Anela's Whole 30 Log

[anelamarie]

Aloha!

 

I've been keeping a personal log on my tumblr, but realized that I needed more support for my journey. I'm currently on Day 4, and am struggling the most right now with cravings for sugar in all forms! Cake, brownies, cookies, chocolate, blah. 

 

Pre-whole30, I was drinking copious amounts of alcohol and binging on lots of junk food. I was definitely feeling it, energy wise, I am always tired and never have that "I feel awesome first thing in the morning feeling!" It really sucks. So I took matters into my own hands and am ready to change my life. I found out about this program because my brother did the whole30, three years ago with great results. 

 

My fridge is stuffed full with veggies and protein. I am very lucky to live next to a butcher called Marin Sun Farms. Almost all of their meats are organic, grass-fed and pastured.  I try to lift weights 4x a week with light cardio 2x a week. 

 

Here are my meals so far! 

 

Day 1:

 

Brunch (I woke up pretty late today) - Two egg omelette with chard, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions and chicken apple sausage cooked in coconut oil.

Post work-out snack - Roasted chard chips

Dinner - Steamed broccoli, hangar steak over a spring salad.

 

Day 2: 

 

Breakfast - Organic, pastured pork sausage with a fried egg, tomatos and leftover broccoli.

Lunch - Greek salad with olives, bell peppers, shallots and a homemade lemon garlic dressing.

Dinner - Mexican salad with a whole avocado, jalapenos, onions, tomatos, and a homemade lime dressing.

 

 

Day 3

 

Happy Easter! The Easter bunny brought gummy treats and chocolate which I had to politely decline...instead...

 

Breakfast - Two egg veggie scramble with onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, and a pork sausage.

Lunch - Greek salad with the left over hangar steak and lime avocado salsa. 

Dinner - Loco moco! Organic grass fed beef mixed with jalapenos, cilantro, salt and pepper made into patties and grilled on the cast iron; topped with a fried egg and mushrooms. Instead of rice, it was served on a spring salad. 

 

 

Thank you for reading!

[iteach]

My lunch looks like a piece of sandpaper compared to your amazing food.

 

Thanks for sharing! It's giving me some ideas.

 

Best wishes!

[Tom Denham]

The composition of your meals look good with one exception. You are not eating enough. The meal template advises eating at least a palm-size portion of protein or as many eggs as you can hold in one hand and to fill the rest of the plate with veggies. You are not filling the plate with veggies and/or you are using small plates and not normal-size plates. Plus, raw veggies like salad do not take up much room, so you actually get little to eat when you fill a plate with raw greens. 

 

http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf

 

Eating adequate amounts of food is not only important to controlling sugar cravings and being comfortable, but also to get your hormones into their proper rhythm so your body will function at its best.

[anelamarie]

The composition of your meals look good with one exception. You are not eating enough. The meal template advises eating at least a palm-size portion of protein or as many eggs as you can hold in one hand and to fill the rest of the plate with veggies. You are not filling the plate with veggies and/or you are using small plates and not normal-size plates. Plus, raw veggies like salad do not take up much room, so you actually get little to eat when you fill a plate with raw greens. 

 

http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf

 

Eating adequate amounts of food is not only important to controlling sugar cravings and being comfortable, but also to get your hormones into their proper rhythm so your body will function at its best.

Thank you for the feedback! I definitely am using eleven inch plates, but will add more veggies to the lot. Actually, I'm going to make sure I do that right now for dinner once again thank you! This is just the type of support I was looking for.

[anelamarie]

Day 4 is over! I'm sitting by the fire having a cup of tea. I upped my vegetable intake for dinner, and I feel quite satisfied.

 

Pre/post workout snack - handful of macadamia nuts.

Breakfast - Leftover loco moco with a fried egg on top of a green salad.

Lunch - Same. Leftover loco moco with a fried egg on top of a green salad with some baby bell peppers.

Dinner - Tuna patties (wild tuna from a can, mixed with red/white onions, cilantro, jalapeños, egg, and almond flour) with a chinese chicken salad (avocado, celery, cilantro, romaine, toasted pecans). The dressing was drippings from the chicken breast mixed with olive oil, lemon and garlic. All homemade!

 

[anelamarie]

Day 5 - I was writing a reservation for work today and instead of writing college I wrote chocolate. I guess you can see where my mind is at right now.

 

Breakfast - veggie and sausage scramble without the eggs. - not pictured

Lunch - a chicken, avocado salad - no dressing.

Pre 7 mile hike - lara bar.

Dinner - round 2 on tuna patties and chinese chicken salad with an avocado dressing. roasted yams on the side. 

 

 

 

Thank you all for reading! 

[anelamarie]

My lunch looks like a piece of sandpaper compared to your amazing food.

 

Thanks for sharing! It's giving me some ideas.

 

Best wishes!

 

Thank you for your kind words! I love this community cause I steal bits and pieces from logs I see everyday. 

[anelamarie]

Day 6 - I freaking love sweet potatoes. 

 

Breakfast - sweet potato hash, fried egg, and a pork sausage.

Lunch - loco moco patty on a spring salad with avocado cilantro sauce.

Snack - handful of macadamia nuts

Dinner - lamb meatballs with a greek salad (tomatoes, onions, cucumber, olives, oregano in lemon juice and olive oil), steamed broccoli and half of an apple. 

 

 

A week is almost over!

[anelamarie]

Day...I've lost count. Oh 7, 8, and 9!

I've been whole 30 compliant! But have been too busy to post. It is sure easy keeping to the plan when at home, but when people are around that is the true challenge. I've been tempted by potato gratin, cheese cake, carrot cakes, tarts, mocha. On Thursday I sat in a coffee shop for three hours - all I could smell was bake goods galore. But I've stuck it out! I'm proud!

Day 7

Breakfast - left over fish patties with broccoli

Lunch - a coffee I was too busy with errands

Dinner - raw oysters, tri tip, citrus salad, raspberries

Day 8

Breakfast - scrambled eggs with a side salad, tangerine

Lunch - handful of macadamia nuts, hard boiled egg, another tangerine

Dinner - sweet potato hash, nom nom paleos korean short ribs, roasted balsamic broccoli

I've been havin lotsa black coffee...I wonder what the guidelines are on that.

I also took an aspirin today because I've had stomach cramps...I'm wondering if that's compliant. Day 9 log to come tonight.

[anelamarie]

Day 9

 

Breakfast - two hard boiled eggs, coffee

Snack - raw baby peppers, strawberries

Lunch - sweet potatoes, broccoli, short ribs

Dinner - asparagus, salad with avocados and tomatoes, pork loin, fruit salad

 

Life is exhausting - lots of emotions due to work, etc. I wanted to break down and have a cookie. I didn't. Hooray me. 

[anelamarie]

Day 10 

 

 

 

I finally feel okay with not eating sweets. Alcohol, I don't miss too much. Lotsa energy right now, feeling bright and cheery! 

Meal 1 - chicken sausage frittata with onions and lots and lots and lots of chard.

Meal 2 - same as breakfast with a green salad.

After workout - handful of macadamias.

Meal 3 - Green coconut curry with chicken, celery, snap peas, carrots, onions, bell peppers. Pineapple.

 

Here's some progress from Day 1 to Day 10.  Progress!

 

[anelamarie]

DAY ELEVEN!!!! WOOHOO!!!

 

Is it over yet? 

 

Meal 1 - Ground lamb frittata with red peppers, chard (from the garden) and onions. Served with half an avocado and two handfuls of spring lettuce.

Meal 2 - Leftover coconut chicken curry with half an avocado. No picture, but here's the view I had eating lunch

Mid-hike snack - Lemon Lara bar.

Meal 3 - Baked salmon (wild!) on a crisp romaine salad with tomatoes, celery, and toasted walnuts. 

 

I did a no-no and went on the scale today. I was disappointed as usual, because the old me measures healthy sexy by numbers. I slapped myself silly (lol not really) and put my scale away. My tummy is flatter, my face is clearer, I feel great, I'm looking great. So there! 

 

[anelamarie]

Day 12, which is two days away from two weeks, and three days away from day 15, which means I'm almost half way there!

 

I sleep easy, I wake up feeling rested, I'm happy. 

 

Meal 1 - Two eggs cooked with tomatoes and green onions. Season with a little fish sauce, just like how mom used to cook them. A handful of greens and half of a sweet potato.

Meal 2 - I messed up! I forgot to put a piece of frittata in my salad so I was hungry after eating the other half of the sweet potato and a crisp romaine salad. 

Pre-workout snack - I have five Lara bars in my car as emergency food. I planned to do an upper body workout and was just so hungry so I had a "cashew cookie." I need to find emergency food that's less sweet and better for me. Ideas?

Meal 3 - After my workout I rushed home and had two pieces of lamb frittata with a butt load of roasted curry cauliflower. I am happily drinking tea now and meal planning for my next grocery trip. 

 

[Attackkitten]

Holy smokes! I'm coming over. Beautiful food pics. I'm with you. I dream of cupcakes...

[anelamarie]

Day 13 - My farts smell like eggs. I'm sick of eggs. Well, not really. I look forward to scrambled eggs with furikake tomorrow, then grocery shopping! This time I have a quasi meal plan to stick to. 

 

Meal 1 - Cast - iron broiled breakfast of two eggs and butternut squash in ghee. Broiled in the oven. Sprinkled with MSG free furikake.

Meal 2 - Egg/celery salad romaine tacos with roasted curry cauliflower on the side.

Meal 3 - I missed up here...I had a handful of macadamia nuts when I got home, followed by a slice of pineapple while I cooked dinner, which was flattened chicken breast topped with this delicious out of the bottle pasta sauce (nothing needed to be added to it!), with sliced cucumbers. I also had a celery stick with almond butter.

 

 

Lesson learned, eat more food.  

 

But sadly. I'm feeling extra bloated again. I don't know what's happening. It's really discouraging - it seemed like I was doing so well...

[anelamarie]

Day 14! Two weeks! 336 hours! 20,160 minutes!  - DONE! 

 

I'm excited - I've been getting up with the sun, with boundless energy. My skin has cleared up a bit on my face (no breakouts). My skin also looks more hydrated. I'm sleeping better, other than having to wake up to pee from drinking so much herbal tea at night.

 

I've kicked my cravings somewhat. Today, I went to the farmers market and the pungent smell of kettle corn wafted my way, but I wasn't swayed! Instead, I picked up organic beets, cauliflower, broccoli, turnips, kohlrabi, green onions, arugula, mushrooms and more.

 

I found the Prather Ranch booth at the Marin Farmers Market and got my self lots of whole 30 approved ground beef, oxtail, steaks, lamb, SUGAR FREE BACON and more. They were too sweet, they gave me a lamb chop for my huge haul, which I had for dinner. 

 

Meal 1 - Handful of mac nuts. Cast iron eggs with leftover Rao tomato sauce and broccoli cooked in ghee. 

Meal 2 - Two hard boiled eggs and pineapple salsa. Cup of coffee. 

Meal 3 - Meyer lemon pork chops on arugula with squash and pineapple. 

 

[anelamarie]

 Day 15! I'm bummed to say that when things get emotional, I still crave major sweets. Today, I got into an argument with my boyfriend and immediately after, I just wanted to eat some ice cream. Instead, I had an apple Lara Bar. Even at that, I felt pretty guilty. I know I should handle my emotions in a healthier way outside of food. Maybe next time, I'll just go on a walk or play guitar - anything!...except give into food. Its more of a psychological thing anyways. I'm gonna kick this habit!

 

Meal 1 - I made a frittata for breakfast and the next three days. I got beautiful beets at the farmers market yesterday, and I wanted to utilize the greens so I sautéed them with garlic and onions and left over pork from last night and made this frittata over an arugula salad.

Meal 2 - My "make me feel better Lara Bar." Then I had leftover chicken with tomato sauce.  

I went on a long walk on the beach and ate a handful of nuts about 3 miles into my hike. 

Meal 3 - #Nomnompaleo's chimichurri lamb lollipops over arugula and more beet greens. I had it with my homemade kimchi (no sugar added)! I absolutely adore Momofuku, and want to paleofy some of his recipes. I'm looking forward to making his pork belly, bo ssam, and hangar steak but whole30 compliant.

 

And on a happy note, David and I made up. Currently, I have some pork butt in the slow cooker for dinner tomorrow! & non scale successes - my uniform fits! It isn't tight in the tummy anymore. I'm waking up with so much energy! I'm recovering from my workouts quicker. I'm feeling great!!! 

 

[anelamarie]

Day 16 - Something has happened. In this whole process, I have found understanding of why I should eat pastured meats. I feel better internally and at the same time I feel like I'm actually doing something for our environment. It's just me and my cat - she's already on a grain free diet so doing pastured organic meats and wild/sustainable fish is a little more feasible for me. I'd like to continue this past the whole 30. 

Meal 1 - Leftover frittata topped with Rao's marinara over a bed of arugula. MSF turkey sausage and pineapple.

Meal 2 - Roasted cauliflower and butternut squash with leftover chicken breast with Rao's marinara. 

After work - half a handful of almonds. 

Meal 3 - Wild caught salmon, panfried and topped with caper/cilantro mayo over a bed of arugula and home grown garlic/onion sprouts. Roasted cauliflower and pineapple. 

[anelamarie]

Day 17 - I'm back to attacking the sugar dragons again. I've been sneaking pieces of pineapple here and there as mini snacks. I also crave Lara Bars. Ughhhhhhh. Why can't my body just want to eat a cucumber?!?!

Meal 1 - Bell pepper, mushroom, onion sprout, and chard omelette with two pieces of sugar free bacon!

Meal 2 - Left over chimichurri lamb lollipops with roasted butternut squash and beet greens. 

A handful of almonds after doing the lighthouse stairs twice in a row.

Meal 3 - Skirt steak with bbq green onions, broccoli and bell peppers. A few pieces of pineapple once I got home. (Not pictured cause I didn't have my phone.)

[anelamarie]

Just an odd thought:

 

Every night, I have been having dreams of eating non compliant food. But not the types of foods that you would normally dream about like cupcakes, ice cream, chocolate (*drool), etc. I dream of accidentally eating products that have carrageenan, soy, or other chemically things. I wake up thinking that it actually happened. Emotionally, I am distraught. And I freak out for five minutes, wondering what I had done the the day before. 

 

Then I realize, it was just a dream. Whew. 

 

Anyone else do this? 

[anelamarie]

Day 18 I'm finally getting a hang of everything. I cleaned out my pantry, and that has never looked better. I designated two shelves for the whole30 and everything else is shoved away for the food bank, or as emergency food for future guests.

I think after the program I'll stay 95% paleo and splurge only on good homemade treats, or that extra special yogurt, and that very expensive wine for happy occasions. I really like what the whole30 has done for me so far.

I don't feel bloated. 
I'm understanding my eating habits and can better control my cravings.
I drink more water.
My skin looks great.
I feel great.
I fit in my pants from four years ago.
I'm showing better definition all over my body.
And most important, I have less emotional upsets than I've had ever.

Yay whole30! And I'm not even done yet!

Meal 1 - Kalua pig sweet potato hash with onions and kohlrabi greens.
Meal 2 - leftover breakfast quiche on arugula and roasted butternut squash.
Preworkout - spoonful of almond butter.
Meal 3 - kalua pig and cabbage with a paleo Cobb salad. Apple slices with almond butter.

 

[anelamarie]

Day 19 - Okay, really, how bad is having a Lara Bar? Because I had one. And yes, it was too sweet, but I was still hungry cause I didn't pack enough of a lunch. So really, how bad is a Lara Bar for you? I didn't eat it because I was craving something sweet - I wanted it because I was hungry and it was the only thing compliant around. Gahhhh. 

Meal 1 - Leftover frittata over garlic sprouts and arugula. Topped with Rao's marinara sauce.

Meal 2 - Stir fried fish with green beans and leeks. Side of roasted butternut squash. (not pictured). Coconut lara bar.

Post workout - Hard boiled egg.

Meal 3 - My most colorful meal yet: kalua pork with cabbage, curried cauliflower, broccoli bagna cauda. Steamed sweet potato. The last of the pineapple pieces. 

[GlennR]

Love your food pics! And I like your cheerful spirit. Good luck the rest of the way.

[Kmlynne]

Saw your question about the dreams.... I am on day 13 now and haven't had any yet that I remember. I guess I am just soaking up the sleep - it's been years since I have consistently gotten moe that four hours at a time!

I have read lots of other posts about people dreaming about eating no compliant foods! You are not alone!

[anelamarie]

Day 20! Twenty days ago, I felt skinny fat. I weighed 120 pounds on my 5'2†frame. I was bloated all of the time. I drank copious amount of liquor and ate bags of chips lunch (and breakfast). Anything sweet that came my way, I would have two of. Really, cupcake shop, I needed all the flavors in my mouth at the same time. And, I had absolutely no strength at all. I always felt tired, I didn't have any energy, and I was miserable. I'd been unhappy with my body and myself ever since high school.

I'm very pleased to feel stronger, and generally just feel better every single day. I look forward to an active life full of healthy eating - with the occasional treat or two! So after the whole 30 is done I know I really do enjoy fine dining, homemade ice cream, french brie and homemade irish bread with sweet cream butter. I just know I won't be indulging every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday like I used to. 

I don't know what I weigh right now, I just know that I'm seeing and feeling results. I can't wait to see what Day 30 has in store. 

In addition to eating well, I've been doing the “Women's Lean Sexy Bible,†30 days abs, 100 pushups, and hiking, fishing, rock climbing, running etc. So I'm active 5-6 days out of the week, rather than going out to the bars and restaurants 5 days a week. 

Meal 1 - Cast iron eggs with broccoli bagna cauda and crimini mushrooms. One cup of coffee.

Meal 2 - Stir fried fish and veggies with broccoli and cauliflower.

Ten mile hike after work - Post workout meal - kalua pig and cabbage. 

Meal 3 - Kalua pig and cabbage rolls with mayo, cucumbers and sprouts (I had four of these don't be alarmed!). Cauliflower and greens. 

Currently drinking tea. 

 

 

Thank you everyone for your kind words. I'm inspired by reading everyone's stories each day (even though I don't comment, sorry!). I'm glad we are all on this journey together and look forward to our continued successes.