Starting Whole30 today (20 Feb) - total newbie, looking for friends!

[MeatEaterYogi]

Hello all,

I am on day one of Whole30. I admit I haven't done a ton of meal planning yet, because I'm a PhD student, yoga instructor, and I ski almost everyday here in Alaska. My house is already full of fresh produce and local wild meats from the Alaska wilderness. I already make ghee and kombucha, as these are very yogi things to do! I will be buying more Whole30 goodies tonight. 

I am looking for online support, because, I love my friends, but they do NOT want to hear about any kind of diet plans from me (hah). It's fine if you somehow happen to be accidentally healthy and in great shape, but my friends are annoyed by the thought of planning for this or talking about it. Since I am not morbidly obese, it's apparently annoying that I'd like to be more fit. I do live alone, so I think being a closeted Whole30 follower will work OK for me for now, with the help of some online friends. 

I LOVE cooking, so I am excited about meal prep. However, I admit a large goal of this for me, in addition to alleviating joint pain in the morning and ending my occasional weird stomach pains and poops, is some weight loss. I have always been a big muscular person, and sometimes I am a great weight, but sometimes I get fat, and it is VERY easy for me to gain weight. For this reason, I'm really scared about not counting calories! I can definitely cook yummy decadent meals that are Whole30 approved, but I'm worried about gaining weight if I don't count calories. I'm looking forward to meeting some folks on here, getting, and giving support, when needed! Thank you! 

[kirbz]

Hi @MeatEaterYogi! I will be starting tomorrow, February 21 for my second round of Whole30. I'd be more than happy to join you as a friend, accountability partner, and cheerleader. :-) 

I'm 32, engaged, live in Tahoe and live an active life with lots of hiking and some snowboarding, mountain biking and climbing, all with my fiance and two wonderfully adorable pups! I'm here because I eat terribly and have a whole mouth full of sweet teeth! My primary goal is long-term health. I want to be 70-years old someday and still able to do all the outdoor things I love. Secondary goals are energy gains (I'm tired all the time) and weight loss. 

I completed a Whole43 in September of last year and achieved some really, really great results, including weight loss. I hoped that the change would be long-lasting but wasn't. I fell into old eating habits and am determined to make this one stick! 

I definitely struggle with the meal prep due to the time it requires. But I do love the meals and I enjoy cooking (just not the time it takes to do it). That's really the hardest part. It's just easier to grab fast food than it is to buy, prep, cook, and clean up a whole meal. 

I totally understand the desire to count calories (as do lots and lots of people here) but I really encourage you to try and trust the system as much as you can. Eating fat is so, so integral to this program. If you're worried or obsessing about weight loss, you'll most likely under eat the fat content you should and you'll miss out on some really great gains (like energy!). 

Anyway, I look forward to doing this! How is Day 1 going for you so far? If you have any questions for me, let me know. I've read all the books, have followed this forum for years, and have successfully completed a Whole30 so I've got a pretty good grasp on things! :-) 

[Liesje]

Hello!

I am new here and I started w30 yesterday, so today is day 2. I decided on Sunday after a good look in the mirror that I need to do something about this body. Went reading on the internet and decided to start this program (didnt know much about it, but lets give it a try). Read the rules on Sunday evening, ate a cooked sweet potato for breakfast on Monday. Then went grocery shopping and prepping for the week (it took hours!).

Today I had a beef and tomato stew for breakfast (leftover from dinner yesterday,  not the best breakfast), stirfried cabbage and bacon for lunch. For dinner beans, sweet potato and turkeybreast.

I try to eat 3 meals a day and some fruit in the evening. I was hungry a few times today, but I have to learn to deal with it and so i did. Going to bed now, hungry.

and something else about me! I`m from Holland. Married and have an 8 year old son. I see you people are so active! I am a couch potato who tries to walk 3 miles for at least 2 times a week.

Hope we can share this adventure 

 

[KendallBW]

I’m starting today as well!!! I’m also definitely on my own for this one. Most everyone I know eats whatever they want whenever they want. I live in Crested Butte and we have an active lifestyle but fresh food is a bit of a struggle. It’s 45 minutes to my closest chain grocery store and veggies/meat are more expensive by be time they get to us. We also have a touch of the “drinking town with a skiing problem” issue around here so I’m most nervous about not being a Whole30 hermit. My main goals are digestion reset.  My family has stomach problems and I’m noticing I’m developing them too. I’d like to pinpoint certain things if I can so I can prepare if there’s an event or something. Weight loss would be an incredible perk. But cutting out pizza, Chinese, and PBR should hopefully help with that.  

 

[MeatEaterYogi]

Hi kirbz, Liesje, and KendallBW!

Thanks for posting! It's funny how people with similar hobbies find each other. I do a lot of hiking, biking, nordic skiing, snowboarding, and canoeing (in the summer) up here in Alaska. I used to live near you, kirbz; I worked in Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP in 2003 & 2004. And KendallBW, I also lived in Crested Butte in 2008 - 2010. Small world. I never had to worry at all about what I ate during those years, because exercising was my job (Park Ranger, Snowboard Instructor). I do field work for my research in Alaska, but I spend more time on the computer than in the field....and it shows....

So far, I had poached eggs and baked potatoes with ghee for breakfast after my morning yoga, and a salad with home made vinaigrette for lunch. Now I'm taking a ski break, and then back to work. I'm a few hours behind Cali and CO here, so not time for dinner yet. So far I feel fine. I think it's way too early to tell yet. First disappointment, though, soy in my canned tuna, so lame...I didn't eat, just saw it on my shelf.  Feel free to keep checking in ladies! (my real name is Molly, btw, 37, and very newly unattached). 

[kirbz]

Oh yay, it's nice to see a group forming! For my first Whole30, it helped immensely to have a group of people here going through the same journey! Like you guys, I don't have anyone else doing it with me. My fiance is hugely supportive (he evens cooks Whole30 meals for me) but he isn't actually doing the program. 

If you guys have any questions, please let me know! I've been following Whole30 for years and have a pretty good grasp on things so if something doesn't make sense, I can try and help you figure it out! 

@Liesje Just in case you didn't know, beans are not allowed on Whole30. Feel free to ignore (and to let me know if you don't want such advice), but I just wanted to let you know in case you were still figuring out all the complicated rules! I don't mean to offend in any way... 

@MeatEaterYogi What a small world! Isn't California just the bestest ever!? LOL. I've actually never been to Kings Canyon or Sequoia (and likely never will because National Parks don't welcome my precious little fur babies) but the region in general is just SO amazing! Ansel Adams Wilderness down by Yosemite has become a recent favorite! 

And yes, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS make a habit of reading your labels. For EVERYTHING! You'll be completely astounded by all the crap they put in our food! 

[Liesje]

Good morning everyone! Day 3 starts for me!

I prepped a frittata yesterday with eggs, potatoes, mushrooms, bacon and leftover veggies and it is a delicious breakfast this morning. I woke up so hungry, really have to get used to not eating everything all day

@kirbz this is what i read on the Whole 30 website about green beans:

'Green Beans: Yes

The problem with legumes comes when you consume the seed. As with snow peas or sugar snap peas, green beans contain a tiny, immature seed, and a big, green pod. As such, we’re not worried about the potential downsides—and if green beans are the worst thing in your diet, you’re doing okay.'

So I think that we can eat green beans once in a while, but not every day.

And offcourse you can give tips and advice! I can use a little help around here. I dont know anyone who even knows what whole30 is.

I wish I could go skiing with you @MeatEaterYogi, unfotunately no snow and also no mountains here. Wish I could see the beautiful nature in the country you live in.

Well, I'm heading off to work, I am a mental healt nurse, so there will be a lot of sitting and talking today

Wish everyone the best day!

 

 

 

[kirbz]

@Liesje Oh goodness, I just assumed you meant beans like pinto or black or kidney! Sorry for any confusion. I eat green beans too and love them! :-) 

[Liesje]

@kirbz guess it is a language problem, my native language is Dutch and we call green beans just beans . How are you doing today? How are the dogs?

What did everbody eat today?

I just had dinner: Beef and tomato stew with a baked plantain. Plantain was really good, I never had it before.

I feel a bit weak today and was a bit cranky before dinner. But now I feel a bit better.

Hope everyone is doing allright these first days of w30!

[kirbz]

@Liesje Haha, that explains it. When we use just "beans" here in the States, we typically mean black or pinto or kidney beans. :-) 

Today is Day 1 for me and it's going well so far. Of course, I've only had breakfast so I'm not too far into it yet! I did wake up early and do a workout though so I'm proud of that! 

My breakfast was my very favorite breakfast, though not the healthiest... I spiralized some sweet potato and regular potato and cooked them up in ghee with some salt, pepper, and seasoning (my Whole30 variation of hashbrowns). I then made three over-easy eggs and plopped those right on top with some bacon on the side. Yum! 

For lunch, I have some chicken stir fry with broccoli, carrots, and snap peas. I'll eat that with some avocado since it doesn't have any fat in it. 

Dinner will be baked salmon with a large side salad and probably some brussel sprouts. 

[Kayla514]

Good Afternoon,

I completely understand the friend thing. I am sure my friends are tired of me talking about it lol. I am not starting the 30 until March 1st, But I would love to follow with you and see how it is doing for you. I am also new at this so having people who have done this and support is always nice. I am always open for suggestions and advice.

Hope your day is going well.

[KendallBW]

Day 2! @MeatEaterYogi I love it here but I work in sales so I don’t ski as much as I’d like. It turned out to be more of a desk job than I was expecting. Off seasons are when I can usually get out. March looks super promising! It’s only my second winter so I’m still getting the hang of things. We just now opened extremes so we’re struggling for snow this year. 

I stuck to the first week guide from the book and I will say it seemed like a TON of food. So I accounted for leftovers and didn’t do as many options. It still seems like a lot of food. Anyone else? I have a hard time eating the whole big portions since I’m used to eating more smaller portions throughout the day. I’m definitely a snacker too. So I would eat half of a meal and then snack 2 hours later. Did anyone else have a hard time with the mayo!! Took me two tries! 

@Liesje I don’t like leftovers for breakfast either. Definitely sticking to the eggs and breakfast food for future.  

lets post good breakfasts when you find them! It’s always my hardest meal to mix up and keep fresh. 

I tried the spinach frittata from the recipe listing and it’s nice and fresh. I got 4 portions out of it too. Well maybe 3 haha. 

 

[MeatEaterYogi]

Hi Ladies,

welcome @Kayla514!

So, today is day 2 and I am a bit worried about portion control because I do want to lose weight. I think I have the opposite problem as Kendall (I can definately eat their recommended portions, but should I??). I have been trying to eat until I feel full and not over eat, but I am a big lady (mostly muscle, but about 25 lbs overweight/fat), so I can eat ALOT. I don't know how I could lose weight this way because I feel full most of the day.

I think I may have been eating too many potatoes these first two days? I love potatoes and have ton of them left from my garden last summer in dry storage. Three medium/smallish sized baked potatoes for breakfast and three eggs (I am usually hungriest in the morning) with 2 thumbs of ghee, 2 days in a row now. A good salad for lunch with nuts, avacado, olives, and fibery veggies like tomatoes, (but maybe too much olive oil dressing?). Last night I had a reasonable size amount of brussel sprouts, but two chicken thighs with alot of coconut oil. This may have been too much food. I haven't felt hungry except right after l workout, which worries me. I think I am eating too much

@KendallBW I actually haven't done any of the recipes yet, just baking or boiling meat and veggies and eggs and using coconut oil, ghee, olive oil, and spices. But I am also worried I am eating too much, because I eat until I feel full (that has never helped me lose weight in the past). Maybe I really need to try the recipes so I can monitor portions.  

@kirbz I have the Whole30 guide (I think its the main/first book), and haven't gotten to any sections on portion control. Can you recommend a spot in the book or online? I am tall and workout a lot, but I have not felt hungry for more than an hour or so and eat when I do feel hungry. I can't even imagine the calories I'm taking in right now, ugh!

[kirbz]

@MeatEaterYogi I can look through the books again but I don't think you're going to find the answers you want around portions or portion control...  A big part of the program is learning to understand our own body's satiety signals. No one can give you a formula that will tell you how your body will optimally operate. So you should be striving to find the right fat/protein/vegetable combination that keeps you leaving satisfied for 4-5 hours. I don't think the intent is that you spend much time feeling hungry. 

I really love that this program is an experiment and I try to look at it that way! Play around with portions and see what makes you feel best! And while I'm guilty of not heeding my own advice (because I also very much want to lose weight), I really think you should try to trust the process before you start trying to hack the program for weight loss. Afterall, we're only on Day 2. This program works. It has worked for millions of people and it's about so much more than weight. It's about your health and weight is only a part of that. 

Look at it this way... Worse case, this program doesn't work for your weight loss goal. You're only set back 30 days! How long have you already been wanting to lose those 25 pounds? Months? Years (this one is me!)? So you're no worse off on your weight loss BUT you'll come out of it feeling GOOD, even if not thinner! 

However, here a few recommendations on portions that aren't immediately obvious in any of the reading materials but that I see the Moderators saying quite frequently here on the forum:

• starchy vegetables (like potatoes) are recommended to be a fist-sized serving per day. I believe they say this can be more if you're active and I don't think this counts the starchy vegetables you may eat as part of your post-workout meal. I also think they they say the ideal is for your starchy serving of vegetables to be in the evening. You definitely don't want potatoes to be replacing variety in your vegetables though. Make sure to eat the rainbow! And even for those starchy vegetables, try variety like sweet potato, beets, parsnip, squash, etc. 
• nuts are recommended to be a closed fistful every other or every few days. So nuts every single day (which many, many people like) are not what is recommended. 
• you should be eating 2-3 CUPS of vegetables at every meal. This fills up a lot of your plate! If you're eating a salad, it munches down to almost nothing when you eat it so you should be eating a huge portion (think like a mixing sized bowl). 

I hope this helps! I definitely feel you in your struggle and have many of the same inclinations! I do try to combat them and these are some of the pep talk talking points I tell myself! :-) 

Best wishes!

[MeatEaterYogi]

@kirbz Thanks, yes this actually helps a lot!! I have been wanting to lose this extra 25 lbs since I gained it, which was like 2 years ago. So yes, it did cross my mind that another month won't matter that much. I sometimes run into people who haven't seen me in a few years, and always feel bad. If I lost the weight before I see another old friend.... You said you have been wanting to lose weight for years, as well. Is this in addition to the amount you lost on your first Whole30? Or when you went off of it, you gained it back and need to lose it again? I might need to do a Whole90 to lose the full 25 lbs, because I know slower is better, which might be hard, but yes, just seeing how the first 30 days go.  

I saw a chart they had on portions that relate to the size of your hand for various categories of food, but that was per meal, not per day. And I do have a big fist (lol), since I'm a tall lady, but it sounds like I should be eating two potatoes, not three, and that's per day. And I'll need to eat them at dinner and not breakfast. And less potato if I want winter squash. 

I think, using the advice that you are relaying from your experience chatting with the moderators, combined with the little meal planning chart, the basic idea is:

At every meal:

1 to 2 palm sized proteins, AND

2 or 3 cups colorful/green veggies (with one serving per day of starchy veggies instead/replacing - fist sized, if wanted) AND

ONE FAT: 1 or 2 thumb sized oils OR ghee; OR 1 to 2 handfuls of olives OR coconut flakes; OR 1/2 to 1 avocado; OR 1/4 to 1/2 can coconut milk; OR 1 closed handful of nuts (and the nuts should be once every few days, at only one meal) 

Add ONE or TWO pieces of fruit per day

I assume nut butters count as your nut allowance for the few days. 

I think this guide, if accurate, will be better for me than relying entirely on the recipes. Even though they do look great and I want to try them soon. And I think I'm getting the hang of what not to eat, which is basically everything that comes in a package, lol. 

[MeatEaterYogi]

I might run this by a moderator too, to see what they think...

[kirbz]

@MeatEaterYogi Oh good, I'm glad you found it helpful! I'm always hesitant to post stuff like that because I don't want to offend anyone and I would feel really bad if I misguided you in any way... Do definitely feel free to run things by the Moderators! They're so, so helpful! 

So, I weighed about 215 when I started my health journey in late summer of last year. At that time, I had been at or over 200 for a couple of years. A good weight for me is probably 165. I lost some pounds before and after Whole30, including 13 pounds during the 30 days. Overall, I got down to about 185 at my lowest. I'm back to 195 after reverting back to very, very poor eating habits after a few months. So yeah, it's been a bit of an up-and-down journey (which I hate and is totally embarrassing) but that's what it is. I'd like to eventually get to 155, which, would be on the low end for me in my lifetime (and I'm fairly tall at 5'10") but I want to get into rock climbing and I'd love to be that lean! And, why not aim high!?

The meal template is a fabulous tool and does apply to every single meal. The recommendations on nuts/nut butters and starchy vegetables are a little unique because they're extra guidelines on top of the per-meal advice and don't seem to be as obviously written down anywhere. But I hear them all the time. It sounds like you have it right though!

Just a note on fruits... You don't need them if you don't want them. I have many, many sweet teeth so I generally avoid them to avoid sugar cravings. I would occasionally have pineapple in a stir fry or on a kebab or something but I almost never ate fruit as it's own thing. I think the recommendation there is more about not going over a certain amount than it is about adding them in. Oh, and to eat the fruit with a meal and not as a standalone snack. So that one is more up to you! 

 

[Liesje]

Morning everyone!

Welcome @Kayla514 !

Today is day 4. I didnt feel hungry last night in bed or when I woke up, so that is a good sign that my body is getting used to the w30 I hope?

This morning I had a smoked herring for breakfast so I hope I dont smell fishy all day  It tasted good for breakfast.

@KendallBW @MeatEaterYogi I am a big portion eater too. Good thing for me with w30 is that it is not the kind of food I can keep on eating and eating, like bread. So portions are kinda in control. 

For 2 nights I ate an apple before going to bed with a little spoonful of almondbutter. I should skip it, but I enjoyed it sooo much that it will be hard not to eat.

Well, heading of to work, have a good day everyone (I know you are in a different timezone, must of you will be sleeping now I guess?).

 

[kirbz]

Happy Thursday everyone! I hope all of your Whole30 journeys are going well! Anyone having any symptoms or NSVs? 

I didn't experience any symptoms last time I did this (like headaches or any sort of "carb flu" that some people feel) so I hope I don't this time! I just finished Day 1 and so far, so good! I have today's meals ready to go but I will face my first test tonight. We're going to an NBA basketball game and it's a tradition for us to eat nachos at games. Which, obviously, I can't eat. So that will be hard but I have a meal of BBQ chicken, a big  baked potato with lots of ghee, and a large salad before we go so I won't be hungry! It'll just be a mental game! Especially since my fiance will be having his nachos. :-) 

Also, in case anyone is interested, I keep a Whole30 log here: https://forum.whole30.com/topic/47066-kiras-whole30-log/?page=3. Feel free to check it out if you'd like. It's super detailed though, so be warned! LOL. 

 

[Kayla514]

Thank you! @Liesje @MeatEaterYogi

@MeatEaterYogi I am also in need of losing weight, but I'm trying to focus on my diet and health first so I am with you, I also had a hard time with portion size but a couple months ago I decided to slowly cut down my portions and not go back for seconds that was a big thing also. After a few weeks of doing so I tend to get full faster and My portion control has slowly become controlled. I have noticed with a lot of people who have shared meals they eat morning, lunch and dinner that every ones portion is always different. So you eat what you think is enough for you, It never hurts to slowly cut down the portions though.

I think that my hardest thing for this will be actually eating breakfast, I love breakfast food but I have never been a huge breakfast eater. So that will be a huge change for me.

[MeatEaterYogi]

Hi everyone, 

Nice to hear you check in! I did ask a moderator in another thread about the list/guide I wrote yesterday, and she said I was right for the most part, and yes, like @kirbz said, fruit is actually optional. Since I don't have a huge sweet tooth, I'm going to try to limit to one piece of fruit a day, and @Liesje, if you can manage it, I guess it helps, psychologically, with urges to snack, if that fruit is part of your meal, not on it's own.

Trying to up protein and green veggies has really helped curb my appetite and I feel full on smaller portions, which is great! I also don't feel like I need a separate post-workout meal, because its usually time for breakfast after yoga in the morning, and dinner after skiing in the evening. I really haven't been hungry at all during this, or had any headaches, so....maybe it's coming? Or it might be that I normally eat healthy anyway, but giving up rice and beans is hard, as is no cream in my coffee. My biggest problem is just portion control on those foods with no brakes like grains and bread (and alcohol, probably).

I am so busy, I still haven't had time to even go shopping, I just generally have most of the things on the W30 list already, lots of meat, fish, eggs, veggies, fruit, etc., coconut oil. At some point I will need to go to the grocery store. I ran out of ghee, and almond milk for my coffee. I don't have any coconut milk right now and choking down black coffee is pretty difficult, but I'm trying.

Do any of you ladies struggle with, or are worried about, eating too close to bed time?  I teach yoga until 7:30 pm a few nights a week, which means by the time I get home and cook, I'm eating at 8:30 pm and go to bed at 10pm. I'm concerned this will also impede some of the good things that can come from this diet (weight loss, but other NSV's too).

@kirbz, it sounds like we are pretty close to the same size. I am just under 6 foot tall and I have a large bone structure on top of that, so 165 - 162 lbs is my ideal weight, especially with all my muscle, anything down in the 150's is getting to be too skinny for me, but you are a few inches shorter, so 155 might be good for you. I was 165 for a long time and it felt fabulous. Then I was 180 lbs for about 1.5 years, and kept fantasizing about losing 15 lbs.

My life has been really emotional and stressful the last 6 months or so, and I ballooned up to 192 - 195 lbs from stress eating, ugh. If I could lose 10 - 13 lbs on this round of Whole30, that would be awesome, half way to my goal weight. Then I'd be pretty motivated to do it a few more times, and keep those changes in my diet for the rest of my life. Eating all this meat has actually made me too full to stress eat, so maybe that is a NSV? 

Also, I hope I can keep up with the plan without doing the log/diary that you linked us to. It looks like that really works for you, but I  don't have time for it...I am not recording my food, and I hope that's OK, I am just sticking to a lot of protein and veggies and a bit of fat formula for each meal. 

Even though it is hard to avoid so so many convenience foods, being stronger, slender (but not too skinny), and full of energy without counting calories would be amazing! And pretty much eating a bunch of yuuuuumy fat (except cheese, sad face), would be amazing! Like I said, I haven't been hungry at all (yet). Hope you ladies all have a great day! 

[Liesje]

Hi all, just a short check in in the evening from me.

@kirbz love the log! What kind of bbq sauce do you use in your food?

@Kayla514 I will keep your thoughts about cutting down portions in mind!

@MeatEaterYogi good to see that you find your way in the portions and yes, I miss cheese too (crying face, haha )

Today I thought I cooked a great dinner, I fried different kind of veggies (beans, cabbage, carrots) in different pans with duckfat, onions, garlic, mushroom. Supposed to be yummy, but... when I sat down at the table and saw what I cooked, the only thing I could think was.....bleuh, greasy veggies.... again! For the first time I was tired of cooking like this.

I guess its time to start eating fresh salads for variation. Fried veggies 3 times a day for 4 days is a bit of an overload I guess.

Well, thats it for today, typing in English is harder then I thought. see you tomorrow hopefully!

 

[kirbz]

@Liesje Confession. I buy all of my sauces, dressings, and condiments. I don't have a lot of time and I'm blessed to be doing well financially so spending the extra money is more worth it than spending the extra time. So, I use a store bought sauce. Specifically, I use Tessemae's Organic BBQ Sauce (that brand has the only compliant ketchup or BBQ sauce that I've ever heard of and I've looked around quite a bit). I really like it a lot. 

If y'all are interested in store-bought Whole30-approved items, let me know. I can tell you about my favorites. Or you can check out the Whole30Approved Instagram feed for lots of brands and items! 

Variety is HUGELY IMPORTANT for Whole30. You'll definitely get bored quickly if you don't make a conscious effort to mix it up. So yeah, try some salads! Or maybe some stir frys (although that's kinda fried veggies too...)? Let us know how it goes when you mix it up a little bit! 

In general, feel free to share any recipes you love. Here's my VERY FAVORITE Whole30 recipe: https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/twice-baked-potatoes-paleo-whole30-vegan/. In general, I LOVE this woman's recipes! 

[kirbz]

@MeatEaterYogi I don't think most people keep logs so that won't be a problem at all! It just helps me for accountability and a number of other reasons. And honestly, I kinda like it. :-) 

[Stackgrl]

Hey Everyone! My name is Jen and I love in Colorado. I am on my 5th W30 and I have the "Whole 30 Day by Day" along side with me.  I am on day 4 and am doing this alone, so I am glad to have found you guys!