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JinksE's Whole30 Adventure: The Sequel


Jinkse21

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Day 1

 

I'm back!  It's been a tough road since I finished my first Whole30 in May...what started out as a smooth road ended up with lots of curves and hills!  For the most part, I followed a Primal lifestyle until November when family get-togethers dictated food choices that were filled with potatoes, rice, mac and cheese, crackers, lots of cheese, and alcohol....and my will-power sucked. 

 

There have been changes that I made in my first Whole30 that have stuck with me so the last 8 months have not been a total fail.  On three ocassions, I had 2 sips of Diet Coke and I just couldn't drink anymore!  The aspartame taste was nasty!!  So, there have been no sodas in my life...Zip! Zilch!  Things like soy sauce and other soy products like edamame, added sugars, and not-so-good-for-you oils like soybean and safflower have been very minimal.  I have also refrained from stepping on the scale every other day like I used to too!  In fact, before this morning, the last time I was on the scale was probably 2 months ago.  Wish I hadn't stepped on it today!  :P   198.9!  EEK!!

 

It was nice having yesterday off so I could cook food for meals until the weekend.  Just did the basics...chicken thighs, sweet potatoes, kale with onions and garlic, carrots and celery.  My fridge is filled with veggies and fruit!  I just have to make sure I make the before they go bad!  I plan on tackling a few recipes from my new cookbooks I got for Christmas over the weekend.  Since I won't be drinking, I have to find something to keep my busy instead of laying on the couch the entire time. 

 

Some things I would like to see change over the 30+ days:

  • Skin rash disappear (I think my Orencia treatments may be affecting this though)
  • Less RA pain
  • Less bloating
  • Regular BMs
  • Better sleeping habits
  • Need for less caffeine
  • Lose weight (just a nice side effect!)

My plan is to do AIP this time around to see if it helps with the RA.  However, I have alreay had a small fail...I cooked chicken last night with Hot Curry powder that has non-AIP spices in it.  :(  I'll still eat it but I'll also extend my Whole30 out a few days unless I decide I just want to try AIP for 2 weeks.

 

Breakfast:

FR Chicken Thighs cooked with Penzey's Hot Curry and Lard

Kale sauteed with Onion and garlic in Lard

Sweet Potato Rounds cooked with EVOO

1/2 Avocado

 

Definitely full afterwards and reminded me of how good I felt during my first W30.  Lunch could be a bit more challenging for me since I have eaten out every day since our office relocated to downtown Cincy.  So many food choices!  :o   I think there are a few places where I can eat on W30 but the people I work with are pretty picky about what they eat. 

 

Lunch:

FR Roasted Chicken Thigh cooked with a little EVOO

Kale sauteed with Onion and garlic in Lard

Carrot and Celery Sticks

1/2 Avocado, mashed

 

Talk about sleepy!  I was having a difficult time keeping my eyes open all afternoon.  It didn't help that it's really slow at work. I also experienced a headache which I didn't think would happen on day 1 but I had been drinking a ton of caffeine and eating lots of carbs up to day 1.

 

When I got home from work, I decided I would make some meatballs with some different seasonings I have on hand.  Now I know why Well Fed 2's meatball recipes call for baking soda and cream of tartar...they tasted kinda dry and bland and were a little heavy without it.  I was glad that I cooked enough yesterday for meals over a few days...I didn't have to worry about cooking a lot of food and could relax.

 

Dinner:

Meatballs (Organic ground beef, granulated garlic, parsley, minced onion, salt, pepper)

Steamed Broccoli with a little Ghee to finish

A few Sweet Potato Rounds

Black Olives

 

I uploaded my meal pics to Instagram.  I took a picture of every meal during my first Whole30 but didn't really post any of them.  This time, I will post them on Instagram!  If you're reading this and have any interest in seeing what I am eating, follow me ay jirky_30;)

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That scale can sure be a shocker can't it!  At least now I don't feel a sense of shame and instead feel like getting my numbers back down are within my control and I trust it will happen.  Loved what you said about your breakfast.  When we were cooking and preparing foods with real intention, everything felt better.  We've gotten sloppy and need to make sure we create those nice healthy hearty meals.  Good luck with lunch today and welcome back!

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Day 2

Ugh! I wish I could have stayed curled up in bed all morning with my Kai dog! It's freaking freezing!! :( Woke up to more snow but luckily it was all fluff!

Got all my food together and got to work then discovered that I left my phone in the car two blocks away. Guess I'll be taking a walk during my lunch break!

Breakfast:

Curried FR Chicken Thighs

Steamed Broccoli

Sweet Potato Rounds

1/2 Avocado

I do believe I ate too much chicken. It just tasted so good that the next thing I knew, it was gone! I should have eaten my veggies first because by the time I finished eating eating the chicken and avocado, I only managed to eat less than half of the veggies. Oops! Save those for lunch....

Took a walk to my car to get my phone only to discover that I left it unlocked too. Oops! :huh: There's nothing in there to be stolen and the garage is secured so I wasn't too worried about it. I really need to remember to lock up the car as it is not the first time! Think there's a 30-day program for that?? :D

It did feel good to get out and walk around for a bit even if it's not even above 20 degrees! Getting away from the desk is something I need to do more often. When the weather is nicer, maybe I'll start walking around town...as long as I can avoid eye contact with the beggers. I'm not sure I'll ever get used to that and I know you don't want to give them anything or else they'll keep an eye out for you and try to get money from you every time.

Lunch:

Meatballs

Kale with Onions (very small amount)

Steamed Broccoli

Sweet Potato Rounds

1/2 Avocado

Very filling lunch! I thought I was getting tired because I was full and bored but thne realized it felt like a steam bath in here! My feet are sweating! :o Guess I should appreciate it while I can as we keep our house pretty cold...like 60! EEK! My husband has decided that's warm enough! I need to find my electric blanket......

No plans tonight...lockdown!

Dinner:

Raw Spinach Salad

Vinegared Beets

Cucumber

Black Olives

Roasted Chicken Thigh

Balsamic Vinegar

EVOO

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So frustrating when you leave your phone someplace. At least you know where it is. I have to force myself to eat around my plate sometimes so that I don't get too full on one portion of my meal so I totally understand where you are coming from. I don't envy your snow. It's 42 here and I feel that is cold enough thank you very much. ;)

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Argh!! Have to lock myself in the house this weekend! After partying and eating and drinking whatever I want for over a month, it's challenging to go cold turkey! A bottle of wine would make me so happy right now!! :-(

I feel better....kinda! ;-)

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Argh!! Have to lock myself in the house this weekend! After partying and eating and drinking whatever I want for over a month, it's challenging to go cold turkey! A bottle of wine would make me so happy right now!! :-(

I feel better....kinda! ;-)

 

Would it really make you feel better? I don't mean right now...I mean tomorrow. I know you know the answer. 

 

You can do this! You are going to feel great and it is going to be worth it. Tough it out!

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Would it really make you feel better? I don't mean right now...I mean tomorrow. I know you know the answer. 

 

You can do this! You are going to feel great and it is going to be worth it. Tough it out!

Yes it would, Bethany! LOL! I know what you're saying.....and that's why I am in lockdown! ;-)

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Day 3

Actually slept in until 7:30....yes, that is late for me! I decided today would be a cleaning day! Broken up in pieces while catching up on 24. (Jack Bauer is pretty hot for an older gentleman!). I also have to break it up so I have things to do throughout the day. I'm housebound so I can go through my withdrawal symptoms without temptation! LOL!

Breakfast was simple today...working on leftovers before I have my next cookfest.

Breakfast:

Roasted FR Chicken Thighs

Carrot Sticks

Cucumber sticks

1/2 Avocado

1/2 Navel Orange

I have some grass fed sirloin steaks and suet thawing out. I think I'm gonna have a good lunch today. I am also going to make tallow using suet I got from a friend who bought a half grass fed cow but didn't want the fat. I told her she was crazy! It is time-consuming but so worth it! And since I am trying to follow AIP and can't have my beloved ghee, I need lots of good fat to cook with!

Lunch:

Grass Fed Sirloin

Cabbage Sautéed with carrots, onions, celery, garlic

1/2 Avocado

Got a lot done today! And I was even able to relax a little.

When my husband got home from work, we went to the store so we could pick up a few things and not because of the impending snow and cold we have coming tomorrow. I was very surprised to see so much gone from the shelves, especially the salads! Crazy!

I was not in the mood to cook and needed to get out since I have been on lockdown so we went to my favorite Thai place where I know I can get Whole30 approved foods. It was good but I really wish I had some sauce to go with the sashimi and steamed veggies.

Dinner:

Sashimi - Tuna, Salmon, White Tuna

Steamed Veggies

Chicken Coconut Soup

Just finished watching We Are The Millers. Hilarious! Laughing burns calories, right?? ;)

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Day 4

Productive day until nap time! But I am okay with that! I cooked enough food for meals over the next couple of days and made a big batch of tallow from grass fed beef that I got for free through a friend. I insisted on cutting the suet into small pieces which took about an hour and a half but the time went by quick as I had 24 to keep me entertained. My hands are paying for it now though. Cutting for that long was not a good idea, I guess. My feet are also bothering me today. Stupid RA! At least it's not a full-blown flare-up but I just hate that achy feeling. Hopefully, doing AIP will help. It has been weird not having ghee and especially eggs but it hasn't been too difficult.

Breakfast:

Grass Fed Sirloin

Sautéed Cabbage

1/2 Avocado

1/2 Navel Orange

Lunch:

Roasted Chicken

Sautéed Cabbage

1/2 Avocado

I ended up taking a nap. It was either that or watch the Bungals lose the wild card game with my husband and his dad. I just couldn't do it! So nap, it was! ;). In retrospect, I probably shouldn't since it was close to 4:00 and I ended up sleeping until about 6:00. Oops! Hopefully, I can get to sleep tonight!

Dinner:

Free Range Chicken Leg

Prosciutto

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Pickled Beets

Black Olives

Note to self...do not roast brussel sprouts with tallow...much better with lard! Talk about a weird flavor.

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Day 5

 

(Not really day day 5 as I was too busy to get on to log everything!  -_- )

 

Breakfast:

Breakfast Sausage from US Wellness Meats

Spaghetti Squash with a little lard

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

1/2 Pomegranate

 

Lunch:

2 Roasted Chicken Legs

Spaghetti Squash with a little lard

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Black Olives

 

Dinner:

Pork Tenderloin

Bacon (maybe a few more pieces while cooking... :ph34r: )

Mushrooms Sauteed in Lard

Mashed Cauliflower

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Day 6

 

Ugh!  I'm being very challenged this month!  Now my sister may be an hour and a half away from me on Saturday and she asked me to meet her and stay over!  That means staying in a hotel, eating out, and wine.  :o   I already have a birthday dinner/party on the 18th then a Pure Romance Party on the 25th that I am hosting with a friend!  Maybe this wasn't the best month to do a Whole30!  :(   But, there's always going to be something that comes up...some excuse so why not just suck it up, right???  Ugh....

 

So, some foods are not meant to bring into work to eat at your desk (besides fish)....apparently mashed cauliflower is not a pleasant smell to others.  :rolleyes:

 

Breakfast:

Pork Tenderloin

Mashed Cauliflower

Sauteed Mushrooms in Lard

1/2 Avocado

 

Lunch:

2 Chicken Legs

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Spaghetti Squash

1/2 Avocado

 

My motivation does not appear to be as strong as it was the first time.  I really wish I had someone near me that was doing this with me....would make it so much easier!  Instead I live with and work with people who go out to eat and eat lots of crap!  :angry:  Do they not see that they should be giving up things for me???  LOL  Guess I'm a little late to the Kill All Things phase!  Specialty grilled cheese sounded so good.....  :unsure:

 

And so I persevere!!!  I wish I had more time to log yesterday but I was busy with work and planning a possible trip to Riviera Maya in April.  If I go on this trip, that should be enough motivation for me to eat clean and work out...think I can loose 50 pounds and fit into a bikini without looking like a beached whale in 3 months???  :D   I did have some time to putt some avocados in a paper bag to ripen which actually happened faster than I thought it would.  I pulled one out this morning and it was perfect!  I also watched the first few episodes of Scandal on Netflix...I'm hooked!

 

At least I'm not tired today.  The last few days have been challenging!  I guess I just have too much to do today so there is no down time to nod off.  I'm just trying to stay warm!  It's freakin' cold out there!  Even Kai thought it was too cold!  She pee'd then wanted to go straight back into the house!  And now they are saying it will be in the 40s on Saturday!  Crazy weather!

 

When I got home, I was on a mission to make dinner then chill!  I have all kinds of cookbooks but for some reason I never get them out to cook from them.  I just wing it!  Tonight's dinner was made of GF Ground Beef, Onion, Garlic, Carrots, Celery, Tallow, Bacon, Chili Powder, Salt, Pepper, Paprika, and some Chicken Broth to give it some moisture.  Probably needed more chili powder.  My goal was to make something like chili without the tomatoes.  Not so much....  :(   I just ate a bowl of that and that was it.  I am finding that I'm not hungry and filling up on tons of food which I guess is a good thing!

 

Dinner:

GF Beef Dry Chili

Carrot Sticks

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Day 6

 

Ugh!  I'm being very challenged this month!  Now my sister may be an hour and a half away from me on Saturday and she asked me to meet her and stay over!  That means staying in a hotel, eating out, and wine.  :o   I already have a birthday dinner/party on the 18th then a Pure Romance Party on the 25th that I am hosting with a friend!  Maybe this wasn't the best month to do a Whole30!  :(   But, there's always going to be something that comes up...some excuse so why not just suck it up, right???  Ugh....

 

RIGHT! Just think how much stronger you will be riding your own bike if you go to all these events and own it! Show yourself (and others) that you don't need crap to have fun (you don't!) and enjoy yourself! For the party you are hosting making delicious whole30 finger foods and show your friends just how good you eat! 

 

I may not be nearby but I'm cheering you on!

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Day 7

 

Appears to be warming up here....a balmy12 degrees this morning!  :P  I am ready for summer!  But I do like that I can wear big baggy sweater to hide the fat!!  LOL!

 

Something I have noticed since starting this Whole30 is that I am sleeping better and getting sleepy a lot earlier than normal.  I was in bed by a little after 10 and watched an episode of Scandal (I know!  I shouldn't be watching TV in bed!  :wacko: ) but as soon as I turned the TV off, I was out...at least until my husband got home a little after 2:00 and the dog started barking.  My little guard dog!  But I was back to sleep in no time!

 

Waking up hasn't been much of an issue either.  Can't say I am waking up before my alarm though.  <_<

 

Breakfast:

Breakfast Sausage

Sauteed Mushrooms

1/2 Avocado

Carrot Sticks

1/2 Pomegranate

 

No stinky food today!  :lol:

 

My lunches are getting later and later since I am not really hungry but know I need to eat.  I used to eat at 11:30 out of habit but now I am waiting until I get a little hungry which was around 12:30 today.

 

Lunch:

GF Beef Mix

Spaghetti Squash

1/2 Avocado

Couple Pickled Beets

1/4 Pomegranate

 

I need to go to the store tonight to get more veggies.  I think I just have a bunch of kale and some carrots and that's it.  So far, I haven't had to buy much meat since I have a bunch of frozen stuff I need to use before I buy anymore and a lot of the other stuff like coconut aminos and coconut oil, I already had onhand.  This Whole30 is definitely a lot less expensive than the first time around!

 

Nothing too exciting for tonight.  I was going to go to the grocery store but found that I have enough to make dinner and my meals for tomorrow.  I just want to scrape ice off my car since it's been sitting there since Sunday.  I love carpooling!!  :)

 

Dinner:

Pork Tenderloin

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

Spaghetti Squash

Black Olives

 

I couldn't even eat everything!  And it was on a small plate so it's not like I had a ton of food piled on the plate!  I think I put way too much garlic in the mash...  :o

 

People's Choice Awards tonight...it was actually pretty funny.  I couldn't make it through all of it though.  I had to get to bed so I could watch an episode of Scandal before going to sleep.  Bad habit...I know.... :rolleyes:

 

I noticed that my left pinky was doing something really weird today.  When I have it curled up then try to straighten it, it's not smooth....it's more like pop-locking.  While it freaks me out, it's kinda cool at the same time!  Hopefully it clears up by tomorrow!

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