Parisa's 1st Whole30!! Let's do this!

[coast2coast82]

Hey ya'll - 

 

I am starting my first Whole30 challenge officially today!!

 

I think the hardest challenge for me is going to be giving up sugar and alcohol. Not that I eat/drink a lot of either one, but I do like having a glass of wine with my Fiance some evenings or a drink at a cookout in the summer. I also love a bit of really dark chocolate or a spoonful of gelato after a meal, which i think will be ok to incorporate back into my life AFTER i squelch the sugar addiction I know i have so that it is really a treat and not a must have. I did a trial day 0 yesterday knowing that I may have a cheat since I had an after work function that I was committed to, but I did pretty well so let's get started!! 

 

I am terrible at getting up late in the morning so my breakfasts are grab and go - hopefully they will look better on the days I have time to prep the night before or take leftovers!

 

Any suggestions for  easy make ahead or grab and go type Whole30 meal ideas are welcome!

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tom Denham]

Hmm. Part of why you get up late in the morning is because you don't consider breakfast important and you manage it with whatever you can grab as you go. But breakfast is important. So important that you should plan to actually cook and eat it. Yeah, I am being preachy, but breakfast is important and well worth your organizing your time so that you can eat a good one. And cooking breakfast can be done quickly. I scramble eggs and eat them with cold sauerkraut most mornings. Prep time is about 5 minutes and eating time is another 5 minutes. Add 5 more for a comfortable margin and you are looking at 15 minutes for a great meal to start your day well nourished. 

[coast2coast82]

I get up late in the morning because we normally get to bed around 11pm or midnight and I have at least an hour commute to work in the morning so I leave the house by 7am at the latest. If i lived alone my schedule would be very different, but  everyone in our house is a light sleeper so i try to adjust to the schedule rather than fight it daily to keep the peace. Breakfast is very important to me, however i never wake up hungry and like to have water or hot tea or coffee when i first get up and on my commute and like to eat breakfast after i get to work. I am hypoglycemic and generally eat small meals/snacks every 4 hours or get severe migraines when i miss the window. So it is not that i consider it unimportant, my day just starts later than some, i have learned over the years that my body functions the best in this manner so I like to have "grab and go" foods that i can take to work and that I can prepare ahead of time as well as protein "snacks" in case i am stuck somewhere and limited to food options. I have my standard egg cups with veggies and protein "muffins" that i make ahead and freeze and keep nuts/dried fruit in my car in case of a crash,but what I was interested in was more things that i could make ahead that would be easy to take and either eat cold or warm up in the microwave for a few seconds. I do appreciate the input though and understand a lot of people do feel this way. 

 

Day 1: went really well for me. Breakfast was leftovers from dinner the night before (grilled veggies and local sausage (grass fed beef). Snacks were an apple and almond butter, a small handful of almonds and a nectarine. Dinner was a baby salad mix with carrots and grilled salmon and a few chopped walnuts. Adjusting to the food is not that difficult as I generally eat a pretty healthy diet. I had to be more aware to choose options with no grains which made it a little harder at the cafeteria for lunch, but there are options.

 

Day 2:  Breakfast:2 hard boiled eggs and a nectarine. Lunch - Grilled chicken wrap (in lettuce cups) with tomato, cucumber, banana peppers, red peppers and a hot tea. Dinner - Avocado and Salmon Sashimi on lettuce (went out for dinner and this was the best option) Snacks for the day: 1/4 cup almonds/cashews, blueberries, hot tea. 

** I had very terrible heartburn most of the day and was a little nauseous and dizzy with a lingering headache. I realized that I may have not had enough water to drink the last couple days so I tried to drink more water the 2nd half of the day. 

 

Day 3: Slept great, woke up and heartburn was gone!! I am going to really have to make sure to increase my water intake.

Breakfast - not really hungry, but craving sugar and carbs - to satisfy the craving, I had a homemade smoothie (frozen organic mangoes, raspberries, splash of coconut water) instead of a protein rich breakfast, but it really hit the spot. 

Lunch - got a little hungry for protein earlier than normal so I had my lunch at noon instead of 1 or 2. Homemade Turkey/Blueberry Muffins (Ground Turkey, farm fresh blueberries, onion, egg, spices baked in muffin tins) with carrot sticks and blueberries. 

Snack - 1/4 cup almonds/cashews, hot tea (cinnamon)

Dinner - TBD Plan is to have some sauteed organic Kale with garlic or arugula salad and a couple eggs

 

So far I am proud of sticking as much to this as possible. I took a trip out to Trader Joes and got some uncured sulfate free turkey bacon, kerry gold irish butter, virgin organic coconut oil and raw nuts (things that are hard to find locally for me) Looking forward to seeing how that will enhance the month and how well I can make it through all of the weekend festivities!! Cookout, Birthday Party, Pool Day and Packing! I think food will be ok, but it is going to be hard to say no to a drink all weekend! I am determined though. 

[Physibeth]

Welcome to the Whole30! I have some feedback on your meals so far that might help you have a far better experience with the program.

 

1st off if you have not already I would print a copy of the meal planning template and give it a prominent location in your kitchen. Use this a your guide for preparing all your meals. 1-2 palms of protein (a palm of eggs is as many whole eggs as you can hold in your hand without dropping), at least 1-3 cups of veggies, and at least 1-2 servings of fat. 

 

Fruit should be limited to a component of or directly following a meal. Snacking on fruit is not going to help you resolve your blood sugar issues or your sugar cravings. If you are truly hungry between meals (like could eat anything offered you) then have a mini meal that contains protein and fat. Remember that nuts are considered a fat for Whole30 and should be consumed moderately as they tend to cause digestive issues.

 

Satisfying your sugar cravings with a smoothie for breakfast will only make the problem worse. If you want your body to start burning fat as its primary fuel instead of sugar then you need to starve the dragon. Here is the official word on smoothies:

 

 

Smoothies: We'd rather you didn't

This is a very popular question, with a very unpopular answer. Smoothies (generally made using lots of fruit) are technically compliant on your Whole30, but we strongly recommend against it. Food that you drink sends different satiety signals to your brain than food that you chew. So when you drink your meal, your brain isn't getting the feedback it needs to tell your body that it's had enough of what it needs. Plus, smoothies are generally really fruit-heavy, and starting your day off with a liquid sugar-bomb sets you up for cravings, hunger, and volatile energy levels throughout the day. In summary, we'd rather you just eat the food, and skip the smoothie.

- See more at: http://whole30.com/2013/06/the-official-can-i-have-guide-to-the-whole30/#sthash.ptJJMXLG.dpuf

 

Finally some questions on your Trader Joe's purchases. Is the bacon also sugar free? Are you using the butter to make ghee?

[coast2coast82]

Physibeth - Thank you for your response! 

 

First to answer the questions - The bacon is uncured and has pepper on it. I will check it again but i believe i looked at the package and it was uncured turkey bacon with pepper, and may have had some sea salt, but i do not remember any sugar in the ingredient list. I will look at home later tonight and if it is not compliant the fiance will get that, I don't normally eat bacon so that wont be a hard one to cut out.

 

I completely forgot butter = dairy, I don't know why that didn't register, I did purchase some pure organic ghee and organic coconut oil for cooking so I guess I will let the fiance dig into the expensive good butter. He is not on anything like the whole30 diet so there are lots of temptations in the house and he will eat anything that isn't compliant in case i purchase so at least i don't have to waste food.  

 

I agree I need to shift to more veggies and less fruit and nuts. I find it very hard to eat veggies first thing in the morning, even though i love veggies. I guess i am using the fruit and nuts as a crutch since it is an easier transition for me than to cut out sugar completely. When i crave sugar i go for fruit and when i crave grains I want the nuts. That is something i hope will get better slowly and i should wean off of. I definitely have a sweet tooth so I think fruit is a better option than craving and scarfing down a snickers bar or ice cream, but i definitely have lots of room for improvement there. 

 

Thanks for the suggestions!

[Physibeth]

I found the transition to morning veggies difficult too. Start with whatever seems easiest. I like to saute kale in ghee or coconut oil and than scramble my eggs (I eat 4) into it. Some have found pureed soups work well in the morning.

 

Do try and wrap your head around the idea of giving your body protein and fat when you crave sugar instead of fruit. Yes an apple is more nutritious than a snickers bar or ice cream, but your body still said "I want sugar for energy" and you respond with "here you go". It is normal for the body to throw a temper tantrum about it for a while and then say "fine, I'll look for another energy source". It took mine about 2 weeks to get there but when it did it was awesome!

[coast2coast82]

Agreed regarding the sugar, guess I didn't think of it that way. 

 

Do you have any ideas for things i can stash in my desk drawer or in the car for those times? That is where i find difficulty. I spend at least 2 hours in the car daily and at least 9 hours at a desk daily where i may have back to back meetings or testings that last several hours. That is usually when i reach for a quick fix. Used to be larabars or string cheese or something like that. Which is why now it is more the fruit and nuts that can stay out of the refrigerator and doesn't need to be heated up. I guess that would be a good time for hard boiled eggs and sliced veggies?  

[Physibeth]

Can you keep an insulated bag or cooler in your car/at your desk? Hard boiled eggs, sliced up veggies, and homemade mayo based dips are good items. You can also keep cans of oil packed tuna or salmon or compliant jerky (there are a couple of brands you can order or make your own).

 

The real goal should be learning to prepare and consume meals that keep you full until the next meal. But in the interim having mini meals that are easy to go to does help keep you from stressing about being hangry. It was a surreal experience for me the first time I realized I let a meeting eat into my lunch hour and while I was hungry I wasn't a raving lunatic. That was when I knew this was working. 

[coast2coast82]

Day 4 - slept great again last night!! And the sugar cravings have not been nearly as bad today as the last few day!! Yay!

Breakfast - coffee black with a turkey muffin

Should have had more veggies but just wasn't hungry.

Lunch - 2 eggs cooked with a dash of coconut oil and sautéed kale

Dinner- roast beef with lots of raw cold veggies

Was at a barbecue from 3pm till 9pm with only sweet snacks and chips and dips and such. I brought a large veggie tray and I am glad because that was the only whole 30 compliant food there and just chugged water I wasn't sure I would be able to resist but I did!!

[coast2coast82]

Day 5 - Still going strong and feeling better by the day! Can't wait to see how good i feel at the end of this whole30 journey! 

Been sleeping so much better the last few days than i have in months/years. Can't describe it, it just is a deeper more consistent sleep. I didn't think that would be affected so soon but I hope it continues! 

 

Its early so I only have breakfast to post right now. 

Breakfast - Coffee, 2 eggs, sauteed zucchini and onions and 2 pieces turkey bacon

 

I have had less cravings and less need to "snack" between meals, as well as less sugar cravings already, so if this is the trend that is a great thing!

 

Still need to work on drinking more water! 

[Lainey]

Enjoyed reading your log so far ~ keep up the good work! 

 

Those Camelback water bottles with the valve have been a lifesaver for me when trying to drink more water! I seem to be able to drink so much more water with those, as opposed to other water bottles.

[coast2coast82]

Thanks for the tip Lainey and for reading my posts! - I definitely drink more water out of a water bottle than a cup or glass. I am not sure why either but I need to remember to always have my flip-top water bottle to refill at work especially! 

 

I guess now I can finish off my day - Lunch: Turkey Patty and Arugula Salad (Arugula, touch of oilve oil and pepper)

Dinner: Chicken on the Grill and oven roasted brussel sprouts

 

I know I am lazy in the morning so I packed a tupperware with carrot sticks, arugula salad, a few blueberries for dessert and a turkey patty to either eat for breakfast or lunch tomorrow at work. I know they have hard boiled eggs in the cafeteria and a pretty nice salad bar so I can pick up some greens and eggs for the other meal. I have some leftover brussel sprouts and another turkey patty for another meal this week as well!

 

Week one is over Hope everyone had a great and productive week!! Bring on week 2!!

[Physibeth]

 a few blueberries for dessert 

 

This concerns me a little bit. Not that you are eating blueberries (as long as they are part of the meal) but the fact that you think of them as dessert. Remember, we are trying to change how we think about food not just what we eat. The need for dessert after a meal is something we need to break up with. This isn't meant to be scolding, just something to think about. Are you having those blueberries because you want blueberries or because you want something sweet to finish your meal?

[jdthomps4]

Breakfast - coffee black with a turkey muffin

 

Where did you get your turkey muffin recipe?  I am intrigued!

[coast2coast82]

jdthomps4 - http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/ there are several recipes on this blog site. There is also a post on this forum somewhere as to whether these are ok on whole30 or not.

 

They are called "muffins" but really expect a turkey meatloaf with blueberries baked in muffin tins. I like that i can grab 1 or 2 of these and some veggies for a quick breakfast to go or a snack when I am hungry and looking for a quick protein fix. I was never a muffin for breakfast kind of person so im not substituting these as muffins, they are just convenient portions and portable. I think it calls for coconut flour as a binder, like 2 tbsp for the whole batch. I believe this is still compliant, but i didn't have coconut flour so i just didn't put any in there. Also when you cook them a couple minutes long (as I did) the blueberries burst and they might turn a weird blue/green color They still taste fine though and I wanted to be sure the meat was cooked through. 

 

physibeth - Thanks for keeping an eye on me!! I definitely don't need "dessert" after every meal, usually when i crave sugar it's because I am stressed or hungry. I really LOVE berries more than most fruits, so 1/4 cup of blueberries is a treat to me no matter when i eat them. Normally I eat them first or as a snack so I put them as a "dessert" so that i would remember to eat them with or after my meal and not as a snacking solution. So I was more trying to make myself wait to eat in moderation than to start off with them. 

Having said that, I do need to remember to not try to "replace" my old ways of eating and change the way i think about all food. 

I'm doing my best and hope I can work through all the issues and try to eat well (may have to tackle one issue at a time!)

 

Still sleeping great, love this!

[coast2coast82]

Day 6 -

Breakfast - 2 hard boiled eggs, hot tea, banana

Lunch - Arugula Salad, Turkey Patty, Carrot Sticks, 1/3 cup blueberries

Dinner - Turkey Patty, oven roasted brussel sprouts, small handful cashews, a few cherries

 

Had lunch around 1, left work at 5 and didn't get home until 8pm after running an errand. So I was starving! 

I was going to make a new meal tonight but I couldn't wait to eat so I ate anything leftover for dinner. I'm glad I had something already cooked i could reheat in a minute or I would have crashed and ate something non-compliant. I should eat more breakfast, but i am just really not hungry in the morning. I'm tired, but I am going to make myself make something to take to work tomorrow or have when i get home. 

 

Hope everyone is still doing great!

[coast2coast82]

Day 7 - slept ok, but definitely overslept so maybe not as well as I thought. Allergies kicked in last night so that might have had to with it. 

 

Breakfast - Banana pancakes, turkey patty, carrots

Lunch -  Baked Salmon, curried cauliflower, sweet potatoes

Dinner - Grilled Steak, Arugula Salad, handful cherries

 

Felt a little bloated today and sleeping better but otherwise still feel pretty much the same as the last few days. 

[Physibeth]

Yuck on the allergies. I hope you feel better soon. I was already struggling with some myself and then got hit with a real cold on top. Awesome. 

 

On the bloating...is cauliflower something you regularly eat? I find that I get bloated when I eat it is why I ask.

 

Food looks good except one thing. All pancakes are very specifically against the rules of the Whole30. Please just leave them out from now on.

 

 

 

No Paleo-ifying baked goods, desserts, or junk foods. Trying to shove your old, unhealthy diet into a shiny new Whole30 mold will ruin your program faster than you can say “Paleo Pop-Tarts.†This means no desserts or junk food made with “approved†ingredients—no banana-egg pancakes, almond-flour muffins, flourless brownies, or coconut milk ice cream. Don't try to replicate junk food during your 30 days! That misses the point of the Whole30 entirely - See more at: http://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/#sthash.JQjfBkem.dpuf

[coast2coast82]

Awww... I thought since I normally hate pancakes and only used eggs and bananas (had a couple about to turn) that it was ok my bad... No more. That was the first pancake I've had in 5 years so I'm fine with that.

Cauliflower may be the issue and maybe even the sweet potatoes too. Dinner was awesome. And I grilled some steaks for lunch

[Physibeth]

Awww... I thought since I normally hate pancakes and only used eggs and bananas (had a couple about to turn) that it was ok my bad... No more. That was the first pancake I've had in 5 years so I'm fine with that.

Cauliflower may be the issue and maybe even the sweet potatoes too. Dinner was awesome. And I grilled some steaks for lunch

 

I'm in the same boat as you but rules is rules and they have to draw the lines somewhere. I've never had problems with sweet potatoes and bloating but cauliflower and broccoli for sure.

[coast2coast82]

Posting now since i'll be out tonight at the ball game (i doubt there will be ANYTHING there i can eat or drink except $6 water bottles)

 

Day 8 - 

Breakfast - Hot tea, 2 eggs, small handful raw cashews and a few blackberries

Lunch - Arugula, Grilled Chuck Steak (4.5 oz), small apple with 1 tbsp almond butter

 

I have an avocado with me, it's about 5pm... i may eat half of it before i go to the baseball game just in case. 

[coast2coast82]

So i missed posting yesterday... Wednesday night ended better than anticipated. We went to the ball game with some friends and ended up at a taproom before the game. I didn't end up eating my avocado, so i ordered an angus burger without the bun (lettuce, tomato, mustard) and a small side salad with no dressing. During the game i just drank a couple bottles of water. 

 

My fiance is a little annoyed that I am not getting loose and drinking with him but he is enjoying having a designated driver to events  

 

Yesterday was pretty similar to other days this week as far as food, had my last set of prepared meals (steak and arugula, hard boiled eggs and a piece of fruit for breakfast) After work I helped a friend in distress so once again I didn't get home until 8pm... I ate 1/2 an avocado, some greens and a little piece of chicken. I actually wasn't hungry. In fact I felt kinda fat and bloated yesterday more than normal. I was a little tired the last couple days and was anxious to get on the scale and see if i had even gained weight as I don't feel any more svelte than when i started. But I resisted and am going to trust the process and wait for my body to "repair" hopefully. I generally didn't eat much processed, refined grains, or "bad" foods before so I probably won't see as drastic a reduction in weight as normal unfortunately, however I do feel better and have been sleeping better so I guess aside from my ego that is what really matters. 

 

Ok, enough rambling - TGIF!!!!

Day 10 -

Breakfast - 2 hard boiled eggs, 1/2 avocado, 1/2 grapefruit, Hot Tea

Lunch - Baked Sweet potato, sauteed spinach, onions, mushrooms and salsa with chives on top - YUM! 

Dinner - TBD I dont have dinner planned tonight so it might be a night to wing it or try a new recipe if i get home earlier. 

 

Have a great Friday!

[Physibeth]

Did you ask about how the burger was prepared? Seasonings in the meat or oils on the grill may have contributed to the bloated feeling yesterday.

[coast2coast82]

Physibeth - I'm sure there was non-compliant oil on the grill, but it was the ONLY thing on the menu i could even manipulate to be close to compliant. The meat did not taste seasoned at all and actually tasted very higher quality lean burgers like we make at home, and more bland, which is why i asked for a little mustard, so i felt better about that at least over a standard restaurant burger. They were already looking at me like an alien because i asked for the burger with no bun and no fries and told me "they would see if they could do that"!! My other options were cheese stuffed pretzels. foot longs and beer which is what the rest of our group ate.  That may have added to the bloat, but i have felt "heavy" and bloated for the last few days.

 

I was looking at the whole30 "timeline" somewhere on this site and i am pretty much following that timeline with my symptoms, dizzy/flu like illness day 2-3, tired and bloated around 7-9 so I am hoping it is just a phase.  Also i really need to be drinking more water. I drink tea in the morning and then maybe 6 glasses of water after that, but i feel like i need 8-10 glasses of water to feel "normal". Especially with the increased protein intake, i feel like my body craves more water. 

[coast2coast82]

Weekend Recap - I stayed true this weekend, and it wasn't as hard as I thought... whenever i was tempted i told the people i was with what i was doing and they completely understood and knowing that they knew made it easy for me to avoid temptation even more! 

 

Saturday we drove 1.5 hours out to my stepdaughters pre-school graduation. During the drive my fiance stopped at McDonald's so instead of trying to adapt to something to eat there, I had brought along a snack bag with some raw almonds and a hard boiled egg and an apple that I ate in the car on the drive out.. After graduation, her mom's family wanted to go out to lunch with us so we decided to stay a little longer with Ava while we had the opportunity.  I got a petite sirloin (5 oz) with a side salad bar. The sirloin was a little fatty so i cut off any of the fat i could around the edges and the salad bar was fresh and had lots of good veggie options. I easily said no to the graduation cake (which is normally very hard for me to do, love cake),

I knew we were going to a friends house that night to hang out and grill. They had noticed on facebook that i started this journey so without me even mentioning it they decided to do lean chicken, steak and veggie kabobs so that i wasn't left out. I really appreciated that they were so thoughtful! i brought up some cut up strawberries with us to add to dinner. 

 

Sunday I packed and made trips to my storage unit and ran errands so I made sure i ate compliant all day even if it wasn't full sit down meals. 2 eggs over easy with turkey patties for breakfast. Salad Greens with avocado for lunch and for dinner... I can't even remember, I think i had the other 1/2 of the avocado and a hard boiled egg (i was making some for breakfast for the next couple days) before i ran out to watch a couple hockey games. Got home around 1am.

 

Today is Day 13!! I am still feeling pretty good. I did not get enough sleep so I am SUPER sleepy, which is making me crave more food/caffeine. Luckily i quickly had made some hard boiled eggs and sweet potato home fries yesterday sauteed in a little ghee so I was able to grab on my way out this morning. I meant to cook more yesterday but just didn't have the time. I need to make some more options tonight for this week and try to plan a "menu" to cook for next week.