Happy Ever After 100 Days of Awesome

[AmyS]

I don't think that's the physiological reason - when I did my first Whole30 I was coming off of years of ghastly eating habits, and I felt absolutely euphoric.  I do think that the particular way reality hit me on my return from vacation set off a series of emotional issues from which I am still not sure how to return to equilibrium.  So the combination of grief and confusion and a sense of having lost my center certainly put me into a place where I reached for old food-related coping mechanisms.  Not finding them, I didn't have an appropriate substitute.  So it was a slog.  But - I did it!  Phew!  And I came out of it healthier than I would have, had I not done a Whole30 at this time.  So there's that, definitely.

[AmyS]

Well, good results after all!     I went to the doc today and my blood pressure (unmedicated) is normal!  First time in two years it's been normal in the doc's office!     I'm happy enough that it cancels out my angst about the most recent Whole30.  I'm so happy I found Whole30, in spite of the rough-ish last few weeks.  I really feel like it has given me my life back. 

[okeedokie]

Amy that's outstanding!!  Congratulations.  You are such an inspiration to me and btw thank you so much for chiming in with it being a bit rough lately.

 

It helps to feel like I'm not crazy or alone.

 

Speaking of crazy, the bender has continued.  Not completely off the charts.  Still no sugar, no grains but after a very stressful day yesterday I decided it was in my best interest to eat an entire bowl of buttered popcorn by myself. burp.

 

I woke up at 4:00 a.m. this morning with a splitting headache and a completely swollen body and had to ask myself how this was really serving me.  Ugh.

 

I drank a bunch of water and realized that eating the poison and expecting everyone else to die just wasn't working.

 

So I'm declaring a truce on the self-abuse.  ENOUGH ALREADY!!

 

I've come too far to throw it all away because I'm stressed and scared.

 

Today is a new day.  I have put my big girl panties on.

 

I'll let you know tomorrow how that's working out for me!

 

Hugs,

 

Linda

[Karen]

Linda - you'll wake up tomorrow with a chance to get on the right track.  And even if you don't tomorrow, you still can the next day.  I recently heard somewhere that women's sense of temporariness (if that's even a word) is a lot different than men.  We tend to think that what's happening right now will ALWAYS happen, even though it's likely only temporary.  So just be kind to yourself - all of you that are struggling - and know that it doesn't always have to be like this. 

 

I had my first glass of wine tonight since May.  Had a date - actually went really well - and he had some sort of idea about my food sensitivities.  I thought I asked all the right questions but out came my shrimp, slathered in a butter/chili/sugar sauce.  I decided to eat it anyway since I already had a glass of wine.  I was starving and didn't want to make a scene in front of the date.  I'm already paying for it with some pain, but the fun that I had tonight offset it.  Even if I never see him again, it was a good night.  That one glass of one went to my head, though.  I'm a lightweight again!  

[1Maryann]

I'm off-track, too.  But I did it deliberately.  My life is too hectic right now and I have no time to shop, prep, and cook.  Lots of processed convenience foods which I am not enjoying, but I need to eat something.  Instead of feeling like I'm off-track and can't find my way back, I am longing for things to slow down so I have time to eat healthy again.

 

Not getting more than 6 hours sleep at a stretch, so in addition to toxic foods, I'm tired and cranky.

 

My friend Elaine is causing me all kinds of emotional issues as well.  I told you guys that she had decided 'a drink' wouldn't send her int liver failure, and that her decision was the main reason I decided not to join the crowd at the resort over July 4th.  I am sure that after that cheat, she has continued to do so on occasion.  Well, twice in the last 2 weeks she has had 6 liters of fluid and bile removed from her abdomen.  When I asked if anyone had offered her an explanation for this new development, she said not really, she thinks they are stumped, too.  So I did some research.  It is called ascites and is a symptom of late-stage cirrhosis.   I think because she only sees lab techs and nurses for this that they don't feel it is their place to discuss this with her.  And I don't know how honest she is being with her oncologist.

 

We were supposed to have lunch on Monday, and I was screwing up my courage to tell her she had two choices:  Stop ANY alcohol consumption, or discontinue Chemo.  It makes no sense to continue trying to cure your cancer while drinking yourself to death.  But she is also having some vision issues and had a procedure that morning and had to remain quiet for the rest of the day.  So maybe next week.  It is very difficult to watch someone kill themselves, while supposedly fighting to live.  I can't figure out if she is in denial, or if she honestly doesn't understand the link between her actions and her symptoms.

 

Gotta go.  Dogs to walk and birds to feed.  Stay well, all.

[Jtandi]

oh you guys, I am SO happy to be home! I have been following and reading along with you guys

 

Amy - YAY for doc news!!!
 

Maryann - I'm sorry you are dealing with such stress. I am certain you will make it through this time and come out the other end stronger and ready to take on the food again. just keep coming on here and checking in with us, it always makes me feel better.

 

Linda - like I said to Maryann, please don't hide out regardless of feeling like you are going off road! I need to hear all stories and remember that none of us is perfect, we all are a work in progress!

 

Karen - YAY for a good date!! :wub:

 

I went on a bit of a bender after being so strict the past 6 months. on Tuesday we "celebrated" my daughter's second birthday (it's this Tuesday) and I had some ice cream with homemade whipped cream and a berry compote I made (both with honey instead of sugar). it was so good I had it again. and again. my milk consumption was without any regulation and my fudge consumption was...WOW. after I succumbed. I stopped eating breakfast the last 4 or 5 days deciding not to make any more hash and just drank coffee with heavy cream (and Dunkin Doughnuts, which we loved on the east coast and don't have in CA. with sugar and cream. heavenly.) we went to the stampede on Thursday and I ate some of the soup which I'm sure had a bit of flour as a thickener. and yesterday on the plane I had a couple handfuls of caramel popcorn. and Friday night I had gluten free pizza. that's A LOT for me. A LOT. and I just feel like a couple days of strict eating will be great for me. it's Adie's birthday on Tuesday and I'm not sure if I will have cake or not (initial commitment allows for cake 4 x a year)...I might have a small celebration for her and save it for then. I might just forgo it.

 

oddly enough I stepped on the scale this morning to find I am down a pound and a half again. I am at 141 (started at 176) and haven't been this weight in years and years (over 10).

 

my bowels decided to rebel on the trip and I am so happy to be home to my kombucha.

 

I guess that's it. it was amazing to spend time with the family, nap every day, and get in a swimsuit without cringing. we took a family photo and I can't wait to see it. we went to sleep late late late last night after an entire day of travel and woke up at 5am this morning - so about 4 or 5 hours of sleep. I can't WAIT for a nap today and getting back to my routine. my bed felt heavenly last night.

 

come on guys, let's get through this hump. Karen - I love what you said about women thinking in permanent terms - totally true for me. but today is a new day with grocery shopping and cooking. I felt pretty limited in my kitchen time and grocery choices there, so glad to be back where I feel comfortable.

 

to top it off my neighbors (who are like family) someone got into our house and cleaned the entire thing when we were gone (they clean houses for a living)

 

so that's my barfing all over you guys! so glad you are here for me!

[Karen]

I love reading up on what everyone is doing.  And as much as struggles suck, I'm glad everyone has this place to share them.    

 

I feel like I was in a slump but have turned the corner.  The past week or two has been great for me.  I've been taking my leaky-gut supplements daily now (before it was whenever I remembered them) and I have to say, I'm feeling some real progress in my mood, health, and shape.  And, surprisingly, I'm starting to lose weight again.  I kinda plateaued for a month.  I'm not losing a ton, but my shape keeps shrinking.  And - you guys - today I fit into a pair of pants that I bought in 2005 (when I was 10 - 15 pounds lighter and at my skinniest ever)!  I mean, I could wear these to work!  I'm just shocked. Gives me hope that I can heal my body and get down to a more comfortable weight.  I feel like I can start to except to feel this way for a sustained period of time.  It's a good feeling.  

 

I've been slacking with meals lately so I went out this weekend and bought a buttload of food.  I have a friend coming to town this week, too, so we'll be eating like kings.  She's a dear friend that I met on an endometriosis forum years ago.  She was able to heal her issues by going GF, so she gets what I do to stay as healthy as I can.  Her support and ideas (she's just about to start med school to be a DO) through the years have a lot to do with where I'm at these days so I'm excited to get to have some more time with her.  

 

Jess - I'm glad you allowed yourself some slack.  That's what vacation is about after all!  But, I have no doubts you'll be back to it in no time.  How's everyone else this weekend?

[AmyS]

I'm feeling like I turned a corner as well.  Once my Whole30-du-jour was over, I did some off-roading, expecting it to be fun.  Well, it was, for a few minutes.  Then I realized that what I was feeling during my Whole30 had nothing to do with food, and in fact eating Whole30 kept me from diving deep into an unhappy place.  I was merely struggling a bit and sorta grumpy and frustrated.  Off-roading post-Whole30 made me realize that it wasn't about feeling restricted in food choices, it was about what was going on elsewhere in my life. 

 

So that was good news, really - and then to get a normal blood pressure reading at the doctor's office made me extremely happy!  I'm back on template eating (or at least eating with compliant ingredients) except for some happy but sugared bacon today.  It feels good.

 

In related news, I've been having massive hair fall-out in the past month or two.  I've lost about a third of the volume of my hair.  It's all related to the Hashimoto's, so I'm taking some supplements recommended to bring back the hair (biotin and evening primrose oil) and when I meet with my doctor in a couple of weeks I'm going to ask for more thorough testing and to add a T3 med to my synthroid.  Losing hair is extremely disturbing.  Extremely.  I am glad to have read that Hashimoto's hair loss stops before actual baldness appears, and almost always reverses itself.  Keeping fingers and toes crossed.

 

Eating lots of fresh veggies these days.  Today I'm making beef stew and pre-cooking some burgers.  I found a great source of local grass fed beef (ten months into this way of eating!!  not that I was looking very hard   ) and wow is the beef good.

 

I'm happy with how things are going at the moment, because I am finally beginning to understand that this way of eating is going to sustain me for life.  That is an amazing realization.

 

Sending good thoughts to all, and especially to Shelley.

[Jtandi]

oh guys, so glad to hear corner turning is in the future...at some point...I feel like I made a u-turn last night and I'm paying for it today! ugh. blah. barf.

 

it was my little one's 2nd birthday yesterday and I contemplated on a nice treat, hubby was working late so I didn't want to get a cake/etc. since I did ok with the ice cream on vacation I decided to make some more berry compote, whipped cream, and get some good ice cream. I got some fudge and caramel sauce for the kids. of course I ended up having two bowls of ice cream (they were smallish...but once I added everything else...) and ended up with the fudge and caramel on there, too. I also picked some cheese and pepperoni off the pizza my neighbors brought over for the girls. this morning I woke up feeling sick, nauseated, and super headache-y and I didn't sleep. I am not sure what set it off since I had the ice cream on vacation (did have some fudge sauce there, too) and am wondering if some of the cheese still had some gluten? I haven't had gluten at all (other than a bowl of soup at a restaurant that I'm sure used a little for thickening). ugh. I feel horrible. HORRIBLE.

 

I think I am overdoing on the dairy a little bit. I am going to use the heavy cream for my coffee and then might switch back to hazelnut milk, but I'm just trying to make some things a little less time consuming and the cream was one of those things. I didn't sleep last night and did have a cup of joe at 3pm, so no more after my morning 1 or 2 cups. I've had some salad dressing from whole foods prepared salads, etc that have had dairy, but I haven't checked specifically for HFCS. I am wondering if I overdid on that yesterday, too.

 

anyways, that's where I'm at today. I'm sure we will go out tonight to celebrate the baby's birthday (I guess she's not a baby anymore! :( ) and will have to take it a meal at a time today. one restaurant we often go to has an amazing gluten free dessert. so I will have to see how I feel and see how "compliant" the rest of my day is. I did make some great salmon and bacon wrapped asparagus yesterday for dinner.

 

I am attempting to get my parent's car into the garage today before they get home from vacation. it's pretty bad. my husband really f*cked it up. and a $750 deductible is not in our future. in fact my parents are going to help us this year with my daughter's school and now they might pay for that deductible, too. I hate that. hate hate hate it.

[shelley417]

Hi All!! After weeks of off roading (mostly ice cream and wine) and a great Italian meal last night with my sister in law, I have decided to get on the August 1 W30 bandwagon. I really need a reset. Life is very stressful and I need to get back control of my eating. I keep thinking about days 60-100 of our W100 and now easy they were and how great I felt. I think alot about Susan and how disciplined she is. Truth is not alot of the food is debilitating to me. But I just have a overall sense of well being-- a different head if you will-- when I am compliant. So this time I am going to eat alot more greens. I just sautéed collard greens, I have alot of spinach to add to my eggs in the morning. I am going to work on the template more and follow the portions there. I will check in and let you know how I am doing.

Personally, we are about to start a new level of professional home care for my husband. I have been basically housebound every might and all weekend and the mornings have become increasingly difficult for me to handle and get to work. So now that we will have more help I signed up for yoga classes twice a week-- one on Tuesday nights and one on Saturday. I'm really looking forward to it.

MaryAnn-- if I were in a different place I would take a ride to Naples and help you out. I really wish I could.

Jess-- your girls are adorable-- I love being your Facebook friends. Happy Birthday ( I always think that I am the one who deserves to be celebrating my kids birthdays!).

Linda and Justine-- miss you.

Amy-- glad to see you here. You always make me smile.

Karen-- i enjoy your journey-

[Jtandi]

oh Shelly - I'm thinking of you and sending you thoughts and prayers. I think you are amazing, a true example of strength and inspiration. I think you are doing wonderfully. please take care of yourself, I am so happy you were able to sign up for yoga and take that time for yourself at least two times a week. please keep us updated when you can.

[Karen]

Amy - I hope your doctor is receptive to adding some T3!  A lot aren't.  I was told by one endocrologist that no one prescribes it anymore because it's so fast acting and most people forget to take it when they need it, so why bother.  Who cares that it ACTUALLY WORKS???  It was a lifesaver for me; I hope it is for you, too.  PS - I just read that Cytomel, the name brand version of T3 that I happen to be on, has starch in it (read: gluten).  How freaking smart are those drug companies to put an ingredient in a drug to help the thyroid that actually makes the body attack the thyroid...  Infuriating.  

 

Jess - it seems like you and dairy have a love-hate relationship.  I've had the dairy hangover many a time so I can sympathize.  I hope you're feeling better tomorrow!

 

Maryann - no matter how busy you are now, we'll always be here for when life settles down a bit and you're in a position to spend more time on yourself and your meals!

 

And Shelley, you and your husband are in my thoughts often.  I'm glad that you're getting more help, but I'm sad that you have to get more help.  Regardless, pat on the back for finding time for yourself.  I hope your Whole30 allows you a sense of control over that part of your life.  

 

I had company in town this week that eats similar to me for similar reasons, so it was so good to be able to stay in and cook real, good food.  She and I have been friends for 4-5 years and have supported each other via the inter-webs, but only met for the first time this week.  I have to say, it was an awesome experience!  That experience makes me even more grateful for forums like this.  I know I just see a picture on the screen and the words you write, but I'm grateful that I get to learn more about myself through all of your experiences and support.  

[Jtandi]

hi ladies! we've been quiet on here for a week or so, huh? I have been busy doing all that post-vacation stuff and then went back to work this past weekend. bittersweet. I love the people I work with, but being home is amazing. although the baby just turned 2 and got the memo about how horrid and stubborn she is supposed to be at this age. sheesh.

 

I have maintained heavy cream in my coffee, but kerrygold butter was on sale at WF this weekend so I bought some and think I'm going to switch it over to BP coffee. I'm not sure it will make much difference but the kerrygold is probably better quality, and it was on sale. I've never had kerrygold butter but with all the talk about it I figure I'd better have a go at it!

 

I have done my best to stay away from dairy otherwise. other than a bit in salad and some fresh mozzarella on my chicken the other day I've done well.

 

I decided I need some new recipes as I'm getting a bit tired of my regular food choices. I made some meatballs and they were gross (they were curry...to be fair they looked NOTHING like the photo, so I must've done something wrong). last night I tried nomnom's recipe for peach bbq pork shoulder skewers (long title, no?!) and they were AMAZING! but the pork butt was pretty fatty. I love and adore some fatty meat, but immediately after eating it I had some stomach cramping (no where near my gall bladder, so no worry about that, but directly in my stomach) so I'm a bit worried I might have trouble digesting that much fatty meat. but I also didn't really get in any veg with it, I was so busy eating the pork, so that might've been a problem, too. anyways, a new recipe on my list and i made enough to freeze for later.

 

I have been using lara bars often and not too happy about that. I made some whipped cream the other day and scarfed that down, too. I know the worst time for me is when I get home from work, it's late, I don't want anything but a snack, but it always ends up being dark chocolate/fruit/something that's not a MEAL.

 

I am also struggling with "how much off plan is too much off plan". I eat salad from restaurants/etc and know they have sugar/corn syrup in the dressings. I have done this maybe 1x a week. things like this are a struggle from me with my serious all or nothing mentality. just curious about everyone else's journey with this.

 

so come on people - check in! I miss you!

[1Maryann]

Hi, ladies, just checking in.

 

Shelley, you amazing, silly woman.  All you have on your plate and you're wishing you could come help ME out?  It should be the other way around.

 

Amy, the hair loss would freak me out.  Thank goodness you know it won't result in baldness.  Without that info, I'd be flipping out.

 

Jess, you've certainly been on the roller coaster.  You sound like me when I'm not W30--kind of seesawing between not worrying about the few stray ingredients in restaurant food to getting off-plan to wondering how much is too much and where to draw the line.

 

Karen, good to hear you're finally turning a corner with your health.

 

Where is Juzbo?

 

I am pretty much back to eating the SAD.  I don't like it, it doesn't like me, but when life is this crazy...   I've been contemplating food in general.  When you are too busy to prepare food, and/or eating on the fly, the SAD is just so easy.  You can find a sandwich anywhere.  You can eat it with one hand while driving.  The fiber from the bread fills you up relatively quickly, so the hunger goes away.  When eating on-plan, I never have hunger issues.  Off-plan, I'm starving frequently, which makes it easier to off-road in search of quick fuel.  Vicious circle.

 

Like I don't have enough on my plate, now I'm battling a new issue.  Since I opened my store at this location, I have had a small roof leak after a heavy downpour (flat roof).  The landlord hires Larry, Daryl, and his other brother Daryl, or some equally incompetent handyman to fix it and things improve for a while before the leak starts again.  Until this summer.  I now have actual rain falling in my store when we get our afternoon thunderstorms.  It leaks from all four sides of my air register, and through the bulging tape at the drywall seams nearby.

 

A couple of weeks ago, we got more than 5 inches overnight.  When I got to the store in the morning, the central part of the floor was wet and it had run across to the wall and down to the front corner where there was about 2" of standing water (old building, has settled, floor uneven).

 

The landlord came over, helped me clean up, and I put my foot down.  FIX THE DAMN ROOF!!!!  He also drilled a few holes in the ceiling to try and direct the flow so I could use buckets in strategic spots instead of towels in a four square foot area.  He is getting estimates from roofers, but they are all backed up almost a month, so repairs won't start any time soon.

 

What the opening did was let the mold into the store.  I have been suffering for a couple of months with the vague feeling I'm coming down with something, although I've never actually gotten sick.  I've also been completely exhausted by the end of the day, and have had some problems with concentration and short-term memory.  I didn't connect these symptoms to the leak, until he opened up the holes.  The last week or so it has gotten much, much worse.  The landlord is aware that we will have to do some mold mitigation once the roof is fixed, and I will probably have to move everything out for a week or so while they replace the saturated drywall in the ceiling.  That will require me getting some of those PODS to put in the parking lot and moving all my merchandise into them, and moving all those birds to my house.  I have a call in to my insurance agent to find out how much of my lost income, etc. are covered by my business policy.

 

My biggest concern is that my symptoms seem to be accelerating since he drilled the holes.  Instead of just a vague irritation in the back of my throat, I'm feeling much much worse, sneezing, coughing, and clearing my throat all day.  People have told me that the longer I expose myself, the worse it will get.  Now I'm afraid I will reach the point where I can't work a full day and will have to close down long before the roofers and the mold people can get here.  Not sure what to do.  I can't afford to close for a month or more.  It isn't just the lost income for those weeks, as a business owner it is the risk that customers will find an alternate means of obtaining supplies and you won't automatically get them back when you reopen because they have acquired a new 'habit' and don't think of your first any more.

 

Sorry to be so long-winded.  Anyway, my eating sucks, I have no time/feel too crappy to make much of an effort to cook, my SAD and my mold issues feed each other to make me feel worse, and all I want is to get back to W30.  I find myself stuffing raw broccoli in my mouth when I'm doing fruits and veggies for the birds.  I know my body is craving the nutrition, but I just can't shake this inertia.  I have thrown out a ton of food in the last month, because I have every intention of doing a cook-up and getting back on track, but by the time I get home from the store I feel so awful that I stuff anything I can find in my mouth and go lay down.  I stand in the kitchen with the refrigerator door open, and the thought of actually expending the effort to make real food is so overwhelming.  It's like having a horrible flu, but the flu goes away in a few days and the end of this issue is nowhere in sight.

 

Anyone got any suggestions for supplements I should be taking to try and counter these effects?  I've never been a pill taker, so I'm not good at this.

[missmunchie]

Just wanted to pop in and say your Newhart reference killed me, Maryann. Sorry to hear of your troubles, that would zap the resolve out of me, too. Just make one good meal and enjoy it. Don't worry about the rest of the day or week. Pick a meal, plan it, buy the stuff, make it and eat it. It doesn't have to be fancy, just has to be good and nourishing. Then do whatever you want after that, but maybe just a jump-start back into the game will help. Good luck! 

[Karen]

Maryann, please demand at least a few dehumidifier and air scrubbers. It's a temporary measure for now until the issue can be fixed, but may prevent things from getting worse.   The scrubbers will filter the air and remove some of the spores.  

In addition, you should make every effort to contain the mold or at least cover it as much as you can.  With the walls opened up, the spores can migrate elsewhere.  May be worth demanding a spore count to determine if you should even be in the space right now.  I Ran into a similar issue on a job site where the owner didn't properly maintain the building and it flooded when we were remodeling. Those were some of the steps we had to take until they forked over the funds. Good luck and let me know if you have any questions!  Keep in mind that if the mold is affecting you, it's possible it's affecting your birds, too!  

[Jtandi]

oh Maryann! how horrible!!!!! I hope you take everyone's suggestions, I have zero experience with all of that stuff. regardless, you are doing amazing, keep yourself sane through this and you will come through the other side!

[Jtandi]

and I agree - where is Juzbo? and Linda? ladies?

[okeedokie]

Hi!  I'm here!

 

Sorry.  It's just been a hideous couple of weeks and I'm a little sick of myself to be honest.

 

I'm doing better with my food but I am in a bit of a vicious cirlce right now.

 

Eating bad and feeling bad makes for low energy and very little impetus to get off my arse and do something about it.

 

Still, I've continued to work out (that's something), I'm trying to incorporate the dog with the cat because I'm moving back home on Sept. 1st and I guess just writing this helps me zero in on the fact that there is a lot of stress happening right now.  My daughter left L.A. yesterday with her Dad to make the drive home to Seattle.  All good but still a bit un nervy.  Is that a word?  Well, it is now!

 

The great potato chip bender of 2013 appears to have run its course.  Thank Jezuz!

 

Not much else to report EXCEPT I bought 4 pairs of size 10 pants that fit me perfectly!!  So that's a very big deal.

 

Aww geez I'm so grateful for the shout out because after writing this today I realize I'm not great but I'm so much better than I thought I was.

 

I always follow you here.

 

Shelley, I'm so thrilled you're carving out time for yourself!

 

MaryAnn, I too wish I was closer so I could help you out, it sounds like your plate is SO full right now.  I am especially grateful that you keep writing.  I'm sending good vibes your way and hoping that that landlord of yours makes this right.  Please keep us posted!

 

Jess, I appreciate the question "How much off roading is too much?"  I have had the same thought and I don't have an answer yet.  I just know I feel better and have more energy when I stop screwing around!

 

Ok, it's time to leave work.  SO far I've eaten well today.  I have for the most part this week.  Still feel poopy though.

 

I got my copy of "Against All Grain" cookbook in the mail yesterday and it has some terrific recipes!  I'm going to the book signing on Monday so that should be a lot of fun.

 

Have a good weekend all and I will make efforts to be in better touch.

 

Hugs,

 

Linda

[1Maryann]

Thanks, Karen.  I had a disaster clean-up service over yesterday at the suggestion of my insurance company.  He says I have very few short term options.  We discussed the scrubbers which he decided were probably too noisy for a mall retail space, plus they charge $110/day rental on them! 

 

The guy that owns the business next door saw my swollen, weepy eyes and felt sorry for me.  He came over with some spackle and plugged up the holes the landlord drilled.  So now the water is collecting in the attic, but the mold isn't getting into my space.  Don't know how long this will work before the weight brings the ceiling down.  Here's hoping we don't get any more rain until the landlord can get someone in to wall off that area and cut out the moldy drywall.  I don't care if the ceiling is open to the attic with just a sheet of plastic over it until the roof gets fixed, so long as the worst of the moldy sheetrock is gone.

[Jtandi]

Maryann - how are things going with the shop?

 

 

 

hope you all are doing well. I'm fine out here...a little bummed with my eating, as always, but trying to walk that line. yesterday we went to the beach boardwalk and I ate cotton candy (!). seriously? crack on a stick. sugar - it's my weakness. better today but a friend made some paleo cupcakes and brought them to CF and I had one. some chocolate tonight. I need to do some cooking. and I"m a bit sick of all my veg recipes right now so I'm trying to figure things out.

[Karen]

Linda - great news on the size 10 pants!!!  I had a shopping binge a few weekends ago and did the same.  One of the size 10s is even a bit bigger than I would have guessed!

 

Linda - any updates on your shop?  Did closing up the holes help at all?  

 

Jess - when's your next Whole30?  Or when do you have time to cook??  

Shelley - thinking of you and your family.

 

I met someone and we had gone out a few times.  He was great, we had a lot in common and a lot to talk about... but he has a completely unhealthy lifestyle.  Is it sad that that's what made me call  it off?  Just can't have that in my life at the moment.  Casual friends, yes, but someone I'm considering as a partner?  Nope.  

[shelley417]

Hi All! I am on day 17 of my August whole 30. Doing great this time after 2 failed attempts in may and June. We also have some more help at home (as an aside-- we live in a 1600 square foot townhouse but we have so many different people helping us that we call them the staff of Downton abbey-- I think I said that once before and Linda was laughing-- but now there are even more. In any event now that we have more help in the mornings and evenings I am not so worn out and I am taking 2 yoga classes a week-- one yin yoga on Monday nights-- very relaxing. And a flow class on Saturdays-- very hard for me!!). It's been a rough couple of weeks. Dans new experimental medicine made him worse instead of better. No sleeping at night for either of us. . So now he's off it and doing better. We are both just exhausted butnusingnthe weekend to relax.

Karen-- it's hard to find good men. Are you sure?

Linda-- are you getting prepared to go home?

MaryAnn-- I really do wish I could come over there.

Jess-- it's hard to come back from vacation and get back on track. That's what made me start the w30 in August--in order to do the reset.

I have looked at others on the forum but none are like the Bond we established. It's very special to me.

I am so glad that you are all still around and sharing the journey. Xo to you all"

[Karen]

Shelley - I'm sorry the medicine made your husband worse instead of better.    But I'm glad he was also able to go off it.  

 

And, yes, I'm totally sure about cutting the guy loose!  If he was just unhealthy and kept it to himself, perhaps I'd be thinking differently.  But, he wanted someone to share in his unhealthiness.  He's a very large man and comes across like eating whatever you want is his right, and he's not going to change no matter what.  Which is fine, but...  It's almost like he wanted to change my eating habits.  Despite knowing about my food sensitivities and how important it was for me to eat clean, all he wanted to do together was go out to eat.  And when out to eat, I was constantly being asked:

 

Him: Do you want to get a bottle of wine?

Me: No thanks, I won't drink more than 1 glass.

Him: Are you sure?  Let's just get a bottle.

Him: Do you want to get an appetizer?

Me: No thanks, I don't think there are any here that will work for me.

Him: Ok.  How about the scallops (smothered in butter)?

Me: No thanks.

 

Scenarios like that happened at least 5 times during a meal...  Whenever he asked a question, I felt embarrassed about how I need to eat because he just wouldn't let it go.

 

I'm sure we all have people like that in our lives - a coworker, a friend, a family member - that question our diets and try to make us think we don't need to follow the rules.  And that's ok.  But if I'm looking for a partner, I can't be with someone that's going to try really hard to sabotage my health.  

[Karen]

How's everyone??

 

In other news, the meat CSA I get offers a discount for anything else I buy there, but they're 1/2 hour away so I don't make it often...  I just found out they're going to open a shop next month within 3 miles of my house!!!!  Super, super excited about awesome grass-fed meet!!!!  

 

I saw a photo of myself from 2009.  It had been hanging in the back room of the photography studio I used to work for as a joke.  That's when I was at my worst.  I. Looked. Awful.  It was really hard to look at.  It was taken just a few months after the surgery that didn't make me feel any bit better.  I was so incredibly bloated from all the drugs I was on at the time - pain pills, hormones, etc.  I looked exhausted.  It was a nice reminder of the progress I've made, both mentally and physically.  Although I've only been feeling really good the past few months, I know I haven't felt that awful in a long time.  I'm grateful for progress.