My "Timeline" Experience (or lack thereof)

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Day 17 / Official* Day 3 (Sunday, November 22):

Food Log:

M1: I may have overdone it with the mineral water.  I had a headache this morning, along with a searing sore throat, nausea and diarrhea.  Or I was just sick.  Feeling that way, NOTHING was appealing, least of all eggs.  Despite staking a claim AGAINST smoothies*, I found it was the only thing I could even think to stomach.  Template in mind, I went with beef collagen protein powder, canned pumpkin, 1 cup of lite coconut milk, 1 cup of frozen mango and cinnamon, and then I added a big bowl of salad greens with EVOO on the side.  It was all for naught, though, as I promptly threw it all up.  At that point, a Carrot Cake Larabar was something I could handle and keep down.  Bone broth might have been a good option, but I didn’t have any on hand.  On days that you’re under the weather during a Whole30, I think it’s good to just do the best that you can with what you have.

Pre-WO: Nil (planned & needed recovery day)

Post-WO: Nil (planned & needed recovery day)

M2: I came around enough by lunch time that I decided to try making homemade mayo.  I even left the egg out so that it was at room temperature! I felt pretty slick with my stick blender and narrow container, but I must have poured the oil too quickly because the mixture failed to emulsify and I ended up with a dressing vs. a spreadable mayonnaise.  Thankfully, it still tasted great (even with EVOO vs. light-tasting olive oil) and it worked to make egg salad for my egg salad lettuce wraps.  I served them with salsa & black olives and a side of artichoke hearts.

M3: I was clearly much improved with an afternoon nap and put together Kalyn’s Kitchen Roasted Curried Cauliflower with Cumin & Lemon, topped with My Heart Beets Paleo Butter Chicken.  There really are enough great recipes out there that are Whole30-compliant that I should have no excuse for “food boredom” (although I may suffer from “cooking burnout”)!

 

Feelings Log: I was disappointed and frustrated with the mayo, but other than that, today was just a day.  Nothing spectacular to report, other than being spectacularly sick in the morning.  Maybe it WAS the restaurant meal.  I was tired, but I went to bed later than usual so that was not unexpected.

[ShannonM816]

You might try this method for making mayo -- you can use whatever oil, acid, herbs/seasonings you want, but just try this basic way of doing it. No drizzling, doesn't even have to be room temperature.

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Interesting, Shannon.  That's really close to what I did (started with 1 large egg, mustard powder, 1/4 cup of oil and salt at bottom of a tall and narrow plastic jar - maybe the plastic was the problem, vs. glass).  I had my immersion stick blender all the way at the bottom and kept it running continuously as I poured the remaining 1 cup of oil in.  All for naught.  Well, all for salad dressing, that is.  Maybe I needed two eggs since it wasn't extra large?

 

I'll try it again eventually.  Ideally when I get some light-tasting olive oil vs. extra virgin.  Not that I minded the taste, and I don't think the oil impacted the results.

 

Cheers,

 

-Lauren (GGG)

[ShannonM816]

Interesting, Shannon.  That's really close to what I did (started with 1 large egg, mustard powder, 1/4 cup of oil and salt at bottom of a tall and narrow plastic jar - maybe the plastic was the problem, vs. glass).  I had my immersion stick blender all the way at the bottom and kept it running continuously as I poured the remaining 1 cup of oil in.  All for naught.  Well, all for salad dressing, that is.  Maybe I needed two eggs since it wasn't extra large?

 

I'll try it again eventually.  Ideally when I get some light-tasting olive oil vs. extra virgin.  Not that I minded the taste, and I don't think the oil impacted the results.

 

Cheers,

 

-Lauren (GGG)

 

If you started with part of your oil in the jar and part out, you didn't follow the method I posted. Pour one cup of oil in your jar/cup/whatever you're making your mayo in (I do that first because I use mason jars with measurements on the side, so it's easy to just pour in a cup), break a whole egg in the jar (it can be straight out of the fridge, you don't have to wait for it to come to room temp). My eggs are usually rated as large, not extra large, and they work fine, but if your eggs were particularly small, you might need an extra, I'm not sure, and I've heard of people doing this method with an egg and an extra yolk for richer mayo. Add lemon juice or vinegar, salt, and whatever other herbs/spices you're going to use. Put the immersion blender down a the bottom of the jar, turn it on, hold it still for a few seconds until you see the mayo starting to form, then you can move it around some and start to pull it slowly up until it's out of the jar. That's it. No adding more oil as you blend. It's super easy. 

 

I don't think plastic vs glass would have made a difference. Next time I make some, I'll try to remember to try it in the plastic container that came with my blender instead of the glass jar I usually use and see. 

 

I don't know what kinds of oil you can find where you are, but many people like avocado oil or macadamia nut oil for their mayo, and I've even seen people use a mix of half coconut oil and half some other oil -- don't do all coconut oil or it will solidify in the fridge. This site even mentions baconnaise, beefonnaise, and duckonnaise -- made from those particular fats, so that might be something you could try.

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Thanks, Shannon!  Let me know how it goes in a plastic container (yes, it's the one that came with my blender), if you get to it before I do.

 

Cheers,

 

-Lauren (GGG)

[littleg]

Its funny that you posted this.  I had a mayo fail with what I thought was the "right" method.  Everything into jar - add stick blender - move stick blender around (that was the part that was wrong).  I think its the holding it totally still on the bottom for 20sec that works.  My next batch I switched oils (avocado to olive) and held the blender still - and it worked.  Obviously at this point it could have been the holding still OR the oil.  So my third batch I went back to the avocado and it worked.  So hold the blender still  If you were closer I'd send you a jar -  I've got 2 in the fridge right now (1 olive oil and 1 avocado) since hubs doesn't like the green avocado mayo

[ArtFossil]

The Serious Eats 2 minute mayo video (and the method I use) is use a tall jar (mayo, peanut butter or Mason all work well. Then:

"Place egg yolk, water, lemon juice, and mustard in the bottom of an immersion blender cup. Pour oil on top and allow to settle for 15 seconds. Place head of immersion blender at bottom of cup and switch it on. As mayonnaise forms, slowly tilt and lift the head of the immersion blender until all oil is emulsified. Season mayonnaise to taste with salt. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks."

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/10/two-minute-mayonnaise.html

No drizzling! Egg on the bottom! Start the stick blender on the bottom! There is physics involved here, which is as you blend the egg, you create a vortex which draws the oil down from the top, creating your emulsion. Note the proportions: 1 cup oil, not 1 1/4 cups.

Less than 2 minutes. Foolproof.

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Thank you so much for all of the troubleshooting!  I will let you know how my re-attempt goes!  I will definitely keep that blender still - I know it did create a vacuum at the bottom of the jar.  I really didn't expect a mayo fail - I've successfully  made my own aioli sauce before (very similar to mayo).

 

Cheers!

 

-Lauren (GGG)

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Day 18 / Official* Day 4 (Monday, November 23):

Food Log:

M1: 2 microwaved eggs (microwaving my food just feels “wrong” on a Whole30) served on a bed of leftover shredded cabbage fried in ghee with a side of salad greens with balsamic vinegar.  I was going to do EVOO too, but I left it in the fridge and it gelled into a solid, un-pourable mass.  I also need to bring some of my mayo/dressing to work!

Pre-WO: Nil (I actually started walking to the gym but changed my mind mid-way to take care of some important work items)

Post-WO: Nil (I actually started walking to the gym but changed my mind mid-way to take care of some important work items)

M2: Leftover Curried cabbage (from The Detoxinista’s Warm & Cozy Winter Detox) with cooked shrimp, plus a side of steamed broccoli and carrots and a small salad of mixed with EVOO (now pourable after taking it out of the fridge).  I made it through to supper time, but I was definitely searching around my desk for a packet of coconut butter (all out!).

 

It dawned on me as I was eating it that I actually made this recipe last week, BEFORE my switch-over to “official” Whole30 eating.  So it was likely made with non-compliant coconut milk.  However, I no longer have the can to confirm.  And since I already went through the mental hurdle of a re-start, I am NOT doing it again.  I will get my full thirty days come hell or high water; I just might have to go up to 34 (or 48) to get there!

 

M3: It was totally leftovers night.  My son had leftover pasta with beef, my husband had leftover rice and beans (you can tell they’re not doing Whole30!), and I had leftover baked chicken and roasted squash. I was casting about for a green veggie and found a half zucchini leftover from making zoodles.  In a fit of inspiration, I sliced it into rounds, dipped them in egg whites, dredged them in almond flour with spices (chili powder, cayenne powder and salt and pepper) and then pan-fried the rounds in ghee.  They made marvelous “chips” for salsa!  I’m thinking I will try the same treatment with onion for pan-fried “onion rings.”  I also tried dipping the rounds in my homemade dressing, but that was not very good.  It tasted a bit better on the squash but I think it is best saved for actual salad greens.  And I was definitely still on the hunt for coconut butter - I ended up eating one of my last apple-coconut bites from paleOMG.com as it was the only source of coconut to be found!  Sort of SWYPO but I was really after the coconut butter.  Time to re-order some packets!

 

Feelings Log: As much as I have been moaning and groaning about missing workouts, it was worth it today to plow through some work stuff that was outstanding.  Plus, it was probably a wise decision to skip the gym to continue recovery from my “sick Sunday.”  I wrapped up the day with a lovely evening writing and addressing Christmas cards in the glow of lights from our Christmas tree.  Since our trip was cancelled, I get to enjoy even more time with our beautiful decorations!  I also realized that after my panic about eating so much on Friday that my hunger naturally dropped off over the past few days, even with less fat in my template meals (I think I’ve finally “caught up” on my missing dietary fat after my IIFYM experience).

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

 Day 19 / Official* Day 5 (Tuesday, November 24):

Food Log:

M1: 2 fried eggs + 1 fried egg white (leftover from my zucchini rounds last night) served over shredded cabbage fried in ghee with a side of sliced raw red and yellow bell peppers.  Today is grocery day so I’m looking forward to switching things up from cabbage (but still not sick of eggs – yet).

Pre-WO: Nil (sick – still)

Post-WO: Nil (sick – still)

M2: 1 baked chicken breast with seasonings, sliced raw red and yellow bell peppers with homemade salad dressing and 1 open handful size roasted squash.  I also had a small handful of salted mixed nuts (cashews, almonds & pecans).  I didn’t notice any cravings or digestive upset caused by this small quantity.

M3: Fried ground beef and sautéed mushrooms served on a bed of fresh spinach leaves with a spoonful of salsa plus the very last apple-coconut bite from paleMG.com (I absolutely refuse to throw out food unless it is putrefying, especially if said food contains precious coconut butter!).

 

Feelings Log: I actually can’t believe I can go so long without eating between meals with no stomach rumbling and no thoughts of my erstwhile mid-morning snack. And that is without an extra serving of fat (on top of my cooking fat) today!  My activity level has been lower and my hunger/appetite followed – what a marvelous concept!  I think I might actually be getting “fat-adapted”!  I even remembered to bring a small container of homemade dressing today (which only produced a small leak in my lunch bag – oops).  Speaking of lunch bag, I had to upgrade from my zippered Thermos insulated lunch bag to just big shopping bags (or two insulated bags) to accommodate the volume of food – has this happened to anyone else?

 

I haven’t been listing what I’ve been drinking but lately it has involved a LOT of Traditional Medicinals’ Organic Throat Coat tea (I guess I caught my son’s cough), a mug of hot water with lemon juice to start the day, and lots of plain H2O throughout the day.  I wasn’t a regular coffee drinker before (and I don’t intend to become one now) but I’ve also had the odd cup of coffee (most likely on the weekend), either with a few spoonfuls of coconut milk or just plain black.  Interestingly (or maybe not so interesting given that I’ve stripped all sugar/sweeteners out of my diet for almost three weeks now), plain black coffee doesn’t taste so bitter to me now.  Mind you, the Koreans in my office brew it as thick and black as motor oil, so I’ve been doing half a cup of coffee plus half a cup of hot water.

 

I also had another “food dream,” but this wasn’t so much fantasizing about food.  I was snacking on a handful of chocolate chips (in the dream!) and I got upset with the realization, “hey, I can’t have this!” (Or let me re-frame that: “hey, I’m choosing not to have this right now!”). J

[littleg]

I use one of those reusable shopping bags for my lunch bag too  And its filled with glass containers since I try not to use plastic.  That thing must weigh 10 lbs in the morning!  

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Day 20 / Official* Day 6 (Wednesday, November 25):

Food Log:

M1: 1 scrambled egg cooked with leftover ground beef on a bed of wilted spinach with a spoonful of salsa plus ~1 cup mixed frozen berries, warmed up with a few tbsp. of coconut cream.  UPDATE: 10 a.m. and I was hungry.  Gosh darn fruit.  Or maybe it was the too-small serving of protein and veggies (I need the bulk from my cabbage!).

Pre-WO: ½ baked chicken breast with seasonings plus two handfuls of mixed roasted nuts (pecans, almonds & macadamia nuts.  I know this quantity of nuts is not ideal and I know this much fat pre-workout is ALSO not ideal, but gosh darn it, I was hungry!  Not a big enough breakfast).

Post-WO: ½ baked chicken breast + open handful size roasted squash. 

 

M2: This was my first major Whole30 meal-planning fail.  I stupidly or absentmindedly (or whatever) completely failed to pack a template lunch today.  I’ve also been scrambling more this week to put together template suppers.  Maybe because in my head, I was supposed to have been on an international flight last night!  Go figure it was my first day back to the gym and I was HUNGRY.  I ended up having a huge salad of mixed greens with EVOO & balsamic vinegar, a Chocolate Coconut Chew Larabar (it was disappointing – not surprising given how much I had built it up in my mind – I know there’s a lesson there for me – and a reminder to consider Melissa’s one-bite policy/rule if it’s not worth it, although I’m considering that moreso for when I get to “off-roading”), dried fruit & nuts (2 × 25g packet), an apple and a HUGE serving of pistachios.  That was the best I could scrounge up out of my office – I need to get a bag of frozen veggies in the office freezer and I’ll have to see if I can find some compliant canned tuna and chicken to stash in the cupboards.  We’ll see how my stomach responds to so many nuts.  I did at least manage to rein myself in before I had a second Larabar.

 

M3: It should be no surprise that this meal was a struggle for me, given what I ate for M2.  TEMPLATE MEALS ARE KEY!  I had half a cod fillet pan-fried in ghee and topped with nutritional yeast & dill.  I also made the onion rings I was considering yesterday (raw onion circles dipped in almond flour & spices and pan-fried) and added sautéed bell pepper and roasted white potato slices with EVOO, sea salt and rosemary.  I also added another coconut butter “bite” to round out the meal.  I don’t even enjoy them as much as spooning coconut butter straight out of the jar (or even squeezing out of the packet – I need to re-order!) but they do help with portion control.

 

And then there was all of the taste-tasting I did as I prepared some dishes for a big community Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.  I made herb mashed white potatoes (with ghee, coconut milk, rosemary, sage and thyme), mashed roasted squash (with coconut cream, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg) and a pecan topping for the squash (chopped pecans toasted in the oven with ghee, sea salt and cinnamon).  My Public Service Announcement to you: do NOT sample spoonfuls of toasted pecans.  At least I know I’m not going to be missing out by sticking to my compliant Whole30 sides tomorrow.  Everyone else will be lucky to get to sample my dishes because they are AMAZING!  I’m also planning to make some cranberry-orange “relish” (Whole30 recipe).  All of those options should keep me well clear of the pies!  And dark meat, here I come!  It’s my favourite but I used to avoid it because of the fat.  No wonder I always felt hungry for pie!

 

Feelings Log: This rumbly cough/chest cold is getting old, but I feel surprisingly balanced.  I’m not sure if this is “real” or if I’ve just mentally willed myself into this effect (would I feel the same way if I *hadn’t* read that this was one of the benefits of the program?).  Either way, the end result is the same, so I’ll take it!  Go figure that I would be hit with a lengthy period of interrupted sleep and then my own sickness while attempting a Whole30.  Sheesh, any time you try to do something really nice for yourself there is always at least one thing that would give you a reasonable “out” if you wanted to take it.  But I don’t take the easy way out!

 

A co-worker asked me what I was craving the most when I told him it was almost three weeks of no dairy, gluten, grains, legumes, sugar, etc.  And I realized I’m not really CRAVING anything.  On greater reflection, I DO miss: plain Greek yogurt (curious to see how the dairy introduction goes), quinoa, lentils (I’m picturing that they might occasionally stand in for the starchy veg in future template-style meals, depending on how the re-intro goes) and the occasional square of dark chocolate.  It will be nice to have the occasional dollop of natural peanut butter (our family switched away from the peanut butter with added crap years ago), but I’ve learned that I really need to take it easy with ALL nut butters (and the legume butter known as peanut butter).  And baked goods.  Not so much high-end pastries and the like, just the ritual of preparing them and enjoying them.  Yes, I see there is a lot of emotional attachment steeped in there, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  Food and its preparation can still be a celebration.  There will be some experimentation with SWYPO/Paleo baking after this Whole30 is over.  I’m curious to see how some creations with only compliant ingredients will turn out (fruit-sweetened vs. using honey or maple syrup or even stevia.  I expect the latter to be mind-blowingly sweet – I certainly won’t be consuming 2-3 packets per day as I was leading up to this Whole30!).  And then to see how and whether they fit into a template day. I know they won’t be Whole30 compliant and I’m not trying to suggest that they will be - all part of learning to “ride my own bike.”

 

In other news, I think I’m losing muscle definition (and also muscle mass, so my weight might actually go down, but I was hoping to lose body fat, not lean muscle mass!), but that might have to do more with taking time off from the gym.  I certainly didn’t feel enthused about how I looked in the gym mirror today, but that might have been more a reflection of how lousy I felt during my workout (to be expected after three days off).  I haven’t blown up into a “fat whale” (my fear with eating so much fat).  If it turns out that I can at least maintain my weight and yet still eat fat, I’ll take that over eating low-fat with dairy, gluten, grains, etc.!

 

On the whole, I was disappointed with my less-than-stellar (yet still compliant) food & portion choices today.  All is not lost, however, because I did learn something valuable.  STICK TO THE TEMPLATE.  Nuts are a poor emergency food choice.  Eating Larabars (better than standard vending machine fare, but not by as much as I’d like to think) makes me crave even MORE carbs.

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Day 21 / Official* Day 7 (Thursday, November 26):

Food Log:

M1: 3 egg “muffins” (I made another batch of my mini frittatas, this time with onion, bell pepper & spinach) and ~2.5 cups steamed broccoli, topped with my homemade dressing.  It actually coagulated into a spoonable mass in our super-cold office fridge, but quickly melted on the hot vegetables.

Pre-WO: 1 egg muffin (as per above)

Post-WO: A few bites of roasted squash, followed quickly by M2. 

M2: Leftover pan-fried cod fillet, topped with nutritional yeast, dried dill and lemon juice, leftover roasted white potatoes with EVOO & sea salt, the rest of the piece of roasted squash (palm-sized), 1 red bell pepper, and mixed green salad with homemade dressing & balsamic vinegar.  I clearly had to redeem myself with a serious template meal after yesterday’s epic fail!

M3: THANKSGIVING, WHOLE30-STYLE!  I did it!  There was a large community potluck at my apartment complex for all of the “foreigners” (mostly Americans, but also Canadians, French, Brits, Norwegians and others, about 80 people in total). I had a template meal with: Plate 1: 1 large serving of turkey (hip/thigh); a scoop of my mashed roasted squash with toasted pecans; a scoop of my herb mashed potatoes; my homemade cranberry sauce (I looked at the Whole30-approved cranberry recipe but I didn’t have all of the ingredients so I just winged it with what I DID have on hand); and a few spears of raw asparagus (if I’d know there was only going to be ONE vegetable dish that was compliant, I would have brought my own steamed or roasted veggies.  I didn’t realize there were so many ways to “bastardize” plain vegetables with honey, sugar, non-compliant bacon, bread crumbs, etc.!). 

 

One plate was actually totally fine, but in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I had plate 2: more dark meat with skin (!), more herb mashed potatoes (my mashed squash disappeared off of the buffet table in a hurry; I’m glad people liked it but I was disappointed I only got one serving myself!) and more of my cranberry sauce.  The sauce turned out so well that I really think I’ll have to put the recipe on my blog (http://www.thegoldengrahamgirl.com).  My much-neglected (of late) blog, that is. 

 

Thankfully somebody brought a dessert of mixed fruit (no sauce, no syrup, just fruit) so I had a large cup of green grapes for my after-dinner treat and I completely ignored the table laden with apple pies and strudel, carrot cake, etc.

 

Feelings Log: This morning I woke up with a) a huge coughing fit and the realization that a “Whole30 binge” leaves me feeling much less “binge-y” and far better than a “SAD” binge.  Yes, I had a lot of nuts (but my new and improved digestion seemed to handle them better – I’m not going to put that to the test with even MORE nuts, though) and starchy carbs, but with no added sugars or sweeteners, my blood sugar stayed much more even and I didn’t get the inflammatory response, runny nose and sore throat that would inevitably follow overdoing it on breads or sweets in the past.  It doesn’t make a Whole30 binge okay, but it does make it much easier to get back on track after overdoing it Whole30-style. 

 

Hopefully that won’t be the case after Thanksgiving tonight, though.  That’s just a great opportunity for a big template meal.  Turkey, mashed potato and squash, and veggies (I just have to make sure the veggies have no dairy butter or other non-compliant ingredients).  A packet of coconut butter would be my preferred choice for a fat, but I guess I’ll bring some ghee with me to put on my vegetables (I re-ordered coconut butter so hopefully it will show up next week!).  I have to say that I was very, VERY surprised at a recent post from Melissa Hartwig that tells you not to sweat it if you end up with some regular dairy butter on your mashed potatoes during a Whole30 Thanksgiving dinner (no call for a re-start).  That’s in glaring contrast to me worrying about the glycerin used in the coating on my B vitamins (which I have discontinued for the duration of the Whole30).  As the queen of Whole30 tough love, is a kinder, gentler Melissa appearing??

 

UPDATE: Per my M3 post above, Thanksgiving was fine.  I ate more than I needed, but I didn’t go crazy and I was very satisfied with the food choices I made.  Other than my husband, I don’t think anybody was the wiser that I was eating in a different way.  I’ve even got leftover cranberry sauce to serve with meals in the weeks ahead and I will definitely make it again for Christmas, Whole30 or not!

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

 

Finally!

 

It wasn't without another fail, though:

 

I finally sourced some high-oleic sunflower oil instead of the impossible-to-find-in-Korea light-tasting olive oil.  I dumped everything into the tall plastic blender bottle that came with my hand blender.  Lo and behold, the magic started to happen (white blobs of properly emulsified mayo formed in the bottom of the container) - but as more oil worked its way down, the mixture started to break apart and I ended up with yet another batch of "salad dressing."

 

I went on a hunch that I didn't have enough egg for the 1 cup of oil.  I added two eggs this time (straight out of the fridge - no need to have ingredients at room temperature) and I suddenly had success!  I whisked in dry mustard powder, sea salt and lemon juice to taste at the END of the process, when the mixture was safely set.  

 

Best mayo I've ever tasted!  Thank you to everyone for your tips!

 

Cheers,

 

-Lauren (GGG)

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Day 22 / Official* Day 8 (Friday, November 27):

Food Log:

M1: Egg salad made with 3 hard-boiled eggs and some homemade dressing, sea salt & black pepper.  I served it inside a yellow bell pepper with a side of fresh spinach and washed it down with a cup of brewed coffee with a few spoonfuls of coconut cream (and when I say coconut cream, I don’t just mean the thick part of coconut milk.  I’ve got an actual can of “coconut cream” which seems to be thicker and grainier than the fat from coconut milk.  It certainly does the trick!  I do need more high-fiber/cruciferous veggies at breakfast though, such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and/or cabbage.

Pre-WO: Nil (But I DID work out!  I got talked into it by my co-worker/noon-hour workout buddy at the last minute and it was well worth it – my best workout this week, and I did it fasted.  But I think it had more to do with the fact that it was a heavy LIFT workout – my fave – with fewer cardio elements to tax my breathing)

Post-WO: Nil (I just went straight for M2)

M2: Leftover pan-fried cod fillet, topped with nutritional yeast, dried dill and lemon juice; leftover roasted white potatoes with EVOO & sea salt; a piece of roasted squash (palm-sized) topped with coconut cream; red & yellow bell pepper slices; leftover homemade cranberry sauce, ALL served on a bed of spinach leaves.

M3: I started with a salad of mixed greens topped with sliced hard-boiled eggs (2) and black olives with balsamic vinegar and EVOO, followed by two mini egg muffins and two pieces of roasted squash with coconut oil (I’m so excited for my coconut butter to arrive to put on my squash – I find it much more satiating than the oil, probably due to the fiber in the actual coconut flesh).

 

Feelings Log: Well, I’m darn happy that my first whole week of an “official” Whole30 is in the books and especially glad that I made it through Thanksgiving (although I really didn’t expect that to throw me off track; I have routinely eaten “differently” at holidays throughout the years due to different “dietary experiments” including vegetarianism, IIFYM, etc.).

 

I’m sick and tired of feeling sick and tired but I certainly don’t blame Whole30 for my cold.  Who knows – maybe I’d be feeling even WORSE if I wasn’t eating this way.  My mood is certainly better.  And I’ve easily quadrupled (or more!) my daily fat intake with no ill effect.  I’m happy about that, because I was constantly craving it and feeling guilty about eating it during IIFYM.

 

However, I don’t like how SORE I feel after workouts.  Maybe that’s a function of working out while sick, but boy oh boy my lower back has been SO SORE lately.  My joints feel fine (less inflammation than when I was doing really heavy weights and following IIFYM), and I often feel fine DURING the workout (today was especially good, and I realized that I really like intense, HEAVY body-builder style workouts).  It’s just getting out of bed the next morning that my lower back complains!

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Day 23 / Official* Day 9 (Saturday, November 28):

Food Log:

M1: I fried scrambled eggs and cabbage together in ghee to form a sort of “patty” and served it with sliced red & yellow bell peppers and a clementine orange.

Pre-WO: Nil (recovery day)

Post-WO: Nil (recovery day)

Snack: While I was preparing my lunch (waiting for the chicken to bake – I was sad that I didn’t have any turkey leftovers!  That’s one downside of attending a community meal), I snacked on celery ribs (3) filled with raw almond butter.  Even raw (vs. roasted) almond butter has taken on a new sweetness for me.

M2: Butternut Squash Stuffing (from The Detoxinista’s Warm & Cozy Winter Detox, except I used leftover roasted acorn squash instead and omitted the pecans from the recipe – I got enough of those Wednesday & Thursday night!), baked chicken breast, homemade cranberry sauce and pan-fried broccoli.

M3: We went out to a Korean BBQ restaurant with our neighbours (all foreigners in Korea – there were a lot of hand gestures to communicate with the staff).  Since I couldn’t ask what was or wasn’t in the kimchi or meat marinades, I stuck to “dry” (non-marinated) meat wrapped in lettuce leaves and a side of raw bean sprouts and garlic cloves and king oyster mushrooms cooked on the grill with the meat.

 

Feelings Log: It was nice to go out and enjoy a large meal with friends without feeling overly stuffed or hot or uncomfortable afterwards.  That quantity of meat (and/or lack of water) did not seem to be optimal for my digestion, though, as things seemed to be a bit “backed up.”

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Day 24 / Official* Day 10 (Sunday, November 28):

Food Log:

M1: Apparently I have finally hit my limit on consecutive days of eggs for breakfast.  I had baked chicken breast on top of fried cabbage instead.  I consciously chose more fruit than usual as well, as I woke up with another headache.  I had a clementine orange, 4 sliced strawberries topped with 2 spoonfuls of hemp hearts and half a banana pan-fried in ghee and topped with cinnamon (wow – that is a SWEET treat – I would have never thought of frying banana until I saw it posted on the Whole30 Instagram account).

Pre-WO: Nil (recovery day – my lower back is still killing me)

Post-WO: Nil

M2: I finally had success with homemade mayo!  The key was to use TWO eggs with 1 cup of oil (high-oleic sunflower oil stood in for the elusive light-tasting olive oil).  I made egg salad with my fabulous new mayonnaise + three hard-boiled eggs.  I served it rolled up in lettuce leaves with 1 raw king oyster mushroom* & salsa on the side (*after last night’s restaurant meal, I felt very inspired and picked these up when I saw them at the local grocery store.  Previously we only ever ate white button mushrooms at home).

Snack: While I was preparing my supper, I snacked on an apple with both raw & roasted almond butter (definitely still a food with very late-acting brakes for me!).

M3: I wowed myself with oven-roasted salmon fillet (thanks to The Kitchn website: roasted with EVOO, sea salt & black pepper), served with a side of steamed broccoli topped with ghee and sautéed sliced zucchini and king oyster mushrooms.  It’s a good thing that the salmon was a success; I also tried to pan-fry some scallops and they were an abysmal failure.

 

Feelings Log: I don’t know if it was the hemp hearts or the copious quantities of oil consumed while perfecting my mayo today, but I had the opposite problem on the digestive front.  Oops.

 

It’s a darn good thing the mayonnaise finally worked out (I had another failed batch in the interim using the new oil but only 1 egg).  It made up for my increasing frustration at NOT finding compliant coconut milk.  I went to three different stores and must have checked no fewer than EIGHT different brands.  All of them contained some sort of sulfite and some also included xanthan gum as a thickener.  I even spotted the elusive Aroy-D brand, but it too had potassium metabisulfite.  Le sigh.  Even iHerb.com (my go-to for online ordering of “health food” ingredients) does not stock coconut milk.  Not being able to get certain “stock” items and not knowing what’s in others (such as canned tuna, due to my language barrier) is adding to the sense of restriction and the mental stress of this “expat Whole30.”  All surmountable of course; I just feel like whining.

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

So excited:

 

So disappointed:

 

TIA!

 

-Lauren (GGG)

[littleg]

That is the AroyD label?!  I wonder if their US one is a bit of a fib...?

 

 

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Things that make you go hmmmm...I know the labeling requirements in Korea are different because we occasionally see food products from North America with part of the label covered with a black bar (like the label "Organic").  Why would Aroy-D ship coconut milk from Thailand to the U.S. with NO preservative, but include a preservative for the S.K. market?

 

Strangely, everything I've googled on Aroy-D says "NO PRESERVATIVES."  "Unlike most of the coconut milk products available in the US, Aroy-D coconut milk is not diluted, which means no additives are needed."

 

Leave it to me to find the two cans WITH sulfites.  Yeesh.

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Day 25 / Official* Day 11 (Monday, November 30):

Food Log:

M1: 1 fried egg with leftover pan-fried zucchini & king oyster mushroom + medium bowl of mixed salad greens with EVOO and balsamic vinegar.  Hmmm…smaller-than-ideal serving of protein, no cruciferous vegetables and lower-satiating fat source (oil vs. coconut butter).  WHAT AM I DOING?  Lol, at least I can recite some “lessons learned.”  We’ll see if I’m starving by 10am.

Pre-WO: 1 hard-boiled egg with sea salt & black pepper

Post-WO: Nil – went straight for M2.

M2: 1 baked chicken breast with seasonings, open handful size roasted squash, ~1.5-2 cups steamed broccoli with homemade salad dressing and a few spoonfuls of leftover homemade cranberry sauce.  A packet of coconut butter would have rounded this meal out nicely but since my order hasn’t arrived yet, I went for a small handful of salted macadamia nuts instead (at least they’re the “best” nut choice).

Snack: For once I actually had a proper template mini-meal: 1 tin of tuna packed in oil (confirmed to be canola oil!), mixed salad greens and balsamic vinegar.  Protein (tuna), fat (oil), and carb (salad greens).  And of course I needed a snack because my breakfast was too small!

M3: Ground pork cooked in a skillet with onions, half an apple, raisins and sautéed king oyster mushrooms.  I served this with raw zucchini coins on the side, which I topped with homemade mayo, sea salt & black pepper.

 

Feelings Log: Hey, wow, I just realized that I have less than 1 week left of my “unofficial” Whole30.  I’ll keep going on my official day count of course, because there were conscious non-compliant choices in the first 14 days (such as coconut milk with preservatives or tuna packed in unknown oil and likely hidden added sugars UPDATE: yup, some of the tuna had added sweetener and other junk, but the oil was canola oil…).  But that’s almost 4 weeks of no dairy, no gluten, no grains, no legumes and no alcohol.  Go me!  And yesterday (Sunday) marked 4 weeks since my last can of Diet Coke!

 

I’ve had the occasional urge to chew a piece of gum (with xylitol) lately.  Partly just a habit reflex after a meal or to stave off the urge to snack; partly to freshen my breath.  Good news: I have toothbrushes (and mini tubes of toothpaste!) everywhere.

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Hallelujah! I may not ever get compliant coconut milk, but I just found out that the Kirkland Signature Low-Sodium Bacon from my local Costco IS compliant! That is cause for rejoicing! I know nitrites are not ideal, but there is no form of sugar and all additives are okay per the additives cheat sheet! To think I've been missing out on bacon for the past two plus weeks!

Cheers,

-Lauren (GGG)

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Day 26 / Official* Day 12 (Tuesday, December 1):

Food Log:

M1: Left over pork skillet from last night cooked with scrambled eggs, served with raw celery ribs and a little blob (half a spoonful) of homemade mayo.

Pre-WO: Nil (I wanted to work out, but it wouldn’t “look good” after showing up 2+ hours late this morning)

Post-WO: Nil

M2: An entire bunch of lettuce (seriously) for tuna salad wraps (1 tin of tuna packed in canola oil, drained and mixed with homemade mayo, sea salt & black pepper), with raw king oyster mushrooms and black olives on the side.  I had a “dessert” of brewed coffee with coconut cream (my last compliant coconut canned good) and an Apple Pie Larabar.  The Larabar did NOT cause me to feel “snack-y” all afternoon.

M3: Homemade “fish sticks” – pieces of cod fillet dredged in almond flour with sea salt, black pepper & dried dill, baked in the oven (they were a hit with my four-year-old AND with my hubby), steamed green beans, shredded cabbage fried in ghee (seriously  my new favourite side dish) and boiled white potato cubes with ghee.  I rounded out the meal with a single wedge of apple.  I had also found a package of steaks in the freezer so I cooked them all up to eat over the next few days.  Steak and eggs, here I come!

 

Feelings Log: I chose to stay in bed this morning instead of going to work at 6:30.  I didn’t get up until my son started calling for me at 7:30 and it was glorious.  I had breakfast with my family instead of at the office.  All of this really set the tone for a great day, and I’m starting to get in the holiday spirit.  The icing on the (proverbial) cake would have been to go for a run in the sunshine, but I couldn’t go in good conscience after taking a few “sick” hours this morning.

 

I completely forgot to mention last night’s “dessert”: a kid’s snack pack of unsweetened organic applesauce.  It turns out that just a few bites of apple is the perfect sweet treat to “finish off” a meal in my mind.

 

I’ve got an Indian food potluck coming up.  Initially I was nervous and wanted to decline the invite, but I can’t let my way of eating trump my social life.  I found a great-looking compliant aloo gobi recipe to try, and I already have all of the ingredients (including spices) on hand.  I’ll bring that and some Indian spiced-chicken, since I don’t expect the butter chicken to be compliant (although I do have a great recipe for that – if only I had some compliant coconut milk!).  Maybe I’ll just bring bacon.  I’m pretty pumped that I found out that the local Costco’s Kirkland Signature Low-Sodium Bacon is compliant! J

[jmcbn]

I completely forgot to mention last night’s “dessert”: a kid’s snack pack of unsweetened organic applesauce.  It turns out that just a few bites of apple is the perfect sweet treat to “finish off” a meal in my mind.

 

Yeah, the whole 'dessert' mind-set is something we'd encourage folk to move away from. If you need something to 'finish off' a meal try avoiding the 'treat' & go the opposite route of something pickled which will cleanse the pallet in exactly the same way, or maybe just clean your teeth. 

[SimpleNotEasy]

 

Feelings Log: Hey, wow, I just realized that I have less than 1 week left of my “unofficial” Whole30.  I’ll keep going on my official day count of course, because there were conscious non-compliant choices in the first 14 days (such as coconut milk with preservatives or tuna packed in unknown oil and likely hidden added sugars UPDATE: yup, some of the tuna had added sweetener and other junk, but the oil was canola oil…).  But that’s almost 4 weeks of no dairy, no gluten, no grains, no legumes and no alcohol.  Go me!  And yesterday (Sunday) marked 4 weeks since my last can of Diet Coke!

 

I’ve had the occasional urge to chew a piece of gum (with xylitol) lately.  Partly just a habit reflex after a meal or to stave off the urge to snack; partly to freshen my breath.  Good news: I have toothbrushes (and mini tubes of toothpaste!) everywhere.

 

 

Good job on all the changes over the past few weeks! You readjusted quite well in the face of the sad fact that your special trip had to be cancelled at this time. The first 4 weeks without a Diet Coke are the hardest. You will probably never even want one again. (I was a coke/diet coke addict for 22 years & have been "sober" for about 9 years now, so I'm with you!)

 

I feel your pain on wanting a piece of gum sometimes and also noticing that toothpaste is SO SWEET. Not sure I'm ready to switch to natural or salt toothpaste, though.