Meal Log and Daily Musings for my first Whole30

[KellyPete]

So last night I had my first "cheat dream," which is weird because I haven't actually been craving anything particular. In my dream I ate a huge pile of creamy cheddar mashed potatoes before realizing, Um, those aren't Whole 30 compliant...

 

Today started of ok, though I'm fighting off a cold/allergies. I thought it was the dreaded "carb flu" at first, but that probably doesn't involve sneezing and a sore throat :/

 

I'm trying to add more morning veggies, so today for M1 I had 3 eggs w/ sauteed eggplant, spinach, a bit of chicken, and green onions, as well as a small orange.

 

For M2 we're going to a local diner w/ my family, but the menu says they have a house salad w/ lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers, and I can add shrimp and a poached egg. Yum! 

 

For M3 I'm planning on making one of the Whole30 ground beef recipes...maybe the deconstructed burger. It sounds really good!

 

Have a great day everyone!

[KellyPete]

This afternoon has been rough. I didn't eat enough for M2, so I was starving at 3pm. I ate a hard-boiled egg, some apple slices, and some nut butter. 

 

In reading through the posts, I am getting discouraged. I feel like I'm hungrier than everyone else, even though I feel like I'm eating more food than those who post their logs up each day. I'm tired all the time, my head hurts, and I really just feel like giving up.

 

[amberino21]

Why are you discouraged? Personally I don't know how many survive on the little food they do - I think the meals you posted above seem small!

I eat mountains, and for breakfast quite happily eat a mushroom and chicken omelette (over 1 cup mushrooms, handful of chicken, 3 eggs) plus a whole grilled zucchini (about 10inches long), and about 2 cups of steamed broccoli/beans, drizzled in mayo.

My salads are made in massive salad bowls.

Ill eat the same amount of vegies at dinner plus my protein and fat.

If you're tired and your head hurts, it will be because a) you're in your first few days, and b.) because you may need more fuel! Eating more is a good thing! You didn't mention any starchy carbs in your meal plan - these will help enormously with overall energy and sore head/brain fog in the first few days. This isn't a low carb plan - eat them

[KellyPete]

Thanks, Amberino21! I think the discouragement comes from comparing my journey with others. I forget that, compared to what I used to eat, this is an enormous change and I need to give myself a pat on the back for my efforts. Even if I'm hungry and eat a snack or two, I haven't eaten anything that's not Whole30 compliant for 7 days. That's a big deal! 

 

I do tend to feel much less hungry on days when I eat a sweet potato + protein + fat. I'll start incorporating that into a meal at least once a day from now on. Thanks for the encouragement!

[amberino21]

I've learnt over my own journey over the past few years (in relation to competing in bodybuilding in particular) that comparing yourself to others has absolutely no positive benefit. Every single person is on their own journey, has their own issues, reacts to everything differently and does everything for different reasons.

You'll never know someone's whole story so trying to "fit in" or being the same will only have a detrimental impact on your own journey! Be confident in you, and your journey and stick with it!

[KellyPete]

Today is a new day! I slept over 9 hours last night and could have gone to bed sooner, honestly. I've been so tired lately. But I know that's part of the process, and I'll feel better soon.

 

M1: a 3-egg scramble with mushrooms, spinach, carrots,  bit of ground beef, and green onions. Also, I took amberino21's advice and added 1/2 small sweet potato for carbs. I'm trying not to eat fruit for breakfast, but rather to pack in a lot more veggies. 

 

M2: I'll have some grilled chicken with coconut aminos (that stuff is awesome!), a small sweet potato with coconut oil, and a salad with spinach, grapes, carrots, cabbage, and a hard-boiled egg. 

 

M3: beef and cabbage curry from ISWF. I made some curry last week and it was awesome. 

 

Snack: carrots, maybe an apple with sunflower seed butter. 

 

 

It's funny, I was thinking this morning about how much food it "looks" like I'm eating. But I would have had no problem before Whole30 downing a bowl of oatmeal with almonds and a banana - about 450 calories. And then I'd have a morning snack before lunch! So the mound of veggies and eggs I ate for M1 is actually less than I normally eat. 

 

Crazy. 

[GFChris]

Your meals look terrific and most yummy. One of these days I need to try coconut aminos.

For your snacks, you want them to be a mini-meal including a protein and fat.

[KellyPete]

Thanks, GFChris! It's good to get feedback.

 

 

 

Y'all, yesterday I felt like poo. I was so tired I wanted to take back-to-back naps. And I almost did.

 

Today I feel much better (I was actually humming in the shower), but I'm also HUNGRY. I had to be up at 4:45am, so it'll be a long day for me. Oddly enough, I was craving sweet potatoes and carrots! Yay!

 

 

5:30am   M1: spinach and mushroom frittata, 1/2 small sweet potato, touch of coconut oil

10:45am M2: sweet potato w/ coconut oil, a bit of leftover curry, hard-boiled egg

2:45pm   M3: spinach salad with chicken and walnuts, roasted carrots

7pm        M4: salmon cakes from Practical Paleo over a bed of zucchini noodles with a side of roasted green beans

 

 

I am hungry today. I know it's normal, so I am going to eat well and remind myself that this is a transitional period and my body deserves to be nourished. If this is meant to be a lifelong transition into healthy eating, I need to be able to listen to the hunger signals and react accordingly, not just "wait it out" because the "diet" will be over in 21 days. 

 

If you're hungry....honestly hungry, eat. It's okay. 

[KellyPete]

The sun has come out!!! My energy has returned!!!!!!!! 

 

Today I woke up and was hoping for more energy. I've been so tired these past few days, and I was getting really discouraged. But today, I felt awesome! I even decided to forego my (normally very necessary) post-lunch coffee because I didn't need it at all. I hope this is what they're talking about, because I will HAPPILY give up all that processed goodness for this energy!

 

I've also seemed to figure out the balance I need for meals. I didn't get hungry today in between, and I felt like my blood sugar levels stayed pretty steady all day. Awesome!

 

5:30am M1: spinach and mushroom frittata, banana

11:30am M2: salad greens w/ balsamic chicken, a hard-boiled egg, and coconut oil, along with a small sweet potato

4pm snack: apple, sunflower seed butter, hard-boiled egg

6:30pm M3: pork chop w/ coconut aminos, zucchini "noodles" and roasted carrots

[KellyPete]

5 things I would never have experienced without Whole30:

 

1. zucchini noodles with coconut oil and garlic

2. eggs cooked in coconut oil with salt and pepper

3. roasted cabbage

4. frittatas

5. balsamic vinaigrette

 

 

So, if nothing else, I thank Whole30 for giving me the chance to taste these delicious combinations! So gooooood!