The Start of My Whole30 Log

[CatherineH]

I am very excited and motivated for this new lifestyle change. I am a 26 year old nurse who is overweight with asthma, allergies, PCOS, GERD and I have already received physical therapy for back pain. I am also having RA-like symptoms and have been tested with a resulting positive ANA titer. Fortunately, the rheumatologist I saw did not feel like I have an autoimmune disease, but I am having continued issues with aches and pains in my joints. I feel that gluten may possibly be a major factor, and since my own mother is gluten intolerant and felt relief after cutting it out of her diet, I figured why not try that out for myself. I also understand that there are links between worsened asthma and uncontrolled GERD, as well as the increased risk for diabetes with PCOS and obviously obesity.

 

I wanted to find a program would help me alleviated my symptoms, thus improving my health and quality of life. The science and philosophy behind Whole30 makes sense. I had posted the first 7 days of meal plan on another board but I will be making changes thanks to the support of members and their input. I am also using this as accountability for myself as I continue with the lifestyle change.

 

Day One (Tuesday):

 

Breakfast: Two fried eggs with chopped bell pepper and onion cooked with olive oil, served with a side of mango.

Lunch: Thin cut sirloin on salad with cooked pine nuts and a drizzle of olive oil.
 

Post work out meal: Serving of sirloin.

Dinner: Stir fry vegetables cooked with olive oil and thin cut sirloin, served with a side of banana.

 

Activity - 45 minute yoga class

 

My hunger continued through out the day and evening. I ended up eating an apple around 7:00pm (the only healthy option that was meal plan compliant at my job) and was fine the rest of the evening. I consumed nothing but water or water infused with cut lemon. I had begun cutting back the day before and by the middle of Day 1 I was having a midday headache, some fogginess and fatigue. Members suggested adding more protein and foods such as sweet potato to my morning/afternoon and to cut back on fruit.

 

Day 2 (Today):

 

Breakfast: Three fried eggs with chopped bell pepper, tomato and onion cooked with olive oil, served with a side of mango
 

Post work out meal: Serving of chicken

Lunch: Chicken and left over thin cut sirloin with stir fry vegetables cooked with olive oil.

Dinner:  Grilled pork and fresh salad with lemon juice and olive oil.

 

Activity - Walking our dog

 

Currently, I am having the midday headache again. I am drinking organic green tea with fresh lemon juice to see if that will calm it. Yesterday, I had to take two Advil tablets to level it out. So far, it's receding. I'm still a bit hungry but I know I have more changes to make.

 

There isn't much variety right now because I have been mainly utilizing left overs. I had planned to go grocery shop today but it will be done tomorrow. This Saturday I work a 16 hour shift so I need to have some meals in place prior. I'm planning on buying a food processor and glass jars, along with more health fats and proteins. I have never used coconut milk or made ghee so I'm excited about that.

[Tom Denham]

I am glad to see you eating more on day 2. You probably need to eat a little more still. Weight loss isn't about restricting calories, but eating what your body really wants and getting your hormones in a good rhythm.

[CatherineH]

I will be adding more variety and amount of fats and proteins the next couple of days. I'm very much looking forward to trying new recipes!

[CatherineH]

Day 3:

 

Breakfast: Three eggs scrambled with a chopped tomato and cooked with olive oil; side of banana

 

Lunch: Roasted chicken with olive oil, lettuce, tomato and cucumber

 

Dinner: Baked chicken cooked with various herbs and spices and ghee; side of sweet potato hash and apple

 

 

No full midday headache! A small one crept in around 1:30pm or so and went away.

 

However, I feel like I didn't eat enough vegetables, and I can see why the sweet potato hash is better for the morning than evening. Definitely feeling more full from it. Also, I found that taste of the hash to be good overall, but not crispy enough.

 

No overt cravings for processed foods, but having a fiance who is eating whatever he wants doesn't help.

 

I did go shopping for various food items and finally bought coconut milk, as well as various vegetables and proteins, including grass fed beef, organic chicken, eggs, turkey bacon and sausage. I even made ghee!

[CatherineH]

Day 4:

 

Breakfast: Two fried eggs and sweet potato hash
 

Post work out meal: Serving of chicken breast and an apple

Lunch: Baked chicken with cauliflower/carrot puree with ghee and coconut milk

Dinner:  Steak with carrot and cauliflower/carrot puree with ghee and coconut milk

 

Day 5:

 

Breakfast: Omelet and sweet potato hash; side of banana

Lunch: Baked chicken with cauliflower/carrot puree with ghee and coconut milk; side of apple

Dinner:  Grilled shrimp and salad

 

Day 6:

 

Breakfast:  Two fried eggs, turkey bacon and cauliflower/carrot puree with ghee and coconut milk; side of banana

Lunch: Roasted chicken with stir fry vegetables cooked in ghee; side of apple

Dinner: Greenwise Italian chicken sausage with a baked sweet potato and ghee and cinnamon

 

 

I am reusing leftovers as usual because of my work schedule. Having made a good amount of puree makes it simpler as I am starting the program. I am very excited about trying out a lot of the recipes from It Starts With Food and found a lot of inspiration. It has been challenging finding grass fed/pastured/organic proteins, but I did discover local farms and farmers markets that I can utilize.

 

Some other challenges I have been are determining what are cravings and what is hunger, but after reading ISWF the question of "am I hungry enough to eat a meal?" has helped. If the answer is no, then simply it's a craving. Learning to adjust my meals based on how hungry I am later in the day is also a challenge but I am managing. It is strange to not have my morning coffee - instant coffee with stevia and around 1.5 cups of fat free milk. (I am not a black coffee drinker - tried it and I would rather do without.) So, my only source of caffeine has been green tea, and that is very different for me when I would consume either coffee, soda or sweet tea. Since starting the program, I've only had about three cups of green tea for caffeine purposes, when my headaches were terrible.

 

A lot of the withdrawal symptoms have gone away. I am still having that tiredness at 3pm so is an area I still need to work on in regards to my meal plan. The chapter on hormones and good days vs. bad days really resonated with me; it helped me recognize that I have been having nothing but bad days, even when I thought I was okay. I am thankful I found Whole30 because I feel like I am making a great lifestyle change and I am not on a diet. Not having to overly measure and count is freeing.

 

And it's so yummy!

 

I uploaded a picture of Meal 1 from today to celebrate my growing cooking skills.

[CatherineH]

*sighs*

 

Day 7

Breakfast: Greenwise Italian chicken sausage with stir fry vegetables in olive oil and Mediterranean salt

Lunch: Roasted chicken with cauliflower/carrot puree with ghee and coconut milk; side of apple
 

Dinner: I can't blame anyone but myself on this one. I can't say, "oh, I didn't want to make her (fiance's mother) feel bad that I didn't eat the pizza she brought over for his birthday, and the cake, too."

 

I chose to ignore "for one time" the program's outlines. Pizza and cake. Oh, and bread sticks.

 

And the sad thing was, they were not anywhere tasty in comparison to the meals I have been making. If anything, they were less.

 

No use in self loathing. Take the responsibility and move forward.

 

Day 8 Day 1

Breakfast: Greenwise Italian chicken sausage with cooked carrots in ghee

Lunch: Grass fed beef cooked with coconut milk, curry, shredded carrots and spices; side of cashews

Dinner: Left over turkey bacon with fried eggs and stir fry vegetables with coco aminos.

 

My appetite for most of the day has been unusually low, in comparison to the ravenous feelings I had been having earlier when I first started. As I'm typing this, however, my appetite is starting again and is ready for the dinner I've outlined. I've been having headaches and stiffness in my neck but I had a work related injury over the weekend. Hopefully, between the continued better eating, rest and light activity, I'll be feeling 100% soon.

[Physibeth]

You made a choice and you learned something and now you put your big girl panties on and try again. Good on you! Some of those symptoms today can be related to what you ate yesterday. Have you been to see a doctor/chiro/massage therapist to ensure your work related injury didn't cause a bigger problem?

[CatherineH]

You made a choice and you learned something and now you put your big girl panties on and try again. Good on you! Some of those symptoms today can be related to what you ate yesterday. Have you been to see a doctor/chiro/massage therapist to ensure your work related injury didn't cause a bigger problem?

 

I have seen them and it's a result of my injury (head was hurting before what I ate). However, I'm sure it didn't help my situation. I'm trying to stretch out my muscle because I want to avoid having to do physical therapy again. I had done about 2 months of PT for my back, and now with this injury, it has flared it up again. Also, I'm sure the inflammatory responses I have been feeling from foods I have eaten, there is still lingering inflammation making my injury worse. I'm just ready to get back to it! Dinner done and now I'm enjoying my water and may be some tea later.

[sunnymama]

Good job moving forward! 

[CatherineH]

Day 2

Breakfast: scrambled eggs with cooked carrots sauteed in ghee.

Lunch: chicken salad with chopped strawberries and grape, basil tomato soup

Activity: severeal minutes on the elliptical to warm up then 30 minutes of stretching

Post workout: cashews and beef jerky

Dinner: grilled chicken and cooked carrots

I need to go grocery shopping! I had bought zucchini last night so I will make thst tonight for dinner and will update with today's meals.

[CatherineH]

Here are my updates:

http://sophisticatedcavewomaneating.wordpress.com/

[CatherineH]

*palm to forehead*

 

I made very bad decisions this weekend, and I'm going on my fourth try of whole30 eating.

 

It's such a simple program, and yet I've made it so difficult.

 

Moving FORWARD.