Day 14: Peas in My Indian Food... I Give Up

[BoCa]

This is Day 14. And, unfortunately, the last day for me.

 

I knew it would be extra complicated to take on this challenge from India. Information is hard to come by, if we ask what's in something, we might get lied to, or they just won't know or understand the question, and I have to be out in the community, eating while there. We have no health food stores, no big US style supermarkets with selection (and clear information). We only have a small store on the American compound, about the size of a big gas station market, and the focus is on American junk food for those who miss it and want it, as well as American flour, pasta, cereals, and such. Mostly out of that store I can get olives, roasted red peppers, meat, and eggs. 

 

Vegetable shopping is a complicated affair and requires a lot of pre planning. Not worth explaining, but it adds time.

 

And on top of that I'm here with my husband, our two kids, a dog, and a cat, and starting a new full time job this week after having been "at home" for about a year. So when I started, I had all the time in the world to take on the challenge, but now it's distinctly limited.

 

So, I'm out. But I've learned valuable lessons. I will do this in America. I go home in the summer and I can do that then. In America there are different temptations. But at least I can source the full range of foods rather than the 40% of the basic list that I can get here.

 

The final straw today was when I drove very far out of town, in horrible, horrible traffic, because my daughter was competing in a cross country meet. We had a great time at the meet, then she went back on the school bus and my husband and I went to a mall. Malls are generally safer, re food, and higher end. We aren't really mall rats, but you go to safe food, wherever that might be. We chose a South Indian restaurant. The menu was incredibly vague. I had no idea what I was ordering, but due to traffic and the longer than expected cross country meet, it had been a long time since I had eaten and I was starving. The bag of pistachios in the car wasn't doing it for me. So when the food finally came (verrrrrry slow to serve on top of it all), and I saw peas on the plate, I just ate them. Forget it. I needed food. They were completely mixed in and lots of them. No way I was picking out all of those peas. It should have been a good meal for the plan -- a coconut curry. But to be honest, it may have had soy sauce in it or fish sauce. I don't know.

 

So, there it is. I call Uncle. But not forever.  I'll be back.

 

And meanwhile, I'll keep to some of the precepts of the Whole 30. I will continue for the 30 days to avoid all sugar, grains, dairy, rice, and potatoes. I can do that. But "avoiding sugar" is probably going to mean there's some sugar in the fish sauce, and "avoiding soy" isn't going to mean that I ask what's in stuff all the time to be sure it's not in there. I'll continue to have egg breakfasts rather than cereal. But, I must admit, that now that I'm off of the challenge, I am going to have a nice glass of wine tonight :-)

 

So, hang in there all of you warriors for good health! Good luck and good food to you! It's a worthy challenge. And one I'll try again.

 

 

[RGJax2014]

BoCa, I am enjoying the daylights out of my Whole30, but I have to say, the macro activities such as cutting out sugar, grains, and alcohol are probably what are giving me the biggest benefit and making me the happiest.  I know "peas are bad" (say that while you think of the Southpark character who says, "Drugs are bad"), but what you were doing on Whole30, even with the pea issue was fantastic.  So sorry that you're staging a tactical retreat, and maybe when your foodstuffs are more under control, you will be able to do the full 30.  Best wishes, and enjoy India.  :-)

 

I did a limited amount of travel to SE Asia years ago on business, and one of the things I liked the least was not having my normal food resources available.  The food was fantastic, but after a while, you just want your own kitchen and your own groceries.

[PamH]

Peas are taking you down?  

 

First, for many people it is the desire to wipe out the pattern of overeating sugary, gluten laden simple carbs.  Adopting the rigid Whole30 plan is just one way to accomplish that goal.  If you can work with what you have available in India and avoid out right breads, cereals, cakes, cookies, Cheetos, BudLight, etc then you are accomplishing something!  If anything, your continued avoidance of gluten and obvious sugar will make any attempt at a Whole30 in America that much easier.  Personally, I feel anything is better than nothing.  You are certainly doing more than nothing.  

 

I wish you would move forward with a "I can work with this" attitude and not have that glass of wine.  I know it has been a rough day.  

 

Glad your daughter is finding ways to fit in herself!  Cross country in New Dehli.  We had friends who taught for over a decade at the American Embassy school (one of them?) and they told horror stories about the pollution and the hot weather.  Still, they loved the people and the opportunity.  Adopted two kids and hundreds of life long friends and memories. Whatever you are doing there… enjoy it!

 

Keep a modified journal in the Post Whole30 section if you want to stay connected.  I did that when I made my modified Whole30 (failed) attempt.  It was helpful for me to be here, but as you can tell, I like to talk.

[BoCa]

Thanks for the kind words. Yes, I will modify. I've learned valuable lessons (as in, if I don't eat boxed brownies, the day can still be bright and shiny and happy). I don't really need to slather things on bread. Cool. Excellent. Looking at labels re sugar content... good to have as a habit and I'll carry it forward. So, but for the fact that India took me down (really it was India, and not just the one plate full of peas. Peas were the metaphor ... They were actual peas, but stood for much more). 

 

Your friends taught at the school my kids now go to. We are a foreign service family and have been serving abroad since my kids were 3 and 6 years old, always overseas. Yes, the air quality here is abysmal. Really quite frightening. A "bad" city in the US get an air quality reading of, oh, 30. Here in Delhi we can get over 500 from time to time, and we general "hover" at around 350-400. When the reading is 350 or above, all outdoor activity is cancelled for the kids at school. Pretty frightening stuff. And to be honest, the hard core kids, they just d the sports anyway, and the coaches really do go out anyway to help those kids out. So my daughter is doing cross country... with monkeys, air pollution, and a bunch of Indian guys staring at her and her teammates (and not in a good way), and she does it anyway. We can all learn from the fortitude of our kids! 

 

But India is indeed an astounding place. Really quite awesome in so many ways. Air quality aside, we are happy to be here.

 

Me, I use the gym. I am not as tough as my own kid. Oh well. We all find our own way :-)

 

Modified journal is interesting. I'll look into that. Thanks!

[PamH]

Thanks for the kind words. Yes, I will modify. I've learned valuable lessons (as in, if I don't eat boxed brownies, the day can still be bright and shiny and happy). I don't really need to slather things on bread. Cool. Excellent. Looking at labels re sugar content... good to have as a habit and I'll carry it forward. So, but for the fact that India took me down (really it was India, and not just the one plate full of peas. Peas were the metaphor ... They were actual peas, but stood for much more). 

 

Your friends taught at the school my kids now go to. We are a foreign service family and have been serving abroad since my kids were 3 and 6 years old, always overseas. Yes, the air quality here is abysmal. Really quite frightening. A "bad" city in the US get an air quality reading of, oh, 30. Here in Delhi we can get over 500 from time to time, and we general "hover" at around 350-400. When the reading is 350 or above, all outdoor activity is cancelled for the kids at school. Pretty frightening stuff. And to be honest, the hard core kids, they just d the sports anyway, and the coaches really do go out anyway to help those kids out. So my daughter is doing cross country... with monkeys, air pollution, and a bunch of Indian guys staring at her and her teammates (and not in a good way), and she does it anyway. We can all learn from the fortitude of our kids! 

 

But India is indeed an astounding place. Really quite awesome in so many ways. Air quality aside, we are happy to be here.

 

Me, I use the gym. I am not as tough as my own kid. Oh well. We all find our own way :-)

 

Modified journal is interesting. I'll look into that. Thanks!

Mike and Susan Bollom.  Know them?  Mike comes back to WI each summer with the kids and hooks up with my husband.  They moved to Kuala Lumpur maybe 2 years ago?

 

I don't believe everyone needs to successfully complete a Whole30 to erase bad habits and improve their health.  It is just one of the ways we have to overcome.  

 

Thank you for your service!!!

[BoCa]

they must have left before we arrived. I don't know them. It's a lovely school though and I'm glad to hear that, aside from the air, they had a good experience.  They certainly seem to like the region if they are now in KL. 

 

Our service is our pleasure, but thank you for that.