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Lifting the Weight


Intrepid4

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Day Eleven.

 

Really starting to get some energy going. And getting motivated to take on some projects that have been lying fallow in the morass of my (apparently) sugar- and gluten-induced torpor (in other words, things that I've been too frickin' tired and bummed out to do). Like getting my stained glass studio in working order, programming my cat's new automatic meal dispenser, cutting down some cardboard boxes to recycle... It feels good.

 

Breakfast: 2 eggs, small sweet spud, 1/2 avocado, coffee.

 

Lunch: Mad Dog came over and I cooked for her for a change. Curried ground beef and mushroom stew.

 

Dinner: turkey loaf, 1/2 sweet spud, berries and c milk.

 

Now if the cat figures out her food dish and refrains from waking me at the crack of predawn, I'll be a super happy camper.

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Day Twelve.

 

Got my new pedometer programmed today and took it out for a half mile spin. Maybe not much, but just getting out of the apartment is a great start for me. I'll count it as a win.

 

There's a black and white cat that hangs around on my back patio. Yesterday I noticed that his back half had been shaved of all it's fur, except about two inches at the end of it's tail. Poor thing. Right now he's out there playing with dried leaves that have blown onto the patio, having a grand old time. He looks quite silly (and a little pathetic) with his "haircut" but he's not the least bit self-conscious. I envy him.

 

Breakfast: 2 eggs, asparagus, 1/4 avocado, coffee.

 

Lunch: curried ground beef with mushroom stew.

 

Dinner: ... and the winner for the worst concocted meal ever goes to... pulled pork with salsa, sautéed spinach, and almonds. All kind of mixed together in a bowl. And then it just needed something else, so I added a pinch of ground ginger. I don't know... it seemed like a good idea at the time. I couldn't even finish it. Ate a banana to help fill me up.

 

Going to crack open some recipe books tonight. I think I need to seek "professional" help.

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Day Thirteen.

 

I'm falling into what might be a bad mindset of not caring what I eat. I mean, I'm staying compliant with W30 food and trying to meet the intent of three meals balanced with protein, carbs and fat (without getting too wrapped up in it). But I'm not taking much care to make the meals particularly pleasing. Not that they all need to be lavish extravaganzas. But it seems like if I'm going to the trouble of eating healthy food, and if I'm going to try to make this a lifestyle change, then it might behoove me to try to put a little more effort into aesthetics (visual and gustatory). I don't know... "food" for thought.

 

Breakfast: 2 eggs, sautéed asparagus, 1/2 avocado, coffee.

 

Lunch: the last of the curried beef with mushroom stew, a banana and almond butter.

 

Dinner: left over turkey loaf, nuked sweet potato w/c butter.

 

Got some upsetting news today and in the past would have decided I was "too depressed to eat." But I didn't want to mess up my Whole30 mojo, and I realize that not eating just tends to make things worse (physiologically speaking). So maybe my mindset is changing and maybe my improved eating habits will be sustainable once my 30 days are up.

 

But somehow, drowning my sorrows in sweet potatoes just isn't cutting it right now.

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Day Fourteen.

 

Made it two weeks now! Still bummed today, but I kept eating. Was it too much to hope for that Whole30 might improve my moods?

 

Breakfast: 2 poached eggs, sautéed Swiss chard, 1/4 avocado, coffee.

 

Lunch: curried pulled pork, spinach, pistachios.

 

Dinner: sweet potato fritters, 1/2 avocado.

 

Thought I was going to have steak tonight, but when I pulled it out of the fridge, I found that it was a small chuck roast, not a steak. Guess I'll slow cook that tomorrow.

 

Will need to make another shopping run tomorrow. Hopefully I will be in better spirits.

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I think you are doing just fine with making those meals!  They sound good to me.  The rest of us are doing about the same.

 

If you have a pressure cooker, you have chicken soup in an hour for the next time you are ill.

 

Toss a whole fryer (4 lbs) into the cooker with salt, diakon radish, celery stalk, ginger chunk and a large carrot.  Nearly cover with water or up to the 2/3 mark and pressure cook for about 45 minutes.  Remove chicken and veggies.  Strain broth through cheesecloth into a pot.  Remove meat from chicken when it cools.  Add mushrooms, sliced carrots, spinach or whatever else you want to the broth and finish it up with the chicken meat.  SO GOOD, and tastes like you have been at the stove all day.

 

I made that this week because I was feeling crappy myself.  Dizziness is NOT a fun symptom.  

 

I am sorry you got some bad news.  Proud of you to not use that sad feeling to derail your health goals.

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Thanks, Pam. I don't have a pressure cooker, but maybe I'll put it on my wish list for the next time I'm in an Amazon frame of mind.

 

Luckily I am not near Oso and don't know anyone personally involved. They are comparing the destruction to what happened when Mt. Saint Helens blew, though, so it must be pretty awful. Glad your friends are okay.

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Day Fifteen.

 

Halfway through!! Today was the closest I have come to throwing in the towel on Whole30. My low moods, when they strike, keep me from accomplishing much of anything, and consequently I did not go to the grocery store, nor did I clean the kitchen. I don't think I have a clean pot/pan/bowl left, and if I did have, there's not a clear inch of counter space for me to put it.

 

I guess I know what I'll be doing tomorrow. At least it will be a week day and maybe a little less crowded and hectic at the store (social anxieties kicking in, too. Actually, they never kick out). Oy vey!

 

All right, I can do this! (Cue the Rocky theme song.)

 

Breakfast: egg scramble, coffee.

 

Lunch: curried ground beef, kale chips, frozen blueberries w/ c milk.

 

Dinner: chuck roast, 1/2 sweet spud with c butter.

 

Need to take some measurements tomorrow so I can order some clothes for an upcoming family event. I measured before I began Whole30, but now I'm afraid I won't see any difference in numbers. That would be a major bummer. But, it's not the Whole15, right? Okay, bring back that Rocky music.

 

Fifteen more days to go! A piece of cake! Only not literally...

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Day Sixteen.

 

Made it to the grocery store, but I wasn't as prepared as I hoped as far as meal planning goes, so I just kind of picked up a few things and left. But I've got enough food now to hold on for a few more days, so I'm good to go.

 

Breakfast: 2 eggs, 1/2 sweet potato, 1/3 avocado.

 

Lunch (courtesy of Mad Dog): tuna mixed with home made mayo on a bed of greens; berries, and a slice of mango.

 

Dinner: chuck roast, 1/2 sweet potato with coconut butter.

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Day Seventeen (yesterday).

 

Breakfast: 2 eggs, mashed sweet potatoes, kale.

 

Snack (which turned into lunch): berries, 1 boiled egg.

 

Dinner: chicken thighs, cauli rice, home made almond milk.

 

Didn't mean to skip lunch, but had some unexpected schedule changes.

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Day Eighteen.

 

Missed breakfast this a.m. because I had to fast for a blood test. Went for a physical with a DO, who will be my new PCP. When she asked about my diet, I told her I ate mostly Paleo, and that I was doing the Whole30. She didn't appear to have heard of Whole30. She asked me, sounding rather skeptical, "Do you like eating Paleo?" I said yes, and that was the end of our discussion about diet. Not quite sure how to take that.

 

So breakfast: nada.

 

Lunch (courtesy of Mad Dog): egg salad, greens, fruit salad, butternut squash soup.

 

Dinner: chicken thighs, cauli rice, almond milk, banana and almond butter.

 

Mad Dog and I tried a new recipe for a round roast. Recipe said cook a 4 lb roast at 250 for 1.25 to 1.5 hours or 'til 130 degrees internally. After 2 hours it was up to 98 degrees (starting from room temperature), and still looked raw (but highly dried out). We changed our tack and tried to save it, but it turned out tough as leather. Major recipe fail. Not too eager to try anything else out of that book.  

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Day Nineteen.

 

Read something today that said canned coconut milk might be problematic because the whitish linings in the cans contain BPAs. There are apparently a couple of brands that are BPA-free, so I will have to scope out whether I can find those locally. Gotta have my c milk!

 

Breakfast: 2 eggs, Swiss chard, 1/4 avocado, coffee.

 

Lunch: tuna salad, greens, 1/4 avocado.

 

Dinner: chuck roast, cauli rice.

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Day Nineteen.

 

Read something today that said canned coconut milk might be problematic because the whitish linings in the cans contain BPAs. There are apparently a couple of brands that are BPA-free, so I will have to scope out whether I can find those locally. Gotta have my c milk!

 

Breakfast: 2 eggs, Swiss chard, 1/4 avocado, coffee.

 

Lunch: tuna salad, greens, 1/4 avocado.

 

Dinner: chuck roast, cauli rice.

I order Arroy-D from Amazon.com because I cannot seem to find it here.  If you have a Thai grocery store go check it out.  Arroy-D is packaged in cartons and BPA free.  Not organic, but thai sourced which is good and no preservatives.  I've used several vendors on Amazon.com and have been happy with all of them EXCEPT for The Real Foods Store who sent me 18 cartons (8oz) with a 6/30/14 expiration date.  It is actually a 'best before' date but I asked them to next time try to send out better dates for those who were buying in bulk.  

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Congratulations on making it this far. I think all of us get into a rut during our third week where we just don't want to cook. I think you need to eat more protein and veggies. Avocado is counted as fat not a vegetable so I assume you didn't have 3 cups of swiss chard or 3 cups of greens for breakfast and lunch. Have you downloaded the meal planning template? http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf. That really helps to make sure you are eating enoug.  I like eating ground meat stir fry for breakfast? It fills me up more than eggs. It is also a nice change from eating eggs every day. Good Luck!

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Tina, I'm using the avocado as fat. I've had protein with all but two meals so far, so I'm not sure why you think I need more? You're right, I could stand to eat more veggies. That's a challenge for me, coming from almost no veggies at all pre-Whole30. A work in progress, I guess.

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Day Twenty.

 

Breakfast: eggs, sautéed asparagus, coffee.

 

Lunch: chuck roast, small sweet potato w/c butter.

 

Dinner: ground beef, broccoli, berries with c milk.

 

Mad Dog bought me a copy of Well Fed. Going to peruse it this weekend for recipe and prep ideas. Oh, and going to scope out an Asian market for Aroy-D. Thanks for the tip, Pam.

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Day 21. I've made it three weeks!

 

Should have gone to the grocery store today, but I got wrapped up in writing a blog post (first one in seven months) and didn't make it. So dinner was a bit funky, but I did fine otherwise. Definitely need to shop tomorrow.

 

Breakfast: 2 eggs, sautéed spinach, 1/4 avocado, coffee.

 

Lunch: left over curried beef with broccoli and c milk.

 

Dinner: eggs again, since that's the only protein I had in the house. I tried to get creative (I should really know better by now) and mashed up a small baked garnet sweet potato, then mixed in two raw eggs and lots of cinnamon (lots because it kind of spilled... kind of). I had some notion of forming it into patties, but it was too mushy, so I cooked/scrambled it in a skillet with coconut oil. Didn't look appetizing at all, but it tasted a bit like pumpkin pie filling.

 

Still need to start exercising. That would make a huge difference for me, I think. Maybe I can make that my focus for week four.

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Day 22.

 

Not a stellar day at all diet wise. I stayed compliant with the foods, but the balanced meal thing was pretty much out the window.

 

Breakfast: 2 eggs, carrot sticks and almond butter, and coffee. Like I said, not stellar.

 

Lunch: got even worse. I thought I was going to make it to the grocery store in the a.m., but had company and so didn't get out to shop 'til mid afternoon. So I had a handful of almonds and half a can of tuna.

 

Dinner: back from the store; cooked up a storm. Had Well Fed's chocolate chili, berries and c milk.

 

And I did a brief bit of exercise with my hand weights. Found an exercise routine online that starts out VERY slowly and works up, so I'm going to follow that, and then incorporate walking on days when I don't use the weights.

 

Actually planned my shopping around specific recipes, so hopefully I'll have some tasty meals this week.

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Try roasting veggies in ghee at 425.  They are fantastic!  Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, beets and pretty much any root vegetable.  Peel/chop and toss in the melted ghee first.  Just roast until you can pierce them with a fork.  

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Day 23 (yesterday).

 

Breakfast: egg scramble with sweet potato and spinach, mango slice.

 

Lunch: chocolate chili, berries and c milk.

 

Dinner: beef short ribs, cauli rice, carrots.

 

I like the idea of roasted veggies. Sounds easy and yummy. Thanks, Pam.

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Day 24.

 

Difficult evening last night, and kind of stressed out today. Made trying to put together real meals challenging, and I didn't exactly rise to the challenge. Seems like maybe I'll be stumbling my way to the finish line here, unless I can get myself re-enervated. Maybe I can get some veggies prepped tomorrow so I'm not tempted to let things slide.

 

Breakfast: 2 eggs, green salad, bacon, mango slice. Decaf coffee.

 

Lunch: choc chili, grapes.

 

Dinner: beef short ribs, carrots.

 

Got test results back, and my cholesterol levels continues to worsen. I still think Paleo is the way to go, so I'll work on the exercise component and continue to try to improve my diet.

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Day 25.

 

I think that more than looking forward to what foods I can add back in when this is over, what I'm really looking forward to is not having to eat three meals every day. I was not in the mood for breakfast today, but I made a feeble attempt at it nonetheless. I guess something is better than nothing at all...

 

Breakfast: 1 hard boiled egg, a few bites of sweet potato, small handful of almonds.

 

Lunch (at Mad Dog's): beef short ribs, cauli rice, carrots, tossed salad.

 

Dinner: carnitas, sautéed spinach, berries with c milk.

 

Five more days to go! My energy level has been pretty good (with mood-related swings). I don't feel like I have lost much weight, if any. I didn't really have any other health issues to speak of at the beginning of this. But at least it is making me conscious of what I eat. And it has taught me that the kitchen is not the enemy. I can actually cook things! And they sometimes come out edible! Maybe that makes it all worth it.

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Day 26 (yesterday).

 

Chose sleep over breakfast (I know, I know), but I had an early morning chiropractic visit. Just a "tune up," I didn't have any real complaints. I started seeing this chiro in February of last year following an auto accident, and stopped seeing him last July, so this was my first visit since then. I will say I feel much, much better now than I did in July (at the end of my treatment). Even getting on and off the table was way easier. Mad Dog wondered if it might be in part due to reduced inflammation from doing Whole30. I have noticed that it is much easier for me to get down to/up from the floor, and easier to get in and out of chairs, etc. Sure, I'll rack it up to dietary changes. Makes sticking with this feel more worthwhile.

 

Lunch: beef short rib, fruit and greens salad.

 

Dinner: carnitas, asparagus.

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Day 27 (yesterday).

 

Did I say I'd be stumbling to the finish line? Better make that "crawling."

 

A sudden change of plans the night before caught me off guard, and after a nearly sleepless night, I found myself running out the door yesterday morning to an early appointment with nothing more for breakfast than a Paleo Primal Pac.

 

Major lack of focus all morning, then came home and tossed together a salad of sorts: spinach leaves, grapes, almonds and boiled eggs, drizzled with walnut oil. Threw dinner in the crockpot, then laid down for a nap.

 

Had a snack when I woke up: carrot sticks, almond butter, and another boiled egg.

 

Dinner: crockpot roast beef with broccoli, berries and c milk.

 

Pretty open schedule for the weekend, so no more breakfast excuses! We've got this! I hope...

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Day 28.

 

Four weeks down! Doesn't seem like it's been that long. Time to start thinking about life after Whole30, make a plan. Besides running to the store for a bar of cherry/almond dark chocolate, that is (to eat sparingly, of course). But no need for haste. There are still two more days to make it through.

 

Breakfast: 2 eggs, 1/2 sweet spud, slice of mango. Coffee.

 

Lunch: roast beef and broccoli, pistachios.

 

Dinner: beef and cabbage stir fry, almonds.

 

I signed up to participate in a CSA this year. Deliveries will start sometime late next month. The challenge will be to find ways to prepare veggies that aren't part of my current (very limited) repertoire. Should be interesting.

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