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March 2-31: First Whole30


chandra12

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Hello everyone!!

 

Just starting out the whole 30 (my first) and am on D3. I saw that some are tracking their meals here, which is a great idea! So far I'm feeling good, although tired in the afternoon yesterday and last night. It was hard to wake up this morning, but i'm ok now.

 

I've yet to feel hungry at all, really just being tired is my only "symptom". As for benefits, I can breathe better - does that make sense to anyone? I wouldn't say that I had a problem before, but I feel like my breaths are somehow deeper now.

 

Technically I'm just starting D3, but I already have already made all of my food today :-)

 

I'd love some breakfast recommendations since I don't like eggs.

 

Day 1:

M1: berries & papaya w/ coconut milk, coconut flakes, almonds & raisins, iced coffee w/ OA almond mylk

M2: salad w/ grilled chicken, 1/2 avocado, tomatoes, carrots, apples, sunflower seeds

M3: 'taco salad' w/ ground beef and homemade seasoning, spinach, tomatoes, 1/2 avocado

 

Day 2:

M1: berries & papaya w/ coconut milk, coconut flakes, almonds & raisins, 3 shots espresso over ice

M2: spinach, carrots and snap peas w/ green fajita chicken (amazing recipe: http://meatified.com/green-fajita-chicken/)and 1/2 avocado, oil and vinegar

Snack: larabar

M3: steak w/ seasoning, asparagus, sweet potato

Energy boost: decaf espresso shot

 

Day 3:

M1: berries, mango & papaya w/ coconut milk, coconut flakes, almonds & raisins, iced coffee w/ OA almond mylk

M2: zucchini, yellow squash, sweet potato, Moroccan shrimp, and 1/2 avocado

M3: grilled chicken and avocado salad w/ walnuts

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This is our recommendations regarding the composition of meals: http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf

 

You are missing protein at breakfast. This lack in the first meal puts a strain on the whole day. You don't have to eat eggs at breakfast. I had leftover lamb stew yesterday! 

 

Espresso and coffee serves as an appetite suppressant. While other approaches might encourage suppressing your appetite, we don't think the problem is your appetite. The problem is getting proper nutrition. You need a better balanced meal to start your day. 

 

Larabars are acceptable in emergency situations, not as snacks. They are basically candy bars that should be avoided.

 

Decaf espresso shot as an energy boost? How does that work?

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Thanks, Tom! As for breakfast, I'm just not a huge meat fan and don't like eggs so I feel a bit stuck. The thought of eating meat first thing in the morning isn't appealing as someone who was vegetarian since from birth until very recently. What are your thoughts on something like sweet potato and a fat, like avocado then? Or more coconut?

 

Definitely working on the snacking situation - I typically snack throughout the day so I'm def doing better!

 

As for coffee, its not on the table for me to give it up, I love it too much (and its allowed right?). For an energy boost, I think the decaf still provides it since it is strong tasting and hot :-) I didn't want the caffeine to interfere with sleep, but at the same time I was up working at 10pm so I needed to keep my eyes open.

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Does not have to be smoked salmon... Can be baked or grilled :) canned tuna as your meal 1? Sounds weird if you think of it as "breakfast" but that's why we call our meals m1, m2 and m3... It helps to think of new food types like that :)

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Thanks guys for all of your suggestions! Today I tried to stomach some chicken by making it VERY lemony and adding a thin coating of sweet potato. Also ate little later, an hour after my coffee, so I think that helped too although probably not a good strategy long term. Time for some lox this weekend for sure!

Day 4

M1: lemon chicken w/ sweet potato. Papaya w/ almonds, raisin, coconut flakes and coconut milk. Espresso over ice.

M2: spinach w/ lemon chicken, tomatoes, avocado, cashews

M3: "pad Thai" with chicken, spaghetti squash, peas in tahini/coconut aminos sauce.

All set for D5! Excited for the weekend to have the opportunity to buy some fresh fish and scallops - yum!

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D5 was the toughest day so far because I was at home and not at work, busy with sitting at a computer. My daughter and I usually go out for coffee and sweets after her playgroup but we didn't do that. Next week I think we will, and I'll get just an espresso - she can tackle the scone on her own.

Anyways,

M1: leftover chicken "pad Thai" with spaghetti squash and tahini. 3 shots espresso

M2: more pad Thai (very small amt left), spinach, carrots, avocado, olive oil, raisins, sesame seeds, balsamic, leftover sweet potato

Snack: small handful of almonds

M3: salmon, tuna and yellowtail sashimi. Avocado and mango.

Will try to incorporate more vegetables tomorrow, but I've pretty much run out of food options for breakfast. Groceries coming tomorrow - hopefully I've done a good job meal planning for next week.

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Meal planning and a well stocked kitchen are your best friends during a w30!

You are SO SO correct. I have never cooked this much in my entire life. Also, my grocery bill has never been higher but I think I'm still saving $$ because we rarely do takeout (sashimi exception!).

 

D6 Meals:

 

M1: spinach, 1 egg yoke, apple, cucumber. I'm VERY proud that I ate an egg (almost).

M2: almond encrusted chicken, veggies

Snack - 6pm - since dinner wouldnt be until 10 -- almonds

M3: scallops w/ roasted garlic potatoes, mango, cucumber

 

Just getting to cooking breakfast now - red thai curry w/ chicken and veggies.

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Glad you're settling in to your whole 30. I started March 1. I love cooking so I enjoy the fact this is forcing me to make the time to do what I love. I enjoy researching and meal planning... I'm geeky like that ☺️

 

I certainly enjoy it but am hoping to pick up some time saving habits in the future. I've made a couple of meals that I think are among the best I've ever made.

 

Last night I prepped sweet potatoes and 3 lbs. grilled chicken for the week. Also made red chicken curry and chili for dinner. The meals have left overs, so at least that is something! This in addition to some one off meal components for my 2 year old, like rice. 

 

D7:

 

M1: chicken curry - I've found that I can eat chicken first thing in the morning if it is in something spicy, like a red curry with lots of vegetables. Coffee (black)

M2: chicken curry, lots of peppers, avocado, cucumber, apple, spinach

M3: chili (here, from recommendations on this board, delicious, but added in 2 jalapenos for spice), lots of peppers again. Heavy on the peppers these days because I bought WAY too many. 

 

Definitely less tired than D6, and currently doing even better now that I'm writing this on D8 - even WITH losing an hour due to daylight savings.  I feel a bit bloated, but I gather that is expected. My skin looks great and head feels clear.

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Slept great last night! Did NOT want to get up this morning, but that is really nothing new. I oddly feel like a cross between being extremely tired/hungover and extremely energetic. It's an odd combination. 

 

D8:

M1: Chicken red thai curry w/ veggies over grilled 1/2 sweet potato, coffee w/ OA almond mylk

M2: Spinach salad w/ chicken, avocado, EVOO, raisins, almonds, peppers

M3: Thai basil chicken (super spicy, oops) over roasted potatoes. (probably 1 potato?)

 

Definitely too many potatoes today, but was cooking for my MIL last night who is not on whole30. Will ramp up the veggies at dinner tonight as I feel a bit bloated, although that may be a function of me being on D9 and not because I ate too many potatoes.

 

In general I can't believe how not hungry I am. I eat lunch because of the clock rather than because my stomach is growling at 10:30am, and even with that I didn't actually eat until 2pm. Was hungry by dinner at 8pm, but not famished. 

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Happy day 10 to me! These days I can't believe how easy this program is to stick to. I haven't weighed myself, but my husband has out of curiosity (he is also sticking to the Whole 30 meal plan, too) and has already dropped 5 lbs in just the 9 days. I don't care how much I've lost because I feel amazing, clothes fitting better and pretty much 0 cravings. It feels like I'm cheating because I feel this good and eat full fat thai curry over sweet potatoes.

 

D9:

M1: beef chili, coffee w/ OA almond mylk

M2: spinach salad with avocado (the entire thing), almonds, raisins, chicken, apple, sweet potato & EVOO

~5pm iced coffee while waiting for public transit, ugh! MTA I hate you.

M3: zucchini with red thai curry, side of thai basil chicken, 1/2 mango

 

I had some trouble falling asleep last night because I was working past midnight and also probably due to the coffee. Didn't help that I had to be up at 6 for an 8am work presentation, so I probably only got 4-5 hours of sleep. Hopefully I'll be able to make up for it tonight. Despite the lack of sleep, I don't feel as tired as I typically would have before Whole30.

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D10

M1: thai red curry w/ chicken and zucchini

M2: greens w/ grilled chicken, 1/2 avocado, EVOO, cranberrys, raisins, walnuts, almonds, blueberries, apple

M3: beef chili, sweet potatoes, asparagus, 2 potato skins

 

Sleepy today but I believe I slept soundly last night and got about 8 hours. 

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D12

M1: apple cucumber spinach

M2: thai green curry

M3: sweet potato w/ shredded chicken, spinach & hot sauce

 

D13

Don't recall M1 or M2 from this day, but was compliant :)

M3: coconut shrimp, roasted potatoes, brussel sprouts, mango/pineapple salsa

 

D14

M1: cucumber, apple, spinach

M2: bacon, brussel sprouts, berries

M2: Moroccan meatballs, sweet potatoes, asparagus, mango

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  • 1 month later...

So I never continued with this log OR updated on my successes! Whoops! It has been a busy time.

 

Anyways, YES, I did complete the Whole30. I lost a total of 5.5lbs and was extremely high energy by the end! My husband did the program with me and actually wrote me a Thank You card on the last day. He thanked me for making him do this. He had lost 7 lbs and noticed that he no longer had cravings throughout the day, especially after getting home from work before dinner is made...he used to devour chips or chocolate...anything in sight really. Now he just doesn't. Most days during the program he wouldn't even eat lunch until 3pm because he just wasn't hungry. He only ate because waiting any longer would ruin his appetite for dinner. Even 3 weeks later he still enjoys bringing his lunch to work - meat and veggies - or buying a salad.

 

My ending coincided with passover, so I incorporated diary/sugar/alcohol in too quickly in the course of the celebrations. After celebrations, I did back off though. I've made the discovery that I can't have milk. I am still coming to grips on this. My favorite thing is an iced coffee with cream no sugar from dunkin donuts. I had this for the first time after my whole30 and felt like i was going to throw up after only a few sips. Ended up throwing the whole thing away (!!!) and ordering hemp milk on freshdirect. This was all unbeknownst to my husband, who was traveling abroad during this time. He got off a 20 hour flight from South Africa and stopped at dunkin donuts on his way home to me....how devastating to have to throw that coffee away too!!! He is not a coffee drinker so it could not be saved. I tried my best to drink it, thinking maybe my previous experience was all in my head, but I felt sick from the very first sips. Too bad. So for now, coffee is black or with hemp or cashew milk. I haven't tried to explicitly much other dairy (it might sneak into the ingredient list of some things, like chocolate, but other than that I've only had cheese, and that was fine). I have to say that I feel a million times better. I no longer feel bloated all of the time and I feel higher energy, too.

 

I've kept up with a lot of the habits I developed over the 30 days. I cook much more. I cook simple recipes - meat, grilled veggies, no grains. I haven't had any cravings for bread, rice, even quinoa. I just don't want it. I can't describe it well, but it sounds exhausting to me. I've had corn tortilla chips - that seems fine. I've also indulged in chocolate - no problems with dairy there. My grocery list still looks similar to how it did during the whole 30. The thought of soda makes me feel ill. But I'm sipping wine as I type this :-)

 

All in all, I cannot recommend the Whole30 enough. I didn't find it exceptionally hard food wise after the first few days - all difficulties were due to me having to cook absolutely everything for our family for the 30 days. I really enjoyed the food though. We ate like kings. I learned to prepare and love many types of food. I can now cook a perfect steak on cast iron. I can make delicious scallops in 5 min. I can roast any vegetable. My whole family loves brussel sprouts. So how amazing is that?!?! 

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