Whole 30 -- I like cheese, a lot. And free food.

[blndsnbrdr]

Okay, talk to me about Whole 30 and what you actually got out of it...

I have a friend doing it and her food gives me hope. However, I really like cheese and while I do like making my own food I also really like to take advantage of the free food offered up to me at work. My argument is that I'm broke and free food is always a good thing...even if it's bagels or soda or pasta or...

So, ultimately, what did you get out of it. 
Was it worth it?
What are you doing now?

Talk me into or out of it...!

[wambam]

I realized I had a food allergy and i didn't have chronic hives I had for three years before W30. But I realize I am an extreme example. Most people identify foods that they don't tolerate well and also identify emotional relationships with food and that knowledge helps them make better and more educated choices lost W30. Everyone has a food that they're like "but I love cheese/wine/rice...whatever" but it's temporary. It's only 30 days. Post W30, I generally eat "gluten free whole foods." I try to avoid most processed foods, but I do eat rice and some dairy.

I can't help you on the free food part. That's a personal choice you'll have to make.

[MrsE]

I'm on Day 23 of a Whole 30 right now. I feel great, my workouts are strong (minus modifications due to tendinitis in my foot), I am sleeping well, and my skin is clear - nearly perfect. Also, my clothes are fitting better.

I've done a few W30s before, including the past 3 January's, and it it a good re-set for me. I have a terrible sugar demon of a sweet tooth and often use food as a treat/reward. W30 impacts the psychological aspect of my relationship with food and helps me to eliminate cravings and put my sweet tooth in check. It's tough to silence that sugar demon!

Really, the W30 program makes you more aware of food choices and exactly what am you are eating. GL!

[emilyinchile]

I cut short a Whole 30 after 3 weeks. I felt absolutely no different during those 3 weeks except that on the last day I did it, I had a CF competition and had NO energy/dizzy/headache/really felt awful once I started the first workout despite having made an effort throughout to eat plenty of higher carb foods like sweet potatoes and squash. Other than that, the only change I noticed was that in the first few days I got noticeably leaner, probably because I was eating much lower carb than usual, so I dropped some water retention.

I don't regret doing it because it was something I'd been curious about, and now I know it's not for me.

[blndsnbrdr]

Jan 23, 2016 7:50:03 GMT -5 wambam said:

I realized I had a food allergy and i didn't have chronic hives I had for three years before W30. But I realize I am an extreme example. Most people identify foods that they don't tolerate well and also identify emotional relationships with food and that knowledge helps them make better and more educated choices lost W30. Everyone has a food that they're like "but I love cheese/wine/rice...whatever" but it's temporary. It's only 30 days. Post W30, I generally eat "gluten free whole foods." I try to avoid most processed foods, but I do eat rice and some dairy.

I can't help you on the free food part. That's a personal choice you'll have to make.

In terms of free food and such -- it's not that I can't/won't give it up, it's more about whether people got a real benefit from it, beyond people who had food related reactions/health problems prior to starting Whole30.

[blndsnbrdr]

Jan 23, 2016 10:59:00 GMT -5 emilyinchile said:

I cut short a Whole 30 after 3 weeks. I felt absolutely no different during those 3 weeks except that on the last day I did it, I had a CF competition and had NO energy/dizzy/headache/really felt awful once I started the first workout despite having made an effort throughout to eat plenty of higher carb foods like sweet potatoes and squash. Other than that, the only change I noticed was that in the first few days I got noticeably leaner, probably because I was eating much lower carb than usual, so I dropped some water retention.

I don't regret doing it because it was something I'd been curious about, and now I know it's not for me.

Honestly, this is kind of what I'm expecting -- I don't have any GI/stomach/health issues now that are bothering me enough to even be on my radar so I'm not sure if there will be any benefit.

I'm also really hesitant to try it right now because in a month I'm headed to Mexico. I can only imagine what my body would do after Whole30 then jumping right into try-all-the-local-food travel. Ha.

Maybe after that.. #excuses

[wambam]

Do not attempt a w30 when you're going on vacation! That's just...not going to work. I would wait until a better time.

[blndsnbrdr]

Jan 23, 2016 11:17:07 GMT -5 wambam said:

Do not attempt a w30 when you're going on vacation! That's just...not going to work. I would wait until a better time.

It'd be the month before...but going from a restricted diet to eat all the things sounds like a risk I do not want to take in Mexico! 

[farfalla2011]

I planned to do whole30 back in october, but only made it 10 days due to traveling and lots of company. I never really had any issues with food prior, but I also have poor eating habits - very few veggies, lots of breads and pastas, etc. Just after 10 days I have realized that lots of dairy and lots of breads and such actually do bother me, I just never realized it. I'd like to find a time to commit to the entire 30 days, my schedule just isn't lining up for it right now though. It made me learn ways to prepare a bigger variety of veggies and I make a conscious effort to really limit bread, pasta and dairy. I just feel better and less tired when I'm avoiding those foods.

DH on the other hand had a similar experience to emilyinchile and had absolutely no energy due to the drastic reduction in carbs and grains. But he's permanently banned from dairy, that is a benefit for everyone in my household

[MrsE]

Jan 23, 2016 11:07:48 GMT -5 blndsnbrdr said:

Jan 23, 2016 10:59:00 GMT -5 emilyinchile said:

I cut short a Whole 30 after 3 weeks. I felt absolutely no different during those 3 weeks except that on the last day I did it, I had a CF competition and had NO energy/dizzy/headache/really felt awful once I started the first workout despite having made an effort throughout to eat plenty of higher carb foods like sweet potatoes and squash. Other than that, the only change I noticed was that in the first few days I got noticeably leaner, probably because I was eating much lower carb than usual, so I dropped some water retention.

I don't regret doing it because it was something I'd been curious about, and now I know it's not for me.

Honestly, this is kind of what I'm expecting -- I don't have any GI/stomach/health issues now that are bothering me enough to even be on my radar so I'm not sure if there will be any benefit.

I'm also really hesitant to try it right now because in a month I'm headed to Mexico. I can only imagine what my body would do after Whole30 then jumping right into try-all-the-local-food travel. Ha.

Maybe after that.. #excuses

It's called whole 30, but really, you need 40 days because the re-introduction to foods is a process in and of itself. I've never done it completely the way it has been designed to be done, and am on a mission to do it correctly this time. I have a feeling I may have a food sensitivity and hopefully I'll really be able to tell now.

[ktzmoh]

I can't speak for W30 because I've never done it and I don't really even know the rules of it. But re: cheese, ditch the cheese. It's only cheese. When I broke up with dairy my fasting glucose dropped by 20 points**, I lost 4-5 lbs and I felt incredible. The difference for me was amazing. Sometimes I miss cheese pizza, but it's a minor annoyance. in my book I've traded up.

Re: free food- this is something that h deals with at work. He's gotten much better about being selective on which foods he takes. So you don't have to eat everything that comes into the office just because it's free Kwim? For example, water is just as free as the free soda. Pasta isn't free if it makes you he feel bloated and gross the next day (if you are going for a billion mile trail run, on the other hand, free pasta is probably not bad!).

**ETA: I have no medical basis for understanding why my fasting fm glucose came down so quickly after I stopped dairy. I replaced the dairy with a bunch of other stuff that was not previously a big part of my diet, so two factors changed and I don't know which played the bigger role. But my fasting glucose has stayed low ever since.

[joenali]

I wouldn't do it again. It's too strict for me. I just need to watch my portions and make sure I eat right for myself.

[sadlebred]

Jan 23, 2016 16:45:04 GMT -5 joenali said:

I wouldn't do it again. It's too strict for me. I just need to watch my portions and make sure I eat right for myself.

I'm with joenali on this one. It's too strict for me and my lifestyle.

[farfalla2011]

I just wanted to bring this up since it is super strict. It's not intended to be the way you eat forever. It's ultimately an elimination diet tool to identify if/what foods you have sensitivities towards. The end of the 30 days is met with adding 1 of each of the eliminated food groups back and then eliminating it again to see how your body reacts.

Anyone interested in whole30 and the theories behind it is would recommend reading It Starts with Food by Dallas & Melissa Hartwig.

[joenali]

Jan 24, 2016 9:44:00 GMT -5 farfalla2011 said:

I just wanted to bring this up since it is super strict. It's not intended to be the way you eat forever. It's ultimately an elimination diet tool to identify if/what foods you have sensitivities towards. The end of the 30 days is met with adding 1 of each of the eliminated food groups back and then eliminating it again to see how your body reacts.

Anyone interested in whole30 and the theories behind it is would recommend reading It Starts with Food by Dallas & Melissa Hartwig.

Still to strict. I don't think this is an ink action diet either. I've done an elimination diet under a naturopaths me it wasn't whole30.

[wambam]

Jan 24, 2016 12:18:10 GMT -5 joenali said:

Jan 24, 2016 9:44:00 GMT -5 farfalla2011 said:

I just wanted to bring this up since it is super strict. It's not intended to be the way you eat forever. It's ultimately an elimination diet tool to identify if/what foods you have sensitivities towards. The end of the 30 days is met with adding 1 of each of the eliminated food groups back and then eliminating it again to see how your body reacts.

Anyone interested in whole30 and the theories behind it is would recommend reading It Starts with Food by Dallas & Melissa Hartwig.

Still to strict. I don't think this is an ink action diet either. I've done an elimination diet under a naturopaths me it wasn't whole30.

It is an elimination diet. It has an associated reintroduction protocol and everything.