New Around Here - Anyone Starting August 10?

[lulujoy]

I can't tell you guys how much I look forward to reading this forum. Your meals all sound delicious. I had fun with the cooking in the beginning of the week, but less so in the end because so much less time. As you'll see in the food log here, veggies and I just arent working. I would make some and they would be so unappealing. I have never had a problem making/eating veggies before, so trying to figure this out. Morning still unbelievably hard for me to eat. And then the thought of figuring out what to eat is getting a little tiresome. Having said that - haven't eaten anything non-compliant. Just need to get the veggie added to my meals and all will be better. I think I will try a hash in the mornings - a.) veggies and meat together may be easier b.) leftovers make other mornings easier. 

 

day4:

B: 2HB eggs, ½ avocado, strawberries (the thought of eating sooo hard. and to be honest I am sooo tired of washing dishes!)

L: Protein salad (chicken, celery) on spinach w/ strawberries and ¼ avocado & homemade italian dressing, celery & carrots (really awesome)

D: salmon

(very hard getting veggies in - not feeling them)

 

day 5

B:  2 fried eggs over leftover roasted potatoes & red pepper sauce and then iced black coffee (NOT HUNGRY. had to force down. not enough veggies)

L: sp. squash & meat sauce, snap peas, and grapes. (finally enough veggies in a meal)

D: large piece of salmon, beets …. (again struggling with veggies, they were on plate but couldn’t get them down)

S: 1HB egg and ¼ avocado (prob bored eating … but dinner was so light on veggies, which is why I was prob a little hungry)

 

Looking forward to spending tomorrow making week's meal plan and shopping and prepping. Please post meal plans/prep plans for the week if you have ones to share!

[kidsparrow37]

I've had problems with loose stool since starting, and they don't seem to be getting better. I tried adding more starchy veggies and cutting raw veggies, tried lowering and upping fat, I'm only having 1 cup of coffee a day, and I drink a ton of water. Any advice? This has never been an issue for me before, and I'm on day 7 of W30, day 11 of paleo (was including honey and wine before going full W30). Not to be too graphic, but I haven't been able to take my morning walks for fear of not having a bathroom nearby for the last week and I'm over it. 

[anchorageali]

Wow, was surprised to see people talking about day 6 already! I lose track of days and it feels like it's just been a few. Heading to farmers market for my veggies, hippie! Was running quite low. Having chicken chile lime soup for bft. Planning huge salad with all my new veggies, avocado, olive oil/vinegar and chicken for lunch. Probably salmon for dinner. In the elimination department, constipation is always a prob for me and so far is worse since starting this whole30. Feeling very tired but sleeping poorly. Always envious of those who have amazing sleep on this plan. Thinking I should work on a bigger time gap between eating and bed. Tend to eat last meal or snack pretty late. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

[anchorageali]

I meant yippee!! But the farmers market does have kind of a hippie vibe

[SterlingAug]

The tiredness really hit hard today. My digestive system is "explosive" again. I need to eat a good dinner tonight to try to get some energy.

[jmcbn]

I can't tell you guys how much I look forward to reading this forum. Your meals all sound delicious. I had fun with the cooking in the beginning of the week, but less so in the end because so much less time. As you'll see in the food log here, veggies and I just arent working. I would make some and they would be so unappealing. I have never had a problem making/eating veggies before, so trying to figure this out. Morning still unbelievably hard for me to eat. And then the thought of figuring out what to eat is getting a little tiresome. Having said that - haven't eaten anything non-compliant. Just need to get the veggie added to my meals and all will be better. I think I will try a hash in the mornings - a.) veggies and meat together may be easier b.) leftovers make other mornings easier. 

 

day4:

B: 2HB eggs, ½ avocado, strawberries (the thought of eating sooo hard. and to be honest I am sooo tired of washing dishes!)

L: Protein salad (chicken, celery) on spinach w/ strawberries and ¼ avocado & homemade italian dressing, celery & carrots (really awesome)

D: salmon

(very hard getting veggies in - not feeling them)

 

day 5

B:  2 fried eggs over leftover roasted potatoes & red pepper sauce and then iced black coffee (NOT HUNGRY. had to force down. not enough veggies)

L: sp. squash & meat sauce, snap peas, and grapes. (finally enough veggies in a meal)

D: large piece of salmon, beets …. (again struggling with veggies, they were on plate but couldn’t get them down)

S: 1HB egg and ¼ avocado (prob bored eating … but dinner was so light on veggies, which is why I was prob a little hungry)

 

Looking forward to spending tomorrow making week's meal plan and shopping and prepping. Please post meal plans/prep plans for the week if you have ones to share!

 

Yeah, apart from the veg you need to increase your protein. When eggs are your only source of protein you should be eating as many whole eggs as you hold in one hand, which is 3-4 for most people (although most folks report improved satiety when they eat proteins from a variety of sources). And yep, the fruit should NOT be pushing the veg off of your plate.

I've had problems with loose stool since starting, and they don't seem to be getting better. I tried adding more starchy veggies and cutting raw veggies, tried lowering and upping fat, I'm only having 1 cup of coffee a day, and I drink a ton of water. Any advice? This has never been an issue for me before, and I'm on day 7 of W30, day 11 of paleo (was including honey and wine before going full W30). Not to be too graphic, but I haven't been able to take my morning walks for fear of not having a bathroom nearby for the last week and I'm over it. 

When I first started eating Paleo some years back I had a transitional period where I didn't have digestive issues \as such, but when I needed to go I REALLY needed to go. I looked at improving my fat sources (ie. I avoided nuts!) and increased my water intake (by a HUGE amount) and things soon settled down for me...

 

Wow, was surprised to see people talking about day 6 already! I lose track of days and it feels like it's just been a few. Heading to farmers market for my veggies, hippie! Was running quite low. Having chicken chile lime soup for bft. Planning huge salad with all my new veggies, avocado, olive oil/vinegar and chicken for lunch. Probably salmon for dinner. In the elimination department, constipation is always a prob for me and so far is worse since starting this whole30. Feeling very tired but sleeping poorly. Always envious of those who have amazing sleep on this plan. Thinking I should work on a bigger time gap between eating and bed. Tend to eat last meal or snack pretty late. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

 

Tiredness can be a sign of a lack of fat, but since you mention snacking I wonder if you are eating too much fruit which is causing spikes & troughs in your blood sugar, or not enough in general. The constipation is fairly common & can be caused by too many raw veg, too many cruciferous veg, too many fruits/nuts, lack of water, and/or lack of activity.

If you'd like to post a few days worth of your food/liquid intake along with sleep/stress/activity levels we can maybe help you troubleshoot.

Many people report that saving their starchy veg for the last meal of the day can greatly improve their sleep. Failing that you could try an approved magnesium supplement.

The tiredness really hit hard today. My digestive system is "explosive" again. I need to eat a good dinner tonight to try to get some energy.

Please see above for recommendations re bowel movements & sleep - if you've any specific questions please ask. With regard to the tiredness I'd suggest upping your fat & ensuring you're drinking the minimum recommendation of half an ounce of water per pound of body weight in water, daily.

I hope you're feeling better soon.

[Rfisher261]

Wow I can't believe it's day 6! This week has flown by for me, probably because I'm also doing double duty in my office. The W30 has helped with that, since the only thing I wasn't stressing about this week was food. (Except day 3 when I forgot part of my lunch) 

 

One thing I did realize is the need to buy more food. This past week I had a plan for my dinners and then was taking leftovers for lunches. I only planned through Friday figuring I would have leftovers for today, then opened the fridge this morning and realized there was practically nothing in there! A lot of food used to go to waste because I ate out a lot, even after going shopping for the week. Nice to know I'm not wasting food anymore but realized I'll need to make more. Also when I started this week I wasn't able to eat the volume of veggies in the template but my body has quickly caught up and I'm easily downing 1-3 cups each meal. I made myself a huge salad for lunch one day this week. At first I looked at it thinking "I'm never going to finish this". But I ate every.last.bite. 

 

I think the best thing I can say so far is that the word that best describes my body right now is "quiet". My body feels calm and contented. Not sure if it will stay that way all the way through, but It's nice for now.

[courtnykay]

Yesterday - Day 4

M1: Leftover Brussel Sprouts Hash with One Egg, blueberries

M2: Leftover Chicken and Zucchini Poppers, Paleo mayo, salad greens with Tesserae's dressing

M3: Roasted Chicken, sprouts, roasted sweet potatoes, peach

 

Today - Day 5

M1: Leftover Brussel Sprouts Hash with Two Eggs, blueberries, olives

M2: Leftover Chicken and Zucchini Poppers, Guacamole, salad greens with Tesserae's dressing

M3: Kahlua pork, roasted sweet potatoes, cucumber/tomato salad with drizzled olive oil

 

I did have very loose stools this morning.  Is that normal while your body adjusts?

 

I haven't had a headache or been real cranky yet.  No weird food dreams.

amg871, there was another person in a thread above having the same problem in the bathroom....and my husband and I have both noticed our system seems to be "cleaning itself out",  I'm guessing it's normal. Seems weird to talk about this stuff with complete strangers, but hey, if we're all doing this challenging journey together, it kinda bonds us enough to discuss personal stuff too I guess, hehe!! Good luck with everything!

[courtnykay]

I know exactly what you mean. My day 2 and day 3 were quite "explosive".

 

Day 4 and day 5 has transitioned into a calmer situation.

You crack me up SterlingAug!!! hehehe!!!!! 

[courtnykay]

I haven't been by a computer this weekend until now, playing catch-up on everyone's progress!! It's inspiring to see the same people staying on track and not falling off our w30 wagon! Yay for all of us!!! Hubby and I are still going strong.

 

If we're being honest, there's not a whole lot that I miss in terms of food, it's been hot here in MI and a cold beer on the deck has sounded good....and so has a glass of milk with dinner, but that's about it. I have tried several new food items and recipes and have really enjoyed the flavors! So far we really haven't struck out, husband has approved everything so far (shocking!).

 

With that being said.....I'm exhausted and slightly overwhelmed. Very thankful I don't have a lot of social plans these next couple weekends because I have dedicated SO MUCH TIME to this, and it's only day 6 (ALMOST 7!!). I am sick of being in my kitchen, but on the bright side, I already have breakfast and lunch made for the next couple days so I can take a breather--sweet potato breakfast casserole and chicken enchilada stew with guacamole topping.

 

As of now, I have our meals planned out through next Thursday....if I can find some fiery roasted sesame oil?!?! Oh the things I didn't know existed until now.....

 

I really hoped to log more workout hours in conjunction with doing the program, but I'm struggling to find the time in my day. How do you people with kids do it?? I give you all so much credit! We both work 10-12 hour days, and have a dog, house, elaborate yard and gardens, and that's enough for me to feel stressed while doing the w30. I've been encouraging a co-worker to jump on board, but I'm afraid she won't stick with it due to her hectic lifestyle as a mom of 2. I guess if there's a will, there's a way, right?!

 

Almost 1/4 of the way done, great job everyone!!

[Guest unknown]

Mahalo to everyone for sharing, esp the recipe links (I will be trying the Chicken Zucchini Poppers soon). It helps to know you are out there. 

Survived my first trip to the cafeteria for dinner at my Sat evening volunteer gig (it's included and I usually overdo it). Big salad from the salad bar (brought my own balsamic dressing) and a nice piece of ahi fish. Totally resisted the Tropical Dreams ice cream selections. That may be a first-ever for me!

Sleeping longer but no headaches or digestive upsets. Did do a decent bike ride this morning (15 miles) in the heat and humidity, and had plenty energy.

Almost a week folks! Keep it up!

[jmcbn]

Please make this and tell me how it is.  The bacon, the mushrooms, the thyme, the bay. DAMMIT, why did I make the one that had nutmeg and over a cup of coconut products?  :'(

This turned out fab. REALLY tasty - good strong flavours.... I'd a job getting the lid on the tupperware without eating half of it first   

Just made the one batch, as per the recipe, but I was thinking it would be good as a stuffing for burgers in the same way I've seen people use guacamole... so might do double next time and use half for that.

[Macy30]

Hi all!

 

I started W30 on Aug 12 and am feeling good. So far Day 3 was the hardest for me but that may have been because it was such a stressful day at work and stress eating is my biggest issue. But I also went to Outback that night and had a great compliant meal that knocked me out of my funk. The grocery and I have become best friends now since I'm trying to buy all fresh meat, poultry and fish instead of the frozen items I had been buying before W30. But, I realized yesterday as I left the grocery that although I may have spent a little more than usual, I didn't have the guilty feeling I usually have after spending a little too much when I bought the normal processed "bad stuff". It's hard to rationalize buying the cookies, chips, cereals and pizza but so easy to say that the fresh chicken and fish were worth that extra $10! And I've learned A LOT reading the labels of all of those foods that I thought were good for me before. Why is sugar in EVERYTHING?! No wonder we're all addicted!

 

Anyone else not feeling quite as guilty during the W30?

[amg871]

amg871, there was another person in a thread above having the same problem in the bathroom....and my husband and I have both noticed our system seems to be "cleaning itself out",  I'm guessing it's normal. Seems weird to talk about this stuff with complete strangers, but hey, if we're all doing this challenging journey together, it kinda bonds us enough to discuss personal stuff too I guess, hehe!! Good luck with everything!

 

I know, I am not even on Facebook, yet here I am sharing these things  .  Things seem to have settled down thankfully.  I am wondering if it wasn't the large amount of brussel sprouts.

 

I do have a weird taste in my mouth.  It could be my sinuses.  Still no headache, but my head feels a little "foggy."  Continuing on my previous theme, I used to have stomach cramps in the morning before "you-know-what," and I haven't had those since starting the Whole30.  It'll be interesting to see which food is the culprit.

 

I am having a roasted sweet potato every night with dinner.  Hope that is not too much.  I am making sure to have other non-starchy vegetables as well with dinner.

 

I thought that I would have a hard time eating eggs every day, but I found that if I just saute some vegetables then scramble the eggs and mix them together, it isn't so bad.

 

BTW, I made this yesterday, and it was wonderful - Nom Nom Paleo Madras Chicken Salad.  Guess you have to like curry though.

 

The bad news is that I "think" I took a little bite of pasta last night while cooking it for my kids.  I am honestly not totally sure, but there's about a 70% chance that I did.  I didn't even realize it until a couple of minutes later.  I don't think that I am going to start over because the thought is too depressing.  So I think that I am going to see where I am at on Day 30, and maybe add 6 days.

[Janet Eileen]

Hi folks - I'd love to join you!

 

I initially started Tuesday, August 4th but wasn't fully prepped and made a few mistakes (it's August in Upstate NY and the local corn is to die for - at the time I didn't realize it was off the list, after all it's a veggie, right?). Even more significantly (for me psychologically) I made a bad choice last Saturday at a social event with no selzer options and succumbed to the pink champagne with blueberries floating in it. So, August 9th was my first compliant day and my Whole30 Daily started August 10. My Whole30 book arrived on Aug 9 and as I read it Sunday I recommitted to starting (and staying) clean. I had been thinking I could get away with that one small glass of champagne which I nursed all evening (and didn't even finish). After reading the book, I'm too excited about this process and the prospects to sell myself short. 

 

Thankfully, my husband (who isn't doing Whole30) is super supportive. He's home for the summer so I'm doing the planning and he's doing the cooking. Our plates have been exquisitely beautiful this week with purples, oranges, greens, reds, and yellows. Each one is a masterpiece!

 

Last night was a neighborhood social event (now I know I need to be prepared with my own drinks) and enjoyed a LOT of sparkling mineral water.

 

My first round was:

Saratoga sparkling mineral water with cucumber ribbons, blueberries, and a lime wedge.

 

My second round was:

San Pellegrino sparkling water with blueberries, peaches, and cherries. 

 

A little fruit heavy on the latter, maybe, but it worked and I stayed out of the beer and wine that was flowing. I'm taste testing sparkling mineral water and happy to report (since I live in Saratoga) that the Saratoga water is my preference so far (compared with Perrier and San Pellegrino). The Saratoga and San Pellegrino are close. Anyone have other compliant drinks they like? Giving up my wine is by far the hardest part of Whole30 for me which, incidentally, rather bothers me and reinforces the need to stick with the program. 

 

I also enjoyed the reaction at the party I got when I showed up with my dinner plate of:

 

Lettuce wrap turkey burger topped with leftover guac

Leftover potatoes topped with the hollandaise I make for lunch

Yellow peppers and guac (really needed to use it up)

 

Favorite recipes so far:

 

BREAKFAST

http://www.fromthiskitchentable.com/sweet-potato-breakfast-casserole/- cook on Sunday and you're all set for a working week of breakfasts. Enjoy with leftover cooked salmon. One morning I ate it with leftover swiss chard - my husband thought I was crazy (chard sweaters, anyone?) but it was delicious.

 

DINNER

http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2009/06/09/the-best-chicken-you-will-ever-eat-ever/- we did this on the grill as a beer can chicken (steamed over a beer can only, no beer directly on the chicken or in the sauce). I'm Celiac and have been gluten-free for 7 years. After research (and experience) the evaporating beer doesn't contaminate the chicken. Interested in thoughts and reactions on this thread re: the alcohol. If you think I blew it, then Sunday wasn't compliant and I'm officially an August 10 start. :-)

 

http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2011/05/08/paleo-pad-thai/- my husband and I absolutely ADORED this and it made great leftovers. The Sunshine Sauce is fabulous! We garnished with scallions, cashews, and lime juice (which I think made it). 

 

Salmon fried in a pan and topped with guac. Super simple.

 

I thought I was just going to introduce myself in a short post - didn't expect to get so long winded. One more thing that's working super-well is the Pepperplate iPad app for cooking and planning. I've been moving my recipes there since January but am now really benefiting from the meal planner. I can get a rough plan for the week set up on the weekend and minimize the risk of EPS and just plain dinner time stress. Plus, my husband can click right into the planner, pull up the recipes, and away he goes. Cooking is SO much easier when there's a plan.

 

Cheers, everyone. Glad to be part of this active thread. 

 

 

[smash2277]

I've never put fruit in my sparkling water, but Janet I think you just sold me on it! Blueberries now on the shopping list. I'm fighting with compliant rewards...such as a spoonful of sunflower seed butter because I've almost made it through the weekend...but I know that's a food without brakes for me...but it's so good in so many recipes...so trying to force myself to buy an immersion blender (yea I'm still talking about it:)) instead...

[jmcbn]

I've never put fruit in my sparkling water, but Janet I think you just sold me on it! Blueberries now on the shopping list. I'm fighting with compliant rewards...such as a spoonful of sunflower seed butter because I've almost made it through the weekend...but I know that's a food without brakes for me...but it's so good in so many recipes...so trying to force myself to buy an immersion blender (yea I'm still talking about it:)) instead...

Try to find non food related rewards - paint your nails, buy a glossy magazine, take a long bath.

 

[Ljmurray]

Day 8 for me and had my first food dream last night. I was served waffles at a restaurant while I was still searching the menu for something Whole 30 compliant to order. In my dream I was so mad with the restaurant that I left without eating anything! Wonder if that's why I woke up hungry this AM? LOL!

[SterlingAug]

Day 7 on Whole30 plan. I had my blood pressure checked at church since I take medication and it was 114 over 72 with a heart rate of 76. The nurse wants me to make a doctor appointment to get blood tests and lower/eliminate my medicines before it goes to low.

 

My wife and I are hitting the grocery stores every other day trying to stay ahead of all the foods we are eating. I don't mind spending the extra money on good foods compared to the junk we used to eat.

 

Making chili tonight...yum.

[GFChris]

Day 7 on Whole30 plan. I had my blood pressure checked at church since I take medication and it was 114 over 72 with a heart rate of 76. The nurse wants me to make a doctor appointment to get blood tests and lower/eliminate my medicines before it goes to low..

Why the concern about 114/72? Below 120/80 is where you want to be.

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/AboutHighBloodPressure/Understanding-Blood-Pressure-Readings_UCM_301764_Article.jsp#mainContent

For what condition(s) are you taking medication?

[SterlingAug]

I had high blood pressure and a slight heart attack in 2007. She is concerned that the last time I had it taken I was 120 over 85 and it dropped this much in only 7 days on Whole30. It could continue dropping over time and cause problems with low blood pressure.

[smash2277]

Try to find non food related rewards - paint your nails, buy a glossy magazine, take a long bath.

Just painted my nails, and bought flowers earlier, thanks!!

[MsZ]

Day 8!

We made it a whole week!!! Woohoo!!!

Finally had a good chunk of time yesterday to do some prep work and I know that will make a big difference this week.

Also had my first social gatherings, which were not as hard as I thought they would be. I brought a kombucha to the first one, but just drank sparkling water with lime at the second. Ate before I went to the first one and had a good compliant meal I made for the second.

Still really, really tired. So I am going to focus on sleep this week. I bought some natural calm for drinking before bed. I also got a sleep mask, plan to cool the house down a bit more at night, and will take a break from screens an hour before bed. More reading and less TV.

Today's Meal plans:

B: Egg Bake (3 eggs and many veggies) w/ avocado

Post WO snack: chicken drumstick and potatoes

L: Kale salad, two chicken drumsticks, a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, plus avocado.

D: Albacore tuna loin, undecided veggies side, and blueberries with coconut milk.

Off to a good start with week 2!

[courtnykay]

I know, I am not even on Facebook, yet here I am sharing these things  .  Things seem to have settled down thankfully.  I am wondering if it wasn't the large amount of brussel sprouts.

 

I do have a weird taste in my mouth.  It could be my sinuses.  Still no headache, but my head feels a little "foggy."  Continuing on my previous theme, I used to have stomach cramps in the morning before "you-know-what," and I haven't had those since starting the Whole30.  It'll be interesting to see which food is the culprit.

 

I am having a roasted sweet potato every night with dinner.  Hope that is not too much.  I am making sure to have other non-starchy vegetables as well with dinner.

 

I thought that I would have a hard time eating eggs every day, but I found that if I just saute some vegetables then scramble the eggs and mix them together, it isn't so bad.

 

BTW, I made this yesterday, and it was wonderful - Nom Nom Paleo Madras Chicken Salad.  Guess you have to like curry though.

 

The bad news is that I "think" I took a little bite of pasta last night while cooking it for my kids.  I am honestly not totally sure, but there's about a 70% chance that I did.  I didn't even realize it until a couple of minutes later.  I don't think that I am going to start over because the thought is too depressing.  So I think that I am going to see where I am at on Day 30, and maybe add 6 days.

Isn't it crazy how we just autopilot food into our mouths?!?! Like not even thinking about it? I wonder how many extra calories/fats/bad things I consumed in a day by taking an extra few triscuits, or a scoop of rice before putting the leftovers in the container....I'm sure it's alot. Thanks for the recipe share, I'll be checking that out for sure!!

[MsZ]

I ate breakfast at around 6:00 this morning and have a scheduled lunch at noon. That would put me at 6 hours between meals. I had a peach with me that I was going to eat with lunch, but I was hungry at 10:30, so I ate it. Now I am even more hungry!

 

Any suggestions for a better game plan when you have more than 4 or 5 hours between meals? The timing thing has been the hardest to work out for me.