I have been so busy with teaching and babysitting (and cooking and eating!) lately that I haven't had a chance to write a blog post. At long last, on Day 13 of the Whole30, I have a little time! As referenced by the Engrish image, things are going well. Really well! Here what has happened so far:

The biggest thing (so I'm writing it with big letters): NO MORE MIGRAINES during the day. This started happening on the very first day. I still have been getting them in the middle of the night, but I may be on to the cause of that. Sometimes the nighttime migraines go away on their own and sometimes they start ramping up and I take a Relpax (migraine abortive). Interestingly, the Relpax really knocks me for a loop now, as if I've become more sensitive to it. I never thought that food affected my migraines in all of these years of keeping journals, seeing neurologists, and trying out so many drugs and treatments. I am still just in awe of this result.

The next biggest thing: ENERGY! My energy levels are now fairly steady (no 3:00 p.m. dip!) and much higher. In fact, I have so much energy left at the end of the day that I come home and can't stop talking to J. (my hubster). Sometimes he has to go to his man-cave for a break. Before my Whole30 days, I would come home exhausted, usually with a migraine, and only have energy to surf around online or watch TV crabbily. Sometimes I would pop a Relpax and a Tylenol 3 and go to bed at 6 p.m.! I am still learning what to do this new energy. At first I feared it, because sometimes I get a little hyper and feel particularly ecstatic right before I get smacked with a really bad migraine. But that's not this energy. This is the energy that I knew I should have when I was trying to figure out why I wasn't more robust. I've also become more sensitive to coffee. I can only have a half cup in the morning or I feel like a rocket about to take off. I think I'm going to cut it completely and go decaf except to treat any migraines that might rear up in the future.

Next: WEIGHT I know that the Whole30 is not a time to be focusing on weight loss. It is a time to focus on learning new healthy ways, mindfully realizing and getting through cravings for unWhole30 foods, and, really, healing from what those foods have done to my body. But when I pulled my jeans out of the dryer, put them on and pulled them up easily and without my characteristic wriggle-jump-and-pull dance, I stepped on the scale with all due respect toward a mindful Whole30 program. I've lost 6 pounds. After months of writing down everything that I'm eating and dropping 1 pound, now 6! I understand that I have lost a lot of high calorie foods and replaced them with lower calorie selections, but I also have a feeling that this 6 pounds is a confirmation from my dear bod that the foods I'm eating now are right for me.

Also, COOKING and NEW FOODS! I have never been much of a meat eater and I am not all that adventurous with my cooking, but on Whole30, some variety is not only nice for your palate, but best for your bod. I've always wanted to cook more and now I am. Sometimes at the end of the day, I am not very inspired to cook up a meal, but once I get started, I'm finding that it is very relaxing and a good transition into home life (vs. work life). It gives me time to process the day and try not to carry it into my time at home with my husband. And I've found some really simple and really yummy recipes on the Whole9 site and at my new favorite site (that I learned about via Whole9) The Clothes Make the Girl.

There is a lot more to write about, but I think this is a good start for now. I am still continuing to just see what happens with this. My body is still trying to figure out how to have energy for Bulldog workouts and I'm going to push it a bit with three workouts next week. And I am still trying to figure out what works (hello, coconut products!) and what doesn't (not so many Larabars!).

Thanks so much to all of you out there who are supporting me in this!! I am so grateful to Bulldog for having a link to Whole9 on their website. And I am grateful almost to tears for the folks at Whole9 -- and Melissa Hartwig in particular at Whole30/Whole9 for answering my questions and always e-cheering me on. You all are changing peoples lives for the better. I was so "fed up" (ha ha!), discouraged, and even pushed to desperation by my migraines and failed solutions when I clicked on that fateful Whole9 link and started reading. To have this many days of energy, productivity, positivity, and feeling good really is a miracle for me. Cue Barry Manilow: IT'S A MIRACLE!