Because I Forgot How Precious My Time Here Is: May 1

[Barfygarfy]

My husband and I are starting May 1st as well. I've created a Facebook group to help keep us all motivated! Whole30 May2016... Come find it and share in the journey!

Shayla, I sent a request to join the group. Henry Hibbish.

[Barfygarfy]

How's everyone feeling today? I know it's the "What's the big deal?" day, but I'll take it! LOL 

Meal 1:

2 handfuls chopped kale sautéed with coconut oil and some sliced zucchini, 2 eggs and a wedge of melon.

 

Meal 2: 

a bowl of spinach tossed with olive oil & balsamic vinegar, topped with 1/2 an avocado, a can of wild albacore tuna (the stuff costco sells - really good!), some sliced bell pepper, and 3 strawberries. Maybe a bit of a small meal, but satisfying. The creamy avocado, crunch of the bell pepper, salt of the tuna and the tart+sweet of the strawberry!

 

Now to start cooking actual dishes for dinner and the rest of the week. Gonna make some meatloaf, chili, taters, and some breakfast hash.

[Shayla Monnier]

Shayla, I'm going to look for your FB group now!

Happy Day 1 everyone!!!

[Shayla Monnier]

Come on over! Just like this "Whole30 May2016" I am the admin... I had no idea there are so many so I hope you find me!

[eusebius]

Day 1 almost in the can!  I already was having the food dreams last night ... EEEK!

 

Wow, this cookup takes a long time.  I started at 5 and I'm still not quite done though I've taken a break for dinner.  Just have to puree the zucchini soup with my stick blender and I'll have all the stuff in Melissa Joulwan's Week 1.

 

Here's what I ate today:

 

Meal 1 - 3 eggs scrambled with salsa, salad greens with cherry tomatoes and 1/2 avocado, olive oil, balsamic

Meal 2 - chicken thighs, kale, roasted veggie mix, 1/2 sweet potato sautéed in coconut oil with chili powder, cumin, oregano

Meal 3 - ground beef and broccoli sautéed in coconut oil with onions, garlic, harissa, Moroccan dip (from Melissa Joulwan again)

 

Loved Meal 3.  I think I could eat a LOT of Meal 3.

 

In the cookup I made more chicken breasts & thighs, chocolate chili (still simmering), pork roast (in the slow cooker), ground beef, steam-sauteed broccoli and green beans, paleo mayo (it's REALLY good), Moroccan dipping sauce, and gingered zucchini soup (just about ready to puree now).  Hopefully that gets me through week 1.

 

Earlier today I was feeling pretty anxious and overwhelmed but I'm better now.  (Having an understanding fiancé to talk to helps.)  Maybe my moods will also improve with this Whole30.  Here's hoping!

[SugarcubeOD]

Hey May Starters!

A couple things as I read through this awesome thread... I usually try to closely follow at least one monthly thread so I can help out and you guys seem like an awesome group of people so if you don't mind, I"m going to adopt you

For those that have longer than normal days (nurses, I"m looking at you), you will probably find that you need to do four meals. This is totally acceptable and even recommended. Eating 4 template meals is going to do you more service than snacking... if you can't find time to do the fourth meal, then making a fourth meal and splitting it into two mini meals between your regular meals works too... kind of like snacking but more mindful and better balanced.

For those having trouble with prep, I swear it gets easier... you'll get into a rhythm that works for you and you'll probably find that you have lots of repeaters in this 30 days... that's totally cool too, you do NOT have to make 90 (3 x 30) unique meals for this adventure. Find what you like, get some variety where you can and off you go!

I'm excited for all you guys! Also, great title!

[NoMoreCrunchyCravings]

Hello all, I'm just getting started on my first Whole 30 and will be taking the official plunge on May 5. I'm nervous to begin despite reading the book and through some of the forum posts... I predominantly eat eggs and seafood as my normal proteins, but legumes and dairy have had a heavy hand in my diet in the past as well. Looking for a variety of egg and seafood protein derivations will be a challenge, I think, to keep me interested/compliant throughout the month. But, I'm going to make it work because I'm sick and tired of the mid-morning and mid-afternoon slumps, and of my addiction to salty-crunchy-sweet snacks, often chosen over regular food for my meals.

 

This will be a difficult but awesome journey. I can't wait for change!

[jup1ternf]

Hey everybody!  Happy Day 2:)  I am still coasting through the "what's the big deal" phase I think, but I'll take it!

It's so helpful to know we have such a big support group here to check in with!

 

Food report:

 

Turkey sausage is pretty great:  I made a 3 lb batch full of herbs and spices then froze it in wax paper in a log shape so I can slice patties off.  Breakfast yesterday was that with caramelized onions and tomato frittata, and raspberries.

 

(Fun fact, spelling frittata is hard.)

 

Lunch was compliant jerkey and and apple because I was running in the woods with my pup, an a thermos of coffee with homemade almond milk.

 

Dinner was grilled chicken breast and asparagus/saffron squash in lemon mustard sauce.  Side of strawberries in lime juice.  This became lunches for the week as well.  I am liking doing big sessions of food prep more and more.

 

Today was more brisket with sunshine sauce slaw in lettuce roll ups for breakfast, which is so tasty, and helped me resist the giant free teacher appreciation spread of muffins and bagels that was at work this morning.

 

I just poured myself some black coffee and strolled away, only drooling a little.

 

Mood report:  I can totally do this.  I am braced for misery at some point but I have so much enthusiasm for making this change.

                       I had a non food but still relevant dream:  I was trapped in a bank vault trying to kick or break down the door, and then I realized I could peel one thin layer of it away at a time instead of hurling myself at the door over and over. 

 

Nice job, subconscious, I see what you did there!  One meal at a time...

[NoMoreCrunchyCravings]

jup1ternf, on 02 May 2016 - 09:11 AM, said:

Hey everybody!  Happy Day 2:)  I am still coasting through the "what's the big deal" phase I think, but I'll take it!

It's so helpful to know we have such a big support group here to check in with!

 

Food report:

 

Turkey sausage is pretty great:  I made a 3 lb batch full of herbs and spices then froze it in wax paper in a log shape so I can slice patties off.  Breakfast yesterday was that with caramelized onions and tomato frittata, and raspberries.

 

(Fun fact, spelling frittata is hard.)

 

Lunch was compliant jerkey and and apple because I was running in the woods with my pup, an a thermos of coffee with homemade almond milk.

 

Dinner was grilled chicken breast and asparagus/saffron squash in lemon mustard sauce.  Side of strawberries in lime juice.  This became lunches for the week as well.  I am liking doing big sessions of food prep more and more.

 

Today was more brisket with sunshine sauce slaw in lettuce roll ups for breakfast, which is so tasty, and helped me resist the giant free teacher appreciation spread of muffins and bagels that was at work this morning.

 

I just poured myself some black coffee and strolled away, only drooling a little.

 

Mood report:  I can totally do this.  I am braced for misery at some point but I have so much enthusiasm for making this change.

                       I had a non food but still relevant dream:  I was trapped in a bank vault trying to kick or break down the door, and then I realized I could peel one thin layer of it away at a time instead of hurling myself at the door over and over. 

 

Nice job, subconscious, I see what you did there!  One meal at a time...

 

I love the dream and the meaning behind this-- so glad to find support here on the forum.

 

I'm prepping for my big start Wednesday, so today I've cooked a frittata with sautéed onion, tomato, green pepper and asparagus, cooked with ghee, kosher salt and ground pepper. Also sautéed two pounds of asparagus with olive oil and garlic, salt and pepper. Next I'm going to bake some sweet and redskin potatoes, and while those are cooking, sauté up some shrimp with baby kale and spinach with onion and garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. I'll also hard-boil a couple of eggs, and try my hand at my very first mayonnaise to have (I hope) with canned tuna and sardines to add to my lunches.

 

I work 13-hour days so have to bring 3 meals with me to work plus have something to eat when I get home, and my next day free after today will be Friday, and again after that will be Tuesday, so prepping in advance is going to be the name of my game!

[eusebius]

Woot!  Well done jup1ternf and NoMoreCrunchyCravings!  

 

Thank you SugarcubeOD for adopting us  I think my prep issues are just adjustments ... like, Welcome to the kitchen!  It's not just for coffee and throwing stuff out anymore

 

I think I'm in what's the big deal mode a bit ... I was eating some whole30 compliant stuff leading up to this week, but I was very inconsistent, so I feel like maybe I'm not getting the huge shock to my system that might have happened if I just went "cold turkey" as it were.

[lottsa]

Shayla Monnier, I just sent a request to join your group. (Liz Waller Lovin)

[maryjane74]

can someone help me??? where do I get my meal plans from??? HELP!!!

[SugarcubeOD]

can someone help me??? where do I get my meal plans from??? HELP!!!

You asked this and it was answered in the other thread by Tom.

There is a one week meal plan in the Whole30 book. You can use whatever recipes you like as long as you make sure you're making them compliant. www.meljoulwan.com has plenty of recipes but there is no 30 day meal plan.

 

As per forum rules as well, please do not cross post into more than one thread.  

[NoMoreCrunchyCravings]

I emailed this to a new w30 forum friend, but does this look like a good start for food prep? As I don't eat red meat, pork, or poultry, my proteins are egg and seafood. I just pre-cooked today since I'll be busy all day tomorrow and made the following:

 

-4 baked red-skin potatoes

-4 baked Yukon gold potatoes

-4 baked (tiny) sweet potatoes

-sautéed garlic and onion with baby kale and spicy spinach blends (1 bag of each)

-sautéed garlic and onion with olive oil and two pounds of asparagus

-frittata with coconut oil sautéed onion, tomato, asparagus, green pepper and six eggs

-one pound of shrimp sautéed with garlic, olive oil, tomato, and 1.5 packages of baby spinach leaves

-one pound of shrimp marinated and sautéed in my failed mayonnaise (olive oil, mustard, white balsamic vinegar, egg yolks), with fresh parsley and red chili flakes

-two avocados' worth of guacamole which admittedly won't last until I start the program in a day and a half and that I ate with tortilla chips with dinner tonight as I haven't yet started my w30

 

I set up two identical meals for my next two days of working which are my first two days on plan (Wednesday and Thursday): one baked red potato, half pound of marinated/sautéed shrimp, sautéed kale/spicy spinach blend all in a Tupperware, and half the frittata with a sweet potato, and I'm not sure what I'll bring for a mini meal (have to bring something else in case I get munchy during my 13-hour workday) and then I'll possibly have a piece of pan seared salmon or basa with lemon and some asparagus and maybe some strawberries for dinner.

 

Does this seem reasonable? It seems like a lot of food, but when I'm not snacking and eating the crap I normally grab during the day, I'm thinking I'll want to feel full as all this should make me feel.

[jup1ternf]

Hey NoMore, I am feeling like I have too much food in a way too, but I think the point is to eat more "real" things instead of all the mindless snacking on nutrient poor things I habitually fill up on.  So your plan seems both reasonable and really tasty/nourishing sounding.

 

So my wall showed up yesterday around 3 pm where my creeping headache went full blown, and by the time I got home around 6 I thought I was going to die, full blown migraine with back pain, which my mother told me was sugar withdrawal.  So I laid down for a while then made guacamole and plantains for dinner.  And slept like a rock, I cannot tell you how much deeper last night's sleep was than I can even remember at this point, so that's a plus.

 

In short, tired and achy, but the food itself is making me satisfied.  This program is less hard for any restrictions as that I am thinking hard to make sure I don't eat something off plan and have to start over.

And hey all, after today we are 10% of the way through!

[eusebius]

(((jup1ternf))) hang in there!  Yes, we are 10% done - what a great way to think of it!
 

NoMoreCrunchyCravings - awesome food prep and yes, I agree that we should be filling up on the good stuff to stave off the cravings for that bad stuff!

 

Day 3 going well so far.  Found out that the olive oil mayo makes a great sauce for the hot plates (though it kind of disappears).  I added rosemary and garlic powder to it and it worked great.  It makes a nice salad dressing too!

 

I woke up early without an alarm and thought "Yay, I'm getting some energy" ... and then crashed on the couch for an hour at 9.  Baby steps ...

[tmhampton1]

Does this seem reasonable? It seems like a lot of food, but when I'm not snacking and eating the crap I normally grab during the day, I'm thinking I'll want to feel full as all this should make me feel.

 

It does seem like a lot of food, but looks like it meets the template. By now you should be able to tell when you are full and then stop eating. I have digestive issues from gall bladder disease (I no longer have it) and find that I can't drink anything while I'm eating or else the drink, normally water, fills me up and dilutes my bile so I don't digest as well. I also find that I just can't eat all of the starchy veggies so really have to limit myself to one template serving a day.

 

See how you feel and let your body tell you what to eat. The veggies will keep for the week so it's not like you won't eat them. 

[SugarcubeOD]

 So I laid down for a while then made guacamole and plantains for dinner.  

Did you have protein and non starchy veggies with this?  Not eating and not eating to the template are going to make you feel worse and while it's great you got a good night of sleep, nutrition is cumulative and if you didn't eat enough yesterday, you'll probably feel it today.

[NoMoreCrunchyCravings]

Hope everyone's day went well. I start my first w30 tomorrow and am really hoping I'll not forget that I'm doing it and go for an off plan something-or-other that's sitting around in the break room. Maybe I should write "w30" on my hands in Sharpie marker or something so that I'll see them and not forget!

 

Can't wait to come online tomorrow night and post about how the day went.

 

Also thought I'd be going out with more of a bang than I did today as a kind of break-up from sugars and not-so-great choices, as I went out for lunch and dinner both today on my 35th birthday. But I say this as I sit here eating leftover shrimp and roasted butternut squash for a bit of a snack as I'm still hungry after dinner. So much for that big bang. LOL

[sdawson]

I'm planning on making some compliant hummus tomorrow and cutting up lots of veggie sticks to keep in the frig for a snack.  I'm also keeping boiled eggs from cagefree hens in the frig. 

 

So far my dh loves the dinners I'm cooking and I'm usually having leftovers for lunch myself the next day - I'm retired and home.  But tonight we have no leftovers from the asian califlower stir fry.  So I'll have to make a really nice salad tomorrow.

 

So far I've cooked salmon patties, bison and cauliflower stuffed bell peppers and the stir fry and my dh's is very complimentary.

[NoMoreCrunchyCravings]

sdawson, on 03 May 2016 - 10:34 PM, said:

I'm planning on making some compliant hummus tomorrow and cutting up lots of veggie sticks to keep in the frig for a snack.  I'm also keeping boiled eggs from cagefree hens in the frig. 

 

So far my dh loves the dinners I'm cooking and I'm usually having leftovers for lunch myself the next day - I'm retired and home.  But tonight we have no leftovers from the asian califlower stir fry.  So I'll have to make a really nice salad tomorrow.

 

So far I've cooked salmon patties, bison and cauliflower stuffed bell peppers and the stir fry and my dh's is very complimentary.

 

I'm interested to know what you use to make your compliant hummus if not legumes? I've used white beans in the past instead of chickpeas for a change-up but neither are w30 compliant and I'd love to know your trick!

[jup1ternf]

Hey SugarCube OD,  you re totally right, but I was so sick to my stomach on that low day from the migraine that I was going for starch to settle things.  I have adjusted to more veggies and meat in the following meals/days.

 

Happy Birthday week, NoMoreCrunchyCravings:)  Your shrimps squash combo sounds good and I may steal it:)

 

Sdawson your meals sound stealable too!  I am curing some salmon today so maybe salmon cakes are in my future.

 

Next meal prep plan:  Lots of meatballs, zuchini and mushroom "noodles" and  Romesco sauce: tomato, pepper, almonds and garlic.

 

I hope everyone's week is going strong.  I am trying to keep an eye out for the "kill all the things phase" as I don't want to take this out on my family or students... so far I have assigned no extraneous detentions.  Though everyone keeps offering me cupcakes and cheesecake, oy.

[SugarcubeOD]

Hey SugarCube OD,  you re totally right, but I was so sick to my stomach on that low day from the migraine that I was going for starch to settle things.  I have adjusted to more veggies and meat in the following meals/days.

Okay that's totally fair... I was just worried this was a 'standard' meal for you... definitely still compliant and a good way to settle your stomach.  Hope you're feeling better!

[NoMoreCrunchyCravings]

Today is day 2/30 for me. I spent all day yesterday obsessing over food, specifically simple carbohydrates and the fact that I'm not eating anything that comes in a cheese doodle bag. :-P

 

My meals today that I packed for work are identical to my meals yesterday which are as follows:

M1- egg frittata with three whole eggs, and sauteed asparagus/onion/green pepper/tomato with coconut oil, a small baked sweet potato, and a serving of pepitas, to drink-- black coffee with a sprinkle of cinnamon

M2- sauteed garlic and onions with baby kale and spinach blend made in olive oil, baked red skin potato, shrimp sauteed in olive oil with spinach and tomato and garlic (having previously been marinated in my unfortunate failed mayo, to which I added fresh parsley and anchovies).

M3- can of sardines in oil, drained, with pepitas, a mini baked sweet potato, and two large raw carrots.

 

It seemed like so much food all laid out in my lunch bag yesterday, but by 8:30pm I was hungry again. I think if I find myself hungry tonight I'll just go ahead and have some raw salmon (bought sashimi grade salmon yesterday) and asparagus sauteed with garlic and olive oil.

 

The other thing I'm thinking is that I didn't drink enough fluids and that's why I was so hungry. I'll try to drink more water today and see if that helps.

[eusebius]

YAWN

I had a lot of energy yesterday but today I'm just a big blob.  Day 5.  The "I just want a nap" day is supposed to be 6 but I was weaning myself off of crap last week, so maybe it's hitting me early.

 

NoMoreCrunchyCravings, I have been a bit hungry in the evenings too.  Yesterday I increased the size of each meal slightly (all according to the template), and that took me through most of the evening, but right before bed I was still steamed-fish-and-broccoli hungry so I had a few bites of roast pork before I went to sleep.

 

jup1ternf, how are you feeling?

 

I was at choir rehearsal last night eating M3 during a break and about five different people (including kids) told me how great it smelled.  It was a leftover hot plate with ground beef, beans, kale, broccoli, olive oil mayo, onions, garlic, and sweet potatoes.  Win!