Cleanse

[Sheherezade]

Let's not even go there with how big I am!! After a year of stomach issues, I finally found ways to make the pain go away. I'm just trying to heal before I start tinkering with my diet. For now, it's no supplements, no allergens, and basically eating whatever I want within those confines. Unfortunately for me, dropping dairy, soy and nuts entirely and only drinking water and herbal tea hasn't led to any weight loss! I can't imagine giving up gluten as well. I'm tempted to try the Whole30 though because I'm so close to there already. I'd have to dump the gluten and sugar for the month, though...and that scares me. I like my agave syrup in my coffee.

I will probably try to do something more drastic with my diet after the kids start back to school and our schedule gets more normal in a few weeks. Right now, I've got a kid that's coming home at 3-4 am, and a husband that leaves for work at 6 am. Mealtimes are all over the place and sleep is scarce for me.

I'm dreading sending my boy back to college (mommy tears *sob*) but I will probably be a lot more stable physically when he's living the college life in some other locale.

[rufflesanddots]

Whole30 is pretty demanding and requires a lot of planning. I liked it because it got me away from counting calories and being consumed with portion sizes. I barely measured anything when I did it unless I was making a recipe for the first time. I noticed a big increase in energy towards the latter half, too. Yay no more 3:00 PM crashes!

There have been a few people who've mentioned Whole30. Would anyone be interested in doing one soon and having a dedicated thread? I was considering starting August 14 so as to end September 13. Would that be enough time for people to do research on it and join up? We don't have to start at the same time, of course.

[v-girl]

I'm on day 8 of it. I hate it. I did have wine last night. Don't even care. It's so restrictive! I keep plenty of nuts, fruit and veggies handy.


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[MAPPLEBUM]

Whole30 is pretty demanding and requires a lot of planning. I liked it because it got me away from counting calories and being consumed with portion sizes. I barely measured anything when I did it unless I was making a recipe for the first time. I noticed a big increase in energy towards the latter half, too. Yay no more 3:00 PM crashes!

There have been a few people who've mentioned Whole30. Would anyone be interested in doing one soon and having a dedicated thread? I was considering starting August 14 so as to end September 13. Would that be enough time for people to do research on it and join up? We don't have to start at the same time, of course.

I just wonder what happens after the first month? I'd maybe be interested but I'll be in Florida for three weeks at the mercy of my family

[rufflesanddots]

There's a reintroduction phase you can opt to do that's intended to help you identify foods that mess with you. So day 31, you may reintroduce grains at a meal or two but remain otherwise compliant, and give it a day or two to see how you feel. Then a few days later, you may try to reintroduce dairy while remaining compliant and see how that goes.

I opted not to do the reintroduction phase and had coffee with cream and sugar first thing the day after I finished. I think it could be useful to do, but by Day 30 I was done. I was commuting a lot at that time and just totally worn out. I wouldn't do it if I knew I'd be travelling for an extended period of time. It's hard enough with access to your own kitchen while on your own schedule.

[MAPPLEBUM]

There's a reintroduction phase you can opt to do that's intended to help you identify foods that mess with you. So day 31, you may reintroduce grains at a meal or two but remain otherwise compliant, and give it a day or two to see how you feel. Then a few days later, you may try to reintroduce dairy while remaining compliant and see how that goes.

I opted not to do the reintroduction phase and had coffee with cream and sugar first thing the day after I finished. I think it could be useful to do, but by Day 30 I was done. I was commuting a lot at that time and just totally worn out. I wouldn't do it if I knew I'd be travelling for an extended period of time. It's hard enough with access to your own kitchen while on your own schedule.

Did you lose weight? How did you benefit?

have you ever heard of this program? I saw a girl at a ritzy yoga class with a patch on her arm. I thought it was hilarious, I hadn't seen a nicotine patch in a long time. Then somehow I discovered this:

https://le-vel.com/Experience

[rufflesanddots]

I lost 7lbs and 7 inches, but gained 6lbs back as I fell immediately back into my old habits. It was also winter, and I tend to gain then. I also switched jobs. I think it would be possible to keep most of it off (I think some is water weight, so some will end up back on). It did improve my calorie counting habit, which was awesome. I think my hair and skin looked healthier too, from eating more fat. Let me see if I still have my before/after photos.

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[rufflesanddots]

Before (you can only attach 5 photos per post, so here are the three before shots):
Before front.jpgSide before.jpgBack before.jpg

[rufflesanddots]

After:
After front.jpgAfter side.jpgAfter back.jpg

[rufflesanddots]

I didn't workout at all during that time. I noticed the most difference in my waist and hips. It was tough, but I got results. This time I plan to exercise while I do the program also.

[spotty_dog]

The difference is historically I save 200-500 calories a day for alcohol. That means on those days (if I don't go over) I only have 1000-1200 calories in food. Thus cutting out booze.

Hey, so have you started this? DH and I are working on getting a healthier relationship with booze and I'm thinking this might be a good time for me to lay off the wine completely for a bit, hit the reset button. I don't count calories and I won't have the pill thing going on, but I can totally commiserate about the alcohol-free part.

[MAPPLEBUM]

Hey, so have you started this? DH and I are working on getting a healthier relationship with booze and I'm thinking this might be a good time for me to lay off the wine completely for a bit, hit the reset button. I don't count calories and I won't have the pill thing going on, but I can totally commiserate about the alcohol-free part.

Yep! I actually drank visiting friends in Chicago yesterday -- day 9 -- but I'll finish off the 14 days and then be on vacation. To my great relief it hasn't been very difficult. The experience is more of having to change a nearly decade old habit. Definitely not as painful as I anticipated. It feels great to eat 1500 calories. Most days I end up in the 1300's. I have more energy (which was restless energy the first few days), so I've taken a lot of evening walks. Sleepy time tea when DH drinks his beer, and like on Friday when I was really envious of his Sauvignon Blanc I made a mocktail of La Croix and lime juice. I haven't weighed and I don't think I will until I get back from Florida but this is definitely a long term change I want to make.

On a more personal note I've meditated most nights before bed. What this has helped me discover is I bottle up my emotions. the anxiety I feel towards the end of the day is probably just a day's worth of repression. Wine numbs it but it really only takes a few minutes of breath work to feel what I'm feeling and come back to my normal feelings of being grounded, satisfied, happy. This year yoga has helped me get to the point that I have minimal anxiety during the day, which is a big change. The meditation is helping me check in and reset at night.

You can do it! The supplements helped the first few days just thinking I can't ruin my cleanse by drinking alcohol! Ultimately I think my impression from it is :|

[spotty_dog]

Yep, it's the habit that's a challenge to break...I think DH and I get lulled into a false sense of complacency because we don't have a physical dependence, but "I can quit any time" is easy to say but not so easy to do.

Yesterday the five o'clock hour rolled around and I kind of had that "time for a bit of a wind-down after a day with kids!" feeling, but I just drank water and kept trucking. It helped that the bottle that's open right now is super mediocre, and it's been sitting open for two days because DH and I each had barely a glass the other night. I did end up doing more late-night snacking than usual, but it felt gross and I probably won't repeat that. I also always notice that after that first glass, I lose all motivation to stay productive around the house. I've actually been getting the dinner dishes cleaned up before the kids go to bathtime!

It's helpful that in my house DH is also trying to cut back or maybe quit. In fact, it helps my resolve that I'm trying not to lead him into temptation.

[ballibeg]

I hit three months yesterday. It's freed up a lot of time for me. I spent time thinking about evening plans/driving, about buying wine, about when safe to operate machinery. I don't have to do that any more. I like spending the time on other things.

[Sheherezade]

I am on Day 7 of no sugar, including fruit and alcohol. I have tried to do a whole30 "ish" diet change. I'm not giving up grains though. Quinoa and a few slices of good bread have been on the menu this week. Since I've already given up nuts, dairy, soda, alcohol and soy for my precious little princess of a stomach (it's veeeery touchy these days), it seemed like sugar was the next big whack toward whole foods only.

My cravings are virtually gone!

I'm in for some type of organized group thing this fall. I'll consider dumping the grains if necessary, but that will require much more time to cook for me and less teenage kid chaos.

Angie