Whole 30 (July 2)

[Emma]

4 hours ago, Amy_Michigan said:

I eat Dr Praegers stuff with no reaction.  You could be sensitive to something in there... I have found that I have an overly sensitive tummy on an empty stomach, though.  It has happened quite often since I turned 30.  Not trying to discount your food sensitivity worries though.  I’d either avoid until reintroduction or eat just like 2 as a side with another meal and see what happens.  If it were me, I’d probably avoid for the rest of my life, though, if it made me vomit!  EEK

I think I'll avoid it completely and maybe try out specific ingredients as part of my reintro - like potatoes for a day or canola oil to cook my normal foods for a day. 

[Emma]

Day Sixteen - 

I didn't eat anything after the reaction this morning until mid afternoon and then I had some beef sticks and carrots and almonds, all which were just fine. My head cleared up though my eyes were tired and sensitive all day and I got a light headache and was HUNGRY by dinner time, but I got a LOT done. Our living room and entry way are looking SO much better and less cluttered. My husband and I moved a heavy piece of furniture out of a room this evening and things are looking better (well , expect for the mess the kids made, but that's the normal). For dinner, my daughter helped by cutting the cilantro from our plant outside and squeezing the lime and mixing it all in with the shredded carrots. She tested it and decided we needed more cilantro and more carrots to balance out the lime. Just so you don't think all is ideal, she also almost cried when she sampled the BBQ sauce I had just made because she hated it so much.  SO much. I made BBQ Chicken wrapped in Romaine lettuce leaves with a carrot/lime/cilantro topping out of the Whole30 Quick and Easy book. The BBQ sauce I made was REALLY good. My son had selected the recipe and was super thrilled we were having his choice. Everybody liked dinner and amazingly there is a smigin left for me for breakfast!!!

My head is still tired feeling with tired eyes and my stomach is grumbling, but I ate a bunch including lots of carrots while I was turning them into slaw. Because I had the food processor out, I cut up a head of cabbage, some broccoli, and the rest of the carrots. I have a HUGE bowl of slaw mixings - some in big chunks, some perfect, and some like mush. I haven't quite figured out the best way to use the food processor, but I now have food partially prepped for dinner tomorrow night.

Anyway, my headache and hunger.  Maybe I didn't eat as much today. I don't think I did. Maybe I'm eating fewer carbs, but I had a lot of carrots. Maybe this is just my body rebelling against the lack of sugar in my diet. The novelty is gone. Maybe it's because I'm losing weight and my body is trying to crack the whip to get me back to its normal which is not the normal I want anymore.

And I have lost weight - not lots, but even a couple pounds makes a difference sometimes. I wore shorts today that weren't super flattering, but they fit a heck of a lot better than a month ago and I'm hoping they start to look better on me in a month from now.

Off to go read about other people's days.

[Emma]

Day Seventeen - Seventeen. Wow. Right in the middle of it all. I feel better about our meals this week. I also feel more stress/panic at the work/planning I need/want to get done. And the weather is so nice, I think I should ditch work and just work outside, but that won't help the stress so I'll try to find some balance today.

The cat woke me up at five. I moved out to the sofa where I semi slept till 6:15 and then I stretched a bit while lying down and then got up and WENT TO THE GYM!!! I went to the gym instead of moving zombie like towards the coffee maker.  I did the second day of the none to run program which was 25 minutes of walking for two minutes and slow running for 30 seconds. My slow run was the same speed as my walk - haha. Well, only for the first few times and then I loosened up, but my slow run was certainly not fast. It didn't feel as good as the other day, but I feel good about going and getting it done and it was quick and easy!!!

Goals today: Meditate, Practice, Whole30

They say one should have a routine for things like meditating and exercising. ugh. I hate routines and I usually wake up early, but not always early enough.  but the world is going to come crashing down on my lack of time management in a very short time. Though, what kind of debbie downer am i being - i went to the gym this morning from 6:40-7:15. I fit it in and I wasn't even trying. Trust in the process. Healthy body equals healthy mind and healthy desire to do things instead of drudgery and will power.

[Beckha99]

I LOVE that your son picked out the dinner!!! It is easier to get my daughter onboard with the w30 dinners (she is 15), than it is my son (10). I was surprised last night because I made cauliflower vegetable fried rice, and when he asked what was for dinner and looked in the pan he wrinkled his nose and looked less than impressed. BUT when he ate it he said it was "pretty good" and even had a small second helping. It cracked me up because I thought it was just ok, but everyone else really liked it.

Your daughter sounds a lot like my son. He does not like different things than he is used to. He probably would have rioted against the BBQ sauce! I never really know with him though. He always surprises me about what he says he liked and what he won't eat. 

Has the reaction completely cleared out from yesterday? I hate that you have these reactions. I mean it is great for the whole30 so you can see what sets off a reaction, but it makes life hard I am sure. 

I am glad you has a really productive day yesterday. I find that towards the end of the day/dinner time, I get these mild/medium headaches. I can't tell what exactly it is. Maybe just being tired from an active day? hmm. 

The novelty is definitely gone my friend. Half the time I don't really want to eat. Although I know I have lost some weight, I am trying sooooo hard to concentrate on my higher energy and sleep. I have to because anytime I look down at my stomach I wanna cry cause it looks huge. I can't say it is 100% working, but still. 

[SchrodingersCat]

7 hours ago, Emma said:

DI did the second day of the none to run program which was 25 minutes of walking for two minutes and slow running for 30 seconds. My slow run was the same speed as my walk - haha. Well, only for the first few times and then I loosened up, but my slow run was certainly not fast. It didn't feel as good as the other day, but I feel good about going and getting it done and it was quick and easy!!!

 

I'm needing to get back on the exercise too, and have been tossing up starting the Couch25k program again - I did it with success previously! It's a similar thing, from the sounds of it. Good on you for getting up and doing it! I struggle so hard in the mornings for energy, I hate eating early but can't work out for the life of me unless I have something first. 

[Emma]

13 hours ago, Beckha99 said:

I LOVE that your son picked out the dinner!!! It is easier to get my daughter onboard with the w30 dinners (she is 15), than it is my son (10). I was surprised last night because I made cauliflower vegetable fried rice, and when he asked what was for dinner and looked in the pan he wrinkled his nose and looked less than impressed. BUT when he ate it he said it was "pretty good" and even had a small second helping. It cracked me up because I thought it was just ok, but everyone else really liked it.

Your daughter sounds a lot like my son. He does not like different things than he is used to. He probably would have rioted against the BBQ sauce! I never really know with him though. He always surprises me about what he says he liked and what he won't eat. 

Has the reaction completely cleared out from yesterday? I hate that you have these reactions. I mean it is great for the whole30 so you can see what sets off a reaction, but it makes life hard I am sure. 

I am glad you has a really productive day yesterday. I find that towards the end of the day/dinner time, I get these mild/medium headaches. I can't tell what exactly it is. Maybe just being tired from an active day? hmm. 

The novelty is definitely gone my friend. Half the time I don't really want to eat. Although I know I have lost some weight, I am trying sooooo hard to concentrate on my higher energy and sleep. I have to because anytime I look down at my stomach I wanna cry cause it looks huge. I can't say it is 100% working, but still. 

The novelty is definitely gone, but that means we are starting to get into the thick of things, where real change and progress takes place. But it's hard how slow it goes. Yet three months from now, it will seem like the blink of an eye.

I didn't even tell my son what was in the BBQ sauce. He would have refused to eat it if he knew there were dates!! The kids are funny and they're good, like yours wrinkling his nose, but then eating it. How cool is it that our kids are eating healthier!

I've been having some headaches too and I've been thinking it's because of a lack of food. I'm busier than I was and eating fewer calories and on those particular days, my meals were light on the filling veggies.  Or water. I'm probably not drinking enough, but it feels more like my head just wants sugar. Idk. You've been walking three miles every day. It's a good thing to do, but it can be draining and you're life probably doesn't have a huge slow button.

The reaction cleared and yes, it's a drag, but it was quick and easy and I like that it happened. I've lived too long knowing I react to foods, but not knowing which ones. I think I'm finally ready to try to find out and then to avoid those items. Today I was pondering the reaction and wondering if it was the canola oil. The first time I had the dino bites, I cooked them in the oven and this time I microwaved them. Would baking them use up more of the oil? Or change it? Idk. 

[Emma]

6 hours ago, SchrodingersCat said:

I'm needing to get back on the exercise too, and have been tossing up starting the Couch25k program again - I did it with success previously! It's a similar thing, from the sounds of it.

It's totally similar to the couch25K, just aimed at people who don't run, can't run, outta shape to run and it builds in some strength building exercises a couple times a week. The pacing is slower and there's more emphasis on repeating weeks and listening to your body. But it's the same idea. I like that it's not a big time commitment or even a daily commitment.

[Emma]

Day Seventeen - Wow, it was this morning I went to the gym. It feels like eons ago! 

Breakfast - BBQ chicken wraps with carrot/lime topping

Lunch - Beef stick, Lara bar, Mixed greens with turkey slices and lemon garlic EVOO

Dinner - Egg roll in a bowl (pork, broccoli, cabbage, carrots and sesame oil)

My breakfast was delicious. My lunch was fine. My dinner was totally tasty and there is a little bit left for me to have for breakfast. Yay!! Tomorrow night is fish tacos. Tomorrow lunch, I think I'll cook up some of the slaw I made. It's SO nice to have had food a bit planned out. This will all come crashing to an end on Thursday, but for now it's good.

I didn't get everything done. I got a lot. I didn't sit around on Facebook. There's just a lot to do, but I was steady. I think my energy is much more steady even if my head isn't feeling it, my body keeps moving along, and it's not even plodding along (not skipping and jumping, but not plodding). I get frustrated that I don't fit everything in that I want to do - the hours of the day just fly by so I started thinking I could use my morning time to work on some stuff and I got excited looking forward to working on things in the morning. It used to be my best time of the day and then it somehow got replaced with coffee and headline surfing. Who knows what will actually happen in the morning, but the idea is out there.

And then, just before bed, I looked carefully at a place where my cat was licking and discovered he has an open wound that is quite deep and has a clear infection. Ick! And I don't have anything proper to clean it or treat it. As well, he's not a cat to put up with assistance in this area so I don't think I could clean it on my own without a LOT of injuries. So I looked up the vet I once took my dog too and really liked, and he's no longer at that clinic so now I'm googling to try to find a vet closer to me and tomorrow will involve taking my cat in somewhere.  

I have not meditated yet. I did practice. Sigh - unless I do things in the morning, they often don't happen. THIS is why I need to use my morning time more effectively, but sitting with coffee and the computer has been such a nice routine. I will plan to meditate after I close the computer and hopefully I won't fall asleep doing so

[Emma]

Day Eighteen - Well, the kids are back on the school schedule and the entire house was up by 6:30. That means there is no quiet time this morning, but that's okay. I meditated right away so I could get that off the list. Morning meditation is the best because I get it done and over with. I know that's not supposed to be the spirit of meditation, but....that's what it's gonna be.

I slept on the floor with the cat. I don't think he really needed my company. He doesn't seem to be concerned about the hole in his side, but I don't think it looked good. I slept well, but I woke up stiff so I'm sitting here stretching my neck and back and making my feet write the abc's in the air. And drinking coffee and typing. I realized I left my work computer at work so can't do that. Gave myself the excuse that I was too stiff to work at the table and needed the couch. Hahah - I think if I'm really going to do something in the morning, I had better have a nice clean list waiting for me when I wake up!!

And the kids are SO delightfully noisy this morning. Noisy is really wanted I wanted to say, but it's all good get along happy noise. So I will probably check in here and then pack up lunches, make my breakfast (which is leftovers !!!!!) and clean the bathroom or something that needs doing since I can't sit and focus until I can call the vet clinics around town looking for an open appointment.

So, yesterday I went to the store to pick up pants for the kids that they both need. I selected ones in their age group/size, paid, took 'em home, and the kids tried them on and they were perfect. Can I just share how long it has been since I've had this experience!!!! I go to the clothing store and I select the biggest things and they still don't fit or sometimes they do and then there will be something really cute and I'll think, "maybe it will fit" and I go into the changing room and it doesn't. And pants - pants are the worst. It's all a very unpleasant process. But I remember the time when I lost weight before and I was able to just put things on. Big inhale. That would be nice. I had a glimmer of that a few weeks back when I tried on some of the pants sitting in my closet and they all had the same size number on them. It's encouraging.  And every day I wonder if my pj pants will start fitting better. I think they're not quite as tight in my but and stomach, but they are certainly not loose. 

On to the day. Staying focused on the right now where I'm feeling better, no longer depressed, no longer feeling out of control, no longer hopeless. 

[SchrodingersCat]

I hope your kitty is ok!! It's so hard with cats - dogs will let you help them but cats are all like "stay the F away from me or I'll take your face off!!!"

I so, so hear you on the clothes, as mentioned in my thread. Pants are my issue too - I have wide hips, big butt, big thighs - I'm always bigger on the bottom! Plus I have that horrible hangy pouch thing that I can't even blame on having kids! I'm becoming a skirts and tights person lol

You are doing SO well. 

[Emma]

6 hours ago, SchrodingersCat said:

I so, so hear you on the clothes, as mentioned in my thread. Pants are my issue too - I have wide hips, big butt, big thighs - I'm always bigger on the bottom! Plus I have that horrible hangy pouch thing that I can't even blame on having kids!

Yes to all of the above. ALL of the above.

I ended up not taking the cat to the vet. The wound closed over night, but I know I saw it was infected inside yesterday, but I was more alarmed when it was open. Now it seems like the amazing immune system is doing its thing. I'm still somewhat concerned because his energy seems low, but it's really hot again so of course he's lounging. He is eating and doesn't mind me touching his side as much. 

 

[SchrodingersCat]

9 minutes ago, Emma said:

Yes to all of the above. ALL of the above.

I ended up not taking the cat to the vet. The wound closed over night, but I know I saw it was infected inside yesterday, but I was more alarmed when it was open. Now it seems like the amazing immune system is doing its thing. I'm still somewhat concerned because his energy seems low, but it's really hot again so of course he's lounging. He is eating and doesn't mind me touching his side as much. 

 

Cat's are really amazing at taking care of themselves. I think you're doing the right thing just keeping an eye on him!

[Emma]

Day Eighteen - Well, I am definitely getting more done than I have. Today, I went into work briefly to do a few things and then went home to have the day at home. Driving home, the list of ALL the THINGS I want to do was going through my head. All the projects and the plans and the daily to-do's and then I decided I would just do what I FELT like doing. It was kinda risky because I do like hanging out on the computer and I do like watching shows on Netflix, but I was kinda trying to avoid that. So I came home and ate, practiced, meditated a bit, and then sat down with my work computer and worked solidly for about three hours without ever looking up and I was so contented. I do love when I'm working and focused. I did some good thinking too which was nice. I still have more magical thinking I need to do and lots of other stuff, but tonight I started working on a creative work project. Necessary no, but interesting and motivating to me, yes. And then I remembered that there were two letters I needed to write and format so I worked on those and now it's 10:00. Oh - and in there, I watered the plants, talked to my mother-in-law, picked up the kids, and made dinner. Wowzers! And, throughout the day, I felt thinner. And I enjoyed that I've been wearing my shorts all weeks so they're a bit stretched out and so they fall down giving the illusion of being far too big instead of just stretched out

I'm not tired at all! Well, I am, but I'm not sleepy.

My husband made a comment about how he fell asleep at work and is always so tired in the afternoon and he's not sleeping well at night. I suggested that Whole30 might help and he said, "No, that's not it." UGH! Does he not remember that he was the one whose sleep was dramatically improved when we did Whole30. It was the biggest NSV for him and it was huge. But no - continue to have evening drinks, munch out on tortilla chips, eat super spicy foods and sleep your crappy sleep. Not kind of me. But really, when I have a problem, I usually seek a solution. Whether I act on that knowledge is a whole different story  I'm exhaling my annoyance out of me. Meditation teaches me that LOL

Breakfast: Leftover Egg Roll in a Bowl (Pork, broccoli/carrot/cabbage slaw)

Lunch: I forget! (Greens, carrot, and turkey. IDK, but I remember that I did okay.)

Dinner: Halibut, Broccoli/carrot/cabbage slaw cooked with coco aminos and vinegar, caesar salad for the kids

My husband asked when I would finish and I told him the date, but then said I'd like to continue eating this way. He said, "You do a lot better when you do Whole30". It's true. Then I asked the kids to select meals from the cookbooks. They took out their sticky notes and must have used half that pad. Crap - now I have to follow recipes, but YAY, because they like the things they choose. They seemed to really like the pictures in the Whole30 Quick and Easy and they both got all sentimental about some of their old favorites in Practical Paleo (like the Bird's Nest). 

I guess tomorrow I have to go shopping again. So much shopping.

[Jihanna]

4 hours ago, Emma said:

Then I asked the kids to select meals from the cookbooks. They took out their sticky notes and must have used half that pad. Crap - now I have to follow recipes, but YAY, because they like the things they choose.

This made me giggle... it's awesome that they're involved and excited about what you're cooking!

[Emma]

Day Nineteen - Well look how this mighty one has fallen (ha - Beckha99 the words were in my head this morning as I plodded across to the house to feed the dogs their 6:15 breakfast)! I went to bed last night so full of energy and big plans and now, after a night of sleep, I am barely functional. My eyes are tearing just from being open. I'm on the sofa with my coffee. Did I have plans to use my morning time differently? Hahah. So not happening this morning. 

And guess who else woke up? My husband. And how was his sleep? Not good. Not good at all. He was up so much last night. He just doesn't know why. 

If only there was an answer.

I need to breathe in and breathe out and let it go. Hold on - I'm going to go meditate and get that off the list. Okay - six minutes - that's just gonna be enough to call it good for today.

I hope today is just as good as yesterday. I had such a nice time working and partly because I knew I had already done the other things. And today, those other things include a 30 minute walk/run which I could do outside with one of the dogs, practicing, planning out my kid's birthday, maybe a load of laundry, a smigin of picking up, oh - crap - food prep, and then working on one of my projects for work or personal. It totally sounds do-able and reasonable. 

But for now I am going to read the headlines and quadruple check email.

[Beckha99]

2 hours ago, Emma said:

Well look how this mighty one has fallen (ha - Beckha99 the words were in my head this morning as I plodded across to the house to feed the dogs their 6:15 breakfast)! I went to bed last night so full of energy and big plans and now, after a night of sleep, I am barely functional. My eyes are tearing just from being open. I'm on the sofa with my coffee. Did I have plans to use my morning time differently? Hahah. So not happening this morning. 

Good God we might be living the exact same thing! I went to bed last night feeling good. Even after I wrote how I had been losing energy at night. But not last night! Then this morning I woke up and literally dragged myself outta bed. So, so, so tired. I have bounced back a little now (1030a), but still ug! Although I am getting more sleep then I was pre Whole30, I can't seem to get more than 6 hours. It's ok though! We've got this! And HELLO DAY19!!!! Keep kicking butt!

[Amy_Michigan]

12 hours ago, Emma said:

If only there was an answer.

Congrats on getting to Day 20 as of tomorrow (Fri).  Only a week and a half left to go...you are so close.  Awesome job!   

“If only there was an answer” is basically the question I’m going to be saying to myself every day of reintroduction.  I have looked into multiple food sensitivity and allergy tests, not knowing or trusting what paying all that money will accomplish if I want to know what will help prevent my lupus flares and skin issues.  I’ve read elimination diets are actually the best way to find out...which is the same as reintroduction on the whole30 basically.  So it is good to know that elimination diets are used even for people that have never heard of the whole30.

 

[Emma]

7 minutes ago, Amy_Michigan said:

I have looked into multiple food sensitivity and allergy tests, not knowing or trusting what paying all that money will accomplish if I want to know what will help prevent my lupus flares and skin issues

Yeah, the tests are nice to have, but they sure don't tell the whole story and the blood test has lots of false positives. I feel like the data helps me think about things more clearly and want to look for patterns. I'd never really considered soy as an issue, but it showed up as a big deal on my blood test, but not my skin prick test. It's the reintro that gives that chance to really see. But, boy, I don't want to mess with things. I don't want to eat something that will cause me to react. Of course, the flip side is that I'd be happy to go out and have a slice of pizza that has pretty much every possible trigger inside of it. And as for elimination diets, Whole30 is the way to go and I think much more effective in the long run.

[Emma]

Day Nineteen - Well, my meals were good:

Breakfast - Leftover halibut and broccoli slaw

Lunch - Turkey slices, mixed greens, lemon/garlic EVOO all wrapped in some egg/cauliflower crepes I picked up at Costco. I ate SIX of them. I felt so decadent.

Dinner - Turkey meatballs with a greek salad and coconut lemon greek dressing - totally tasty

So, at lunch when I was eating, I found myself missing out on the direct sensation of the lemon/garlic dressing on my tongue. The dressing was inside the crepe on the lettuce. And it got me thinking about how our brains naturally are satiated when foods have lots of umani - like blue cheese or fish sauce - you just can't eat too much of those and yet those flavors are so wonderfully perfect. But the world of Doritos and store foods are filled with umani teasers where you don't get satiated, but you get pulled in. I always get pulled in.

I've also really been reflecting on how I have no desire to eat candy or fries or samples at Costco. It really makes me think my food cravings/questing/always eating are like a drug addiction and now that it's out of my system, I can walk on by - just like a cigarette. I wish I knew what the thing or things is/are that trigger those "can't get enough" behaviors.

I've been pulling through McDonalds to get their unsweetened ice tea and no cravings or desires to get anything else.

The rest of the day? I meditated, practiced, worked, went to class, made dinner, and now am pondering what to do next. I could go water the plants, but I think I'd rather make progress on work stuff so that may be what I do. But it is nice out so maybe I should reassess. 

Tomorrow. Friday. I really, really hope I wake up feeling better than today. I think I will write up a list of the projects I want to get completed tomorrow and try to focus on those right away when I have my coffee next to me. Or not. Maybe I will wake up and just head to the sofa. And oh no - I never went to the pool. This week it seemed so hard, but I still like the idea.

Sleep well. See everyone tomorrow.

[Emma]

Day Twenty - Wow. I woke up in a good mood. My eyes are tearing and I'm a little stuffy, but my digestive system did it's morning thing and all is good - except for this crazy tight knot at the base of my skull on one side. I slept well, but on a pillow I don't normally use and I think I got some little muscle cramp. I tried massaging my skull, but I didn't like how it felt (and it hurts to touch). I tried stretching, but it just felt weird. I think it's slowly easing up, but it's very distracting.

I'm sitting cross legged on the sofa with the computer on my lap. Cross legged! First, I couldn't sit cross legged for a number of years because of knee inflammation. Second, I was too chunky. And now, here I am! I love cross legged sitting.

I remember that last night I proposed working on a project this morning. I'm gonna! It might not be a lot of work getting done, but I'm gonna get some before I have to take the kids to camp. I also enjoyed my run yesterday and would like to do that again, but the none to run program says only three days so I'm gonna stick to that rule and not overdo things like I do. It also helps me feel like I don't need to fit everything in (just mediation, practicing, and whole30)

For breakfast, I'm going to have eggs and slaw with coconut milk and lemon dressing. Hmmm - doesn't sound so good, but I think it will be okay. I'm also going to have to go to the store because a few things my husband picked up aren't gonna work. The sesame oil had soybean oil added to it. The sausage...it is sausage not ground pork. But we do have a meal plan except that my son didn't like that we only seem to be eating his sister's choices so maybe I'll pick up the ingredients to make compliant ketchup and throw a burger into the mix. And maybe I should go to the store this morning so that I can also pick up some more veggies to give me more lunch options.

 

[Amy_Michigan]

1 hour ago, Emma said:

For breakfast, I'm going to have eggs and slaw with coconut milk and lemon dressing. Hmmm - doesn't sound so good, but I think it will be okay. I'm also going to have to go to the store because a few things my husband picked up aren't gonna work. The sesame oil had soybean oil added to it. The sausage...it is sausage not ground pork. But we do have a meal plan except that my son didn't like that we only seem to be eating his sister's choices so maybe I'll pick up the ingredients to make compliant ketchup and throw a burger into the mix. And maybe I should go to the store this morning so that I can also pick up some more veggies to give me more lunch options.

 

I hope your muscle cramp and/or neck issue feels better soon!  Good job with all of the planning in advance and staying on top of things   I totally related about the sitting position comfort level you were having today... Just last winter I remember reading books to my kids on the floor sitting kind of sideways...then I literally got a leg cramp so bad I couldn't move it and had to kind of pull my leg up with my arms to get up.  That happened many times because I would forget and sit like that again.  I thought it was just sitting weirdly for too long, but recently I have noticed accidentally sitting like that, but then moving my leg without any pain afterwards... literally nothing.  So wonderful to be able to sit AND get up.  LOL.  The small things.

[Emma]

2 hours ago, Amy_Michigan said:

I hope your muscle cramp and/or neck issue feels better soon!  Good job with all of the planning in advance and staying on top of things   I totally related about the sitting position comfort level you were having today... Just last winter I remember reading books to my kids on the floor sitting kind of sideways...then I literally got a leg cramp so bad I couldn't move it and had to kind of pull my leg up with my arms to get up.  That happened many times because I would forget and sit like that again.  I thought it was just sitting weirdly for too long, but recently I have noticed accidentally sitting like that, but then moving my leg without any pain afterwards... literally nothing.  So wonderful to be able to sit AND get up.  LOL.  The small things.

Well, I enjoyed sitting, but when I went to straighten my right leg, it wouldn't! So I had to tip over and somehow release if from it's bent position from another angle. I had a moment of "oh crap" but it was okay. Yes, it is SO nice to be able to do those little things that we take for granted!!

[Amy_Michigan]

3 hours ago, Emma said:

Well, I enjoyed sitting, but when I went to straighten my right leg, it wouldn't! So I had to tip over and somehow release if from it's bent position from another angle. I had a moment of "oh crap" but it was okay. Yes, it is SO nice to be able to do those little things that we take for granted!!

That is a better way of stating the same thing that was happening to me!  Well, I’m living proof it doesn’t always have to be that way... don't know exactly what made it go away, but I thought it was going to happen the rest of my life and poof, all of a sudden it goes away! 

[C.B.]

12 hours ago, Emma said:

so I'm gonna stick to that rule and not overdo things like I do. It also helps me feel like I don't need to fit everything in (just mediation, practicing, and whole30)

Sometimes the hardest thing is to hold back and stick to only a few things. It seems simple and too easy at first when our motivation is in high gear, but choosing a few simple habits is the path to success and achieving those goals. Keep up the discipline and hard work!

[Emma]

Day 20 -

Breakfast: I forget, but it was something not very spectacular

Lunch: Oh my gosh - I made a super tasty satay sauce for dinner! It was SO good (out of the Quick and Easy Whole30 book). And, as I made it, there was extra coconut milk and almond butter so I mixed those up and ATE and it was SO delicious. I recognized that I was indulging quite a bit and I'd had a very light breakfast so I took out my big bowl of broccoli/cabbage/carrot slaw and cooked some up with a couple eggs and the leftovers of last night's greek sauce (coconut milk, lemon, mint) and just ate it.  I am very glad my kids chose the recipes otherwise we'd be having the same 'ol, same 'ol. Afterwards I was tired and the house was quiet and it felt like one of those nice moments where you just lie down in your living room on a sunny day and let the sounds from outside float in. So, I tried, but my mind was too awake so I got up to get my body moving and the tiredness went away.  

Dinner: Chicken Satay and Salad and it was delicious. The kids didn't like the satay sauce, but I can't fathom why. It's my favorite ever. Before dinner, while cutting up cucumbers and carrots for the salad, I ate a bunch and at one point I licked my upper lip and then I noticed that my upper lip felt tingly so I was definitely having a little allergic reaction to the fresh veggies. It didn't help that right before then I was outside pulling up grass and not wearing a face mask so I probably got a good dose of allergens in me. Nonetheless, I ate carrots and cucumbers in my salad at dinner time and other than things feeling a little weird and unhappy in my throat and mouth, I'm okay. I also have a slight headache and I did eat about half of an onion that I grilled. But overall, it was great. And there is one kabob left for me to have for breakfast tomorrow.

Lots got done today and also lots did not. I started a new project in the yard when I had some sudden inspiration and, with a little help from the family in the evening, it was completed. And now we are going to play a family game. It's already bedtime! But I told the kids I would and that's the reason everybody chipped in outside.

But before I go, I walked around today feeling thinner or fitter or just not taking up as much bumbling space. I assume I've lost some weight, but I'm imagining it's only a couple pounds because anything else would be too hopeful and too likely be dashed by the reality of a scale. I'm feeling thinner though - maybe it's internally around my organs. I like the idea of my inner body being less marbled.

Allrighty-O. I'm off to check in on others until the kids get the table set up!!!