SchrodingersCat

Food freedom... means I'm having a glass or 2 of sparkling wine tonight because we're celebrating But it also means I came home and ate my pre-planned chicken casserole and NOT the pizza we walked past on the way home., and tomorrow is back to normal. Because that's food freedom!

It seals the juices in. If you bake from raw, the juices tend to leak into the pan and you end up with a drier result.

Day 2 of "Dammit, Schrod, stop eating like a bloody teenager whose been left home alone for the week with an unlimited food budget" Meal 1: 2 Prosciutto, egg, mushroom and capsicum bites with spicy kraut Meal 2: Beef "stoup" with cauli rice Meal 3: Chicken and veggie casserole cooked in the slow cooker because I'm a grown-up who has plans after work and instead of making an excuse to grab something takeaway or suboptimal I used my not-inexpensive but completely underutilised slow cooker to ensure that there is something tasty and convenient to come home to. I really need to get on some exercise too. I'm in that horrible "I'm too unfit to do what I used to do (taekwondo and running) but am at a loss to know what to do to get back to the level of fitness I need to be to do what I used to do". Plus I have bad knees and tendonitis in my elbow. I'd do aqua aerobics but it's such a time killer, by the time I get there, change, do the class, shower, change, come home, shower properly, it's a 2 hour commitment, minimum.

When I get back on track, and make myself delicious meals, I kick myself all the more for not eating this deliciousness!

Oh, I'm also reverting to my peculiar brand of intermittent fasting on weekdays - I am more than happy on black coffee and herbal tea until around noon, then I have meal 1, meal 2 is around 3:30, 4pm, meal 3 around 7:30 and then herbal tea until bed. If I eat early, I eat all day.

So I have successfully completed 2 rounds, 1 reintro and utterly failed at Food Freedom. But I need to commit to a lifestyle and not continue my horrid merry-go-round of overly restricting then going hog-wild, so I'm not going to call this round 3, and I'm not going to keep a "Whole 30 Log", instead I'm committing to my post Whole 30 life. My plan is to stay compliant save for when I have events, or not being compliant is WORTH IT. I have a Christmas in July this weekend, so obviously that won't be compliant but until then I will follow W30 principals, and will be back on track the very day after. I find journaling my food keeps me sensible and accountable, so I will do that here. Day 1 of new commitment to Food Freedom! Meal 1: 2 Prosciutto, egg, mushroom and capsicum bites with spicy kraut Meal 2: Beef "stoup" with cauli rice (diced beef, carrot, celery, mushrooms, beef stock, tomato paste, fish sauce, coconut aminos, tabasco, and a bit of potato starch to thicken - not thick enough for stew, not thin enough for soup, but lovely and warming!) Meal 3: I forgot to get something out of the freezer, but think it will be lamb chops with egyptian dukkah, roasted pumpkin, cauliflower and brussel sprouts with a garlic and basil ghee drizzle.

Mini-reset day 1! Meal 1: 2 Prosciutto, egg, mushroom and capsicum bites with spicy kraut Meal 2: Beef "stoup" with cauli rice (diced beef, carrot, celery, mushrooms, beef stock, tomato paste, fish sauce, coconut aminos, tabasco, and a bit of potato starch to thicken - not thick enough for stew, not thin enough for soup, but lovely and warming!) Meal 3: I forgot to get something out of the freezer, but think it will be lamb chops with egyptian dukkah, roasted pumpkin, cauliflower and brussel sprouts with a garlic and basil ghee drizzle.

OK, prep changed shape, I have prosciutto, egg, mushroom and capsicum bites for breakfast, and a beef and vegetable 'stoup' on cauli rice for lunches. Also prepped cheddar bay crust breakfast muffins and roast beef with salads for the hubster for lunches. Threw out and/or finished a few non-compliant things today, but mini-round on track to start tomorrow.

That's actually exactly what I'm going to do! a 2 week mini-reset. I'm just all or nothing. I'm either perfectly happy on round, or eating a pack of cookies for dinner. Plus eating crappy makes me feel crappy and feeling crappy makes me eat crappy. Ironic. I've had my yearly "event" - we throw a 4th of July party every year where we host 40+ people and serve every stereotypical USA food under the sun (I'm an American living in Australia) and it involves interstate guests and leftovers and just insane foods. But tomorrow is food-prep and I'm back on track. I've gained 7lbs!!

OK, Round 3 starts on Monday, because I am USELESS at Food Freedom. Utterly useless. Food prep weekend, here I come! I'm planning: Egg muffins with veggies and wrapped in prosciutto Sri Lankan beef and coconut curry with cauli rice Chicken pot pie soup Beef bone broth I'm also going to prep a few slow cooker meals (beef pot roast with veggies, lamb shanks, curried chicken lovely legs) for the week so there are no excuses.

You've not seen me eat pickles haahaa

Oh, I love my plated fats, but today I feel sooooooo gross and full of fat and cheese that I'm going really light, the thought of oil makes me want to cry haahaa. I feel like I have deep fryer oil in my veins.

BLERGH So I got through my huge event, and the foodie weekend from heaven/hell and I feel GROSS. I had a lovely time, and it was amazing to food with my BFF but I can't wait to get back on track. I NEED VEGETABLES!! I don't think I'm going to start another round, but really commit myself to food freedom, and focus on mostly compliant but not counting days. Kind of paleo, I guess? Meal 1: Poached eggs and spicy kraut Meal 2: Chicken and veggie soup Meal 3: Grilled sirloin, steamed broccolini, celeriac chips, brussel sprouts

CONGRATULATIONS!!! You really kicked ass, I'm so pleased for you!

My food freedom has become food frenzy!! I'm going to food prep this weekend and put a stop to this craziness.