Ginsky

Day 30
More loud storms off and on last night.  I am glad I set out everything last night to make my coffee this morning.  It's difficult for me to think in another language when I'm tired.  It stormed through half of my meeting and interestingly enough, it was storming over there in that part of Japan too.  The sauce I made last night turned out to be amazing on some tiny potatoes I quickly tossed in the microwave and cut (half mashed) this morning to go with my eggs.   It was originally going to be a scallion wasabi aioli but then I decided to make it a dressing instead before I turned on the blender, glad I did that.   I think there was a clear part of day but work kept me busy so I honestly didn't notice.  It's heavily raining right now that I'm done dinner.  Grocery order came this afternoon; fresh scallops so I made those rather than coasting to the finish line on leftovers like I thought I might.  
Breakfast- eggs over easy, sauerkraut, and steamed potatoes with wasabi dressing
Lunch- pork loin, carrots, and green beans with gravy on all of it
Dinner- scallops and zucchini with lemon caper sauce
And that is the end of my 30 days.  I only have a couple things I want to re-test so my reintroduction phase should be pretty short.  

Day 13, Saturday August 29, 2020
Another compliant day.  I had three good meals and two snacks - a cup of salted cantaloupe and a fat tablespoon of cashews about an hour later.  A wee mistake, forgetting to eat both at the same time because fruit alone is not a complete snack.  
I also slept well, got in 20,000 steps and plan to walk again before bed.  My mood and energy have been good.  I wondered today if Tiger Blood has set in, but if I have to question it, then it’s not Tiger Blood.  It will set in soon, I just need to stay this course. 

You're almost done!  Way to go!

Day 29
I went to bed early last night but still got woken up from noise, bad luck.  Work was frustrating but I got everything done that I needed to and have been able to relax a bit.  I don't feel as brain dead as I did yesterday.  I'll try going to bed early again anyway.  And maybe just plan on making a coconut milk coffee before my 6am Skype meeting.   
Breakfast- Coconut scrambled eggs with roasted cinnamon-sprinkled sweet potatoes
Lunch- African stew with green beans in coconut curry sauce
Dinner- Baked Cajun salmon, onion, and cucumbers with creamy wasabi dressing
 

Day 12, Friday August 28, 2020
I haven't posted in a few days (I tried on Day 10 but my computer gave out as I was submitting my reply) but I've stayed on Whole 30.  My meals have been same old, same old, and I'm ok with that.
Cravings: this afternoon I was a bit rushed for lunch, and rather than prepare a meal what I really wanted was to grab a quick bowl of cereal.  I'm glad I didn't.  I made a salad and felt much better than if I'd had cereal with milk, which was my standard rushed lunch for years.
With the cooler weather lately I've been walking a lot, and I went to the gym today too.  I've noticed that my appetite has increased a bit.  Yay - I get to eat even more food!  
Today I cheated and weighed myself at the gym.  I debated weighing in, but decided to go for it because the InBody pod scans more than just weight.  I wanted to know if I had lost any fat weight.  As it turns out, I lost some fat and gained some muscle.  Not bad for just under 4 weeks.  My personal trainer has been telling me for years to stop thinking about losing weight, rather consider losing fat and gaining muscle.  I guess I'm a slow learner LOL!  I am pleased with the new numbers, and credit the wholesome food I'm eating on Whole30 plus my new intentional walking, aiming for 15,000+ steps most days.  I don't plan to weigh in again until after Day 30.   
I'm finding it fairly easy to remain compliant.  I have a selection of meals that I like and can make quickly, and my family has been eating more Whole30 meals too, they just don't know it.  This evening H has gone out for errands and a fast food dinner, I had no trouble saying no that I didn't want to go along.  Occasionally I miss the junky stuff, but I get over it.   
Sleep:  I've been sleeping better, my FitBit Sleep Score was 80+ (Good) for the past four nights.  It may be W30 or maybe the extra exercise, or a combo of both.  
I had chocolate a couple of days ago!  It was in an Rx bar, oh it was a nice treat.  No sugar, just egg whites, fruit, nuts and chocolate wrapped up in 209 calories.  It was a special treat for myself after spending fifteen minutes walking up and down a toboggan hill in the city.  Totally planned.  I won't make these things a habit, but it did feel good to have a 'bar' that was tasty and good for me too.  
Plan for the weekend: I am out of frozen meals, so make some W30 single serve meals to stash away in the freezer.  I also need to focus on Whole30 a bit more, and plan out some more meals/groceries.  I may not be able to withstand cravings if I don't have any compliant food on hand.

Day 28
Due to outside noise beyond my control, sleep was very lacking but I powered through the day.  I made a fresh jar of cashew milk plus a jar of coconut milk for whatever I might decide to do this weekend.  I did feel pretty brain dead by dinner time and went to bed early.  I kept my notes in my personal journal through the day though.   
Breakfast- Scallion omelet with leftover sauce from yesterday's breakfast and roasted butternut squash
Lunch- Pork and carrots in gravy plus a healthy side of sauerkraut
Dinner- African stew, heavy on the coconut cream and a small cucumber salad  (the stew is pretty loaded with veggies but I still wanted something fresh

Oh my goodness, three (two?) more days!  
Your breakfast sounds like something I could eat every single day...

Day 27
Pretty normal day of my usual getting up early, exercise, work, etc.  I'm feeling really good.  I'm also pretty happy to know that I have enough leftovers in the fridge and freezer to last through the weekend.  I don't have to cook anything new unless I really feel like it.  My dinner tonight left me with 2 more meals' worth of leftovers that I'm already looking forward to having and I've still got a lot of soup, stew, and even chili.    
Breakfast- Basil chicken and green beans with creamy lemon sauce
Lunch- Chili over green beans with a dollop of coconut milk yogurt
Dinner- Pork loin in its own gravy with sauerkraut and roasted butternut squash

For dinner I marinated some chicken thighs in Coconut Aminos, a couple of pureed dates, garlic, ginger, smoked paprika, onion flakes, and ground lemon zest.
Will serve with seasoned cauli rice and a cabbage/carrot/fennel slaw in raspberry vinaigrette.

Day 1
Hi.. wish me luck to keep up these posts.
Today is day 1. I've done several Whole30's in the past, I would guess 3 successfully, maybe 4. I love the structure. I love the black and white. I need that. I need an easy no. Food Freedom sounds amazing, but I still struggle and each Whole30 helps me understand my strengths and weaknesses better. 
I'm mostly back at this because I want to be in control again. Whole30's give me control. 
I decided I was going to start this round when I ran out of my meal prepped breakfasts that had cheese in them. They ran out yesterday and I last night late I meal-prepped some compliant mini-quiches to ensure I started off well. But, otherwise I haven't prepared that well for this round.
I have done one Whole30 since my boyfriend and I have been together and he was supportive. Now we live together and I will face my first Whole30 with someone else's food in the house. At this point I'm only loosely concerned about this, but there it is. Again, I like the black and white of the Whole30 program and I'm a rule-follower. I struggle normally staying away from his chips and bread and snacks, but I do think through a Whole30 I may miss it seeing it there, but seeing it won't be followed by an internal negotiation with myself and my ability to portion control. We just moved in together, so I thought starting out with a Whole30 would help me set a tone mentally for how I need to manage my nutrition in this environment. Overall I do a really bad job with eating when I socialize. I need to work on that. 
Thanks for listening. Here's to the next 30 days!
Laura
Starting weight 181.2lbs

Day 26
Busy day which started with my 6am Japan call.  It's a weekly Wednesday and Sunday thing.  I'm still staying away from caffeine, not even feeling tempted so I'm glad my few mornings of it didn't ignite a habit.  My energy is good. Someone gave me a little gift of something  I love but is non compliant (because of a small amount of sugar).  Luckily it will keep until this is over so it's safely tucked away.  
Breakfast- African Stew with mixed veggies in cashew cream sauce
Lunch- Italian wedding soup and a dish of sauerkraut
Dinner- ginger lime cracklin' chicken with roasted asparagus covered in hollandaise sauce

Your meals look beautiful!  I know what you mean about food prep becoming so time consuming. I often make big portions and then put leftovers in the fridge or freezer to have later.  
If you are wondering how to improve your Whole30 experience just keep going and keep reading  articles and info from the Whole30 website about meal recommendations vs rules, meal templates, etc.  

Day 24
Felt pretty good and productive, made a pot of soup and a pot of stew.  I portioned them out into separate serving size containers so they'll be easy to grab and eat for meals.  Making meatballs for the soup was a bit of a drag so early in the morning but the payoff was so worth it.  I can't wait to have some of the stew tomorrow!  It feels pretty good to know I'm in the final week.  After today, it's just 18 meals to go and then I can relax a bit.  I haven't been able to find fully compliant bacon locally this time around and decided not to try ordering any meats this time either, just uncured but with traces of sugar used found locally, so I'm counting the days to have some.  hahaha  
Breakfast- Scotch (Asian spices) egg and green beans with creamy coconut curry sauce
Lunch- homemade Whole30 compliant Italian wedding soup with a side salad
Dinner- Vietnamese style fish in clay pot with a big salad

Day 18
Woke up at 3:30 so I could be at my designated post at 5 am and was nonstop busy until 9 pm.  I was really glad I had everything packed, including breakfast waiting in the fridge which I ate at home before leaving.  There was a lot of junk food around and being offered to me but I avoided it peacefully and didn't feel tempted.  I did pack pretty big portions so my meals were very filling.  
Breakfast- Deviled eggs and zucchini-yellow squash soup.  Oh and coconut milk coffee.
Lunch- cucumber salad and spinach turkey burger, plenty of homemade mayo (with dill) involved.  Also a little more coconut milk coffee.  
Dinner- (creamy sauce) curry chicken and sesame green beans.

Thank you.  It's the first time I did it so I procrastinated out of nervousness.  Now I'm glad it's done and the pan performed beautifully today like when it was new.  

That is how my brother in law responds when you ask him how he’s doing...and I get it! I’m almost 68 and in good health and pretty good shape, but the aches and pains (that my friends claim are due to age) are creeping in. On that note I will lose many listeners because the younger crowd cannot relate, but I am joining this forum because I would love some like minded people in my world. I am very strong willed so I expect to succeed at my second Whole30, but continuing with healthy habits may be an issue. I am on day 16 and incredibly lazy and unmotivated...consequently pretty angry and frustrated! I am a people pleaser which serves me in two ways. It makes it pretty easy to follow the plan, even when it makes me grumpy, but it also makes it difficult, when I socialize, to say “No” to drinking and eating the wrong foods. I find little support for a plan that is designed to help deal with overall health rather than weight loss. Again, I reach out to this forum and hope to find others in the same boat.

Day 6, Saturday August 22, 2020
M1: summer turnip and sweet potato mash topped with sausage, fried kale and onions, 1 egg
M2: tomato-vegetable soup with chicken
M3: salted cucumber slices, green beans, summer turnip-white potato-sweet potato mash, bbq steak tenderloin
My mood and energy have been good all day, my sleep score last night was 89-Good, I didn't have any cravings & didn't snack between meals, and I walked 3 x 30+ minutes today and hope to get for another walk again before I go to bed to tire myself out completely.  A good day. 

Day 5, Friday August 21, 2020
M1: greens, eggs and ham
M2: l/o roast chicken, fruit salad
Snack: banana
M3: tomato-vegetable soup with chicken
NSV: no cravings, mood is good, energy was a bit low due to having 2 hours of insomnia last night.  Sleep Score was 54 Poor.  I did lots of walking again today, went to the gym and stretched for 1/2 hour after.  I should be tired by bed time.  Hoping for a good sleep tonight.  
 

Good job!  I've been putting mine off for too long, am using non-stick, which I don't like because I don't trust the safety of it, even though its not scratched or damaged.  
Your meals sound delicious!

I missed yesterday, but I'm still on track!
It's Day 8!
Yesterday I did weights and this morning some intervals of running/walking.
Have a nice weekend everyone!
 

Hello!
I’m on day 6 of my 5th or 6th Whole30 and I’m doing it differently this time. One of the things that entails is being active in the forum, so hello!
I guess on this first post I’m just going to dive right into the psychology, since meal prepping and staying on plan aren’t the struggle anymore. I know I can do that part. 
I know my blog title might earn me a few side eyes, but 1. It’s a reference to the band Fatboy Slim and a nod to college nostalgia and 2. I’ve always identified as a fat girl, even before I actually was one. I’m 5’9” and I’ve been 5’9” since the 6th grade. I towered over my classmates. I was taller than some of my elementary school teachers. In old dance recital pictures, I look like Godzilla among the fairies. I was always bigger than everyone around me. Hard not to internalize that, I guess. 
I’m also SUPER well-endowed, and again, have been since the 6th grade. The first real bra I remember shopping for was a C cup. I felt enormous in middle and high school, but looking back at pictures, I really wasn’t. It was just that most of my visible world was my massive chest, so I felt like all of me was massive. 
I was an introverted, rebellious, weird little theater kid, and identifying as “the fat girl” and metaphorically and literally sticking the finger to the skinny bubbly popular girls became an important part of my identity. It’s still a pretty important part of my identity. I started belly dancing about 8 years ago partly because it fascinated me and I really wanted to, and partly because being a fat, sexy dancer and flying in the face of societal norms really appealed to me. Oh really? Fat girls can’t be hot? Look at this shimmy, LOOK AT IT!! I joined a CrossFit style gym and started weight lifting because I really loved watching people’s jaws drop when their assumptions that since I’m fat, I must also be weak got blown out of the water. 
So I want to be very clear that I am not fat-shaming myself or anyone else. I love my fat body, and I have also realized that it’s really not serving me anymore. I’ve slowly been gaining weight since college, averaging about 10 pounds a year. I was starting to feel like things were getting out of control, and then the pandemic happened. Things got rooooough. Things were definitely out of control. Depression hit hard (shout out to Whole30ers battling mental health issues!) The gym shut down. Dance classes were cancelled. I’ve gained 30 pounds since March. Yikes. I’m exhausted, my clothes don’t fit, my family is worried about me, and for the first time since middle school, I feel like a prisoner in this body instead of a proud, fierce, joyful badass. I’m not a fan.
So I’ve returned to Whole30. I’ve done it before, but I always treated it like a crash diet. I skimmed the website for the rules, but didn’t educate myself about the science. I’ve never done the reintroduction phase. I’ve never engaged with the community. I’ve never made lasting changes to my life style. 
This time, the goal is to do it differently. I’m reading the books, I’m committing to the reintroduction phase, and I’m using this forum. The goal is actual, real, lasting change so I can feel like I’m in control of my life again. The goal is energy and clearing brain fog and fighting off depression. And yes, definitely weight loss. 
I’m 33 years old, and I’ve finally decided that it is time to Do The Thing. Let’s go!
 

 

I hope things got better but you're right that it's normal to have some days like that in the first half especially right where you are.  I'm glad you aren't letting it stop you.  

I love blended soups for their creamy texture.  And of course there's homemade mayo and ranch dressing (look up dump ranch dressing) for compliments to meals.  I've also made sauces that had coconut milk in them, plus homemade unsweetened coconut milk yogurt.  

I love me some creamy soups! I make double batches of these two soups and keep individual-serving-size jars frozen in the freezer. I love eating them for breakfast because it's a great way for me to eat veggies early in the morning but they would hopefully satisfy your creamy-texture-cravings quite well! 
Sweet Potato Soup: https://meljoulwan.com/2013/01/02/paleo-sweet-potato-soup/
Golden Cauliflower Soup: https://meljoulwan.com/2012/10/24/golden-cauliflower-soup/
 

Hello Day 10, you gorgeous, beautiful beast you!!
So happy to be here and yesterday evening worked itself out nicely.  On my way home - to work out - my husband texted me about walking our new house. Yes, in the midst of a pandemic and a weird world, we are building a house, which is a stressful activity in and of itself.  I have a short blog on our progress, if you are interested: https://delrayteardown.blogspot.com/
Anyhoo, I initially was going to tell him no, that I needed to work out and then reality set in - I mean, how often will I have the chance to walk in my new house with just the first floor framed in? So, I agreed and we went. Afterwards, we went to a beer garden nearby where he had beer and chicken fingers. The dog had cheeseburger sliders and I had peel and eat shrimp and Pelligrino. It was delightful. We enjoyed the nice night and each other's company while I ate compliant and stayed off the vino.
Very pleased that yesterday worked out well and thank you to those who read my rant/pep talk. 
I have been keeping a written journal and based on my past history, as of today, I believe that I have "dodged" 2700 calories in alcohol consumption since day 1. Looking back, that's a really wasteful way to build up calories.  My hope that is that when I see he final number of calories that I didn't imbibe over the 30 days, it is a wake up call and pushes me to be more mindful.  As @ShadowInTheKitchen put it, marketing for wine and the joy it brings is pretty adept. I imagine it is similar to the smoking ads that pulled in the generations before me.