Did you experience any surprises??

[Lorna from Canada]

In general I was surprised by how many of the claims came true! But, that's not what I mean by my question. I'm curious to find our whether there was something you received from your W30 that you totally didn't expect?

For me,  one thing I can think of is that I lost my desire for what the Australians call "Gluggy Foods". I have loved pasta and rice based one pot dishes (casseroles) precisely because of the mouth feel of thick, creamy but tasty food. My favourite desserts are rice pudding and the like. I love home made macaroni and cheese or risotto. But, no more. My mouth wants to chew! My teeth want a job to do - I have completely lost my desire for soft, sticky, gluggy foods. This is really unexpected. The other day I was craving steak simply because I wanted something to gnaw on  Very strange indeed.

What about you? Any surprises? 

[helenalena]

My only surprise was that nothing happened. I’m on day 23. Not even bad results, just literally no results. 

[Jihanna]

@helenalena I'm so sorry that you're not experiencing any noticeable results at this point, but I do hope that you'll be surprised once you're on the other side of it all! It's entirely possible that you'll still be surprised by what you learn in reintroductions, too.

 

@Lorna from Canada I think my biggest surprise was that dairy was the biggest factor behind my life-long struggle against indigestion (complete with heartburn, reflux, and nausea). I never considered that it was dairy doing it, despite knowing I had an allergy... but since that allergy had always led to skin irritations, I kind of assumed that was all it was doing. I was willing to live with the rashes if it meant I could still eat yogurt, cheese, etc.! But the further knowledge of what it does to me internally has made it much harder to find a "worth it" moment with dairy! I also experienced much less acne during W30, and I was quite surprised at my ability to live without soda... or that coffee could actually be enjoyable without cream or sugar (yay cinnamon).

I've gone back to some of my old habits since then, though, so I definitely need to clean my diet back up soon (I plan to start cutting things out again in a few weeks, but not a true W30 - more like a week or two to get my bottom kicked back into gear, then slide into something that will be a viable long-term plan after that.)

[Lorna from Canada]

@helenalena  I got better sleep within the first 2 weeks but no tiger blood. My gut hurt for most if the time I was one W30 but settled down towards the end. My asthma didn't change; my gastric reflux still required daily medication; and I didn't magically end with no hip pain - one of the things I was most hopeful about. So, I didn't get a bucketload of results either. 

At the end of 30 days, however, I did tame my Sugar Dragon after a lifetime of fighting with her and she hasn't woken up since. I did come to a truce with regards to food - no longer seeing it as being for or against me; good or bad for me - just food and choices. I've been at war with myself and my appetites and the foods that feed me since I was 11 years old - (48 years!) - to come to a truce has been the most brilliant thing. I lost 11 pounds and they haven't returned despite some challenges. I discovered I could live without wine - absolutely, utterly unthinkable...

At 23 days, none of these things was apparent to me yet. I was just willing myself to get through the remaining 7 days. So, hopefully you'll have, like Jihanna says, some interesting revelations in the re-intro phase. 

[aimeedanger]

The only specific thing that happened to me that was truly surprising was that every time I eat bread (wheat) I get sleepy like narcolepsy. I cannot avoid it or deny it and must sleep (anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours). The first time it happened I was driving and had to pull over. Yesterday I ate a cookie I thought was made with dates, ghee, and almond flour, and then passed out. So, when I woke up, I called the bakery, and found out that it was made with a combination of almond and wheat. For me, that confirmed it. I don't know how much more 'testing' I need to do. Has anyone else had this happen? 

[ShannonM816]

@aimeedanger not to quite that extreme, but it definitely makes me tired and sluggish. I can generally stay awake, but I'm not very productive.

[aimeedanger]

Not to hijack this thread, but I bought a glucose meter and went to see a doctor. My blood sugar was dropping below 70 a few hours after eating. It turns out I was experiencing reactive hypoglycemia (extremely low blood sugar) which can sometimes happen when you start reintroducing carbohydrates after a prolonged period of no carbohydrates. Essentially, your insulin is working TOO well. The typical treatment plan for hypoglycemia (if you're diabetic? I'm not sure where the logic comes from on this.) is to sort of drip-feed carbs throughout the day, eat small meals, abstain from alcohol, and eat a low-fat diet so that your blood sugar doesn't spike or crash. A lot of people who have RH have switched to a paleo diet instead because they've found that the best way to avoid hypos is to avoid eating sugar in general. So if you are finding yourself falling asleep or getting REALLY sluggish with reintroducing grains, it isn't necessarily a food allergy. It could be that your pancreas is adjusting to your new diet. In general, see a doctor. Apparently, falling asleep after eating is not a good sign. 

[ElainaR]

@Lorna from Canada  After completing my first Whole30, I felt like I could actually say with confidence that I am a good cook.  Whole30 taught me how to experiment with my meals and how to cook with all different kinds of fats.  I have learned how to emulsify, roast, sautee, spiralize etc. Before my first Whole30 I had no idea what a emulsifier was! 

[SchrodingersCat]

Just now, ElainaR said:

@Lorna from Canada  After completing my first Whole30, I felt like I could actually say with confidence that I am a good cook.  Whole30 taught me how to experiment with my meals and how to cook with all different kinds of fats.  I have learned how to emulsify, roast, sautee, spiralize etc. Before my first Whole30 I had no idea what a emulsifier was! 

What a great NSV that is!! I think the key to a good W30 is variety and being adventurous. I love to experiment and try new foods, combinations and cooking methods. Cooking genuinely makes me happy. 

[Lorna from Canada]

@ElainaR Wow - that's fantastic! Good for you and the lucky people you feed  

@aimeedanger that is really interesting. I think I would be off the carbs forever in your situation. Pre-W30, I was often drowsy after lunch and would need a nap - I haven't had a nap since January. I wonder now about this reactive hypoglycemia... I feel much better when I don't eat grains. Even today, I had pizza with my mom who is living life to the fullest now that she knows her days are numbered.  (She's 89 and has a brain tumour - she's a realist) I had my first wheat since April 8th and feel super sluggish right now. I'm really glad you shared this - something to think about.