September Whole 30!!! Who's with me!?!?! page 5

[magnolia1973]

I want to try it when I get back from vacation, so starting September 5th. My goal is to get the sugar out (but not fruit), but you know eliminate the coffee with cream and sugar and the chocolate here and there. That crap. I'm not eating too much dairy these days.

Plus I want to push myself to get more creative in the kitchen.

[Ellen]

Okay, I started today instead of waiting. Why not? We have nothing besides Whole30 approved stuff at home anyway, it was just the office junk I was holding on to. I am stronger than the non-paleo free "office treats" of diet sodas, cheese, and half and half! The diet sodas make me feel like crap, anyway. Had my last cheese (and white potato) last night at a delicious dinner out (hello blue cheese mashed potatoes!).

Today has been some delicious pork breakfast sausages in the AM and a big bowl of homemade chili in the mid-afternoon (made a big batch for the week's lunches). Chili was A-mazing -- ground beef, canned tomatoes, yellow onions, yellow summer squash slices, and chopped kale. Of course tons of cumin, chili powder, cayenne, garlic powder, and sea salt. I have to say this is the best chili I've ever had -- especially the kale (!!!), all saturated with beef fat/juices and spices. Also, two big mugs of tea (plain tea, no sweetener or dairy) -- Earl Grey and Chai Spice.

Dinner will be a BAS with butter lettuce, chopped chicken thighs and salami, grape tomatoes, black olives, and olive oil/balsamic for dressing. No berries for dessert -- I'm working to get a handle on my sweet cravings, so fruit is minimal to none for my Whole30. I'm also off nuts for the Whole30 just because I tend to eat them mindlessly and they don't seem to abate hunger for me.

[KimNKY]

I'm also starting after the holiday, since I have friends visiting for the weekend and I know they'll want to go to restaurants etc. I'm challenging myself to still be primal while they're here, but holding off on Whole30 compliant until after they leave.

One of my goals will be to cut back on fruit. I've been eating too many carbs, and most of them are coming from there. I'm down to 2 or 3 servings daily now from 5 or 6 before, but want to keep it at 1 per day. I bought coconut creamer for my coffee but need to find some other way to sweeten- ground up dates, maybe? Or just learn to drink it unsweetened.

[Louisa655]

I'm in for my 3rd month of Whole 30 (insert sigh). I've ramped up on the exercise (walking, hiking, lifting/core exercises). My goal is to be in Ketosis for the month and drop some belly fat and really lean out. Just booked a very exclusive holiday in St. Lucia over X-mas and would like to sport the sexy, athletic, black bikini.

I am not eating sugar, wheat, dairy and I am making a pledge to give up red wine for the month (even if it kills me). I find that my body naturally wants two meals a day, and I stay within 1200 calories daily, and <50grams carbs daily. Protein and fat is around 85 grams.

That's all for now --- it all starts on the 28th of September --- I'm ALL IN! Woot Woot Nom Nom ;p

[Thistle5]

I'm in, too- dipped a toe in, when I visited my family in NC 2 weeks ago. My sister started this 6 weeks ago, my mom has joined in (she's not hardcore, still sprinkles a bit of cheese here & there), & it was easier to eat the way they did while I was visiting. My sister told me her cravings for sugar went away, I was skeptical, but I agree. I've tried a few former 'triggers'- beer, a little cheese & bread, & shrimp & okra that was probably fried in cornmeal/flour & fried in canola oil, (& half a hushpuppy), but they don't taste as good as I remember them to be.

Hardest for me will probably be alcohol (I like beer), I'm not going to sweat the small stuff-probably will use bacon, Worcestershire (despite traces of sugar), & I can't really afford organic, grass-fed beef all the time. But I'm still going to give it my best shot...

[magnolia1973]

Need advice... I want to do this, but have a wedding September 15. The groom is in the restaurant industry so the food will be splurge worthy. If it was just crappy food, I'd just not eat, but it will be good. My plan was starting on the 5th.... do I just wait until the 16th? Or just go for it. My Whole 30 goal is to eliminate chocolate and coffee and ice cream issues. I don't believe in passing on exceptional foods...but to be honest, something non-primal amazing crosses my plate maybe once every 3-4 months (except the coffee, chocolate and ice cream). My issue isn't with frequent "binge days", its with day to day little things....and I'd be curious to see how a "big splurge" impacts my ability to keep my little splurges at bay.

[PrimallyJenna]

Okay,We have nothing besides Whole30 approved stuff at home anyway, it was just the office junk I was holding on to. I am stronger than the non-paleo free "office treats" of diet sodas, cheese, and half and half!

The office treats can be hard. At my office people come around offering things and I always politely decline. For celebrations there is often a potluck and then whenever work sponsors events there are "healthy" snacks. I say "healthy" because I don't think so-they're usually pretzels, baked chips, twizzlers, or sugar free popsicles. Every large meeting seems to have soda (though there tends to be some bottled water). I feel surrounded sometimes.

[Louisa655]

Just go for it. There's always going to be a future event that is food worthy. Just take it one meal at a time and move forward. Besides, doing this with a bunch of like-minded individuals is fun. Onwards and upwards.

[namelesswonder]

One of my goals will be to cut back on fruit. I've been eating too many carbs, and most of them are coming from there. I'm down to 2 or 3 servings daily now from 5 or 6 before, but want to keep it at 1 per day. I bought coconut creamer for my coffee but need to find some other way to sweeten- ground up dates, maybe? Or just learn to drink it unsweetened.

To cut back on fruit, try buying only enough for a week at a time, so if you run out, you can't have anymore (yes, you could go out and buy it, but for me, that works well enough). I have found that the thick coconut creme in a can of Native Forest coconut milk (haven't found another brand that thickens like this one does) is sweet enough for coffee/tea beverages and definitely recommend giving it a shot without sweeteners. Technically, the Whole30 does not allow for any added sugar, so a sweetener should not be used anyway, but we all have different goals

For me, it's
-low fiber
-no sugar (actually failing at this recently because my supplements allow me to have some raw local honey in my chai without getting a yeast or acne flare-up)
-low carb until I'm a week or two symptom free (no indication of yeast infection)
-no alcohol
-limit dairy (to yogurt only, probably will clarify my butter, but not stressing about it)
(and the usual, no legumes, soy, or grains)

All in the name of digestive health and destroying this candida overgrowth once and for all!

[namelesswonder]

Need advice... I want to do this, but have a wedding September 15. The groom is in the restaurant industry so the food will be splurge worthy. If it was just crappy food, I'd just not eat, but it will be good. My plan was starting on the 5th.... do I just wait until the 16th? Or just go for it. My Whole 30 goal is to eliminate chocolate and coffee and ice cream issues. I don't believe in passing on exceptional foods...but to be honest, something non-primal amazing crosses my plate maybe once every 3-4 months (except the coffee, chocolate and ice cream). My issue isn't with frequent "binge days", its with day to day little things....and I'd be curious to see how a "big splurge" impacts my ability to keep my little splurges at bay.

Wait and see, would be my recommendation. I tried to do a Whole30 in April, but with exceptions for a couple of events (I think one was a birthday, and one was Easter). It was a whole weekend off, basically, and I never really got back on. If you get close to the date and it's going well, and you think one day off isn't going to mess up your groove, go for it.