The self care project

[Kmlynne]

Hang in there! It will get better!

I have had 5 separate miniscal tear injuries and surgeries. The first couple of days are the worst, and then things slowely get better. I have to admit the recovery gets harder as I get older! At most, I was on crutches for about 6-7 days (mostly outside and longer walks, not so much in the house).

Try to think "super easy" when it comes to cooking: lots of eggs, stir fries, one pot meals, etc. do you have a slow cooker? Throw in a hunk of meat (small roast) with any vehggies you can find and some stock or broth - dinner will be waiting on you.

Hope your mom and her guy start helping you out! You will be in my prayers!

[almcc]

Hi all!

jennor - your description of how and why running the home/family is spot on. And I also needed the "break" of going to work. I thought starting my own business would be similar but without the structure/expectations/paycheck it is too easy for me to put all those other tasks first.

Yesterday I decided to work all day on family/home stuff and was feeling fabulously productive and then a new fire appeared at 6:30. I was tired and this was sort of major - dd's last exam went poorly and a bad grade will affect everything else she has planned. So I was upset for her - worried about her future - trying to be hopeful and calm her and her father. Ack.

After all that I chose to order in. I had a compliant burger no bun and I had French fries. So I have 2 patterns. Celebrating with food and trying to feel better with food. I'm so much better at not doing those things since starting this last year. In order to care for myself I am not going to feel guilty about the fries.

Today we have to travel and both restaurants do not have good choices. I will do my best.

Beets - your husband schedule sounds horrible and too familiar. So exciting that he worked on the 9/11 museum. We are going to NY next week. I grew up there and have not visited the site. Maybe this visit.

Here's to caring for ourselves.

[almcc]

jennor - what books did you order?

[jennor]

Beets, I bow to you! I have had the kids 24 h for a few days, but a long stretch like that... wow! That is really hard. The kids also learn to always call for the parent that usually helps them, so when my DH comes back it takes a while until they let him help them or play with them again.

 

Kmlynne, that is good news! I can see he is already better. he no longer needs pain medication during the day, just at night and he is much more mobile. I am feeling more optimistic!

 

Ashley, I do both too.And sometimes it is like I almost punish myself with food as well. If I have a rough day it is difficult sometimes to tell the difference between when I am using food to comfort myself and when it is more of a "my life already sucks so I might as well fail at eating well too"-kind of response. I bought Grain Brain. I think it will arrive next week. I hope it is good. I also just printed out a number of scientific papers by Robert Lustig on sugar and the effect on us. Totally nerdy, but I think that will be my reading for tonight.

[Beets]

I love Nerdy reading! I have read Lustig on sugar. Good stuff. Paleo Mom is my favorite nerdy reading, if you want to branch out. I <3 her! She takes very complicated topics and explains them clearly--without dumbing anything down. A very tricky thing to do.

[jennor]

Day 8 2014 05 08

Sleep: 7 hours or there about. I am not feeling very alert, but not totally exhausted either. Just a bit subdued, perhaps.

Food:

Breakfast: 3 eggs, veggie hash, coffee with cocnut milk

Lunch: A few mussels, Spanish meat balls, broccoli, carrot salad, other vegetables/salad greens, mojo verde, olives.

Dinner: Chicken thighs, sweet potato wedges, grilled aubergine and peppers, salad, avocado, failed (liquid) mayo. 2 de-caf americanos with coconut milk, Lara bar.

I stumbled across a leftover Larabar from the Canada trip after dinner. Yes, I ate it for dessert. Not the worst choice, but it was also not the best choice. Won't happen again.

Exercise: Sigh. I will probably be too tired tonight after dinner. And my left lung/rib cage hurts. I have an appointment at the doctor's office tomorrow to have it checked out. I hope it is just some muscle strain from coughing when I had pneumonia.

DH seems to be doing better. That is great. I am a bit frustrated with him for not helping with the things he can do . Yesterday he worked from home together with a friend and they went out for lunch. Then he played on the computer while I cooked dinner, cleaned up and put the kids to bed. I told him that he could maybe help prepping vegetables for dinner now that he is home all day. He realized that was reasonable. And today he promised dinner would be on the table when I get home with the kids. I am just exhausted right now and I need him to help with what he can!

Kmlynne - I am definately taking your advice on the EASY food. I happen to love fried eggs so we will be eating a lot of those. With a nice spicy sauce and some vegetables it makes a great easy dinner!

[jennor]

Beets, I love Paleo Mum! Now I remember she has a book out - I should see if I can order that as well!

[jennor]

Day 9 2014 05 09

Sleep: ahhh, close to 8 hours!

Food:

Breakfast: 3 eggs, sweet potato wedge, salad, tomato, avocado. Double espresso with generous spoonful of coconut milk. Green tea.

Lunch: A chicken thigh, bacon, 3 fried eggs, sweet potato wedges, grilled aubergine and peppers, spicy mayo, spinach salad, 1/2 avocado, 3 small pieces dried mango.(Big lunch!)

Dinner: At Vapiano (restaurant) Big mixed house salad with double order of shrimp, olive oil and balsamic. Small bowl of dried berries when we got home.

Exercise: No, probably not. I have this pain on the left side of my chest, just under the ribs and it hurts when I move. I'm having it checked out today and if the doctors says it is nothing and that I can try to run through it I might try, but I'll rest until I know more. See, I have learned something from this winter of constant infections! I can't wait until my white blood cells come up a bit and I can have some semblance of an immune system again!

EAT: The doctor thinks it is an inflammation of the intercostal musculature caused by the coughing, so nothing dangerous. We discussed antiinflammatories but decided against it because of the ulcerative colitis. I can take tylenol if I need to and it is ok to be active. Nothing to worry about, should go away in a few weeks!

I mentioned that I ordered Grain brain. Well, today is received an email saying that it was sold out. I'll try to order another edition. I was looking forward to reading it over the weekend, but I guess I'll have to wait.

Ok, despite pneumonia and weird chest pain and a broken down husband I have to say I am feeling GOOD when I keep my diet Whole30 clean. I can see that my stomach is flatter, not swollen and irritated. I feel good about sticking to 3 meals per day. I am not hungry nor snack-y all the time. Good! Happy eating to all of you!

[mangio_bene]

Jennor, can you drink your espresso black?  My bf puts cream in his but I drink it black though I've never put sugar in the iced americano's that I make.  I had to train myself to cut out the sugar in the espresso as some mornings it can be quite sturdy.  It's also important that the coffee be excellent quality.  I get mine from Peets.  They always put the roasted date and use by date so it's pretty fresh.

[jennor]

Mangio_bene, I usually drink my espresso black. I had two of them this morning and one this afternoon. I also often make de-caf espressos at home. Sometimes I add coconut milk when I at home, but at work I always drink it black. I have never used sugar in coffee - I really don't like the taste. I totally agree on the coffee quality, it has to be good coffee!

[jennor]

Day 10! 2014 05 10

Sleep: 7-ish hours. Both kids decided to get up at 5:30. On a Saturday, no less!

Food:

Breakfast: two fried eggs, bacon, veggies hash, double espresso.

Lunch: (Out at Vapiano again) Big house salad, double order of shrimp, olive oil and balsamico.

Snack: One serving fruit, espresso.

Dinner: Two spicy sausages, sweet potato wedges, salad, spicy mayo. De-caf with coconut milk, serving dried berries.

Exercise: 8.1 km (5 mi) run. What would have been an easy run felt pretty hard. I am so out of shape after the pneumonia. I could feel the muscle inflammation, but it was not too bad. So happy to be out there again.

[Beets]

I dig coconut products but coconut milk in coffee is a no go. But yeah, now that I'm drinking mine black (coffee or espresso) I can really tell which coffee is good. The coffe shop around the corner serves in drinkable black so now I have to make my own--not a bad thing, even if I buy $$$$ Stumptown it's still cheaper to make it myself. (And no grieving for croissants!)

[jennor]

Beets, I agree. I have a Nespresso capsule brewer so it makes ristretto, espresso or Lungo. The capsules are about 4 SEK each, so a double costs a little over a dollar to make. I used to think it was expensive (my DH still does) but I have realized that I never buy croissants or lattes at cafés anymore, so in the end it is probably cheaper. I love to browse the capsule selection and order new roasts...

[jennor]

Yesterday was Day 11, 2014 05 11

 

Sleep: 8 hours, amazing! I still felt pretty tired and low energy most of the day. It was raining on and off and the kids were a bit lethargic too, so it was ok to just have a chill day. I think we are all recovering a bit from the stress of last week.

 

Food:

Breakfast: 2 fried eggs, veggie hash, double lungo.

Lunch: 2 burgers wrapped in lettuce with guacamole, spicy mayo, nectarine and onion. Sweet potato "fries". Salad. Nectarine. De-caf espresso.

Snack: A couple of strawberries and a nectarine on the porch with the kids.

Dinner: Chicken breast, sweet potato "fries", salad, an artichoke with ghee and salt. Nectarine, couple of pieces dried mango and a de-caf.

 

Exercise: 11.6 km run (7.2 mi) by myself along the sea. The lilacs are in full bloom now and the scent is amazing. I also rolled out the yoga mat on our back porch and tried to do some strenght training but was quickly over powered by kids climbing over and under me.

[jennor]

....and today is Day 12 2014 05 12

 

I dreamed I was dosed with soy last night. I don't even remember how, I just remember that deep sigh and feeling of starting over. Fingers crossed that won't happen!

 

Sleep: Close to 8 hours. I fell asleep again while putting youngest DD to bed last night and was woken up by DH after a while, so I had some trouble falling asleep again when it was my bed time.

 

Food:

Breakfast: 3 eggs, veggie hash, a few nuts and a handful grapes. Coffee x 2.

Lunch: Veal and port patties, roasted carrots, lots of vegetables. Handful nuts, peach.

Dinner: Spanish meatballs, roasted cauliflower, spinach salad with avocado and lots of veggies. Olive oil, balsamic. Handful dried mango. 2 x de-caf lungo.

 

Exercise: Planning on running intervals tonight. I am putting it out there to the Universe to increase the chance of it actually happening after a long day at work and after dinner... Edited: Didn't push myself out the door. I really prefer to exercise first thing in the morning. I am just too sluggish after dinner!

[jennor]

Day 13 2014 05 13

 

Sleep: 7-ish? Tired when I got up this morning. back to early (5-am) wake-ups, which always takes some getting used to.

 

Food:

Breakfast: 2 eggs,  ½ handful nuts, veggies hash. 2 x coffee.

Lunch: Roasted veal, roasted carrots and endive, lots of veg and salad, olive oil. Rooibus tea.

Dinner: Roasted chicken, sweet potato/aubergine/onion/apple hash, big spinach salad w/ avocado, lots of home made mayo, fresh mango. De-caf esspresso. De-caf coffee.

 

Exercise: I need to get back in my routine!

 

Husband is doing better! He was cleared to drive yesterday, so today he took the kiddos to pre-school and he will go to work tomorrow if all goes well. Yay!

[jennor]

Day 14 2014 05 14

 

Sleep: 7 hours. Tired when I woke up, doing fine now.

 

Food:

Breakfast: 2 eggs, veggie hash, handful grapes, coffee.

Lunch: At a meeting: salad with roast beef, drizzled w/ olive oil and lemon. This was not enough food, but the only compliant things. Peach, grapes to fill myself up a bit more.

Dinner:

 

Exercise: Probably not. After work activities both today and tomorrow. Sigh.

 

I am getting into the swing of three meals and not snacking, and I like it. It is refreshing to not be eating all.the.time. I get hungry in time for the next meal, but not in between meals usually. My energy level is good. Steady, I'd say. I am not jumping around frantic with tiger blood, but for me that is probably a good thing. I tend to be fairly energetic anyway, and "calm and steady" is probably what I need!

 

I am not craving sugar much anymore. Yesterday evening after putting the kids to bed I felt like sugar, but it was easy to just say No. We have really good purple grapes in the fruit basket at work and I usually eat a handfull or two of those a few days a week, and then maybe something small like a few pieces of mango with the kids after dinner, but that is it right now.

 

I could use some more sleep. I think I am doing better than I used to a few months ago, but I have some residual tiredness (sleep deficit) to work on. After 6 years with small children I think it'll take me a while to feel like I have slept enough again.

[almcc]

Day 14. Yay!!!!

I am back. Starting today. I need some big challenge to keep me going. Haven't decided what that is.

M1: sp, salsa, bacon, eggs, coffee/cm

[jennor]

Ashley, I was JUST thinking of you! Did you have a good time in NY? It is great to have you back!

[jennor]

Day 15, woohoo! 2014 05 15

 

Really, I am not feeling the "woohoo" is today. Tired.  I have lots of things going on right now. Things that I can't really talk about, but that takes a bit of energy. It is exciting and fun, good stuff, but still challenging. I am sorry to be so vague.

 

Sleep: 5 hours. Little DD didn't sleep well. I don't know if she is teething again? I also didn't sleep well. My throuat and mouth was sore and my head was spinning with work/life stuff. Tiiiiiiiired today!

 

Food:

Breakfast: 2 eggs, veggie hash, lungo.

Lunch:

Dinner:

 

Exercise: Haha! I wish!

 

Halfway! Yesterday felt like a bit of a failure, acctually. I was compliant, but not by the protocol. I had an exciting meeting for a new oportunity I was approached about (as I alluded to in all vagueness above) and after I just felt completely drained and wanted sugar. I snacked on dried mulberries during the evening and some 100% chocolate (ingredients: organic cacao, organic cacao butter). Not my best day. What is it that makes me push myself into the stress zone so regularly? And then the easiest way to reward/relax myself is with food? Admittedly, it could be worse. I don't drink, but I can understand the mentality of relaxing with a glass of wine. Today I feel tired and my tummy is not as calm as it has been during the other days of this W30. I guess that just reinforces that I should stick with the program! And I want to. I love how my body feels right now, just not today.

 

I also feel a bit sick again. I have had some major blisters on the roof of my mouth for the last few days and they are very painful. I also have this weird feeling in my throat. Ahh, so sick of being sick!

 

Ok, enough with the whining. Really, all I need is some more sleep and I'll be back in business!

[almcc]

jennor - excited to hear about your new possibilities when you can share. I hope you are not getting sick. How is adjusting your medication going? Wishing you many many nights of fabulous sleep!!!!

We did not go to NY. My mom went into the hospital. She is ok. She has RA so her immune system doesn't work well. And she doesn't take care of herself and has the worst diet. Tuesday we celebrated my birthday by going to atlanta. We went to the natural history museum. Then I had a favorite sandwich from a favorite place. Then we spent hours in ikea shopping for my dd's dorm room - it's an apartment. She is cooking for herself, so she needed a few things. Lol. I was so looking forward to ikea's meatballs. And I was disappointed. My palate has changed. Woohoo!!

Yesterday was successful as far a compliant food. I snacked 2x. I didn't eat enough for lunch - we were out of everything. I had oysters, green beans, banana, almond butter. I went shopping and had some pork rinds on the road. Dinner was great - salad and pork chop. I made a new batch if mayo. Yum. Then I ate grapes and a handful of nuts. I need to eat more and stop eating after dinner.

Still trying to decide how long I'm going to do this. I wish that after a year of mostly eating this way I could stick to it without a challenge but I don't seem to be able. I need serious structure.

Here's to fabulous sleep!!

[almcc]

Hi

Well I lasted 3 days. And then the most amazing thing happened - I got another incentive to keep at it. My daughter is starting the 21 day sugar detox today. That is very exciting. I told her I would follow whole 30 rules and limit sugar in the way 21dsd does. So we are sort of doing it together. She is back at school but cooking for herself. Fingers crossed - she feels better in the first few days. For myself - I need to kill my sugar dragon. So limited fruit and no sp will do me good.

Day 1

M1: sausage eggs kale coffee/cm

Hope all is well.

[jennor]

Dear Ashley, I wrote a long reply yesterday while eating breakfast at my desk, and then I had to just shut it down because some IT-person was going to scan my computer and I didn't want him to see it.

 

I am sorry your mum is struggling. It must be so hard to watch her be in pain, yet not take the best care of herself. I see the same thing in my in-laws, who have hereditary diabetes (a mutation in the glucokinase gene), yet eat all really badly. My SIL is pregnant and currently on insulin and she wakes up with an episode of low blood glucose and slams three Danish...

 

Need to rush into a meeting now, back later!

[jennor]

Ashley, I fell off the wagon too. I had 14 great days, then last Friday I was just exhausted and overwhelmed and I got sidetracked. I am trying to find a balance where I have a firm framework but maybe not quite as restrictive as a full Whole30. It sounds like a great idea to hook up with your daughter and do 21 days with limited fruit etc. I am reading the book Fat Chance br Robert Lustig now, and I feel motivated to limit natural sugars as well.

 

Again, I learned something this time I did my Whole14.  I feel like every WholeXX I have done has been a valuable experience.This time I focused on sticking to the 3 meals per day, limit snacking and it went suprisingly well! And I liked it. I am constantly leaning to get closer to treating myself with care and I get better at listening to my body and my mind.

 

With that I think I will take this journal over to the Post-Whole30 forum and define my framework there. I hope to see you there!

[almcc]

Hi jennor
A whole 14 is great. Melissa posted the third part of a series she wrote yesterday. About how she eats. It is very encouraging. Did you read it?

Today I'm going to do a lot of shopping - food shopping. Without sp I am a bit nervous and I feel the need to make some new meals. I discovered several Latin supermarkets last week. The have some interesting cuts of meats I want to try. And the veggies were cheaper. And I need some carne seca for snacking. I also may try to make beef jerky this week.

I'll follow you over to post whole 30.