Starting July 1 - Anyone want to join me?

[C_Cezeaux]

Well, my count on the meds was wrong   still have 3 more days of antibiotics, but I'm starting food program today anyway.  Looking forward to feeling better. Happy Day 1!

[Cynthia L]

Hello all. I just started on July 1st as well. It made sense. First of the month AND a Monday. 

This is my very first time starting the Whole30. Yesterday, I spent a lot of money on protein, veggies, and fruit. So I’m ready to feel better and live life better  

I am excited to start this journey toward my improved health. I need to do something. 

I am definitely looking forward to the support I’ll receive from you all. Thank you in advance. 

[Gryhndlady]

Starting on July 10th. This will be my first time on a Whole 30. I used to eat mostly healthy until just over a year ago when I moved out of state to become full time caregiver to MIL. Have gained tons of weight and eat crap now. 

 

Can't wait to begin anew!!  

[AnnahLaine]

I started with you all on Monday! Just downloaded the calendar for some needed motivation, but overall it’s been way easier than I expected. Cravings haven’t hit too bad at all for me. Only issue so far is exhaustion and feeling overly full and bloated all the time! Wondering if I have leaky gut/ gallbladder issues? Someone mentioned eggs and spinach aren’t good for leaky gut? Kinda discouraged day 3 feeling bloated as if I were eating greasy junk food. I haven’t even had bacon yet! Lol, might need to cut back on the natural oils... 

Hope everyone is doing great Day 3!

[trafficjamdreaming]

Hey Everyone! 

Hope you guys are having a great Day 3! The last two days have been tough. I felt so exhausted and hungry that it left me extremely moody. I was able to break through with consistent workouts, meditation, lots of water, and tons of sleep. 

I feel much better today and looking forward to the next couple of days off of work to relax and get outdoors. 

@Gryhndlady Welcome and congrats on your first Whole30.  This program has changed my life in so many ways and I'm excited for you! When I first started, I thought I knew what healthy foods were but couldn't lose any weight. After reading It Starts With Food, I was skeptical about the challenge but thought, "what the heck!" I had nothing to lose. I ended up extending the challenge to 60 days and lost nearly 20 lbs. The biggest win for me was learning to read labels, cook wholesome meals for me and my fiance, kicking the sugar dependence, and all of the energy I had. This is my fourth challenge over 5 years and every time I go through it, I always learn something new about myself. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions! 

[Starlight89]

Hello all!  Happy Wednesday!

Echoing what @trafficjamdreaming said, hope everyone's having a great Day 3!   I've been feeling pretty good myself, save for the insomnia/trouble falling asleep!  This happened to me the first time I did Whole30, and the second time I attempted (only got about 13 days in that time) where I have difficulty sleeping the first few days, so I'm not too worried about it because from my experience I know it'll pass in the next day or two, and then I'll be sleeping like a baby.

I'm curious, for those of you guys in the US, how do you plan on managing 4th of July celebrations in terms of food and such if going to an event?   I have a friend that's hosting a bbq and I was thinking maybe bringing my own condiments to share with them in addition to whatever they will be serving.  Compliant ketchup, mustard, DYO mayo, pickles, etc.  Maybe a big cabbage too, to use as buns/wraps?   And, of course, a big jug of compliant kombucha!  I have no control over what she may or may not be serving and I really don't want to impose or go into details about why I'm not eating this or that (again!) so I figured I'd at least try to control the things I can, like what I add to my bunless burger lol

[ShannonM816]

4 hours ago, AnnahLaine said:

feeling overly full and bloated all the time!

You're only on day 3, so this may just be normal, especially if you're eating a lot more vegetables than you were before.

Things that contribute to feeling bloated for a lot of people:  raw vegetables; cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, or kale, whether cooked or raw, though raw is definitely worse for most people; and eating a lot of nuts and seeds (try to limit these to a small closed handful at a time, less than once a day). Not drinking enough water can also contribute.  It could be something like leaky gut or some other issue, but before you start changing things to address those issues, try to wait this out for a few more days and see if it clears up, concentrating on things like cooking most of your vegetables rather than having them raw, and maybe limiting servings of cruciferous vegetables to once a day or less.

[ShannonM816]

@Starlight89 you might want to bring a vegetable side of some sort that you can have, as most of the things people serve at picnics are going to be full of non-compliant mayo and other ingredients.  Mel Joulwan has a lot of good side salad type dishes -- here's a few:  http://meljoulwan.com/2014/05/21/paleo-summer-salads-potlucks/. The Belly Dance Beet salad is good, and her Sweet & Salty Broccoli salad is good enough that even non-vegetable eaters and non-Whole30 people will like it. 

[trafficjamdreaming]

Hey Everyone! 

Happy Day 4! My anxiety levels are starting to decrease. I started this Whole30 when tons of things are going on in my life. In the past I would have put it off, but now I realize that my nutrition paired with activity will alleviate my stressors. I'm glad I committed to the challenge because I'm starting to notice my sleep quality getting better, I feel energized in the morning before I drink my cup of coffee, and my tummy is starting to debloat.  

@Starlight89 Great question on Whole30 BBQ options. Our family leans on the carne asada side when we BBQ, so I typically marinate the meat with all natural/whole30 compliant additives. I make a whole30 potato salad and stay away from beans, rice, and tortillas. If I'm invited to parties, I bring my own whole30 dish. Not only is it hospitable, but you also guarantee there's something for you to eat!  I'm also not embarrassed to bring my own dressings or salsas to a party. Other guests don't even know they're whole30! haha 

Have a great day! 

 

[ReneeMarie]

Good Morning and Happy 4th!! I will be starting my first Whole 30 on July 15th, I have a vacation planned for next week and want to be successful in this. A little about me 3+ years ago I joined a gym and started a comprehensive program that helped me loose over 60lbs. I was able to maintain 50 of that for over 2 years but the past year has been rough and I fell back into old unhealthy patterns and I've gain 20 more. I've been reading the book and believe that I don't need another program but a lifestyle change. Planning to prepare the next 10 days and make healthy choices while on vacation. Looking forward to feel good about myself again. *** Also current pic is from 2 years ago, using it for motivation for what I can do and where I want to be! :)

[AdamzW30]

Hola everyone! 4th of July was my birthday! Saw family and just relaxed. I'll be checking in more often. First few days got a little busy. Been real tired the last few days. I've done this once before, so I know what to expect, but some moments are still not easy. Being 5 days in, today will be a good test to see where my runs are at energy wise. I've decided to not over exert myself, but to do what feels comfortable. So far I've been excited while doing this. I need to go grocery shopping though and add some new variety to my diet. Found myself getting a bit bored with my food choices last night.

Anyways, I hope it's going well for everyone! Let us know what you're experiencing and what helps you out!

Cheers and happy 4th!

Adam

[trafficjamdreaming]

Hey Everyone! 

Here's to Week 2! I have much more energy this week. Not yet Tiger Blood but inching my way there. Last week I kept my cardio sessions light since the first week is always exhausting but this week I'm going to ramp it up again. I've noticed the slight pain in my knee start to subside. I hardly feel it when I go up and down steps anymore which is great plus! 

I went grocery shopping yesterday and meal prepped for the week. I'm looking forward to getting one more week under my belt. Wishing you guys a great Day 8! 

[Starlight89]

Hello all!

Yay for Week 2!   My Days 6-8 have been mostly fine, except for waking up with a dull headache that lasts until after I've had my coffee.  Today, however, I'm still having a dull headache and it's past noon/almost lunchtime.   I'm thinking it might be due to not eating enough?  So today only I'm going to count calories (I know you're not supposed to but I want to see if I'm accidentally eating under 1600 calories and not realizing it) to see if that's the culprit.   So far with breakfast alone I'm up to 435 calories (warm lemon water upon waking, 2 cups of black coffee, 2 scrambled eggs, a serving of mushroom potato hash, half an avocado).   

I generally eat the same amount each breakfast, give or take more protein if I'm having homemade turkey sausage (I will be meal prepping these today) so it's pretty consistent from previous mornings.  I'll keep an eye on my lunch, post workout snack, and dinner to see if there's a calorie deficit I'm ignoring that shouldn't be ignored lol

For reference, my workout is pretty low-impact.  I take a barre class 4-5 a week and do moderate cardio on an elliptical.   I probably burn somewhere between 150-350 calories through exercise, depending on what activity I do that day.  I am not doing Whole30 for weight loss so I really need to figure out if not eating enough calories is the problem with the headaches or if it's something else.  I don't remember this symptom my first round of Whole30.

[coachmandiep]

1 hour ago, Starlight89 said:

 My Days 6-8 have been mostly fine, except for waking up with a dull headache that lasts until after I've had my coffee.  

Hi!  I have found that a dull headache is part of my detoxification process.  Depending on how my diet was before starting a round, it may be mild or a bit more gnarly.  It usually disappears sometime around the second week.  I find that drinking plenty of water is important to help flush everything out.  

Have you previously experienced headaches from undereating?  Make sure you are getting plenty of fat and some starchy carbohydrates during the day.  Are you satisfied in between meals?

[Starlight89]

Hello all!  Happy Day 11 !   

On 7/8/2019 at 2:40 PM, coachmandiep said:

Have you previously experienced headaches from undereating?  Make sure you are getting plenty of fat and some starchy carbohydrates during the day.  Are you satisfied in between meals?

Heyas @coachmandiep !  I've never really noticed a headache before from undereating, probably because that hardly ever happens haha!  I have, however, gotten slight headaches from hunger (with the accompanying irritation).   After adding up the calories consumed on Day 8 I have absolutely been undereating.  I finished the day at 1466 calories and that's just simply not enough, especially since I did barre that day.  This is counting my pre-workout shake which I forgot to mention.  I didn't realize I was undereating, mostly because I feel really satiated after meals.  I've been following the meal template and it's been great in that sense, with mostly veggies and lean meats.  For fats it's been avocado, ghee/olive oil, and nut butters.

I took your advice for Day 9 and decided to up my fat intake as well as adding a green plantain mash side to my lunch for some extra starchy carbs (mashed with a dollop of ghee added).  I also used about 1/4 cup of full-fat leftover coconut milk instead of usual almond milk for my pre-workout shake and added a half tbsp extra of nut butter (homemade cashew/walnut blend) to the 1 tbsp I tend to add to the shake.  This made ALL the difference!  I woke up headache-less on Day Ten and today, so thank you very much for the suggestion, coachmandiep!  Much appreciated.

One thing I have noticed from this round in comparison to my first Whole30 is that the insomnia ceased around day 4 back then, and I had less symptoms and didn't have that headache.  It wasn't until Day 9 that I was able to fall asleep and stay asleep adequately.  It definitely feels like a combo of the detoxing and undereating for this round, so I will make it a point to consciously eat enough, even if it means making an effort (because I really am satisfied otherwise! lol)

Hope everyone's hanging in there and having a great week so far!

[juicyhoney]

Hi all! I'd love to join, I actually started on the 1st too. This will be my 3rd round. I'm addicted to dessert and anything rich and creamy so I really need a reset. I want my clothes to fit right, to have more energy and lose weight! WE CAN DO THIS!

[Marienoel]

Hi Sweatybetty and all the other July starters.

My story is similar to Betty’s.  I was on Whole30 for at least 10 years, never felt better in my life, gut improved, was at my ideal weight and had tons of energy.

I broke my leg and was in the hospital and then rehab for 30 days and everything went to heck.

So four years later, I weigh 160, am depressed and all my joints hurt.

Started July 8th, so I am 4 days in and no sugar cravings, which is amazing, but I often get hungry between meals.  Anyone have that experience?  What did you do?  Marie

[coachmandiep]

16 hours ago, Marienoel said:

Started July 8th, so I am 4 days in and no sugar cravings, which is amazing, but I often get hungry between meals.

Are you following the meal template?  I have found that many of my clients are nervous about adding fat to their plates.  Adding fat will keep you satisfied in between meals.  It is also ok to have a mini-meal if you need to.  Although we ultimately want to get away from snacking, having a little something that includes protein, fat, and preferably a veggie is ok, especially while you are figuring out the template.  I like to eat a Chomps or EPIC bar, macadamia nuts, and a raw veggie for a mini meal if I need one.

Here is a link to the meal template https://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf

Good luck!

[Marienoel]

Thank you Mandie.  I started adding more fat, even if it is drinking two tablespoons of coconut oil, and I am eating more at one meal.  I was a grazer  and not used to eating big meals.  It has helped quite a bit.

Thank you.

Marie

[Cynthia L]

This is my first time starting the Whole 30. It feels so good to enter Day 17. I honestly can’t believe that I feel sooooooo much better in this short time frame. I’ve been journaling daily and recording all of my NSVs! I can tell I’ve lost weight and/or inches too. I know I shouldn’t be looking forward to hopping on the scale on day 31, but I am. I guess I just want to validate my progress even though I shouldn’t care about that damn number. I know that I’m in shock that I feel so much better after only a couple of weeks of eating this way. Here’s to successfully finishing the program. I have not cheated one time and I don’t plan to either. This feels too good. 

[Starlight89]

Happy Day 19, everyone! 

 Hope everyone's hanging in there, we're nearly 2/3rd in!  Well, not counting reintroduction, of course.

Have a great weekend, all!

 

[Starlight89]

Happy Day 29, all!

Oh, gosh.  Just two more days to go, ahhh!  I'm debating at the moment if I want to make it a Whole42 now and /then/ start reintroduction, just because I have an upcoming trip August 9-12 and I feel like I would be more disciplined if I stick to Whole30 during travel than if I could eat whatever I want/am still working on the reintroduction.  It's a business trip so nothing fancy or where I'd want to sample the local cuisine, so I'm not missing out on anything in that sense and would just plan ahead/bring compliant food and snacks.   Then, after I get back, start a proper reintroduction protocol.   It just seems easier/safer to extend the Whole30 through the trip to keep me in check so I don't mess up reintroduction this round.

Hope everyone's hanging in there and feeling great!

[ashleyparik]

46 minutes ago, Starlight89 said:

Happy Day 29, all!

Oh, gosh.  Just two more days to go, ahhh!  I'm debating at the moment if I want to make it a Whole42 now and /then/ start reintroduction, just because I have an upcoming trip August 9-12 and I feel like I would be more disciplined if I stick to Whole30 during travel than if I could eat whatever I want/am still working on the reintroduction.  It's a business trip so nothing fancy or where I'd want to sample the local cuisine, so I'm not missing out on anything in that sense and would just plan ahead/bring compliant food and snacks.   Then, after I get back, start a proper reintroduction protocol.   It just seems easier/safer to extend the Whole30 through the trip to keep me in check so I don't mess up reintroduction this round.

Hope everyone's hanging in there and feeling great!

Happy Day 29! If you feel more comfortable, extend out your Whole30 until after your work trip. It is going to be super important to do a proper reintroduction, so if it's easier for you to do that once you return from your trip, then that's what I would suggest doing. Congratulations on making it so far, and keep up the great work!

 

[Cynthia L]

Woo hoo! Made it to Day 30 and feeling super proud of myself!! This is the first healthy eating plan I’ve honestly stuck with and did not modify in any way! I have too many NSVs to share, so I won’t. I’ll just say that I’ve definitely drunk the Whole 30 Kool-Aid. I’ve already got a list of friends signed up to do it with me again on September 2. I am a high school principal and it’s summer break. So doing The Whole 30 over the summer was not very stressful because I’m not very stressed right now. So I want to do another round right when school starts back so I’m forced to maintain this healthy lifestyle once I’m back under the stress of students, teachers, and just my overall position. But I’m feeling great today. Woo hoo! I feel so accomplished and not like the failure I felt like at the start. I had hit a serious low prior to starting the program. I had so many failed attempts at getting my life back on track regarding my health. But in just 30 short days...my life has literally transformed. I would not have believed this was possible if I had not tried it myself!! 

[Cynthia L]

Made it to Day 31. I lost 13.7 pounds and lost three inches in my mid waist and 3 in my lower waist. I didn’t measure any other parts of my body. I’m very pleased with my results. I plan to do the slow roll reintro plan. I feel so good and this is not hard, so I’m going to keep on plan until I feel like reintroducing something off the elimination plan.