Janette Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 Thanks for the tip, Derval! I'll try it that way. I also realized that my chicken thighs were way slimmer than what she showed in the picture, so my chicken turned out with a much higher spice to meat ratio than she intended, I think! Gin, that makes me feel better that it's not just me. My husband kept saying that they turned out especially unflattering but that makes them really good "before" pictures! Maybe I'll see his point in a few weeks! Nancy, to make chocolate coconut manna, I melt a 100% chocolate bar (this one) into half a jar of coconut manna. To melt it, I put them both into a jar of simmering water and stir until they're melted together. If it's warm outside, it will be slightly melted, and is divine poured over frozen banana slices or frozen berries. If it's not warm outside, it will be more of a truffle-like consistency. I usually like to add smoked salt and cocoa nibs as well, but that might be too strong a taste for most people. Artisana make a chocolate coconut butter, but it has agave syrup in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 Day 9: Return of the Zommy (Zombie + Mommy = Zommy) The baby woke hourly last night, and sleeping in meant I went 15 1/2 hours without eating. I was pretty wrecked from that combination. I think I was wise to choose sleep over food, but tonight I'll be keeping a snack on my bedside table for the 5 am wake up. Trying to think of things that are ok to leave out all night and make a decent but quiet snack. Tonight will be a banana and cashews. I'll need to bring in a container for the peel, so it won't smell like a monkey cage by the time we get up! Today was stupidly hard. I'm glad my habits are ingrained enough by this point to see me through. And I'm glad I did my food prep. Really wanted a granola bar, though. So comforting and convenient! I'm proud of myself for not snapping at anyone, and for asking for the help I need. The babysitter came early, and my husband is going to help with the night shift tonight. (He normally sleeps a blissful 8 hours in the other room.) I should mention that I've been taking sublingual 5-htp for the past few nights. I read in the Feel Good Diet that when you eat less carbs, it depletes your brain's levels of serotonin. The author (an MD) recommends taking sublingual 5-htp to counteract that effect. (You have to take it sublingually or else it all gets used up in your gut.) When I read on the timeline that people usually get cranky around day 4, I reckoned the dropping serotonin had something to do with it. Food Breakfast: 4 eggs, steak, apple, green smoothie (collard greens, dulse, berries) Lunch: smoked salmon, thai curried shrimp, cashews, coconut manna, can't remember what else Snack: apple with sunbutter Dinner: Best chicken blah blah blah, cauliflower rice, butternut squash, slice of pear Activity None Sleep Abysmal Mood Really struggling to get through the day, but didn't get mad at anyone or resent this life stage. There were some tears, though, when I had to get my nap-skipper ready for bed early instead of eating dinner at my usual time. This stage of parenting is just hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindzmt22 Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Hey there! So sorry your night was rough. Your food sounds delicious though; and I actually had the Best chicken ever and cauliflower rice tonight too!! Too funny. Hope tonight's sleep is better for you! <3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 Day 10: The Day I Lost Hope and Found a Reason After a night of bed-hopping and not sleeping more than 90 minutes at a time, my brain just gave up trying to rest and I laid awake from 5 am until the house woke. That's a lot of time to think. And to figure out how to sob without shaking the bed you're sharing with your kid, and how to clear your nose without making a sound. So this is my new reality. For the near future, I'm rarely going to sleep more than a couple of hours at a time. No matter how much effort I put into my Whole30, I'm not going to experience Tiger Blood nor am I going to lose that spare tire. I'm not going to glow or have amazing skin. I'm not going to join CrossFit and rock any WODs. I'm not going to be an inspiring success story. I may as well throw in the towel on this one and come back when my baby starts sleeping better. Right? So what would throwing in the towel look like? Well, chocolate and wine, for a start! A Larabar when I'm feeling like a pick-me-up. Fruit whenever I darn-well-please. And chia. I still miss chia seeds soaked in coconut milk, blended up with silly amounts of cinnamon. (I call it yuppie horchata.) And what would that do to me? I don't think it would be that much of a shock to the system, since I'm only on day 10. But I suppose if the Whole9 theory is right, then it would slowly build up inflammation in my body, dragging down my energy levels and making me more susceptible to the million preschool bugs that will be making the rounds once the weather turns. Hmmmm. Maybe there's another reason to stick to this 30 day commitment. Maybe it is the right time to focus on nurturing myself as well as my baby. Maybe there's no better time to give myself the best possible fuel (just like I do for him) and protect my mental well-being (like I'm trying to do for him). And I could certainly do with some extra resistance to getting sick. So, this Whole30 is my oxygen mask. This is my act of deep nurturing of myself that I need and fully deserve. This is me saying, I love you, body, and I'm so grateful for what you do. The results may not be outwardly impressive. But they (hopefully) will allow me to choose love. To choose to give my baby what he needs, when he needs it. To choose to hear and respond to the cues of my own body as well. Because, while my heart wants to be generous with love and nurturing and patience, it can only do that if my body is strong and nurtured and balanced. Food Breakfast: 4 eggs, salsa Snack: Sausage, green smoothie (kale, dulse, berries, coconut milk, cinnamon) Lunch: Sausage, sweet potato Snack: Energy nuggets, Pear, Cashews Dinner: Best chicken, cauliflower rice, roast Mediterranean veg Dessert: Coconut manna, peppermint tea Activity Lots of stairs (laundry day) Sleep 10:30-5, wake ups at 12, 1, 3, nap 10 - 10:40 Mood Morning showers, Afternoon sunshine, Evening drivel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasha Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 I have a 20 month old and a 4 year old and neither has ever slept through the night--they have done the 5 hour stretch that the experts claim is "sleeping through the night" but never an 8+hour stretch, and of course their wake up times coincide with my just-fell-asleep times. The 20 month old sleeps with me and likes to sleep in a perpendicular fashion, or else rotate himself like the hands on a clock so I will get kicked/feet pressed into my leg then my ribs, then my face over the course of the evening. So what I'm saying is, I hear you on the no sleep part-- we can share that sleepless boat! That will be the one lacking puzzle piece on this W30 journey. But, I know the rest of the w30 concept puts me at a better place than I was before, and one day (please, Lord, one day) when the children finally sleep, all the little cumulative efforts I have put in for my health will count for something. Rather than waiting for that illusive day to occur to start focussing on my health, if I do it now and get any reward (maybe I'm not getting more sleep but hopefully the quality of the sleep I do get will be improved?) its better than nothing. Pennies in the bank will one day be dollars. Good luck and I look forward to reading more posts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derval Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Oh Janette, I feel for you, I remember the sheer exhaustion & breakdowns. This too shall pass, and you're in much better shape to deal with it on the w30 than not. Your brain & writing skills haven't failed you yet, that's something! Maybe you'll get to catch up a bit over the weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridget Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Best of luck, Janette. I know you can continue to take care of yourself. I have had some good results from my first Whole30-maybe lost a few pounds, clothes a little looser, and sleeping better. My favorite result so far, though, is a general sense of calm. Almost all the time. Perhaps every compliant meal you make and consume, knowing you are doing what is best for your body, will bring you some calm-if not a good night's sleep ! And by all means-keep snuggling that great baby of yours I sure do miss those days.... Hang in there !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 THANK YOU GUYS! This was so lovely to wake up to. Your encouragement really brightens my day. But OMG Tasha, it can go on that long?!?!?! And thank you for reminding me to count my blessings that the baby can't reach me and kick my ribs all night long, yet! Makes me think of this cartoon: My first son loved to do the 'snow angel'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted October 5, 2012 Author Share Posted October 5, 2012 Day 11: Something Pithy Here Laid awake from 4 am this morning, thinking, "this is not the time to be working through my own mommy issues!" It had a happy ending, though. I'm sending a thank you card for my mom making me and raising me. I am awfully happy to have this human experience, in all its glory and filth. Did mostly alright today, until 5:30 when I just could. not. go. on. Unfortunately, I was halfway through making two normal pizzas (from scratch) and a meatza for myself. I really need to scale back my kitchen ambitions right now. Never in my life have I wanted to comfort eat SO badly! I want it! I need it! I deserve it! I'm not gonna do it! I'm leaving eggs out of my diet for the moment, to see if it makes a difference for me or the babe. I missed them this morning! Food Breakfast: steak, sweet potatoes, and blueberries a la Gin, green smoothie Snack: Energy nuggets Lunch: thai curry shrimp, mixed greens, smoked salmon, avocado, sugar snap peas, carrots Snack: Pear, sunbutter Dinner: Meatza! I must have done it wrong, because it just tasted like dry hamburger with tomato sauce and veg on top. Activity None Sleep Pretty bad Mood Not much better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derval Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Lol, that's what meatza comes out like too, but I like it. It is very easy to dry out the meat base... I agree re scaling abck, you need to make your day as easy as possible to survive on little sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginsinnot Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 I'm laughing and crying after catching up on your posts! I almost typed "I'm so sorry", but that doesn't seem to work (...sorry you have a baby, no that sounds awful; sorry you can't sleep sounds kind of trite; sorry you're trying incredibly hard to be healthier..again no). Hope you enjoyed your blueberries and sweet potatos I must say, anytime I'm even thinking this "is hard" or whiny about whatever, I'll remind myself that Janette is doing this with an infant, toddler, and little to no good sleep. You're like a Whole30 super hero! And I would think that the benefits of the Whole30 are being passed on to the baby when you're nursing, making a healthy thing even healthier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted October 6, 2012 Author Share Posted October 6, 2012 Thanks guys! I'm pretty sure 'super hero' wouldn't be the word that would come to mind if you saw me on the street! And yes, I think the baby's healthier from this lifestyle. Before I went paleo, he was covered in eczema and had fluid in his lungs. Now he's a big, strong, chubba bubba with clear lungs and perfect skin. Hurray for low-allergy foods! Derval, I guess it's an acquired taste, then. Probably shouldn't have made it side by side with normal pizza. Bit unfair on the meatza. I posted a picture of it on facebook and my vegetarian friends thought it was so crass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted October 6, 2012 Author Share Posted October 6, 2012 Day 12: The Biggest Little Temptation So Far Just got back from (Canadian) Thanksgiving dinner at the neighbors'. I was afraid there wouldn't be much I could eat, but still managed to completely overstuff myself just the same! I guess years of "tradition" are hard to overcome, even when you're just eating meat and undressed veggies. Was so very, very, VERY tempted by dessert though. I had no problem passing up the pumpkin cheesecake, the carrot cake muffins, and even the tiny chocolate tarts. But oh my goodness, my neighbor makes the best macaroons you've ever tasted. Like, better than ones from La Duree. And this evening she made Dulce de Leche flavored macaroons. WANT. WANT. WANT. I always eat a ton of them when she makes them, and this time I had to pass them up entirely. I bet she's made extra knowing the macaroon monster would be there. But now I have to wait until Christmas to taste her macaroons again. (Those definitely fall into the 'special occasion' food off-roading category!) And I've decided to ask my in-laws to bring some La Duree macaroons when they come from France this Christmas.) Only 80 days until Christmas!!! (But who's counting?!?) The baby cut a tooth and started to scoot today. I'm (very tentatively) hoping that his night wakings will start calming down now. He stayed up an hour late because we were next door, so I'm interested to see what effect that has on our night. Day 2 without eggs. Food Breakfast: Chicken sausage, sweet potatoes, blueberries, green smoothie Snack: Apple, sunbutter, energy nuggets Lunch: Smoked Salmon, Thai curry shrimp, carrots, meatza Dinner: Prosciutto, Pear, Ham, Turkey, Chicken, Green beans, carrots, yams Activity Bit of walking Sleep 10 - 7, 4 wake ups, nap 10 - 10:40 Mood Better. Cut back the energy nuggets and there was no crash today. Noticed I look very tired, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derval Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 Well done for resisting the macaroons, you prob would have gone doo-lally on the lil' sugar-bombs! So how did last night go for sleep? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted October 7, 2012 Author Share Posted October 7, 2012 Doo-lally for sure! Last night wasn't so good, but at least it was informative. Me and baby must be somewhat synced on most nights. He went to bed an hour later than usual last night, and all night long we were just out of sync. I'd hear him crying but I'd be in such a deep sleep it seemed like forever before I could even move. And then other times I'd just wake up for no reason at all, unless you count a thoroughly dead arm from him sleeping on it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 You are definitely a Super Hero! Wow... I'm impressed too! When I'm make meatza, I cook the meat on a cookie sheet in the oven first; I'm wondering if that might help keep it from drying out? Ours isn't really too dry. Great job on resisting the macaroons! Those do sound hard to resist! Nice to know that wasn't your one and only chance at them though... Christmas is coming. Dare I say it? Sleep as well as possible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted October 7, 2012 Author Share Posted October 7, 2012 Day 13: Still Standing Completely weird night. Either I'm suddenly sleeping really deeply, or that one hour difference in our schedule makes a big difference. Lesson learned! If I start going to bed earlier, it will be in 15 minute increments, rather than a big leap. In all that macaroon obsessing, I didn't even notice that I wasn't missing wine and chocolate. There's always delicious food and interesting people at their events, and wine just pairs so well with those things, doesn't it? But I didn't even think twice about it! Progress! Got "let out" to get a haircut this morning, and I was so excited! So excited, that it seemed a bit sad and I've decided to start getting "let out" on a more regular basis. Didn't manage to sleep in or get a nap today, and I felt surprisingly ok. Baby started crawling properly today. Uh-oh! Food Breakfast: Chicken sausage, apple, sweet potato, green smoothie, blackberries Snack: Cashews, goji berries Lunch: Butternut squash soup, smoked salmon Snack: steak and spinach in coconut cream Dinner: Basa in fried garlic stems, spaghetti squash Dessert: Coconut Manna Activity None Sleep 10 - 7, 5 wake ups Mood Pretty good, actually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 Day 14: Giving Thanks Today is Thanksgiving in Canada, so this post will be about what I'm grateful for. I'm grateful that I feel thoroughly safe for the first time in my life. I grew up in LA, with earthquakes, fires, landslides, riots, car jackings, and serial killers on the news. I moved to London in my 20s, and while it was generally safer, you had to keep up a certain vigilance to not have your purse or phone nicked on a night out. I've been in Canada 3 years now, and it still floors me how good people are to each other, and how even the local homeless people are our friends and are watching over the neighborhood. It's such a different way of being. I've felt something deep down finally relax. I'm grateful that strangers on the internet take the time to be so supportive and kind! You guys really make my day with what you write on my log. And I love keeping up with your journeys, too. I'm grateful that I have enough money and access to high quality food. Eating this way ain't cheap!!! And it's so wonderful that people still take the time to raise animals properly and even go 'biodynamic' with their veggie growing. I'm grateful that it's been freakishly sunny for an extra month up here in BC. I'm grateful that my kids are healthy and generally happy. There's no worse feeling than when you can't protect your children from serious illness or heartbreak. I'm grateful that my husband loves us so much that he works from home and spends most of his free time with us. He could so easily escape to an office if he wanted to. I'm grateful that people so freely share their knowledge and passion online to help each other live the best lives possible. That is truly a remarkable thing! I'm a lucky, lucky girl. Food Breakfast: pork sausage, sweet potatoes, green smoothie Lunch: Meatza, apple Snack: Larabar (oops), coconut manna Dinner: Salmon in lime ginger marinade, butternut squash Activity 4km walk to the farmer's market Sleep 9:30 - 6, 5 wake ups Mood Good. Steady energy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derval Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Happy Thanksgiving! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted October 9, 2012 Author Share Posted October 9, 2012 Day 15: Getting Serious About Being Happy I was feeling bummed out today about not being a candidate for "Tiger Blood" and losing the spare tire right now. And then I was feeling bummed out for being bummed out for such vain reasons! I realized that if I don't get a little more proactive about my personal happiness, I'm liable to slide slowly down into depression as the weariness builds and winter draws near. I'm still thinking about specific ways to apply the advice, but from what I've read in Positive Psychology, some things that contribute to happiness are: helping/connecting with others having a growth mindset practicing gratitude taking time for play seeing obstacles as time-limited and not intrinsic to my personality getting regular exercise. So, 2 things I'll start with are connecting with at least one person a day, and adding a 'gratitude' section to this log, since I seem to have made a daily entry a habit. Today was a wonderful day. We went for a family walk in the woods in the morning. We rested then played in the afternoon and had a delicious Paleo Thanksgiving dinner. It was sunny and I took some time to sit by myself on the deck and enjoy the sun on my face. Sleep's still pretty bad, but I'm going to stop focusing on it. It's feeling more like a lifestyle than a short term crisis at this point. Also, I watched an awesome Ted Talk on making a game out of optimizing your well-being. I find this incredibly interesting and want to figure out how to make a game of the Whole30! Any suggestions? Food Breakfast: Sausage, sweet potatoes, green smoothie, coconut manna Snack: Trail Mix Lunch: JapaDog Snack: Far too much toasted coconut and parsnips Dinner: Roast chicken, parsnips, brussells sprouts, oyster mushrooms Activity 4 km walk 5 assisted pull ups 5 push ups Sleep 9:30 - 9, 6 wake ups Mood Mostly ok, except for a dip in the afternoon. I think I was just tired. Gratitude I'm grateful for my warm, dry house. I'm grateful for the chub on my baby. I'm grateful that my kid's a voracious reader. I'm grateful that my husband decided that most of the things he loves in his life (travel, adventure, our kids, living in Vancouver) can be directly traced back to me and my big ideas! I feel so appreciated!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derval Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I fell all glowy happy just reading your post, you're a great woman! (ha ha you have to say that in an Irish accent btw!) Will come back to re-read and follow links later when I have more time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derval Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginsinnot Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I love the idea of adding a grateful for to the daily log! I just might have to borrow that idea from you. Very in keeping with the Whole9 when you think about it. How are you preparing the parsnips and toasted coconut? I'm intrigued by parsnips, but I tried once and didn't really like them very much. But perhaps with coconut..... What a wonderful family you and your husband have created Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted October 9, 2012 Author Share Posted October 9, 2012 Derval, to be sherrr, to be sherrr! (Yeah, my Irish accent is pathetic!) Ah, thanks Gin! Please borrow and spread the gratitude! The coconut flakes were separate from the parsnips - I just couldn't stop snacking on either one! The coconut was just large flakes of coconut toasted over low heat in a dry pan. I was going to sprinkle them over the brussells sprouts, but then I thought that would be too much, since they already had caramelized onion, garlic scapes, and chestnuts. Parsnips are DELICIOUS! I just roast them like carrots. Cut them in chunks (and if you have big parsnips, cut around the woody core), pat 'em dry, pour over some olive oil or melted coconut oil and some salt, and roast them in a hot oven. I usually do them at about 400F for maybe 30 - 45 minutes. If they come out dry but crispy, then pour a little bit of olive oil over them at the last minute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted October 10, 2012 Author Share Posted October 10, 2012 Day 16: Picking Blackberries I had planned to fold laundry and declutter the house this afternoon, but then I read the post, "Let's all compare our perfect lives, then try to enjoy the rest of our day." And I thought, yeah, this really doesn't "feed me". So I dug my bike out of the basement, blew up the tires, and cycled along the beach to one of my favorite places: 2 acres of wild blackberry bushes inhabited by formerly domesticated bunny rabbits. I spent a good half hour picking and savoring the last of the season's blackberries. It's amazing how they all taste different from each other. And I realized it's probably the last time I'll ever do that, because we don't plan to be in Vancouver next autumn. I'm so glad I shirked my chores and went and did that! I wish I could say I got such a charge from that, that I came home and did my chores in half the usual time. But no, that mountain of laundry is still there! But I have purple, scratched up fingers and a happy heart. Downloaded the app "SuperBetter" today (It's free!). It's by the game designer that I linked to yesterday. It makes a game out of "building resiliency" and generally looking after yourself. It looks customizable enough that I think it can really help with the Whole30 and with generally making the extra effort to look after myself and not let self-care fall by the wayside because I'm so tired. I'm not the type to respond to gold stars, but I do like a good game! Made WellFed's cottage pie for dinner. The meat part was too wet and the topping was too dry. I don't know why I'm not having any luck with her recipes. Food Breakfast: Sausage, sweet potato, blueberries Snack: Green smoothie, prune, couple of energy nuggets Lunch: Hot smoked salmon, salad, apple, sunbutter Snack: Blackberries!!! Dinner: Cottage pie Activity 6km bike ride Sleep 10 - 6:30, 6 wake ups, nap 9 - 9:40 Mood Felt a bit sorry for myself in the morning when hubby didn't come take the baby and instead slept in until 8. But otherwise pretty good. Gratitude I'm grateful for my bike that is EXACTLY what I'd been searching for. And I still laugh whenever I think about the crabby old Dutchman that sold it to me. I'm grateful for sun-warmed blackberries and fluffy, tame bunnies. I'm grateful for the amazing library of TEDtalks that I'm going to watch while I'm cooking now. I'm grateful that someone bothered to create a game with the express purpose of improving people's lives in a fun way, and they are giving it away for free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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