Emily's first whole30 log

[EmilyK]

Just so I have this all in one place...also, feedback is welcome. 

 

Began my first whole30 on 2/15/15.

 

Day 1:

 

M1 (8:30 AM): Black coffee.  Potato hash cooked in bacon drippings, spinach and tomatoes, 3 eggs over easy.  (I could only finish about 2/3 of this.)

M2: (12:30 PM): Two "handfuls" of roasted chicken mixed with 2 tbsp. homemade mayo on baby kale and tomatoes.

M3: (5:30 PM): Crispy carnitas, lettuce wraps, tomatoes & guacamole, banana.

 

Day 2:

 

M1: (7:45 AM): Coffee w/coconut milk.  3 Prosciutto veggie frittata muffins (with spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes), banana.

M2: (11:30 AM): Carnitas salad with guacamole from Chipotle.

M3: (5:30 PM): Cracklin' Chicken thighs (2), roasted sweet potatoes, carrots, and broccoli & bacon.

 

Day 3:

 

M1 (8:15 AM): Coffee w/coconut milk.  3 scrambled eggs with sweet potatoes, asparagus, and mushrooms.  Banana.

M2 (12:00 PM): 2 buffalo ranch chicken stuffed peppers topped with guacamole, spinach and baby kale salad with olive oil vinaigrette and grape tomatoes, 2 cuties.

M3 (5:45 PM): Taco lettuce wraps--4 leaves of butter lettuce and 1 cup of ground beef.  Half an avocado and grape tomatoes.  Roasted potatoes, carrots, and green beans.

 

Day 4:

 

M1 (8:00 AM): 3 scrambled eggs with some kalua pig, roasted potatoes, mushrooms, and tomatoes.  Coffee w/coconut milk.

M2 (12:30 PM): Ranch seasoned roasted chicken with 1/4 homemade mayo on greens.  Roasted potatoes, carrots, and green beans. 2 cuties.

M3 (6:30 PM): Turkey-cranberry meatballs, roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon, mixed potatoes fried in ghee.

 

I have been having a cup of herbal mint tea in the evenings, and so far have been really pleased with my lack of snacking (or even really wanting to).  I am craving "the bad stuff", but this is the first time I've ever worked a food program that I did not feel deprived and hungry and resentful.  So...yay!  I'm having some headachiness and crankiness yesterday and today, but I already feel that I am getting more restful sleep and have steadier energy and am VERY excited to see where I go from here. 

 

Day 5:

M1 (8:00 AM): Coffee w/coconut milk, 4 prosciutto and veggie frittata muffins with spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, roasted potatoes.

M2 (12:30 PM):  2 Buffalo ranch chicken stuffed peppers w/guacamole, roasted Brussels sprouts and bacon, 2 cuties.

M3: (6:00 PM): Beef stew

 

So I still kind of have a low level headache going on but I legit feel GOOD this morning. I actually bounced out of bed and took a shower and did my hair and put on makeup and made dinner and STILL got to work 15 minutes early. I am a lot less distracted here--not tunnel visioned on work but it's been a lot easier not to just drift all over the Internets instead of doing my job. And I still cannot get over how NOT HUNGRY I feel. There aren't cookies but there's FOOD which is remarkable based on my experiences in the past. I know there's still a long way to go but I feel like so far, whole30 is *really* agreeing with me.

 

Day 6:

M1 (7:30 AM): 3 scrambled eggs w/kalua pig, tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms.  Black coffee.  2 cuties.

M2 (12:30 PM): BBQ chicken, spinach and baby kale salad w/tomatoes, avocado, apple.

M3 (6:00 PM): Stir fried pork and eggs with broccoli, carrots, and green beans.

 

Day 7: 

M1 (7:30 AM): Coffee, 3 eggs with mushrooms and potatoes and tomatoes.

M2 (12:30 PM): 2 cuties, 4 turkey/cranberry meatballs, sweet potatoes and broccoli

M3 (6:00 PM): Cottage pie--ground beef, carrots, and green beans topped with mashed potatoes.

 

We have officially wrapped the first week of our first whole30 in this house. While I'm still pretty headachy and I still am noticing the glaring absence of cheese in all things, I am absolutely floored at how much different and better I feel. This is the first nutrition plan I've ever followed where I haven't found myself hungry and resentful a few days in. It is SO NICE to be able to eat. It's so freeing to be able to eat three meals and be satisfied and really, what I'm eating has been really damn delicious. Getting out of bed in the mornings has gone from something I have to really fight for to something that I almost want to do--mornings aren't rushed anymore, and I've not hit the snooze button once since Tuesday. I really am excited to see how the next steps treat me.

[Ytu]

Sounds delicious! I've added carnitas to the "things I want to try to make during my whole 30" list.

 

Snacking is hard to give up, but big meals really are key. You're doing great!

[EmilyK]

Seriously, slow-cooker pork shoulder that's been fried crispy in ghee is about as delicious as anything comes.  It pleased everyone in my family, even my five year old (who is very distressed by the no-dairy aspect of this whole30 for me).

 

I have really been enjoying what I've been cooking and eating so far.  I don't even miss cheese all that much    I was worried i'd have a harder time combating the "boredom eating" at work  because I have been a habitual grazer for years.  But after the first day of 3 larger meals, I've been doing okay regulating my "real" hunger with large meals--my coworkers are looking at what i'm eating like i'm insane.  Even though I'm kind of cranky and headachy right now, I really am pleasantly surprised with how much easier it has been for me to focus on everything and also my energy levels have been so much more level. 

 

I really tried to read as much as I could before I started and I feel like I have a pretty solid handle on how this is going so far.  it's very freeing in a lot of ways. 
 

[Hutlifr]

I thought I was going to miss cheese, until I realized my tummy felt so less tender without it. I had a big "wow" moment, and I am from THE cheese country. Try using coconut milk or cream to please your 5 year old, or almond milk...

[EmilyK]

Week 2:

Day 8:

M1 (8:30 AM): 3 scrambled eggs with bacon, asparagus, mushrooms, and tomatoes.

M2 (1:45 PM): beef stew

M3 (7:00 PM): smothered bacon and apple pork chops, roasted snow peas and carrots.

Day 9:

M1 (8:00 AM): 2 eggs, 2 pieces of bacon, sweet potatoes, asparagus, tomatoes, and mushrooms; 1 cutie; coffee.

M2 (1:00 PM): 2 handfuls shredded BBQ chicken, salad w/baby spinach, kale, bok choy, tomatoes, avocado; 1 cutie.

M3 (6:30 PM): crispy carnitas, sautéed carrots and green beans with dill and lemon, cinnamon roasted sweet potatoes.

So I thought I was doing really fine so far but I had my own version of a meltdown tonight, spurred by whiny children and a touchy furnace. I think I'm riding the carb rage just a little more than I thought.

I consistently hear that day 10 is the hardest, so I'm interested to see how tomorrow goes.

Day 10:

M1 (8:00 AM): Coffee, leftover carnitas w/2 eggs, tomatoes, asparagus, and mushrooms and roasted redskin potatoes, banana.

M2 (12:30 PM): Ranch seasoned chicken salad w/homemade mayo, roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes, 2 cuties.

M3 (6:30 PM): Burger on green salad, roasted sweet potatoes.

Day 11:

M1 (8:00 AM): 3 bacon and egg frittata muffins, roasted sweet potatoes, banana. Coffee.

M2: Smothered apple and onion pork chop, green salad w/homemade vinaigrette, orange.

M3 (6:30 PM): Sautéed chicken breast, peppers and cucumbers, roasted red potatoes.

Day 12:

M1 (7:00 AM): 3 scrambled eggs, roasted sweet potatoes, banana

M2 (1:00 PM): Smothered apple & onion pork chop, roasted potatoes, sautéed carrots and green beans; 2 cuties

M3 (6:00 PM): Five Guys double burger wrapped in lettuce with mustard, tomatoes, & pickles; roasted sweet potatoes

Day 13:

M1 (7:30 AM): Banana, 2 bacon and egg muffins, 2 turkey and cranberry meatballs, roasted red potatoes (It was an odds-and-ends-leftovers kind of breakfast)

M2 (12:30 PM): Chipotle--carnitas salad w/salsa and guac w/extra lettuce.

M3 (6:00 PM): five guys double burger with mustard, hot sauce, lettuce, tomato, and pickles; roasted redskin potatoes; 2cuties.

Day 14:

M1 (8:00 am): 3 scrambled eggs with peppers and asparagus, banana.

M2 (12:30 PM): smothered Apple and onion pork chop, baked potato with ghee.

M3 (5:00 PM): roasted chicken (and a lot of skin!), potatoes and carrots.

[hollylu]

Hi Emily - I started on the 15th too!

 

Your pork sounds really good - I am going to try that with a pork roast I have in the freezer as soon as I eat up some of the cooked chicken and salmon I have already in my fridge. Actually, all your food sounds really good - I want to come over to your house to eat!

 

I am also not missing cheese as much as I thought I would, but I am looking forward to using butter again instead of just ghee - to me butter has a much better flavor.

[EmilyK]

How are you feeling so far, holly? I'm happy to share any recipes you're interested in!

[EmilyK]

Week 3! Wow!

I am really bored with what I'm eating now, but did get some new veggies as well as some duck breasts this week to try and shake things up some. In spite of the food boredom, I am generally feeling SO AWESOME. I've had a couple of food dreams that left me feeling confused upon awakening, which I know is typical but still kind of unnerving. I'm sleeping so much better and have had no belly problems since beginning the whole30, and I have a lot more energy and my cravings have subsided a lot. I know we're not supposed to do any comparisons until the end, but I did take halfway-through body shots and the difference after just two weeks is staggering. I'm still really missing dairy and booze, but am not missing sugar and grains much at all which does surprise me.

Day 15:

M1 (8:30 am): 3 scrambled eggs with bacon, redskin potatoes, mushrooms, and tomatoes.
M2 (12:30 PM): roasted Brussels sprouts, a banana, and burger patty.
M3 (5:30 PM): pan seared lemon-lime chicken, crispy butternut squash (fried in ghee), tomatoes, 1/2 avocado, apple slices.

Day 16:
M1 (7:45 AM): 2 scrambled eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms, kalua pig, & a banana.
M2 (1:30 PM): Roasted chicken salad w/homemade mayo, baby spinach and kale salad w/tomatoes, chicken fat potatoes, & blueberries.
M3 (5:30 PM): crispy carnitas made with kalua pig, roasted cinnamon sweet potatoes and balsamic broccoli, cucumber slices.

Day 17:
M1 (7:00 AM): 3 bacon and egg frittata muffins, roasted cinnamon sweet potatoes, banana.
M2 (12:00 PM): 2 buffalo ranch chicken stuffed peppers w/avocado, Brussels sprouts with dried cranberries, 2 cuties.
M3: Taco Tuesday--mix of seasoned ground beef and chorizo; potatoes and carrots and broccoli; blueberries.

Day 18:
M1 (8:00 AM): 4 bacon/egg frittata muffins, banana, roasted potatoes/broccoli.
M2 (12:00 PM): Shredded roasted chicken mixed with homemade mayo, baby spinach/kale/arugula, tomatoes, orange.
M3 (6:30 PM): Cowboy chili, roasted green beans/carrots/broccoli with bacon.

Day 19:
M1 (7:45 AM): 2 scrambled eggs, kalua pig, sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes, banana.
M2 (11:30 AM):Cowboy chili, avocado, sweet potato/apple fritters.
M3 (6:30 PM): Roasted chicken mixed with homemade mayo, bacon Brussels sprouts, 2 sweet potato/Apple fritters.

Day 20:
M1 (7:45 AM): 4 bacon/egg frittata muffins, banana, 2 sweet potato/apple fritters.
M2 (12:00 PM): Kalua pig, roasted potatoes and carrots, bacon Brussels sprouts, orange.
M3 (6:30 PM): Crispy duck breasts, roasted golden beets, green beans.

Day 21:
M1 (8:00 AM): 2 scrambled eggs, kalua pig, sautéed spinach and arugula, mashed sweet potatoes.

M2 (12:30 PM): Cleaning out the fridge--kalua pig, duck breast, chicken fat carrots, roasted beets, and green beans.

M3 (5:30 PM): Lexi's Clean Kitchen crispy chicken bites, bacon-roasted potatoes/broccoli/carrots, 2 cuties.

 

Week 3 is a wrap!  :-D

[Hutlifr]

Food boredom? You have some of the prettiest variation in your meals... What food do you miss the most you cannot eat on this program?

[EmilyK]

I miss dairy the most.  I do miss wine as well, but the only thing that i still feel is glaringly missing from what i'm eating on a daily basis is dairy.

 

I'm glad it looks like I have a good variety in what I'm eating.  I feel like, after 15 days, if i have to eat another plate of scrambled eggs I might scream, but I can't really think of anything else that sounds better.  

 

Really.  Cheese.  Cheeeeeeese.

[Kmlynne]

Try to get out of the mindset that "breakfast"  M1 needs to include eggs.  Try having some leftovers from dinner.  Perhaps a little pureed soup with some chicken. Maybe sausage with veg hash.  

 

Once you start exploring other options, you will be surprised what sounds good first thing in the morning.  The other day, my coworkers were appalled that I was having stir-fried veggies with shrimp for "breakfast".....  I hadn't even thought about it until they said something

[EmilyK]

I don't necessarily feel like M1 has to be "breakfasty", ie eggy, or whatever. It just sort of....is what my palate wants in the mornings right now. I didn't used to eat breakfast at all so eating in the mornings is a change for sure. If something else sounded better than eggs I would totally eat that. Last couple of mornings I havent had much in the way of leftovers anyway. ;-)

[Hutlifr]

I think we all went thru this please no more eggs for meal one. Like km Lynne says, just eat what you would eat some lunch or dinner... It makes a big difference.

[Krista Billows Rodriguez]

Great job so far!

[EmilyK]

Now we're into the home stretch...week 4!

Day 22:

M1 (9:30 AM--DST is screwing with me heartily): 2 eggs w/kalua pig, bacon botatoes/broccoli/carrots, banana.

M2 (2:30 PM): DST wrecked my schedule so i had a mini meal of one turkey-cranberry meatball, a tangerine, and bacon carrots and potatoes.

M3 (5:30 PM): Roasted chicken and veggies, mashed jewel yams, strawberries.

Day 23:

M1 (7:30 AM): 2 scrambled eggs, kalua pig, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach/arugula. Strawberries.

M2 (12:00 PM): 3 Turkey cranberry meatballs, bacon-dripping-roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash soup, orange.

M3 (5:30 PM): roasted chicken with mayo, spinach/arugula salad, jewel yam puree, banana.

Day 24:

M1 (7:30 AM): 2 scrambled eggs, kalua pig, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach/arugula. Banana.

M2 (12:00 PM): Roasted chicken w/mayo, spinach/kale salad w/tomatoes, butternut squash soup, strawberries.

M3 (6:15 PM): Bacon burger patty, pan fried potatoes, roasted carrots/broccoli/mushrooms.

Day 25:

M1 (7:30 AM): 3 bacon/egg muffins, pan fried potatoes, roasted carrots & mushrooms, a banana.

M2 (11:30 AM): Bacon burger patty, pan fried potatoes, roasted broccoli/carrots/mushrooms, 2 cuties.

M3 (6:00 PM): Shrimp pad thai w/spaghetti squash, snow peas, carrots, red peppers, broccoli, and sunshine sauce.

Day 26:

M1 (7:45 AM): 2 turkey cranberry meatballs, butternut squash soup, bacon roasted Brussels sprouts, cutie.

M2 (12:00 PM): Shrimp pad Thai, banana.

M3 (6:30 PM): Slow cooker boneless pork ribs, bacon roasted sweet potatotes and snow peas, avocado, and tomatoes.

Day 27:

M1 (7:45 AM): Kalua pig, roasted bacon sweet potatoes and snow peas, banana.

M2 (11:30 AM): 2 turkey cranberry meatballs, bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes, 2 cuties.

M3: Beef barbacoa bowls, fried plantains, tomatoes & avocado.

Day 28:

M1 (9:00 AM): 3 scrambled eggs w/kalua pig, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, & arugula.

M2 (2:00 PM): kalua pig, fried plantains, snow peas, and berries.

M3 (6:00 PM): Roasted chicken and sweet/regular potatoes and carrots and broccoli.

Four weeks down!

[EmilyK]

The tippy end...

Day 29:
M1 (9:00 AM): Kalua pig, 2 scrambled eggs with mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes. Banana.

M2 (12:30 PM): beef barbacoa, spinach, fried plantains, and berries.

M3 (5:30 PM): Chicken verde, mashed sweet potatoes, avocado, & tomatoes.

 

DAY 30!!

M1 (7:45 AM): Roasted root veggies, broccoli, kalua pig, banana.

M2 (12:00 PM): Spinach and tomato salad w/roasted chicken and homemade mayo; mashed sweet potatoes.

M3 (6:00 PM): Sauteed kielbasa, smashed sweet potatoes, sauteed spinach and mushrooms, tomatoes, & berries.

 

...And that's a wrap!