Twice as nice...the journey continues with Whole30 #2

[arlamore]

Ok, the holidays are over and I failed MISERABLY at retaining any semblance of what I learned from my 1st whole30 last Aug-Oct.  Stress caught up to me, life caught up, and then the holidays happened....all while traveling to a zillion different locations (I HATE airline food  ).  As November & December passed, I noticed symptoms.  I was having to take a lot more allergy meds, my skin was breaking out, I was tired and zoned out, digestive issues, and just feeling "blah".  Really, it wasn't anything major because I used to call that feeling normal...but I had this little peek behind the curtains during my previous Whole30 and realized that this doesn't have to be normal.  And, the funny thing is, I missed the new normal.  Now...did it make me put down the sugar cookies?  No.  Baby steps, people....But, I noticed there was a real difference and kept confronting that reality each time I felt blah.  And I knew I didn't want to keep doing that, and that as soon as I could realistically make it work, I wanted to pick back up with my knowing that I really wanted to get back to the new normal.  So, here I am...Day 1.

 

This time around I have a few goals...because I really want to thrive on this one, not just survive.  I've proved that I can do extremes well, now I need to figure out balance.  I can't live whole30 forever, so I need to develop informed and practical habits for life beyond whole30.  

 

A few things I want to improve from last time:

 

• EXERCISE!  I really failed at that last time...so I want to average 70,000 steps each week and make sure to incorporate 3-5 specific days of exercise (both cardio and strength training)
• less bacon...just because it's compliant doesn't mean it's best.
• less steak...there are other easy, go-to meals, I just need to develop a few others that I think of just as easily
• more awareness about protein servings...I want to eat to be satisfied, but I need to be careful I'm not doing it by eating WAY more protein than is necessary...eat more veg!
• Figure out some fun and easy ways to prepare veg outside of my standards (anything roasted, raw with guacamole, sauteed asparagus, etc.)

Here's to developing a more balanced approach to all things health and food this year.  

[arlamore]

Day 1: Felt really good considering it's the first day back at work after a 3 week holiday, and fighting serious jet lag (13 hour difference)...no cravings, felt focused and satisfied throughout the day.  Ate a late dinner because of an evening dentist appt. that involved novacaine.  Headache this evening, so I took excedrin.  It may be related to the dentist and having to keep my mouth open for so long, to whole30 adjustment, tension/stress headache, etc.  who knows...

 

Meal 1: Frittata (4 eggs with sauteed peppers, onions, potatoes, and bacon in ghee)

Meal 2: Kalua pork w/ broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots roasted in avocado oil.

Meal 3: Steak w/ roasted asparagus ** (I realize my goal is to eat less steak...but it's what I already had in my freezer and I knew it was super easy since I had this dentist appt. and I didn't want to delay the start of my whole30 until I could do a thorough meal plan & prep session, it would be at least another week.)

[arlamore]

Day 2...I feel exhausted, but I think it's really part of just being at work again.  I forget how draining it is to teach all day.  Small headache this afternoon, but nothing nearly as bad as yesterday.  A few digestive concerns...but expecting them to clear up as I get the junk out of my system and settle back into the whole30 lifestyle.

 

Breakfast:  Frittata with 4 eggs, bacon, small potato, onion, and capsicum sauteed in ghee

Lunch- Kalua pork with roasted cauliflower & carrots, small bowl of watermelon

Dinner- Breaded (in almond meal) chicken strips (6...I started with 3 strips but was hungry even after eating all my veggies) with buffalo sauce, coleslaw with a vinegrarette, carrot sticks, and cabbage sauteed in ghee (I'm scraping the barrel of what i have at home...so a duo of cabbage today

 

No real cravings...though I had to stop by the grocer on the way home, since I'd forgotten to thaw the chicken this morning.  I felt good, but the longer I walked around the produce section thinking about what I wanted to cook for sides, the more I realized I was beginning to get hungry and therefore dangerously close to that overwhelming desire to eat every carb in sight. 

[arlamore]

Day 3...a small headache, woke up pretty tired and drained...but it got better as the day went on.  I got hungry this afternoon and almost had a larabar, but I left it behind when I went to the basketball game so I forgot about my hunger  I'm a little tired of the kalua pork (and it's a bit greasier than the last time), so it's harder to make myself eat enough to be satisfied...and then I ran out of time and wasn't able to eat the cabbage slaw, so probably why I felt hungry today.

 

Breakfast: Frittata with 4 eggs, small potato, onions, capsicum cooked in ghee; 1 medium apple with 1.5 tablespoons of almond butter

Lunch:  Carrot Sticks & kalua pork

Dinner: Eggplant dipped in egg & almond meal, beef/pork meatballs, and compliant marinara sauce

[J9er]

Sounds like you are doing great so far! I am in a similar position, my 2nd whole30 and had a similar experience over the holiday as well. Your goals are clear! Good for you.

You said you want change up your veggies and eat less steak? Just curious, are you tired of what your eating? I just know when I move away from what I know and like and sometimes get exhausted with thinking up new ideas, and sometimes don't like what I'm eating as much -- therefore I sometimes want to quit! Your meals sound great to me!