McJule's Post-Whole 30

[pjena]

Good job avoiding snacks and sugar!

 

I think the offroads are so personal.  Small offroads don't seem to affect me physically, but they do keep me from making any progress on losing those pesky 10 lbs.  I feel like I have to be perfect to even lose 1 lb and then one episode of not perfect puts that lb right back on.  If you're like me in that respect, you have to decide what is worth it to you.  Losing 10 lbs isn't worth it to me to be stressed about being perfect.  It's just not.  It is worth it to me to say "no" more often than I say "yes" because those offroad occasions come up way too often to be called special.  I think the NS summer challenge will be good for me.  I'm hoping to lose a few lbs.  Maybe not all 10, but a few would be nice.  But, I'm focusing on the fact that by aiming for NS, I am much calmer about everything and can just eat and not fret.  Good luck!

 

FYI - I had the EXACT same breakfast as you, but with coconut milk in my coffee.  Funny!

[mcjule]

Jen, I got the kale idea from your log!  It's so easy to saute in the morning and I need easy!

 

I think I will try to cut back on the off-plan eating a bit.  I'm not going to go whole Whole 30, but I think I can do better.  Especially if I want to lose weight.  It seems like my breakfasts and lunches are fine and usually totally Whole 30 compliant but my dinners and weekends are harder.  I know this is because that's when I'm eating with my husband and kids.  During the Whole 30 I often made three dinners -- one of the kids, one for him, and one for me.  It wasn't fun.  So now I'm making two -- the kids have to eat separately because they eat so early but they also eat pretty basic and easy food.  Even though I'm making generally Whole 30 compliant stuff I throw in rice for my husband or something like that and I'm more likely to have a little bit since I can.  I know I could do better.

 

Breakfast:  Breakfast:  sauteed kale w/3 scrambled eggs, sweet potato w/coconut butter, coffee w/coconut milk

Lunch:  leftover paleo pad thai

Dinner:  leftover hamburger w/tomato "bun," large salad, small piece of dark chocolate

Workout:  weight lifting

[lujo238]

Hey Mcjule,

 

I'm glad to see you still on here.  I am trying to keep logging myself.  Being honest with my logs even when I'm going off road helps me see the big picture I think.  I think you are doing great.  The off road things you mention above don't seem bad to me but what matters is how you feel about them.  I find that right after the whole 30 I went a little hog wild.  Things have settled down more now and I feel more clear headed.  A big part of that is logging I think.  Making small good choices where you can.  If you feel like making rice for your husband is messing with you maybe try not making it for a week.  I have the same problem where if it is there I am much more likely to eat it.  Sometimes we have to remember that our families won't starve to death without bread or rice or cheese.  It has been conditioned into us starting with the pyramid and now the plate. 

[mcjule]

Lujo, I'm glad you're still here too!  I guess I don't feel like eating rice is really "bad," I had no reaction to non-gluten grains, but I just feel like it's not "good."  Maybe I'm being too hard on myself.  Last night I decided to have a piece of dark chocolate so I violated my no sugar rule.  But it honestly didn't have that much sugar in it.  I instituted the rule to break my candy habit at work, which I have not thankfully returned to, and also make sure I didn't start needing sugar in my diet.  Having it once in awhile is fine as long as I don't make it a habit.

 

I'm doing better with getting some working in, although about 10 minutes of weight training with some lunges and push-ups isn't much!  But . . . baby steps.  I have not been as good with my sleeping this week.  Last week I was good about getting in bed by 10:30 pm every night and this week I keep staying up until 11 pm.  I'll try again tonight!

 

Breakfast:  Breakfast:  Breakfast:  sauteed kale w/3 scrambled eggs, sweet potato w/coconut butter, coffee w/coconut milk

Lunch:  leftover paleo pad thai

Dinner:  Thai beef (I eat a lot of Thai food!) w/green beans

Workout:  just walking I think

[pjena]

I don't think rice is bad, either.  I feel like rice is just unnecessary.  I don't love it.  It's not doing me any favors.  So, I skip it.  Actually, I'm finding the same with chocolate.  It never tastes as good as I think it will, but yet once I start I can't stop, so I'm better off not starting. 

 

Yum breakfast!  I could eat that 3 meals a day.  Maybe someday I will just to see how long it takes to get sick of it. LOL

[mcjule]

So last week I assessed a week's worth of meals and figured that I 75% of my meals were Whole 30 compliant.  Of course that meant that more than 75% of my diet was compliant because it's not like those meals were fettuccine alfredo or something of that variety.  It just a cup of rice or a glass of wine etc.  

 

For some reason I really like rice.  I can't explain it.  And dark chocolate satisfies a craving for me for other sweets that are not nearly as healthy.  It's not so much that I need dark chocolate but it's so much better than eating cookies or cupcakes.

 

I missed posting for two days . . . I'll try to remember and play catch-up.

 

Friday (I was home with a sick kid and had dinner at a friend's house so I was a bit "off" but did pretty well considering)

 

Breakfast:   3 scrambled eggs, sweet potato w/coconut butter, coffee w/coconut milk

Lunch:  large kale salad w/cranberries and pumpkin seeds, a bit of leftover Thai beef w/basil

Dinner:  corn chips w/salsa, another kale salad (what are the odds -- twice in one day!?), sprouted bean salad (I only had a small portion, but it messed with my stomach a small bit), chicken breast, 1.5 glasses of wine, strawberries w/creme fraiche for "dessert"

 

Saturday

Breakfast:  3 scrambled eggs, sweet potato w/coconut butter, coffee w/coconut milk

Lunch:  leftover Thai beef over rice noodles, couple bites of almond butter

Dinner:  hamburger, large shredded broccoli salad, glass of wine, small piece of dark chocolate

Workout:  weight training

 

Sunday

Breakfast:  3 scrambled eggs, sweet potato w/coconut butter, coffee w/coconut milk

Lunch:  not sure yet

Dinner:  grilled sausages, large salad

[lujo238]

75% isn't too shabby.  Congrats.  I need to do the same and see how I am doing.  Probably not nearly as well as you.  I feel about corn tortilla chips like you do about rice. I try to limit myself to once a week because I know I will eat too many.  But put some chips and a good salsa or guacomole in front of me, top it off with a margarita and I am in heaven. 

[mcjule]

So I failed to post yesterday.  I had an "off" day.  It's funny what an off day means post-Whole 30 though. I had no gluten, dairy, sugar, alcohol, or legumes.  What I did have was a bunch of corn and rice.  I had Mexican for lunch and sushi for dinner.  So it wasn't good, but I guess considering it wasn't that bad.  I'm going to try to stick to the Whole 30 as much as possible pre-vacation because I'd like to get my body looking better before I put on a swimsuit.  I'm not going to officially do the Whole 30 because I don't want to beat myself up for messing up or go crazy with interrogating waiters if I eat out but I'm going to try to cut the non-Whole 30 foods from my diet as much as possible.  

 

Looking over week 2 of logging I would say I ate slightly better, exercised several times, but didn't sleep as much.  So back to working on sleep!

 

Monday

 

Breakfast:  scrambled egg w/bacon (down to my last egg!), sweet potato w/coconut butter, coffee w/coconut milk

Lunch:  Mexican restaurant - chips and salsa and guacamole, fish tacos

Dinner:  salmon sushi

Workout:  weights

 

Today

 

Breakfast:  three scrambled eggs w/kale, sweet potato w/ghee and coconut flakes, coffee w/almond millk

Lunch:  pork tenderloin, spinach salad, butternut squash

Dinner:  four pieces of sushi, six chocolate covered almonds

[lujo238]

I think you are doing awesome. 

[mcjule]

Thanks Lujo.

 

So I failed to post yesterday.  Basically on Tuesday night had a major breakdown about some house-related work that was a disaster.  Looking back I overreacted but I was a mess.  So I barely felt hungry and mostly felt sick to my stomach and I ended up having a few pieces of sushi and some chocolate covered almonds.  I guess it could have been worse.  I had to force myself to even eat that.  Then I barely slept because I was so upset.  Got up the next morning for my yearly physical and couldn't eat because I had to fast until the physical so yesterday felt a bit off too.  Also my weight was terrible at the doctor's office!  It was up a pound from when I started the Whole 30.  Ugh.  Why is this happening?  I hadn't weighed in awhile so it was a huge bummer.

 

Anyhow, back on track today.

 

Wednesday

Breakfast:  three hard-boiled eggs, sweet potato w/coconut butter, light frappucino (yeah, don't judge!)

Lunch:  ate out -- glass of white wine (again, don't judge!), salad w/chicken, couple bites of dark chocolate

Dinner:  grilled chicken and veggie kabobs, a little white rice

Workout:  none, but tons of walking

 

Today

Breakfast:   three scrambled eggs w/kale, sweet potato w/coconut butter, coffee w/almond millk

Lunch:  spinach salad, pork tenderloin, avocado

Dinner:  spaghetti squash w/meat sauce, a couple spoonfuls of almond butter pre-dinner

Workout:  none

[pjena]

Don't let the scale get you down.  Not only is it just a number, every scale is different, lack of sleep and being upset impacts it, time of the month impacts it, how much water you drank impacts it, etc., etc.  I wouldn't give it another thought.  (I know, easier said than done, but it's good to keep reminding oursleves). 

 

I hate when I overreact.  I think we all do it, though.  I hope today is a better day!

 

I've found it extremely annoying to learn that I really can't be 75% and lose weight.  I almost have to be perfect and then one not perfect meal brings me right back to where I started.  Personally, I decided it isn't worth it, so I'm trying very hard not to worry about weight and to just focus on how I feel.  You'll find your rhythm and decide what is worth it and what is not.  It just takes a while.

[mcjule]

Thanks Jen.  I know it's not all about the scale and weight fluctuates but I am still feeling disheartened today.  I got on the scale to make sure Wednesday wasn't an anomaly and my weight was still up, one pound higher than when I started my Whole 30.  My pants are tight.  And I'm up 7-8 pounds from where I was a year ago.  Back then I was eating whatever I wanted (my diet was fairly "healthy" but involved lots of whole grains, not much fat, etc.).  Now I'm eating no gluten, almost no dairy or legumes, less alcohol, fewer nuts, much less sugar, and a few non-gluten grains here and there and my weight is up.  It's just upsetting.  I wouldn't care so much about the number if my clothes fit.  I'm super uncomfortable at work today.  

 

Breakfast:  two hard-boiled eggs, sweet potato w/coconut butter, coffee w/almond milk

Lunch:  leftover spaghetti squash w/meat sauce

Dinner:  chicken vegetable curry

Workout:  weight lifting (failed to do this yesterday)

[lujo238]

Sorry you are struggling with the scale.  Remember also that hormones and stress can be a factor If your pants are tight you may be retaining water.  There are all sorts of reasons.  Just keep making the best choices when you can and it will straighten out.

[mcjule]

Thanks Lujo.  I weighed myself again yesterday and it was down a bit.  Still not much for the beginning of my Whole 30 but I felt better.  And on Friday when I tried eating a smaller breakfast I was STARVING by 10:30 am so that was a bad idea.  I held until lunch but it wasn't pleasant.

 

Yesterday:

 

Breakfast:  three scrambled eggs w/kale, sweet potato w/coconut butter, coffee w/almond millk

Lunch:  leftover chicken vegetable curry, leftover meat sauce

Dinner:  went to a party -- had some white wine, chips and homemade salsa, salad, few nuts, ribs and chicken (not too bad considering!)

Workout:  weight lifting

 

Today:  

Breakfast:  three scrambled eggs w/kale, sweet potato w/coconut butter, coffee w/coconut milk

Lunch:  spoonful of almond butter

Dinner: grilled sausages, grilled local corn, salad

Workout:  none (SO sore from yesterday!)

[mcjule]

I had such a weird afternoon yesterday.  The sweet potatoes I got at the store are ginormous so I ate one yesterday and wasn't hungry at lunchtime.  Then I ended up napping with my little one and got up around 4 pm and had a spoonful of almond butter and then waited for dinner.  I guess I could have had half a sweet potato!  The woman at the checkout counter asked what I was planning to do with eight huge sweet potatoes.  I told her I eat them for breakfast daily and she gave me a weird look!

 

Breakfast:  three scrambled eggs w/kale, sweet potato w/coconut butter, coffee w/almond butter

Lunch:  carrots w/baba ganoush, leftover pieces of pork tenderloin and sausage

Dinner:  spaghetti squash w/meat sauce, salad, two pieces of dark chocolate

Workout:  none (STILL super sore!)

[mcjule]

Anyone have suggestions on what I can do to my menus to starting either dropping weight or getting leaner?  Should I give up my sweet potato?  I don't eat starchy vegetables any other times and I've stopped with the non-gluten grains and wine.  I'm stumped.

 

Breakfast:  three scrambled eggs w/kale, sweet potato w/coconut butter, coffee w/almond milk

Lunch:  leftover spaghetti squash w/meat sauce, large salad

Dinner:  braised chicken w/green beans, a few bites of my husband's rice, dark chocolate

Workout:  none (SO exhausted from poor sleep last night . . . )

[pjena]

Hi - I am in the same boat as you in that W30 was not a magic weight loss diet for me.  I was disappointed and am frequently frustrated.  But, for me, at least, my diet before W30 (veganish) wasn't working for me for weight loss, either, and the sugar ups and downs didn't do me any favors, so I've just stuck with this and aim for calm eating and not fretting about my weight.  I am having some luck right now just eating simply and avoiding sugar and letting other offroads be VERY infrequent.  I think you are eating well.  My advice is to try to limit offroads to very few and far between and then maybe tweak a bit.  My sw pot for breakfast is usually half of a fairly small one.  If it's huge, I've sometimes split it into 3 or 4 pieces.  I just like a couple bites to help hold me over until lunch.  It's maybe 2x2x2 cube, roughly.  Limiting nutbutter dipping is something I need to do if I want to lose weight, too.  And no snacking.  And no sugar.  It took a year to get to this place where I'm ok with all that.  If you are seeing other benefits from W30 and want to keep eating this way, give it some time.  Play around with the sw pot size and keep avoiding snacks and offroads and likely the weight will come off.  If it makes you feel better, there seem to be a ton of us in the same boat here.

[Physibeth]

I will look more closely at your logs and see if I come up with anything for you. When you do your workout where is it situated in your day? Are you eating a post workout meal? 

 

From just skimming a little my guess is that you are over stressing yourself and possibly under feeding yourself. My basic advice would be to set up 30 days of rules for yourself based on what you discovered in your reintroductions and stick to those rules and see what the end result is. Tweeking small things at a time for a consistent period might help you narrow down what does and doesn't work. I would also advice you to limit the scale to once a month. You are adding stress by weighing yourself every day. Everything from your hydration to your bowl movements to your cycle to the cycle of the moon can change that weight. One last thing to try if you are worried about starches is limiting them to your post workout meal instead of your morning meal (assuming you are not working out first thing in the morning). 

[lujo238]

Hi Mcjule

Everything I have read suggests limiting your carbs to lose weight.  I have found the website Marks Daily Apple to be helpful.  It recommends between 50-100 carbs a day for the weight loss sweet spot.  That also seems to suggest limiting starchy vegetables.  I did find that in the beginning of my whole30 I needed that sweet potato at breakfast or I was starving all day.  By the end though I was doing well with other veges in it's place.  I did a diet about two years ago that had me eating 80-100 carbs a day and I lost over 100 pounds doing that. It took me most of a year but losing 1-2 pounds a week was a nice steady pace and I didn't feel terrible all the time.  Since you have so much less to lose it shouldn't take so long. 

[mcjule]

Thanks for all the suggestions.  It does seem like I need to drop my large daily sweet potato (sadness!).  I was trying to get a big breakfast that would keep me satisfied and the sweet potato plus three eggs was doing that but if that's what it takes I will drop the sweet potato.  Beth, I have the sweet potato for breakfast but my paltry weight workouts are always in the evenings.  I don't need anything post-workout though because I'm seriously not hard-core.  I am probably over-stressed!

 

Today:

 

Breakfast:  three scrambled eggs w/kale, sweet potato w/coconut butter, coffee w/almond milk

Lunch:  leftover braised chicken w/green beans, hamburger w/tomatoes

Dinner:  carrots w/baba ganoush, took kids out to frozen yogurt so I had some of that too

Workout:  weight lifting

[pjena]

I don't think you have to give up the sweet potato.  Just play around with the size to find how much you need to get you to lunch without getting too hungry and needing a snack.  That little bite of sweet potato with coconut butter is my favorite.  It's kind of my breakfast "dessert".

[mcjule]

Okay, today I'm eating half a sweet potato so cutting my portion in half.  We'll see how it goes.  

 

Breakfast:  three scrambled eggs w/kale, 1/2 sweet potato w/coconut butter, coffee w/almond milk

Lunch:  meat sauce over green beans

Dinner:  roast pork, salad, glass of white wine, dark chocolate square

Workout:  probably nothing

[mcjule]

So I got so starving that I had to have a Lara bar (the only snack I keep at work).  I feel like maybe the second half of my sweet potato would have been a better option . . . 

[pjena]

That's a good idea while you experiment with the size.  Bring the 2nd half along just in case.  It certainly doesn't sound like cutting it out is a good option.  You could experiment with a 4th egg and see if that helps.

[Physibeth]

I would go the route of adding a 2nd egg and maybe some additional non-starchy vegetable to your first meal and yes bring along that 2nd half with some sort of protein just in case.