Day 30 Celebration

Time to Do the Happy Dance!

We've made it 30 days!  What a journey it has been.  For many of us it is the just the beginning.  Many of us are continuing on the AIP plan.  Others are going to modify, add back foods and/or go Paleo.  What ever you do, this was a great start!  I encourage you to stay in our group for support and encouragement what ever you decide to do.

The good news. I added up the amounts of weight people reported losing so far and the total is

171 pounds! 

That's right, in 30 days together we have combined weight loss of 171lbs.  Plus, there are people who are waiting to report their weight loss after completing Day 30.  So, that total is going to increase.  I am so proud of all of you!  That is a lot of weight.  I am sure the total is much higher, but I can only count what has been reported. So if you haven't reported, please let me know!

Many of us lost weight, but more importably people are reporting having more energy, less pain and feeling better overall.  Some people have not had as good of result, but I think that it may take more time.  Don't give up, it takes some bodies longer to heal.  Remember that changing your eating habits is not something you do for 30 or 60 days, it is a total lifestyle change.  A new way of relating to food. I know there have been many people who went off the program and ate "regular" food.  The consensus of those folks seems to be it wasn't worth it.  Most of them reported feeling terrible and having immediate negative effects.  That should teach us all something!  Food can be medicine or poison.

“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”  ― Ann Wigmore  

I'm looking forward to moving forward with you all and continuing our weight loss and healing.  Yesterday I announced that I have started a new website called Whole Life AIP and beginning  tomorrow I will be blogging there as well as changing the name of our Facebook Group.  But it is still the same place for support, encouragement and motivation. Thank you for all your participation in this June Challenge.  Now, lets's keep the momentum going!

Congrats to everyone!  I'm so happy you are part of this group!

In the spirit of vibrant health,

Day 29 - Whole Life AIP Launching

The beginning of something new . . .

Something happened during this Challenge.  I have a better understanding of my body, learned I had a histamine intolerance issue, lost weight and the most important thing - I have found a new direction in my life.  I knew last year that I was being called to write about my illness and what it represented to me.  It started last summer when I was diagnosed with a parathyroid tumor.  That brought attention to my throat, AGAIN!  I had been dealing with Hashimoto's for nearly 30 years and living with on-again, off-again issues.  The tumor forced me to begin looking at things in a new way and when I did, things started to change.  I mean really change!  As a matter of fact it was so profound that I have written a book about it called Becoming Zia: A Tale of Transformation and Rebirth. I hope to have published soon!  But, my story continues.

After the initial transformation my life began to take on a new focus and I knew I had to heal my body, mind and spirit.  I understood that my dis-ease was bigger than just the food.  Changing the food and eating AIP has been amazing and after many months of eating well the changes have been profound and I plan to continue following AIP.  However, I realize that it is about more than just the food.  It is about creating an inflammation free lifestyle.  

So that is what I have decided to do.  I've created a new website called Whole Life AIP.  It has four areas - Food/Nutrition, Body/Mind, Spirit, and Lifestyle.  It's a place for me to share my healing journey in hopes of helping others.  It is a bigger picture of AIP, one beyond the food and takes a look a peoples entire lives and what may be missing. It's also a place for me to write, which is my passion.  Plus writing about these topics will keep me connected to my own healing process while I am learning how to live my whole life with more vitality and passion.  My new site also has affiliate links to products that I endorse and is a means for me to support my website and blog. 

There is a Quiz on the first page of the new website to help you determine what areas of your life may be causing you inflammation.  I hope you take the Quiz and let me know what you think.  I would be thrilled if you all followed me on this new adventure and were part of my new healing philosophy. Starting on July 1st I will begin blogging on the new site and I'll be adding new content weekly.  It's exciting! You can subscribe to the blog by filing at the form on this page.

Also beginning July 1st I will be changing the Facebook Group to the Whole Life AIP private group.  It will continue being a place to support everyone in any way they need it - with food and eating AIP, body connection, losing weight, recipes, learning about loving kindness, sleep, how to reduce stress, etc. I hope you continue to participate.  It's about your whole life and living it fully!

Thanks for all your support during this Whole30 Challenge and I look forward to even more! Let's get healthy together!

Check it out now! Whole Life AIP and take the Lifestyle Inflammation Quiz!

Tomorrow is Day 30 I am looking forward to all the check-ins with weight loss totals and all the symptoms that have been relieved!  Get ready to share your story!

In the spirit of vibrant health,

Day 28

Food Report and Check-In

Food

Breakfast: Cantaloupe and grilled chicken

Lunch:  Mixed greens, romaine, pear, and chicken (blended in the food processor with coconut milk, salt and pepper)  It was pretty good.

Dinner: Ham, peas, and baked potato 

Check-In

Something strange has happened today.  I realized that since I have been home I have to fight the urge to snack.  When I was in Seattle I didn't even think about having snacks.  But since I've been home it has been really hard.  Not exactly sure what to think of it.  I do know that it is always hard for me to come home.  When I am there life is full and I feel like I am going 65mph.  Then, when I come home life seems to come to a screeching halt and I am in the 20 mph zone.  My neighborhood is quiet, no kids running by or people walking babies in carriages or dogs barking.  It is such a contrast.  It's hard for me to slow down and make the adjustment.  So I've found myself being called to the TV and the refrigerator.  I have a new webpage I am trying to get launched by Sunday and have been working on that a lot, but it's so quiet and I get a little bored and head towards the kitchen.  I feel a haze or veil of depression coming over me and I am trying to fight it.

Learning to bloom where I'm planted has been my goal since I moved here.  Some days I do okay, and other days no so well. I realize that eating or using food to soothe the boredom and discontent is not the answer.  It's interesting how eating healthy and following the AIP brings up all kinds of stuff - physical and emotional.  Today I have to remember to treat  myself with loving kindness and maybe do something nurturing, and not eat food I don't need!

Day 28 is over and I'm glad!  Heading to bed early, looking forward to a new day.

Day 27

Food Report and Check-In

Food Report

Breakfast: coconut milk, peach and hie smoothie

Lunch:  organic, grass feed ground beef, onions, and zucchini

Dinner: Mixed greens, green onions, cucumber, radishes, grilled chicken breast, olive oil

Check-In

Today seemed pretty easy food wise.  I have made some similar choices, but the food tastes good and is fulfilling.  It is simple and easy.  I realized that the best way for me to cook, now that I have this histamine issue to address, is to go to the grocery store every couple of days.  That way the food is fresh and it gives me more options.  Fresh is best when it comes to eating low histamine.  So tomorrow I am going to figure out food for the next few days and shop.  I think I'm going to try a recipe that I didn't get to make in Seattle, Ginger and Garlic Beef and Broccoli. At the beginning of the challenge I was anti smoothies, but since my histamine reaction and loss of appetite for meat, I've become a fan.  Coconut milk makes such a good base and peaches are coming in season, so I am a happy girl.  I'd love to add protein powder, but not sure what to use.  I think I'm going to add that in after day 30, after some investigation. 

Tonight I went to a talk about using essential oils for healing.  It was really interesting and I learned a

lot.  There was a woman who spoke about healing her Hashimoto's disease using peppermint and lemongrass oils.  Quite intriguing.  I've been interested in oils for years and I know that they effect me and can alter my emotional state.  But what I learned tonight is that they can change things on a cellular level as well.  Time to do some research and learn more about the possibilities of using essential oils to heal inflammation.  I already use lavender for sleeping.  Every night I spray my pillows with it, and it works so well that just smelling it makes me feel sleepy.  So I know it works!

Hope all is going well with everyone.  The posting on our Facebook group has slowed down quite a bit, so I hope it's because everyone is out there having fun because you have so much energy!

Day 27 down . . . three more to go!

Day 26

Food Report and Check-In

Food Report

Breakfast:  Coconut, peach and ice smoothie

Lunch: Chicken breast cooked in coconut oil, mixed greens, carrots, radishes, green onions and cucumber.

Dinner: Grilled chicken, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, salad.

Check-In:  I'm feeling nearly back to normal today. It has been an adjustment, but it is good to be back in my own bed.  It's also good to be back in my own kitchen and getting re-acquainted with my knifes, pans and cooking supplies. It's funny how you get used to a kitchen and a rhythm so quickly. My kitchen seemed like a foreign place to me yesterday, I had gotten so used to cooking at my daughters, but it only took a couple of meals to get back in sync.  However it did get me thinking about flow.  Having a kitchen that flows well, where things you use a lot are within easy reach and conveniently placed makes meal prep so much easier.  I also thought about tools, and how there are many that make working in the kitchen more simple.  In order to make life long changes in the way you eat, creating a kitchen that supports ease of cooking and preparation is a must.  Today I decided to do an inventory and a simple study of my work flow to see if there is something I can do to make things more efficient.  There are several things I've determined already.  I realized that my measuring spoons and cups are in a bowl high on a second shelf, that is inconvenient to reach.  It's a simple thing that is easy to fix. It may seem like a small thing, but things like that add up and take extra effort and steps to get the job done.  

Today I saw some people I haven't seen since I left in May. First I went to the salon where I get my nails and hair done and as soon as I walked through the door they noticed. "Wow, you've lost weight!" It was really nice to hear and even better to know that it was showing.  I felt it, but I wasn't sure others could see it.  I then went to dinner with some friends who also noticed and told me how good I looked and how bright my face looked.  Afterwards, I went to a meeting and a few people there also noticed my weight loss.  It felt really good.  I don't know how much I have lost during this Whole30, but I know the total from when I started in January is over 50 pounds.  It is really starting to make a difference. It is happy result of following the AIP and changing my relationship with food.  I'm losing weight, feeling healthy and pain free, and thinking clearer.  It feels pretty great! It sure makes giving up all the foods much easier to do. 

Three days to day 30!  Can't wait to hear all the positive results people have to report! 

Day 24 & 25

Food Report and Check-In

Day 24:

Breakfast: coconut milk, peach, hemp smoothie

Lunch: grilled chicken and watermelon

Dinner: hamburger patty and sweet potato

Day 25:

Lunch: chicken breast, summer squash

Dinner: grass feed, organic hamburger, onions, zucchini, apple

Check-In:

The last two days seemed to have gone by so quickly.  Yesterday I was sitting with my granddaughters playing Qwirkle and today I am home looking at a pile of mail and an empty refrigerator. My plane flight was delayed yesterday and I didn't get home until nearly midnight.  Making the Whole30 a priority has been my goal and continuing to eating clean.  I missed breakfast this morning because there was nothing at all to eat.  After unpacking and getting a bit reacclimatized I headed to the health food and grocery store.  It is such a stark contract in resources between the abundant Seattle area and the high desert of California.  As much as I try to accept the reality of where I live, it is hard.  The grocery store where I shop has only a small organic section and a few organic meats choices.  But, thankfully I have that.  The closest Whole Foods or Trader Joe's is over an hour away. Tomorrow is the Farmer's Market and I will head there to see what I can find.  It's time to fill up the refrigerator with lots of fresh fruit and veggies!

I am feeling good, nearly back to normal after the histamine attack. But I am still aware that I have to make different food choices. Since I am starting with a clean slate and empty refrigerator it is going to make it far easier.  On Day 25 I feel like I am just getting warmed up and I've decided to go beyond the 30 for at least another 15 days.  It seems like I am getting a better understanding of my body and my food sensitivities. It's been an interesting 25 days! 

Hope you are all doing well and figuring out what you plan to do next.

Day 23

Food Report and Check-In

Food Report

Breakfast: Cantaloupe

Lunch: grass feed, organic beef cooked with onions served on mixed greens

Dinner: Maggiano's Chopped Salad

Check-In:  My last full day in Bellevue.  I've been here since May 23.  That's a long time.  When I first came it seemed like June 24 was so far away, now here it is upon me.  It has been a wonderful time.  I've enjoyed spending so much time with my granddaughters, getting to bond with Chris on a deeper level and connecting with Elisha in her everyday life. It's been super busy with end of school year activities and I feel so grateful to have been able to be a part of it all.  We had a fun and hectic weekend at The Great Wolf Lodge, a Girl Scout outing to a parrot sanctuary, a 9th birthday celebration, a school concert,  Young Author's Day, a women's Sounders game, a Mariners game, Bella's soccer games,  Zoe's swim meets, and an elementary school graduation.  Plus I got to meet Judi from our group in person!  I  also visited my niece and saw my nephew Karl who I haven't seen in 15 years.  Memories I will cherish.

The idea of doing a Whole30 while I was here came about on a layover at the San Jose airport on my way to Bellevue.  Elisha wanted to do a detox and was investigating programs and I was looking for something for them to do too. I really wanted them to try the AIP.  Unbeknownst to either of us we were both looking at the Whole30 plan nearly at the same time. I texted her from San Jose - my laptop open to the Whole30 page. I asked what she was doing and she texted "reading about the Whole30." Kismet! Once I arrived we hatched a plan and I decided to start the Facebook Group to give us added motivation.  I was hoping maybe 10-12 people might join is.  Boy was I surprised when nearly 40 people joined within minutes and over the next week over 200 had agreed to participate!  It was so exciting and such an affirmation of support.

Now, here it is Day 23! The time has gone by so fast. All three of us are feeling better and I know Chris and Elisha are feeling different - they even look different.  The detox is over and they have moved into the high energy phase.  There has been no sitting around, vegging out around here!  However, things have changed since I got sick. That sort of began a derailing of the plan here at the Mitchell's.  I'm not sure they will fully recuperate, but I think they got a taste of feeling good and that's all that matters. Once you start feeling better it's hard to go back to eating the old way and especially how it makes your body feel.  For me, I'm in this for the long haul.  They may be thinking I'm a little fanatical, but I have a dis-ease to put into remission!  Thankfully I am back on solid ground and ready to face the next phase of my healing and begin the process of learning about histamine intolerance (HIT). Plus I am going to kick this Whole 30's butt! Only 7 days to go.

Today is an excellent day!  I am sitting at the park watching my granddaughters play with their friends. The weather is beautiful.  School was out today and it's their first day of summer.  You can smell it in the air!  What a joy it is to be part of this passage.  There's something about the first day of summer break - filled with an overwhelming sensation of freedom and a big dose of anticipation of the fun ahead. I'm going to take the spirit of this day home with me.   

Tomorrow will be a day in the air with a huge change of climate at the final destination.  My desert life awaits. So long beautiful Washington! But, I'm ready.  Ready to get back into my own normal routine and cook in my own kitchen again.  First stop after the airport will be the grocery store.

Onward to Day 24 . . . .