April reset begins today

[Rebecca001]

Day 22. Felt a spring in my step today, maybe a little roar of the tiger (finally!) . Had a stressful day at work and yet despite this I came home and did 3 hours housework as the house was looking really messy, then went to the gym and did a double class. 

I have a long day at work tomorrow, a long meeting which will generate lots of work and then a meeting after school, and then kids football with my son so it could be a tough day! Luckily I’m feeling good this evening so I will now go and do all my prep for tomorrow so it goes smoothly in the morning. 

food today: lots of protein! Roast chicken and veg at lunch, chicken at 4pm pre workout, then my dinner was pork steak and peas! Simple food but it was good. 

[Rebecca001]

Day 23. I struggled to get to sleep last night, due to exercising late and not eating much carbohydrate yesterday I think. However according to Garmin I slept well and I feel quite well rested. Gearing up for a busy day! My food today will be a tuna salad with mayo and olives, and for dinner I have some smoked fish and sweet potato mash- so quite a fishy day! 
No workout today, I am too busy and I always try to have a rest day mid week. But I may have a short walk later if my steps are low. 
 

genuinely feel like I am the only person on this forum in the whole world! Feel free to say hi if you are around! Have a good day 

[Rebecca001]

Pm update on day 23. Had a very long day today, but felt good. No fuzzy head or White Noise in my brain. Don’t feel exhausted or craving junk food or carbs. I had tuna salad twice today, but in the evening I added avocado and extra mayo for some calories as I felt like I’d not eaten enough. 
 

tomorrow I am on a training course in the morning and have a meeting in the afternoon. I will take my lunch to eat But may need to eat in my car! 
 

water is my biggest target this week, I’m just not drinking enough and I don’t think about it at work because I’m so busy, it’s only when I stop I remember. So I try to get a few pints in the morning and again in the evening. 

[Rebecca001]

Day 24. I woke up early at 5.45 and will go out for a run once I’ve drink my coffee. I’m sleeping well at the moment but if I could get a few more minutes each night, I think it would really help me feel great. 

Another busy day ahead. My dinner tonight will be a Turkey mince and mushroom meatloaf and I really need to eat some extra veg as well. This will give me leftovers to have for lunch tomorrow as well. 

I feel so much better than I felt when I started out. I re-read my entries and my journal, where I had written all my woes and aches and pains! These are all so much improved! I’m not going to stop at day 30, I think I am going to continue at least until I go on holiday on 28th May. I am feeling a lot better generally about myself, and weight is always a big issue for me but the relief of not compulsively weighing myself all the time is really good for me and my mental health. I had got myself into a real rut of punishing myself with junk food and feeling awful so even though I haven’t had the full ‘tiger blood’ feeling yet this time, that respite and clarity is really welcomed. 
 

 

 

[Rebecca001]

Day 25. Woke early again today, 5.40! It’s the only thing about w30 I don’t enjoy!

I’m feeling good though now I’m awake. I have (another!) really busy day ahead with lots of meetings scheduled. My food is prepped: I have meatloaf and sweet potato for lunch, and then chimichurri chicken for dinner. I’m going to try to get to the gym tonight but if it’s sunny I might go for a run instead. I’m aware that my appetite has really dropped away, I know I’m eating more protein this week and fewer carbs and the impact of that is that I don’t graze anywhere near as much and feel much more satisfied with my food overall.

as always, the weekend is looming. I find the weekends so much more challenging because food and drink is so central to our relaxation and fun. I am feeling very determined though and seeing results so that’s inspiring me to stick with it. 

 

 

[Rebecca001]

Day 26. Fri-YAY. This week has lasted 100 years! I felt really tired after work and dozed off on the sofa. Feeling hungry tonight and ate a fair bit of compliant food: fruit, meatloaf, nkd bar etc. I think just from a combination of exhaustion and waking early and probably not eating enough during the week. I’ve just eaten what I need tonight. I did a good workout, but haven’t made 10k steps today. 
 

tomorrow, doing my shopping for the week. I want to try some new recipes to have a push for the final few weeks.going for a run with my friend and it’s going to be sunny so it will hopefully be a nice weekend. 

I’m looking forward to weighing myself on day 31 but I think that’s the only think I’m going to reintroduce! 

[Rebecca001]

Saturday morning, day 27. My workout yesterday must have been tough as this morning I am feeling it in my core! Ran 13km with my friend this morning, felt good and it was a nice social slow run in the sun. I now feel justified to lounge in my hammock and read this afternoon in the sunshine. 

[Rebecca001]

Sunday, day 28. I felt good today. Definitely feeling a little roar of the tiger now! Ran 5.5km and made good time, and other than that have had a nice relaxing day. I did some writing, something I love to do but I do have to feel right, it’s a sign that I am feeling good that I have managed to write something complete. 
 

another busy week ahead, with lots going on at work and Also lots of things with the children after school. I haven’t prepped any meals yet, just my mayo. Tomorrow I’ll take leftover meat from our roast and some salad although I have a lunchtime meeting so probably won’t get a chance to actually eat it. 
 

I’m looking forward to weighing in on day 31, I know that’s not the main focus but I am sure I have lost a few lbs. I tried on a skirt today that was too tight 3 weeks ago and it fitted really nicely so I think i have definitely slimmed down a little. 

[Rebecca001]

Day…. 31! And I didn’t even clock it was day 30 yesterday, probably because I’m only just really starting to feel the tiger roaring so I have no intention of stopping just yet. I am going to continue with w30 food all the way but I may have a glass of wine at the weekend after a loooooong week. I didn’t even weigh myself as I wanted to on day 31! So I suppose that’s a positive sign that I am feeling good because I wasn’t counting the minutes to end, and I am in no way interested in any kind of chocolate, bread, cheese tonight. So all good. 
 

So here’s my positives in case anyone else but me is reading this!: 

1) I’m feeling better. Much better. Non -specific wellness! 
2) no slump, no cravings, my appetite is massively tamed and I have lost that horrible binge/guilt thing I was doing on rotation daily. 
3) I am fairly certain I have lost weight because clothes fit me better and I just look slimmer 

4) more energy , less stressed when work gets tense and just feel better able to cope with everything. Sleeping better 

5) I am training harder, running slightly faster, and finding motivation to lift heavier weights or do an extra set. My recovery time is better, my hips don’t ache and I generally feel stronger and healthier. 

[Rebecca001]

Day 32. Weighed in this morning and I have lost 7lbs which I’m really pleased with and it is all off my stomach so I look much slimmer 

feeling  good, no plans to stop yet. I go on holiday in 10 days so will definitely keep it up til then. I may even continue while I’m away as it’s self catering at uk so no reason why I can’t just eat the way I have been at home. I will reintroduce wine though! 
 

Running with my friend tonight, food will be beef tikka curry and veg/salad 

overall, feeling really good and positive! 

[doubledee]

Congratulations, Rebecca001, on your successful Whole30! And on your consistency in journaling your experience here. It seems like hardly anyone uses this forum anymore, huh?

I did my first Whole30 five years ago, and I've continued do one annually in the spring. My first year there were quite a few people posting on the forum but coming back now I wonder where everyone is--maybe migrated to Whole30 social media accounts?

Anyway, just wanted to let you know you're not (completely) alone here, and to say congrats!

[Rebecca001]

Hi @doubledee yes I was starting to wonder where everyone was! Thanks for your encouragement. 
 

[ShadowInTheKitchen]

Well done Rebecca!  You’re feeling better and lost weight too.  
Anout the quiet board, I’ve been checking in every week or so.  I want to do another round but haven’t committed yet.  I like the anonymity here, I just don’t trust FB or IG to be anonymous.  

[Rebecca001]

So…… day 34. Last night I drank 2 glasses of white wine and ate some junk food. today I feel yuck! My stomach feels sloshy and empty. I’m drinking my coffee and bracing myself for morning bootcamp at 8am, one of my favourite fitness classes as I love being outdoors, but it’s a grey morning and I feel hungover! 

tonight I am going out, I have preordered my food as compliant as I can, so steak, veg, salad, no dairy/grains - my plan was always to have a drink tonight, but now I am reconsidering that as I want to do a long run tomorrow and that will be hard with a hangover. It was odd as I was at the supermarket yesterday and I was considering the foods I could have, but I didn’t really want any of them, then when I got home I just crashed- I found the evening really hard, couldn’t decide whether to have chocolate, or not, and in the end probably ate things I wouldn’t have even wanted even if i hadn’t done W30. Paying the price for it today. I know this is not proper reintroductions. I don’t think I’m ready to reintroduce to be honest. I want to still lose a few more pounds and I was really enjoying that clear head and just not wanting the junk food, to me that is Food Freedom - I don’t know why I messed with it to be honest. 
 

It’s also making me feel a bit apprehensive about my holiday coming up, previous years we would drink most nights and I just don’t feel like I want to do that this year, but it’s hard with family around if everyone else is drinking. And I’d like to stick as closely as possibly to my w30 food as well (find this easier as its self catering and all/most meals will be home cooked) 

going to walk into town this morning after class for a bit of shopping, a few holiday bits and just a bit of retail therapy to be honest. I might get something nice for tonight to wear. 

 

[doubledee]

In four previous Whole30s, I've never managed the reintroduction phase properly. It doesn't help that there are birthdays and other celebrations in my family coming up not too long after my 30 days end. Sometimes I've done pretty well with the food but gone back to drinking wine. Sometimes I've stayed away from booze but haven't been strict enough about reintroducing food groups one-by-one.

I love how I feel on Whole30 and want to figure out how to keep feeling this way ... without abiding strictly by Whole30 standards permanently! 

I hope you can find a way to enjoy your holiday, give yourself some freedom, but keep feeling great.

[Rebecca001]

After my first w30 I did pretty much 100% compliant food + wine for around 8 months and I still had the tiger blood and felt great. I find the food easy to be honest, certainly I find being super strict easier than any kind of moderation. 
I did drink last night, quite a lot, and today I feel wretched. Probably from lack of quality sleep more than anything. Feel tired and grumpy today. 
 

tonight we’re having roast chicken, roast potatoes and veg. While prepping the Sunday dinner I will prep some bits for the week ahead, I like to make my lunches in advance. 
 

my goal this week is to drink more water and eat more veg. I sometimes go all day without a drink at work which is just ridiculous, but it’s because I am so busy all the time. But I’m going to set an alarm on my phone this week to remind me to drink more. Some nice meals planned this week as well: Red Thai salmon curry with courgette noodles; chicken wrapped in bacon; plus a few others 

[Rebecca001]

Wednesday morning, day 38. 
after my weekend went a bit awry I have gone right back to basics this week. Simple W30 food and really trying to eat more veg and drink more water at work.  I’ve been trying to get more protein in as well, and fewer carbs. 
I go on holiday on Saturday and I cannot wait. This last few months has been very stressful and I need a break. I’m already worried/ thinking a lot about food. We are going with family and I know there will be alcohol every night. I am really quite determined not to drink every night as I know that I will feel horrible if I do. Food doesn’t worry me too much as I have been eating this way for a long time now and they are used to me. 
 

today: rest day. My legs ache from workouts and running. I will be having chicken thighs and bacon with potatoes and veg in a traybake recipe and lots of veg. 

[Rebecca001]

Thursday, day 39. I had a horrible day yesterday and it didn’t end well. I looked back over my day and it’s no wonder why really, just a very stressful day at work and I didn’t even stop for a glass of water or any lunch. That’s never going to end well is it? 
 

today I got up early, went for a 6am run with my friend which was just lovely and then have had a better, less stressful day. Although probably still not enough water. I drank a litre once I got home though. This evening I am going out to a circuits class and then my dinner will be chicken thighs and salad/ veg. Last day at school tomorrow before holiday, I cannot wait. I am not feeling confident about the way I look right now, I don’t feel especially slim and I didn’t manage to lose the weight I wanted to before we go away. That might help keep me on track when I’m away though because I don’t think I can manage a week off the rails, I would regain every pound I lost on w30. And not just for weight reasons, I can’t go back to feeling tired and sluggish, I do not want to come back feeling worse than when I left! 

[Ginger Wojdyla]

Rebecca congrats on your successful W30! I am rarely on here yet was looking into protein powder, as it would be great to have an occasional compliant protein shake, yet finding what I have has some non compliant ingredients. 

My husband and I have done 2 W30s together before, are now on day 12 of our 3rd, and doing well. My 1st W30 (before we were together) I was very strict and lost 20 lbs and kept it off for a long time. Then after I met my husband I started eating more like him, he struggles with veggies, has a huge sweet tooth and enjoys having a couple of drinks after work. He's more athletic and his diet didnt affect him as much, yet it sure does me and found I had gained back the 20 lbs.

We are headed to Kauai in 5 weeks and both wanted to lose weight and get back on track, so will complete W30 and am learning about transitioning and life after W30, as we never really did that right, so am reading Food Freedom to finally do it right!

I was so glad to read that you had finished Rebecca! Thanks for sharing.