melsuarez

I did it!!! Whole30 done, now on to the slow reintroduction protocol... Had dairy yesterday and so far everything seems mostly okay. I felt a little bloated, but it's also monthly psycho time so could be from that more than feta and cucumber yogurt sauce on my Greek omelet yesterday morning. I'm posting after pics to my blog in the morning, but I lost 15 lbs and my tight jeans are now loose so I feel pretty dang good about the results. Now to keep up the good work!

Oh my Glob! I can't believe I only have two more days and I'm done... this Whole30 was a breeze compared to my first one. This is not the end for this way of eating, no way... I feel great, my clothes fit way better, my rosacea is practically gone, and my back pain... well it's still there, but not nearly as bad... Whole30 can't fix a misaligned spine I have been tracking my progress on my blog (link in my signature) almost daily and have initial photos and stats on the Day 1 post. On Saturday or Sunday, I'll post after photos and stats to Day 30! I'm going to need to come up with another SMART goal for the remainder of this challenge... maybe it will be to continue avoiding bread and/or sugar... My husband and I are doing a mini tour of Michigan for our first anniversary near the end of the 6 weeks. We plan on visiting four or five of the best breweries the state has to offer, so I certainly won't continue abstaining from alcohol!

Also, coconut milk is the freaking BEST!

Hey SkiBlue, I just saw your updated progress bar, great job! I'm so glad I got past the midway mark on my Whole30, sooo much easier now that potatoes are allowed. You're about done now, huh? Do you have a post Whole30 plan in place yet? I'd love it if you would share so I can copy it... I have a re-introduction protocol in place, but not sure how to keep up the sustainable changes after all of the research is through.

Hey SkiBlue! The Whole30 is going great. I haven't been keeping up with my blog or posting updates here as much as I want to, but I've been busy freaking the EFF out over a potential new adventure in the professional realm of my life... Don't want to jinx it by talking about it too much Even with all the (self-induced) stress of all that goes with the above, I've been holding steady... I did break the rules once, but it was only to weigh myself after I noticed my stomach was looking a lot more flat all of a sudden... I lost 11 lbs!!! I know that's primarily due to eliminating all the things that cause one to retain water, but I'll take it! I feel great, my clothes fit better... I even feel a little taller... but I am finding my conscious self trying to bargain with my soul to allow one tiny piece of chocolate or a taste of peanut butter... Not today conscious self! Not EVER! ... er, at least not for about 12 more days.

Good GOD girl! I loved reading your story. I too am 5'2" and short of torso... I haven't had any kids yet, but it is a big fear of mine since being so short means a gain of 5+ lbs is super noticeable I'm going to google MuTu because I have no idea what that is

Hi Saturnreturn! Wow, I'm really glad you asked because I think I was about to drop the ball big time! So far so good as far as sticking to the Whole30... I'm really tired today, but it's to be expected on day 6 with adjusting to the real food in my system. I am appreciating the time I took as an "underpants gnome" before beginning this time around. It gave me time to build a good foundation of well planned meals and new recipes to try so I haven't hit a "food boredom" wall yet. I have not done one yoga session yet though, so I am going to have to get on that tonight and get in two more before next Monday if I want to stay on course. ... Sadly, the same goes for walking. I'll see if I can get with my husband to walk with me after dinner tonight. Afterward, I can go right into the Water A session with NF Yoga to get my limbs all nice and stretched. Thanks again for asking!

Chicken is easy, well Bone-in chicken... boneless skinless chicken breast is much more difficult... I rely heavily on spice rubs and home made marinades.

Ermahgerd SkiBlue! We have the same birfday!!! I hear you on eating enough. The first time I did Whole30 I didn't plan well enough and had way too little on my plates. I went out on Day 5 and stocked up on ground beef, chicken legs, and eggs so I could add more protein. I also got an arsenal of frozen veggies to keep on hand just in case something went wrong with a recipe or something went bad before I got around to cooking it. You're on Day 13 now though so you must be bursting with energy, lucky! Just stay away from the candy aisle!

Ha ha, I guess I should specify that I mean to accomplish this by losing weight and not fattening him up... Though that would be MUCH easier! Honey, let's get two pizzas... you go ahead and eat 'em both... I'm not hungry... mwahahahahaha!

I hear ya sister! It is a challenge, but it's not "hard"... after the first week, it flies by for me, but that first week... man... it's a doozy! I guess I'm lucky that my husband hates going to the grocery store without me... and that going to our local market is one of my favorite things to do... and that he is a sugar junkie (gummy bears, jelly belly, skittles) and doesn't really care for chocolate, and I am the opposite, lol! I have also been trying to get him involved with Nerd Fitness. I could be more aggressive in this, but since I know he'll drop the weight in half the time it will take me, and I selfishly don't want my main goal to take even longer, I don't bring it up too much... I'm not force feeding him pizza or anything, in fact, he doesn't even know he's eating Whole30 approved meals everyday for dinner, but I would like to hit that main goal once and then start working together on achieving a more optimal fitness level for the both of us.

Main Quest – I want to be smaller than my husband… that's all... Six Week Quests- 1. Whole. a. I will complete a Whole30 and the requisite reintroduction protocol 2. Yoga. a. I will use my Nerd Fitness Yoga membership more than never… I will get 3 sessions in each week and work up from there. 3. Walking. a. Now that the temperatures are dropping below 90 and the rainy season is coming to an end (at least in my realm) I’d like to get some of the fresh air everyone keeps talking about… I will walk twice a week after dinner with my husband (or without if he’s being a lazybones). Why?... WHY?!?!?! Because… that’s why! Seriously, there are a lot of depictions of the devil and angel on each shoulder, but I feel like I’ve got an army on each side and lately the Angel’s Army of “Think about the Long Term†is losing battle after battle to the Devil’s “Eat the Chips NOW†Brigade. I keep fighting, and don’t stop starting over when I fall because failure is not an option and the further I get from my victory, the harder it is to get back above ground… So, even if my reason and motivation is simply “so it’s not harder to get there later in lifeâ€, so be it… Also maybeiwanttohavekidsonedayandidon;twanttobetootiredtopickthemupandrunandjumpandplay… Oh, I started the Whole30 on 9/11/15 (I couldn't wait!) Gonna add a starting pic later too...

I require this "Cocoa Crack" of which you speak, immediately! Is it like a pudding type texture?

I am so tired of the up/down party my body is throwing... I don't know what I need, but maybe knowing it's not just me will help? Please share if you feel the same... Not only does my female body naturally avoid making the muscles happen, therefore using less stored fuel ("ESTROGEN!!!" read like Captain Kirk), but I also get to fight a battle with my will to go on every month when my body decides it needs to keep ALL OF THE WATER and that chocolate is the only way to avoid doing the murders to people. You could say "that is why you shouldn't focus solely on the scale", but yeah, but my body feels giant and my clothes fit tighter and my head wants to cry at ALL available times, so... those are all of the metrics I have been told to use and I can't find one thing to hold onto right now to remind myself of how far I have come and how I am capable of getting to the place I want to be... Mostly because all I can see is a pile of chips and candy bars and buffalo chicken wings... and I want them all in my face... Does anyone feel the same? Has anyone here overcome this pattern? Does anyone want to share? Men, feel free to chime in if you have a similar struggle...

I used to like eggs before I went Paleo and now I can't stand the thought of eating another egg... My solution was to quit eating breakfast at all and do Intermittent Fasting. I am so rarely ever hungry in the morning anyhow, so it was easy to just make the transition to my first meal being at lunchtime. If you are more inclined to early morning hunger, I agree with those who have suggested eating anything else.

It may be too late, but I love fresh slices of zucchini and summer squash with Hummus. I add some fresh bell pepper, cucumber, carrots, and celery and have a huge veggie tray or split it up into baggies for work snacks.

Cool! I think I'm learning that strict is the way to go for me too, give me an inch and I take a mile... or the whole bag of Doritos.

Wow, congrats on the weight loss... Food is bonkers! I did a Whole30 for that purpose but didn't really figure anything out aside from wheat and sugar make my face puffy (and probably everything else... like my butt... lol). I'm curious, did you only change the foods you ate to achieve the loss, or was there a portion/calorie control aspect and/or working out involved? and Welcome fellow newbie!

Hi Ulfgard, Thank you and best wishes to you as well. Ha ha, yeah... I just LOVE the amount of unsolicited advice I get from people. Especially those that have no idea what they are talking about. I am super grateful, so far, for this community. These people seem to have the same or equal/opposite issues with health and fitness that I have grappled with for a very long time and it feels good to see everyone at their different levels of success reaching back to help those of us on the lower levels.

I wanted to elaborate on this a bit. Beginning in July 2015, I started incorporating a protocol of: Intermittent Fasting (nothing after 8pm or before 12pm) Kinda Paleo (not sure what to call it when it's just no packaged anything, and no wheat, sugar, or potatoes) Doing Something (walk, bike, yoga, chase my cat, SOMETHING where my body moves more that "sit in office chair, stand up from office chair, repeat as necessary). Ways this IF/KP/DS thing has been "working": I am exponentially more aware of what hunger feels like and I know which foods fuel my body best and which ones are expendable (hello root veggies, bye bye diet pop!) When I move, I feel it changing my structure way more than when I was doing calorie reduction or several small meals... I'm never sore... I swear, I went to a two day music festival in the bazillion degree heat and must've walked to, and from, Mordor. I was so exhausted when I got home on day 1 I was sure I was toast for the next day and not one muscle ached... my feet were a different story though, I've got to figure out how to grow some hobbit feet. These changes were so easy to make, and never seemed to be a punishment or struggle to follow, so I am certain the chances of sustaining the new lifestyle will be a piece of... steak I have lost 6.8lbs (of the 100lbs I want to lose) in the 5 weeks I have been doing this and I am so excited that the scale keeps going down a little at a time and not mega dropping. Experience has taught me that big drops only mean that I won't be able to keep up the good work. Just wanted to share a little more about what I'm working on. Thinking I'll put it in 6-Week Challenge format and post to Recruits sometime this weekend. Thanks for the "welcomes"!

If we're talking cooked veg, I love to go the roasted route. I prefer cauliflower, carrots, butternut squash, or sweet potato chunks 400 degree oven 15-20 minutes Choose hearty veg of choice and cut into big chunks (like 1 1/2 - 2 ") Toss in melted ghee, coconut oil, or grapeseed oil Season with garlic powder, cracked pepper, and a pinch or two of sea salt Spread 'em out on a foil lined cookie sheet and put in oven for 15-20 minutes Mix them around at the halfway point for even browning Ermahgerd, so yummy... if you're not strict Paleo, add a little grated parmesan to make it like a delightful WTF! for your mouth.

Thanks! I'll check it out!

Hiya! I live in Allen Park (downriver) and work in B-ham. I haven't done trails or anything though, but I have a sweet Schwinn beach cruiser!