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Psyching Up For a December Whole 30 Graduates


Jim4884

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Hey @Jim4884, thanks. Last year @LadyLisbette and I were gently reminded by the mods that post W30 discussions needed to move away from the areas dedicated to those on the program in order to avoid confusing anyone that might stop by to browse. They wound up moving our entire thread for us since we had already transitioned. I think @kirbz is the only one finished so far but LadyLisbette and I are hot on her heals! 

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Though I'm officially done with my Whole30, I'm not sure exactly when I plan to start my reintroductions. I'm feeling good with Whole30 for now, so I plan to continue for at least a few more days. Regardless of the when, I do plan to do the formal, structured reintroduction as outlined in the book. I want to know how different foods affect me as I refine what I want my long-term eating to look like.

Here's what I want to reintroduce to see how they affect me (i.e., these are the foods I'd be most inclined to eat on occasion): 

  • Legumes: garbanzo beans (because hummus), peanut butter (because PB&J) 
  • Non-Gluten Grains: white rice, gluten-free bread (see above), gluten-free oats (because overnight oats) 
  • Dairy: cheese, yogurt, sour cream 
  • Gluten-Containing Grains: TBD 
  • Sugars: honey, maple syrup, coconut palm sugar (because Paleo desserts) 

Anyway, these are really just some thoughts for me for now. :-) 

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Here's some of my discoveries from two rounds of re-intro's and maintaining an "almost" Whole 30 diet all the time:

  • Legumes: any beans in their whole form gave me mild gas (sorry if TMI), but during my second whole 30 I realized I did not miss legumes at all, so never did that re-intro.  Hummus was more benign, and I like it OK, but if I must "dip" into something, I prefer ranch dressing made with homemade mayo, and when I discovered chipotle mayo, wow, there is NOTHING that doesn't make better :) So I honestly cannot remember having legumes since my first Whole 30 re-intro - which was August of 2017.
  • Non-gluten grains:  I did not discover any ill effects from non-gluten grain re-intro's, and the second time I tried to go a little overboard to see if I could get some reaction, and didn't notice anything.  However, the cumulative health benefits from doing my first Whole 30 were so dramatic, and by that time I had discovered and gotten pretty good at making different kinds of cauliflower rice, (I always loved real rice), that I just use cauliflower rice anymore.  But if I ever go out to, say, a spanish restaurant, I can order a big dish of paella with impunity :D 
  • Dairy: Again, mild digestive issues.  I've found cheese in reasonable amounts doesn't really bother me, so a small cheese plate or something like now and then is in my diet, but I try to keep it to a minimum.  And generally speaking, anything that I used to use butter in, ghee works as well so I'm good there. 
  • Gluten: Along with sugar, the main cause of inflammation that made my arthritic ankle impossible to run on (and several other inflammatory issues).  Diet change fixed that/those.  I RARELY eat any gluten now - xmas dinner with my family I had some of my mom's recipe mac and cheese, and maybe it's in my head, but my ankle is more sore than it's been in months.  Still, it was worth it, ONCE :) 
  • Sugars: I don't have the sweetest of teeth, but I can binge on sweets, so I mostly avoid sugar, especially in the more obvious places like desserts.  I mentioned the jerk seasoning I use, it is SO good, and there is such a small quantity of sugar in it, and it does not trigger any binge tendencies, so I don't worry about those types of added sugars.  Yet I still make my own breakfast sausage, since I only recently found a brand that has no sugar (Pedersen's) and it is kinda pricey.  I've found my balance on putting in the extra effort to eat cleanly, and having a maintainable lifestyle - since I eat my breakfast sausage pretty much every day (along with scrambled eggs, my roasted potatoes (similar to home fries), Trader Joe's Salsa Autentica (no sugar, totally complaint, and oh so good!) and avocado), it's worth the extra effort.  OTOH, I eat ketchup like once every 3-6 months, so I don't make my own.  An occasional paleo dessert is enjoyable, but I find if I don't start eating any sweets, I don't miss them too much. 
  • Soy: I cannot point to specific results from re-intro's, but I somehow feel fairly certain that soy was messing with my body chemistry so I avoid it completely.  It's taken awhile for me to get used to the coconut amino versions of soy sauce - it really doesn't taste the same, but it's good enough since I was never a huge Asian food aficionado anyways - so soy is out for me.
  • Alcohol: This is in the interest of honesty, moderate amounts of alcohol don't seem to have much of a short term negative impact on me.  However, and it's a BIG however, I sometimes have a hard time finding the off switch once I have a drink, so I am mostly abstinent.   I don't wish this on anyone :) 

Sorry for the length, but as I said, I've been experimenting with balancing optimal health and culinary enjoyment and cooking effort for quite some time now, and have found a place I'm comfortable with.   And I am enthusiastic about others experiencing some or all of the benefits I have.

And even after apologizing for length, I'm going to post the cumulative health benefits I've reaped, since I mentioned them, and  I'm pretty sure it's not a repeat for all:

  • I went from pre-diabetic, (with a busy Kaiser doctor e-mailing me personally to let me know how serious it was), to completely normal blood sugar
  • I reduced my blood pressure whilst getting off of meds for it
  • Triglycerides went from 3x normal range to normal
  • I mentioned the improvement in my inflamed arthritic ankle - the immediate lifestyle improvement of that cannot be overstated
  • I lost 40 pounds without increasing exercise or limiting portion sizes (I never felt hungry)
  • mild lifelong eczema gone
  • modest improvements in mood (specifically: depression, anxiety and anger) and sleep
  • rejuvenated my enjoyment of cooking, and learned to love vegetables.  Veggies used to be (mostly) toppings on pizza and sub sandwiches for me, no lie

All of these gains have been maintained for well over a year (16 months) now.  I still occasionally tease my friend who predicted I would start gaining that weight back within a month :D

 

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@Jim4884 Wow, thank you for sharing your learnings and your success stories! What an amazing journey you've had!

I'm grateful that I don't have any real health problems yet, but I was certainly on my way to them if I continued to eat the way that I did. I'm still struggling to make this a lifelong change, but I hope this round is the one! I really focused on and learned a lot about making this more sustainable so I'm very positive and hopeful about what's to come! 

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I've decided that I honestly may reintroduce sugars first, because we're planning another camping trip for New Years and I really, really want to make some hot chocolate! The ingredients are simply coconut milk, cacao, maple syrup, and vanilla powder (compliant), so I don't think it'll be overly disruptive. But I really want it and I'm curious to see if it awakens my sleeping sugar dragon. I also plan to make and take banana bread with me. The ingredients are 100% compliant, but it is bread. I'll then probably start formal reintroductions, beginning with legumes, the week of January 6. 

Do you think that would be a bad idea? Is that going to disrupt my other reintroductions? 

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46 minutes ago, kirbz said:

I've decided that I honestly may reintroduce sugars first, because we're planning another camping trip for New Years and I really, really want to make some hot chocolate! The ingredients are simply coconut milk, cacao, maple syrup, and vanilla powder (compliant), so I don't think it'll be overly disruptive. But I really want it and I'm curious to see if it awakens my sleeping sugar dragon. I also plan to make and take banana bread with me. The ingredients are 100% compliant, but it is bread. I'll then probably start formal reintroductions, beginning with legumes, the week of January 6. 

Do you think that would be a bad idea? Is that going to disrupt my other reintroductions? 

The reintroduction period is important and the schedule is aligned to determine lease likely to cause a reaction, to most likely.  Also remembering to try something and go back to clean for three days following is important to guarantee accurate info on the next introduction.  

This is just my two cents, but you said you were worried about your sugar dragon coming back, if you’re that “excited” about hot chocolate and banana bread, my best guess would be that he will be back.  Remember though, it’s your choices, no one else’s!

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Hi @tbrunhoefer, thanks for the response! I guess my confusion comes from the fact that there is no schedule to reintroduce sugar. I recall being cautioned to not introduce large amounts of sugar + another food group at the same time, because then you wouldn't know the cause of any issues. But I'm not considering doing that. The hot chocolate is comprised of technically compliant ingredients, except for the maple syrup. 

The reintroduction is very important to me so I don't want to mess it up. But does it matter where sugar falls in the timeline, if it's one-time and I still wait the three days before starting the legume reintro?

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You are correct, it should be introduced with other reactors, after they have been introduced.  And you’re on the right track with the natural version of the sugar.  

If you really want to add sugar back in, and everything else is still out (grains, dairy, legumes, etc), then I would do your plan and then come back to the other items after you’ve had some time to evaluate the mental and emotional response you had.  Obviously you’re aware of you’re desire, or “non-desire”, for the sugar after you’ve had it.

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Happy New Year everyone! Technically, every day is the start of a new year but since today is the start of THE new year, I figured it would be a good time to put some of my re-intro intentions into words.

Ordinarily wine would not be my first reintro but last night we were going somewhere that specializes in wines so I had one glass of a really nice pinot noir and totally savored every sip while I listened to some great jazz and swing. I considered having a second glass but figured I wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much as the first so I passed. My old brain said "Of course let's have another." but my W30-trained brain said " No thanks, I'm good." No headache and no extra sinus congestion last night so that was good, too. Like @Jim4884, though, 

On 12/26/2018 at 8:33 PM, Jim4884 said:

I sometimes have a hard time finding the off switch once I have a drink

I'm still trying to decide how to handle the party we're invited to today as there will be food and drink landmines along with pressure to indulge in both. I think I'll either bring the fixings for one really good drink or just totally abstain and I'm going to eat at home before we go so I don't hit the chips and pseudo foods that will be there (think Costco meatballs in a cream-based sauce). I find that I'm not really ready to go off-roading just yet. I was telling my husband last night that the thought of going from a month of eating really, really well to eating a meatball with god-only-know-what in it coated in a flour-based sauce was completely not amusing. My party plan: as long as I don't go there hungry and don't have that first nibble that would lead me down the munchy, party-snack rabbit hole, I'll be able to handle it. 

My general food plan moving forward:

Eat &/or drink at least one fermented food every day.

Keep up the collagen peptides.

Keep a close eye on portion size and continue no snacking and limiting nuts (food w no brakes).

Carb dense vegetables - very occasionally (maybe a couple of times a week, at most).

Dairy - occasional cheese but keep dairy very limited since it can easily become a food w no brakes for me. I'll probably reintroduce it in stages, keeping casein and lactose separate. I don't think I have any sensitivities but I would like to know a little more.

Soy - never.

Pseudo-grains - nah! I just don't feel the need- don't love 'em; don't miss 'em.

Non-gluten grains -  probably corn only and mostly in nixtalimized form only so it is actually nutritious. I actually have some heirloom corn so I can go through the whole process myself. Yeah, letting my geek flag fly!

Gluten-containing grains - very rarely and intentionally but I have a love of craft beer ^_^.  I think @ladyshanny shares that love; any thoughts? Except for a very rare slice of very good pizza, it's my only source of gluten-containing grains (liquid bread!). 

Legumes - on occasion since I love them and they love me back but, since I am still trying to send some excess poundage out into the universe, a very rare treat.

Sugar - I generally do not have a sweet tooth but every now and then my sugar dragon rears its ugly head. I just avoid candy and usually that's not a big deal- I steer towards what I call sugar bomb candy: gummies, jelly bellies, smarties, jordan almonds, taffy chewy stuff but I rarely indulge or even think about them.  I used to bake a lot and still dearly love good baked things. Fortunately, most baked goods are awful and easy to skip but every now and then I'll think about making some paleo-fied dessert-type thing. I saw a lemon cake recipe yesterday that looked delicious and I have some Meyer lemons sitting on my counter...but this urge, too, shall pass. 

On the personal front: continue the self care; it all goes hand in hand. I find that when I lose focus on myself, mission creep begins in all areas. I guess that tells me where my starting point is, doesn't it?

NSV's: more subtle than before but, in a way, better. Not focusing (or having any idea) of the numbers on the scale is liberating and allows me to just be the best me that I can be right now. I think combining more & better movement with my W30 has given me a better overall sense of wellness and strength. I'm going into this new year confident that I can keep up the momentum and have the confidence to keep traveling on. My sleep is a little better and my night time sinus congestion is a little better so I'm hoping for continued improvement in both areas- baby steps are still steps:D 

@kirbz I can't wait to hear about your New Year hike; I hope it was wonderful! 

 @LadyLisbette I hope you get some downtime, yogatime, take a deep breath time. You have an exciting year coming and I know it will be chock full of challenges. You can handle them! 

Love, strength and the power of the Whole30 universe to all!

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Yep, I love me some craft beer! I dont eat any other gluten and find that the beer doesnt bother me. I never, ever drink wheat beer though (the "weizens") because they upset my stomach something awful! I also tend to drink the darker beers so am likely to drink just one as they are a bit chewier and more filling. 

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Happy New Year everyone! I hope you have a year of happiness and adventure and health! We're certainly off to a good start, aren't we!?

I'm still maintaining my Whole30 way of eating... So I guess that puts me at Day 37. I had planned to indulge in some hot chocolate for the holiday but decided I didn't need it. Part of me wants to just continue down this path of Whole30 for a while longer, but I should probably take the time to do the reintroductions properly. Last time, I continued Whole30 too long and then just indulged when it got to be too much, so I didn't learn anything from my reintroductions (it was super haphazard). 

I'm hoping to do a nice snowshoe hike today, but it's COLD. Very, very cold. I don't think the pups will do well in this weather so I'm waiting for it to warm up a bit and then I'll give it a try. Fingers crossed! I really want to start the new year with a nice little adventure to set the tone for the year! 

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I've been off-line due to a 32-hour power outage...and, a bit further down the mountain range from @kirbz, it has been very, very, cold here, too!

Hi everyone! Happy New Year!

I love me a December W30! This time around I added plated fat in the form of delicious olives nearly every day, and that is something I want to continue. I'm now keeping back-up jars in the pantry. I learned a couple of new recipes, like roasting duck, a creamy mustard chicken, and breakfast eggroll bowls. Otherwise, I find that during W30 (this is my 3d) I tend to stay close to familiar favorites, that aren't time consuming like new recipes (at least for me) and then play with new recipes in between. So now I'll start looking for some new culinary adventures!

Like Holly, I haven't stepped on a scale in a long time, and it seems I've let go of the number on the scale. At the end of 30 days, I know that inflammation is reduced from feeling slimmer, my clothes fitting better, not needing allergy meds (not since my first round April 2017), and feeling better in my joints, which is a real treasure, that last part. Like @Jim4884 my joints tell me immediately when I am too far astray from optimal ways.

I enjoyed a sip of single malt scotch last night at midnight. Today i will review formal re-intros, and figure out the next steps. I'll have to also take another look at all the vitamins I stopped taking while W30ing, and make some decisions. Soy and dairy are present in some...also I'm having mixed feelings about fish oil re sustainability vs. the great health benefit of taking them. Meanwhile, I feel confident going into the new year, and so grateful for our supportive community here!

Some things I am ready to let go of:

chips (no exceptions)

hard candy (no exceptions)

More to come.

Cheers, all!

 

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So, I'm currently scrolling through Paleo blogs, looking at delicious Paleo desserts I want to try. LOL. I really need to start my reintroductions so that I get through them properly before falling off the bandwagon! And I'm definitely going to need to make some rules around desserts! Like, lots of them! 

I hope everyone is having a lovely day! 

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I spent a lot of time reviewing various ways to do re-intros, and realized that this time I will be wise to journal in addition to posting here.

My first time around, I didn't really get anywhere with re-intros, despite my best efforts, because I was sick to my stomach from a course of antibiotics that I had to take 2 or 3 weeks in to the game. I was late to add probiotics (won't ever repeat that mistake). So I went for 75 days, but I was still sick to my stomach for a few months afterwards. I went through a period of exploring low fodmap, but in the final analysis I really believe it was the antibiotics that did me in.

At this point I am struggling with stomach issues again, but I think it's nerves. My digestion is normal, even ideal, for days, and then dicey, as my mother used to say, for one to two days in a row, back and forth. It has to be the stress of escrow and packing. So I feel ready to re-intro from least to most problematic, right now, but I am going to wait until my stomach feels a little more stable. If need be,  I am ready to continue this W30 until we are moved. I have a feeling that once escrow closes I'll be okay, and that should be in a week of so. As for my tummy, we'll see.

When the time comes I will start with non-gluten grains....legumes....gluten grains....and dairy. I already know how alcohol affects me, and I rarely drink. However, when I get a chance to get some organic wine (thanks for the lead, @hollysmokes!) I will eventually re-intro the wine. I'm very interested to see how I do with organic wine regarding nasal congestion. (And I'm looking forward to how delicious it will be!!). When I think I might want to drink spirits more copiously (1 or 2 drinks) than the NYE sip of scotch, I'll cross that bridge then. I anticipate that gluten grains may tempt me off road, and may flare up the joint pain. So when I can, I will find out!

I'm a recovering sugar junkie, plain and simple. I know I have no business eating candy, cookies, etc, even compliant-ish things like coconut butter. The good news is that I'm feeling like I'm really getting somewhere since this round with letting things go, and skilled at keeping up with all I need to do to stay satisfied and nourished. And I feel SO GOOD. Last December I observed a reluctance to re-intro and searched myself re whether it was fear or not. This time there is no fear, but genuine curiosity to explore how I feel with each re-intro.

Meanwhile, I'm getting my stress management onboard, and today I returned to yoga. I will make more time for sitting meditation afterwards and KNOW that will help. I love what you've been saying Holly about the self care. I'm glad to have a reminder and a model for that so important piece.

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Stress shows itself in stomach issues for me too, @LadyLisbette. Hopefully some yoga/meditation and good news will get you all fixed up. It sounds like a wise decision to wait on re-introductions so you can differentiate between less-than-good food choices and nervous stomach issues. Which non-gluten grains are you looking at/missing? I was a big oatmeal eater in my former life and ate it almost daily as a hot cereal with a ton of cinnamon and some raisins or as homemade granola with yogurt and fruit. I always had a hard time making it to lunch time because I got hungry and now I know why. Oh, and that sweet dijon chicken looks really good. Thanks for the link.

At the end of our W30 last December, I worried that my desire to make it a W60 was fear of relapsing but after much thought, I truly felt like I needed the extra time to help cement new habits in place. I think it was a good decision for me in that time & place but it's interesting to think about how different I feel this time. I like your thought about FFF making an annual W30 unnecessary but I really liked how it got me back on track this year. I've come away with more sustainable habits each time and this time I find I am much more reluctant to let crappy food back in. I'm not trying to do a W365 but I do want to be more mindful- always. It feels like I'm in a comfortable groove right now with my food choices/meals and I've been doing pretty well trying to increase my vegetable intake in spite of almost running out of produce. I made an emergency Costco run on my way home yesterday and pretty much bought one of everything in the produce section (well, almost). I think I'm having backwards food dreams! Instead of dreaming that I ate something non-compliant and had to restart, I dreamt that I had NO vegetables at all! It was so real that I included another bag of broccoli in my produce run yesterday and now have a WHOLE LOT of broccoli:o! Guess what's going to be in my breakfast casserole next week! 

@kirbz I didn't do a proper reintroduction after my first W30 in 2014 and then realized that I totally shortchanged myself. I had some good take-home messages but it was more like LadyLisbette said on the other thread about rewarding ourselves for being "good". I'm very thankful that I don't have a raging sugar dragon to battle but I have a wine demon instead :angry:.We all have to choose the timing and methods for our own battles and I have learned that SWYPO foods aren't for me. They are mostly OK-tasting but not great and the ingredients tend to be on the pricey side. Of course, my SWYPO won't look the same as someone else's SWYPO but we all have those foods that we miss and want to recreate. I can't remember where I saw it but I read a comment a couple of days ago about limiting the purchase of those ingredients as a method of portion control and thought that might be a good idea.

Don't fall off the bandwagon; step off very carefully!

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@hollysmokes I've been searching for what foods I am missing, and I feel pretty craving-free. But looking into the future, I think there WILL be a time when I go to an Indian or Thai restaurant, and will want rice with my curry! I also might want to enjoy rice and beans, and maybe a warm, soft, corn tortilla, or corn on the cob...all of these as a once in a while thing...so I'll reintro corn tortillas, and rice one of these days soon to see how I feel/how my joints feel so I can decide if it will be worth it or not. This is clarity I did not bring to my first rounds of W30...(even though I did learn new habits and unlearn bad habits along the way).

I know I should ask the proprietress, but what do you suppose the chances are that the corn tortillas at my local Mexican joint are 100% corn?

As for gluten, I may want to enjoy a sandwich once in a while, and my spidey sense and my palate both say to stick to sourdough....so once my gut calms down, I'll have to get crystal clear on how I do on bread....again, to see if it is worth it or not. And with focus on immediate return to W30 for at least a few days afterwards

4 hours ago, hollysmokes said:

I can't remember where I saw it but I read a comment a couple of days ago about limiting the purchase of those ingredients (SWYPO paleoified desserts) as a method of portion control and thought that might be a good idea.

Yes, @hollysmokes and @kirbz ...I recently brought dates into the house for a recipe that I can't even remember now...so far I have stayed out of them, but if I were to go on a pantry rampage, the dates would be lethal. I thought it was awesome,and commedable @kirbz when you changed your mind about the banana bread and hot chocolate - that is the new you! Keep doing that, I say, you're doing great!

In a former life, Holly, I too enjoyed oatmeal! I thought oatmeal with soymilk made a perfect plant protein combo, cooked slowly with nuts and dried fruit, cinnamon and cardamom. Now, I know that bloats me, and like you, doesn't sustain me at all! I was done with that on my first round, for sure.

That's funny about your dream of vegetable scarcity! Yes, Holly, you have graduated, even in your dream life! Everything you wrote in paragraph two sounds so familiar and relatable to me.


Yesterday I enjoyed what I'm thinking of as my "new lunch"...leftover chicken sausage patties chopped, lots (more) of roasted vegetables, half an english cucumber, and a combo of mixed greens and chopped cabbage and carrots (from the bag of pre-chopped coleslaw I was prompted to discover from your eggroll bowl recipe). I put a dollop of mayo in the bottom, and tossed it later with basil sunflower oil and balsamic...visually it looked like a too-big portion of food, but in my belly it felt just right. I am still learning how to eat.

Today I had a lovely breakfast with a friend, much needed, and while I waited for her I sipped decaf on an empty stomach.

Question: I know everyone is different, and we are each charged to "know thyself", but is it reasonable to think that decaf, taken black, could cause an upset stomach? :(

Now I'm using the day (off, but not really) to PACK.

Enjoy these days of January, Friends, we're off to an empowered and beautiful start of the year! This ease and confidence must be the magical quality that @ladyshanny mentioned at our start time. :)

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I'm liking the "magical quality" aspect!

@LadyLisbette, all of the things you listed for re-intro were things I took a good look at last time. I carefully (and properly) re-introduced beans and white rice (no prob) and corn in various forms (also no prob). I can find 100% corn tortillas here but in a restaurant, I would guess that they have some preservatives and a little gum of some sort (guar gum seems to be the most prevalent). I know those ingredients aren't ideal but they are compliant so I would think you're good to go! I also don't have any issues with gluten but I very rarely indulge in bread (oh lovely, warm, crusty bread) just because I know there are better choices to be made. It's usually in the form of pizza when I do have it and their doughs are very sour dough-like. Always trust your spidey sense! That's what your brother makes, isn't it?

I drink black coffee (caffeine-full!) every day on an empty stomach and it rarely bothers me. Every once in a while I get a little wave of queasiness but almost never and a little food nips that in the bud. I thought it was due to coffee's acidic nature but it turns out that it's not that acidic. It does, however, stimulate the production of acid in the stomach and it's not the caffeine that does it but other compounds that are present. 

What's on the cook-up agenda this weekend? I haven't quite come up with a plan yet but I have lots of fixin's so something will come together for me and it must include broccoli. I might smoke a chicken; it's been a while. First I have to find a place to store a lot of coconut milk. I found Arroy-D organic coconut milk (NO other ingredients except coconut!) for $1.72/can so I bought a dozen! I've never been able to find it and when I see it on line, it's pretty pricey. I should probably go back and get more because I think this is probably a one time deal.

Thank goodness this was a short week; have a fabulous weekend!

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Your remarks about coffee got me thinking about the body's amazingly efficient way of balancing Ph levels....hence, lemons for example, s we know, are not acidic, but actually alkaline, causing the body to create an acidic environment for balance. Thank you for the reminder on this, I will factor it in to my observations!....for now, it seems that coffee, even decaf, may be a culprit for my system, so the elimination experiments continue! Pomegranate white tea it is for today. Thanks also for the info on corn tortillas...I will try the ones offered at the restaurant so I don't have to buy a package of 'em. You have mentioned heirloom corn...are you growing corn from heirloom seed? I'd love to know more about that as we have some freedom re growing food on the horizon!

The mustard/balsamic chicken from pandapaleo was pretty yummy, and got a big thumbs up from my husband. Funny you should ask about the next cook-up as I spent a lot of time last night making plans for today's shopping and near-future cooking...

In undecided order at this moment:

For SMASH, either holy mackerel cakes, or salmon waffles...the waffles are a little more time consuming, but yummy:

https://www.realfoodwithjessica.com/2018/02/20/paleo-whole30-salmon-cake-waffles/

For new adventures, I've been saving these recipes from W30 recipes on IG:, and the thought of rice has me craving curry:

From Wonky Spatula:

https://thewonkyspatula.com/2016/01/18/the-wonky-curry/

Curry chicken tenders (from the purse whisperer) and mango cilantro sauce from The Whole Smiths...I tried to link the recipe to you, but apparently the site is crashed with comments, and she's re-directing followers to Facebook, womp womp. We both prefer dark meat, so I'll try it out with thighs...

Curry burgers are sounding good, too...same blogger, no link...if you're interested I will share the recipes.

I think I'm most looking forward to Moroccan chicken. It's a slow cooker recipe but I'm planning to adapt it for the oven. I'll make this when I'm rock solid re the dates in the recipe:

https://www.realfoodwithdana.com/slow-cooker-moroccan-chicken/

Have a beautiful, broccoli-filled weekend! (I love broccoli)

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@hollysmokes and @LadyLisbette I just want to say that I think you ladies are wonderful! Thanks for sharing all of your wisdom, adventures, and mishaps in such an open, honest, and friendly way! 

I'm planning to start my reintroductions this weekend. I'm going with the plan outlined in the book and have specifically identified the foods I care to reintroduce. Though, honestly, I'm starting to think that I just want my diet to be Paleo. I think I'd be pretty fine with that being my 90-95% diet, with an occasional splurge for a burger or pizza. Except for PB&Js. Is it weird that the thing I most want to be able to eat on the regular for the long-term are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? LOL. 

I also have about 20-30 more pounds I want to lose, and then I totally plan to make desserts a part of my life again. I'd like to stick ONLY to the Paleo versions, but I just don't see anything wrong with that. That is, of course, assuming I can learn to control my cravings. But, if I can moderate, I don't see anything at all wrong with making a dessert once a week and enjoying it. I love baking. And I love desserts. And I really just can't convince myself that some of the recipes I'm looking at are inherently bad. 

So, we'll see. Still very much figuring out how this translates into a long-term lifestyle. And while I'm very committed to doing the reintroductions for the data points, I'm honestly  not sure it's going to inform how I eat going forward. I think I'm already shaping that in my mind. Paleo + Paleo desserts + regular PB&J sandwiches + occasional pizza or burgers. :-) 

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That Moroccan chicken looks good; if you make it let me know how you like it. That reminds me that my mom had a grilled Moroccan chicken breast she used to serve in the restaurant and it's really good but it's messy to make. The weather is supposed to be pretty nice this weekend once we get past today (AKA no rain!) so maybe I'll fire up the grill and make some. I'd use ghee but it's basically just softened butter with a whole bunch of yummy spices in it and you just slather a generous amount on the chicken then grill it. I even bought some cilantro yesterday so I have everything but the chicken breasts. Curry burgers sound good too. I might turn that into my breakfast thing for next week. I have an (new-ish) IG account but have never really learned how to use it. I hate to say it but I've been liking it and it doesn't have the stalking, creep-out factor that FB has. I don't post but it's nice and quick to check on the folks I like to follow like Katy Bowman and some fermenty people. 

That's funny; dates don't tempt me. What about subbing raisins in the Moroccan chicken? Are they as binge-y for you? A while back I got some dried sour cherries to flavor kombucha and they were so good that I ate them all and none of them made it into the booch. They were pretty expensive, too! I get cherry concentrate now :) Sometimes I have to protect myself from myself! Yeah, coconut manna is about to go on that list. Thankfully we keep our house pretty cool in the winter so it's hard as a rock and I have to work at it to get some out of the jar or I'd be eating it by the spoonfuls.

Hey @kirbz! Mishaps and adventures perhaps eventually lead to wisdom? It's been great hearing your adventures as well; you inspire me to get outside more often. So glad your reintro plan is taking shape. BTW, I LOVE pb&j's. I used to make my own jams & jellies. And bread. Doh! Yeah very punny! I've found that, typically, I am not a good moderator; I'm a better abstainer. My husband is neither! It's an N=1 experiment to find what works for you. Oh, thanks! That broccoli soups looks yummy and, heaven knows, I have lots of broccoli and coconut milk right now!

The weekend before NY I was able to stay home all weekend and not leave the hill and I want to do that again this weekend! That means I have 3 or 4 stops to make on my way home but then I don't HAVE to go anywhere unless I want to. New project: I'm going to take a stab at making some lotion this weekend. Every time I find one I like that doesn't have awful ingredients AND doesn't cost a fortune, they stop making it or wherever I shop stops carrying it. I feel like I spend a ridiculous amount of time looking for body care products that aren't going to kill me and I've had it! Fed up, I tell you! :angry: I already make my own tooth powder (hubbie won't touch it), laundry and dishwasher 'detergent" and deodorant- a work in progress. Apparently I am sensitive to baking soda but only on my left side - the side with the injured shoulder. I thought that was so weird but it's making more sense as I read about how (and how often) we move affects everything so having limited range of motion makes that side of my body different from the other. It seems to be getting a little better since I started doing some hanging and now that I have a dedicated hang-out space, I'm motivated to work on it some more.

Hang loose everybody!

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On 1/1/2019 at 2:44 PM, LadyLisbette said:

I enjoyed a sip of single malt scotch last night at midnight. Today i will review formal re-intros, and figure out the next steps. I'll have to also take another look at all the vitamins I stopped taking while W30ing, and make some decisions. Soy and dairy are present in some...also I'm having mixed feelings about fish oil re sustainability vs. the great health benefit of taking them. Meanwhile, I feel confident going into the new year, and so grateful for our supportive community here!

 

Ahh, single malts - I like the smokey ones (Lagavullin, Laphroaig) - you?

On 1/4/2019 at 11:35 AM, kirbz said:

I'm planning to start my reintroductions this weekend. I'm going with the plan outlined in the book and have specifically identified the foods I care to reintroduce. Though, honestly, I'm starting to think that I just want my diet to be Paleo. I think I'd be pretty fine with that being my 90-95% diet, with an occasional splurge for a burger or pizza. Except for PB&Js. Is it weird that the thing I most want to be able to eat on the regular for the long-term are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? LOL. 

I also have about 20-30 more pounds I want to lose, and then I totally plan to make desserts a part of my life again. I'd like to stick ONLY to the Paleo versions, but I just don't see anything wrong with that. That is, of course, assuming I can learn to control my cravings. But, if I can moderate, I don't see anything at all wrong with making a dessert once a week and enjoying it. I love baking. And I love desserts. And I really just can't convince myself that some of the recipes I'm looking at are inherently bad. 

So, we'll see. Still very much figuring out how this translates into a long-term lifestyle. And while I'm very committed to doing the reintroductions for the data points, I'm honestly  not sure it's going to inform how I eat going forward. I think I'm already shaping that in my mind. Paleo + Paleo desserts + regular PB&J sandwiches + occasional pizza or burgers. :-) 

kirbz, as I've mentioned, I've been Paleo, and I'd call it 95% Whole 30, for coming up on 18 months now, and I find that very sustainable.  The re-intros did help me solidify my choices, even to the small points, such as helping me realize things like, I just don't need legumes in my life since I didn't miss them.  That cauliflower rice will always be an acceptable substitute for me.  Etc.  I guess the point is that I view it all as a cumulative decision, and if I can eliminate even the foods that have only minor consequences without feeling deprived, I'm depositing credits into my good health bank account, so when I do want an off-plan splurge, I just do it, and don't feel bad about it - I can afford it. 

My opinion (I'm not a moderator blah blah blah) is that if you can keep desserts to a paleo version once a week, that is as good a definition of Food Freedom as any.  Best of luck...

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I was feeling a little yucky and discouraged the last couple of days but doing better this morning and re-found this gem from @ladyshanny:

Quote

You keep eating nourishing food in appropriate quantities and get some reasonable amount of healthy movement and wherever that gets you is where you're meant to be. :)

A couple of my cook-up plans have been slightly derailed- still waiting on delivery for some of my lotion ingredients and I forgot that the Moroccan chicken goop calls for green onions so I have to postpone those but I'm going to make nom nom's Italian sausage and kale casserole (using ground chicken and swiss chard because that's what I have) and as soon as it warms up a little I'll put a couple of chickens on the smoker. I think some of MJ's Moroccan dipping sauce will go nicely with it so I'll probably make a double batch of that. Yesterday it was warm enough to fire up the grill for some burgers and I made some cole slaw to go with them then pork chops for dinner with a big pile of haricot vert sautéed in MJ's better butter- I could eat those every day! I think I never want to be out of better butter!

I haven't worked a full week for the past three weeks so it's time to get back to the real world! At least I have a plan- sort-of. 

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@Elizabeth33 I'm writing my reply to you in our reintro thread, I hope you don't mind! ... It's a long and winding road, isn't it? Every time we devote ourselves to W30 ways, whether we are on program, or riding our own bikes, crashing into the weeds, or hanging in there during an illness or stressful time, we learn more about ourselves, and about what works for us, and what doesn't, at that time. Not eating optimally has caused me fatigue in the past, too (as in, just yesterday)....it might sound cliche, but one day at a time. An off day doesn't have to be an off week. You can do this, we are here for you!

@kirbz thank you for the kind words, and I want to hold up a mirror to you, and thank you, too! As for mishaps, I had one yesterday. Yesterday was oh-so rough - WHEW - but I got through it and learned what NOT to do....dI had a long day Friday, which included a great food shopping trip, and I will share some of my finds, too. But, on Saturday morning I was just so tired, and like a teenager, I did not want to get up out of bed. This is not like me. So instead of eating breakfast (see where this is going?) I figured I could pack my meal and multi-task eating and working, since it would probably be slow, and anyway, I didn't give myself any other choice. It was slamming busy. By the time I ate a meal, it had been (I did the math today) 19 hours since I had eaten. Jeez Louise. I experienced hangry and a deep down panic and frustration in my body until, waiting for our food at the restaurant, I actually felt sick. It took a long time for my belly's fullness signal to reach the brain. I used that moment, since my tummy has been okay, to reintro corn, and had the corn toritllas with the chicken fajitas.

One serving of corn in a day is not a proper reintro, I know, but I did get results: some sinus congestion/mucus, and wind. Energy-wise, I was totally fried, emotionally depleted, and never perked up. = ( I had to start over today, and I feel better.

I will wait awhile and do a proper reintro of corn or rice at each meal for a day. Looking ahead, I feel ready for it!

@hollysmokes I was looking at the cheese on the beans that I didn't eat, and I am thinking that I'll do a separate reintro for cheese. I don't think cheese will take my into the ditch, but I am curious about how it makes me feel! I think you mentioned you were doing that, and I'm going to follow suit...it makes sense. I don't feel tempted to eat cheese, but one day I WILL, and I will need to know if it is worth it.

Speaking of beans, I scored some yummy looking compliant red pepper hummus at Costco. Yippee! Something to go with the bag of snap peas. So that will be the next reintro, maybe in a few days.

Holly, your mother's Moroccan chicken is very intriguing to me, and I would love the recipe if you are willing to share! There's something so special about a family recipe. Also, I am going to make MJ's better butter....glancing at the spices gives me that crazy, giddy feeling that I am going to love it, and must have.

About dates and raisins, and pretty much any dried fruit, if I'm hungry and otherwise vulnerable to the dragon, is potentially a food without brakes. (this is also why I have to stay away from trail mix for now, although it might have a place in my food freedom moving forward) Dates are the king of the dried fruits for me, though. At this moment, my best self-knowledge is that if I occasionally use them in cooking while I am satisfied/not hungry, I will be okay. Ooh, sour cherries, sound so, so good :P ...and I swear, one day, I don't know when, I am going to try making kombucha! Maybe this will be the year...in the new place...

I would love any links/tips you can share about tooth powder, laundry and dish soap, even the deodorant although that might further down the list for me. As for lotion making, I am ALL for it! In the 90s I used a recipe from a middle school teacher friend who did a lotion lab with her students, isn't that awesome? It involved using a glass blender, tea, coconut oil, almond oil, and beeswax, and of course essential oils. I never got the emulsification quite right, and these days, I know there are way better DIY recipes out there, and lots of them. I'd love to know what you're up to. As for me, I have been making a face cream that I love with shea butter and olive oil (or fractionated coconut oil). I don't whip it, so it's more like a balm, and it is soothing and healing to any skin that is dry or irritated as well as feeling silky on my face. I've never used anything at any price point that I like more, my face has never been softer. In fact, I think you encouraged me on this subject last spring when I was about to run out of the one my friend sent from England, and I couldn't afford to buy it online! I've been making my own, and having so much fun with oil combinations. The latest is lemongrass and sage. Mmmm. When I'm willing to splurge on Absolute Rose I will make rose and frankincense. Aphrodite herself comes to mind with that one.

So glad your hang bar is making a difference already! Also, thank you for the Lady Shanny quotation...that is, again, urging me to get outside and move, and remember that I am not just a part of nature, but I am nature...and I need to get out and move my body. Yesterday's crisis and this quotation and your hang bar all point in that direction! .... oh and back to an older post, yes, my brother makes pizza crust! Good memory! (a future reintro might be pizza with no cheese, an old idea of a health food) ... what has become of your broccoli?

On 1/4/2019 at 11:35 AM, kirbz said:

and then I totally plan to make desserts a part of my life again. I'd like to stick ONLY to the Paleo versions, but I just don't see anything wrong with that. That is, of course, assuming I can learn to control my cravings. But, if I can moderate, I don't see anything at all wrong with making a dessert once a week and enjoying it. I love baking. And I love desserts. And I really just can't convince myself that some of the recipes I'm looking at are inherently bad. 

@kirbz I've been thinking about your paleo desserts.  FWIW, I think paleo desserts are a way more healthful alternative to the non-paleo fare. For me, paleo is the way to go. I am sure that Melissa Hartwig has said it much better than I am about to, but we can all explore the cultural inclination to project value based judgments on food (and then on ourselves, too) being bad/good, right/wrong. Going to the trouble of the structured elimination period and reintros, we can learn to look at it as, "what works for me vs. what doesn't work for me". I say this to encourage you not to set yourself up for seeing yourself as bad if you enjoy a paleo sweet treat and wobble off road more than you wanted to. That might not happen to you. But if it does, it doesn't mean that you are bad, you are the Mother Nature's Mighty Kirbz no matter what.

 

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