Whole30 Hangout

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Introductions!

df1982
df1982 Posts: 147 Member
in Social Groups
Hi!

I just wanted to get this thread started, but I'll write my introduction tomorrow! Looking forward to getting to know everyone a bit. The Whole30 is definitely a challenge, but soooooo worth it in my experience. Let's support each other through it!

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  • mariamathsgeek
    mariamathsgeek Posts: 236 Member
    Hi

    I'm new to My Fitness Pal. I'm starting Whole 30 today too. I tried it before in May and managed about 18 days, lost 11lbs and felt great before foolishly giving in to my cravings for booze/carbs. It really works if you can stick to it. Anyway, I'm totally prepared and starting again today. Could do with a support group on here. Am also on the Whole 30 forum.

    Cheers, Maria.
  • df1982
    df1982 Posts: 147 Member
    Hi Maria (and all!)

    I've been looking for ways to involve myself in that Whole30 forum. How do you like it? There is SO much going on there, I thought I would start a group on here as well, since it is what I know.

    As for me, why did I start this group? I struggle with emotional eating as well as a mood disorder. I eat compulsively when I am anxious and depressed, but also when I am happy and excited. In the past, I've always thought of "getting healthy" as exercising harder and harder to make up for some of what I eat. That is, until the Whole30. It seemed so extreme, but once I cut out the sugar, grains, legumes, alcohol and dairy for a month (as well as some nasty preservatives), I felt like a different human being. I definitely lost weight, but that was the least of it in many ways. I also felt happier and calmer, way more of the time. I could take stressful events in stride, instead of falling apart (and into a bag of gummy bears). It no longer required iron-clad will power to avoid late night eating, or get to the gym and the office (I work on my own schedule, so it is all too easy for me to stay at home in bed on one of my bad days).

    Since finishing my Whole30, some less healthy foods have crept back into my diet, and I feel it - in my mood, sleep, energy level and waste line! Looking forward to doing this month long reset with all of you, even though it is freaking hard - especially at the start!

    Elma
  • soonslimmer50
    soonslimmer50 Posts: 5 Member
    Here's my introduction---
    My name is Andrea. My goal and hope for starting on this program is to get the sugar out of my system. I saw a naturopath last fall and when thru a protocal with her. Have been stressed to the max over the last few months and my bad habits came back. I am also going to do a TQI program starting next week and I think they are very similar. I am being treated for a throid condition and a wierd skin condition that seems to be another autoimmune condition. That is what has put me over the edge this week-end.
    As autoimmune conditions are linked to the gut here I am........
    On a personal note we are now offically empty nesters so things are a bit more calm, but work is stressful. I have 5 kids that I still worry about even though they aren't living with us.
    I work out 5-6 days a week and due to osteopenia have started walking alot more as well. I am not a runner due to past hip replacement surgery.
    I will officially start the plan tomorrow. I've done good yesterday and today but did have cottage cheese for breakfast and some feta in my salad for lunch today.
    I have printed out some materials and am getting myself organized.
    Thanks for this board I think it will be very helpful.
    Andrea
  • df1982
    df1982 Posts: 147 Member
    Hi Andrea,

    This program (and, I'm sure, anything similar) is great for autoimmune conditions. You're probably already on this, but they have a Whole30 autoimmune protocol: http://whole9life.com/2013/06/expanded-iswf-shopping-lists/

    It might be worth looking at in addition to your own program.

    Good luck today!

    E
  • mbfowler87
    mbfowler87 Posts: 22 Member
    My name is Morgan. I have been counting calories for years and exercising and just can't seem to get any weight off. A friend of mine did Whole30 and recommended it. Today is my day one (I was out of town for Labor Day and didn't think I could start being on the road all day). Let me say, it is hard! Do you have any recommendations on meals or recipes for breakfast and lunch that hold you over for a long time. I feel like I have been hungry all day, which I know is not the point.
  • df1982
    df1982 Posts: 147 Member
    Hi Morgan,

    Here is my advice, although I am also struggling with hunger at the moment (I think that is quite normal for the first week as your body adjusts)!:

    1. Eat a lot of fat with your meals. For example, if I am having a 3 egg omelette with veggies for breakfast, I use a whole tablespoon of oil to cook it. I might even just do two eggs and also slice some avocado on top, in addition to the oil. I find that if I skimp on the fat amounts they recommend, I get hungry between meals.

    2. Aim to get that palm size of protein at each meal.

    3. Don't go too crazy with limiting fruit and starchy veggies, even though they recommend limiting these things if you are trying to lose weight. This is especially true if you are active. Last time, I ate fruit and starchy veggies almost daily, and still lost 10 pounds.

    I love all of the recipes from this blog: http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/

    They are always satisfying!
  • FocusKimFocus
    FocusKimFocus Posts: 124 Member
    Here goes Whole30 try #2 for me! I first tried it 2 years ago. My husband suggested that we do the Whole 30 again, and I'm truthfully not sure I'm completely psyched up for it. But I want to be supportive as he's always incredibly supportive to me.

    I have struggled my whole life with binge eating. I've never been obese, but I have a very high % body fat and know that I need to get more healthy. I have some new strategies that I think will help:
    1) I'm learning to ignore the urge to binge. Previously I've given-in to the idea that I have an overpowering disorder requiring treatment. Now I'm thinking of the urge as an annoying voice that will lose power the longer it is ignored.

    2) Pre-planning! I used to only log food after I'd eaten it. I finally realized that life is much easier if I log everything ahead of time, making adjustments as the day unfolds. I usually don't eat exactly what I've planned, but it helps to have a "place holder". I know I'm deviating from the Whole30 on the logging of calories/nutrients issue. I didn't log on my previous Whole 30 attempt and later found that I was eating way too few calories. For me personally, I feel more comfortable tracking on MFP.

    3) I eat almost the same thing every day. This has helped me avoid willpower depletion with making decisions about what to eat. I've come up with a menu that I think is yummy, nutritious and filled with enough variety. If I get tired of something, I switch to a new item/meal for awhile. In the past I've gotten great ideas from NomNomPaleo and from TheClothesMakeTheGirl (Well Fed Cookbook).

    I'm 44, adoptive mom of an athletic boy (11 yrs old), work a full time desk job, and live in an incredibly beautiful place above 9,000' in Colorado. I am into all kinds of tracking gadgets: Bodymedia armband, Fitbit, Withings, Jawbone, Garmin GPS watch, and various apps for my iphone (but not all at once). I love spreadsheets filled with data and charts. I find that MFP and all these sources of data help keep me immersed in my health & fitness goals. I also have several autoimmune diagnoses (Addison's Disease, Hashimotos hypothyroid, and premature ovarian failure) ... thankfully none of those impact my daily life all that much. Yes, I have tried the "autoimmune protocol" which was very hard and very restrictive and I'm just not ready to do that again right now. Make the Whole 30 seem easy peasy :-)

    Sorry for over-sharing! I guess putting it all out there (and reading about all of you) helps me feel more accountable to the group. Good luck everyone!

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