A First Whole30 for a Swim Bike Mom

[Swim Bike Mom]

DAY ONE

 

Well, I went out with a bang on Sunday night, getting ready to start the Eight to Great Challenge with Whole30 as my choice of plan.

 

I mean, really really elevated my food status to Louis C.K. levels.  "I don't stop eating when I'm full.  The meal is not over when I am full. The meal is over when I hate myself."

 

Mission accomplished. I woke up on Monday morning feeling gross and couldn't even button my pants. So I wore a dress. [Next stop, mumu. If I don't make this healthy lifestyle an actual lifestyle.]

 

 

LOG

No workout today

Breakfast:   8:15 a.m. - 1 organic chicken sausage, 2 whole eggs, kale, red peppers, 3/4 avocado.  I was not hungry until almost 1:00. Awesome.

 

Lunch: 1:00 - 1 organic chicken breast, kale, onions, lemon juice, clementine, two handfuls of cashews. Brought 2 eggs, but they were waaaaay under-boiled. So scrapped that. About 30 minutes later, I was hungry.  Need more protein, I guess. Which would have been fine if I had the eggs.

Afternoon, around 4:15 I started feeling yucky with some serious cravings for sugar and a desire for wine.  Kind of light-headed too. Also, I have been perched at my desk all days and stood up like twice. Terrible.

Dinner: Starving by dinner.  6:45pm. The Expert cooked some awesome fish, asparagus, salad with

dates and other yummies. Avocado. And I used too much olive oil on all. But two hours later, I am

not hungry (I'm mentally starving...but not physically).

 

 

I packed up my pre-workout snack and post-workout recovery food, my gym bag, got the kids in the bed, and now it's 9:00, and I'm already behind the eightball, because I'm supposed to turn off my electronics by 9:00 and get in bed by 10:00 and now I "need" to watch Dexter.

 

Plus, we are suing the pants off our landlord tomorrow and I'm doing everything in my power to not think about it, because that might result in a lot of mindless eating.

 

 

 

 

[Swim Bike Mom]

DAY TWO

 

Today has been a great challenge.  

 

Feeling just a tad grrrrrrr....

 

For example, there was chocolate/peanut butter pie/cake that I could see from my desk. Okay, I could see when I walked by.

 

So I escaped the fourth floor and went to the fifth floor, where I was greeted with this:

Come on!! [Are there hidden cameras here?!]

I didn't sleep well (at all) last night.  I was wide awake until 2:30 am, heart racing and lists forming of all the things I had to do. Total mess.  I would start to doze, then the Expert would snore and I would freak out, yell at him to shut his snoring yapper, and then he'd wake up, startled, tell me to shut up... ah, well....we basically just told each other to shut up all night.

 

[Clearly, the Expert is having a hard time with this clean eating too.]

 

Anyway, I know why I love "my" wine at night. Because I can sleep.  I even had a Zyrtec (allergy med) and melatonin last night.  Didn't even touch it.

 

So cold turkey on sugar, wine and apparently, sleep.

 

I got this in the bag (laughing uncontrollably).

 

My alarm went off at 4:30 for an hour long swim and 1.5 hour bike. I slept in another hour, thinking that the swim could suffer.  It was a good call. I actually woke up at 5:30 feeling grateful for the three solid hours.

 

Had a great spin/ride. Feeling very (very) fluffy and out of shape, although I know consistency is key and will get me out of the slump.

As of now, the afternoon withdrawals for sugar and sweet and Mexican food and wine and Reese's has started.  I am chugging water.

 

Interestingly, though... I am not hungry. Just emotionally starving.  Having to deal with the I-hate-myself factor and I-regret-so-much...which is difficult.

 

I liked this quote from the Whole30 website:

"There is a term in the health-behavior-change world called self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is your belief in your ability to succeed in specific situations....Take a minute today to take stock of yourself. Do you feel like you currently have the self-efficacy you need to be successful?"

Credit: http://whole9life.com/2013/07/self-efficacy/

Wowzer... that was like...

...it was like...

a....

Treating my nutrition and choices to follow the plan is no different then setting out to do a triathlon. To do a half marathon. An Ironman.  A sprint. A 5k.

 

It all takes self-efficacy. Determination. Planning. 

 

Same mindset. I don't know why it never occurred to me that eating well might actually be just as difficult as training for me... but if I have some self-efficacy with regards to my nutrition, that I might actually do this.

 

And do it well. Wow.

 

Lightbulb.

 

Day 2 LOG:

Pre-Workout:  (5:45 am) 1 egg (including yolk), 1 handful cashews

 

Workout:  1.5 hour bike, abs  - definitely noticed the lack of carbs. I know that it's going to stink for a bit, until I learn how to be a fat-burner, using fat as my fuel source. I heard it's like a week and then it kicks in. I need it to kick in. Me gots plenty to burn.

 

Post-Workout: (immediately after, 7:45 am) 2 egg whites (only), 1 organic apple. A surprisingly fun thing to do in the gym locker room - eat stinky eggs.

 

Breakfast:  (one hour later, 8:45am) 2 organic chicken sausages, steamed kale, olive oil, tons of salt.  I love this breakfast. If you are looking for recipe ideas, you won't find them with me. I find something I like and I eat it every day. However, here's a great site with tons of Whole30 driven recipes.

 

Lunch:  (1:15pm) organic chicken breast, orange peppers, kale, olive oil, salt, handful of cashews.  The real challenge is making this last until I get home after picking up kids and running them to karate.

 

Dinner: (7:30 - waaaaay too late. Had small handful of almonds about 5:15.) Steak kabobs, tons of veg, coconut flakes.

 

[Swim Bike Mom]

DAY THREE

I woke up on Wednesday morning  feeling pretty good. I was groggy, but I slept well.  Today was another recovery day from workouts. I am only on a five day a  week workout schedule now that the Expert is back training, and I really like having two mornings off. It's kind of nice.  Though it makes my long weekend workouts...longer.  Still, I feel like I am returning to my old, healthier self---like from years ago with this Whole30 eating plan (see here if you are new to Eight to Great). I can definitely feel the detox effects as I am kind of spacey.

 

Day Three Log

Workout: No workout, recovery day

Breakfast:  (8:15am) The same ole organic chicken sausage from Whole Foods, tons of kale, yellow & red peppers and olive oil. I will likely change this tomorrow because I am out of sausage (that's what she said). Actually, that makes me panic so I think I will go to the store.

 

Lunch:  (1:15pm) Salad (romaine, arugula, spinach) with banana peppers, black olives, mushrooms, tomatoes, almonds, sunflower seeds, 3 eggs, 1/4 cup of grilled chicken and olive oil.  After I made this giant salad it occurred to me that I might be having too much fat with 3 eggs, almond, sunflower seeds and olive oil. And then I panicked.

 

I had handful of cashews and shredded coconut at 2:30 because I was nervous.

 

Dinner: (7:15 pm) chicken breast, sweet potatoes, kale, French beans, salad, olive oil. A little while later I had shredded coconut, cashews.

 

 

DAY FOUR

Rise and shine for a run at 5:50 am!  Today was my longest run since Ironman, and I felt pretty good.  I didn't fall asleep easily last night, but once I did, I slept very, very well. But I feel the fundamental shift happening. The changing of the habits. The constant preparation of food. The mental shift.  It makes me happy, because this shift (even though sometimes it doesn't stick) is a drug of sorts---makes me feel strong and brave!

 

Also, I got really mad at the Expert this morning.  He had orange juice. Orange juice is NOT Whole 30 approved (except for small amount for sweetener). And almost immediately (as I was cursing and storming out the door----yes, yes because of OJ...yes)....I suddenly realized that his journey is his journey.  Yes, he's doing the plan with me.  Yes, he's making changes. So what do I really care if he drinks OJ?  I guess because it's a trigger for me, for our relationship.  That in the past, when one of us "falls off" ----eventually (as in 1-3 days), the other is dragged down too.

 

That's the hard part about relationships----they can build you up, and you can be super powerful together. Or, you can drag each other down.  Or, you can just mind your own business.

I'm going with the latter.  Because truth is---OJ isn't going to bring any of us down completely.

Together now---- say, "Get a life, Mere!"

 

Day Four LOG

Pre-workout:  (6:00 am) Pumpkin seeds and coconut (shredded)

 

Workout:  6 mile, Zone 2-3 run (during run - 2 bottles of water, 2 Nuun tablets for electrolytes (OOOOPS - I just learned that Nuun is a  no-go.... poop.)

 

 

Post-workout:  (8:00 am) 2 egg whites, 1 organic apple

 

Breakfast: (9:15am) 2 egg whites, 1 whole egg, kale, french beans, 2 small clementines, olive oil, handful of cashews.

And I am hooked on this coconut. Yes, I eat it plain - a handful for my "fat" addition to the meals. Love.  [but you do really have to love coconut. Which I do.]

 

 

Lunch: (12:45 pm)  chicken breast (skinless, pan-grilled with dijon mustard, capers, garlic, pepper, salt), string beans, kale, almonds and 2 clementines.

 

Dinner:  (7:30 pm) Salmon, sweet potato, salad, 1/2 avocado

 

The biggest challenges I see over the next few weeks---come until about 20 days from now. I have some client entertaining to do at the end of the month and then hit the road to Dallas the second week in September.  The challenge for me is to keep the drinking OUT and the good food IN ---and accomplish workouts on the road.

 

I'm already nervous, but I am practicing self-efficacy, and going to believe that that I can make it happen.

 

I mean at this point... the way I see it... booze and bad food does nothing to benefit my life.  It just takes away.

 

Oh yeah.

[joolie]

Just caught up with Days 1 through 3 - you made me smile!!

[Swim Bike Mom]

I did not workout today.  That makes three days this week, and guess what? I don't feel badly about it.  Why?  Because I needed to sleep.  And sometimes, it's okay to tell your body - you need sleep. Chill out and sleep. So I did.

 

And I feel like a thousand bucks today (not quite at a million bucks yet). Except I think I am coming down with a cold. Of course.

The Expert is going through some serious issues with his conversion to clean eating.  He's been a pretty hard-core Diet Evil Coke drinker for as long as I have known him (errrr.... so 20 years?!), and I think the chemical withdrawal is making his skin crawl.

 

I, on the other hand, am just a pure and simple junk food, peanut butter, beer & wine hound, so I'm not feeling too terrible on Day Five. I think my chemical withdrawals are much less severe.  Though I actually am thinking about Mexican food and margaritas today ---it's the Friday Pavlov's dog in me, I guess.

 

Tomorrow is a long open water swim and a long bike.  Augusta 70.3 is literally around the corner, and it's time to get back in the saddle.

 

LOG

Workout:  Nada

Breakfast: Organic chicken sausage, kale, avocado, red peppers.  I'm telling you I'm such a creature of habit (good or bad habits, doesn't matter).  Had a weird allergic reaction to something is morning, though. Itchy throat and snorting. Either that, or I just have a cold coming in. Which is possible.

 

 

Lunch:  Salmon, one organic chicken sausage, spinach, raw cashews. (Come to find out the cashews I have been eating were not Whole 30 compliant in that they had rice bran oil. I am going to trudge forward with counting today as Day 5, because I intend to continue with the Whole 30 beyond 30 days.... so we'll just roll with it. Otherwise, I'll lose track of how long I've been working at this. Make sense?)

I was feeling great until after lunch. Then I started feeling really gross. Bloated. Gross. Weird.  And very full. 2 hours after lunch, I felt inexplicably full...

Which is good, I guess. 

 

Dinner:  Going by Whole Foods and picking up shrimp for shrimp "tacos" in lettuce wraps.  I am going to eat them and that is all, but will likely throw in a sweet potato---tomorrow morning is a long swim and ride, which means I need to be creative in the fueling process tonight and tomorrow.   Can take a sweet potato tomorrow for the ride too. Stay tuned on that.

Tomorrow night, the Expert is cooking this: http://paleomg.com/maple-mustard-short-rib-bacon-burgers/ from PaleOMG.

Image from PaleOMG: http://paleomg.com/maple-mustard-short-rib-bacon-burgers/

[Bethany Gingerich]

OK, you are hilarious!  The sausage "that's what she said" came out of nowhere and made me laugh! And switching floors to avoid food, only to see stacks of pizza boxes!  Thanks for the giggles!  I'll be following you!  I relate to so much of this, including wanting wine and the relationship dynamics.  My bf shad some drinks last night (he'd been dry with me for a month, doing a different plan but very compatible with W30) and it's surprising how much you want to join in on the fun!

 

If you like shrimp lettuce tacos, I suggest you try the lime shrimp recipe in Well Fed for an Asian twist!  SO GOOD!  You can put in grilled onions and peppers and it's so tasty!

[Swim Bike Mom]

DAYS 6 & 7

 

I got on the scale on Saturday morning.  One of the rules of Whole 30 is not to get on the scale for 30 days.

 

Now I understand why.  It was disappointing. Very. Very disappointing.

 

However, I feel so much better eating this way.  It's a struggle, though.  A constant struggle, especially on the weekend - the time that is easy for chips and margaritas.

 

But I breathe and appreciate the promise that I can do this challenge.

 

And check out the nom nom shrimp lettuce wraps for dinner on Friday, and so easy.  Just sauteed some onions & mushrooms, and grilled some shrimp in a pan with lime, salt & pepper. So easy.

 

DAY SIX - Saturday

 

The Expert and I went to bed on Friday night at 10:00.  I tossed and turned again, most of the night. When I did sleep, the sleep was good.  But I was struggling to sleep.

 

We woke up at 6:00 to head out for an open water swim and ride.

 

Swam for 40 minutes and rode for 2 hours and 15 minutes.

One Weatherman. One Expert.

I was interested to see how the lack of "sugar" would be on the workout, and suprisingly, it seemed to be okay.  I added 1/2 a sweet potato to dinner last night, and also cooked up and mashed a few to take on the ride.

 

The ride was good.  I am surprised at the loss of fitness since Ironman, but I am also pleasantly surprised at the "base" that I seemed to have maintained.  It's not super, but I have not lost everything. Thank goodness.

 

Pre-Workout: coffee with almond milk, 1 whole egg, 1 handful of cashews

During Ride:  (1 hour in) 1/2 mashed sweet potato (taken in a baggie like a gel!),  (1 hour and 45 minutes in) 1 clementine; over the course of the ride, I had 2 Salt Sticks tablets and 3 bottles of water.  I brought an extra 1/2 mashed potato and cashews, but I didn't eat them.  If I had ridden the full 3 hours, I would have taken these in.

Ha ha!!! Sorry for the photo. But it's what it looked like!             Sweet potato in a baggie! Not too shabby.

After Ride:  (11:10 am) Immediately I had 2 egg whites, salted, and an organic Braeburn apple.

 

Lunch:  (12:00 noon)  We went to Outback Steakhouse and I had a salad with vinegar and a dash of olive oil, and a 6 oz. tenderloin, plain.  Very good.

Next Lunch:  (3:30 pm)  Was really hungry by mid-afternoon, and the Expert was making food... so we had scrambled eggs, leftover shrimp from last night, avocado, tomatoes and salsa.

Dinner:  (6:45 pm) beef short ribs (in slow cooker), mashed cauliflower with ghee (from Nom Nom paleo), kale.  (We decided against the other recipe from PaleOMG... we'll try it again soon.)  This was soooooo good.  It felt like a real steak & potatoes meal----and it kind of was. Minus the potatoes.

 

All in all Day Six was a bloody massive success.  I am proud of myself and the Expert for making these changes.

 

DAY SEVEN - Sunday

 

Slept 9.5 hours last night! YIPPPPPPEEEE!!  One of my SBM friends posted that she began to "sleep the sleep of princesses" after Day 5 of Whole30.  This was my first sleep of princesses.  Wow. I felt amazing.

 

I had a nine mile run scheduled for today. [Yes, I am quite certain that my coach wants to kill me.]  This would be my longest training run since I had the tragic run at Silver Comet found out about my hip condition back in April. Yes, there was an Ironman race squished somewhere in there - but suffice it to say - longest training run in a long while.

 

 

And it was a great run. I can tell that my body is adapting to this way of eating, and I am really liking the way I feel.  My clothes feel slightly less painful in the waist... the weight is not falling of me, like it has with other "plans." But this feels more permanent-possible, more sustainable as a way of eating.

 

Breakfast / Pre-workout:  coffee with almond milk (unsweetened), 4 mini chicken sausages (Whole30 compliant), 2 hardboiled eggs, salted.

 

Okay, so this wasn't my most favorite meal... and it was gross looking.  But it was practical.

During Workout:  10-12 dates, 12 ounces of natural coconut water

Lunch:  Evos restaurant - had a double stack burger, bunless, with lettuce, tomato and onion on top of a salad with olive oil.  Then hit the pool with the kiddos.

 

Had a handful of cashews a little while later - still hungry.

 

Dinner:  The plan was dinner Zoe's Kitchen.  They have awesome steak kabobs, but they are clearly covered in some sort of delicious sugary soy sauce.  So I ordered them plain with plain veggies. I old the cashier, absolutely no sauce on anything. The cashier was clear: No sauce.  He told the kitchen, no sauce. The kiddos were done with their meal.  The Expert was almost finished with his.

I still had no food.

 

Then finally they bring it out, and there it is:  covered in sauce. ARGH.  To their credit, the manager came over and tried to make it right. But I was over it.  You might say, big deal, just let it go and eat. But I couldn't that would have destroyed the goodness that Whole30 promises --- the complete re-vamping of my system. Injecting a sugar soy bomb might have sent me to the nearest bar to order a draft beer with onion rings.

This was another night without lights - dining by candlelight. I am pleased to report that our #hellhouse is still quite the Hell House.

At this point, I was done with Zoes.  Everyone was done eating, so we left and I popped into a Genghis Grill where I was able control my mongolian bowl and get it how I wanted it.  With no gunk, no soy - just veg, steak and shrimp.  Very good.

 

I apologized to my fellow diners (two kids who didn't care and the Expert who knows what's going on.)  But I know for a fact that eating out is a challenge.

 

But I wasn't ashamed to kick up a stink - I was clear that I couldn't eat it that way, so I didn't.

[Swim Bike Mom]

DAY 8

 

Today is the start of full day 8 of Whole 30.

I feel pretty amazing, to be honest. I don't feel thin. I don't feel pretty. I just feel… well.   And I don't mean, “Well, but…â€

I mean…

…I feel well. Well, at least I do.

My poor car, that's another story. I ran ole 2007 Honda into a pole/pillar in the parking garage. Wasn't talking on the phone. Wasn't eating. Wasn't chewing gum. Just drove right into it. 

Beautiful.

But things are good. Training is picking up. I feel clear-headed and healthy and in control.  Nothing like feeling that way. Oh, and I feel rested. Which is incredibly bizarre. Haven't felt rested in a long time.

I even sat with these little beauties in my office ALL day without tasting one.  Don't ask. I love Despicable Me, and a friend at work made these for the kiddos. So cute. So little. So evil.

But I survived.

The biggest benefit that I can see, so far, with becoming “Fat Adapted†is that today I did not experience the mid-afternoon slump. I actually felt fine and energized. Even crazier.  Read the link – actually has great info.

Also, I ate breakfast at 8:15 and I seriously wasn't hungry until 1:15.  That's a huge shift.

LOG

Workout:  No workout, recovery day

Breakfast:  Coffee with almond milk, 3 eggs, 1 whole avocado, 4 cups of kale, salsa

Lunch: large salad (spinach, romaine, mixed greens) with banana peppers, beets, peppers, mushrooms, artichokes, almonds, sunflower seeds, 3 egg whites.

Dinner:  Came home to yet another electrician standing on a ladder in the kitchen of the Hell House, so we couldn't cook…  Went to Genghis Gril (Mongolian stir fry) yet again and had two huge helpings of lean steak, shrimp, sprouts, spinach, ginger. mushrooms, onions and peppers with a soy/gluten-free tomato garlic sauce base.

I sort of missed rice and noodles with it… but really, I just settled for a bun:

 

I like big BUNS and I cannot lie…

[Bethany Gingerich]

Nice updates!  What is UP with eating out, seriously?  I can't believe they still put sauce on your stuff! Just habit I guess.  But I always wonder what it's like for people who will actually get ill or die if they eat sugar or other things.  Do they literally have to say "If you screw up I'll be in the hospital?"  

 

Dang woman,  you are a workout machine!  I thought I was killing it on this, but you are on a completely different level!  That's awesome, I'll have to look at the website for what you're doing. Do you have to actually be a mom to be part of it?

[missmunchie]

I am loving your log, Swim Bike Mom. And I believe that there is no way to make sausages, hot dogs, or any tube-shaped meat look good in a photograph. Doesn't stop me from eating them!

[Swim Bike Mom]

Thanks Bethany & MissMunchie!   Bethany - lawd no, you don't have to be a mom---come join us We have a big ole Facebook group too

[Swim Bike Mom]

This is an all-inclusive post… of Eight to Great, Days 9-12.

Consider me your cruise ship director.  We have, on this cruise, lots of things about shoes, food, landlords, kids, training and vicious crabs.  It's all here. And for free.

You lucky duckies. 

DAY NINE (Tuesday)

Today's big news that I did my ab workout… in a swimsuit.  Holy lawd.  

I told Coach Monster that I was committed to executing his workout plan. And today, I forgot the abs until after swim. So I did them. On the pool deck, in my swimsuit. Which wouldn't be a big deal for all you washboard a types out there… but for me… whoa nelly.

Pre-workout:(5:00am) 1 hard-boiled egg, 1/4 cup cashews

Workout:  Bike & Swim (2 hours total)

Post-Workout: (immediately after, 7:40am) 2 egg whites, 1 organic apple

Breakfast: (9:15am) 2 chicken sausages, kale, clementine

I wasn't hungry until 3:30.  Seriously. And still I wasn't that hungry, but I knew I would be. And would not be able to get to food between 5-7:30…

Late Lunch:  (3:30pm) 2 whole eggs, 1 egg white scrambled, 1/2 sweet potato, 4 cups of kale, sautéed

Dinner: (7:30 pm)  I was so excited. Had to take the kids to karate and the Expert was making hamburgers (sans bun for us) and sweet potato (chips).  Well, when I walked in the door, there was no burgers. Only eggs. Noooooooooo! Not eggs again!!  But alas, the man had made a frittata, and it was tasty.

My stomach has been a mess today.  I think I'm eating too many cashews.  I'm cutting out nuts tomorrow (that's what she said.)

I also sort of had a mental breakdown today. The lights in our Hell House –all of our lights have been ON downstairs and we can't turn them off—damn house is possessed—- (“Well, why don't you just move, then?† Because we can't. That's why.)—-Anyway.

The lights on -it's like some form of war torture.  The house is a disaster too, because the Expert and I hate it —-so we don't put any effort into it. It's just a place we throw our gym bags, cook and sleep.  Plus, I have inherited a slew of new responsibilities at work. And the chemical changes from Whole 30 are causing just interesting life in general.

Nothing is easy. But it's all worth it. Right? Right. That's our story.

DAY TEN (Wednesday)

Another recovery day from working out. I am really loving my two recovery days a week.  Wow, it makes a huge difference training five days a week instead of six. Makes me realize that  I don't want to really do another Ironman. 

Today, I am going nut-free and seeing how I feel.  Also, I woke up hungry, but I was not hungry at all for lunch.  I am battling with whether I should eat when I am not hungry—-or listen to my body and not eat.

Breakfast:(8:15am) coffee, leftover frittata, avocado (1/2) and kale

Lunch: (1:15pm) salad (spinach, mixed greens), 3 egg whites, a few raisins, peppers, pineapple, broccoli, red peppers, black & green olives, olive oil.

I am loving how I am no longer crashing in the afternoons.  How three meals a day (and only three meals) is really enough food.  Today, I wanted to eat pizza and drink wine, but only because of external stressors – and that's been my go-to for so long.  And beating that down is difficult. But beat it down, I must.

Dinner: A successful day with no nuts. Woot. Feel better. I don't think cashews are my friend.  (7:00 pm). Had slow cooker chicken and veg for dinner. Easiest recipe in the whole world:  get a Crock-Pot, throw some chopped up onion in it,  take a wholechicken, stuff it with lemons, rosemary and thyme and salt & pepper…throw it in the Crock-Pot with nothing else other than maybe a squeeze of lemon over it, turn on high and cook for 5-6 hours. Easy and very, very good.

I think I have finally programmed my body not to snack at night. That's been the hardest thing, but I think I am over the hump.

*And I'm not supposed to, but I got on the scale and 5 pounds has fallen off.

And because everyone loves kids drawings:

That would be a “vicious crab†and an “evil whale,†in case you couldn't tell.

Duh.

DAY ELEVEN (Thursday)

Pre-workout: 1 hard-boiled egg

Workout:  6 mile run, core

Post-workout: 2 egg whites, 1 organic apple

Breakfast:  I wasn't hungry until almost 11:00, so I waited to eat. I had two chicken breasts, massaged kale (with orange) and that's it.  I felt so full afterwards.  I didn't want to eat again at all.

Late late “lunchâ€:  Around 3:00, I decided that I should eat, so I went downstairs to the cafe in our building, but it was closed. Rats.  I didn't want to cheat and eat the cashews in my drawer, so I waited.  I thought I would have time to grab something before I picked up the kids from school. I didn't.  So then I had to shuttle them to karate. Luckily, their karate is next door to Whole Foods.  So I snagged some spicy olives at Whole Foods and a sparkling water at 6:15.

Found out that Ironman Chattanooga is coming in September 2014 – which is a hop-skip from Atlanta. I had to immediately calm my brain and put away my RRCD (Race Registration Compulsion Disorder) when I heard.

The SBM Army was riled up about it, which got me crazed. My first instinct was “YES! I AM IN!† Yoda texted me and said, “You and the Expert have to sign up so we can train together!†I texted the Expert, who said, “I can't deal with this right now. We can discuss tonight as you eat kale and eggs.† Which to the outsider might seem fine…but this was his way of saying, “If you put me through this, I will never cook for you again and you can eat your bloody kale and eggs forever.â€

This is me on kale and eggs:

Point taken.

And plus, I made a promise. No Ironman until 2016, if ever again.  I will keep my promise. I will keep my promise. I will keep my promise. I will keep my promise. I will keep my promise. I will keep my promise. I will keep my promise. I will keep my promise. I will keep my promise. I will keep my promise. I will keep my promise. I will keep my promise. 

Dinner:  The Expert made dinner last night (hands off ladies… he's mine)…

….We had an interesting buffet of things, including Nom Nom Paleo's shrimp stuffed mushrooms. I wasn't crazy about them —-I think I'm not that big on cilantro—but the Expert really loved them, and they were definitely a nice change.

Tonight, was the first time I really missed breadcrumbs. Because I love me a good stuffed mushroom.  Maybe next time, I'm thinking crab and something that smells and tastes like cheese… oh my. What would that be? AHhhhh, cheese? 

Sad face.

I do miss cheese. [but not the cheese on my rear end, which is driving my lack of cheese. Make sense? I know you're keeping up.]

Photo from Nom Nom Paleo: http://nomnompaleo.com/post/37988064841/paleo-shrimp-stuffed-mushrooms

Also, had a lovely concoction of veggies and shrimp.

DAY TWELVE (F-f-f-f-f-FRIDAY!)

I love Fridays.

I really love this Friday, because this morning the Expert went to the post office to pick up certified mail. I laugh when I get certified mail, like my friend Charlie says, scares the heck out of me when certified mail comes.  Me too.

Well, today, we received a notice from our landlords to leave the premises of the Hell House if we don't pay the rent for August that is due.

Funny.

Because the rent is NOT due – because the landlord said they were conceding our rent for this month (because of the hell that is our house, you know).

So now, they are trying to evict us for not paying the rent that they said we did not have to pay.

I love this company. And I can't wait to be evicted. I mean, that will be awesome blog material. Thank you Jesus for always giving me something to write about. I mean, the material was running low…

Oh, and yes…. as a matter of fact, our electrical is still screwed up. All our downstairs lights are still a-burnin'.

Which makes me want to stick this animal on them:

Despite the smile, this dangerous creature is a “vicious ghost shark with talons.â€

Duh.

Pre-workout: (4:50 am) I'm telling you, I'm no foodie.  Clearly. Yes, 1 hard-boiled egg.

Workout: Swim and spin

Post-workout:  (7:10 am) Same ole: 2 eggs whites and 1 organic apple. I'm having a hard time choking down these egg whites. I need to come up with something else to eat post-workout.

Breakfast: (10:00 am) two Applegate chicken sausages, kale & spinach with olive oil. I couldn't choke these down either. I don't know what is wrong with me. I don't want to eat??? I seriously must be dying.

Lunch:  will be leftovers from last night.

Dinner: Remains to be planned. So we'll see.

I feel good going into the weekend. It's just a workout weekend and hanging with the kids. The lazy kind of tea-drinking, snuggling type of weekend I think we could use. Supposed to rain, so likely putting down 10 miles on the treadmill and 3+ hours on the trainer, and I'm a-okay with that.

Have a great weekend, friends.

*Special shout-out to long-time SBM friend, Monica, who is tackling her first half iron this weekend. Go, Mo, go!

[dotamy]

Go! Go! Go! Doing awesome! I have the no-hungries between days 8-13 it seems too. I do like the no-hangries, though. It seems thats when my body is doing all its recalibrating. Egg muffins with applegate sausage chopped up in it and some green veg are a good post-WO too. Same stuff, different composition!

[amberino21]

I love your posts....you're hilarious!

I love chicken breast pieces with sweet potato post WO.....I used to be a smoothie/protein powder/fruit postWO girl before whole30 and changed to meat/starchy vegies on the whole 30 recommendation

Sometimes it's just pieces of meat/vegies, sometimes I grate the sweet potato, smoosh it together with minced chicken breast, herbs and spices and bake it!

Can't help with not feeling hungry though....I can't say I've ever not wanted to eat!

[Swim Bike Mom]

DAY THIRTEEN 

 

A long run of Thirteen Days of clean eating.  And I'm still going.

I am feeling remarkably good, sleeping the sleep of magic fairies, and starting to “de-fluff†—meaning, while I'm not sure if I am losing any weight, I am sure that I am feeling less puffy and fluffy.

Workout:  Today was an actual long run on the schedule.

Woke up early and hit the lake with the Expert.  I had a long run of 10 miles today after a 40 minute crazy-choppy open water swim.  Andy (my bike) is in the shop at All3Sports (getting new brakes), so I chose not to ride the road bike…and instead tackled the long run for the weekend.

Swim Bike Dude, Don, and his friend Michelle (along with me and the Expert) were the only folks out at the lake this morning. It was a really turbulent lake due to the high winds.  Kinda freaky turbulent.  But the Expert and I swam it, and made it out alive. For the first time, I missed my wetsuit.  Usually, we swim about 1900m in 40-45 minutes or so…  today we probably covered half that distance and had to work ten times as hard to make it happen.

And I swear I saw six dead bodies in the lake, swallowed 120,000 mouthfuls of water, and then came out of the water a stronger swimmer.  Good stuff.

Picture isn't even close to showing chop.

The Expert took off on his bike, and I strapped on the Camelbak, plugged in my headphones with the Pear Sports 10 Mile Run Workout (I'm in the process of reviewing this product, so I'll post that up soon…but suffice it to say, I'm in love)… and I started the run.

Great run. Lots of hills. I only walked a few times, and only because I wanted to.  Usually I feel that I need to walk… this run was different, for some reason. I can only think it's having to do with the nutrition. I tried to stay in Zone 2 most of the run, and I forgot how “easy†running can be when I pay attention to my heartrate and really work to keep it low.

I drank water mixed with natural coconut water in my Camelbak, 15 dates and 2 clementines for fuel, and it was enough.  I am finally adapting to eating and training this way.

Pre-Workout:  1 hard-boiled egg

Workout: 40 minute open water, 10 mile run

Post-Workout:  Didn't plan, and only had a clementine, but we ate pretty quickly afterwards.

Lunch:  Went to Outback Steakhouse with the Expert. There is one right down the road from the lake. I ordered a side salad with olive oil, salmon with a plain sweet potato.

I snacked a few times today, because I just found myself hungry.  But only on some cashews and olives.

The girl Swim Bike Kid and I did a little shopping.

She came out looking like Audrey Hepburn.

And the boy Swim Bike Kid came out as Captain America.  Both look good to me.

Dinner: The Expert made a red curry with beef brisket, peas, carrots, okra and sweet potato. He put the beef in the crockpot before we left for the lake this morning, and when we returned, he made the curry. Was so good. I have been dying for a change of food pace, and this was great.  The Expert loves to cook – he's such a foodie, and I am glad. Otherwise, I would just eat hard-boiled eggs at every meal (as has veen shown).

An electrician is in the Hell House right now, claiming that he has fixed the eletrical issues. I literally stared at him with my yeah right face.  We'll see. As of now, going on 6 weeks of terror, the Hell House has earned its name.

Today, I find myself missing bread and tortillas and cookies.  I'm not sure why.  Oh wait, yes I am ….because bread and tortillas and cookies are delicious.  The reprogramming of my brain is taking longer than I had hoped.

Still, I am blown away at how healthy I feel and how well I am sleeping. That alone makes it worth it.

Ran by this Courthouse today. Stopped to take a picture, because I had been inside as a litigator a few times, and it was fun to know that I was running by…and would likely never be inside of it again. At least not as a lawyer. I guess if I commit some crime in Forsyth County, then yes.

[Swim Bike Mom]

DAY FOURTEEN (Sunday)

I woke up on Sunday completely unmotivated for my workout.  Not sure why. Maybe because sometimes 4.5 hours of training isn't really what I want to do on a lazy Sunday morning. Maybe. Maybe.

Can't imagine why.

So I whined.

And then I got a pep talk from the Expert.

Actually, it was the biggest Non-Pep-Talk-Pep-Talk I've ever heard and it went something like this.

Me:          I don't wanna do this workout.

Expert:  Really.

Me:          What does that mean?  Really.?

Expert:   Well, if you don't want to do the workout, then don't.  Go to the nearest Hardee's.  Order yourself a ham biscuit.

Me:         What?

Expert:  Better yet, go to the Waffle House.  Sit at the bar counter.  Order yourself a coffee, some ham and hashbrowns. Then tell your other seventy-five year old friends at the Waffle House about how you used to be awesome. How you once did an Ironman. Tell them allllllllll about the great things you did once upon a time.

Me:        (laughing)

Expert:  Or you can get your butt out there, and do you workout and continue to do great things.

[There it is. The biggest non-pep-talk-pep-talk ever.]

So I did. I got my butt moving.  I had a reverse brick. After 10 miles on Saturday, to lace up the shoes for a 4 miler the next day—-and before the bike—was tough. But I felt pretty good. Sore, but strong.  I even had a good pace during the middle two miles.

Pre-Workout:  scrambled eggs, fruit

Workout:  4 mile run, 3 hours on the bike trainer (fueled with dates and coconut water)

Post-Workout:  eggs, kale

Dinner:  Steak Kabobs with sides of veggies (From Zoe's… they got it right this time).  Oh, and me and the Expert had a nice argument over dinner and the workout schedule.

Just started on the Kombucha. I think I'm allergic to it. It makes me sneeze.

DAY FIFTEEN (Monday)

I feel like crap today.

I didn't sleep well. I've had a headache all day. I'm thinking it's because I have re-introduced cashews after a few days break. Or maybe the kombucha.  Or maybe just stress. I am being pulled in a zillion directions in all areas of my life and my body is revolting.

#whatelseisnew

#stressjunkie

Great article on Whole9Life about being a stress junkie.  I don't like to consider myself a stress junkie, but I am beginning to think that I must be.  It's the only explanation.

The Expert is telling me that his main goal for the next year is to have calm… and peace… and quiet.

And I'm like, “WHAT!?!!? What does it mean? It's like a freaking double rainbow.â€

Oprah.com says, “Stress junkies are people who use their own physiological responses as a mood-altering device.  And just like heroin, stress hormones have side effects that can kill you. Pumped into the bloodstream at high levels for long periods of time, these chemicals contribute to ulcers and heart disease, weaken the immune system, and leave us vulnerable to everything from automobile accidents to depression.†—-from Whole9Life.‘

[And we know everything Oprah says is true, right?  Okaaaaay.]

Calm. 

Peace.

Quiet.

CPQ.

[Does the Expert know who he married?  I don't "do" CPQ.] Time to de-stress, I know.

Workout:  Recovery Day  (I love recovery day.)

Breakfast:  2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 egg white, 1 organic apple

Lunch:  Left-over brisket curry from Saturday night.

Dinner: A cheapy version of cioppino (seafood soup).  Shrimp, calamari and mussels over vegetable stock, onions, tomatoes, red peppers.

And the kids ate the tentacles on the calamari.

Does this picture answer the “what do your kids eat†question? Lawdy.

And I think my body is very happy that I am feeding it “good†things.

But the overall stress (and perhaps my stress addiction, along with my cocktail of other addictions… mmmmm. Cocktails…..)

…. well, stress can't be fixed by a nice broth and some tentacle-y seafood.

I have to work on the stress dragon as much as I have to work on my other demons.

Sigh.

But alas. Tomorrow, tomorrow. The sun will come out, tomorrow. [i know it is true, because Annie said so.]

To think I even considered adding another Ironman on top of my plate… what is wrong with me. 

[amberino21]

You're so detailed!!

Something I noticed though - peas in the curry? If you mean peas (no pod), they're not compliant! If they're peas in pods you're fine

Could your headache be sugar related? You had a lot of dates the couple of days previous..

[Swim Bike Mom]

ACK. Yes, the peas.... the Expert (my husband) put them in the Crock Pot and I was all---running towards him----nooooooooooooo---and splash, in they went.  But I am guessing if peas are the worse thing during this 30 days, I'll be glad. 

 

BTW - I'm doing a WHOLE60.... I started with 8 weeks until my next half Iron, so I am glad because I need it for my HUGE mistakes (ha ha---- one slip up with Nuun and the other with peas. )

 

I noticed that the dates are giving me a weird feeling. I think it's either the dates or the kombucha. I am fighting a nasty headcold right now, that I think was brought on by one or the other (or both). 

[Swim Bike Mom]

DAY SIXTEEN (Tuesday)

Tuesday was a blur. I have been shaking a head cold for what feels like weeks. I know it's not weeks, but it feels like it.

As far as food, I'm sure I had some eggs and kale and something else not so delicious.  I had  an hour bike and swim for workout.

Oh, the Expert made tandoori chicken and cabbage. The cabbage I loved. I'm still having a hard time eating chicken right now. I don't know WTH is going on.

DAY SEVENTEEN (Wednesday)

The head cold of the century is still getting me down.

Also, I feel kind of like a head case myself. I'm learning weird things about myself in the absence of processed food, sugar, Mexican food, pizz and wine.

Photo Credit: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/running

I need therapy.

Oh! I do have to jump up and down about this recipe:  Zoodles & Sauce!

What are Zoodles? Well, it's actually zucchini! Nom Nom Paleo has a post about it here.

Get it? Noodles + zucchini = ZOODLES!

And wowzers, using this slicer, it was so easy to slice six zucchini into “noodles.† Steamed in microwave for 3 minutes with lid on casserole dish.

Whipped up a grass-fed beef sauce with Mario's help, (Whole30 compliant!)… plus a can of fire roasted organic tomatoes and a sliced red pepper and onion….

OMGood. So good.

I have really been missing food like this.

Totally hit the spot, and I didn't even miss the pasta. Seriously.

[sheba-kitty]

BTW - I'm doing a WHOLE60.... I started with 8 weeks until my next half Iron

My brother is doing whole... Until his ironman too. Which one are you doing? He is doing Redman.

Your posts are awsome! I made some great date/nut/coconut balls for my long rides. They were better than just dates since they weren't too sweet. But I can only have a couple at a time, because wow... Lots of instant energy.

[Swim Bike Mom]

Just finished Ironman Coeur d'Alene in June.  Have Augusta 70.3 in 4 weeks  

[Swim Bike Mom]

DAY TWENTY-FOUR (Four Weeks to Augusta 70.3)

To some degree, this is usually me.  The Freak in the Room.

Whether it's Party Girl Meredith (“Oh em gee. Did she really drink seven martinis? And she is still standing?â€) [....You betcha I am. In fact, I'm dancing!]

….or whether it's the new and improved Party Pooper Meredith (“She's on her seventh soda water. I remember when she used to be fun.â€)

…I'm always the freak in the room. How does this happen? I have a couple of theories.

1) It's Not You, It's Me

Whether I'm drinking the men under the table, or whether I am being the lame-o who is not eating or drinking anything… I'm still the crazy one. Because if I drink and eat in Party Girl form, then I am the super crazy one. If I don't drink anything and talk about waking up for my 5 mile run, then I am the super crazy one.

Basically, I can't win.  Still the freak.

2) I'm Actually in a Cult

One of the athletes I coach sent me this classic video. Always a good laugh.

“Ironman is not a cult!â€

 

Yeah, we can pretend that triathlon “makes sense†– but it doesn't. So I decided to stop trying to act like it does.

 

I went to a Braves game for a super fun client event last night. And I was a Whole30/Eight to Great ninja. [a/k/a .....total freak]

I ate a salad in the car on the way to the game.

Behold the car salad.

I ordered seven soda waters.

I ate a burger patty wrapped in lettuce.

And I had a great time.

My pal, Mountain Goat, has been a freak for a long time. I distinctly remember when we were both lawyers at the same firm —she pulled out a bag of carrots at a cocktail party. And poured Vitamin C into her soda water at another event. She always left early and didn't care.

That Goat, she's a freak.  And I finally get it!

3) It's my Astrological Sign's Fault

Last night at the game, a co-worker asked me, “What's your sign?â€

I said, “Scorpio†and he screamed, “I KNEW IT! You are just like my wife.  She's a one-track focus mind. She's all in or all out.â€

I thought, that's so me.  If I am going to drink, then dammit, I am going to be the best drinker EVER! If I am doing triathlon, then I am going to focus on that.  Doesn't matter what the focus is…. it's just a one-track mind.

An obsessive, addictive personality focusing on the wrong things.

The difficult thing for me is balance. I can't balance. I just pile.

This way of eating has made me focus on the things I need to obsess about:  my health.

It's only one life.

4) I'm Just Gonna Fly my Freak Flag

Last night's events made me realize many things.  That I can still have fun without the “party†and that I can wake up after sleeping just a few hours, and feel okay because I didn't add the added stress of booze and sugar devil food.

Why this was a revelation, I'm not sure.

And the funniest thing to me… is that I was still the same loud-mouthed, sassy goofball with or without the liquid courage last night. I don't need it to get through situations. I don't need to snack nervously. I don't need any of it.

There is power in being in control of myself.

And even after going to bed way after midnight, I woke up early and completed my run.

No balking, either.

 

I never acknowledged before… the power of being free to be me. The freedom to really control my nutrition.

I didn't believe that me â€¦.that I â€¦was (good enough? smart enough? doggonit people don't like me?) enough to stand alone in social situations. To end my hard day at life and work without the fabulous sound of a beer being opened, or a basket of chips and salsa in front of me. To not “self-medicate†my troubles away. To just relax and be me…

I think why Whole30 resounds with me is that it's not restrictive. What? YES IT IS, you scream.  Well, yes and no.  The clear rules makes it manageable. The wide variety of food makes it enjoyable, especially now that I am over the sugar crashes and my tastebuds have changed.  It's got just enough flexibility to make it work  (wrap a burger patty in lettuce; tear apart a chicken sandwich; salads…. you can find the stuff anywhere, really).

I am on Day Twenty-Four of Whole30 & Eight to Great.  I am going to continue for another 4 weeks right up until Augusta 70.3.

Why?

Because I feel great. And when I don't feel great, staying out of the pantry forces me to address what's going on with myself internally.

I feel sane. As sane as a freak can be.

And I feel sweaty, oh so sweaty… and it's all good.

I realize that I haven't made a log of my meals since Monday. But I do know that I have eaten perfectly.

Lots of eggs. Mahi Mahi salad. Salmon salads. Chicken sausage. Kale. Zoodles.

I've been presented with awkward lunch situations where I was forced to order oddly:  please don't put anything on my salmon. No cheese. No oil.  But it worked. I did it.

Today, I was presented with Panera Bread catered lunch for my choice. I piled on a salad and tore apart two sandwiches for the turkey and tomato – impromptu turkey salad. No dressing because I know it was soybean oil.  It was dry, but it worked.

For me, it's all about going into the situation with a smart mentality:  â€I am not going to eat badly. I am not going to drink anything other than unsweetened tea and soda water.â€

Making the right choice ahead of time keeps me, and my Scorpio self, on track. You already told yourself no… so follow the rules, there freakhead.

[pam21e]

I have enjoyed reading thru your posts, I just finished my second Whole 30. Actually, I started May 27th, and have continued eating Whole 30 because I feel so much better. There were a couple days in between June 27th and Aug 1st that I was non-compliant, but for the most part ate clean. 

I have never completed a triathlon, but my husband has been doing them for the past 4 years. I keep thinking I should do one, like you in the beginning, I am not a swimmer, or distant cyclist and or much of a runner. I am going to seriously consider training for a sprint. We'll see. You are very inspirational.

 

~pam

[Swim Bike Mom]

DAY THIRTY

Well, I made it exactly 29 days into my Eight Weeks and Whole30...

….before I blew it.

And by “blowing it,†I mean going to a delicious two dinners with my family and partaking of some vino and some delcious dessert.  And some more vino.

Not as strong as I thought I was. Actually, it was more of a purposeful sabotage.  Whatever.  However you want to define it.

Sigh.

And that's okay.

Because I learned a lot, had a good weekend with my family… and (the Expert and I both) intend on continuing with the great results.

So what was the result of 29 days of perfect eating? 

- Down 9 pounds (Expert down 10—-of course)

- Sleeping like a baby

- Virtually no allergies or headaches

- Less pain in my hips

- Longest “perfect†eating streak…. in the history of me.

Three generations of toes. 

What's Next?

Well, I have 29 days until Augusta 70.3, so I am going to put forth another “perfect†29 days in hope of continuing the good things that clean eating has brought me.  I can see and feel the benefits, and that makes me want to get back on track.

Now. Immediately.

Had a good 45 minute open water swim and then a decent, but tiring bike ride on Saturday that ended in a broken spoke and a wheel that was out of true.  I had to hitch a ride.

Good thing it was with the Expert.

Also, I didn't feel that great during the ride.

I had been eating perfect, yes.  But I was worn out from my busy work week, plus two days in a row of running.  I had no gas or juice in my legs.  And I didn't have enough fuel in the world to make it feel better.  Plus, it was so hot and humid.

Was a tough ride.  A bonk around Mile 27, and it didn't really improve much.

And then two days of falling off the wagon isn't helping me today.

And truth be told, I feel like garbage today.  And that's because I deviated from the plan.  So I'm back on it starting with a good solid swim and run in the morning, and getting ‘er done.

I spent a good few hours beating myself up and then getting mad, and now I'm okay. Tomorrow is a new day and a new workout, and that's what it is all about #justkeepmovingforward

[sheba-kitty]

Like your tag says, Just keep moving forward!