Gwendolyn's Happy Gut Blog!

[Gwendolyn]

So here I am, completed a W60 last summer, felt AMAZE, looked great – holy cow, who knew what no dairy could do to my skin? – and lost almost 30lbs. Which, as I have PCOS and am not on medication was a HUGE feat. Like, whoa.

 

Cut to a month or so after, and I start dating someone who doesn't eat gluten.. or dairy.. and it seemed perfect! Or so we thought… new relationship = eating out and cooking yummy foods and cheating cheating cheating (with food, not on each other!). The holidays were delicious. But we both started gaining, and feeling cruddy. My birthday at the beginning of January was my endpoint. So for 6 weeks I ate really well, started feeling better and lost 8 of the 15 I'd gained.

 

Then. I started eating meat for the first time in 24 years.

 

I have been a pescetarian for several years, but more in name then practice, until my W60! That sort of forced me to eat tons of seafood and is the main push behind my decision to eat meat – pork, beef, chicken! Paleo is for me, and I came to realize that I can't give my body the protein it requires from fish and eggs alone.

 

So enter the last two months of me eating meat, meat, MEAT. Cheeseburgers, meatloaf with mashed potatoes, shepard's pie, turkey clubs!! With sides of fries and onion rings. Chicken wings! I had never had a chicken wing. This happens when you turn vegetarian at the age of 13 in 1990. So I have been eating pretty much whatever meat item I want, with whatever it typically comes with. DELICIOUS but, now, also kind of awful. A slice of New York pepperoni pizza is not worth feeling this way. Well, it might be for a day, but not ALL OF THE TIME.

 

I don't know how much weight I've gained back because I am not getting on a scale. I don't need to. All of my jeans are too tight. I am bloated. I am constipated. I feel icky and destroyed on the insides. I've gotten heartburn. I feel… gross.  I have tried several times to start restricting, meal planning, pulling out my NomNom, but I keep giving myself excuses to indulge. Friday – Sunday is not a reason to gorge on bread and cheese and sugar.

 

So as of yesterday, I am Whole30-ish and I am here again because I need some accountability, some support, some ideas on Paleo meat eating! 

[Tina R]

Although I am not a vegetarian I don't like eating big chunks of meat. I have found that I love ground meat stir fried with veggies. The meat is tender and not chewing and I can have a meal in less than 15 min. I use ground beef, turkey and chicken. It also keeps me satisfied longer than 3 eggs in the morning. I take digestive enzymes everyday which also helps. Good Luck!

[Gwendolyn]

Thank you, Tina R! I absolutely need to start back on digestive enzymes. Before I started eating meat, and into the beginning, I had increased my intake of fermented stuffs as well as taking enzymes. I need to get back on that! I appreciate the reminder! Also, the ground meat/veggie fry is a great idea. Thanks again!

[Gwendolyn]

So, fourth day in and I'm sticking to the W30-ish regime. I have had eggs cooked with veggies in ghee or coconut oil for my M1. Salads with loads of veggies, tuna, and fats in the form of paleo mayo, avo, or olives for M2. But my M3 has been not super awesome, as last night was the only meal I actually prepared, sat down and ate – grass fed beef hot dogs with sauerkraut, wrapped in bibb lettuce and steamed veggies with ghee! Otherwise I've eaten standing up, raw veggies and sliced ham with paleo mayo, or a packet of tuna and some avo.. blah. Also, I've had a smallish apple almost every day this week AND I started taking some digestive enzymes, definitely helping with moving towards a happy belly.

 

Increasing my water, going to bed earlier, trying to move more. Did NOT order cheese fries last night. That is a WIN. This time last week, I would have. Beginning to feel a bit of confidence that I am able to make healthy decisions again. And that's huge. 

[Gwendolyn]

O, side notes to myself of other things I've eaten along with the above mentioned meals, or as snacks:

 

free range organic chicken broth a couple times

frozen berries in coconut milk

a couple compliant Larabars

Sweets & Beets

Kombucha ~ Gingerade!

[Tina R]

You should probably avoid the sweets & beets because they may be fried in Canola Oil. Although canola oil is allowed, it is only for when you eat a restaurant because that is usually the only oil they use. For home you should avoid it. This is also why we can't have store mayo. I have yet to find one that doesn't have canola or soybean oil. I don't know about you but I am addicted to sweets and beets, I can eat the entire bag in one day. I avoid them for that reason.

[Gwendolyn]

Thanks Tina. Super aware of the canola oil! Definitely avoided when i was doing my W60... but now that I am W30-ish, I am making different sorts of choices. Sweets & Beets for me at this point is way better than the pretzels or Doritos in the break room, you know? It's an intentional choice, for now. 

 

Which leads me to last night's intentional M3: first food truck court of the season! Held at a local brewery! Absolutely had a pork banh mi sandwich which was of course served on a baguette. Wow. It was pretty yummy... but not enough to sway me today. Case in point - entire office is going out for Mexican. I will not be going with them ^.^ 

 

Today's M1 was SO GOOD and SO EASY. Just plopped a spoon of coconut oil in a frying pan, put in two big handfuls of TJ's cruciferous mix, added s&p, put a lid on and then continued getting ready for work. After a few minutes I made two holes in the greens and cracked two eggs, put the lid back on. A few minutes later, super yum! Fat! Protein! Veggies!

 

Here's to a great start to my first (for real, no cheats) W30-ish weekend!

[Gwendolyn]

Weekends are so busy... it never even crossed my mind to look at the forum or post to my log! Stayed within my meal parameters all weekend, so feeling really good about that. Although, thinking I might possibly have an egg intolerance. Ugh. Will be doing my best to NOT EAT ANY EGGS for a week and see what happens - just seem to be bloaty and sad after eating eggs the past couple of days. Maybe it's something else (which omg I hope.. because EGGS). Only one way to find out! 

 

Stand out weekend meals: Quick curry with shrimp & shredded kale/cabbage/brussel sprouts.   Grassfed beef hot dogs with sauerkraut wrapped in butter lettuce with homemade baked sweet potato fries.   Bacon frittata with a sweet potato hash "crust".   Coconut flour and plantain pancakes with berries.   Large cobb salad with no dressing, add beets from CPK - everything else I cooked at home!   Last night we had roast chicken with carrots and salad with an avocado dressing I made. 

 

All in all a pretty dang yummy and compliant few days! I definitely noticed bloating and pain after the frittata and pancakes, and then later had a slice of cold frittata and felt immediate bloating afterwards. Sometimes I feel badly after my morning eggs... but sometimes I don't. Ugh!

 

Now I need to figure out protein for my M1 - today I ate some cold chicken, a small apple, a bit of a Larabar. Need to cook up some more chicken tonight I think! 

[Gwendolyn]

So last night I bought some organic chicken thighs and grassfed ground beef. My plan was to do a cook up of meat last night to help with meals and especially M1. This did not happen. I ate off plan last night and I have no excuse as to why. Just feel so disappointed in myself. It was a "stay at home" night, instead of staying at my partner's. This can often lead to me eating poorly. But I just sat there, eating even after I wasn't hungry, binge watching RuPaul's Drag Race and poking at my bloated tummy. 

 

I'm feeling discouraged after this recent weight gain. I'm scared that it's due to introducing meat into my diet. I feel like paring down to tuna fish, shrimp, veggies and coconut oil. I feel like that is not how I want to live. Really just feeling sort of hopeless and sad this morning. Also! Because I didn't cook anything, my M1 was an apple and a Larabar. I don't want to eat Larabars. They are like candy to me and so now I'm feeling worse. 

 

Ok. If you've read this, I'm sorry! Just needed to put it out there that I went off track and that I feel like kicking myself in the ass. Right. Today is a new day and another opportunity to make better choices.

[GFChris]

So last night I bought some organic chicken thighs and grassfed ground beef. My plan was to do a cook up of meat last night to help with meals and especially M1. This did not happen. I ate off plan last night and I have no excuse as to why. Just feel so disappointed in myself. It was a "stay at home" night, instead of staying at my partner's. This can often lead to me eating poorly. But I just sat there, eating even after I wasn't hungry, binge watching RuPaul's Drag Race and poking at my bloated tummy. 

 

I'm feeling discouraged after this recent weight gain. I'm scared that it's due to introducing meat into my diet. I feel like paring down to tuna fish, shrimp, veggies and coconut oil. I feel like that is not how I want to live. Really just feeling sort of hopeless and sad this morning. Also! Because I didn't cook anything, my M1 was an apple and a Larabar. I don't want to eat Larabars. They are like candy to me and so now I'm feeling worse. 

 

Ok. If you've read this, I'm sorry! Just needed to put it out there that I went off track and that I feel like kicking myself in the ass. Right. Today is a new day and another opportunity to make better choices.

 

Sorry about this event and that you're feeling so badly.

But, I see a glimmer of hope in your last sentence: YES!

Hop back on the wagon.  As you do so, review the reasons why you chose to do a Whole30 in the first place.  Post those goals in a prominent place, or whatever you need to do to keep you motivated.  Consider what pulled you off track and what strategies you can put in place, should that situation re-occur in the next 30 days, to help you stay on track next time.

[Gwendolyn]

Sorry about this event and that you're feeling so badly.

But, I see a glimmer of hope in your last sentence: YES!

Hop back on the wagon.  As you do so, review the reasons why you chose to do a Whole30 in the first place.  Post those goals in a prominent place, or whatever you need to do to keep you motivated.  Consider what pulled you off track and what strategies you can put in place, should that situation re-occur in the next 30 days, to help you stay on track next time.

 

 

THANK YOU. I super appreciate your response. I think posting goals would be really helpful. When I went through my first real W30, I moved one arrow post-it from one side of a door frame to the other, every morning - and then back over when I continued on for another 30 days! Visual motivation is extremely helpful. Thank you again.

[Gwendolyn]

Meant to post this yesterday - but couldn't get on the site!

 

What a morning yesterday! I was able to turn the day around, thank goodness. I had to run some errands at lunch, so picked up some raw veggies and a slice of compliant pork roast from the natural food store – YUM. When I got home, I baked some chicken thighs with ghee, lots of chopped garlic, s&p and this herb grind that has a flower in it. After I pulled them out, I cut one up on a huge bed of mixed lettuces and arugula and then squeezed a chunk of lemon over it all, pouring some of the garlicky ghee juice from the pan as well. Whoa. This was super good!

 

Was excited to eat some chicken, arugula and avo this morning for M1, and packed up basically what I had for dinner last night, to have for M2, today. I try to remember this feeling of accomplishment, of cooking for myself yummy and easy food that doesn't hurt my body, of having energy instead of feeling like a zombie. I weighed myself this am and confirmed the 10lb gain. I'm letting that motivate me, instead of holding me back. 

 

Also super excited side note  ~ picked up a pork shoulder last night and planning on using it in Nom Nom Paleo's Kahlua Pig recipe for Easter Sunday! I haven't chosen any sides to make yet... but will do my bestest to stay 100% compliant with our meal, but allow myself some Easter candy and bring any extra to the office!