MaryB :: Whole30: 7/9 - 8/7

[ciscospice]

Started my first Whole30 yesterday. Have done some low carb dieting in the past, but definitely think that looking at what I eat so that I can recover from and prevent inflammation is going to be a good thing. I suspect that I have some low level gluten sensitivities.

Hardest thing to give up: Liberte Coconut Yogurt (dairy with coconut flavor) and good cheese. But as stated in ISWF - I'm an adult, so I need to suck it up and just do this!

7/9 Meals:

(some assumptions: we are in a raw milk CSA and can get grass-fed beef and pastured eggs via the CSA (I'll be skipping the milk this month). We are also surrounded by some really amazing local farmers, so we have access to high quality meats, eggs and produce. This fabulous farm is just around the corner from us.)

Meal #1:

two scrambled eggs cooked in a little bit of ghee with onions and cherry tomatoes

espresso with two tbsp coconut milk (interesting - I can learn to like this)

Meal #2:

chicken salad: chicken, mayo, celery, walnuts

Snacks:

a few tablespoons of shaved coconut

Meal #3:

From Well Fed: Green Beans with Almonds, Lime-Ginger Shrimp (very yummy - also, my husband asked me what we were going to have "on the side". I told him his green beans were his "side". He's a total starch addict - but for now, he's having what I'm having. )

Before I went to bed last night, I felt a little bit hungry, but satiated. Looking forward to the next 30 days and the rest of my life of eating clean.

My motivation: I run

and have an up and coming dog who has huge potential for success. But I need to be injury free and able to run fast to help him be the best he can be. I'm fighting chronic plantar fasciitis - so hoping that reducing overall inflammation and cutting some weight will help in the recovery.

[Tom Denham]

The veggies were a little light at lunch and you would need a lot of green beans with plenty of fat in their cooking to make supper fully adequate. Don't be afraid to eat big portions and to use cooking fats liberally. Going to bed feeling a little bit hungry doesn't sound good.

[ciscospice]

Thanks for the feedback, Tom.

Yesterday, I wasn't quite prepared to start and didn't want to make the wrong choices, so I went with what we had on hand. After work, I went grocery shopping and LOADED my cart with veggies. I had some raw green beans with my hardboiled eggs for breakfast this morning. So, with a fridge full of good stuff, you should see the veggie count go way up!

I probably should have just finished off the shrimp and green beans last night - I have some leftovers for lunch today, but when I added dinner to my food log, I was really surprised at how low the calorie count was - so, yes. Have to learn to up the quantities of this good stuff.

[Snicci]

I'm struggling to eat enough at my meals also (day 2 today). I'm thinking it is because I have spent so many years doing weight watchers style dieting that I just keep thinking I need to watch my portions. This will be a learning experience, no doubt.

[missmary]

but when I added dinner to my food log, I was really surprised at how low the calorie count was - so, yes.

Another Mary here, with a reminder not to count calories. We are trying to learn how to respond to physical hunger cues, so no measuring, weighting or counting for the W30. good luck to you!

[ciscospice]

Another Mary here, with a reminder not to count calories. We are trying to learn how to respond to physical hunger cues, so no measuring, weighting or counting for the W30. good luck to you!

Good idea. I ran across the Paleotracker and while I do like how it shows you how many nutrients you have consumed, it also lacks some foods and makes you feel bad if you lose any of the "badges".

One reason that I love the plan as defined in ISWF is that there isn't any tracking. Just eat the right things and you're good to go.

[ciscospice]

So, not tracking , but here is a summary of today's meals:

Day #2

Meal #1: three hard-boiled eggs and a large bowl of raw green beans. lots of water. espresso with 2 tblsp. of coconut milk.

Meal #2: leftover shrimp and green beans in almond-coconut milk sauce. large bowl of watermelon.

Snack: handful of almonds, some coconut shavings.

Meal #3: salmon, grilled brussel sprouts tossed with ghee and garlic powder on a bed of spinach and cherry tomatos. aquafina water. drizzle of olive oil. about twenty blueberries.

(Also made the WellFed Chocolate Chili for tomorrow nights dinner since I have two classes scheduled back to back for tomorrow night - flyball and obedience - will try to eat before I leave for class since I don't want to eat at 11pm. Time will be tight.)

Stopped over at our local organic farm and picked up some pork spare-ribs for later in the week and some pastured eggs. Checked out their bacon and, quite sadly, they season their bacon with sugar. Where are people finding their bacon without sugar?

[ciscospice]

Day#3

M1: four little pastured eggs (very cute) scrambled with onions, spinach and cherry tomatos in ghee. coffee with coconut cream

M2: a really big salad: spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, one hard boiled egg, one can tuna, dash of home-made vinaigrette. sprinkle of sliced almonds. water.

M3: (planned) mashed cauliflower with ghee, chocolate chili, home-made quac (avocado, lime juice, garlic, cilantro). water.

[ciscospice]

Day#4

M1: four little pastured eggs (very cute) scrambled with onions, spinach and cherry tomatos in ghee. coffee with ghee (didn't really like this - kind of greasy and though the flavor is probably better than coconut milk, I like the texture of the coc milk.) plum.

M2: a really big salad: spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, the best chicken you'll ever eat, dash of home-made vinaigrette. water.

Snack: handful of almonds

Snack: tried a larabar (pecan pie) since I've never had one. Good, but super sweet. If I snack on these, I'll only be taking a bite sized piece.

M3:a really big salad: spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, the best chicken you'll ever eat, dash of home-made vinaigrette. seltzer water.

[kayell]

You should probably add some more fat to your salads. They'd really benefit from about half an avocado. The fat requirement is a huge change for most people but it's important. If you have any problems with hunger, it will make those go away. You don't want to have to tough it out between meals.

Good call on the Lara Bars. Those things are like paleo crack.

[ciscospice]

They'd really benefit from about half an avocado. The fat requirement is a huge change for most people but it's important

Thanks for the feedback! I think just about anything would benefit from a half an avocado! I'll definitely look at ways to increase the fat.

ETA: I've decided not to post my food log here. Part of doing this Whole30 for me is the act of creating a long-term lifestyle change. Good, clean, nourishing food should just be there - a part of everyday life. Logging it here daily makes it seems like something special, something out of the ordinary and certainly not sustainable.

Over the weekend as I worked the program and made some yummy stuff, I kept thinking, "I need to get to a computer so I can update my thread". For me, that is not the way of the future as a paleo/whole9/whole30 eater.

My goal is to eat by the program, find great, simple meals, and make those clean choices as automatic as it used to be to choose the wrong thing. Without the burden of counting, logging, weighing, etc.