Carolyn

I didn't want to bore the few reading this with 'so this is what I ate today!' as that is, well, boring, so I skipped a couple of days.
( a heck of a lot of rambling in here )
Seventh day here, and I have to say this has been the easiest of weeks of dieting. Except it isn't dieting. I have had to deal with headaches, which I rarely, rarely get, but that just tells me that yes there is SOMETHING I am consuming that I needed to get out of my system. Given I am still drinking coffee and tea, it is not caffeine. But I have found several teas that are delicious plain - Constant Comment and Ginger Peach - and am content. After 7 days without sweeteners, I realize I don't miss them. How about that.

Other things I have not had this week - dairy, grains, flours, sugar, sweeteners of any kind, processed foods - everything I have eaten has had one ingredient and grew and lived one way or the other. That sounds a bit barbaric but when I did eat meats or fish I bought the best quality I could, free range, grass fed, hormone-free.

This hasn't been hard at all. I tossed everything out last week and have been eating like this ever since. There has not been one hour or one moment where I have struggled, been hungry, craved anything other than sweet potato but I can eat that so no big deal. There is a lot of variety, I have found www.nomnompaleo.com to have the best, easiest and most delicious recipes.

So other than headaches, what else have I noticed?

I feel lighter. My stomach is flatter. My rings are loose. My tastebuds are waking up and simple flavors taste amazing. I've learned to make ghee and other things I never thought of before. I find myself pulling my shoulders back and stretching a lot, because my tummy feels light if that makes sense. As the days have gone on I'm finding myself satisfied more easily, finding it easier to just stop eating when I am done. The dogs have liked getting the tidbits! :)

Also - foot pain has decreased with each day. I haven't had any stabbity pain since Tuesday. There was an hour two today as I was walking around at work (very busy day) that the odd sensation of burning under-toe returned (seriously, the pad of my big toe BURNS) but then it went away.

I've walked the dogs 4 out of the 7 days. Today I got home too late, another day it was too warm. Tomorrow morning I plan to get up, throw the hair into a ponytail, toss on some clothes and take Maddox to our favorite park. It is still too warm for us to try out his new backpack but that is coming! So I have to carry a water bottle for him. He'll need it. (Also! Lots of geocaches in this park - I have found 49, and am determined to reach 55 at least by the end of the day tomorrow!)

Sleep is good too - the last few mornings I have woken up well before the alarm. This is good. Very good.

So all in all, I am very very pleased with the first week of Whole 30. I've had some emotional roller-coaster, this is true and can't be denied, and I am not sure why but the sads hit really hard a few times this week. Little things made me feel sad and neglected and full of woe, just very alone. My daughter and son though--what would I do without them? I'd text Kelly or talk to Tiff awhile and the crushing feeling would lift for awhile.

Work, happily, has been awesome, and my boss and I talk a lot more about random things inbetween the work, which is nice. Been talking about biking, geocaching, hiking, food, adventures, crazy clients (we have plenty) and other lawyers, lol. He and Desiree know I have cut out all the stuff (though Desiree knows exactly what I am doing and is all chuffed about it). Not sure why the leap but I do love it, love the feeling of TEAAAMMM and working for someone who respects me and who I can respect. That is a very good thing.

Oh and have I lost weight? I have no idea! I hid my scale from myself. This isn't about weight loss necessarily, but I know it is happening. I hope at the end of the month I will have broken through that ridiculous plateau barrier I've been on for years. Srsly! For two years I have been almost exactly the same weight. Nice for the wardrobe to be consistent, but I wish it were ten pounds less, and then be consistent!

I am rewatching Supernatural. Am watching X Factor with sheswatching (oh my STARS! SCREAM! it is agonizing! Love it! ha ha), and just trying to stay busy, in a routine. That I am still working on!

Going to see my son tomorrow, and load up on local produce that he has so easily available where he lives, for next week's menu. :)

WHEE!

I want to sell my mountain bike and get a proper ten speed.

On to the next week of Whole 30, yup yup yup!

So, went to Fencon yesterday with my friends Cid and Suz. They combined it this year with the steampunkers and WOW talk about crazy costumes.... Just yeah. Some were truly truly amazing. My beloved Anthony aka talekyn was in town for business, so he joined us yesterday for some of the fun. He and I also escaped for The Mothership, also known as the very first and original and HUGE Half-Price Books. Anthony collects 'nostalgia' books and he sure made a killing this weekend at The Mothership plus the two Arlington stores we visited Friday night. It is tradition for us, whenever he is in town we go to a different Half-Price. Going to The Mothership may turn into a must-go every time he is here, which is sadly only about once a year. Pout.
( Someone made and brought a Dalek! )