BillS Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Starting to track my first Whole30 journey…. About Me: Very tall (6' 6"), moderately active, 48 years old. Would like to eventually lose 60 pounds. I started the year in a good place, having lost almost 40 pounds last year rotating through various eating patterns (Younger Next Year, Vegan, and Intermittent Fasting). My Whole30 buddy, susiek , introduced me to this program and I'm excited that we're on our way. I've also increased my activity level quite a bit, so the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place. Day 1 - Ah, that newbie glow! Spent the day doing Day 0 stuff like setting goals, purging my kitchen, taking "pre" pics and measurements. Brunch - 2 eggs scrambled with pork loin, onion, and jalapeño with a little salsa. Snack - Carrot, orange, and a few mac nuts Dinner - Pork loin stuffed with apple and raisin, asparagus, and a small salad with blueberries Day 2 - Settling in and stocking up on groceries Sleep - Not good. Too much energy buzzing last night, was up until 2:30 a.m. Breakfast - 2 eggs scrambled with pork loin, onion, asparagus, and jalapeño with a little salsa. Snack - Coconut butter Lunch - Salad with chicken cajun sausage, carrot, cucumber, and sauerkraut; 1 cup almond milk Exercise - 45 minutes on the Nordic Track while watching XC skiing at the Olympics Dinner - Beef chili and mustard roasted Brussels sprouts And so it began…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
springbound Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Just wanted to say hello. A Whovian, I presume? :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 Thanks for the welcome! I think we're all Whovians at heart, even those who don't yet know so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Physibeth Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Hey Bill! Welcome to W30! Do you have a copy of the meal template? Overall things look good. Just a reminder that we recommend 3 template meals a day with no snacking for optimal results. If you must have a snack (hungry enough to eat something really bland and boring) aim for a mini meal that includes protein and fat. Save your fruit servings to be enjoyed as part of or immediately following a template meal. If you are working out you can/should include your pre and post workout bonus meals. This is protein and optional fat before and lean protein and starchy vegetable after. Best of luck to you! Rock it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 Thank you, Bethany! I appreciate the feedback and your support. I didn't do as much "Day 0" preparation as I should have, so days 1 and 2 were a little more improvised than I had hoped. I'll know better next time. As for Day 3: Sleep - OK, but still not great, which is unusual for me. I'm sure I'm just adjusting. Breakfast - 2 eggs scrambled with cajun chicken sausage, asparagus, and jalapeño…with salsa Lunch - 2 cups beef chili; salad with mixed greens, cucumber, carrot, and white balsamic vinaigrette Dinner - Pork loin cooked with diced tomatoes, jalapeño, garlic, and spices; mustard roasted Brussels sprouts; blueberries with a little almond milk; 1 tablespoon almond butter Felt a little "off" this morning, but that cleared up through the day. Feeling great now! ----------- Update: I just discovered that Sriracha isn't compliant, and I use it in everything. Pretty obvious since sugar is the second ingredient, but I never checked the label. I swear I read it was OK someplace. Oh well…such are the pitfalls of the first Whole30. I appreciate the "Can I have…." section of this blog much more now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Physibeth Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Don't worry about what you consumed of the Sriracha already just put it aside for the rest of your W30 and maybe leave sugar out for an additional 3 days to get 30 sugar free days. I believe Frank's hot sauce is compliant or you can order this http://www.tessemaes.com/products/hot-hot-sauce (there is a mild one too) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 12, 2014 Author Share Posted February 12, 2014 Thanks! That's exactly my plan. Move on from here and tack on three penalty laps at the end…or maybe victory laps! Day 4 Sleep - Really poor again. Up far too late. Feeling tired now, so tonight will be better. Breakfast - 1 grapefruit, 1 sweet potato mashed with coconut milk (yum!), Epic Turkey bar Lunch - Large salad with mixed greens, red pepper, cucumber, carrot, sauerkraut, a can of tuna, and mustard vinaigrette Snack - Handful of raw almonds (I didn't plan well and was caught short of food. I am putting a few "emergency" rations in my car.) Dinner - Red Thai curry with chicken cajun sausage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, coconut milk and curry sauce Overall still feeling good…a little puffy/bloated today, but I'm sure that will pass quickly. I'm leaning that I need to better stock my pantry and have a few "go to" recipes always at hand. Amazing just like the Day 0 email says to do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 Day 5 M1 - 2 eggs scrambled in ghee with Andouille sausage, red pepper, and tomato M2 - Red Thai curry with chicken cajun sausage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, coconut milk and curry sauce M3 - Large salad with mixed greens, celery, carrots, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, 2 hardboiled eggs, and a few sunflower seeds; coconut kefir Still feeling good. My energy flagged a little around 8:00 tonight, but I might not have had enough at M3. It was my first, rather underwhelming adventure at the WholeFoods salad bar. Lots of tasty looking but off-plan temptations; I passed them all by. I haven't had too many cravings yet. I once heard someone say, "99% is a bitch; 100% is a breeze." That's definitely true for me with food. If it's out, it's out. If it's just a tiny bit in, it's ALL IN! ​And I need more exercise…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 14, 2014 Author Share Posted February 14, 2014 Day 6 M1 - 2 eggs scrambled in ghee with artichoke hearts, tomato, and salsa; applesauce M2 - Thunderbird Energetica Cacao Hemp Walnut bar; Epic Turkey bar; orange M3 - 2 Andouille sausage and mustard; raw sauerkraut; sweet potato mashed with coconut milk Kind of grumpy and sleepy today, just like the roadmap says. Otherwise, all is well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 15, 2014 Author Share Posted February 15, 2014 Day 7 - My first full week! M1 - 2 eggs scrambled in ghee with Andouille sausage, red pepper, tomato, artichoke heart, and salsa; coffee with coconut milk M2 - Salad: tuna, cucumber, red pepper, mustard, artichoke heart and some of the oil from the jar M3 - Thai chicken curry: chicken, red pepper, onion, avocado, green beans, coconut milk, and curry paste; 2 prunes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 Date 8 - Right on Schedule M1 – 3 eggs scrambled in coconut oil with half an avocado, sauerkraut, and salsa (This was much better than I expected and sauerkraut is one of my very favorite foods.); 1 grapefruit; 1 Persian cucumber Exercise* - 3 hours cross-country skiing, including breaks - Ate cinnamon applesauce, almond butter, and 1/2 Thunderbird Energetic bar along the way M2 - Salad with mixed greens, tuna, sauerkraut, and cucumber (no dressing); 1/2 sweet potato; small can of low-sodium V8 M3 - Leftover Thai chicken curry; 7 olives; 2 prunes * This was my longest exercise session since starting Whole30 and I definitely bonked a couple times along the way. I guess I'm still adjusting. The snacks helped a ton and would keep me going for about half an hour. Observations from the past week Sleep: My energy levels are evening out, so I'm finding it easier to get to sleep on time. This of course helps me get up on time, which will help with my exercise. Whole30 Timeline: This is a great resource! It helped me to predict and understand the adjustments I was experiencing. I didn't have any dramatic ups or downs, but there were some small changes that I did see. I was prepared for them, so they were no big deal. Cheating: I haven't intentionally cheated at all. There was my Sriracha misstep at the beginning, but I think I've been 100% clean after that. Planning: Learning to plan meals and shop accordingly is a new experience for me. This is a new adventure that I will gladly take on, but it will take a while. Too many of my meals felt thrown together at the last second and not prepared or planned ahead of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 Day 9 M1 - 3 eggs scrambled in olive oil with spinach, onion, garlic, sauerkraut, and salsa Exercise - 2:15 cross-country skiing - no gas in the tank today...just like Day 9 is supposed to be. No spring in my legs and my balance was off. Fell three times. Grrrr! Ate 1/2 a Thunderbird bar and a tube of cinnamon applesauce on the trail. M2 - Can of tuna mixed with salsa, cucumber, and onion; pumpkin purée Snack - Mineral water with lime and 4 olives M3 - Ground turkey with onion, red pepper, and garlic served over cooked spinach; salad with mixed greens and sauerkraut: two prunes Added Bonus - I think my skin is getting nicer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 Day 10 M1 - Ground turkey with onion, red pepper, and garlic served over cooked spinach with salsa and 2 eggs dried in coconut oil; 2 prunes Exercise - 2:20 cross-country skiing. Ate a tube of cinnamon applesauce and a packet of coconut butter on the trail. M2 - Ground turkey with onion, red pepper, and garlic served over mixed greens; 1/2 avocado; olives Snack - Green olives. (This is a bit of a food without brakes for me, but I've been craving salty stuff all day.) M3 - Prosciutto, guacamole, almonds, two hard-boiled eggs Snack – Sauerkraut, almond milk, almond butter The Good - I felt better during exercise today. The past two days I ran out of gas and plodded along. Today I felt a little bit of spring in my step. Also, my heart rate came back down. It was 5 - 8 BPM lower today than the past two doing the same work. This is good. The Bad - I struggled with my food all afternoon and evening. My last meal was thrown together at a grocery store, so compliant but not well-crafted. I had really strong cravings for junk food all day, and did not cave-in. I feel good that I got through the day, but it was the hardest one I've had so far. I look forward to things leveling out over the next few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 Day 11 M1 - 2 hardboiled eggs; 1 oz turkey; 2 cups mixed fruit; a few almonds M2 - Grilled chicken breast served over assorted raw salad veggies; WholeFoods kale salad (no "banned" ingredients listed on the sign); 2 oz turkey Afternoon snacks - Almonds and a Lara bar (I know snacking isn't encouraged, but I didn't want to go shopping on an empty stomach) M3 - Steak; kale cooked with garlic, salt, vinegar, and lemon juice; 2 pickles After yesterday, today was a breeze! I did wake up feeling sluggish and bloated, probably from all the salt late in the day yesterday. I finally made it to the grocery store, so am stocked up for a while now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 20, 2014 Author Share Posted February 20, 2014 Day 12 M1 - 2 eggs scrambled in ghee with shrimp, tomato, cilantro, and salsa; 1 tbs almond butter Snack - 1 banana (I under-carbed at breakfast and needed a boost) M2 - Mixed greens, chicken, assorted raw salad veggies, olives, 1/2 avocado, 1/2 hardboiled egg, olive oil & vinegar M3* - 3 dill pickles; leftover steak; leftover kale; 1 chicken, basil, and black pepper sausage with mustard; butternut squash drizzled with olive oil and coconut aminos**; applesauce with 2 prunes * Definitely grazing tonight and not sitting down to a proper meal. Key learning for me is that I struggle when I don't have something planned and/or easy to prepare. I will grab whatever is nearby. Good thing I purged my house before starting W30! ** I bought pre-cut butternut squash, tossed them with olive oil and coconut aminos, then baked at 350 for 20 minutes. The glaze caramelizes nicely. Highly recommended. I felt "off" most of the day…probably lack of sleep and stressful stuff at work. There were some good signs today, though. First, I wasn't in any way tempted by the box of Krispy Kreme donuts that someone brought to the office. I noted them more with amusement than with desire. Second, I don't think of myself as being on "a plan" or "a program" anymore…this is just the way I eat. I still have skills to learn around planning and cooking, but some switch flipped in my head today. I think this is about to get a whole lot easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 21, 2014 Author Share Posted February 21, 2014 Day 13 - Moved to a new hole on my belt! M1 - 1 chicken, basil, and black pepper sausage; 2 eggs scrambled in ghee with serrano peppers M2 - Grilled chicken breast over two different WholeFoods kale salads and assorted raw veggies M3 - 2 dill pickles; 2 chicken, basil, and black pepper sausages with mustard and sauerkraut; butternut squash mashed with coconut milk My copies of Well Fed and Well Fed 2 arrived today, so my menu will vastly improve over the weekend! Feeling very good today….just cruising along now…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share Posted February 22, 2014 Day 14 M1 - 2 eggs scrambled in ghee with shrimp, serrano pepper, frozen mixed veggies*, and salsa M2 - Steak salad at Black Bear Diner Snack - Kombucha M3 - Ground beef with onion, bell pepper, serrano pepper, garlic, and ghee, served over spinach; Mixed fresh fruit with coconut milk * Grrr….I messed this one up! Without thinking I threw in a cup of healthy, organic frozen mixed veggies consisting of corn, peas, and green beans. D'oh! It wasn't until the next day that I realized my mistake. It's certainly not terminal, but is a good reminder to PAY ATTENTION!!!! Lunch today was my first venture into a restaurant on Whole30. It was easier than I thought! I ordered the steak salad and have them leave off the dressing, cheese, and tortilla strips. It was filling and tasty. It came with 1/2 and avocado, so I didn't feel the need to add more fat. Starting to plan my first, big Sunday cook-up…so excited! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 23, 2014 Author Share Posted February 23, 2014 Day 15 - Half way there! M1 - 1 Hot Italian sausage; 2 eggs fried in sausage grease; mixed fruit M2 - Ground beef with onion, bell pepper, serrano pepper, garlic, and ghee, served over mixed greens Snack - 1 tbs homemade olive oil mayo (sampled while making) Exercise - 1.5 hr hike M3 - 1 Hot Italian sausage cooked with onion, garlic, red and yellow peppers, black olives, and chopped tomatoes; Steamed broccoli with mayo; sauerkraut; strawberries with coconut milk and unsweetened coconut flakes I definitely felt a change on my hike today. It's one I do most weekends, so it's very familiar. My average heart rate was slower than usual and my energy felt consistent for the whole hike. I wasn't as tired afterward. That said, I also felt like I was on "simmer" the whole time…almost like I was burning coal instead of gasoline. I assume that's my body adjusting to using fat as a fuel, so will continue to monitor. Also, I feel like I might be eating too much. Maybe that's just today, when I'm feeling heavier than I have been. I've been good on the quality of food so far, so I'll try to follow the meal template more closely. Lastly, homemade mayo?!? Seriously, where have you been all my life? Velvety bliss in a jar…and so easy! Thank you, Well Fed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 23, 2014 Author Share Posted February 23, 2014 Day 16 M1 - 1 Hot Italian sausage; 2 eggs fried in sausage grease; spinach sautéed with Ras el Hanout (Well Fed, p. 47) M2 - Ground beef with onion, bell pepper, serrano pepper, garlic, and ghee Snacks - All sampled while cooking - 1 egg; assorted cooked veggies to taste; macadamia nuts M3 - Chicken breast; asparagus with mayo; creamy cucumber salad; strawberries with coconut milk Today was my first, big "cook-up." Very exciting and a little daunting the first time, but I'm happy with the results: - 2 lbs garlic ground beef - 6 chicken breasts - 6 HB eggs ​- Steam Sautéed Veggies: Chard, broccoli, carrots, red cabbage, and yellow squash This feels like a lot of food, but I'm sure it will carry me through the week. Now I need to figure out how to turn all this stuff into meals. Step 2…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susiek Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Hi Bill! Just had a chance to read your logs. :-) Looking good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susiek Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Hi Bill! Just had a chance to read your logs. :-) Looking good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 25, 2014 Author Share Posted February 25, 2014 Day 17 M1 - Garlic ground beef with one egg over chard and yellow squash; salsa M2 - Salad: Chicken breast, mixed greens, olives, tomato, red pepper, parsley, sauerkraut Snack - Almonds ; Blueberry Muffin Luna Bar M3 - 2 deviled eggs; garlic ground beef over red cabbage and broccoli with mayo; strawberries and prunes with coconut milk and macadamia nuts Very up and down today…woke up groggy, then had four hours of almost giddy happiness and strong energy, then slumped in the afternoon. At least I had a glimpse of Tiger Blood! More to come, I hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Day 17 M1 - Garlic ground beef with one egg over chard and yellow squash; salsa M2 - Salad: Chicken breast, mixed greens, olives, tomato, red pepper, parsley, sauerkraut Snack - Almonds ; Blueberry Muffin Luna Bar M3 - 2 deviled eggs; garlic ground beef over red cabbage and broccoli with mayo; strawberries and prunes with coconut milk and macadamia nuts Very up and down today…woke up groggy, then had four hours of almost giddy happiness and strong energy, then slumped in the afternoon. At least I had a glimpse of Tiger Blood! More to come, I hope. If it was the Blueberry Muffin Lara Bar you had, that's not compliant, as it contains vanilla extract. No need for restart, just don't have that flavor again for the rest of your Whole30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 25, 2014 Author Share Posted February 25, 2014 Thanks for pointing that out. I will avoid in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillS Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Day 18 M1 - Grapefruit and avocado; 2 deviled eggs M2 - Salad: Chicken, mixed greens, olives, red pepper, parsley, cilantro, tomato, vinaigrette Snack - 10 almonds M3 - 1 deviled egg; garlic ground beef, onion, jalapeño, red pepper, diced tomatoes, spices served over chard; fresh strawberries with coconut milk A good day…not much more to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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