Bree H Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I've decided that this challenge will be different - no quitting halfway. Even that platitude feels new today! This challenge is important, and, I'm not able to clearly articulate why, but it just feels different this time. I kinda feel like a Hallmark card but I'm going with it! And wow, was it weird not to be counting WW points or calories yesterday. I hadn't realized how second-nature that had become for me! Here's what the menu looked like. B: frittata with sautéed mushrooms and ground organic turkey (cooked in olive oil), decaf coffee with coconut milk. L: I didn't get hungry until nearly 1 - not usual. Emergency Protein with grassfed ground beef, cabbage, and curry powder (from Nom Nom Paleo), again cooked in olive oil. Topped with sliced avocado. S: handful pistachios, a pluot, and a plum. D: kalua pork (Nom Nom Paleo) over mixed greens, diced avocado, red bell pepper strips, sliced radishes, and lots of fresh salsa. I'm used to always cooking with olive oil and need to set out the coconut oil on the counter so I remember! It was also very strange to eat meat three times a day. I spent several years as a vegetarian before pregnancy made me anemic, and my doctor insisted I add some meat back into my diet. But even after that switch, three meals a day with meat feels really odd. Energy was good all day and so far today I feel fine. Let's see how day 2 goes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 12, 2012 Author Share Posted August 12, 2012 Day 2 was unexpectedly challenging! A group of friends and I have been getting together monthly for years to drink wine and eat cheese and other yummy things, and yesterday this month's hostess changed the date for the get-together to last night! So I had to adjust some cooking schedules so that I could eat before driving into the city for the evening. I was nervous about all the temptation, because I do love wine dearly, but it was surprisingly ok. I took a bottle of sparkling water with strawberries and blueberries, which was refreshing. And the food log: B: leftover frittata with ground turkey and mushrooms, decaf coffee with coconut milk (I made this last all morning) L: leftover ground beef with cabbage and curry powder, over a big heap of broccoli slaw dressed with citrus vinaigrette S: two plums, six pistachios, and later six sticks of jicama with lime juice and chili powder D: two Easy Tandoori chicken thighs and roasted broccoli with lemon zest. The chicken was disappointing - very little flavor from the spices. S2: after getting home at midnight I was quite hungry, so I had a banana. Maybe too much fruit? I'll keep an eye on that. Off to feed the toddlers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faithb63 Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Hi madronecreek and welcome! It sounds like you are off to a great start. I can relate with feeling odd about not measuring and weighing. I have been on many programs over the years and I would get so tired of the all that but after so many years it becomes second nature. When you do not have to do it anymore it feels strange. I think that life should not be about weighing and measuring every morsel we put in our mouths. I can say that Whole 30 does not leave me starving or feeling deprived at all. I was also vegetarian at one time and I am anemic too. I will be interested to see how the Whole 30 effects that. Congrats on handling the friend gathering so well. That can be hard. It looks as if you like to cook. I love to cook, which is quite obvious by my log (lol). Anyway, check out www.thefoodee.com it is a great website that incorporates several Whole 30 compliant websites all into one. It has tons of great recipes with a search tool when you wan to look a specific ingredient up. It also creates shopping lists and you can save your favorite recipes. Best wishes and have an awesome day! Faith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 13, 2012 Author Share Posted August 13, 2012 Thanks, Faith! Great advice. I do love to cook so I will definitely check that site out! I'm a bit of a recipe geek...almost like reading cookbooks and cooking sites more than fiction! Today was interesting. I was expecting the carb flu, but so far, my energy seems fine. On the other hand, I ate a TON of fruit, without really paying attention. So maybe I alleviated the carb symptoms that way. So interesting. We went to a huge farmers' market and the summer produce was overwhelming. I wish I liked summer vegetables as much as I like summer fruit! I know, it's heresy to almost everyone, but I hate raw tomatoes, so the heaps of heirlooms do nothing for me (although I'll concede they're pretty). What did I eat? B: more leftover frittata with mushrooms and ground turkey. Ready for this to be gone, heh. Decaf with coconut milk. S: fruit samples at market - plums, peaches. L: crudités, small amount of leftover curry cabbage beef (the toddlers polished it off!), blackberries, melon with prosciutto, a pluot. D: chocolate chili from Well Fed over baby kale/spinach, side of padron peppers sautéed in coconut oil and finished with sea salt and lemon, one strawberry. Keeping a log is definitely important. Otherwise I wouldn't have realized the volume of fruit I'm eating. Do people get used to the flavor of coconut oil underlying everything? It was odd in the peppers. Not bad but odd. The baby seems to be going through his four-month sleep regression early. What a time for him to wake up every 90 minutes again!! Off to bed, hopefully he'll decide to stay sleeping for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 Day 4 was chaotic. The baby seems to be having a growth spurt, sleep regression, or both. Translates into very little time to do anything besides feed the baby! That and chase after his twin brothers. So, I didn't eat lunch until nearly 3. Sheesh. Feling ok, but stressed. The baby won't sleep more than 90 minutes at a stretch, so it's tiring. B: couldn't face the last piece of frittata. Made sweet potato egg fritters instead (Johnny M's recipe). Decaf, black. L: last of the shredded pork in butter lettuce cups, topped with salsa and avocado. Roasted green beans. A gorgeous peach. D: the Best Chicken from Well Fed, sliced over mixed greens, red bell pepper, shredded carrots, and citrus vinaigrette. And grilled asparagus. Glad I did better on fruit today, but still want to add more veggies at breakfast. It's a busy time of day so I need to plan better. Night all, cross your fingers that the baby gives me two hours in a row! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derval Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Hope you got some sleep Bree! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faithb63 Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Hi Bree, You certainly have your hands full! However, you seem to be coping well with all of it. Congrats on your success so far. Get some rest! Faith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 15, 2012 Author Share Posted August 15, 2012 Thanks, Faith and Derval! Last night was awful as far as sleep went. The baby woke up every 75 minutes. So I was dragging all day - carb flu, 3-month-old, who can tell? I've also had a headache since mid afternoon. No fun. That said, I made paleo mayo and it turned out great! And I don't even like mayo normally. B: two eggs, asparagus, pear L: canned sardines over mixed greens with bell pepper and carrot, squeeze of lemon. I adore sardines although it's strange not to eat them with crackers. Fed some to the toddlers too! S: macadamia nuts had raspberries. Way too easy to crunch those nuts. Might be food without brakes for me. D: chicken and mixed vegetable stir fry, followed by a bowl of berries topped with coconut milk and coconut hips (from Well Fed). Stri fry was totally meh, unfortunately. Too brain dead for more - let's move on to Wednesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 Super short-tempered today. I felt brittle and irritated all day. Thoughts of carbs floated through my mind - especially buttered toast. (Man, that still sunds good.). I also had a persistent urge to go shopping, of all things! I guess the brain looks for a different kind of rush? Felt like I ate a ton today. B: eggs scrambled with red bell pepper and chicken ape sausage; bowl of steamed broccoli. Decaf, black. L: my first foray into a restaurant on the Whole30. Eggs scrambled with salmon, spinach, and red onions, side salad, side of melon. D: Indian Turkey Burgers from Practical Paleo. These were yummy! I added a dollop of Paleo Mayo to the meat when makings them because turkey burgers are sometimes dry. Topped with lettuce, mustard, and avocado, side of roasted broccoli and cauliflower with lemon. Bowl of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries with coconut milk and caramelized coconut chips. The baby is still sleeping poorly so my sleep is similarly off. I hope he takes good naps today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 17, 2012 Author Share Posted August 17, 2012 Again, short-tempered today. "snappish," "wild-eyed," or "Ms. Hyde" may be more accurate. Hope this passes soon. I don't like myself this way. In happy news, though, I joined a meat CSA today! First pick -up is next week. Never would've believed it if you'd told me two years ago that I'd not only be eating meat, but would be getting grass-fed and pastured meat from a local ranch! B: eggs scrambled with onion, red bell pepper, and a chicken apple sausage; cup of broccoli; decaf, black. L; curried chicken salad (paleo mayo) wrapped in lettuce; beets. S: Lara bar and iced coffee. This was the best part of the day, not because of the bar itself (although it was tasty), but rather because I realized halfway through it that i didn't really want it that much and instead was eating it because i'm accustomed to the ritual of a little something in the afternoon. Insight! D: grilled chicken thighs with fruit salsa (onion, bell pepper, plum, avocado, lime juice); grilled mushrooms; bowl of berries. So that's a week down! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee Kosowan Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Great work on your first week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 18, 2012 Author Share Posted August 18, 2012 Thanks, Renee! I have to admit it went faster than I expected it would. But then, that's been the story of this entire summer. August more than half over already?? Today was really great. The constant irritation ebbed and I feel much more like myself. The cravings also seemed much less strong today -- I didn't catch myself absent-mindedly doodling toast! I feel clearer and just better all around. Whew. Does anyone else have a heightened sense of smell on the Whole30? And no, I am NOT pregnant (bite your tongue), but it's a similar heightened sense. It's really startling. Anyway, nothing too adventurous today. B: eggs scrambled with pork sausage, onion, and red pepper; cup of green beans. Decaf, black. L: curried chicken salad wrapped in lettuce; roasted broccoli and cauliflower with lemon; pear. S: iced coffee (love that cold-brew method) with coconut milk, turkey jerky from US Wellness Meats (this was not as good as I'd hoped, alas) D: chicken fajitas with red peppers and onions, side of roasted mushrooms, cantaloupe with prosciutto. And, managed to squeeze in a yoga DVD. Ahhhhhh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 Can't honestly tell how my energy is responding to the Whole30 because the baby was up every hour last night. Now I really understand why sleep deprivation is considered a form of torture... I want to be witty and insightful, but I'm just tired. B: Johnny M's sweet potato fritters and one sausage patty made from US Wellness sausage. Bowl of green beans. L: tuna salad in lettuce cups, kale chips (following Nom Nom Paleo's recipe). Those are really delicious and the twins ate them too! S: grapes and 8 pistachios. Iced coffee with coconut milk. D: Moroccan meatballs, cauliflower rice, and cumin carrots, all from Well Fed. Bowl of berries. Goal tomorrow is to keep fruit confined to meals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 Awful day, completely exhausted, praying for sleep. I stayed Whole30 in choices but grazed all afternoon because the kids never gave me a chance to sit down. B: hash of sausage, sw potato, mushroom with two fried eggs. Green beans, decaf. L: because I ate bits and pieces as I could grab them, I overate and didn't have enough veggies. Six small slices of roast beef rolled with mustard. Cup of egg salad in lettuce cups. Plum. Four dates with coconut butter (omg who invented coconut butter???) D: spaghetti sauce with mushrooms and sausage over zucchini noodles and a handful of power to the greens. Six dates with coconut butter. Bowl of berries. Obviously I've found a new food with no brakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 Much better day yesterday. The baby took naps again and since I surrendered to what the little guy wanted and brought him to our bed overnight, everyone got some more sleep. I guess we'll move him to the crib another time. B: leftover sweet potato, mushroom, sausage hash with two fried eggs, bowl of green beans L: curried chicken salad in lettuce cups, leftover cumin carrots, roasted asparagus with ghee S: turkey jerky and decaf with coconut milk. No fruit!!! D: tangy taco salad from Practical Paleo, including avocado, red pepper, salsa, and lettuce. No fruit! Feeling pretty good! That sugar dragon come on strong around 3 pm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 22, 2012 Author Share Posted August 22, 2012 Yesterday was Day 12! Had a crazy dream about eating a gallon of ice cream that kept changing favors. Sounds like something out of Willy Wonka! B: scramble with peppers and chicken apple sausage, bowl of broccoli, decaf. S: hungry early, had some turkey jerky. That stuff makes my jaw ache. L: left this too late - baby fought his nap and when I finally got him down, I had to run to the chiropractor. Ate chicken curry salad out of the bowl, three mouthfuls of Italian drip beef, and after the chiropractor, melon with prosciutto. S2: pistachios. Regretted these afterwards as I don't think I was really hungry. D: grilled steak over giant salad with bell peppers and Nom Nom Paleo's avocado basil dressing, which is really delicious. I was craving a latte today...I really thought cheese would be my difficulty, but man does a latte sound good. Onward! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridget Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 I woke up Saturday morning @1:18 am with a really strong, sweet smell in the air. Couldn't figure out what it was, then it disappeared. Went back to sleep and forgot all about it. Saturday afternoon I was walking into the garage, past the laundry room where we keep our dehydrator. My daughter had sliced up a mess of bananas, apples and strawberries and was drying them out. THAT was the smell. Funny thing is, it was 12 hours later, and we had no idea we were going to be drying fruit on Saturday. ESP with smells ???!!! As for the baby (oh I miss that time !!) good luck- we ended up letting each of our kids sleep with us as long as necessary-just for survival. I never even gave it another thought by the time our 4th came along. Whatever gets you thru the night, as far as I am concerned Sounds like you're doing great ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 23, 2012 Author Share Posted August 23, 2012 Thanks Bridget! How funny about the fruit. For bed sharing, I actually really like it but when I go back to work, I'll likely need to do some traveling and I worry that my husband will then have an irate baby that he can't soothe! The baby seems adamant that the crib ain't happening, though... Day 13 went well yesterday. Even though I had to make two grocery store trips because I forgot things the first time. B: scramble with sweet pepper, asparagus, a little crumbled sausage; bowl of broccoli. Decaf. L: drip beef over big bowl of cauliflower rice; three stalks asparagus; two plums S: Lara bar after I got caught out ay from better choices D: emergency protein with ground beef, power to the greens, and curry; Well Fed's butternut squash bake (yummy!); bowl of berries with coconut cream. Have a great day, everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 24, 2012 Author Share Posted August 24, 2012 Happy Day 14! Today my meat CSA arrived. I am now the proud owner of a lot of pastured/grass-fed/etc meat in my freezer. Including a goat loin. Don't know what to do with that but that's what Google is for, right? It's still odd for me to be eating so much meat. Today I was wanting something different - it didn't feel like a craving, per se, but I wanted a meal without meat. Unfortunately the menu plan said otherwise...do people do vegetarian meals besides eggs? B: scramble with sweet pepper, small amount of pork sausage; cup of broccoli; decaf. L: salmon filet over salad with vinaigrette; asparagus. S: after running errands I came home RAVENOUS. I felt like gnawing off my arm. Ate some drip beef, banana with sun butter, and dates with coconut butter. D: grilled skirt steak over mixed greens with peppers, carrots, and radishes and avocado-basil dressing. Wedding coming up this weekend and I'm a little nervous. Need to plan my stealth snacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 27, 2012 Author Share Posted August 27, 2012 I'm back! We were gone this weekend at a friend's wedding. I was nervous, because this is a drinking crowd! But I'm happy to report I stayed on the Whole30! I even switched plates with a friend because the entree I selected three months ago was loaded with gluten. It wasn't nearly as hard to do as I'd feared. And it feels very satisfying to have done it. Didn't track while we were away but tonight I made Well Fed's Rogan Josh, albeit with beef. A-maz-ing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 28, 2012 Author Share Posted August 28, 2012 Day 18 was good. I'm still plagued by hunger, though. It comes on strong and is persistent. I wonder if it has something to do with nursing? It doesn't feel like a sugar craving - I feel actively hungry. Let's see how today goes. Yesterday: B: eggs scrambled with onion, sweet pepper, and a little bacon. Bowl of sugar snap peas, decaf. L: early, because I was starving. Leftover emergency protein (curry beef with greens) and squash purée. Lara bar because I was still hungry. S: banana and too much sunflower seed butter. Need to not eat out of the jar! D: country captain chicken from Well Fed, which looked awful in the pan but tasted great. Served over spaghetti squash with ghee. Bowl of berries with coconut milk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 Another good day! Considering I'm getting not a lot of sleep with the baby, maybe feeling pretty good is the result of the Whole30. Also, I had a funny conversation with my dad. He loves dates, and as a kid I always hated them. Now I tik they're indescribably delicious, so he was giving me a hard time. B: eggs scrambled with sugar-free bacon, mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper, bowl of broccoli, decaf. L: leftover bora bora fireballs from Well Fed, with sunshine sauce, over s big bowl of cauliflower rice. Larabar. D: bison burgers and seasoned sweet potatoes from Practical Paleo, bowl of broccoli, bowl of berries with coconut milk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberrantatavia Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Sounds like you are really staying n track Bree. Good for you with little ones in the house and keeping you up at night. nursing can definitely make you hungry, and you might need to eat a little more frequently, maybe 4 meals instead of 3. You need enough calories to sustain the active work your body is doing all the time. Congrats on your accomplishments so far:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 30, 2012 Author Share Posted August 30, 2012 Thanks Melissa! Appreciate the kind words. Every time I re-read a post of mine, I find typos. Sigh. I hate autocorrect! Yesterday was a great day. The baby took two long naps, the twins had a blast at our local discovery museum, and I went to bed early. Yay! B: eggs scrambled with sautéed mushrooms and tarragon, bowl of broccoli, decaf. So weird, I don't even mind black coffee anymore. L: last of the bora bora fireballs, sunshine sauce on top. Over the leftover roasted spaghetti squash and sweet potatoes. Two new fall apples! S: two dates. D: grilled steak over salad and mixed veggies with Practical Paleo's balsamic vinaigrette, bowl of broccoli, bowl of berries. Several thoughts today! First, I m loving just heating frozen veggies to add as a side or first course to a meal. Most of the time I don't even season them. Organic, cheap, easy. Second, my husband loves this grilled-meat-over-salad thing, and it is so so easy. Fastest meal ever. Third, I still am very fond of a fruit "dessert." I'm going to work on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree H Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 You know you are having a great Whole30 when you can't remember what day you're on!! I have never eaten so many vegetables consistently! B: eggs scrambled with mushrooms and a pork banger from my meat CSA. Bowl of snap peas, decaf. L: curried chicken salad in lettuce cups, bowl of asparagus S: banana with sun butter, dates with coconut butter D: green marinaded drumsticks from Nom Nom Paleo, free beans, spag squash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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