Peppers first 30

[Peppers]

Hi,  'Peppers' isn't my name, but I love red peppers and it was the top of my grocery list sitting next to my computer when I needed a user name.  so hence, 'Peppers' it is. 

 

bit of background...

 

I'm 39yo female, and I'm from New Zealand, moved to Australia 16 years ago at age 23, then after 14 years, I moved to the USA, first I was in Hawaii for 6 months and now I've been in Tennessee for 18 months.  My husband is in the Army, hence the strange move from Hawaii to Tennessee.  We met online and got married a couple of weeks after I moved to the US, after an extensive long distance dating period then the visa process.  When I lived in Sydney, I was a very active and healthy person, I walked 6km to work each way every day, I trained Oly lifting, strongman and lifted at the gym 3 times a week.  I ate really well, always been balanced with mostly wholefoods.  I have been gluten sensitive for years so was pretty good at staying away from it.  Somehow, I let moving to a new country get the best of me and I quit exercising and ate a lot of junk.  I don't know why, my husband is very active, but he likes to run and bike by himself, his eating habits are not great, but he doesn't eat a lot of fast food either.  He does eat plenty of wheat based products at home and loves his pasta, that got me into a nasty habit of eating what I cooked for him.  Instead of having him adapt to my food style, I adapted to please his stomach.  Other than that, I can only put it down to anxiety about the change that had me quit exercising and eating poorly. 

 

So 2 years and 35lbs later (yes that's right, I put an effort into getting fat and unhealthy) I've also struggled with fertility, which is probably a given considering my age too.  The drugs during the several cycles I've done have not helped with maintaining my health.  

 

I did start on a health kick about 6 weeks ago, focusing on eating better and starting to exercise again, not so much weight loss, I purchased a whole grass fed lamb and when the seller told me she was giving me extra kidney, I started to search for recipes and after reading one blog, I stumbled onto the Whole30.  I love the idea of a plan to get me started out, and it will help me get rid of gluten again, and cutting out sugar! 

 

My ultimate goal is to fit into my jeans I wore on the plane over 2 years ago.  With that will come health, my primary goals are to get healthy, sleep better, feel more energized, exercise consistently again and be in the best shape I can be for my April/May donor egg fertility cycle, and of course carry that through pregnancy.  Fit and pregnant at 40.  eesh.  never thought I'd be saying that.

 

So I'm researching the best I can for all the tips and tricks.  I know I can do the basics, its not hard, I know I can be compliant (I work from home, so I have it easier than some), but I want to do more than just basics.  I want to make this a lifestyle, so actually being involved and pouring love into my meals will help with that.  Sure, after the whole30 I will probably have the occasional ice cream or popcorn, but I want that to be the exception, not the norm.  My husband loves that my strategy is to become, 'one of those annoying healthy fit couples you love to hate but secretly wish you could be just like'.

 

I've already given up coffee, though last week, while travelling for Christmas I had the odd Starbucks sweet coffee concoction, decaf thank you.  I've cut way down on sugar, eliminated wheat/gluten except for a pizza night at my brother in laws the day after Christmas.  otherwise I have no other bad habits to get rid of. 

 

tips and tricks welcomed. 

 

 

[Peppers]

last day before day 1 of.  and of course New years eve.  eating my breakfast which has been somewhat whole30 for a few weeks now, scrambled eggs in ghee topped with chopped tomato and green salad mix and half a grapefruit - with coconut sugar, not because the grapefruit needs sweetener, but because coconut sugar tastes amazing with it - that will have to go tomorrow. 

 

DH and I sat down last night and worked out a training plan.  further explanation requires that he did his plan, and I did mine, separately,  we can go to the gym together, but we can't train together.  we tried that once and he made me so irritated, arguing with me about doing Pendlay rows, while I was doing them, that I lost concentration and pulled something in my back, went to the ER for assessment and left after an injection and a tub of painkillers.  Naturally it made his argument correct that I was going to hurt myself, never mind that I'd been doing them for years, without injury.  anyway...

 

I've put together a basic Rippetoe type plan, Starting Strength style, with a few modifications as I have squat/knee issues and I'm too heavy and weak to do pull ups.    with 3 days of cardio and I'm doing a 30 day/30 min yoga challenge too.  I've ordered a mokeskine daily planner that will be here on Friday to record everything in. 

 

This afternoon we are heading into Nashville to Wholefoods to stock up on a few essentials, and to pay the deposit for our donor egg cycle.  Then will come back home, have dinner and a few glasses of wine then head to the movies, we saw the 2nd Hobbit last new years eve, so we decided to do the last Hobbit this new years eve. Times have definitely changed from the huge New Years eve parties I used to have in my home in Sydney.  We had an amazing penthouse rooftop balcony that looked after Darling Harbour, perfect fireworks view. 

 

so Happy New Years to you all, and those who are starting Whole30 tomorrow, don't go crazy tonight, no point doing a ton of damage beforehand. 

 

[Peppers]

Day 1 was yesterday, and it went well, better than I expected, I did think the whole day that I was just going to throw in the towel and start today, right from when I woke up with DH craving waffles, then he wanted burritos, and then wanted to make pasta, but I got through it unscathed, amazing how 'No thanks' can roll right off the tongue so easily.

 

so my day looked like this:

M1: 2 jumbo eggs scrambled in ghee topped with chopped tomato and organic 50/50 salad mix, 2 rashers of bacon and a small fresh fruit medley of papaya, pineapple and grapefruit

M2:1/4 roast chicken and sauteed broccoli with olive oil and garlic

M3: lamb leg chop, steamed zucchini with ghee, sweet potato slices baked in olive oil.  

 

I also went for a 30 minute power walk.  I skipped the yoga session but will start that today.  Will start back up lifting at the gym this weekend, as you all know, gym on the 2nd of January is a big no-no if you actually want to work out, the resolutioners are there in droves and its hard to get anything done.

 

I also weighed myself in the morning as a starting point.  Just so I have a measure on that front, at the end of this.  I came in at 210, which is horrifying since I moved to the US at just under 180 (2 years ago), and met my DH a year earlier at 175, however, I haven't gained anything in 12 months, so thats a plus, but also highlights the horror of my first year in the US, gaining 30lbs - eating all in sight.  hence while I'm doing this, as I clearly threw all my good eating skills out the window and just got lost in it all. 

 

quick update, now I have to get breakfast in, I have 40 minutes to do so. 

[Peppers]

So I had a tough weekend, and had to restart yesterday.  Now I do want to say, it is not from slipping because I couldn't handle it, I can.  My mind is fully focused on this.  here is how it went down:

 

DH has been talking for some time about making pasta, from scratch, I did it awhile ago for a hosted dinner we did for some of his soldiers, and it was a huge hit, DH barely cooks and is a little expectant of me to make his dinner, its been an irritant of mine, that we have discussed and he has promised to make an effort.  So he had been saying over Christmas he wants me to teach him to make pasta, then he was coming up with an idea for ravioli.  I told him at the time that I would be doing the whole30, and not able to have pasta.  So on New Years eve, he wanted to stop at Wholefoods, which was great, as I picked up some things too, but primarily, he wanted good ingredients for his pasta, we had a small debate about me not having any, and how upset he was, and it concluded that I would have pasta with him and it would be my one and only change in plan, I thought he was going to make it on the 1st of Jan, day came and went, no pasta.  No probs, I stayed compliant. 

 

So on Saturday he said wanted to make it, perfect rainy day date night in, I told him yet again, hey, just freeze some of them for me, and I'll have them after... and just have zoodles with the meat and sauce, which ensued a bit more of a heated debate, he quoted that I had said I would have that one change in plan - yes, when I thought it was going to be the first day of whole 30, not the 3rd! he said that I've nagged at him for months about cooking dinner together as a date, and now I don't want to.        I do, just not pasta.  I told him I'd have to restart, and he said that was fine.  I told him he was not being very supportive and he looked more than hurt and pained, and stomped off for awhile.  *sigh* so I gave in, but compromised with no wine, (though honestly, I'd rather the wine and not the pasta!)  I haven't eaten pasta in months, I quit eating gluten at home awhile back.  I did enjoy making it with him, I also helped him with my recipe for a tomato/pepper sauce. 

 

So I had the pasta on Saturday night with him, passed on the popcorn afterwards,  and was back to day 1 on Sunday.  slightly irritated, didn't have too many nasty side effects from it, but also happy that the adjustment didn't entirely derail me, just delayed me instead.

 

so.  having said all that.. I have been otherwise 100% compliant.  enjoying my meals, trying new recipes.  And today I start my training program, today is yoga and cardio.  I have a firm 'no Mondays at the gym' policy. 

 

so yesterdays meals were this:

 

M1: scrambled eggs with spinach, tomato, onion and mushroom, banana and papaya with a spoon of coconut cream. 

M2: Creamy Pumpkin Chicken Casserole from PaleOMG and a handful of mixed raw nuts. 

M3: panfried pork cutlet, baked sweet and white potato, steamed cabbage with a little ghee

 

so now I will be finishing on Feb 2nd. 

[Peppers]

Day 3:

 

Slept soundly, I actually have slept soundly since around 29 January.  I am now also less congested the last few days.  I was going to get out of bed early and do my yoga, thats a goal!  I woke up at a decent time, but lay in bed, and then my office phone rang, who rings at 7am?  AT&T - thats who!  I work from home, which is a blessing and a curse. 

So I'm also noticing a less of a 'vibration'  which is a weird health thing I have, doctors look at me baffled, but for the last 18months or so, I get a strange full body internal vibration, usually revolves around my cycle, periodically it goes away, but usually comes back monthly, I've tried to pinpoint it but I can't.  I hate the doctors here, I went in once to get a a new referral for fertility and somehow walked out with anxiety meds.    completely baffled.  the only thing I get anxious about is going to the damn doctors! 

 

I did my 30 minute yoga session last night.  Tonight I'm back at the gym to do a light lifting session, I hope its not busy! 

 

Meals yesterday were this:

 

M1: 2 eggs scrambled in ghee topped with fresh chopped tomato and a handful of salad mix, a cup of fresh papaya with a spoon of coconut cream and a handful of raw almonds and pecans.

M2: Lamb leg chop, steamed cabbage and a handful of flaked coconut and a few almonds.

M3: Sirloin steak, baked potato/sweet potato, steamed cabbage with ghee and a spoon of coconut oil

 

I haven't been very hungry between meals, once or twice, and I've just had a spoon of coconut oil and a cup of herbal tea. 

 

I've been reading about other peoples struggles, and I'm sooo glad I gave up coffee awhile back, I used to drink it black in Australia from my nespresso or a cafe, but moving to the US, I have found the coffee here quite revolting, even the Keurig, sorry.  DH drinks filtered which is also horrible stuff, so I started dumping in creamer, now that stuff is tasty!  but I never used a lot, but I knew I needed to quit the creamer anyway!  I got a new nespresso machine, which I love, but then started the fertility meds and its recommended you don't drink coffee, so I quit.  Will probably need to start again once I have a baby.  heh.  but happy that I don't have the horrid withdrawals and struggles with creamer that I am seeing so much chatter about. 

 

enough chatter for now.  its time to get lunch ready.

[Peppers]

Day 4

 

All going well.  still no problems staying on track.  The odd craving, but nothing that isn't handled easily.  I try not to think I'm 'restricted' too much, it helps, having a stronger mind, telling yourself that you 'don't eat cheese', rather than,  'can't have cheese'  I know its easier with working from home, in the office we used to get bagels and muffins every Friday for breakfast, and someone was always bringing in treats, not to mention the vending machine for that 3pm pick me up.  At home I can put the oven on and then throw in my chicken.  too easy.

 

We went to the gym last night and I started my new program, had to tweak it as they only have one power cage, and no separate bench press stand, and someone occupied it the entire time, I would have been doing the same thing if I got to it first, but its a bit of a sucky gym.  not much else in the area unfortunately, we do have gym's on post, but after regular work hours they are filled with soldiers and I would rather not try to compete for a cage or bench.  Post is about 20mins away, so its harder to go at lunch time.  I will need to go to our gym during the day I think, to be able to actually do what I want to do.  so did that and then walked on the treadmill for 20mins till hubby was finished. 

 

Meals went like this:

 

M1: 2 eggs scrambled in ghee, topped with chopped tomato and salad mix.  fresh pineapple with coconut cream

M2: baked chicken drumsticks and left over cabbage with a handful of almonds/pecans/shredded coconut

M3: burger in lettuce wrap with sauteed onion, a slice of tomato and avocado with a side of oven fried red potato slices.   

 

Tasty meals also help with satiety I think, less cravings when you enjoy your meals.  

[AmyJanette]

I'm impressed by your meals!  You've made a great effort so far - keep up the good work!

[Peppers]

Thanks AmyJanette. 

 

Day 5

 

Did not feel so great last night, sinus got blocked while eating dinner, and my stomach was a little bloated.   Woke up this morning and had to take an antihistamine.  Something did not sit well with me last night, I suspect it was the spicy food.  I have always enjoyed a slightly more 'bland' food than others, I don't think its bland, but I don't like to cover my food with sauces and spices too much, I like the taste of the actual food.  Like steak, I prefer a little dash of salt and pepper at best, if its not a great cut of steak or is cooked badly, then I might have sauce with it, otherwise, just plain please.  unless its a chili, or a dish that specifically calls for sauces and gravies and spices, still, I have a mentality that less is more and spices should be to enhance flavour, not drown it.  I have an online friend that is struggling with the whole30 because of the lack of sauce etc that she can have.  She is from a group of women I have known online for years, we used to be on a fitness forum, that eventually closed, now we have a facebook group, we are ladies from all over the world and have known each other for 15 or so years now, alot of us have met in person, a few have passed away, many have married, divorced, remarried, had children etc.  about 4 of us are doing the whole30.

 

So yesterday was cold.  and to add to that my electricity went out around lunch time, turns out they were working on the lines in my subdivision and didn't let us know, which is rude.  I had no idea how long it would be out for, so I went up the road to grab a rotisserie chicken to have with my salad for lunch.  came back, got it ready, sat down and it came back up again.  almost 2 hours it was out.  anyway.. food was this way:

 

M1: left over burger pattie chopped up and added to salad mix with a vinegar/EVO dressing, cup of papaya,

M2: rotisserie chicken leg with salad mix, carrots and baby peppers, 1 green apple

M2: Melissa Joulwan's Chocolate Chili with some avocado and a dollop of coconut cream in place of sour cream. 

 

the Chili was good, hubby liked it well enough, for me, I felt it could be better, something was missing, spice of some sort, maybe too much chili used, I used to add kiwifruit to my chili's, I might try that next time. 

 

Its cold today, for any Aussie or Kiwi's that happen up on my log, imagine -21c.  No I never could either.  This weather, makes me more determined to give in to my husband's desires to move back to Hawaii when hes done with the army.  

[Peppers]

Day 6

 

Feeling ok today, slept well, but again did not want to get up, but its hard when hubby is up at 5am getting ready for work, he doesn't exactly try to be quiet for long.  I went back to sleep till 6.30am but then was awake, which is a decent time, but still did not bounce out of bed.  winter is so hard! 

 

And its Friday.     DH is working duty, so he started at 7am and will be home tomorrow at 7am.  If anything is going to be a test of my will, tonight will be, no wine, cheese and popcorn for dinner. 

 

We went out last night to buy new phones, we both still had the iphone 4s and since the latest update they were starting to bug out a bit.  It was getting late after we wrapped up the purchase so we went to Outback, was a lot easier to order than I expected it would be, its only a matter of time before restaurants start having a 'paleo menu'  I can see steak houses doing it, they really don't need to do a lot to the foods they have already to adjust, change cooking oils, offer ghee with sweet potato, source some grass fed beef - and they could easily charge a few extra dollars, the paleo community would flock!  having said that, my meals yesterday:

 

M1: Roast chicken, chopped papaya and almonds

M2: leftover chocolate chili over sauteed kale with coconut cream and avocado

Snack: yes I snacked as I knew dinner would be late, 1 grilled chicken drumstick

M3: grilled salmon with mango salsa, steamed broccoli and baked sweet potato. 

[kirkor]

re: the homemade pasta "incident", look at it this way --- a lot of people waited to start until Monday, so you just had a few days of pre-game

[katarchie]

Paleo menus at restaurants would be awesome!  I travel for work and always seem to fall of the wagon when eating out.

 

Keep up the good work!

[Peppers]

Thats what I figured Kirkor.    Thanks Katarchie, I know what you mean about traveling for work, its difficult when you don't have a fridge or a way to cook foods.

 

Day 9

 

Today is day 9.  feels like its just beginning. 

 

The weekend was mostly successful.  Friday night, I took DH his dinner at work, he was on 24hr duty, he has to do that about 4 times a year, it was healthy, just not compliant, so I did not join in, just chatted as he ate, I even made him, at his request, some popcorn, I didn't eat a single piece.  I stopped at the grocery store on my way home to grab a few lamb chops, so I cooked those up with some baked sweet potato and kale sauteed in ghee and a couple of strawberries.  Watched a movie and went to bed.  That was my hardest night so far, but I stuck with it. 

 

Saturday while DH was sleeping, I went shopping, stopped at the weekly stall for the local grass fed meat supplier, they set up every Saturday at a physio therapy studio during the fall/winter months, and at the farmers market downtown in the Spring/Summer, they do pastured pork, grass fed beef and they also sell some damn good chickens on behalf of a local amish farm.  I left late to go, they are only open till 12pm, I left at 11.15am, it takes 20 mins to get there and my car was running on fumes, stopped at a gas station down the road from the stall, left my purse at home.. arghhh!  there was no way I would make it home, and was rummaging in a panic in my bag for my purse, no purse, but I did have a $50 amex gift card from my boss!  saved!  got $20 in gas, which almost filled up the car, woop! raced to the stall with 10minutes to spare and had to figure out what I would buy with the remaining $30, I grabbed 3lbs of ground pork at the weekly discounted price of $4 a lb, 1 packet of marrow bones and an x-small whole chicken.  *sigh* I wanted so much more. 

 

Went home, grabbed my purse, ate the single cold lamb chop in the fridge and a strawberry, and went back out to finish my shopping, had a small bottle of coconut water.  Picked up cat food from petsmart, some extra goodies from the local organic shop, the rest of my grocery list from Kroger, came home, ate a tablespoon of almond butter, chatted with DH and started making dinner.  I made Coconut Crusted chicken patties, some mixed vege fritters (sweet potato, zuchini and potato) and a side salad. 

 

so I stayed compliant, but meal 2 was a little bit sad and not in the whole30 spirit. 

 

I received my ordered copy of wellfed2 on Saturday, I love cookbooks and have a crazy collection of them, this is one of the first cookbooks that I think I'll cook and enjoy almost every recipe.  I made the salmon cakes, but I used both the Wellfed and nomnompaleo tuna cakes recipes and combined them to get the flavour I want.  I'll be making those every week till I get sick of them.  I can see them as a perfect post work out food, and an easy breakfast or lunch meal. 

 

Yesterdays meals

 

M1: left over chicken patties, left over kale with ghee from friday night, a few strawberries and papaya

M2: last 2 chicken patties, vege fritters, carrots and baby sweet peppers, tbsp almond butter and strawberries

M3: Roast chicken with baked butternut and potatoes, and sauteed cabbage in ghee

[Peppers]

Day 10

 

Went to bed far too late last night, DH and I were mesmerized watching, 'my 600lb life - where are they now'. 

 

so yay!  one third of the way through!  Each day, I just enjoy this more, it almost feels like its too good to be doing me any good.  Even though I used to rubbish the Paleo way a bit, despite being a fan of Taubes *facepalm* I think this is a way that I could get used to, with the exception of a good red wine, and the occasional old favorite, at say Easter- cream egg or lindt bunny (only if someone sends me a Lindt bunny WITH a bell - American ones don't have them).  otherwise, this could be a good way of life for me.  I enjoy it, I don't find it hard, I haven't had many cravings and they were never strong cravings.  I would happily forgo refined sugars, with the occasional exception, I don't need grains or legumes again.  Dairy, I'd maybe miss cheese, and perhaps have some occasionally, otherwise, I'm happy to kiss it goodbye. While DH is not on board, no one could ever take his popcorn or pasta or cheese from him, dare they try, he also eats what I serve him.  He eats healthier than what he did before we met. 

 

Positives so far aside from ahem... better bowel movements,  and I noticed this last night, I had an overwhelming sense of happiness.. not that I felt unhappy before, but this was a different kind of happy, a peaceful one, I've felt a bit lost since moving to the USA, its hard to explain, I love my husband and I don't regret moving, but there have been some changes that were just overwhelming. Also, I feel like I'm walking more upright, again, I never realised I wasn't, but apparently.. so, 2 strange and unexpected positives, that could be related to whole30. 

 

so before I write another long lengthy entry, here is yesterday's food log

 

M1: Spicy tuna cakes - made with salmon, sauteed kale in ghee, strawberries and a spoon of almond butter

M2: roast chicken with steamed cabbage and carrots, with a spoon of almond butter

M3: baked wild sockeye salmon filet, zoodles in homemade tomato sauce (own recipe), and a vege fritter

[Peppers]

Day 11

 

Went to the gym last night, could barely get anything done, it was so busy and our gym is small, DH and I are regretting the membership, we are contemplating cancelling and reverting to the one on post instead.  the only item, other than the myriad of weird machines, I could get on after I did my best with just dumbbells - no bench available either, was the recumbant bike, so I did 30mins on that.  not what I had planned. 

 

I'm lacking in water intake.  I carry a water bottle with me everywhere, I always have, I just don't drink enough from it.  I have started drinking the vegetable water from steamed kale and spinach, so that helps, but plain water I'm dragging my feet on, I'm fine with the taste, I don't need flavourings, I just need to actively drink!

 

anyway, meals yesterday:

 

M1: 2 salmon cakes, sauteed kale in ghee, papaya with coconut cream

M2: roast chicken with spinach salad, carrots and a spoon of almond butter

M3: home made burgers in lettuce and oven baked potato slices

[Peppers]

strange, I am sure I made a post yesterday, but its not here, oh well...

 

Day 13

 

placed my order for my grass fed beef/pastured pork yesterday, pick up is on Saturday.  ordered a bunch of marrow bones for bone broth.  I haven't made any yet, but I'm keen to. 

 

Yesterdays meals

 

M1: 2 salmon cakes, sauteed kale in ghee, papaya with coconut cream

M2: home made burger in lettuce with tomato and onion, 1 salmon cake

M3: chocolate chili with plantain chips

 

almost half way, I'm feeling better, not amazing yet, but that might take more than 30 days.  I'll get there, I will know that when I can get up at 6am for a morning walk and yoga, I will have made it back to a good road for optimal health.   

[Peppers]

Day 16

 

over half way now.  weekend was fine, slight disaster on Saturday morning, DH wanted pancakes and decided we had to go to iHOP, I figured it might be limited, but there had to be something on the menu I could have.  I ordered the beef tips, with onions and mushrooms, 2 hardboiled eggs and a side of fruit.  thought that I could get away with thatl I mentioned I was allergic to wheat and soy and could they check if either of those were used, waitress assured me they were not.  Order came, I took a bite of the beef, it was marinated, not sure in what, but it was sweet.., I politely removed that from my mouth.  I ate the eggs, and the fruit.  called it quits and even hubby declared that we need never go back to iHOP again.  Even not on the whole30, there still wasn't much I would eat there.  I should have known better, I just didn't want to deprive DH of what he wants, he is reasonably healthy, doesn't have any allergies or health complications, he is in the top 5 fittest at his work, and I know him well enough that you can't tell the man what to do, put the idea in his mind and let him consider it, he usually figures it out for himself.

 

so aside from that, everything was on track.  we had a beautiful warm(ish) weekend.

 

I'm starting to view this whole30 as a kick start.  I'm seeing what I'll take from it, and what I'll adjust after the 30.  after this 30, I want to do myself another '30' day thing - mostly to establish good habits, and really get the exercise portion of the healthy life sorted out, the yoga and morning walk as previously mentioned. The whole 30, I completely appreciate what it is, and what it is doing for me, but I see the negatives with all the positives, which is why I suppose this is not designed as a long term 'diet'. 

 

Yesterdays meals:

 

M1: scrambled eggs, steamed kale, grapefruit, tablespoon of Meenut butter

M2: steak fajitas

M3: Beef Massuman curry - didn't taste as good without the balance of palm sugar, will definitely put that back in post Whole30. 

[Peppers]

Day 17

 

making bone broth for the first time today.  bought a bunch of marrow bones from my local grass fed beef supplier.  looking forward to trying it out!

 

and yesterdays food log

 

M1: 2 salmon cakes, steamed Kale with ghee, papaya and coconut cream

M2: chili, avocado, coconut cream

M3: bora bora fireballs and steamed cabbage with kale and a spoon of meenut butter

[kirkor]

we need never go back to iHOP again

 

Plus, they add pancake batter to omelettes and scrambled eggs! 

[Peppers]

I saw that!!  so incredibly strange.  I felt the safest order was a boiled egg. 

 

Day 18

 

Last night DH told me he regrets not doing the whole30 with me.  He is up for promotion to the next rank in Feb and he has wanted to ace his PT test and Height/Weight to go on his record that goes to the board, his test date is Jan 27.  But for some reason hes still in the holiday slump.  Over the weekend he ate poorly, large bowl of popcorn 2 nights, pancakes on Saturday, several beers, cheesy burrito, one of those cheesesteak subway sandwiches and a cookie when he went out riding (Harley) on Monday, hes currently right on his upper weight limit.  His PT test is next Tuesday, he can lose 2lbs fairly easily by next week, but his uniform is tight around his waist.  Hes not fat by any means, but he has put on a bit of 'not muscle' as I politely inferred.  So his natural defence is to start drinking vegetable juice, nothing wrong with that, its not unhealthy at all.  but its also not long term.  He feels its the lifestyle, and thats true, neither of us enjoy it here in Tennessee, we want to move back to Hawaii.  We have a house there, we were both much more active and healthy there too.   So its a 90% probability we will move back there eventually, we only have just over one more year in Tennessee and then we can move. 

 

so yesterdays meals:

 

M1: Salmon cakes, steamed kale in ghee, half a grapefruit and a spoon of meenut butter

M2: bora bora fireballs and steamed cabbage, spoon of meenut butter

M3: bora bora fireballs, plantain chips and a glass of green juice (yes yes I know we are not supposed to drink our veges, but I did and I will to support my husband for a few days this week - green juice has: kale, spinach, cucumber, celery, lemon and green apple)

 

bone broth has about 15 hours in so far.. I tasted a little and it definitely needs at least another 12 hours. 

[Peppers]

Day 20

 

missed logging yesterday.  bored with the logging side of things.  but fine with the whole30.  I'm not finding I'm missing anything really.  I feel better than I did, but I'm not on top of the world.  but I feel better than I did.  I still have 10 days to go, and it took me awhile to get into an unhealthy state, so at least this is a step in the right direction.

 

will continue to log and stay compliant. 

[Peppers]

Day 23

 

Well I think I experienced what they call Tiger blood over the weekend.  Boundless energy and happiness, though I doubt I'm ever goign to jump out of bed unless I train myself to do so.  I wake up at 6.30 during the week and 7.30 on weekends.  but I enjoy the coziness of staying in bed.  Only way thats ever going to change is because I will myself to get out when I wake up. 

 

I am glad that its coming to an end, I was thinking about ending it yesterday, but decided I'll stick with it due to my commitment to doing so.  Mostly as I feel I have reached the potential and now want to explore a few different things, positive changes, adding juices back, which I mostly have anyway, but not feeling guilty about it!     My health has definitely improved, not everything is 100%, but a huge improvement.  Once the 30 days is up, I have agreed to my husbands request that we do a juice reboot.  So I'll take a 2 week break, essentially, but sticking with everything I learned adding in a glass of wine or two and a Valentines night out, and then will be embarking on a month of M-F juicing and the weekends will be Paleo.  I won't be going back to any previous habits.  Wheat and Soy are out of my life for good.

 

Heres to the last 7 days! 

[kirkor]

Juicing??

Hopefully mostly veggies vs. fruit?

[Peppers]

Yes, juicing, I can handle one month to support DH.  Of course mostly veggies.  I like fruit, but I've never been one to over do it, and I understand food composition.  There will be fats included too, avocado, coconut and olive oils and some nuts.   Then meats and whole veges in the weekends. 

 

Day 24

 

6 more days to go! 

 

I feel leaner in my hips and waist, my tummy is flat when lying down now, hasn't been like that in almost 2 years. 

 

I've always known how to eat properly, I just never had it negatively affect my health when I wasn't eating properly, so now it matters more.  I am a fan of Taubes from way back.  I've also seen the benefits of vegetable juices.  Nutritional science is like religion, everyone believes their theory is right because they have the scientific proof.  I am taking a common denominator approach review all the theories, eliminate what hurts me, and eat what nourishes me.  nothing processed, nothing manufactured, and that includes animals, if it lives, eats and dies in a healthy way, then that works for me - grass fed and pastured seems to fit that mold.

 

I have plans for a vege garden when we move back to Hawaii.  One of the things I didn't like about living there was the expense of fresh veges, and the availability was often limited.  a garden would help, and I have the perfect spot for it at our house.   

 

6 more days. 

[Peppers]

Day 27

 

Nearly finished!  still on track.  Thinking about re-intro and future lifestyle.  Whats in, whats out etc.  I very much like the idea of Paleo after the juice fast with hubby. 

 

I don't even find the sugary stuff a challenge.  so I've definitely won.  We had a baby shower at work the other day, there was alot of cake, I mean.. ALOT of cake, and chips with dip, cheese and crackers, also a couple of vege trays and I brought a fruit tray and some la croix.  The only thing I would have eaten if not on the whole 30 would have been the corn chips.  Then I left, went to whole foods, had some of their pulled pork and some salad/olives and picked up a few other things. 

 

I am looking forward to the 30 days to be over.  Just so I can eat this way and not call it a 'whole30', restrictions and counting down etc is a dangerous mind game.

[Peppers]

Day 30

 

Last day! 

 

I can't believe I made it.  well I can, but I've never, completed a set 'diet' schedule before.  all the 12 week challenges and I always just quit 3 -4 weeks in.  That I finished this, in itself, is an achievement.  Like most of us, I think this is a big lifestyle change.  aside from one or two things, I like this way of eating.  I don't feel guilty eating anymore.  i KNOW that the food is good and is going to properly nourish me.

 

I have discovered a slight addiction to plantain chips, which I can control.  I used 3 plantains, and that made alot of chips.  we ate them all.  But they are a bit of effort to make, so its not like I can reach for them when I've got the hungry's.  so that will be easy.  I made nachos yesterday, and used plantain chips, I thought I was going to miss the cheese, but discovered I absolutely did not.  I followed the recipe in WellFed2, made a few seasoning adjustments, but it was goooood!  I will never buy a packet seasoning mix again.  DH agreed.  I am having left over meat in my scrambled eggs this morning,along with some avocado and my usual bowl of steamed kale with ghee. 

 

We finally took our Christmas tree down yesterday, and put away all the decorations.  DH allows me to leave them up through January, but I discovered a bunch of uneaten candy, tossed the lot of it, then proceeded to toss the rest of the candy on the kitchen countertop - also left over from Christmas.  I don't need it or want it, haven't touched the stuff for a whole month.  I do however, have a bar of chocolate in the cupboard I am going to try.  Its an organic gingerbread chocolate that I bought when I was getting some supplies at our local organic grocer at the beginning of this whole30.

 

so tomorrow I shall summarize.