Hi Everyone! New to Whole30!

[godwit]

Hello! I am planning to start my own Whole30 on Friday, hopefully with my roommate but if not I am prepared to go it alone. I am in my mid-20s and starting this journey for a few reasons. First is that I got into some really bad eating habits in the past year. I went from having a healthy, active lifestyle to living with some people who caused a lot of anxiety and stress. After I moved from there a little over a year ago I started working towards having a healthier mindset and in the process I stopped paying attention to what I was eating. This winter, especially, I was eating a LOT of junk... pizza, cheeseburgers, french fries, ice cream.... just a lot of really unhealthy stuff. I didn't realize it until I recently saw my doctor and had gained 30 pounds! In addition to just correcting my unhealthy diet, I also have really devastating environmental allergies. I currently am undergoing immunotherapy to the tune of three injections per weekly session, as well as a mix of four allergy and asthma drugs to keep my symptoms away (my asthma is allergy induced). My allergies have only goten worse over the years and I have already cut out most dairy (as I said, I still indulge in ice cream now and then). A friend of mine started Whole30 in January and has seen MAJOR improvements in her health, so much so that she has mostly stuck with it since she started, so I asked her if she thought this would help me and she agreed. So here I am! I am really hoping to include my roommate, I know in theory she will be on board but in our house we eat a lot of rice, beans, bread, peanut butter, etc. so it is going to be a big adjustment!

 

I do have a question, maybe someone can direct me to the correct board or offer some advice? I work really crazy hours, sometimes I am up at 4:30 am to go to work, other times I don't get home till after 11pm, and meal prep isn't really my strong suit. Those mornings I wake up early, I like quick and easy (usually a smoothie or protein shake once I get to work), and I don't have a microwave at work so when I want to eat dinner I need something that is good cold. Lunchtime is the only time I can guarantee myself time for a nice hot meal! Any ideas? Let me know!

[MeadowLily]

Batch cooking.   Everything.   On your days off, you'll have to make meals for Freeze N Thaw when you have to Grab N Go. You won't be able to leave anything to chance or flying by the seat of your pants.

 

Smoothies and shakes are out.  Bars won't get you there....talking about the fruit and nutty kinds.  Handfuls of nuts, dried fruits and nut butters won't get you there either.  If you really want to get better, you have to eat three meals of authentic whole foods.

 

Pseudo meals are for the birds.  So are nuts and seeds.  Batch cook and meal prep has to be your strong suit because snacking your way through a Whole 30 won't accomplish your goals.  Whole 30 requires cooking some food.

 

You can eat cans of tuna, salmon and herring and hard boiled eggs when you're pinched for time.   If you seriously mean business and changing your relationship with food and you want this.....

 

"A friend of mine started Whole30 in January and has seen MAJOR improvements in her health, so much so that she has mostly stuck with it since she started, so I asked her if she thought this would help me and she agreed."

 

You'll need to learn how to cook some basic foods for yourself.  If your roommate should decide to go for pizza and burgers over the weekends, you can't follow.  If she falls back into this.....

 

"I am really hoping to include my roommate, I know in theory she will be on board but in our house we eat a lot of rice, beans, bread, peanut butter, etc. so it is going to be a big adjustment!"

 

You can't follow.  It's difficult to get anyone on board if they're not 100% convinced this is for them. You'll have to go it alone if she should decide to snack.  It can be done.  There are many wives doing a Whole 30 without their family.  Do you have anyone like a relative who can help you make a roast beef for slicing into freezer bags? Can you grill a salmon? It doesn't have to be fancy.  You can get by with single ingredient foods.  I'm no Gordon Ramsey but I can make single ingredients.  Baked turkeys, chickens, roasts, grilled fish.  Roasted vegetables of every kind.  Eggs over easy.  Balsamic reductions are not difficult and make everything very tasty.  Homemade cranberry/pomegranate sauce, coleslaws, guacamole and salsas.  You can do it.  Tiny steps for tiny feet.

[ladyshanny]

In one afternoon (2 hours or less) you can prep food for your entire week:

 

Hardboil a dozen eggs (15 minutes)

Bake a dozen or more boneless, skinless chicken thighs (435F for 35 minutes)

Roast a tray of veggies (carrots, sweet onion, brocoli, green beans, peppers, bake at 435 for 35 minutes)

Roast 3-4 sweet potatoes

Make a batch of homemade mayo (5 minutes or less)

Make a batch of sunshine sauce (5 minutes or less)

Fry 2# of ground beef and 2# of ground pork (12 minutes each pan)

Make a pot of chocolate chili (about 10 minutes of actual work, more of simmering)

Slice up 4-5 bell peppers, shred a cabbage, chop a pound of green beans and dice up 2-3 onions.

Also make sure you have a bag of spinach or power greens in the fridge (Costco, great source!)

 

Now, you have a quick and easy breakfast (your chopped veggie mixture sauteed in fat, add any of the precooked meat, top with an egg, 15 minutes or less)

You have lunch (chocolate chili with roasted veggies)

You have dinner (any of the precooked meat sauteed with some of the kale & some of the veggies, add sunshine sauce OR coconut milk and spices of choice...curry is a good one)

And for emergency snacks you have hard boiled eggs & mayo.  

 

You simply need to reframe how you think about food.  The above works well and can be modified as you go.