I can’t believe I am telling you this, but I need accountability.

 

Oh my goodness!  I cannot believe I am writing this!

Friends, I need some accountability.

I am getting ready to start the Whole30 plan.

 

The

Have you heard of it?

I’m not going to go through all the details of explaining it, but it is a healthier way of eating.

Eat real food – meat, seafood, eggs, tons of vegetables, some fruit, and plenty of good fats from fruits, oils, nuts and seeds. Eat foods with very few ingredients, all pronounceable ingredients, or better yet, no ingredients listed at all because they’re totally natural and unprocessed.

You can click on the graphic if you want to learn more.

I have come to a place where I have to do something to feel better, get healthy, and hopefully lose some weight.

Wait a minute!  I know some of you just shook your heads and said “Lose weight?!”

Yes.  I need to drop some pounds, people.  Over the past three years, I have put on 30 pounds.  Not kidding.

Look at the difference in these two pictures:

detox

I was in the best shape of my life 3 years ago.  I was into running, and I was eating much healthier.

 

IMG_0230-450x600

However, the past three years have not been the best “health wise.”  My back {scoliosis} has continued to give me trouble which makes running not very fun.   P

Not to mention that I am now in my 40’s, and my body is letting me know it LOUD and clear!

Lately, I have been so frustrated with my weight gain and my feeling of just being “unhealthy.”  I know my addiction to CocaCola’s and chocolate hasn’t helped me either.  Smile

I’m going to actually tell you how much I weigh right now in hopes that in a month I will be able to share with you my new {smaller} weight.

I weighed myself this morning, and I weighed 170.02 pounds.  Ouch!!  That is my all time highest weight, not including when I was pregnant.

Even though that weight makes me cringe, it is how I “feel” right now that bugs me the most.  I know I am not making good food choices, and my body feels it.

Here’s a look at what I have eaten this the week:

Sunday morning:  McDonald’s breakfast with a coke

Sunday afternoon:  Lunch at Chili’s with lots of coke

Monday lunch:  Chickfila with large coke

Tuesday lunch:  Chickfila with large coke

Wednesday dinner:  KFC with large coke

That does not include the bag of rolo’s and some oreo’s I have eaten this week.

Y’all, the madness has got to stop!!

 

I am definitely an emotional eater, and when I am stressed, I turn to food.

I am hoping the Whole30 will help me break this habit.

 

So I am just throwing it out there.  I need you guys to hold me accountable.  Every week, I am going to give you an update on how it is going.

I’m not going to drink Cokes anymore.  {I feel like crying as I write that.}

 

Have any of you tried the Whole30?

Can I do it? 

Please send me lots of encouragement and fist pumps, ‘cause I’m gonna need it! 

69 Comments

  1. I think we must be twins who were separated at birth!!!! I weigh more than you, but I have gained 80 pounds (YES, I SAID EIGHTY POUNDS) over the past three years and you are very smart to start a program when you have only 30 pounds to lose. I’m miserable with the way I feel AND look in my clothes, but I’m not motivated to do anything about it. I have not heard of your plan but I’m going to check it out. I’ll watch for your progress and maybe you can make me be accountable! I love your blog!!!!

  2. You can do this! In the last year I have lost 40 pounds and an amazing amount of inches. I use Advocare, but it is paired with clean eating. Just find those healthy snacks to fix any cravings you may have. I always chew gum, and have ice water on hand at all times! :) I can’t wait to watch you on this journey and be here to support you.

    It’s not an easy feat, but you’ve got this!!

    Hugs,
    Jenn

  3. You can do it! I have not read up on the Whole30 thing, but am doing something very similar to it. Since April 30th I gave up sugar and rarely eat anything with sugar in, even sweets. It is not hard to pass by it anymore as I have done it for so long. Peanut M&M’s are my favorite along with snickers and I just don’t crave them anymore. They can be in my house and I will not eat them. Every once in awhile I may eat something, but not much….but it is a rare occasion. I do not eat a lot of flour, pasta, breads etc either. Since January I have lost 25 pounds and since I started eating healthy, I lost 16 of those pounds. It just keeps coming off. I too was up to 170 and now am close to my goal weight. Once you get started it is so much easier to do. I do eat pizza once in awhile and other things, but I just don’t over indulge on it. You can do it and you will feel so much better. You look great, but I know it is a personal thing and we don’t feel good about ourselves when we are out of shape and have gained so much weight. I am almost 50 and it was so hard to lose weight, but once I started cutting out sugars and flour products, it has come off pretty easy. Hope it goes well for you! :)

  4. My husband and I LOVE the WHOLE 30! It is easy and hard at the same time. Easy because you can eat a lot of food, you aren’t hungry, and the weight pretty much melts off. Hard because you have to be prepared, disciplined, and you have to cook and clean ALL THE TIME. I have recommended it to so many people. I didn’t have much weight to lose when I did it, and lost 12 pounds in 6 weeks and am UNDER my goal weight. My hubs lost 24 lbs! Good luck!!

  5. I only have about 5lbs to lose, but it’s still a burden on my small frame. It IS nice to be accountable to someone and I encourage you in this quest. Just cut out the crap food. and get back into cooking. It’s easier and cheaper than you might think and you’ll be giving your children a gift in the long run. Not a fan of this program for many reasons, but whatever works for YOU is what’s important! Sometimes it helps to jump start something and eliminating foods can help with that. Just get that overly processed , saturated fatty, stripped of nutrient food out of your diet, and out of your house, really.
    My “problem” food” is nuts! Yes, they’re good for you, but highly caloric! I’ve started swimming daily again and hope to start running (lifelong runner), so hopefully, I’ll get back to my weight of 2 yrs ago. I miss wearing my jeans as i refuse to accept this weight and buy new ones.

  6. Thanks for this post, Traci. I have been following your blog for some time and had not noticed any weight gain on you. Since I got married, 26 years ago, I have gained almost 40 pounds and I hate the way my clothes don’t fit and are so uncomfortable (that’s why I spend so much time in yoga pants!). I am going to talk to my husband tonight and share this with him (he is diabetic and needs to lose weight too). Thanks for sharing!

  7. I’ve never done a program, but these are some of the habits I’ve tried to implement- maybe something will work for you or can be tweaked: I can emotionally eat, too, so I don’t buy it to have it in the house. We have a lot of allergies with one family member, so by necessity we cook from scratch and honestly, unless the restaurant is absolutely amazing, food just doesn’t taste as good outside the home. Menu planning is so helpful, and we waste less food. If I know we’ll be running errands, sometimes I’ll use an apple slicer and cut up some apples to have as a snack in the van. The kids have trays in the van and if we must eat on the run, it takes no more time to throw something together from home than it does to go through a drive thru and wait. I keep a large water bottle filled up all of the time- I seem to drink more through a straw, so I have a Camelbak bottle and it goes with me everywhere. And exercise…and sleep!! And now that I’ve hit 40, I’m really watching portion size as well. Lastly, I try not to eat after 7 p.m.

  8. Blessings 2 u. WHen I gave up soda at the age of 42, I could have walked up to those purdee pop machines and lick the front of the picture that was displayed on there with dew dripping from the pop bottle. I did it. I decided that I would stop drinking soda for 42 days in honor of turning 42. I have not had a coke or a pepsi since then. I am now 58. The kicker is I have an occasional diet root beer these days. whah.

    The best to you and remember to take deep breathes. It’s alright to not be perfect. I still sometimes feel like I am in high school being the good girl that made high marks and wanted to be the best at everything I did. Peace be still.

    May your Autumn be awesome,
    d

  9. More than anything I hear from your post (and my heart!) is our desire to be healthy!! To take care of the temple that God has given us; “whether we eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God!” (1 Corinthians 10:31) We are more effective in our time and talents, our family and friendships, when we are healthy! Praying for you as you start this change; can’t wait to hear how it’s going and the things you’re learning!

  10. Traci, you can do the Whole 30, no problem! I have 100+ pounds to lose and I have done three Whole 30s in the past year. It’s a great jumpstart to weight loss; now if I could just keep it up when I’m not doing W30 and I’d be at my goal weight by now. :-)

    It will be hard initially, like REALLY hard, especially as you are giving up soda and fast food. Once you get through the soda and fast food withdrawals, though, you will feel amazing and have boundless energy. It took me almost two weeks to detox the first time I did a W30, but the last 2 times have been easier, just a few days.

    Good luck, and keep us posted!

  11. oh my DEAR, 170 lbs
    Well I know it bugs you, but you carry it well and you should not worry too much at this point
    about the weight. Start by just trying to stay away from sweets, and fast food of any kind….
    And I used to love Coca Cola, and stopped drinking soft drinks diet or not completely, it works
    and is relatively easy, I drink green tea, some coffee, lemonade or mostly just lemon water.

    Also every time think SUGAR, stay away from it, it is hiding everywhere and is really not good for us, and most of all it will want you to eat more and more instead of feeling full. And all simple carbs turn into sugar do not forget.

    So let’s see how else I can help you, here is my support suggestion, I am way older than you are,
    and I need to lose more weight, that said, how about I do my kind of diet (basically no simple carbs, no sweets, no soft drinks and stay away from sugar) and adding a little more exercise
    every week) and YOU do yours….
    Let me know which day of the week you want to check in to see if we lost any weight. May be this way we can encourage each other…. May be Monday is a good day?
    E-mail me and let me know.

    TOGETHER WE CAN DO IT

    PS My daughter has the same issue as you with her back, and yes it is painful….. YOGA SEEMS to be a good pain reliever and muscle strengthener. Try it! I am doing yoga, and believe me
    many men will find it quite strenuous …….
    Edi YourChicagoConnection

  12. I’m in the same process right now, Traci. Not with Whole30, but just generally following those same principles.

    I gave up Dr. Pepper last December….it’s much easier than it sounds. You can do it.

    I’ll be rooting for you! And glad to know I’m not alone in this.

  13. I am looking this up right now… I am in the exact same boat… only I’m a lot older than you!! (61)…. :) … I too eat when I am stressed!! I also LOVE COKES!! (Fountain cokes at Chili’s .. YUM) :) BUT… I have gained and gained… and I really hate the way I feel!!! Although… I will say you look amazing as always Traci!! AND yes, I busted out laughing when I read your menu for the week!!!! GOING TO THE SITE NOW!!!! Blessings on your new venture!!!!!! :)

  14. Water, water, water!!! You should try to drink half your weight in ounces of water per day. 170 divided by 2 = 85 oz. of water per day. It truly helps!!!

  15. Good for you! Caffeine (starbucks & soda) were my vice! I have 3 young boys and I was certain I could not function with out them. I gave them up 5 months ago. I cried the first 3 weeks! However, I read Lysa Terkuerst’s book “Made to Crave” and it has really encouraged me. It is about replacing the foods we crave with God. Desiring God’s best has been the only thing that has given me the will power not to give in to my food whims! If you have a chance to read it, I would recommend it. I could use the accountability too, good for you for posting about it!

    1. Made to Crave came to my mind as I read your post as well. We are made to crave God, not food…a truth I am finding hard to learn! Made to Crave comes in books, devotions, and DVD bible study form. It is really good and would be a great supplement to your healthy rating plan.

  16. Oh, gosh, the 40s are brutal on metabolism and it’s such a battle to keep weight under control! Of course, you have our support and encouragement… we all want to feel (and look) our best and it’s so disheartening when we don’t. I’m battling a steady creep of lbs myself, so I feel your pain!
    xo Heidi

  17. Good luck on your journey! You can do this lifestyle change. I did something similar on January 19th. I posted my weight loss quest on Face Book for accountability. It inspired others to get on the healthy band wagon. It’s tough and to date I have lost over 50 lbs. I eat lots of organic fruits, veggies, eggs, nuts, meats, etc. I don’t eat any process foods, no white or wheat flours, sugar, red meats or pork. Only good foods! I feel so much better. I look forward to your posts and watching your success.

  18. I am sure some others may have mentioned that meds and hormones and other metabolic issues need to be addressed when embarking on this sort of thing. of course, premenopausal issues also come into play. Everyone sort of makes a joke about their thyroid but I am living that saga with a thyroid disease that cannot make up its mind whether it wants to be hyper or hypo . And you can imagine what the weights and feelings of wellbeing and not so well..

  19. You can do it Traci. Plan what you eat ahead of time and prepare your food to take with you.
    Don’t worry about those sodas that you drank…here’s a motto for you:
    “START WHERE YOU STAND”
    Hugs!

    1. I love that! Start where you stand! Such an encouragement when you fall short. Instead of giving up, stand back up!

  20. What a brave and courageous thing to do. So many os us women have issues with our weight and are afraid to speak out. I have read your blog for years and always thought how beautiful you are – both inside and out. I didn’t notice your weight gain – but for your health, I applaud you taking action.

  21. You can do it. I’ve suspected for a while that this was going to catch up with you as you’ve been so busy and had so many life changes. I’ll pray for you daily and want you to know how much I admire you for putting your need for accountability out there for all to see.

    I log my food daily and send to my accountability partner via email every night before bedtime. I joined First Place 4 Health about this time last year and have lost 30# eating similar to the Whole 30.

    Yes you can!

  22. me too Traci!
    I’ll be 68 next month..
    on my 60th birthday,i weighed 129lbs.
    the exact same amount I weighed when checking into the hospital to have my son in 1967!
    I was a smoker, but once i quit cold turkey, the weight started creeping on a few lbs a year..
    these last 8 years have seen many life changes, most for the best, and some of the happiest in my life..but weighing 145lbs on my 5’2″ small frame is uncomfortable…even more so especially since moving to Florida from Colorado! The heat and humidity has been so rough on me here..where I walked every morning and afternoon in Denver,now I’ve simply stayed indoors..
    the temps have begun to be more tolerable..so I made a pact with myself on Oct 1, I would get this weight off..and i am once again riding my bike,walking to do photography. and working outdoors..
    my diet has long been fairly healthy..fruits, veggies, meats..no sodas..i have 2 cups of coffee every morning, and switch to iced tea which is usually watered down. I do drink a lot of lemon water..especially when outdoors.. I don’t eat chocolate..or candy. my biggest vice is Vienna Fingers cookies..!
    so they are no more..
    i think exercise will be my key..
    and yes.. my Dr fully endorses my plan.. we discussed this at my wellness appointment when he reviewed my meds, did blood work,had bone density scan (i have rheumatoid and osteo arthritis) so he cleared my plan.
    I will be following closely,watching your progress!
    thanks for touching a subject problem most of us have but prefer NOT discussing!
    hugs and smiles..
    Loui♥

  23. Bless your heart for admitting you need help. My kids and i came to the same conclusion this morning and realize we also need to make a change. We can’t keep doing the same things and hoping for different results. I’ve followed you for years, but haven’t commented in awhile. I haven’t noticed your weight gain either. I’ll bet just dropping the soda will improve things a TON. Thank you for being brave enough to tell us how much you weigh. I”ll be rooting for you from clear across the U.S–Belinda…from Spokane WA

  24. First of all, you look great no matter what weight you are!! Secondly, I am amazed that you confessed all this to us. Beautiful Traci!! Thirdly, you are obviously not alone. Many women share your struggle and many of us are emotional eaters… Including myself. My advice to you, no matter what type of eating style changes you make, give it ALL to God EVERY day!! Ask Him to help you each morning to make the right decisions and spend time in His word. He will bless your efforts for putting Him first. I have done the Daniel Fast…have you heard of it? There are 3 types of fasting, the one I did you do eat only just fruits, veges, whole grains, nuts, etc. no meat, sugar, dairy or added sweetners. Water is the only drink. But the whole purpose of the fast is to drawer closer to The Lord, pray about a specific purpose, ie finances, kids, spouse etc and during this time of focusing on God and your purpose, you lose weight. I lost 20 lbs in 21 days….and kept it off. Because I have chosen to stay off sugar, caffeine, & white flour. It’s typical to have a headache around day 2 or 3 from caffeine withdrawl (coke) so be prepared. It does go away, drink LOTS of water. I am sooo proud of you Traci! I’ ll be praying for you sweet girl. Be blessed!

  25. Hello Traci…I have been following your blog now for the better part of this year. I just wanted to let you know that YOU CAN DO IT!! The Whole 30 sounds like something similar to eating Paleo (check it out), and if so, I really encourage you to make it a way of life and not just a temporary means to an end. The overload of sugar and grains and bad fats is literally killing people in this country, along with all the toxins in our food and environment. The degenerative conditions and diseases that result are something we are inflicting upon ourselves with the way we eat. I encourage you to eat organic as much as possible and to try and get meats from grass-fed organic animals. What an example you will be setting for your children…by having them share your food you will be improving the health of your whole family. My strongest suggestion is to make a weekly meal plan ahead of time….then base your grocery list off of your recipes. Being organized like this will make the biggest difference for those evenings that you got home 30 minutes later than you expected and will help you avoid just putting a frozen pizza in the oven. Trust me! You will be able to stick to a healthy meal plan if you have a plan. =) I am just finishing my Nutritional Therapy Practitioner certification, and one of the things I hope to do is educate and coach people making this kind of change in their lives. Please feel free to give me a shout if you have any questions. Blessings!

  26. I just finished a whole 30 and loved it! Per-planning and cooking were the most challenging but very doable. Good luck with it! I lost 10 pounds during the 30 days but most amazing was the increase in energy I had. I will definitely do it again. After a week of not being so careful I can tell a difference in my energy level and see the need for making this a lifestyle.

  27. I love your posts. I know what you mean about weight gain. I have put on 20 plus lbs. since making a major move to another state. I also have scoliosis which is giving me fits right now. I had surgery as a teenager and am possibly facing another surgery.

  28. You can do it!!! We are behind you 100%. You have the strength to do it but you must keep your head on straight. You are your own worse enemy and we all have been in the same spot. YOU CAN DO IT!!!
    You are an inspiration to me and all the others that read your blog. Lean on us, we are here for you as your are for us!
    Remember you are not perfect. Don’t beat yourself up. There will be mistakes, but it’s ok as long as you get back on it.
    Love to you! I’ll be praying for you!

  29. Good for you Traci – you can do it! You’re such a go gettter and goal achiever I can’t wait to hear your progress. I’ve lost 40 lbs since February through Medi Weight Loss which is basically lots of protein and few carbs – I feel great and it’s only taken me 15 years to get back to my prepregnancy weight after 4 boys! My oldest just turned 15 Monday and I’m only 10 lbs away from my wedding weight! Yippee! Good luck, drink lots of water and keep moving! :)

  30. I’m joining you! I just read about it today and I’m starting it also – what a coincidence when I read this! I need to lose about 50 lbs. and I have also just been diagnosed with a thyroid immune disorder that is related to gluten so whole30/Paleo it is for me – I don’t really have a choice if I want to feel good and not be itchy and covered in hives. I gave up soda at least 10 years ago and now I can’t stand it – regular soda is way too sweet, and diet just tastes like awful chemicals. If you get sugar out of your life by using Stevia or something pure, you won’t crave it or miss it much. I drink mostly water and a little unsweetened ice tea, but I started out with ice tea with stevia to break my soda habit.

    I will be praying for your success (and mine) as we clean up and honor our temples :)

  31. Traci, I know you can do this! Don’t beat yourself up and take it one day at a time. There are alot of great healthy eating blogs to get you started eating healthier with yummy recipes. 4 years ago my dr told me I was pre-diabetic. The thought of needles for the rest of my life was enough to start me eating better (my dad developed adult onset diabetes and I knew I did not want to be like him cuz he did not take care of himself and suffered greatly towards the last part of his life). I cut out soda then, even tho I had been drinking diet, I learned that’s worse than the full sugar kind. Since then I have cut out sugar, white flour and white rice, along with processed food and most wheat. I researched juicing (mostly) veggies and fruits just this yr and found it did help my energy levels (i’m 60 so you are still a spring chicken to me!). Lots of good stuff (programs, diets, etc) but God made each of unique so do what works for you. You might even want to go slow. I know I have tended to rush into things headfirst and either get sidetracked or overwhelmed and give up. And find some good support. There will be days……and that support will help keep you on track. Sending you lots of hugs! Now you go girl!!!

  32. I think you look happy. I have a super thin photo but I looked sadder. There’s a sparkle in your eyes. You are so strong in your walk with The Lord and in reality, I’d never have guessed your weight as your arms look nice. Your ahem b—bs aren’t big so you look slim. Let that sink in before you even start. I have gained 45 pounds now after a brain injury and meds for stuff and I don’t and can’t move like I long to do. I cried for I was doing better exercising but setbacks came and meds rose. I often like to rest. I’ve cried a lot for I don’t feel like me. I know exactly well no I don’t but I am in the same boat but worse! I continue neuro PT off and on and wouldn’t I love to walk without my foot dragging. I told my wonderful PT but I have to do more but my head says no.
    So lets start by not eating at night after dinner. Okay? And remember oh dear. I forget. Peter? No. John? Who had the dream and all the food was on the sheet and he’s told to eat any of it and he keeps saying No No It’s unclean. I got to thinking about that with first hearing of the Polero diet. So strict they were. No legumes or salt. Well I have a goiter because I did not buy iodized salt and rarely ate salt!!!
    Lets be wise. Junk. No good. Chemical pre-made not good. But also I think of a health food famous man named Eull Gibbons (sp) advertising Grape Nuts cereal and he died at age 64. I will join you in eating healthier. Let us not make it our god. I drink water. My friend stayed with me a week and said, no Gwen you do eat healthy.
    So my dad would drink a teeny glass with ice cubes and coke. It seemed like so much more. It was his pick me up! A 24 oz of Coke lasted about ten days! But he lived to be 90.
    My Mom is 95 and needs a bit of chocolate each day. Just naturally she has eaten less over the years.
    Am I saying you and I should let our weight sky rocket? No. But we should
    *accept and thank God for our body and name over the next 30 days also one thing a day to really thank him for. Eg. Thank you Lord for my eyes. I like how you made them this color. Thank you that they are not too round nor too small. I like how far apart they are. Thank you Lord for designing my eyes. Include hands, feet, fingers….!!!
    *Stay ever close in these 30 days to the Lord and about doing His Work to share Christ with others!!satan is on the prowl like a roaring lion and will use this to try to make our desire to lose weight into spiritual battle. Think eve in the garden. Lets put on our armor Daily and know this will be a fight for that evil one will try to make us think we must only think about what we do/don’t eat all the time
    *Jesus. Think on Him. It’s a challenge to draw closer to Him too.
    *im craving —-. Repeat and read Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good repute and honorable, think on these things. Read the actual verse. This helped me when I had flashbacks to my classroom accident, falling backwards off counter while stapling up bulletin board, landing eight foot fall, on back of my head first.
    *do you have say once a month women’s group and dessert is served? Eat a bit less that day and enjoy the meal and dessert.
    *i can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I weigh 30 pounds more than I did nine months pregnant with my eight pound baby! I ask God.
    Yes, I will be wise in my eating too. And Lord thank you for this issue that seems an issue now, when I’m not well. I long to look like me again Lord as does Traci

  33. YOU GO GIRL…you CAN do it! I started boot camp three weeks ago….I was feeling that whole “middle age thing” going on and thought I need to STOP complaining and doing something. Ok I will admit, week one was tough but now that I’m in week three, I love it….I’ve made alot of new healthier choices (cuz like we have to journal every morsel that goes into our body) and drinking more water than I think I’ve ever drank. (my life wasn’t complete without chocolate and diet pepsi)…I still have one or two cans but in boot camp we learn that POP IS POISIN…..I find myself WANTING water more. So take it a day at a time…..you didn’t gain it in a day nor will you lose it in a day! Celebrate victories….but of course not with a donut…….and JOURNAL and PLAN. GOOD LUCK….can’t wait to see your progress!

  34. Traci, I am saying a few prayers for your new lifestyle change! I want to tell you about a great product to help with the coke addiction. It is called Spark by AdvoCare! This product helped me kick my Pepsi habit years ago and I am now proud to say I am totally caffeine free. Spark does have caffeine, but it is a much healthy alternative to the coke. Can’t wait to hear about your updates each week!

  35. You can do it!! I just did Whole 30 this summer and my husband and I have kept up about 80% of the paleo “lifestyle” since then. We feel better than ever! Of course, he lost way more than I did (grrr) but we both lost weight and I’ve kept it off. Best of all, the sugar addiction has been kicked..as long as I don’t reopen that door too much! You will do great and I really admire your bravery for posting your weight and going all out. That mentality will definitely help you through the 30 days. I don’t know if you have read, “Made to Crave,” by Lisa Terkeurst but it was also really helpful in the mental battle…which is really the majority of the fight anyway! I wish you well!

  36. Tracy, I have followed your blog forever but haven’t commented much. However, your plan to do a Whole30 has me so excited. We are about the same age and I also have four kids that are the exact ages as yours. I totally understand where you are coming from. I have always been very active but my eating was terrible. I have never been a soda drinker but I was a sugar addict. After a doctor’s check up that revealed many vitamin deficiencies including iron and a borderline thyroid problem, I took matters into my own hands and did a Whole 30 in May. It sucked for the first 10 days but then everything changed. I started feeling fantastic and I loved how good I felt. I finished my Whole 30 when the kids got out of school and continued to eat well but wasn’t 100% over the summer. So, on August 1st I started another Whole30 and had even better results than the first time. By the end I told my husband I felt like superwoman. I had stamina and energy. My workouts have become amazing. Everything I do in the gym is better and I have sustained energy all day long. I used to have a sugar crash about the time my kids came home from school…not the best thing for a mom during the prime time of the day. You can totally do this. Don’t cheat and stick with it. I highly recommend paying the $15 and getting the Whole30 daily e-mails. I am cheap but they were worth every penny. And, read It Starts With Food as well. You will lose weight but just remember that’s not what this is about. You will feel so fantastic. Good luck. Can’t wait to hear about your experience.

  37. You got this! For me it was Chick-Fil-A sweet ice tea. I use to drink it like water. Once I got over the headache it was easyvpeasy. That was over 15 years ago. I’m currently doing a no sugar 30 day challenge and it is surprisingly easier than I thought. I was recently diagnosed with colitis so I’m really trying to eat clean. I actually crave veggies and fruit. It so crazy to me how my body changed once I hit forty. I’m determined not to gain the per menopause weight. I do allow myself Sweet Frog yogurt once in awhile. Give yourself at lease 20 days. After that it will be one habit that you will be proud to have. Good luck.

  38. The same thing happened to me! I have been miserable! I am 57 years old and I weigh 140!i am a vegetarian so most fast food is out for me. I was a swimmer, jogger,fast walker. As long as I exercised I was fine. My diet hasn’t changed, but my ability to be active to keep the weight off has changed. I walk a couple of miles most days, but not run. My stomach was growing and sit ups weren’t helping. My brother told me about the Wheat Belly Diet. I’ve cut out all wheat and made certain exceptions to the diet. It is radical, and sacrifices are going to have to be made. Pasta was on my diet for years, no more. Four days later I have lost weight, of course, but the stomach! AMAZING!! The visceral fat is going away! No matter how many crunches I did. So I say keep up the good work! It will come a little easier,back sliding will happen, but it will be okay. Hang in there. The right combination of exercise will come along! What’s hard is knowing that this will be your new ” normal”. Cake and all things you love (coke), will have to be cut waaaay back. No more, oh I need to run a few days to lose this weight. Not gonna happen like that. But it will be okay.

  39. I never would have guessed you weigh 170.2! You look slimmer. How tall are you? You are a brave woman to post your weight!! I want to echo what a couple of others said about the caffeine. I would suggest that you gradually decrease it, instead of going cold turkey. If you go cold turkey, you are going to probably have some killer headaches. You can start by reducing it by 1/4-1/2 of the amount that you have been drinking.

  40. Best of luck with your new eating plan. I myself have had the best success on the Dr McDougall Diet, which I highly recommend as have never felt better and have other health issues. If your plan doesn’t work for you perhaps you could check out his website, it’s enlightening!

  41. I had put on 81 lbs. in the 12 years I had been married (and had 3kids) and have a family history of heart problems (my grandmother died at 46 from a heat attack) so last year I committed to being healthy. I’ve eaten healthy and exersized hard. I’ve lost 50 and am working to lose the last 30 lbs before I turn 40 next April. So I’m right here with ya. Praying for ya the whole way!

  42. P.S. I’ll out myself too. I’ve not only got the same pound goal to lose, I’ve reached the 170 mark as well. Only I’m comin’ down onto it. Have you set a time goal?

  43. First, of all… you are beautiful inside and out no matter what size you are!!! you can do this!!!!
    I myself have been now into Zumba, Bootcamp, walking and now at 137 lbs… yes me!!! However… there… I had Allergies to address and change my eating ways and I feel so much better.

  44. Hang in there Traci…we have all been in this place at some point. Your proposed eating plan will make a big difference as will giving up coke. I have been doing beachbody programs for years, and they have helped me so much. I just started another beachbody workout program called T25 – only 25 minutes a day, and it goes by very fast. You can do this and I can’t wait to hear about your success over the next few weeks!

  45. Tracy,
    God Bless you sharing this with everyone. I know it will help all of us that struggle with weight. You do not look like you weigh that and I know you want to do it for your health but I personally think you look much healthier & beautiful now…of course I know you want to change your eating habits to be healthy & that is what is important. I am trying to do better too but at over 50 it gets even harder. I will look into this diet plan of yours.
    Much Blessings,
    Teri

    1. Yesterday when I read your blog I couldn’t believe it! I woke up yesterday thinking, I reeeeallly need to lose this weight now not later NOW!! I started thinking about eliminating breads, pasta, potatoes, rice, sweets, sugar, etc. not realizing it was lining up with the Paleo way of eating….then I read your blog, I too, have gained 30 lbs. in the last 4 years, and I just want it to be gone for GOOD! We weigh the same as well….so after reading your confession and request for accountability I decided to do this with you!!! I’ll keep you updated…after reading the Whole30 Plan, I discovered it was exactly what was going thru my mind yesterday morning….This just may be divinely inspired!!! God bless you…

  46. Traci you have to show us more “before” photos no way do you look 170! I would have said 100 pounds in the first and maybe 130 in the second. You look amazing either way. Coke is so bad for you. I gave it up 4 years ago and have kept 50 pounds off ever since. Good luck to you girl. I know you can do it! You will feel so much better. I was recently diagnosed with scoliosis in my lower back. No fun. I feel your pain and for some reason PT makes me worse. Sigh.

    Warmly, ~Melissa

  47. I have been doing this for the last month, and I have already lost 10 pounds and feel GREAT! I have a 17 month old, and have three kids in the last 5 years, so I am finally getting a chance to loose the baby weight. I have been eating whole foods, running in the a.m. and working out with weights in the evening. I would like to loose another 20 lbs, and be at an ideal weight of 130, but not only that I want to be toned too, so if I can do it so can you! Praying for you!

  48. RE giving up Coke. I was hooked on Diet Coke for years. I know it doesn’t have sugar, but it is definitely not good for you. I gave it up entirely. Not easy because some foods I love just scream for Coke! I switched to water. Water with lemon, water with orange, water with cucumber. After 2 years of no Coke I really don’t even miss it. Must be like smoking. You do finally lose the craving. You can do it.

  49. Good for you Traci, for being honest to yourself about where you are and what you want to change! I think you will chuckle if you hop over to my blog this week… we are most definitely on the same page!!

    YOU CAN DO THIS, AND SO CAN I… just watch us!!! :)

  50. I’m so thankful to read this!!! I finally got to the point where I was sick and tired of being at this weight so I started eating less carbs/sugars last week and I have already lost 6lbs!! You can do this and I’m so excited to see your progress!

  51. Good luck! The best book I have ever read that talks about coping with food is “Women Food and God” by Geneen Roth. The best thing I learned from this book was to ask myself WHAT AM I HUNGRY FOR? every time I want to eat. Most of the time I am not hungry, rather bored, loney, anxious, sad or hoping to celebrate. It helped me a ton. You look great now, but I understand wanting to feel better about yourself! Wishing you the best.
    Adrianne

  52. good luck with this & i think you will have lots of success with this way of eating. my husband and i eat similarly to this and since we began, about 3 years ago, he has lost 50+ lbs. (and that’s with with no exercise, much to my demise!). we also each feel so much better than we ever had in the past!

  53. Oh sweet Traci – Your diet this week sounds identical to mine! Yes, the madness has got to stop.
    I am 53 and had a hysterectomy at 45. I was overweight then but not to the extent that I am now. With hormonal changes after the surgery, and yes I am an emotional eater too, weight gain and body shape changed a lot.

    I am so happy you are taking this challenge. I will be praying for you daily and I asked that you pray for me too, I am a coke-aholic too, just finished my large Sonic coke and I know you know how good those are!!!!!

    Good luck and I will be praying for you!!!

    Marilyn C.

  54. Hi Traci! I have been following, but commenting much these past months. I felt the need to speak up here. When I met you over a year ago at Haven, I was at my heaviest point. I saw a picture I shot of the two of us and another one I took and I keep them in my dresser drawer. They were on my dresser at first. I was so appalled by my weight gain. I have since lost 35 pounds and weigh a little less than you, with twenty more to go. I am kinda off the wagon right now, but getting back on this week. I would suggest that you go to an endocrinologist and get a bunch of bloodwork done to make sure that your hormones aren’t too low, as well as your thyroid, someone open-minded and more than likely called an antiaging endocrinologist. I’ve never been able to do it before without one. I am curious as to what you are going to feed the hubby and the kids too!

  55. Traci, you are so funny. I love reading your blog and I have to say, if you are 170 lbs, you carry it really well. You look great. I’m not familiar with this plan, but don’t focus on weight loss. Focus on getting strong. You’ll see the difference in your clothes. Throw away that scale.

  56. Hitting 50 was like hitting a wall for me both emotionally and physically. I’ve gained UGH so much weight that I don’t even want to talk about it. I have to lose weight, I must, I need to, it is a priority. I have to get off the medications that my doctor feels is so important for me to be on. The kicker is the meds she put me on lists (weight gain is a side affect and trying to lose will be difficult – SERIOUSLY!! are you KIDDING ME????) Ugh! then she says oh how much have you lost? like I want to put a fork in my own eye each time she says “let’s weigh in”.

    Ok that’s it. Rant over! LOL

    Tomorrow starts another day of me monitoring, watching, and choosing to make good choices. :)

  57. I have to share that I too was carrying too much weight. But when I cut out Cokes, I lost 10 lbs almost immediately. They not only have a lot of sugar they also have a lot of salt. Went on the lose about 25 lbs, just by cutting back on the sugars and breads. One thing, when I got to a certain age, like 50!, I noticed that is is not as easy to take the weight off. Guess hormones play a part too. I hope you do well with the eating lifestyle. I read up on it once, so it can be challenging, but like you said, it is for a healthier life too.

  58. Good for you for writing this! In May I wrote a similar post and decided I needed accountability. I needed to lose baby weight that had been hanging around. I downloaded a free app to my phone (Lose It) and started eating as clean as I could and counting calories. I also run two to three times a week. It’s not a fancy diet trick. It’s hard work, ,discipline and exercise but it has worked and Since May 1st I have lost 37.6 lbs. I weigh in on Fridays which I find are my best days because Mondays are just hard! and then about every other Friday I wright a weigh in post. Even if no one else reads my post I feel like putting myself out there made me be accountable! My goal was to lose 36.6 lbs, so since I have exceeded that, I gave myself another 5 lbs to lose to get back to my pre-baby weight. 4 more lbs to go. Let’s all cheer for each other through this journey! It’s a hard one, but so worth it. Go Girl!!! (BTW, I run in a lot of 5k’s in town and I’m running in the Biggest Loser 5k in November. Let me know if you want to run it together!!)

  59. YOU CAN DO IT :) Switch to Diet Coke…then wean yourself off of that to water. Its okay to splurge once in a while.

    I put on 20 lbs in the last 3 years, it doesn’t seem like a lot but its the way that it makes you feel. I felt YUKKY. I decided the beginning of Aug that I had to do something. So I started Walking.. I was up to 2 1/2 miles a day but I slide back last week b/c in Kansas walking out side in 40-50 mile an hour wind is NOT fun. I have a treadmill, its just not as FUN as walking out in nature. A few days won’t kill me– so I am pledging today to look at your Whole 30 and get back on track :) !

  60. Tracy,

    Your article today has once again encouraged me. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in January. Thankfully, they caught it early so no chemo or radition. I did decide on a mastectomy with reconstructive surgery. When I was diagnosed I was a heavy diet coke drinker. My husband pleaded with me to give them up in light of my diagnosis. I won’t tell you I didn’t miss them cause I did! But after a while the craving was less and less. Now I only drink water, skim milk and an ocassional sweet tea.

    I have started exercising regularly at the gym and have been halfheartedly trying to eat better. I’m going to check out the plan you mentioned. I certainly need a life style change.
    Thanks for your courage in sharing here.

    P.S. I’m at Lake Oconee in Georgia. I think you have mentioned before that you have inlaws in this area.

  61. NOOOOO!!! I disagree with Wendy…. in my opinion, Diet crap is worse than the real sugar. Aspartame = not good, in my opinion.

    Seriously though, if you cut out fast food and your Coke….you’ll notice a huge difference in the way that you feel, more energy…. and I bet you drop 5 lbs in the first week.

    You can do it!!!

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