods, I realized that I never once thought of that as an option.

I have started a HUGE food cook-up. as important as it was for me to pre-cook before I started I believe it is more important for me to do it as we wind down. I want to continue eating this way and convenience is important. there are a few things I will probably not worry about (butter, bacon with < 1g sugar, etc) but for the most part, unless I'm eating out I want to be eating pretty much the same.

is anyone else doing re-introduction or has everyone else done it during past whole30s? obviously, since this is my first go around, I will be doing re-introduction phase. first up will be dairy, it is probably the one thing I would love to add back in. re-introduction makes me feel pretty safe since it I plan on doing 2 or 3 days of re-intro food followed by 4-5 days of whole30 strictness. I will try dairy, wheat, corn, rice, legumes, soy...what else is there? I am happy that this will give me about another 6 weeks of being pretty strict which will help even more with securing my habits.

I know I said this before, but I also plan on doing 3 whole30's a year (WHOLE30! it will seem like a weekend, huh?!): June, October, and February. I know we will all be voyaging on with each other in the post-board but I am hoping some of us will be interested in doing 4 month resets ( )

[1Maryann]

Okay. a bit of a lull at work. Just read through "True Confessions". What an amazing and varied bunch of women we are, and what strength and courage so many of you possess.

My turn. I'm 57, single, never married, no kids. I have friends that tease me that, as commitment-phobic as I am, I should have been born a man. LOL I've been in a few serious relationships, I just won't sign the papers. Maybe it has something to do with being raised in a very strict Catholic family, where marriage was forever. I saw enough people in unhappy marriages that were more like life sentences, and decided early that wasn't for me. Never had a real desire for children, either. Truthfully, I'm a bit of a loner. I prefer my solitude. I enjoy people in small doses, but the thought of having another person around 24/7 for years and years is horrifying. I'd wind up in jail.

I do love animals, however. I own a parrot store, where I raise and train birds. I have several parrots at home, and there are always dogs underfoot. After my last two dogs died within months of each other a year and a half ago, I decided I wasn't ready to 'replace' them but missed having dogs, so I started fostering for the local Golden Retriever Rescue. I take on the dogs no one wants--elderly and infirm (you'd be surprised how many of these get dumped at shelters because the families that have had them all these years don't want to deal with their senior issues), those with behavioral problems (bite history, fear aggression), or with other physical problems that make them less adoptable. Since that time, I've fostered about a dozen dogs, three of them as hospice fosters who spent their last months with me, five who went on to solve their issues and get adopted, two that I adopted myself--one after her physical deformities got her turned down by potential adopters several times, and the other who came to us last year at the age of 12 after being forced to live outside for the previous 6 years because the family was sick of fleas, yet wouldn't spend the money on preventive. She wasn't an outdoor dog, she's terrified of the dark and bad weather, and it was a long time before she would even go out in my yard unless I went along and she stayed between me and the door so I couldn't lock her out. I decided that poor old lady had been through enough and I wouldn't make her switch homes again. I currently have 2 fosters, a 12 year old whose owner died of cancer and whose boyfriend neglected her for the last two years to a state bordering abuse, and a crazy 6 year old escape artist who is the nicest dog in the world, but impossible to catch once she's gone. This will take some work.

I also work with a parrot rescue through my store, and give their birds a place to be seen and to interact with people. As time goes on I'm selling fewer and fewer babies, and adopting out more and more rescues, because we are on the verge of being forced to euthanize birds we can't rehome, just like we do dogs and cats. They live so long, and people's circumstances change in 10, 20, 40 years. or they get too old to care for them. The rescues are full, the sanctuaries are full, there just isn't enough space for all of these, as well as all the cute babies we crank out every year. It's a real problem, and working with both rescues, it amazes me how many people see pets as something disposable, to be gotten rid of when the novelty wears off, or if it takes a bit of work to train or retrain them.

Before I have to go, I wanted to share with you something I said to my new fitness coach. After being sidetracked by life for a few weeks, I did decide to go with the Wellness Center connected to our community hospital. It was the most affordable option, it's very close to home, and offers the most flexibility as far as classes, hours of operation, and variety of equipment. My membership entitles me to two one-hour sessions with a trainer to assess my abilities and put together a workout plan. I sat down with him on Wednesday, and he asked me to tell him a bit about myself and my motivation for joining.

I didn't even realize I felt this way until I heard the words come out of my mouth, it was purely spontaneous. I told him I was 57 years old and I'd been trapped in a body that didn't work for the last 20 years. It was quick to injure, slow to heal, I'd become quite overweight and couldn't seem to fix it no matter how hard I tried. On top of that, I hurt all the time. My joints were painful and swollen, my range of motion was severely limited, and I was exhausted all the time. Much of the time, a walk to the corner and back with the dogs seemed like a Herculean feat, even on one of my 'better' days. Some days I'd sit in my driveway and cry because my knees hurt so bad I couldn't get out of my car and put weight on them.

I told him I decided to try something different, did my research on diets meaning way of eating, not diets meaning crazy ways to take weight off. I told him the more I read, the more that paleo made sense to me. I told him I found this website as part of that journey, and that the people who put it together were recommending a 30 day elimination diet to reset your body in a healthy way. I told him I cut out grains, beans, dairy, sugar, alcohol, chemicals, etc. No processed foods only healthy whole foods. I told him I'd done the 30 days a few times, definitely felt better, but didn't stick with it long term. I told him the first of the year I made a pact with some online buddies to extend this program out to 100 days to see if that helped our issues and made it become our new normal instead of just something to try once in a while.

I told him for the first time in 20 years I am and have for a couple of months now been totally pain-free. That I no longer feel like I have any limitations on my abilities, other than the fact that I'm totally out of shape from the forced inactivity all those years. That I'm determined to make up for lost time, and that I plan on 60 being my new 40. I told him I like the Cross-Fit philosophy, that I want to spend a shorter time in the gym, going full-out to my limits, instead of spending hours doing less productive stuff. I told him it has been so long since I've felt this good, that I don't want to waste a minute reaching my full potential. I feel like I have a lot of ground to make up. And I feel younger now than I have in 20 years.

Deep breath...Back to work. Love you guys!

[melbournegirl]

Maryann I nearly cried with happiness, well done!!!!!!!!! You got your life back! And I know all those sad animals in your life will love the more active you! What a wonderful thing to do.

[Jtandi]

ditto Juzbo!!!

[1Maryann]

Hi again. I tried to upload a pic of me. It kicked out every one I tried, and now I can't even load the old avatar. Go figure.

I wanted to add to what I said yesterday. Until I started telling my story to my coach, I hadn't even put the pieces together.

I started having joint pain 20 years ago. It wasn't bad at first, just annoying. Everyone I mentioned it to, including doctors, shrugged it off. Family members would say, well you probably inherited arthritis from your mother. My mom, who ate a SAD, had been an Olympic-caliber athlete in her youth. But somewhere along the way, she got 'arthritis' and over time became less and less active because of the pain and mobility issues.

I was following in her footsteps, and short of some OTC pain relievers, which I never take, no one offered a cause or a solution. I had never heard of systemic inflammation, and when I finally did, I was convinced it was some nutty theory to explain the unexplained. I could kick myself for not becoming proactive much earlier. I just accepted the conventional wisdom: Joint pain was inevitable. It can be eased with medication, but it can't be reversed. You just have to learn to live with it.

It was my desire to lose weight that finally brought me here. I had read Atkins and tried it his way for several years. He had it partially right. He understood the way protein, fat, and carb is metabolized, but his diet accepts all sorts of artificial, processed substitutes for the items you are replacing, and doesn't allow enough of the healthy, starchy, and nutritionally dense vegetables. Long term adherence to his diet leaves you with far too much nutrition from meat and dairy, and far too little from vegetables and fruit, and it doesn't address the problems of inflammation.

This program has been a life changer. I now understand I never had an irreversible condition like arthritis, I had systemic inflammation, caused by the foods I was eating, that rendered my joints stiff, sore, and immobile. I could cry to think of the 20 years I 'wasted', the times I cancelled out on the annual backpacking trips because I knew I'd be too stiff and sore to keep up, the times I didn't go out for a couple of mile walk just because it was a beautiful morning and I wanted to enjoy it. How much did I miss out on because I had resigned myself to the fact that I was 'getting older', and that this was 'part of the aging process'?

And now it is so simple. IT WAS THE FOOD!!!!

I can't waste any more time mourning what never was. But I can seize every minute and make up for all that lost time. The only expectation I had when I started this program was weight loss. I had no idea what it would do for my body as a whole. I feel like I've discovered the Fountain of Youth. Physically, I am younger than I have been in 20 years.

And now, off to the gym!

[shelley417]

Jess and Justine-- you look as I imagined you would. Beautiful. MaryAnn--your story is inspirational. We have a 10 year old Golden. One day I am going to surprise you and come over so we can take a walk with the dogs! Karen-- some guy is going to be amazed by you. Just wait and be open.

Can you believe this is it!!! Our final days. I need a plan. No dairy. I think I will add back a little honey and wine to the cooking. No alcoholic beverages yet.

Jess-- I am definitely voting you in for Rookie of the Year!

[AI-Paleo]

You all are rock stars! Maryann - bless your animal loving-rescuing heart!

[Jtandi]

holy god you guys, is today day 98?! we rock!

I am going to post a lot because I want us to get up to 70 pages. and we only have a couple days to do it.

did everyone join in our coffee talk? I can't remember...

[Jtandi]

and thank you Shelly!

[Susan W]

holy god you guys, is today day 98?! we rock!

I am going to post a lot because I want us to get up to 70 pages. and we only have a couple days to do it.

did everyone join in our coffee talk? I can't remember...

I think my birthday put off my start date a bit. I started on 1/4. Did the rest of you start on 1/1?

[melbournegirl]

21st december for me... I've started a post30 90 meals to better health program in prep for my surgery. It includes some non compliant items and I will do some reintro perhaps on some things I plan to have occasionally like rice... Will post that in our happy ever after log.

Happy final days everyone.. When's your last day Susan? Ps you didn't join us for coffee yet.....

[1Maryann]

I think most of the rest of us started on the 1st.

I discovered something today. Been experimenting with different coffees now that I drink it black. I always thought I preferred french roast or some other dark roast. I don't. The old me put so much cream and Splenda in the cup, I needed a stronger roast just to still taste the coffee. By itself it's too bitter. But I bought some organic raw honey, and will try a dab of that on Thursday.

[Susan W]

Yes I am late for coffee. I have been down with a cold and cough so have not felt very prolific. I am better so will catch up on my reading and add my chatter to the coffee date.

Today was the first day my appetite was back. I made a fresh batch of soup with my frozen chicken stock. I added a bunch of rainbow carrots, leeks and other veggies from my CSA box. Plus I needed spicy so I added lots of lemon grass, fresh ginger, garlic, cayenne and curry. Then I remembered the container of roasted butternut squash and beets in my fridge. I added some of the soup liquid and took my imersion blender to it. Wow..what color. My daughter came home and smelled it. She whipped the lid off and said "OMG Mom, it looks like a murder scene". Lovely. :0)

Speaking of dates, I think I have 6 days left if you guys have 2. 4/14 should be the day but I will count to be sure.

[Jtandi]

glad you are feeling better Susan!!

[okeedokie]

Happy Day 98!!

Holy crap, we ARE almost there!

This is so crazy and exciting and a little sad too, isn't it?

I have love, LOVE, LOVED sitting down with all of you for coffee! I can't believe how amazing you all are. It is such an honor to know all of you.

I'm going to go back and re-read everyone's stories, I'll post a bunch too so we can hit page 70 but I know we'll probably go beyond that, because that's just the kinda gals we are damnit! LOL!!

MaryAnn, I'm in love with you! I think I mentioned that I work with rescues too but nothing like you do. I am in awe of your loving kindness for the seniors. It touches me so much.

Very cool that you're rescuing the birds and re-homing them too. Wow!

It's been a crazy couple of days and I haven't had a chance to post BUT I read every word from every one of you before I even get out of bed in the morning. You've become so important to me and everything you write walks with me during my day.

I can hardly wait to move over to Juzbo's new page after we complete our 100 day journey.

What shall we do for day 99 & 100?

Seems like we should come up with something special.

Hey, before I forget, how do I post a picture of myself? I'd like to do this before we finish up so you can see my mug too.

Hugs,

Linda

I

[melbournegirl]

Go into "my settings" and click change photo to attach a jpeg file for example... Looking forward to seeing you Linda

[shelley417]

It's Day 99 and I think I should have something profound to say but I think I have said everything i have to say for now. I have learned so much

from all of you. Am looking forward to the group bike ride. Where are we doing this? Is there already a post100 page that Juzbo created?

[shelley417]

Susan-- I will keep posting with you through the 14th.