Sarah's Whole30 Log

[Littlelotte]

So I'm done and out of Stressful Class #1, showered, rocking out to Pandora, and I feel significantly better. And now I'm cooking an omelet that I finally realized...smells like, wait for it...

 

Mac and cheese. Not the horrible boxed kind that I used to be addicted to, the good, home-made kind.

 

Um, what?! This better be awesome. Will report back after consumption...

[Littlelotte]

Creamy mac and cheese-smelling omelet: SUCCESS. Smelled like mac and cheese, the "cream" I cooked the kale in tasted like a creamy sauce, and the omelet was good. And by that I mean I could EAT THE KALE STEMS. HALLELUJAH FOR I HAVE CONSUMED VEGETABLES. I didn't think a low-FODMAP omelet could be good, but I was wrong! So, totally, completely wrong. (*coughcough*though I may have added a TINY spoonful of chives before I realized that might not have been the best idea...there was a tiny amount! And sources vary on whether or not they're FODMAPS, okay?!) I may not like it as much as my other, I don't know yet, but since I'm doing low-FODMAP right now...WHAT CHOICE DO I HAVE?! *wrings hands at the sky* Plus. you know, less cooking time. Which is nice. Ya know, I have so many wacky throw-together foods, I'm considering starting up a blog. 

[Littlelotte]

SHORT RANDOM POST: Pet Peeve

 

Throughout my Whole30 experience, one of my biggest pet peeves has been when people ask what I'm cooking, then respond with "Fancy!" No, it doesn't make me want to run at anyone with a chainsaw, but rationally, it shouldn't irk me like it does. I think it bothers me because the implication is "I could never cook that!" or "I would never have time for that!" haha. Maybe it's because they act like me cooking my own food is so ~weird~. And because they crack open a packet of ramen as they say it. I don't really feel like my cooking is a talent most of the time; I'm just following someone's recipe for edible art! I am nothing but the vessel to create it! And also, I do not have time! No one has time! You make time, people! You think I'm done with my homework?! Noooooo, never...

 

Haha, this isn't an angry rant, I just think it's an intriguing bit of life. o.O

[Littlelotte]

Today was day 26, and it was a roller-coaster of FUN TIMES.

 

M1: Haha, haha, haha, what meal one? I had to skip breakfast and showering again to finish a paper due in my first class. I had a mug of black coffee to make sure I didn't slump over and die during my class, but that was it.

 

M2: My new concoction and go-to omelet: creamy mac-and-cheese omelet! It doesn't actually taste like mac and cheese, but it sure does smell like it. I think it's the cumin, oddly enough.

 

M3: A tilapia filet, 2 thumbs of mayo (one for fish, other to dip carrots in), ~1/2 cup carrots, 3/4 cup red potatoes. I know I really shouldn't with the potatoes, but they were so good and compliant as far I I could tell so I did. My period's about to start, so I'm going to need the extra starch anyway. *sigh*

 

Interlude: Some tea and a ripe banana.

 

M4: Another creamy egg omelet. What can I say, I was hungry, craving kale, and didn't have breakfast! Also, about 1/4 a bottle of GT's kombucha (gingerberry).

 

I probably had about 1 closed handful of pecans. I bought them for Melissa's butternut squash recipe, but I've already broken into them, gosh darn it! Not only that, after I had some, the crease behind my knees started to like, burn...that has literally never happened before. Coincidence? We shall see...Talk about food with no brakes...I can sure tell when my period is arriving--I start to crave EVERYTHING I haven't been missing for weeks--candy bars, cupcakes, bread...*sigh* I think the carbs are helping a bit though. Fingers crossed! Also, I was advised to take a Natural Calm magnesium supplement before bed for a while, but my poor college budget can't handle that right now, so I'm downing a mug of epsom salt-lemon-water-kombucha (can you tell I got desperate trying to get rid of the flavor?) I could handle salty, but this is so bitter!

[Littlelotte]

Saturday was day 27, and it went alright. Let me see, what did I eat...

 

I think I had another egg/kale omelet at some point that day. Then I got my period, and I always get to choose between two extremes: extreme pain (no medication) or extreme nausea (with medication!) I opted for medication, and didn't eat lunch because I was feeling like crap. 

 

I did eat a bit of a M3: I had mayo, a can of tuna, half a sweet potato, and spices all mixed together.

 

And some kombucha.

[Littlelotte]

Yesterday was day 28; getting so close! 

 

M1: I dragged myself to the cafeteria and had three hard boiled eggs and a banana.

 

M2: I dragged myself to the cafeteria and had about 1 cup plain steamed spinach with a handful of black olives (it was actually fine).

 

M3: GREAT. I had a whole meatza from Melissa's website (the recipe makes two) because come on, I didn't have protein at lunch (I meant to have tuna but then forgot! Argh!). It was topped with steam-sauteed red bell peppers and cauliflower. And that sauce, man. I could have made a huge pot of that, tossed in some sausage and called it "pizza soup". Bam. Delicious. XD Soooo yeah, I kind of gave up on low-FODMAP for this meal, with cauliflower and even *gasp* A CLOVE OF GARLIC. Haha, I'm really sad. I am doing reintros the day after tomorrow though, and I don't have time to do another Whole30 during holiday because CHRISTMAS. I think i'll do one starting January 1st though--low FODMAP at least, maybe AIP if I can part with my eggs...But for now, it's re-intros and as paleo as I can get.

[Littlelotte]

Today was day 29--one more day to go! Honestly, I'm not too proud of it either. Between my period cravings and the whole "I-can-start-reintros-soon", my brains been doing a lot of jerk moves.

 

M1: Half a leftover meatza plus some leftover sweet potato, peeled, mashed, and fried in olive oil (still haven't gotten around to making ghee..)

 

M2: A jerk chicken thigh seasoned with rosemary and balsamic vinegar, some grilled zucchini with balsamic, some caffeine-free compliant chai tea, and...this is the really sad part...a larabar. I was in the student store and it was taking all my willpower not to buy anything "for when my whole30 was over". I was eyeing peppermint coated pretzels and crap candy bars very hard, so this was the compromise. I know I shouldn't even have given into any craving at all, but I did, and let me tell you, I knew it too. Not ten minutes after the stupid larabar I felt queasy, and I couldn't stay awake during my afternoon slump again. Probably all the sugar.

 

M3: Really weird because one of my clubs had a dinner that I cooked a dish for. I made Melissa's Velvety Butternut Squash, but I don't think I did it right because it came out too garlicky. I had a lot of it anyway because it was the only thing I knew for sure was compliant. Then I had way too much apple cider (said only ingredient was apples, but still a crapton of sugar), a small piece of bacon and crap, crap, crap I had a tiny, tiny piece of cranberry jelly-sauce-whatever and I just realized it probably had high-fructose corn syrup. CRAP CRAP, welp, there's no way i have time to restart, and it's day 29. Maybe I'll extend a day, but that's about all I can afford. Shucks, I'll think about it.

 

I swear tomorrow will be better; on the plus-side, no one touched their veggies at the party and I snagged a full box of organic cherry tomatoes which I plan on roasting and/or omelet-ifying in the morning. We shall see~ Maybe another day would be good...What do you guys think, anyone who reads this?

[EleanorB]

Oh Sarah! That sucks. Sounds like you're having a pretty stressful time at the moment. I think that sugar isn't necessarily a restart item, but not sure about the corn syrup. At the end of the day, it's at your discretion. It's your 30 days and your body. How do you feel now? Any side effects? How have you been feeling generally? Stop or continue, I think it's your choice.

I know for me, I've only really started noticing the difference the last couple of days. But if I ate off- plan now, enemy by accident, I'm not sure I'd restart. I'm planning to continue anyway. Well, I'm planning to do my re-introductions and then go back to eating W30 the majority of the time, with the occasional "worth it" treat. We'll see if I manage it once the confines of the programme are lifted

[Littlelotte]

Yeah, it really sucks big-time! Hmm, I had a little bit of belly discomfort last night, so I don't know. D: I definitely don't have time to restart and gosh darn it, I worked so hard. No real issues today, and I've been eating compliant and feeling pretty great actually. My sleep is normalizing again and my cravings are going away...pretty sure it was just that time of the month plus the end of the program that made me go a little crazy for the past few days. I don't know, I think since I'm doing a second Whole30 in January I may just call it good that way I can re-intro everything else for a baseline idea of how to eat until I can do that second Whole30. I'm definitely planning on sticking to Whole30 as close as I can as well, barring holidays because my family is one of the ones that if you don't eat the food, you can be socially exiled, haha! My digestion's finally started to regular out after a few weeks of mass panic, so I really can say the last few days have made a difference. Haha yeah, that's the callenge, isn't it? Sticking as close to the program without the restrictions! But I believe in us! We can do it!

[Littlelotte]

Yesterday was day 30! Woooo, yeaaahhh! I feel like I should say some speech or something but it's early morning and I'm dead. It didn't go so great, but I did my best. Mostly the combination of my period and all the stress I've had this week has triggered my depression on and off, which means for the past four days, there's been like one meal that really wasn't a meal or that I didn't eat at all. 

 

M1: Tomato-and-olive omelet, a cup of chai tea with coconut milk.

 

M2: Yeeeah, this is where it got weird because of lab day. I had an orange before lab. I think that was it because i couldn't be bothered to drag myself anywhere else for food.

 

M3: A packet of pistachios (just a snack-sized; I know not to buy the big tins now), and...oh, a fish fillet from the school. Also probably 1/2 cup leftover velvety butternut squash.

 

Night meal: In defiance of not eating lunch and feeling hungry and crappy because of it, and also wanting to end my Whole30 on a better note, I made a bowl of Melissa's comfort noodles and it was delicious.

 

Aaand that concludes day 30! This feels so surreal. The Whole30 really has given me a lot, and I wish that I could go longer, but it'll have to wait until January (or at least post-Christmas?). Re-intros start today and I feel excited and terrified!

[runninglawyer88]

Are you going to update with your results? Way to go on finishing.