Starting October 1

[ElizabethG]

@Tanya Strun Yes, this is so real on W30, especially if you are used to sweets every night. I would suggest them throwing them away, otherwise it's going to be too tempting. There will be some tough times during this process, and the best thing to do is set yourself up in an environment that will push your towards your goals. Just a thought.

I'm not having a sugar hangover, but I'm definitely still needing the tweak the size of my meals, or maybe even what I am eating. I experiences a lot of in between meal hunger yesterday.

My husband and I are taking a weekend trip, which I am confident I can get through, but it's still always tough. Luckily, it's just us, so no pressure to eat anywhere we don't want. During my previous 2 W30s, I got very good at eating out, so I'm not that nervous, just need to bring out those skills again.

[ronaldbellantone]

Day 5 I am still whole 30 compliant. Biggest test is doing without alcohol and salty snacks in the evening. I wake up with headaches every morning, not sure what causes this.

[Ari.]

Day 5 guys, we're almost through the first week!!! Congrats!!!

Oddly, I've been feeling pretty good physically, but have been an emotional wreck! My friend who's an herbalist told me that it's probably because of the chemical changes I'm going through and the fact that my microbiome is changing and things (bacteria) are literally dying inside of me 

The other thing I find odd is that I really haven't had much of an appetite the last 5 days and have actually been forcing myself to eat enough at each meal. I read that this is normal... but yesterday my mom broke the news to me that I have the dreaded ketone breathe! As vain as this sounds, this is literally one of the biggest issues I have with doing the Whole30. Now I'm worried that I'm not eating enough even though I really don't have the appetite to eat more. I'm hoping that will start to shift. 

I'd be curious to know if anyone else tends to struggle with the monster ketone or "ketosis" breathe, and whether there are any suggestions to battle it. 

[GraceMelodie]

Good morning and Happy Day 6!  I am doing a reset, maybe for a couple of weeks or maybe for the whole month.  I haven't decided yet.  That is the beauty of Food Freedom.  It is amazing how quickly I feel great and my skin starts to literally glow when I do a reset.  I have completed 3 full Whole 30s over the last 2 years and many mini resets.  Each time I learn something new and really figure out what non-compliant foods/drinks are "worth it."  At the moment my clear skin and good energy is "worth it".  It definitely helps to follow along with a group on this forum for company.

On 10/5/2019 at 6:02 AM, ronaldbellantone said:

Day 5 I am still whole 30 compliant. Biggest test is doing without alcohol and salty snacks in the evening. I wake up with headaches every morning, not sure what causes this.

Great job so far, Ronald!!  It sounds like your body is still adjusting to the positive change in your diet.  You will probably feel better this week.

 

On 10/5/2019 at 10:16 AM, Ari. said:

I'd be curious to know if anyone else tends to struggle with the monster ketone or "ketosis" breathe, and whether there are any suggestions to battle it. 

The only time I have experienced "ketosis" breathe is when I don't eat any fruit, squashes or starchy root vegetables.  Maybe you can try adding some of them into your diet and see how you feel.

[Ari.]

Made it to day 6! Still going strong but...

Despite having thoroughly read "It Starts with Food" twice and having total confidence in my decision to start the program, I let my brother get into my head last night and spent the whole morning googling "Is Whole30 good for you?" and felt a mixture of surprised/not surprised when all of the articles that came up said, "NO IT'S THE WORST DIET EVER SAYS NUTRITIONISTS." I had to take a deep breathe and remember the fact that I am the only person who at the very least knows how different foods make me feel. I resolved to keep going and try not to listen to the skeptics. 

The way this all started is that my brother commented on me eating red meat every day, and said I shouldn't even be eating it once a week - and then threw in the "fact" that "meat in general is really bad for you and you should rarely eat it." Obviously having read It Starts with Food, I know this is not totally true, but there might be a little truth to it on some level for some people? 

Anyways, I'm not really seeking to be reassured of the health benefits of the program, but I am curious to know how other people manage to stay confident and strong in the face of skeptics or evidence that some facet of the Whole30 is actually detrimental to your health. I know even Melissa would say the Whole30 isn't the perfect thing for everyone. 

And, okay, maybe I do need a little reassurance that eating (high quality) red meat every week is really okay. Also would be curious to know how other people are switching up their protein sources (i.e. chicken twice a week, turkey 3 times a week, fish twice, etc.). 

 

 

[Ari.]

51 minutes ago, GraceMelodie said:

The only time I have experienced "ketosis" breathe is when I don't eat any fruit, squashes or starchy root vegetables.  Maybe you can try adding some of them into your diet and see how you feel.

Thanks for responding! I always do assume I'm not eating enough starchy vegetables/fruit when I start to get ketosis breathe, but sometimes even adding in what I think is a sufficient amount doesn't do the trick so it's a real head scratcher for me. Like yesterday (among other things) I did half a sweet potato at breakfast, and a handful of delicata squash slices at lunch, my dinner did lack starchy veggies but I had a handful of raspberries and some apple with my salad. Do you know if that falls in line with what would be recommended? 

[Meliena]

28 minutes ago, Ari. said:

Made it to day 6! Still going strong but...

Despite having thoroughly read "It Starts with Food" twice and having total confidence in my decision to start the program, I let my brother get into my head last night and spent the whole morning googling "Is Whole30 good for you?" and felt a mixture of surprised/not surprised when all of the articles that came up said, "NO IT'S THE WORST DIET EVER SAYS NUTRITIONISTS." I had to take a deep breathe and remember the fact that I am the only person who at the very least knows how different foods make me feel. I resolved to keep going and try not to listen to the skeptics. 

 

 

I have been there before. My sister is a physiotherapist and when it comes to food, she definitely feels like she knows everything. I was doing my reintroduction and she had a hard time believing that my allergies started back up when I reintroduced rice, because "no diet can eliminate allergies" and how did I know my allergies hadn't just subsided because of the time etc. etc. I just told her that maybe she was right, maybe she was wrong, but I felt better than ever so, for myself, I love the Whole30. Might not be great for everyone, but why does that matter? 

When it comes to switching up sources of protein, eggs are an amazing source of protein, and I always keep some frozen shrimp and smoked salmon on hand just in case I'm not in the mood for red meat. 

[ElizabethG]

Hi All, Happy Day 6! It looks like everyone is going great, keep it up. Just walked in the door after 36 hours of a mini-vacation, and I am proud to say that I made it through successfully. Restaurants were happy to swap out the cheese for avocados in my eggs, and I was able to get a delicious steak last night for dinner. I also discovered the most refreshing non-alcoholic drink, because let's be honest, sometimes plain water gets boring.

Rusa: glass with ice, lots of fresh squeezed lime, plain seltzer, and a salted rim. Try it!

[Settyfitness]

1 hour ago, Meliena said:

I have been there before. My sister is a physiotherapist and when it comes to food, she definitely feels like she knows everything. I was doing my reintroduction and she had a hard time believing that my allergies started back up when I reintroduced rice, because "no diet can eliminate allergies" and how did I know my allergies hadn't just subsided because of the time etc. etc. I just told her that maybe she was right, maybe she was wrong, but I felt better than ever so, for myself, I love the Whole30. Might not be great for everyone, but why does that matter? 

When it comes to switching up sources of protein, eggs are an amazing source of protein, and I always keep some frozen shrimp and smoked salmon on hand just in case I'm not in the mood for red meat. 

Only YOU know how YOU feel ....There aren’t many things in life where everyone has the same reaction. Not everything works for everyone. But a lot of those people it “doesn’t work” for haven’t tried it either. Go with what you know. You put in the work and you are reaping the rewards. We really change up everything in our house based on a recipe we love or want to try. Pork tenderloin is a grilling staple in our house but we cook with many different compliant rubs or sauces. So even if we are eating the same protein it’s never the same. Hope this helps! 

[Hopingandtrying]

Hi all!  I started Oct 1st so I just finished the first week. I’ve found the entire process fun and not quite as hard as I thought it would be.  The worst “side effect” was a four hour period of Kill All The Things on day 3 that was really weird/ugly/unpleasant. I find myself eating only 3 meals and staying full between meals. I’m actually starting to think I’m gaining weight???  Can that happen??  I’m eating more than I used to (I’d skip breakfast and snack my way through the afternoon) but I think my meals follow the guidelines:

m1. Two poached eggs and 2 oz sausage over spinach w tomatoes and mushrooms

m2 5 oz protein (sliced beef or chicken) or 1/2-3/4 cup protein salad over 1 1/2 “handfuls” spring mix lettuce w 1-2 tbsp vinaigrette 

M3 5oz protein (grilled beef, chicken, roasted pork etc), rest of plate filled w 2 veggies: cauliflower rice, broccoli, squash, green beans salad mix etc) with 1-2 tbsp “sauce” (chimichurri, roasted red pepper sauce etc...)

 

I am refraining from weighing myself and I understand it’s not all about weight loss but everyone I know who has done While30 lost 10 lbs....I’d REALLY like to join their ranks!!!

 

[GraceMelodie]

7 hours ago, Ari. said:

I am curious to know how other people manage to stay confident and strong in the face of skeptics or evidence that some facet of the Whole30 is actually detrimental to your health. I know even Melissa would say the Whole30 isn't the perfect thing for everyone. 

And, okay, maybe I do need a little reassurance that eating (high quality) red meat every week is really okay. Also would be curious to know how other people are switching up their protein sources (i.e. chicken twice a week, turkey 3 times a week, fish twice, etc.). 

Meat is healthy for you as long as you are eating grass-fed beef & lamb, pasture raised eggs & chicken, sustainably raised organic pork & wild-caught fish.  Animals that eat what they are supposed to eat and are not fed grains are healthy for us to consume.  Unfortunately red meat has gotten a bad reputation because some of the past studies that were done on it were done with factory farmed red meat fed with corn.  Cows cannot digest corn and get really sick when they are fed it.  I recommend reading Michael Pollan's "An Omnivore's Dilemma".  He gives a really good, firsthand account of the difference between factory farmed animals and sustainably raised animals.

Of the 18 meals I ate in the last 6 days, I ate eggs for 6 meals, chicken for 3 meals, lamb for 3 meals, fish for 3 meals, bacon for 1 meal, steak for 1 meal, & pork for 1 meal.  With each meal I ate a lot of different vegetables, fresh herbs, fruit & nuts: apples, arugula, avocados, baby greens, bananas, broccoli, black berries, blueberries, bok choy, butternut squash, carrots, cilantro, celery, coconut, dates, fennel, garlic, green beans, lemons, mint, mushrooms, oranges, parsley, peppers, pistachios, potatoes, prunes, pomegranate seeds, red onion, rosemary, sage, scallions, spinach, Swiss chard, strawberries, sweet potato, tomatoes, tomatillos & walnuts.  I also use olive oil, avocado oil, apple cider vinegar, salt & pepper to season everything.

That sounds like a pretty healthy diet to me.  I feel great when I eat well and I eat non-processed food I make & grow myself.  I have a vegetable garden & some fruit trees and shop a few times a week so I always have fresh produce.  Doing a Whole30 is really about discovering what works for you and makes you feel best.

 

 

[ElizabethG]

@Hopingandtrying I'm so glad to hear that things are going pretty well so far! The only comment I have here is that you may be missing some fat in your breakfast. You have delicious sounding dressings and sauces for lunch and dinner, so just make sure to do the same with breakfast. It can be as simple as drizzling olive oil over your veggies, or adding a scoop of homemade mayo. It's the fat that really helps us feel satisfied. In terms of weight, please continue to stay off the scale, and remember that this is an entire 30 days, so your body is going to go through many different changes. I know it's difficult, but try not to compare yourself to other people, each body is different. 

[CassieP]

I had a headache the first few days because I also decided to give up coffee at the same time. I was so tired and sleepy before the afternoon even came. But that is all over with now. My mornings are easier to get started and it isnt so hard to get out of bed now. 

[CassieP]

I had a family party on Saturday. Not having alcohol wasn't so difficult. It was the food being served. It smelled delicious but I didn't have a hard time wanting not to eat it. It was the looks that I got when everyone noticed what I had on my plate. Didn't have any rice and beans or tortillas. I only had the pork in green chile sauce that was basically the only thing that was compliant. There wasnt any salad or veggies so I hardly had anything on my plate. Then I turned down the dessert. I could have possibly had it but they were serving parfaits and mixed all the fruit with yogurt before I was able to request just fruit,

[Meliena]

22 hours ago, CassieP said:

I had a family party on Saturday. Not having alcohol wasn't so difficult. It was the food being served. It smelled delicious but I didn't have a hard time wanting not to eat it. It was the looks that I got when everyone noticed what I had on my plate. Didn't have any rice and beans or tortillas. I only had the pork in green chile sauce that was basically the only thing that was compliant. There wasnt any salad or veggies so I hardly had anything on my plate. Then I turned down the dessert. I could have possibly had it but they were serving parfaits and mixed all the fruit with yogurt before I was able to request just fruit,

Hi Cassie, I understand what you're going through! I don't know if you've read any of the Whole30 books, but one of the tips they give you is to tell as much people that you're doing a Whole30 and why. (I found it helpful for myself to jot down a couple of notes in my phone and pull it up whenever I needed to). That way people won't be as surprised when you find yourself turning down food. 
Something I also did in the past, was to bring a little container of my own food when going to an event where food is being served. I assume this wasn't a surprise party so you could have perhaps called whoever was organizing it and get some details as to what was being served, could you bring something of your own, etc. I hope this helps! 

And congrats everyone on making it through the first week! I am still having some ups and downs, I am exhausted in the evening (yesterday I fell asleep on the couch at 7.30PM before dragging myself to bed) but waking up in the morning is getting easier, so at least there is that :-) And my sugar cravings are pretty much gone (although the Sugar Dragon might rear it's ugly head in the next week or so) so I'm very happy with that. 

I do need help with one thing! I work at a hotel and on Sunday my shift is from noon until 10PM. Somewhere before 5 o'clock I have an hour break, and then nothing. I am not allowed to eat a full meal at the front desk (which makes sense) but it leaves in a little bit of a bind because I eat breakfast around 8AM, and then my next meal around 4PM. I don't really have the need to eat before I start working at noon but that means I'm only eating 2 meals that day. Any tips? 
 

[ElizabethG]

@Meliena, oy this is a tough one! You're right that you do need to find a way to sneak in some more food during that shift. First question, what do you plan on eating this week around 4? Also, what types of things are you allowed to eat at the front desk? I know in the spirit of W30 we're supposed to keep "snacks" to a minimum, but I consider this a completely different case. A few thoughts:

1. If you are allowed small snacks in the front, hard boiled eggs, shredded chicken with mayo, carrots and guac, or meat sticks are all easy, and can be eaten in just a few minutes. Just make sure in this option that if put together, all of your snacks equal a compliant meal by the end.

 

2. Are you getting hungry during your shift? If you are having a full meal at 4, it's possible you aren't, and therefore can have dinner at 10. There isn't a rule about when you are "supposed" to eat different meals. 

[Meliena]

@ElizabethG, so this week is a little funny because I did a one-time swap with my coworker and am now working 7-5PM, which means I'll be able to have meals at a "normal" time. 

The problem with snacking/eating at the front desk is that I have to eat things that are easy to swallow, in case the phone rings or someone walks up to the front desk. As a hotel guest, I would also rather be spoken to by someone who isn't eating  I guess I can cut up my food in such bites that they are easy to swallow. 

For your second question, I honestly can't remember if I'm getting hungry before four, after four, or when I leave from work. I'd rather not eat "dinner" after I get off work, just because I want to avoid the extra energy, since I wake up at 5AM the next day and I know I won't get a good night's sleep if I eat before bedtime. 

Since this Sunday is different, that means I only have two Sundays left in my Whole30, so I'll make a note of it and see what is best! 

To everyone else, stick with it, I promise you it will get better! 

 

[ElizabethG]

Just a quick check in to see how everyone is doing! Has anyone found any great new recipes, tricks, kitchen hacks? I think of the best NSVs of any whole 30 is learning new things in the kitchen, and finding new recipes that you love. I've recently rediscovered my love for fresh oregano in everything. 

[ronaldbellantone]

So far so good on daY 10. I have better mental clarity and my stomach is a bit trimmer.   My weight lifting work outs are responding well.  The morning headaches have lessened.  One small problem ,I am Italian...….. and already tired of compliant Italian sausage.

[Meliena]

I am doing well! Yesterday I got a promotion at work (hooray for more regular hours) and I was a little sad that I couldn't celebrate with a glass of wine, but I got some bison steak and asparagus and a nice bottle of flavoured sparkling water (Whole30 approved) and celebrated with that! 

My energy is up and although I was feeling really hungry in between meals the past two days (I think it's because of my period, I'm not sure ) I am doing better today! I have been eating some potatoes along with other vegetables and snacking on nuts if necessary. 

I'm making a Whole30 pot roast this weekend and am excited to see how it will turn out :-D I will keep you posted! 

[Hopingandtrying]

My pants were loose today. They were still my size 8s......but they were loose!!!!!  HHHOOOORRRAAAYYYY!!!!

[ElizabethG]

@Hopingandtrying so glad to hear that you're starting to feel some of the NSVs! 

I definitely hit a wall last night/this morning. I've stuck to it, but I'm getting pretty grumpy about being bored with my meals. When I live in the US I had access to all of the "special" ingredients like tahini and coconut aminos, which really allowed for diversity. Now, we live in Mexico, which is amazing, but I'm more limited when it comes to spicing things up with Whole30. Plus, we have a tiny kitchen, and an even smaller over. I know I'm just venting here, but I need some ideas before I have to eat one more dinner of just chicken and roasted veggies. Plus, we keep kosher(ish), so no pork or shellfish. 

[Meliena]

@ElizabethG, just yesterday I made some Whole30 salmon cakes, and they are amazing. The only thing that I can imagine would be hard to find is sweet potato puree, but other than that it’s a pretty easy recipe and they go well for breakfast with an egg and some spinach, or for lunch with a salad! 
I also made a really good breakfast casserole with minced beef and cauliflower rice and some eggs, but I can’t remember off the top of my head. 
I also ordered some curry sauces from Yai’s Kitchen (I think, it’s on the Whole30 approved section) that I will use for a spicy chicken curry when they arrive! 
And yesterday we had an amazing roast for dinner and although my boyfriend was sad he couldn’t have any bread to sop up the sauce, he still enjoyed it! 
We’re almost half way, hang in there!! 

[GraceMelodie]

@ElizabethG 

I made this recipe last week and omitted the honey to make it compliant:

https://www.feastingathome.com/oaxacan-lamb-barbacoa/

It was really delicious and features Mexican ingredients.  Try looking up traditional Mexican recipes and swapping some ingredients to make them Kosher & compliant. 

[ElizabethG]

Thanks All!

Made it through a slump, and feeling great that we're 1/2 way there, but also missing my American kitchen. Luckily, I do have a crock pot and my trusty stick blender, so I'm not lacking homemade mayo, which is what gets me through this.