Susan, I've never heard of the Well Fed cookbooks. Looks like I'm on a quest now.

Kim, I never really used cumin either before Well Fed. I love love love it!

Heron, there is Cardamon in the Coconut Cauliflower Rice I made today. That is the first time I used it. It smelled so good while cooking that I couldn't wait to taste it. People always tell me that eating the way I do is so restrictive, but I see it as just the opposite. Since I started eating Paleo/Primal I have discovered so many new foods and spices that I would have never thought of using. I have also learned that I LOVE to cook.

OMG... A handful of people at my work were trying to get me to "live a little" as they passed around the chocolate cake and I said no thanks. We were at a table and I was trying to downplay this to the 10 people and the nice guy who had spent so much on this beautiful cake. All eyes on me. Come on, come one, etc. I finally told them I couldn't because I was doing Whole30. (This is a new work group and I really try not to talk about all the weight loss stuff.) So the OMG part is that a few of them are considering doing it for Lent. WOW! What a great thing!

AAAAANNNNND: It inspired me to see if anyone wanted to walk after work on Mondays. Need to get in my jaunt anyway. FIVE people said yes out of 14. That is a crazy good response.

Susan it made me think of your two coworkers. Isn't this the best way to have a positive influence on others. Just example. They know and I know that I'm going back to artificial sweeteners but it gave us all a chance to talk about eliminating some of these things for a while to reset and perhaps go to MUCH less of them in the future.

I know I'm not legit on Whole30 because I will weight myself 3 times in the 30 days for that other challenge but I feel FANTASTIC about some of the changes I've been able to stick to. And I really feel good/healthy right now.

Kim: HAahahahah.. cumin. Growing up hispanic, it is a staple. Although my sister refuses to use it as it smells like body odor to her. lol

Kris, I'm so glad that you have found the support here in this community (I know I have). And we are a 'ragtag group of awesomeness'. We all found are way here, not necessarily in the best places in our lives and found each other.

Carol, good for you! It's amazing to me how people are always pushing you to eat something even if you don't want to. It doesn't even have to be sweets, just food in general. People see you losing weight and they think you're sick. Everything in our society revolves around food. Why is it necessary to have donuts at a work meeting? Sorry for the rant. You did awesome, Carol. Get those people walking. Tell them Jen said to get up and jaunt!!!

beerbikegirl wrote: »

But.....

I often feel like a fraud. Because the real changes this last year have been on the inside, and not overly visible ( in my opinion) to the world. Folks had no idea how many meds I took, or the constant stream of medical tests, or how I generally felt like crap, was in pain most of the time. Now all that is gone, I feel great...but no doubt to others I still look like I need to lose weight, so how can I tell anyone anything- or worse cause people to think these changes don't work because of my body fat. I wrote about this a bit on my consultation form with AJ. I hired her because I was ready for the outside to match the inside, so I can be a stronger advocate for these lifestyle and even way of eating(but honestly more the sleep, stress, move lifestyle stuff).

All of which has nothing to do with Whole30...

Kim Yes it does, it is about the lifestyle, and it is about the feeling good both in and out. I have many of the same issues. Still a bit too big around the waist, even though my blood markers (except Hba1c) are in an exceptional range. Even that is at a level that falls within the accepted normal limits. My BF% is below 25 and for my age that is supposed to be fantastic. Yet its still not good enough. I am way past worrying much about aesthetics to please others, (I respect the pressure that females have about that) My age and my work has given me some pretty good perspective.
Not everybody that has type 2 Diabetes is obese or even overweight, (it's easy to lose sight of that in our common podcast world) though most who are (Obese) do have it or the precursors of it. I have patients that look the picture of good health that are demented beyond the point of recognizing their families. I have Wheel Chair Athletes that were active and athletic when they came down with MS and ALS, but are still determined to compete.
I guess the point I'm making for all of us is life is hard, it is unfair, but the challenges, the learning through failure, and the rewards are magnificent. So when you look in the mirror and see the need to continue the battle, know that you (and really all of us here) are one of the 10-20% who choose to face the inner fat demon head on, spit in its eye and fix bayonets on the no gun 'cause the fight is gonna be hand to hand.

Carol - Had similar results last year with my boss of all folks. Got her interested and it has changed her life as well. Still struggles, but the change is for the good, The first Tuesday of every month I have to turn down homemade cake from my little ol ladies from the American legion Auxiliary that come to do our monthly Birthday Party, I don;t always win that fight. and I don't see stepping on the scale as a major impingement of whole 30 with the knowledge you have, the key is separating the emotion from the number. I think you got that. Keep on Jammin'!

Kris - There are many ways to fight the battle and be the warrior we all know you are. Whole 30 is just one tool in the box, keep lettin us all know how it goes and you know if you need help we all have willing ears. I have to say I'm quite proud to be in the Rag Bag with this "ragtag group of awesomeness".

Anyway Workout went great today, upped my weights. and added battle Ropes til exhaustion at the end of the session. Got 2 30 sec max effort intervals in with 10 ssec rest between and 21 sec into the third. Absolutely no glycogen left. boom.

I am still going strong on the Whole 30! Feeling good and looking forward to weighing myself Sunday morning. I may reintroduce dairy, or I may just keep going and do a Whole 60. Really, cheese is the only thing that I really missed.