Anyone Starting 3/11 (Monday)?

[mrsjessica]

I admit that while I haven't been eating any non-compliant foods, I feel like I've veered very far from the food template lately.

This is me, too. I'm snacking more instead of complete meals. I think a lot of it has been at social dinners/ family dinners that have had limited compliant foods, so I eat a bit at home to suppliment what I had there. I'm going on a 2.5 day retreat this weekend and already am planning what to bring. I'm not feeling nearly as good as week 2. I wonder if this is the point where you get sensitive and feel the smaller things, like how many nuts/carbs/salt/water/fat... are too much/not enough for you? Crossing my fingers that's what's happening

After this 30 days, I'll take a week or two being a little relaxed, then probably start up another W30. I have such an up/down relationship with food that I know I'll need a few W30's to really establish a permanent change of mind.

On that note, day 22 already

[Kristy Cas]

So it is day 22 and I am still alive; I have had a severe Migraine and today is day 5. I had a couple of slips with my food, but I am getting back on track. I have been sick to my stomach with the headache and my appetite is diminished. Easter was o.k ...did not have one jelly bean of piece of chocolate; however, I had a taste of cheesecake. I wanted to check in compliant or not and say I am hanging in there and getting back on the path. sent my husband food shopping for me.

Any Migraine sufferers that have NATURAL remedies that have worked for them let me know. Kudos to everyone who is doing such a great job during this time.

Also what is your favorite thing to eat for FIBER on whole 30 as my body is not getting enough fiber; I'll spare you the details but You would think with all these veggies fiber wouldn't be an issue?

Health to all

[bel118]

Wow y'all! It's Day 22 already and we are all in the home stretch. Congratulations to us all for our achievements thus far. I did well Easter and stayed compliant. My family is pretty amazing. No one asked any questions or made a big deal that I didn't eat the cheesy potatoes, baked beans, potatoe salad, or cheesecake. Honestly, I didn't miss having them either. I am quite happy with my W30 choice and may either keep going or start another one within 30 days.

I have found a 5k I would like to do as well, it's a zombie run. I am thinking about starting training for it. I think it would be a good way to keep myself oriented with a goal and stick to my newly formed eating plan. I have always wanted to do one of these.

http://www.runforyourlives.com/

[Carolyn Cornett Hobbs]

I'm still plugging away over here. I admit that while I haven't been eating any non-compliant foods, I feel like I've veered very far from the food template lately. I don't know what my issue is, but I just can't seem to get on track in terms of regular meals with the exception of breakfast. But, that's the weekend for you, I suppose.

I have been the same way. I looked at the template again last night for a review and have been trying hard today to stay on track with no snacks but eating enough at meals to keep me not hungry between.

I think knowing last week that I havent lost anything ruined my outlook a bit. Sad but true. I cant let that distract me from my goal of finishing. I have been compliant through out but just too many snack of food I am able to eat.

I am happy to have made it to day 22 and will definitely make it to day 30!!! I will probably do another whole 30 in May or June.

Best wishes to all you March 11th starters!

[Tveen]

Hello all! I can't believe it's day 22 already! I started an internship today so I am definitely dealing with the whole food prep/packing food issues! I was enjoying having night classes and all day to cook...this will be an adjustment! I just cooked up so turkey meat and sweet potatoes and pre packed some salad! Good luck to you all!

[Pea]

Here we are at day 23. I am continuing to the end of April (which would make it a whole60 for me) and to help me stay the course, I signed up for the daily emails. I must say I LOVED the one for day 1 as it has a great little cheering video clip at the end.

I am struggling with the limitations of the autoimmune protocol. No eggs, no nightshades, no nuts. The food I miss the most is yogurt, followed closely by tomato sauce. But I am convinced I need to do this.

Onward, companions!

[Kristy Cas]

So...as I come out on the other side of my migraine; I have decided to amend my eating plan; I am adding some beans for fiber, as I have not had the tiger blood phenomenon; I have had three slips along the way; but generally have eaten incredibly well. I will do another whole 30 before summertime and hopefully be more successful. I have learned a great deal and will continue with my ISWF book to generate my ideas. You are all awesome and I commend you each on not slipping up....I will continue to check in, as I am oddly attached to this forum.

Good Luck, Health and Peace to All.

Now off to Health food store for MORE fresh veggies and coconut milk and fresh fruit! Hopefully, I will be able to start back to exercise today too.

[mrsjessica]

Day23! Maybe it's being a single week, a short 7 days until the end, but I feel like I've got a second wind for this I'll have to make sure to journal that for me, day 20-22 are mentally the roughest, so that I know for next time it gets better!

Did some food prep yesterday and feel ready for the week. I'm going to make the Sunshine Sauce recipe from Well Fed today as a sub for peanut sauce sounds dreamy right now. Lettuce wraps with Sunshine Sauce for dinner tonight at our house!

Belinda - Great about the 5k! Do you have the zombie run app? My friend is just getting into running and adores it. You listen to your own music and different stories pop in and out about zombies chasing you. Depending on your personal speed, they catch you or you get away! I'm a chicken and would jump a mile if I hear a zombie grrrrr in my ear as I ran down the street, but she loves it

[GLC1968]

I think knowing last week that I havent lost anything ruined my outlook a bit. Sad but true. I cant let that distract me from my goal of finishing. I have been compliant through out but just too many snack of food I am able to eat.

You know, I think I was the same way. I wore a pair of cropped jeans over the weekend because it was so warm here and they were too tight. It really bothered me and I think I let it distract me!

Oddly enough, today I thought I looked slimmer in the bathroom mirror so I tried on a pair of work pants that were too small when we started and they FIT!! So clearly...something is happening...finally! It's really motivating me to keep going strong.

Day23! Maybe it's being a single week, a short 7 days until the end, but I feel like I've got a second wind for this I'll have to make sure to journal that for me, day 20-22 are mentally the roughest, so that I know for next time it gets better!

This is a good point. I need to add it to my journal too. I feel like I'm totally getting a second wind for this last week (of my first 30), too. I didn't notice a problem with day 20 - 22 last time, but maybe I just wasn't paying close enough attention.

I had a good, snack-free day yesterday and so far today. I've managed to put away a little more food with each meal and that has been helping. I think I need to keep working on this to reset my body to eat more at meals and therefore need less in between. I'm much more likely to eat the right things during a meal than I am when I'm just trolling for food!

Keep up the good work, all!

Pea - I'll still be plugging away at this until the end of April, too. My 'end' date is May 10th!

[Pea]

^{Pea - I'll still be plugging away at this until the end of April, too. My 'end' date is May 10th!}

Great! I've hopped over to the starting April 1st group because I am finding that the forum support is really helpful to me. So I hope to continue to see your posts... I don't have a firm stopping date in mind, currently I am thinking to continue until I feel reliably better, then add in things like nightshades and eggs. The food item I am craving the most is YOGURT.

I have vowed to stay off the scale. Yes, I want to lose at least 30 pounds, happier with more, but more than that I need to heal. I don't binge and my usual diet isn't all that bad (primal with a side of chocolate) so clearly my poor body is just way off kilter. Seeing nothing happening at the scale is upsetting and distracting. It's challenging enough to do the autoimmune protocol without fretting about the scale.

Pea

[Pamela Aikman]

Hi guys sorry not been on in a few days busy bee! Well still hanging in there. Day 23!!!

I'm getting a bit bloated but think its from all the veg. Hope to stay in track this wk.

Doubt I wil hav lost any weight but hoping my shape may hav changed for the better.

X

[helen]

The food item I am craving the most is YOGURT.

Pea

I'm curious what you miss about yogurt? What kind did you normally eat? I used to put greek yogurt in my morning smoothie and thought for sure I would add it back but when I could (last Feb) I had some and it just wasn't that satisfying.

I think I am going to stay the course (except for an overnight trip on the 13th) in April. It is funny because I want to add in tempeh just because I want a non-meat option. I had a little bit of offroading Sat night (junk while stuffing the eggs for my kids) and my stomach is still ripped up from it. I just think I have to eat clean now that I've been doing so for 3 months.

[helen]

I had a good, snack-free day yesterday and so far today. I've managed to put away a little more food with each meal and that has been helping. I think I need to keep working on this to reset my body to eat more at meals and therefore need less in between. I'm much more likely to eat the right things during a meal than I am when I'm just trolling for food!

Snacking seems to be an issue for me. Yesterday I didn't eat enough and ended up eating too many macadamia nuts (which are very rich and very expensive!).

I'm also at the point in my semester (I teach) that my house and kitchen is a mess as I deal with work issues and that makes me less prepared. I am going to spend some time today cooking.

I think I'm going to go off for the 13th when I take my trip out of town and then go back on until May so that I can do a proper reintroduction process. Did you do that after your previous Whole30s?

[Pea]

I'm curious what you miss about yogurt? What kind did you normally eat? I used to put greek yogurt in my morning smoothie and thought for sure I would add it back but when I could (last Feb) I had some and it just wasn't that satisfying.

I was in the habit of making my own yogurt. I would make a special trip to buy this local, organic milk from grassfed cows that is not homogenized and low-heat pasteurized, as close to raw milk as I can easily obtain. This farm produces cream that in spring and fall is almost yellow, it's so rich. I love it.

Anyway, I make the yogurt from the whole milk and ferment it for 24 hours, so there is very little lactose left and it is quite tangy. My habit was to have an evening snack of yogurt with a few walnuts and/or berries. It is kind of a healthier ice cream sundae, sort of. It satisfies that creamy, cold milky itch. I never binged on it, and I didn't have it every night, I just like the option. But of all the foods I might have thought I'd be thinking of, yogurt is the one I miss the most. I even tried culturing coconut milk, and it was a dismal failure. I am going to try that one more time, using commercial plain coconut yogurt as the starter.

Pea

[GLC1968]

Snacking seems to be an issue for me. Yesterday I didn't eat enough and ended up eating too many macadamia nuts (which are very rich and very expensive!).

I'm also at the point in my semester (I teach) that my house and kitchen is a mess as I deal with work issues and that makes me less prepared. I am going to spend some time today cooking.

I think I'm going to go off for the 13th when I take my trip out of town and then go back on until May so that I can do a proper reintroduction process. Did you do that after your previous Whole30s?

I did controlled reintroduction for both Whole30's but only for a couple of foods. The first time, I tried dairy first because I thought I missed cream in my coffee, but turns out , after one tiny sip, I didn't like it anymore! I liked it better black so I didn't do dairy at that point. The next day (I think), I tried reintroducing corn in the form of corn chips and had a violent stomach reaction about 60 minutes later. Lesson learned (I get the same reaction from popcorn so it wasn't much of a surprise). Then, a couple of days later, I tried white rice with no issues at all. Then I tried white potatoes, again with no reaction. Lastly, it was sugar and from that point on, all bets were off. I was no longer able to be 'clean' and I kept off-roading. Stupid sugar.

For the second Whole30, I did a reintroduction of wheat and had almost no reaction at all. At least, not right away. Once it opened me up for cravings and bad behavior though, my skin started to break out so who knows. I also tried a real dairy introduction (before the wheat) and that was OK, but not great. I didn't feel sick, but I did feel sluggish and less vibrant.

Now I know I can't do dairy or corn (and I've never been good with soy, even pre-paleo) but wheat and sugar are ok except that they make me crave stuff. I've never tried oats because with the exception of granola and cookies, I don't care about it and I certainly don't need to be eating granola or cookies! What I've never tried is legumes which I find unbelievable. I LOVE beans in almost all forms and I almost didn't try paleo at all because I didn't know how I'd give up my beans! What is so shocking to me is that I haven't had a single taste of a legume in almost two years. It's the one 'off limits' item that I have zero trouble avoiding. Go figure. This time, I'm going to re-introduce beans first. I'm going to make my mom's chili recipe (which I make bean-free all the time now) with beans added back in and I'm going to try homemade hummus on the same day. Other than that, there is nothing else I need to investigate so the plan is to remain compliant with the addition of occasional white rice and white potatoes, indefinitely.

[mrsjessica]

My habit was to have an evening snack of yogurt with a few walnuts and/or berries. It is kind of a healthier ice cream sundae, sort of. It satisfies that creamy, cold milky itch.

I make (made) homemade yogurt as well and sighed a little washing the last two down the drain pre-W30. Last night though, I has berries (frozen, then thawed in the fridge a day so they were super juicy), with a few spoons of shaken coconut milk and some flaked coconut. The coconut milk I use is so lovely, it only needs to be shaken and chilled to be super creamy. I ate it super slowly with dinner because it was so good! The textures made me think of yogurt/fruit/almonds, and I realized most of what I liked about the combo is the texture and the posh, induldgent look of it. Not trying to give you a fakey substitute, but for me this was way better than the original. I love coconut but as a cal counter avoided it or ate it with much proceeding guilt pre-W30. Anyway, this was my thought process last night, just though I'd share with a fellow homemade-yogurt-maker

[mrsjessica]

Yikes! Thanks iPhone...

[mrsjessica]

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[mrsjessica]

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[mrsjessica]

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[mrsjessica]

Ugh, sorry about that. Can't see a delete button? Maybe only by a mod?

[bel118]

Hey all! Sorry I haven't checked in as often as I should lately, work has been quite busy! We are branching out in our organization in many different directions. Lucky me, it all impacts my division! Honestly, I thank the W30 trip, and my decision to take it, for my ability to handle it all so well!

That being said, I noticed a few post that lead me to believe some of you may be intending to continue further. I'm considering it as well. I may take a week or so to enjoy cheese a little (hoping it doesn't cause an upset tummy!) as I miss it most. However, I want to do another W30. Anyone of you veteran W30er's have any suggestions? Should I skip the break and just keep going? Or should I test food groups and see how I feel, then dive back in? I welcome any suggestions or comments.

Additionally, I watched Food Inc this evening with my 10-year old. By the end of the movie, I think we both swore off all soy beans and meats that are not humanely raised. I really do not spending the extra money any longer. I was completely disgusted! Anyone else watched this film? I strongly suggest it!

I have still stayed compliant and cannot believe we are all almost through 30 days! Tonight, we had chicken (baked), salad, and acorn squash. The squash was my favorite! I loaded it with ghee, shredded coconut, raisin, and a couple fragments of walnut for crunch. It was absolutely yummy. I just had to balance the filling so I stayed compliant and didn't through my fat ratios off.

[helen]

Belinda--love Food, Inc. I am allowing my students to watch it for extra credit (the only extra credit I offer so most will do so!).

I have gone off road on my second Whole30 so I don't have advice.

I did my first in January and then in February was 95% compliant but starting to snack and the few times I did offroad it was on sugar so that is why I did this second Whole 30. I have kept with it only about 95% of the time (the first two weeks I was 100%). Mostly what I have offroading with is sugar (chocolate) this time around. Which is an issue.

I love eating this way. We live on a pretty limited budget but a long time ago I decided if I was going to eat meat I would do so only if it was humane (unless out on a special occasion with a group or something). I am a pretty big environmentalist so I feel that way about a lot of things (I really try to shop local even if it costs more $$$). I try to buy as much local and organic as possible. I found that because I buy very little processed foods (for my kids, someday I hope to buy none!!) and as long as I eat what I buy that it is within my budget. I think because I was already buying organic/sustainable food that there was no sticker shock for me. My biggest expense lately is Kombucha (I have sort of a Kombucha problem) but I am brewing my second batch and my first was awesome so that is cool.

I say just keep going!! Maybe do a Whole45 ???

[Pea]

I am also thinking about budget issues. I'm paying a lot out of pocket for health care because my son is being treated for Chronic Lyme and I am being treated with functional medicine for.....well, for my being not-well. (Not yet clinically sick but not well, either.)

It is so much cheaper if you just make a pot of pasta and sauce! Or rice and beans!

Since I'd rather do without meat than eat conventional feedlot animals, it gets $$$$.

I've been thinking through this template for a full week plan for my family of four:

1. One 5 lb. chicken will yield me one casserole of crustless quiche with chicken (basically a chicken casserole with vegetables), some chicken salad (for the hubby for lunches), and a couple of quarts of chicken bone broth, which will yield a meal of soup. (I like meatball and escarole soup) So that's two dinners, the casserole and the soup. The soup requires about 1 lb. of grassfed beef, and that costs me $9.

2. I can make one meal out of eggs, like a gorgeous frittata. That will cost me about $5 for the organic, local, truly bug-eating free range eggs.

3. I can make a stuffed vegetable dish one night to stretch the ground beef: basically something like a stuffed half acorn squash per person or stuffed cabbage.

4. One night I can serve fish, I've been meaning to try making salmon cakes; tuna "noodle" casserole with sqaghetti squash noodles, maybe with coconut milk as the 'cream' base. My family hates fish, most vegetables, and chicken, so anything I can do to get fish into them at least once a week is a bonus!

5. One night I can serve a nice steak or chop along with copious veggies and some sweet potatoes. My family likes red cabbage, that's always a great meal extender.

So:

Chicken Casserole

Meatball and escarole soup

Salmon Cakes

Frittata

Stuffed Vegetable

Steak, chops

Thanks for listening to me think out loud.

Pea

[helen]

Hi Pea,

Here is what we've been doing as a comparison. I averaged things 'up' so this is the most we would spend. We try to eat one serving of fish a week other than tuna and we each eat tuna 1-2 times ("we" means my husband and I for the most part, my youngest daughter eats grilled chicken but that is the only meat, my other daughter eats no meat).

Over the past three months I've kept up with our 'average" meat consumption costs each week are about $90 a week.

ground organic beef (make either chocolate chili or spaghetti served over spaghetti squash) so typically two servings for my husband and myself ($12)

tuna (6-8 cans) (average $20)

local eggs (2-3 dozen) (average $12)

mahi mahi or salmon (one serving for my husband and myself) (average $10)

chicken sausage (or other compliant sausage) packs of four (2 packs a week) (average $10)

chicken thighs frozen ($8)

chicken breasts frozen ($8)

random other meat dinner ($10)

We also eat almond butter and nuts which run about $10 a week.

Then of course veggies and fruits and oils which vary greatly!

This was a fun exercise for me to think about! Thanks!!!