My Whole30 Food Log-Start 5/5

[KathrynAP]

I started my Whole30 Tuesday, 5/5. I plan to use this forum to track my food (a WW strategy that helps me stay accountable).

Day 1, Tuesday: Breakfast--egg, spinach, sugar free sausage, mashed cauliflower, green tea

Lunch--sugar free smoked salmon, soft boiled egg, cucumber, avocado, dill, tumeric, salt, pepper

Happy Hour with work friends--I ate a few hazelnuts before heading out to the gathering and drank water as I visited with my colleagues.

Dinner--Japanese sweet potato, asparagus, roasted pork belly

[Tom Denham]

You are not describing portions, but my guess is that you need to be eating more. Study the meal planning template and make sure you are eating at least the minimum and preferably more. 

 

http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf

[KathrynAP]

Thanks for the advice. Today, I ate more.

Breakfast: spinach, 1 egg, sausage, 1/2 c mashed cauliflower, 1/4 avocado, green tea.

Lunch: ground turkey with onions and pepper, spinach, salad with carrots, cucumbers and 1/4 avocado with lime juice, tumeric, salt & pepper.

Snack: 6 hazel nuts & a banana

Dinner: japanese sweet potato, tuscan kale with onions and garlic sauted in evoo, 5 oz grilled black drum fish with fresh herbs.

I'm feeling good. My tummy was a little sour this afternoon between lunch and dinner, so I ate a snack. The tuscan kale was delicious.

I've been walking 30 minutes on the treadmill each day.

[KathrynAP]

Day 3.

I slept well, yea! I am not feeling hungry, but I'm eating 3 meals a day as recommended. I'm going out to dinner tonight and that will be interesting....I'm planning on ordering a steak and veggies.

Off to walk on the treadmill.

[KathrynAP]

Day 4. I am feeling good!

Yesterday, I ate clean, even going out to dinner. I let the restaurant know before I arrived of my food restrictions. The chef worked with me to create a lovely 4 course meal. He did slip up once and included some "puffed wild rice" on the hamachi, but I just scraped it off. I had a roasted vegetable salad with fried kale, hamachi with micro greens, lamb & berries with edible flowers for dessert. My friend enjoyed a regular four course with a cocktail and wine--but I didn't feel deprived. I am committed to the Whole30. The waitstaff were encouraging, taking awaying the bread plate, keeping my sparkling water full. It was a nice meal.

I have started eating breakfast out on my patio in the backyard. It's really a wonderful way to start the day. My dog likes to join me. I've getting to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature to start the day.

In less than a week, I am traveling to Aspen for a business conference with my husband. He works in the food and wine world. We are staying in a condo, so I will be able to prepare many of my meals; however, I know from past experience that food and wine are a big part of this trip. I am working hard to establish habits and stick to my committment. I'll be posting daily, so please check in and see how I'm doing. I will need extra encouragement!

I intend to have a wonderful day!

[KathrynAP]

Day 6! Feelin' good! Yesterday, I made time for me in the morning to prepare a good breakfast--brussel sprouts, 2 eggs, cauliflower mash, avocado, and a little bit of watermelon. Good thing because I didn't get to eat lunch until almost 3:00. I was hungry, but not crazy. I made a salad with left over fish, lettuce, tomato, a little bit of homemade dressing and 1/4 avocado. Dinner--grilled chicken that I brined in salt water and fresh herbs, japanese sweet potato, and a yummy mix of bok choy and brussel sprouts with a balsamic glaze.

I slept all night last night! This is unusual--hopefully to become the norm. I woke up at 5:30 and was able to go back to sleep until 7:30 (again, unusual).

I spent some time this morning making a ground turkey mix with tomatoes, onions and peppers that I enjoy eating with breakfast and lunch. I'm going to freeze it in individual portions. This makes a fast go-to meal when served with a couple of veggies.

Today is Mother's Day and we're going out for dinner to celebrate. I plan to have a steak and veggie. The challenge will be no alcohol or bread. My husband is supportive so I will remind him before we go to dinner that I want to stick with the Whole30.

[KathrynAP]

6 successful days!! I took a walk in my neighborhood yesterday. I've done 30 minutes of some form of exercise (walking, stairs, bike) 5 of the last 6 days. I can do 30 minutes daily! Yesterday, I planned ahead and offered to make the reservations for Mothers Day...I chose a place where I knew I could order something I could enjoy. I ordered sparkling water while my family had champagne and red wine. I asked about the berries for dessert--they were served with simple syrup! Mine were served without simple syrup or whipped cream. I really enjoyed myself--even as my family ate and drank things that I'm choosing not to eat.

I just read "Cheating at Solitaire" and it helped me realized that the Whole30 is about how I FEEL, not so much about what I'm eating or not eating. The info in It Starts With Food helps me keep focused on what's good for me. But it's more than that--I don't want to eat things that wreck havoc on my internal system. I knew that sugar, dairy, etc weren't "good for me" but I learned the impact that these foods have on me and my regulatory systems. This knowledge helps me focus on eating for energy and health. I think it's about taking care of myself, and food is a way to nurture my mind, body and spirit.

[KathrynAP]

Yesterday, I got some very difficult feedback at work. Before committing to the Whole30, I would have walked in to the house, grabbed a giant bag of chips and chomped away in front of the tv. I didn't do that (good for me!). I realized that I was feeling upset, I projected forward to how I would feel after eating the chips and breaking my Whole30 commitment and I did something else. I picked up the clutter on the table and straightened up the kitchen. Resisting that initial urge to eat, eat, eat really helped me refocus my actions to something positive. I started dinner (taco salads) and continued to de-clutter. By the time dinner was ready, I was truly hungry and able to eat the delicious ground beef & salad I had prepared. I didn't even want any fruit after the meal. This is a HUGE accomplishment for me!

I woke up this morning, hungry and feeling refreshed and better able to process what happened yesterday. I ate an egg scramble with brussel sprouts, steak and tomatoes with cauliflower mash for breakfast--a great start to the day.

[KathrynAP]

A day of travel and the first day in Aspen--!00% committed. We are staying in a condo which makes sticking to the program. Our first stop was the grocery store. On our travel day (day 10), I ate a big egg scramble. For lunch I had a grilled salmon salad and asked for an alternate dressing (good for me!). I made dinner. I even made some clarified butter to cook with. Today, I had a scramble, left overs for lunch and veal with a salad. I did eat one RXBar as a treat after lunch. I really haven't been hungry...and I haven't had the sugar cravings I expected....it's a little weird. I drank a ton on sparkly water at dinner!

[KathrynAP]

Another successful day! I noticed that I ate a few cashews in the afternoon out of boredom, not hunger. At least I was aware and I didn't go off the Whole30! I thought that not having alcohol would be difficult (my husband is a sommelier), but it hasn't been bad. I do look forward to having a glass on wine on June 4! The hardest thing for me has been not to eat out of boredom. I got some berries yesterday and I enjoyed those for dessert last night after our meal of pork & goat sausage with leeks and kale. It could be that I'm getting a little bored eating basically the same thing everyday. The Whole30 email for day 13 is helpful with ideas for ways to spice it up. I'll have to try something different. We are eating Japanese tonight--sushi, well really sashimi and ponzu. I'll have to be watchful for soy, miso, and other forbidden ingredients. I'll do my best!

[KathrynAP]

Day 17! I made it through Aspen and devestating disappointments. My husband didn't pass any parts. I stayed strong in my committment to the Whole30. I didn't have any sushi at Kenichi or pasta at Aqualina or a true caesar salad at Steakhouse 316. And I didn't have a single drop of alcohol. I'm really proud of myself for sticking with the plan.

I'm feeling good, even though I'm profoundly sad. I'm looking forward to adding some new salad dresssings and protiens to my meals.

[KathrynAP]

Day 18...I didn't eat any forbidden foods, but I did eat when I wasn't hungry (cherries & cashews) and I ate out of boredom (1 RXBar & 1 small apple with cashew butter). This morning, I feel more sluggish than I have in a while.

I'm going to stay the course. I'm proud that I didn't go for the open bag of popcorn or chips in my pantry. That's something to celebrate!!

This wasn't my best day, but it was much better than my days prior to starting my Whole30.

[KathrynAP]

Day 25!! I can't believe I've almost completed my Whole30. My birthday is day 31...and I'm planning on enjoying myself with the new understandings I got about how food (and alcohol) impact me and my brain. I don't use illicit drugs...why would I put substances in my body that act the same way, just because they are socially acceptable? This realization has really helped me make good food choices. The only thing I've done over the past 25 days is eat a little bit too much fruit on a couple of days.

[KathrynAP]

Day 29! My daily Whole30 email suggests that I write my own success story, so here it goes!

GUIDELINES:

+I was eating (mostly) paleo before I started, and the simple, straightforward guidelines helped me focus on what I could eat, not on what I couldn't.

+I printed the shopping list, pantry stocking and meal planning sheets and put them in plastic page protectors. These were on my table where I plan meals, write my grocery lists, etc. They were always accessible. I consulted these forms when I was "hankering" for something different and wanted to honor my committment. The meal planning visuals helped me incorporate more veggies into my meals. I usually ate at least 2 different veggies with each meal--even breakfast! (Cauliflower puree to the rescue!)

VARIETY:

+I am a creature of habit. Once I find something that works (easy to prepare, can be made ahead), I tend to stick with it. This worked for the first 2 weeks of my Whole30, but I found I wanted more FLAVOR (and not more salt).

+I went spice shopping! Penzey's is a great place to find interesting spice blends. I'm lucky that there is a store in Austin but Penzey's also has an awesome website. I went to the store and got to smell and carefully read each ingredient. I selected Hot Curry, Rogan Josh (a spice blend reminiscent of an Indian dish with the same name), Garam Marsala and a Penzey's blend called Mural of Flavor. I've used these on proteins and veggies and they really made a difference! I also got some "flavored" salts at Central Market/Whole Foods. For example, I used porcini mushroom salt to season steaks and truffle salt for veggies.

+I prioritized ethically sourced proteins when budgeting for food. Yes, these cost more, but I didn't buy any processed foods.

+I tried a variety of proteins. I have prepared lamb, veal, beef, fish (several varieties--black drum is a favorite!), poultry (including quail), and pork. Grilling is my go-to cooking method. I love my gas grill!!

+Whole Foods has an easy to read "grading system" for the proteins they sell. It was easy for me to purchase ethically sourced proteins of all kinds. The folks at Central Market (HEB) were also very helpful when I asked, "Where did this [protein] come from? How was it raised?" (uswellness.com is an excellent online source for ethically sourced proteins as well. I've shopped there too.) There are also local farmers markets and butcher shops where I was able to get fresh eggs, fresh fish and locally, ethically raised proteins.

+I consulted cookbooks and the internet when meal planning. Nom Nom Paleo and Against All Grains are two of my favorites. I watched youtube videos to learn how to grill quail and ocra (both turned out deliciously!).

SUPPORT:

+I looked forward to my Whole30 email daily. These encouraged, educated and provided a "roadmap" to me during my Whole30. Honestly, I almost didn't sign up but I decided "hey, I'm worth $15!" and I'm so glad I did. I've archived the emails and I know I'll be referring to them regularly as I transition.

+While my family didn't join me in my Whole30, they were very supportive. My husband (we don't have children) was happy to eat the new varieties of veggies and proteins. He really didn't notice any difference!

+I've dined out a lot during my Whole30. Most places have been happy to work with my eating guidelines. I've learned to ask for what I need, and I don't make apologies!

+It Starts with Food (and associated website) was instrumental in my success. I appreciate the writing style and the information. Understanding what super-normally stimulating foods do to my body and mind really helped me make good choices. I intend to review this book regularly as I transition into "everyday" eating.

CHALLENGES:

+During my Whole30, I received a "not meeting standards" work evaluation that effectively means I will no longer have a job in a few months and my husband did not pass a professional exam that he's been preparing for for 8 years. I have been under tremendous stress, but I stuck with my Whole30. Why? I believe that what I learned from It Starts with Food made the difference. I was able to reflect on the impact of super-normally stimulating foods like alcohol and potato chips and CHOOSE not to eat/drink them. Sticking to the plan helped me feel better mentally and physically during this difficult period.

+I eat when I'm bored. The first step to working on this challenge was to be aware of it! Now that I'm cognizant of this "default" behavior, I have developed other ways of coping. For example, I ask myself, "am I really hungry?" If I am, I have a small snack; if not, I may have a cup of tea, or engage in some activity. Just being aware of this behavior has helped me change it.

My clothes are fitting better, I feel terrific, my knees don't hurt in the morning, and my skin is glowing (people have actually said this to me!). When I weigh on day 31, I know I'll have lost pounds. But that's not my success--my success resides in what I gained--a new relationship with food.

Kathryn