InslerS' Starting Whole30

[InslerS]

Started my first Whole30 today with my my husband. I'm excited to try this, but also nervous about being able to do it and making sure I don't accidentally have something I'm not supposed to. Needed a change in my eating habits (realized I was eating a lot of sweets!!) and thought this was the perfect solution.

Any advice you have is welcome! Also, if there are any new moms on here, would love to hear from you (I have a 7 month old son).

Here's my Day 1 log:

Meal 1 - Sweet Potato Quiche (this was amazing if you haven't tried it) with decaf tea.

Meal 2 - Smoked Salmon with Zucchini Fritters and Homemade Mayo. Not a huge fan of the fritters but I think it was because there was too much pepper in the recipe.

Snack- Handful of Roasted Almonds

Meal 3 - Ginger Chicken with Root Vegetable Puree

Feeling great today. Definitely was a bit difficult this evening to not have dessert but it wasn't because I was hungry but more out of habit. Had a cup of tea instead. Here's to tomorrow!!

[InslerS]

Day 2 Completed!!! Wasn't bad at all -- just worrying that I'm not doing something "right" on the plan (eating too much, not enough fat, protein, veggies, etc). Basically, I know I'm getting in my protein and veggies, but with the fat I'm not sure I'm calculating it correctly. For example, my breakfast is a Sweet Potato Quiche that I made with Coconut Oil (Roasted the sweet potatoes in coconut oil). Does that count as my fat or should I be eating an additional fat?? I'm in the process of reading ISWF so maybe I'll feel better that I'm on the right path once I'm finished. If someone would just tell me what they think of my meals thus far, that would be super helpful!

Here's my Day 2 log:

Meal 1 - Sweet Potato Quiche with decaf tea and a banana.

Meal 2 - Leftovers (Ginger Chicken with Root Vegetable Puree).

Snack 1 - Handful of Roasted Almonds

Snack 2 - Handful of Roasted Almonds and Handful of Red Grapes

Meal 3 - 2 Burger Sliders with Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Salad (Avocado/Cherry Tomatoes/Hearts of Palm/1 T of Paleo Mayo)

Felt great today other than a MASSIVE headache in the evening while cooking dinner and for a few hours after. FINALLY GONE! Onto Day 3!

[InslerS]

Another day down. Today was good except for the fact that my son decided to sleep terribly last night, which resulted in not--so-good sleep for myself. Either way, I wasn't too tired today and again still just craving something sweet in the evenings (can't wait to kick that habit).

Here's my log for Day 3:

Meal 1 - Sweet Potato Quiche with decaf tea

Meal 2 - Tuna Salad with Avocado and Carrot Sticks. Apple with 2tsp Almond Butter

Meal 3 - Crispy Chicken (NomNomPaleo) with Artichoke and Salad (Tomato/Cucumber/1 T EVOO)

Snack 1 - Handful of red grapes and decaf tea

[Chocoholic382]

Day 2 Completed!!! Wasn't bad at all -- just worrying that I'm not doing something "right" on the plan (eating too much, not enough fat, protein, veggies, etc). Basically, I know I'm getting in my protein and veggies, but with the fat I'm not sure I'm calculating it correctly. For example, my breakfast is a Sweet Potato Quiche that I made with Coconut Oil (Roasted the sweet potatoes in coconut oil). Does that count as my fat or should I be eating an additional fat?? 

 

I was told early on in my first Whole30 that the cooking oils you eat don't count for much. I try to err on the side of too much fat instead of too little (and still lost some weight, if you're worrying about that). I try to have either coconut milk, avocado, or a SUBSTANTIAL amount of olive oil (like drizzled onto steamed veggies rather than cooked in them where I lose a lot of it) in each meal. Coconut milk is easiest for me because I just throw it in a cup of coffee or tea. Nuts are good too but I think the book hints that you shouldn't get too carried away with them--having them at every meal would be excessive.

[InslerS]

Thanks so much Chocoholic! I'll make sure to start adding some more fat to my meals -- today I added 1/2 an avocado to each meal. That should do the trick!

[InslerS]

Day 4 and it's been.... tiring. My 7 month old decided to wake up in the middle of the night and stay up for a bit, which made me feel exhausted when we woke up this morning. He ended up wanting to nap about 45 mins after we got up, so I ended up napping with him for 3 hours (woo hoo!!! He NEVER naps that long). BUT because of that..... I didn't eat breakfast right away and ended up having brunch later in the morning. This threw my whole day off as I then wasn't hungry for my "lunch" (Meal 2) and it was very close to dinner. I did end up having something for Meal 2 but it wasn't a full meal like I wanted. Anyways --- has anyone had this issue and if so, how do you deal with it? Also, I do have a question in regards of quantity of food... I alway feel like I'm not eating enough veggies, but I'm usually full until the next meal and not needing a snack. Do any of you measure out you food or do you just eye ball it?

Here's my day 4 log:

Meal 1 - Tuna Salad with 1/2 Avocado and Salad (Tomato/Cucumber/1 T EVOO) and Grapes and a handful of Almonds (was SUPER hungry for this meal because I fell back asleep and ended up eating 3 hours later than normal)

Snack 1 - Decaf Tea

Meal 2 - Leftovers (Crispy Chicken) with 1/2 Avocado and a few baby carrots

Meal 3 - Morrocan Stew with Chesnuts and Roasted Butternut Squash

[InslerS]

Day 5 and my husband was gracious enough to take care of the baby this morning and let me sleep in.... well that resulted in me sleeping until noon and missing Meal 1. So.... only had 2 meals today but did include a small snack.

Here's my log for today:

Meal 1 - Missed (Overslept)

Meal 2 - Leftovers (Morrocan Stew) and 1/2 an avocado

Snack 1 - 2 Handfuls of Almonds and 2 Handfuls of grapes with green tea

Meal 3 - Chicken Kebab with Roasted Butternut Squash and Salad (Tomato/Hearts of Palm/Avocado/ 2 T Paleo Mayo)

[GFChris]

 Also, I do have a question in regards of quantity of food... I alway feel like I'm not eating enough veggies, but I'm usually full until the next meal and not needing a snack. Do any of you measure out you food or do you just eye ball it?

 

 

Do you have a copy of the meal template? Use that as your guide for each meal to get the best results from your Whole30.

I personally don't measure. I eyeball it using the guidance in the template.  Filling your plate with veggies = 1-3 cups of veggies.

The important thing is to create meals that satiate you for 4-5 hours.

[InslerS]

Thanks GFChris. I do have the meal template and I try to follow it as best as possible, but the approx 1-3 cups of veggies = filling you plate is helpful. What about vegetables that are cooked with the protein? I have found a bunch of paleo recipes (stews, quiches, etc) that incorporate the veggies with the meat. Do you have to add additional veggies?

[InslerS]

Day 6 is in the bag! Today was tough --- was craving some chocolate and a cup of coffee with the vanilla creamer I got accustomed to using. Slept in again (silly daylights savings time) so missed my 1st meal again. But I haven't been too hungry in between meals so I must be eating enough. Trying to finish ISWF as quickly as possible so I can maximize my results from this Whole30, but its been tough to read. Other than that, pretty boring day.

Day 6 log:

Meal 1 - Missed (overslept)

Meal 2 - Leftovers (Moroccan Stew with Roasted Butternut Squash)

Snack 1 - Iced Tea with Handful of Almonds

Meal 3 - Leftovers [Chicken Kebab with Roasted Butternut Squash and Salad (Tomato/Cucumber/2 T EVOO)]

[GFChris]

Thanks GFChris. I do have the meal template and I try to follow it as best as possible, but the approx 1-3 cupps of veggies = filling you plate is helpful. What about vegetables that are cooked with the protein? I have found a bunch of paleo recipes (stews, quiches, etc) that incorporate the veggies with the meat. Do you have to add additional veggies?

You would count those veggies as part of the 1-3 cups per meal. It's hard to overdo veggies, so don't overthink it. 

[InslerS]

Day 7 ---- what a doozy! Barely slept as my 7 month old was waking up constantly throughout the night. I slept in again and missed Meal 1 and when I finally awoke, I was extremely lightheaded and dizzy. Same thing happened when I put him down for a nap. Ended up falling asleep myself and woke up the same way. Probably from the lack of food in the mornng. Hope I can get a better night's sleep tonight.

Day 7 Log:

Meal 1 - Missed

Meal 2 - Mushroom and Onion Quiche, Banana (ate this immediately when I was feeling lightheaded - only quick food to grab in my house), 1/2 Apple, 1 T Almoond Butter

Snack 1 - Grapes and Almonds

Meal 3 -- Hamburgers with Mushrooms and Onions and Sweet Potato Fries and Salad (Tomato, Cucumber, EVOO)

[InslerS]

Day 8 and feeling good, though the cravings are really kicking in. I'm getting a bit tired of cooking dinner each night and might take the next day (since it'll be raining anyways) to make a bunch of meals that I can freeze. If you have any good recipes, please let me know.

Day 8 log:

Meal 1 - Mushroom and Onion Quiche

Meal 2 - Tuna Salad with Cucumbuers, Carrots, and Avocado (I tried eating the tuna salad and Avocado, but I just couldn't... I don't know if it was my stomach or that it didn't taste good or what, but I was only able to get a bite or two down).

Snack 1 - Almonds and Grapes

Meal 3 - Seared Ahi Tuna with Zucchini Noodles (Mushrooms, Carrots, Onion and Zucchini) with Coconut Aminos

Snack 2 - Fruit Salad (Apple, Banana, Mango, Grapes)

[Chocoholic382]

Oooh, where'd you get the mushroom & onion quiche recipe?

 

Oh and my favorite recipes are here, if you're looking for some: http://www.pinterest.com/astolzer/paleo-whole30-goodness/

I recommend the meat crust quiche, Asian meatballs, chicken wings, and any of the chili recipes :-)

[InslerS]

Chocoholic --- Here's the quiche recipe. It was so good! http://grokgrub.com/2013/08/12/recipe-mushroom-onion-quiche-bites/

I didn't add the chicken, but that would probably be really good in it.

[InslerS]

Day 9 --- fairly easy day. Made some fresh Tahini (AMAZING) and just took it easy at home.

Day 9 log:

Meal 1 - Mushroom and Onion Quiche, Grapes, Almonds

Meal 2 - Tuna Salad with Tahini and Salad (Tomato/Cucumber/EVOO)

Meal 3 - Chicken Shawarma with Tahini and Salad (Tomato/Cucumber/EVOO)

[InslerS]

Day 10 --- 1/3 of the way there! I'm feeling pretty good --- I realized today that I'm not as tired as I was (even with a 7 month old!), which is wonderful. I did start to worry that I might be emotionally overeating around dinner time -- I usually just put out the protein and veggies out family style and my husband and I serve ourselves. I think I'm going to change to making a plate for both of us and just eating everything on the plate and then waiting to see how I feel once I'm finished. I'll let you know how that goes. I still feel a little "lost" though still reading ISWF so maybe once I finish, it will all be clear. I just know that I'm DEFINITELY eating healthier then I was before which makes me feel great. Only "issue" I have is that initialy my main goal (in general not just with Whole30) was to lose weight and I just hope that this helps me on that path.

Day 10 Log:

Meal 1 - Sweet Potato Quiche (Had to be at an event this morning, so it was a grab and go meal... that's why I had the snack)

Snack 1 - Handful of Almonds and Grapes

Meal 2 - Tuna Salad with Tahini and Salad (Tomato/Cucumber/EVOO)

Meal 3 - Leftovers [Chicken Shawarma in Lettuce Wraps with Tahini and Salad (Tomato/Cucumber/EVOO)]

Snack 2 - Handful of Almonds and Grapes (this was about 4 hours later --- wasn't tired at all and got hungry)

[InslerS]

Day 11. Another day down! Pretty good day today -- hubby let me sleep in this morning for an extra hour with no baby in the bed!! Wooo Hoo! I thnk that might be hindering some of my progress because I don't get as much restorative sleep as I would like. My 7 month old still wakes a few times a night so I'm constantly waking in the middile of the night. Anyone else have this problem? Any advice? I do realize I'm not as tired as I was once I'm up for the day, so that's a plus. After writing down everything I ate, I realized I had WAY to much fruit today. Definitely going to change that tomorrow.

Day 11 Log:

Meal 1 - Missed (slept in)

Meal 2 - Sweet Potato Quiche with grapes and almonds

Snack 1 - Grapes, Almonds, and Banana

Meal 3 - Moroccan Stew with Cauliflower Rice and Salad (Tomato/Cucumber/EVOO)

Snack 2 - Fruit Salad (Banana, Apple, Grapes, pStrawberries)

[InslerS]

Oops missed logging Day 12. Was a bit tired yesterday and it completely slipped my mind.

Here's my Day 12 log:

Meal 1 - Missed (slept in)

Meal 2 - Leftovers (Moroccan Stew with Salad)

Snack 1 - Grapes and Almonds (was out at a golf simulator and was "mindlessly" snacking --- probably ate a bit too many almonds, but I recgnized that in social situations I need something to snack on. Will work on it next time I'm put in that situation)

Meal 3 - Buffalo baked chicken tenders with Japanese sweet potato fries and salad (Tomato/Cucumber/EVOO)

[InslerS]

Day 13 -- been tired the last couple of days but that has more to do with my 7 month old than Whole30.My husband and I ate lunch out today for the first time since starting. Went to a sushi restaurant and it was easier to find something to eat than expected (though WAYYY more expensive). At least we now have an option if we want something different.

Day 13 log:

Meal 1 - Missed (slept in)

Meal 2 - Seared Ahi Tuna, Avocado and Mango Salad. 2 slices of raw salmon and coconut aminos. Iced tea.

Snack 1 -- Grapes and Almonds

Meal 3 - Leftovers (Moroccan Stew and Buffalo Baked Chicken Tenders with Salad)

[InslerS]

2 weeks down! Feeling good. It's going well, but I am definitely missing some of my previous favorite foods (cheese and chocolate, for sure!). I'm still not feeling as amazing as I was expecting, but I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that I'm up a lot with my 7 month old.

Here's my Day 14 log:

Meal 1 - Missed (slept in)

Meal 2 - 2 Hard boiled eggs, leftover Moroccan Stew, Salad (Tomato/Cucumber/EVOO) and 1/2 an avocado and 2 strawberries

Snack 1 -- Apple and Handful of Almonds

Meal 3 - Pan Seared Chicken Thighs with Mushroom,, Garlic and Lemon Sauce, Roasted Carrots and Salad (Tomato/Cucumber/EVOO)

Snack 2 - Fruit Salad (Apple, Strawberries, grapes) [We had a guest over late in the evening so I served this for all of us -- wouldn't usually happen.]

[InslerS]

Halfway there!!! I feel like I'm hitting a wall though--- tired of cooking each night and missing some of my favorite foods a lot. Not sure if that's what I should be experiencing or not, but don't think there is much I can do to change it. Either way, I'm committed to finishing this and with only 15 more days left, I know I can do it. I have been missing a lot of my Meal 1's lately, becuase I'm sleeping in. Has anyone else had this problem before?

Day 15 log:

Meal 1 - missed (slept in)

Meal 2 - Leftovers (Chicken Thighs with Salad) and handful of black olives.

Snack 1 - Almonds and Grapes

Meal 3 - Seared Ahi Tuna with Mango and Avocado Salad. 1 piece of Salmon Sashimi. Coconut Aminos.

Snack 2 - Handful of grapes

[InslerS]

Day 16 done! Didn't have a chance to post yesterday since my son decided to be up the entire night and not really stay asleep. So I wasn't able to get onto the computer to log. I did find Larabars for the first time (so good!) which will be super helpful when I'm on the go with the baby.

Day 16 log:

Meal 1 - 1 Sweet Potato and Carrot Quiche (made in muffin tin)

Meal 2 - 1 piece of Tuna Sashimi, Tuna Salad and Salad (Lettuce, Tomato, Cucumber) and Grapes

Snack 1 - Remaining grapes, Coconut Larabar

Meal 3 - Chicken Shawarma with Tahini and Salad (Tomato/Cucumber/Hearts of Palm/Avocado/EVOO]

[GFChris]

You're doing well, overall - meals look good!

 

I wonder if your meals are satiating enough for you?  Maybe play around with your portion sizes until your meals satiate you for 4-5 hous.

If you still find yourself hungry between meals (hungry = you could eat steamed fish and broccoli), have a mini-meal that contains a protein and fat.  Nuts are a fat source on a Whole30.  Save your 1-2 servings of fruit to enjoy with or immediately after your meals.  A fruit serving size is the size of your fist.

Regarding the challenges with your 7 month old not sleeping through the night, have you tried posting a question in the Troubleshooting section (or, if you're nursing, in the Whole30 While Pregnant or Breastfeeding section)?

[InslerS]

Thanks so much for the feedback GFChris. I will definitely look at my portion sizes to see if I'm not eating enough. A lot of the time I have something to eat and then something goes on with the baby and I can't finish my meals completely, so I'll have a snack a bit later. Other times, I'm not that hungry (in the AM mostly). While I wake up hungry, it's hard for me to eat a large meal. Also, since I'm nursing, I know that I need some extra snacks to help with that. I will post on those other forums and see what they say.