^ thanks for link -
Congrats on the impending nuptials, SouthJerseyChessMom!! That’s great!! Just had that experience last summer!! But back then I convinced myself that they’d be looking at the bride, not me, the MOG and I didn’t lose much weight 
At present, I am telling myself that my being stuck at my current weight is a result of the exercise ad muscle development, not the Parmesan cheese wafers I’ve discovered, LOL.
@SouthJerseyChessMom …yes, click on that link someone provided. I actually didn’t use the book. The website has a TON of great info. Also, follow Whole30 on Instagram and there are usually a lot of recipes. I seriously lost 10 lbs in one month and even continued to lose into the next month or so.
The hardest part for me is giving up Diet Coke. I don’t guzzle it all day but I want one a day. Once you get the hang of what foods are on the plan it truly doesn’t feel like a diet…simply because it is so much food! I made a Whole30 Shepherds pie the other day and the whole family loved it. Potatoes are allowed so that is super helpful.
For me it was helpful in resetting my mind and giving myself some absolute structure. As a warning…the 5th day in I had what is called “carb flu”…achey all over, headache and run down. I felt sure it was the actual flu starting but it wasn’t! It was just from not having carbs.
As far as continuing the plan, I did great doing my own version of Whole30 lite…I ate W30 two meals a day and then would have a meal with a carb in the evening. It worked super well for me until December when my MIL from North Dakota came to visit and started baking and cooking…and then it all went to hell in a handbasket lol!
^^^^^ many thanks for tips I’m getting more motivated To start something !!!
Checking out the website ordered book through library
And, @carachel2 good luck getting back on track ( hope mother in law is a good baker - good for you to enjoy December)
Good for you! It really was a GREAT program for me and continues to be. I will add that I did my Whole 30 was also a a “Whole 30 + 10K steps a day.” During that one whole month I made the vow to get 10K steps a day on my Fitbit. Yes I was outside pacing the sidewalk in my coat in January. Yes I was on the elliptical that I set up in our living room and takes away from the decor. I have friends who lost weight without the 10K steps, but honestly it gave me something to do instead of sitting there thinking about the snacks I was missing!!
Some tipss: Bare Apple Chips were my friend! The whole point of Whole30 is to take away sweet cravings and it will. But there are just moments when you need a bit of something. The Apple chips were great! A little sweet and very crunchy.
This spiralizer makes NOODLES out of zuchini!!! Some days I made myself a huge bowl of zoodles and loaded it up with garlic shrimp, carrots, cashews, etc. and it was sooo filling! The noodles can be slightly wet when cooked (I would just make the noodles and then cook them on the stovetop in just a bit of garlic and olive oil). But to me they were sooo close to the real thing. You can also spiralize sweet potatoes (i.e. sweet potatoe shoestring french fries) and also make your own homemade apple chips.
“Wholly Guacomole” mini cups (I get mine at Super Target) are wonderful for taking for lunch. I kept grilled chicken breasts in the fridge for lunch and would take the chicken plus baby carrots plus my guac cup to work for lunch and seriously…so filling! Add in a pickle or some olives and you have a good balance of healthy fats, veggies and protein.
I have at least four patients who completely got on board. One of them is my Mom. She is a Type2 diabetic and her A1C had gone up to 7.8 (<7.0 is the goal) and was so upset b/c her Dr was going to place her on a medicine that was going to be $300 a day OR was going to put her on insulin (rightfully so, that is exactly what needed to be done with her numbers). I convinced her to do Whole 30 and I SWEAR…within 7 weeks her A1c was down to 6.1!!! (I was able to test it myself). Additionally her other diabetes medications were lowered and she lost around 13 pounds.
IT is a great healthy kickstart. Good luck to you and feel free to PM.
I findd the Whole30 too rigid, and that clarified butter sounds gross.
I am currently drinking a protein fruit smoothie I made, but added a thing of peach greek yogurt, which I believe is a serious no-no on the whole 30 (no dairy allowed). I also make the mistake of using the larger container to make the smoothie so I can fit more fruit, and then drink too much of it. I will put whats left int he fridge now before I drink it, and remember to use the smaller container or smaller gizmo (I have a ninja professional and magic bullet blender gizmos.
Visiting my folks in Florida, am taking advantage of the beautiful weather to walk outside in the sunshine. 4.5 miles yesterday afternoon and 2 miles this AM with my 83 y.o. Dad.
@jym626 … Yes it is restrictive and yet not. There are tons of foods that can beMy own way wasn’t working though. And I had no structure. Getting on a structured program helped me see the gaps in my eating in glaring clear focus and helped get me to my goal.
I did not like ghee. So I mostly just use olive oil for cooking. I was never a big butter person anyway so that part was not hard for me. The no snacking and the no processed foods was the hard part!
@carachel2-
I did use the general plan to get focused on healthy eating, but I am not a paleo person!!
I hear ya! I would never say I was either but for some reason it truly does seem to be the only way of eating that really melts the pounds off. It makes me so mad but it’s true!!
FallGirl, what part of FL?
^Venice. Right on the water.
It will be interesting to see what H weighs at doc on Monday - to refill his Losartan we have to see the new doc since ours retired. H ran this morning (beautiful sunny day here, 65 now) and weighed himself as soon as he was home - and he was down another 1.5 lbs (of course he ‘knows’ some of that is water loss, but he definitely gets encouraged by the numbers). I think once he hits his number (200 lb, he is 6’3") he won’t vary more than 5 lb. I bet by the end of Feb he will be there if not sooner. 7.5 lbs to go. He may even run tomorrow, depending on how he feels.
Kudos to all making progress!
I did buy a pizza at Aldi’s last night - 1/4 pizza = 340 calories. And it was only $2.29. Sausage pizza, so not much on all ingredients but satisfying non the less.
One does need to decide where one can cut things out and how to do with less.
Just fell off the diet wagon at a luncheon. Had bread pudding , 1/4 of a bagel and 1/4 of a Krispy Kreme, and then egg salad and fresh fruit. I don’t care. It was good! Problem is, we have a dinner at someone’s house tonight too! Special multicourse meal with wine pairings. Well, today is a pig-out day for me.
Join the club, JYM. I was taken out to lunch yesterday,mother to dinner. Given a box of Hoffman’s chocolates. Between the Martina’s and the chocolates, I won’t weigh myself.
@bookworm I went to a holiday women’s party where we had delicious Chocolate Martinis. Pre-diet. Sounds like a good food day/bad diet day @jym626 - there is always tomorrow.
Yup- today is a food holiday. And I only ate 1/4 of a bagel and 1/4 to 1/3 of a Krispy Kreme donut (one bite of one, and a small cut off piece of another). That is restraint, as far as I am concerned!
I don’t think I could eat only a couple of bites of Krispy Kremes, at least not a fresh one!
They had 4 boxes- and the plain were hot off the rack!!