Little Whistler's Log

[littlewhistler]

Hi - my name is Alison. I am 45 years old, live in the UK, am 5 foot nothing and need to lose about 50lb. I am fed up with being heavy, tired and uncomfortable. I suffer from sleep apneoa and despite being on cpap for the last three years I still feel tired so I have now been referred to a chronic fatigue clinic by the sleep clinic. I am not sure I fit the criteria on their web site. I work full time and am fairly active, have a reasonable social life, doing fitness classes a couple of times a week and walking 8k steps plus per day. Their web site describes someone who is "profoundly disabled" by their fatigue and needs help getting out. I am just grouchy, foggy and want more energy. The treatment they offer is essentially CBT. I think that if I do the Whole30, I can look doctors in the eye and show that I am making every effort with my own health and hopefully my energy levels will rise anyway and I can tell the clinic I do not need them any more. 

 

I am on day 5 and doing fine so far. I think I had a reasonably good diet before. For about the last six months I have eaten little processed food on a day to day basis and had more or less given up sweet foods but was eating dairy every day and not particularly avoiding grains or any additives or ingredients like soy and peanuts. We would have an indian or chinse takeaway about once a fortnight. I might go say two weeks without drinking alcohol but when I do I will make up for lost time   . The first week of this month I was on holiday so I won't deny there was rather a lot of spanish wine put away.

 

 I think pretty much breaking the sugar habit is helping me now though I still crave something sweet after dinner which I would normally fix with some greek yogurt. I do struggle a bit between meals. I was up at 6, had my breakfast at 7 and am now trying to hold out until lunch at 1 or it will be a long afternoon. I will allow myself an after noon snack if I am hungry because I won't get dinner until at least 6.30. I am normally out of the house 10.5 hours.

 

I live with my partner. He wouldn't be in the slightest bit interested in doing this with me, but mealtimes he eats whatever I put in front of him (when he makes a rare comment I tell him when he starts cooking them he can decide what we eat). As someone who has aways cooked he would be unlikely to see the difference and he is one of those people who see food almost purely as fuel. He practically inhales it and is off. I make him sandwiches for lunch but with crap bread which doesn't really interest me (give me some crusty chewy home made stuff and it would be a different story) and his crisps and sweets are kept in the cupboard under the stairs which I have no need to go into unless I need to read the meters or get some crisps and sweets  . Again, I buy the ones that I don't particularly like. 

 

Anyway, onto the food. I am trying to recall what I have eaten the last few days I am struggling to remember Friday, so I will try and start with Saturday:

 

Day 2

M1. Tesco Finest Bacon (Pork (89%), Water, Salt, Preservatives (Potassium Nitrate, Sodium Nitrite) and scrambled eggs (know there should probably have some veg in here but I had an empty fridge until my shopping was delivered)

M2. Grilled turkey steak and salad - baby kale, pea shoots (assumed these are OK given that sugar snap peas are - these are the leaves not even the pods), tomato, cucumber, HM mayo

M3. Balsamic chicken drumsticks (marinade of olive oil, organic balsamic and some compliant spices I brought back from Tenerife), jersey royal potatoes with a knob of clarified butter (KCB) and coleslaw made from carrot, courgette and onion all prepared on my new spiralizer with HM mayonaise. 

 

Day 3

M1 eggs scrambled with spiralized courgette, bacon

M2 sliced roast beef wrapped around some roasted sweet potato cubes, baby kale and French's mustard (Spirit Vinegar, Water, Mustard Seed, Salt, Turmeric, Paprika, Spice, Flavouring, Garlic Powder)

M3 slow cooked pork shoulder basted with some apple juice (no added sugar), cabbage, green beans, baked potato KCB. 

Nakd Bar - yeah I know. I bought it to eat when my friends were eating after a 5k charity fun run I did in the morning but didn't fancy it then. 

 

Day 4

M1 - kitchen sink scrambled eggs with leftover cabbage and potato

M2 - drumsticks left from Saturday and salad (baby kale, pea shoots, tomato, cucumber, avocado), walnut oil and organic white wine vinegar

Snack - salted almonds

M3 - lamb bolognese made with leftover ratatouille from the book (just remembered I had that for dinner of Friday with steak!) and courgette noodles (love my spiralizer!). I thought I would miss cheese on this but I didn't. Maybe because it was made with lamb and was rich anyway. I think I would have if I had used beef. It was delicious! Froze the other half for next week. 

 

Day 5 today

M1 - kitchen sink scrambled eggs with leftover cabbage and potato

M2 - leftover pork from Sunday with salad as per Day 4

Snack - whatever I go out and get. Rather than keep it in my drawer I go out and get something. If I am truly hungry then I will be prepared to get up and get some Fitbit steps in to get it! If I keep stuff in my drawer I will eat it regardless. 

M3 - turkey steaks, sweet potato, brussels sprouts, KCB

 

Thanks for reading my long, long first log entry x

[jmcbn]

Hi Alison & welcome to Whole30ville - I'm not too far away from you, across the pond in Ireland 

 

You don't look to be doing too bad food wise so far, although I *would* say to not nip out & get something for your snack later... Snacking is very much discouraged on whole30 as your digestive system needs down time between meals - up the size of each meal to ensure you're getting between 4-5 hrs of satiety, and if you *must* snack make it a 'mini-meal' of proteins, fats & veggies.

Nuts can be really hard on the digestive system, and bars of any kind are for emergency only, and the reason given for eating it was hardly that... Come on - you're better than that!! 

[littlewhistler]

Hi - jmbcn. Thanks for your encouragement. I am taking a holiday in Ireland later in the year. 

 

yes the bars are for emergency and I had no excuse for eating it when I did. I just ate it because it was there. I should have chucked it in the bin when I didn't eat it at the fun run. I was all squidged from my bum bag anyway   However I am going to give myself some credit for walking past the doughnut and burger stalls at the fun run and not scoffing down buttered toast like my friends did in the cafe. I just drank my water and casually did some stretches   

 

I am afraid I did get that snack. I was genuinely hungry. I did the water thing and waited 20 minutes. I had half a pack of snacking chorizo (Pork, smoked paprika, salt, garlic, preservatives sodium nitrite and potassium nitrate, antioxidant rosemary extract) and half a pack of apple slices. I remembered that it should be protein and carbs or carbs and fat etc as per the book. I have put the rest away for tomorrow. Again I think I will need it because I go to pilates after work and won't be having dinner until about 8. That said, I totally get that it isn't good to be grazing all day and will try to avoid it. I will chuck a bit more pork in my salad tomorrow. 

[jmcbn]

Yep, pre (& post) WO meals if you need them are fine - stick to protein & fats for pre, protein & carbs (not fruit, starchy veg is bette for restoring muscle glycogen supplies). Just keep any other type of snacking to a minimum for better results. I find if I make meal one my biggest meal of the day then I don't have the need to snack, & rarely need a preWO either...

Well done on passing up those doughnuts & burger stalls - the smells at those events are always so enticing!

Whereabouts in Ireland are you visiting? I'm heading to the Ring of Kerry for a couple of weeks myself.... 

[littlewhistler]

We are spending a few days in Kilarney and then catching the train to Dublin to stay with friends for their daughter's debs. Not sure we will do the whole Ring of Kerry but will spend some time out of the town. They appear to have a well set up tourist bus system to take you out and about. We don't want to hire a car.

Thanks the advice about pre workout meals. I'm going to add in an extra egg for M1.

Dinner changed somewhat because the Turkey had gone all yucky so I had yet more leftover pork (I think it's regenerating) stir fried with pineapple, pepper, onion and chili with coconut animos which were delivered from Amazon today. Hoping at almost £12 a bottle I wouldn't like them but I did. Better than soy sauce. Is it possible that oven baked cauliflower rice could be food without breaks? I ate tons of it. Cauliflower is probably my favourite veg.

[jmcbn]

Dublin is fantastic - it can be expensive, but the exchange rate for the euro is great at the minute which helps!! I live in the North, but try to get down for the odd weekend every so often...

There must be something about pork - when I make nomnompaleo's kalua pig it's like my tupperware is bottomless - it's delicious though so I'm not complaining! I've looked at the coconut aminos myself but I've not missed soy sauce in all the time I've cut out grains so £12 a bottle seemed like an extravagence... And no, I don't think you can over do the cauliflower - I was like that with brussel sprouts roasted in ghee & spices before they went out of season....  If you start getting wind & cramping though maybe cut back a bit as cruciferous veg can be problematic that way.

[littlewhistler]

I can eat sprouts and cabbage the same way too Luckily I have never noticed any particular windy problems. 

 

We have been to Dublin quit a few times staying with our friends, so we save a few more Guinness tokens that way. We have also had more of a "locals" view too, though we have done stuff like the Guinness tour too.  A few years ago we spent a few days in Cork before Dublin. Next time I would like to go to Belfast. 

 

I will post today's menu this evening when I have decided what to buy. I am short of a meal given the turkey got thrown away. I am thinking lamb steaks if the price is right. 

[littlewhistler]

This is today's food

 

M1 4 eggs cooked in pork fat, roasted swede and sweet potato

M2 Pork, pea shoots, baby kale, tomatoes, cucumber, walnut oil, wine vinegar

snack - 5 chorizo bites

M3 Chicken breast fried in CB, kale and jersey royals

 

Dreamed that I had a cheeseburger and had to start again. I was gutted and still had to think about it after I woke up. I was the same when I gave up smoking. For months I dreamed that I had been smoking and would feel so guilty when I woke up until I could convince myself it was just a dream!

 

Dying to weigh myself in the morning. It is as much a habit as brushing my teeth.

[littlewhistler]

Woke up this morning in good spirits. I got up half an hour before my alarm which isn't unusual but I didn't feel so groggy as usual. I am hoping something is happening.

 

Had breakfast this morning about 6.45 and am am starving  - my tummy is talking to me - but I will hold out until an early lunch at 12. Everything will be earlier today because I got into work earlier I can leave earlier so will get dinner before 6. 

 

Food plan today is:

 

M1 - 4 eggs, bit of chicken, brussels sprouts, roasted swede and swede potato scrambled with pork fat

M2 - roast turkey, rocket, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, apple slices, walnut oil, wine vinegar

M3 - beef mince cooked in HM chicken stock, baked potato with knob of CB, sprouts, kale and cabbage

[littlewhistler]

woke up yesterday feeling very tired. I had been out on Thursday night to a comedy and rock concert (band lead by the drummer from ELO) so instead of following my usual quiet bed time routine and lights out at 10, at 10.30 I was singing along and waving my arms in the air. By the time I got home I was tired, hungry and cranky. Maybe I should have had a small snack but I just didn't want it. I slept so badly (and sleep is very important to me with my apnoea). I am still tired now. Hoping the long weekend will give me a chance to recharge my batteries. I am booked into the Body Pump clinic today so I can start classes in the week. I plan to ride my bike there. Then Monday I am booked into aquafit. Tomorrow I am taking my nephew to Diggerland. Normally a bank holiday weekend would be an excuse for a big meal out and a boozing session but I am skipping the all temptation and just concentrating on healthy things instead. 

 

Food for yesterday was:

 

M1: 4 scrambled eggs with sweet potato, swede, cabbage

M2: Turkey salad with walnut oil and apple slices

snack - fresh coconut

M3: 100% beef burger, roasted aubergine, jersey royal potatoes with a knob of CB

[littlewhistler]

This was so good. Spiralised butternut squash and onion rosti, fried Burford Brown eggs and compliant bacon.

[littlewhistler]

Saturday's menu

 

M1: Spiralised butternut squash and onio rosti, eggs and bacon

M2: Chorizo, squash, onion, brussel sprouts hash with fried egg

M3: Garlic chicken drumsticks, baked potato with knob of CB, roasted pepper courgette and onion

 

I succumbed to some nuts and coconut chips during eurovision. I don't think I have watched it without the aid of wine before

 

Today - I was out for the day so lunch was more of a snack pack and not really as per template

 

M1: Same as Saturday

M2: chorizo, drumsticks, cherry tomatoes, three dates, coconut flakes

M3: Steak, bearnaise sauce, brussel sprouts, runner beans, mushrooms, baked potato with knob of CB

 

So it's Day 10. Can't believe I am a third of the way through! Still very tired. Didn't go to bed until after midnight because of eurovision and was awake at 6.30. Back to early nights. 

[littlewhistler]

Monday's meals:

 

M1: Spiralised butternut squash and onio rosti, eggs and bacon

M2: Pork meatballs, sweet potato, cucumber, tomatoes, garlic mayo, avocado

M3: cooking chorizo (pork, paprika, salt), jersey royal potatoes, padron peppers, fried egg, red mojo sauce, garlic mayo, mango

 

Today's meals:

M1: 4 x scrambled eggs, sweet potato, green beans, brussels sprouts

M2: Turkey, baby leaves, cucumber, tomato, avocado, padron peppers, red mojo sauce, sharon fruit

M3: Pork meatballs, butternut squash, cabbage, knob of CB

 

Day 12. It is going so fast! I am dying to weigh myself but am staying strong. No cravings as such. Maybe the odd fleeting though like mmm chocolate, but then I think oh yes, I don't do that and it passes. I didn't need a snack this afternoon so I am hoping my appetite is sorting itself out.

[littlewhistler]

Today's menu:

 

M1: Eggs scrambled with cabbage, sweet potato and mushroom

M2: Turkey, baby leaves, cucumber, tomato, avocado, padron peppers, red mojo sauce, sharon fruit

Snack: sliced chorizo - wasn't that hungry but was going to Bodypump after work

M3: Chicken casserole (onion, carrot, chicken thigh and stock from pressure cooking turkey drumstick)

 

The Bodypump class went OK. It was my first one. I was a bit apprehensive before but I surprised myself. Not sure I will be able to move tomorrow though!

[littlewhistler]

This morning was a bit of a disaster, dahling. I made the usual scrambled eggs and veg and as I was eating it I was getting crunch crunch with every chew. I must have blended in some shell. Yuck! So that went into the bin (I hate waste so I wasn't happy). So I had pretty much run out of time and eggs by then so I quickly ate an avocado so I had had something and when I got to work I had the pork meatballs that were intended for my lunch. 

 

So I just sent in search of something to have with my salad and managed to come back with Tesco corned beef (beef, salt, sodium nitrate) and some Polish sausage (Pork, Salt, Spices, Antioxidant (E316), Preservative (E250). I didn't really enjoy the corned beef because it was so salty but the sausage was OK. Will cube the rest up for breakfast. Also discovered sour cucumbers which I am hoping might be a good substitute for pickled ones and fresh saurkraut in the Polish section. 

 

My intended dinner is Lamb bolognese and courgette noodles. Hopefully with no crunchy bits... 

[jmcbn]

Also discovered sour cucumbers which I am hoping might be a good substitute for pickled ones and fresh saurkraut in the Polish section. 

I live on the sauerkraut - love it!! Sadly only the plain one is compliant in my local branch...

Were the sour cucumbers in Tesco too? Must go for a forage at some point....

[littlewhistler]

Hi - yes. Both were in Tesco. It is just a Metro branch so hopefully they would have them in a larger one. They were in the chiller cabinet in the Polish section. I have only ever bought sauerkraut in a jar before. I had one in my fridge but it had wine in it so I binned it. I put some of the compliant one under a chicken and roasted it with some apple juice. Was nice and tangy.

 

Food for Friday:

 

M1: Scrambled eggs x 4 with cabbage, butternut squash, polish sausage

M2: Baby leaves, cucumber, tomato, avocado, meatballs, walnut oil, apple slices (turned down an invite to nando's)

M3: Grilled pork belly slices, bubble & squeak (leftover potato, kale, sprouts, butternut squash)

 

Saturday:

M1: Spiralised BNS, bacon, fried eggs x 2

M2: Roast chicken and sauerkraut

M3: chilli, baked potato and CB, green beans

 

Today

Had kettlebells at 9 so had a snack of avocado and a slice of chicken an hour before and a couple of slices of chicken after to tide me over until I had breakfast at about 10.45

M1: Wedges made from leftover baked potatoes, fried eggs x 2, bacon

M2: Has made thai chicken curry and meatballs for in the week so had some of the sauce from the curry spooned over a couple of meatballs and some of yesterday's chicken and some spiralised courgette

M3: lancashire hot pot - lush (lamb chops, potato, carrots, swede, onions, kidneys, chicken stock cooked low in the oven all afternoon) and cabbage AND  half a Nakd Bar which I am not going to deny was just for the sugar hit. I got TOM yesterday and I know that isn't an excuse but I am happy now. I've been shattered all day after kettlebells and have felt a bit giddy a few times and have been very hot. Had plenty of starchy carbs in my dinner as per advice for TOM and have some BNS cooked ready for breakfast. 

 

Day 17 and I am well over half way - hurrah! Yesterday was tough. I went to see High Society at the Old Vic in the afternoon (it was swellegant and elegant!) and watching all that champagne being quaffed on stage gave me a terrible thirst lol. When I came out I bumped into a friend and her new BF who invited me for a get to know you drink but I stayed strong and said no. I know I could have just gone for just a soda water but the temptation to share a bottle of prosecco was just too much. Next week I am at the Globe in the afternoon with the friend and the BF said let's go for a drink after that. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. 

[littlewhistler]

Wow. Day 19. Tomorrow is another milestone. 

 

So yesterday I am cleaning up after dinner and all the sudden I feel like someone is feeding razor blades down my throat. Then I woke up in the night feeling ill and couldn't get back to sleep.I had my appointment with the chronic fatigue specialist today (a psychologist) and the good news is I do not have CFS nor do I have mental health problems. The bad news though is I still don't know what is causing my fatigue and TBH W30 isn't helping so far but maybe because I have been incubating a cold, it has hidden any benefits. It will certainly explain why I felt so wobbly on Sunday. I am pretty fed up because I was looking forward to my next body pump class tomorrow night and have had to cancel it. I was also joining a new singing group tonight so I have missed that too. I am determined that I will not miss my trip to The Globe Theatre on Saturday. I am seeing Jonathan Pryce in The Merchant of Venice.

 

So food yesterday was:

 

Eggs x 4 scrambled with cabbage and BNS

Chicken, baby leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, avocado, walnut oil, apple slices and grapes

Pork meatballs, tomato sauce, spiralised courgette and BNS

 

Today 

Pork meatballs - I couldn't stomach eggs

Leftover lamb hotpot

Thai chicken curry, BNS, cabbage and sprouts

 

Today hasn't been big on veg. My lunchtime salad is still in the fridge. I just couldn't bring myself to eat it. TBH all I wanted was toast and I didn't want breakfast at all but I knew it would be a long morning at the hospital so just got on with it. I came home to work from home rather than going into work but all I did was eat lunch and fall asleep. Now I am just sitting here and sneezing         

[littlewhistler]

Day 24. I haven't logged for a few days. I've been ill and just not interested. I have however been compliant though I have played fast and loose with the template a few times, either not wanting meat or veg. I am shattered.

 

Today's food:

 

M1. Leftover slice of spanish tortilla, two fried eggs and stir fried greens

M2. Leftover beef brisket stir fried with chinese leaves, a courgette and coconut animos, watermelon

M3: Baby back ribs, stir fried greens, roasted aubergine, pepper, courgette and tomato

[jmcbn]

Hi littlewhistler - just coming out in sympathy with you as I woke last Thursday night/Friday morning having swallowed that same razor blade, lost my voice on Friday, spent much of the weekend sneezing and have been battling a head cold/sinus infection ever since.... I've been hungry, but nothing I eat has been appealing in any way.... Here's to a speedy recovery!!

[littlewhistler]

Yes I was feeling pretty sorry for myself and my sinuses are still a bit blocked. On a good note, I finished my W30 on Saturday. I kind of lost enthusiasm for my log because I wasn't feeling 100% and because I didn't really have much to say. I was eating the same old thing mostly (I wanted to keep it simple) and I wasn't having any particular drama with it or any particular insights. 

 

TBH I don't really feel any difference to when I started . I still have fatigue. I lost half a pound. Yipee. I know health is supposed to be the main focus and not weight but weight is what is troubling me, not because of vanity but because I have problems with things like aching joints, doing up shoe laces, bowing out of a fun run tomorrow with work colleagues because I have got too heavy since last year when I did it to run it this year. On paper I am fit as a fiddle with no cholesterol, blood pressure or diabetes problems. I wonder actually if I added too much fat to my foods. I know we shouldn't be scared of it but maybe a 5 foot nothing female doesn't need that much energy. I think a lot of the time I had a very big thumb and wasn't thinking about what fat was already in the food I was cooking before adding more. 

 

I have had a couple of NSVs. I think my skin is clearer and I am mostly able to go between meals without snacking. 

 

That said, I do not think at all that it was a waste of time. Maybe I need a bit longer. It is my intention to continue to eat as much as possible according to whole30 rules. One thing I would really like to not worry about is savoury products with small amounts of sugar in them and the odd dollop of ketchup (I only have it with burgers and sausages and even then just a tablespoon on the side). I would also like to eat the odd portions of peas and sweetcorn and maybe rice so will do a legume and grain reintroduction next week. 

 

This week I am focusing on dairy and gluten. I wanted to do these first because I think it is relatively easy not to eat legumes and other grains but other foods often have hidden wheat and milk and I am going away next weekend and I don't want to have to ask 20 questions for every meal I have out. So whilst I would not go out of may way to eat something in white sauce followed by ice cream, I want to know if I need to be afraid of the cream they put in the mash potato. 

 

So with my lunch today I have had a plain 0% fat yogurt and a lump of smoked cheddar. I am at work so god help everyone if I do blow lol. I deliberately picked things I didn't like that much. Cheese has always been a temptation to me and so far I have been happy to do without it so didn't want to start up any cravings. As for yogurt I much prefer the greek stuff and the one I had was watery and sour - yuk! I have never drunk milk straight. 

 

Anyway, I just had to interrupt my typing to run to the loo - my tummy bloated, it gurgled and then I thought I need to move NOW! I guess that might be pretty conclusive.