Roll call: November Whole30s!

[drtracyb]

Thanks Praxis for the paleo place

 

am I missing something ???? I'm reading about how hard so many are finding it to cook. Is it because there is so much "fast" "convenient" packaged stuff in America that you don't peel and chop fresh stuff?

 

I'm not in the kitchen for very long maybe an hour to get dinner. the extra time I get in there is too make pesto, mayo and dressings- my food processor takes all the hard yards out of that AND I love going to my pantry and fridge eating stuff I've made not shop bought rubbish.

 

My go to meals when I'm tired after work or just want to eat but couldn't be stuffed cooking is steak and salad, with sweet potato circles (done on the sandwhich press= 3-4 mins) or chicken strips with steamed vegies or salad. all up less than 15mins and I'm eating the best fast food ever.

I can't tell you how much I love that thing- it's soooo quick.

 

Please don't miss hear me- I'm not being rude, patronizing ,glib etc I am genuinely stumped at the problem and therefore second guessing what Ive been eating and preping even though I know it's compliant

 

KTWalks- witch's brew- that's our family reciepe for luming and stubborn colds

                                     fresh garlic and ginger- equal amounts=natural antibiotics    

                                     manuka honey (out for the mo)(it has healing properties)

                                     lemon and hot water

 

                                     combine the lot and swig in a couple of gulps makes you sweat heaps but helps with that  razor blade throat and stuffed up nose

 

thanks all cheers

 

Leonie - where do you live?  Yes, we Americans get awfully used to having everything made for us.  There are tv commercials here that make us feel like we are "cooking at home" if we open up a bag of their pre-made frozen meal and heat it up, rather than getting take-out.  That said, I also think that the believers in Paleo have worked so hard to prove that Paleo is a delicious way to live, that there are so many cookbooks and amazing recipes.  We forget that simply broiling a chicken breast and steaming some broccoli is "eating Paleo".  I have probably spent $500 on Paleo cookbooks in the past year because each one looks so delicious that I just can't pass it up.  Now if I would just get out of my rut and try out more of the recipes in my books!

 

As for me, I did a huge veggie cookup last night.  I now have roasted butternut squash, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots and spaghetti squash in my freezer.  I also have chopped cucumber and tomatoes in mason jars in my fridge to make some quick salads.  A bag of bacon that I cooked in the oven.  A beautiful pot of meat bolognese sauce that I will freeze into individual portions in a muffin tin.

 

Because, Leonie, I still don't have an hour free every day to start fresh.  Once I roast up a bunch of chicken thighs, I will have easy grab and go meals for a week.  Today I will put a crockpot of Well Fed Chocolate Chili on and I should be good to go for the weekend.  And I, too, will be making some roasted butternut squash soup - similar recipe to everyone else's - roast butternut squash, sweet potato, onions and garlic, then add chicken broth and blend or blitz with a hand blender.  I also freeze that in muffin tins and grab a "puck" or two of soup every morning to drink with my newspaper.  Bacon-asparagus-broccoli soup is another favorite of mine.  And I did grab a bag of sugar snap peas to make Well Fed's pad thai.

 

Getting to the gym is my weak spot.  I've been doing whole30 and paleo for so long that I don't really lose the piles of weight that I used to without exercising.

[jgreene]

My partner told me this morning that she wants to quit the Whole30. I'm so mad I couldn't even talk to her.

So frustrating!  I have had a couple conversations with my husband where he talks about "after the 30 days" and I even get a little irritated at the thought that he will want to revert to old habits.  He assures me that he just wants to add a few things back (some grains) but he still makes me nervous.  I know how helpful it is to be in this together.  Hang in there!!!  Has she been reading the "What to expect" info, too?  I think often one or the other person is more dedicated to info seeking and therefor has a better understanding.  

[angledge]

Hey everybody. My partner got home yesterday & said she's still on board with the program - but then told me about this big Caesar salad she had for lunch. "I asked them to leave off the croutons!" OK, but what about the Parmesan cheese....? Whatever. We aren't going to start over, because 1) I'm still compliant; & 2) there's no way she'd agree to another 30 days. So it will be a less-than-perfect Whole30. At least she didn't quit on me.

 

We had a delicious butternut squash/pork/kale stew last night - seems like everyone's eating the butternut squash this week! They are sooo yummy! I served the stew with mashed cauliflower - it would have been much better with rice. I haven't tried cauli-rice yet - for some reason, I have no faith that it will turn out edible. I'll just have to get over that mental block & give it a whirl.

 

Tonight I'm thinking of making some faux pho. I made Nom Nom Paleo's Asian meatballs & they are fantastic - I think they'd taste great in a pho style dish of broth & zoodles. And I have a spiralizer now.... 

[praxisproject]

healthydoc - for quick on the go breakfasts, bake things in muffin cups and eat either warmed from microwave or cold. Egg muffin cups, veggie muffins, hash, sausage muffins, etc. You can make slight changes to different cups, so you're not eating the same thing every day.

 

leonie - I think it depends on how much time you spent cooking before, my first one I realised how much I'd been relying on pre-made stuff, I had almost stopped cooking, certainly no veggie prep. I didn't always cook like that, it was a negative shift that happened slowly and was one of the reasons I wanted to do the Whole30, as food had gone way off track. Some people also weren't eating three meals a day before either

 

Tessina - say you want to cook some special dishes to share, and make compliant ones

 

Volatpropriis - Good for you I'm sure your dad would be proud of your determination.

 

Andledge - Hang in there. Maybe find a fancy place you can have a safe Whole30 meal with friends? If she feels like she's missing out?

 

A lot of people who revert will find they feel less well with the grains and dairy, they back go back to paleo again all on their own it can take awhile to adjust your thinking, I was quite delusional at first about gluten, I thought it couldn't possibly be making me feel sick as I'd been eating it my whole life. Now it has zero appeal at all, but that didn't happen overnight.

 

Home stretch now! Start thinking about your reintroductions. I'm going to do sulphites first, I never did these as their own reintro before and I found some coconut chips which have a single sulphite added.

[Leonie]

Morning all- ty for the info and insights into your kitchens.

 

Healthy food choices and a culture shift make you guys even more amazing at sticking with the whole 30.

 

I've never known any other way except cooking as I go with fresh produce, take-away is an occassional treat.. pizza fish 'n' chips, thai,indian

 

 

Joy- what a woman- I don't run - ever- period- and your running doing the whole 30 and with jaw pain!!! and blinkin NIGHT DUTY -your amazing

 

Angledge- you are dealing wisely with a difficult and potentially fractious situation, even little changes add up-hopefully your partner will really appreciate your efforts and choose to continue with healthier options after her 30 days.

 

congrats to Ladybugger day 19 and still going strong !!!

 

cheers

[Dem]

Day 19 complete! Went grocery shopping again today, smelled that Starbucks again. I told my mom about it on the phone and she reminded me I have tasted it before. Good point! My extended family is starting to notice my weight loss. And this morning I was able to tighten my belt one notch! I am excited to fit into some smaller jeans that I haven't worn in awhile. Looking forward to Thanksgiving.

[praxisproject]

Way to go 2b2km! Great non-scale victories!

 

I am totally in love with plantains at the moment, I have missed these! (couldn't find them at the grocer, but I think they were hiding them)

[joybedford]

Leonie I am either amazing or stupid probably the latter. To top everything off I have come down with a cold I have a fever and headaches. When will it end. One more nightshift I cannot ring in sick it is punishable by death at my place of work LOL. Finally in bed with a bowl of soup hope I can sleep I need it. You are all doing so well keep it up.

[heatherglick]

Ended up doing a big cook-up last night.  Made the butternut squash soup that has been described here and the green beans and cocoa dusted cauliflower in Well-Fed Paleo.  Delicious feast with TONS of leftovers.  Anyone in the northern Virginia area? I'd love to share some of the bounty!

 

Accidental Whole 30 win.  I bought coconut cream instead of milk.  After mixing in the liquid that had separated from the cream I used it instead of dairy in my milk frother for the morning cappuccino.  Super delicious and much more like a real cappuccino with foamy milk compared to using regular coconut milk.

[lorileighb44]

Day 18 and all is well

 

came home yesterday and my mom had made a peach pie, my dad was visiting, so I went and got my nails done and when I got home I put the pie on top of the stove. 

 

Today I am wearing pants that two weeks ago were too tight. 

 

People at work want to do whole30 in January- so I am going to let them borrow my recipe book over Christmas and I may join them. 

[angledge]

lorileigh44 is inspiring others at her workplace! Well done!!

[pfair]

Day 15/15

Yesterday was my birthday.
Started with Christmas flavored brewed coffee with coconut milk, a spoon of coconut oil, and a small square of 70% chocolate stirred in.
Delicious!

Today I do not hate myself for what could have happened yesterday using the 'birthday' excuse.

Have a great day today and make it count.

[found.in.nature]

Hey everyone! How's everything feeling today? I'm doing pretty great and think I'm even going to get in a nice long run this afternoon. 

 

I'm planning to make Shephard's Pie form the Well Fed cookbook for dinner tonight. Has anyone ever tried that one? It looks like a good comforting food for the freezing temps we're having!

 

Have a great day, all!

[KayKay]

Day 20 here and there's a blizzard outside my window right now. Between that and my PMS cramps, today kind of sucks. But I did just enjoy my favourite paleo tuna patties with a tomato and avocado salad and some butternut squash soup. So things could be worse

 

Ten days left. I hope to handle this reintroduction a little better than the last one. Things went downhill rather quickly.

[jess in the uk]

Seriously it is Day 18..cannot believe it. I survived traveling yesterday and today but meals were out of whack. Left yesterday on the train at 1:00...wasnt hungry as I slept in and ate at 10 am. Why 2 hours later am I starving? Of course! I brought carrot and celery sticks and nuts..not a great meal but made do. We ate a couple of hours later..roasted chicken and a paltry green salad with a tiny side of roasted veg. And a mean tiny...like three bites and I was done. Then walking around and dancing to about 11 at night. Stuck to soda water and lime but didnt go to bed until 2 am...still felt ok but we were staying with friends who literally had nothing compliant to eat so I had nuts. Meal 2 today consisted of half a sausage, an apple, and maybe a palm size serving of stewed goat meat. Never tried goat meat so thought why not? Yup, not my thing but heck I tried. Positive side, lots of walking because its London and by the time we were ready to come home, we had somehow already walked over five miles. And I did pick up some pumpkins to cook with and spaghetti squash which I cant find anywhere in the north of England...score! Temptation was all around include minor things like a pack of gum. My husband bought me a pack of my favorite gum...and I would have chewed it in under an hour. Its still in my purse...I feel like it was taunting me at some points. Havent eaten enough but havent really been hungry. Just had my third meal and stuffed it with veg to make up for the lack of them earlier. The last two days havent been the best in terms of meals but I felt pretty good and remained compliant. However, refusing alcohol made me feel like I had two heads...whats that about? Do what you want and I will do what I want...plus I realized I can have an amazing time without it and no hangover...ha ha

[praxisproject]

Heather - I love coconut cream! It's much nicer in curries and soups too.

 

Way to go Lori! So many wins for you this week!

 

pfair - Happy Birthday! :D

 

kt - I haven't made that one yet, would love to hear how it is. So many great recipes!

 

KayKay - what recipe do you use for your tuna patties? I love this salmon one (Aussies - this has a variation for an Aussie-size big tin of salmon!):

http://www.ladyhomemade.com/2012/11/14/quick-salmon-patties-and-whole30-week-two/
What went wrong with your last reintroduction? I was so unprepared for my first one.

 

Jess - Goat is worth trying a few times, like lamb vs mutton, some of it is much better than others Indian goat curries can be amazing. I prefer them without bones. 

[Barbara Ann]

Hi Gang!  I'm Barbara Ann.  Saw the Dr. Oz show and somehow this really appealed to me.   I've gained 60# back in the last 6 years and am tired of feeling out of place, unable to wear my favorite clothes and feeling clumsy and old.   I am a bit worried about being able to stay with it but in the past I've used Forums and have gotten support from them.  With this one, we won't be sharing weight loss until the end.   I'd like to get menu ideas without having to buy the book.....I have so many diet book laying on the shelf, can you relate?  I am on board with the gluten free and grain free and bean free....will need to get the ghee and try that.   I am looking so forward to dropping weight, feeling better, breaking my addiction to sugar and white flour and basically junk food.   There is great promise here for us!  Good luck to all!  

[jgreene]

Jess and Praxisproject - I LOVE GOAT! I have only eaten it in India in curry or deep fried in Haiti.  Have not ventured to make it myself yet.  Maybe I need to

 

Welcome Barbara Ann! I meant to watch the Dr Oz show on Whole30 today.  Can't believe I forgot to DVR it!

 

To everyone who has successfully complete a Whole30 in the past, could you please share your experience with reintroduction? I think we could all benefit from some advice on what worked or what threw you off course!

 

Thanks!

 

Julie

[KayKay]

 

KayKay - what recipe do you use for your tuna patties? I love this salmon one (Aussies - this has a variation for an Aussie-size big tin of salmon!):

http://www.ladyhomemade.com/2012/11/14/quick-salmon-patties-and-whole30-week-two/

What went wrong with your last reintroduction? I was so unprepared for my first one.

 

Here's my favourite tuna patty recipe - pretty similar to yours!

http://dishesanddishes.wordpress.com/2012/03/21/paleo-tuna-cakes/

I timed my first reintroduction to start the weekend I went away to visit friends, and I didn't exactly reintroduce things slowly. Nothing major, just had pita AND hummus AND frozen yogurt the first day, so...not exactly reintroduction at all!

[katherineb]

Day 19.....

Feeling really good, like, happy.  Solid workouts, eating regularly, feeling more calm at work.  Ladybugger14, you made me lol with your "back fat, double chin" post - I too carry a lot of my weight in the middle, and its nice to see the rolls subside a bit!

 

I honestly say I am still tempted to weigh myself at the gym ( the scale is right smack dab in the room ) but I resist.  It bothers me that I am so obsessed with those stupid numbers.

 

I made a  cauliflower/parsnip puree the other day, as a side instead of mashed potatoes - husband LOVED it, and said he would have those any day before potatoes again.  And that's coming from the original meat+potatoes guy!

[Paleomedic]

Barbara Ann - just google Whole30 recipes and you should find tons. Also you should check out bloggers like Melissa at theclothesmakethegirl.com and Michelle at nomnompaleo.com. There are other but those are the 2 that come immediately to mind. Most paleo diet bloggers have done a whole30 or 2 and blogged about it. These 2 have done multiple Whole30s (Michelle was working night shifts and cooking for a family of 4!) and usually post menus and grocery lists on their sites.

[CrazyCow]

Getting to the gym is my weak spot.  I've been doing whole30 and paleo for so long that I don't really the piles of weight that I used to without exercising.

Drtracyb, this is my issue at the moment, too. Eating Whole30 is a pretty easy affair for me to jump back into, but somehow jumping back into the gym has been more difficult. I could yoga, I could crossfit (husband is a XF coach, too, so no excuse there), but I just have not got my momentum going. Bodies at rest and all. Not good.

 

Ended up doing a big cook-up last night.  Made the butternut squash soup that has been described here and the green beans and cocoa dusted cauliflower in Well-Fed Paleo.  Delicious feast with TONS of leftovers.  Anyone in the northern Virginia area? I'd love to share some of the bounty!

 

Accidental Whole 30 win.  I bought coconut cream instead of milk.  After mixing in the liquid that had separated from the cream I used it instead of dairy in my milk frother for the morning cappuccino.  Super delicious and much more like a real cappuccino with foamy milk compared to using regular coconut milk.

Heatherglick! I love Northern VA! We go twice a year, at the least: once in Autumn for apple butter making, and once in Spring for the Winchester BLOOM! Nothing like that three day parade(s) anywhere in the UK, lol...

 

As for coconut cream--it's fantastic. We make our own coconut milk, but I buy coconut cream for coffee, eggs, and all sorts. It's the white wonder in a tin! 

 

Jess and Praxisproject - I LOVE GOAT! I have only eaten it in India in curry or deep fried in Haiti.  Have not ventured to make it myself yet.  Maybe I need to

 

To everyone who has successfully complete a Whole30 in the past, could you please share your experience with reintroduction? I think we could all benefit from some advice on what worked or what threw you off course!

 

Julie, Jess and Praxisproject: Goat is FAB. Goat Curry with coconut cauliflower rice? A.maz.ing. It's not much different from cooking lamb, I find, but it is much more lean.

 

For me, this will be W30 number #5 in the bag. Reintro has always been interesting. I found at the end of the 30 each time, I was not really craving anything, but I was curious to see what different foods would do. I think the first time, cheese was my first reintro. It was not as exciting as I had built it up to be. I also found a single beer had much more of an effect on me than prior to the W30, too.

 

Ultimately, what I found was that convenience was my downfall. I could choose to be organised (or organized, depending on your location, haha) and get brekkie together as well as lunch, or I could choose to not, and eat fairy cakes with coffee and cream for the morning and a chinese takeaway for lunch. You can probably guess how that went. Once you start on that slope, it's treacherous to say the least. Take the lessons of pre-prep into your post Whole30 world and it's easier to stay the course.

 

One other thing, too--you come to learn what feeling GOOD...well, feels like. And it's not until you've been making a lot of little BAD food decisions that all add up that you think--I'm not feeling GOOD anymore. Inevitably that is what has led me back to this fine forum.

 

Convenience = Bad Choices = Loss of Good Feeling = Hello Whole 30 (or however many days)...at least for me. In the simplest form, anyway! 

[Dem]

Sounds like several of us may be getting bored with our food. Can't believe we are two thirds through! I have lots of veggies in my fridge but no motivation to cook them. I have two medium turnips, 2 large parsnips, and a whole green cabbage, and I don't know what I want to do with them. I am planning to make a pork stew tomorrow night with mushrooms, butternut squash, white potatoes, canned diced tomatoes, and Italian herbs. I am not really excited about it but I know it will taste good. My parents are visiting, so I should really get my act together and do another big cook up while they take care of the kids.

I also need to decide what I am going to do after these thirty days are up. Right now I am leaning towards continuing on this path, and then going off from Christmas Eve to New Year's Eve, then starting again January 1. My birthday falls during that week too. But I don't want to spend that whole week feeling tired and gross. On the other hand, I think knowing I will get to eat junk food for that short amount of time will make it easier for me to stick with it during December. Anyone else planning to keep going after day 30?

For those of you who are totally new to paleo/whole30, know that it does get easier! I think this is my 3rd attempt and definitely the easiest so far.

[angledge]

2babies2kidsmom: you could try this recipe for your turnips & parsnips (replacing butter with ghee): 

 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sauteed-Turnips-and-Parsnips-with-Rosemary-105738

 

And Michelle at Nom Nom Paleo has a yummy recipe for braising cabbage:

 

http://nomnompaleo.com/post/1356598429/worlds-best-braised-green-cabbage

[Dem]

2babies2kidsmom: you could try this recipe for your turnips & parsnips (replacing butter with ghee): 

 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sauteed-Turnips-and-Parsnips-with-Rosemary-105738

 

And Michelle at Nom Nom Paleo has a yummy recipe for braising cabbage:

 

http://nomnompaleo.com/post/1356598429/worlds-best-braised-green-cabbage

Thanks for the links! I like the fact I can keep the cabbage in the fridge a few days. Definitely going to try this tomorrow!