A carpenter's whole30, my log.

[br5532]

I am starting late here since I am on day 3 now however it is a start. I quit smoking 3 months ago, cut back on the drinking, started jogging, and working out and now I want this to work. I am in construction in NYC which is a pretty unhealthy lifestyle, so needless to say I am going at this solo for now. I believe the guys would think I am crazy. The wife and little are supporting my lifestyle changes. They are the inspiration I need. I enjoyed trying to explain to my 3&4 year olds what daddy is doing. They get some of it and the infant well, I need to make the right choices to meet her children. Anyway on to the past 3three days for now:

Day 1: Hungry but not bad. Clearly didn't eat enough

Day 2: Hungry but not bad. Missing the milk in the coffee, and the buttered bagels.

Meal 1: eggs, ground beef, veggies.

Coffee break: 2 hb eggs, some nuts and some avocado.

Meal 2: roasted turkey and salad and apple.

Meal 3: ground beef, roasted beets, butternut squash (shared with my youngest), salad, sourkraut.

Day 3 : after big dinner felt much better today. I kept up with the guys at work and had clear mind. Don't know if I will break the coffee break habit, need to see how that goes. Meals are the same as yesterday unfortunately except I threw some anchovies in the lunch salad. Great idea. Feel good. Feel strong. Happy so far. Miss the beer right now but that should pass.

That's my ramblings for now.

[Derval]

Welcome and good luck.

[br5532]

Day 4: Not that good today. Restless night on day 3. Today feeling run down, head is cloudy, just don't feel like talking to people at work. Getting by however. Picking up the CSA today and that is always worthwhile.

Meal 1: eggs ground turkey veggies coffee

Coffee break : avocado, 2 hb eggs, nuts, water

Meal 2: salad with roasted turkey, turkey and squash in a seasnax, apple, water.

Meal 3: don't know yet. Waiting to get CSA, on train right now. Craving some fish though. Will probably stop by the fish monger after the pick up.

Starting to understand 3 things slowly now :

Thing 1: eating slowly changes the entire meal. Taste, experience, the whole thing.

Thing 2: the spirit of the whole30 is the easiest guide for my choices. If I am asking myself "should I eat that" then I am probably wrong. I am shooting for the food to be just what it is.

Thing 3: I think part of this is about food not being about everything. Why am I sitting there at 10:00 at night thinking about potato chips and ice cream. That is definitely something that needs fixing. This is part of the relationship with food.

More ramblings for day 4. Thanks for listening.

Br5532

[Renee Lee]

welcome, br!

[homerfrizzell]

Br5532,

I especially agree with Thing 1 - slow down and enjoy the food, honor it, be connected with it - don't think of it as protein, fat and carbohydrates. I like that you've got the CSA going and a trip to the fish monger - it keeps things up in the air, you on your toes and it means that you'll have something fresh and tasty.

Savor it,

Homer

[ginsinnot]

I really admire you for doing this, and I know how hard it can be for a guy in the trades to make these changes. This is my first Whole 30, and my husband is sort of along for the ride, he's a commercial/construction painter. He's really not Whole30, because he's had some off plan foods. But he's changed his eating almost 90% and is sleeping more with encouragement. I'm hoping that he'll want to do his own Whole 30 by the time I've finished mine, and I'll just keep going along with him. Best wishes!

[br5532]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Great to know people are listening. I am starting to understand these 3are things but I don't think I have my mind around them yet. These too shall change.

Thanks Ginsinnot. How far along are you?

Update

Meal 3: baked haddock, steamed broccoli, huge salad, extra tomatoes, and some butternut squash. Can't wait.

[Emily]

Thing 3: I think part of this is about food not being about everything. Why am I sitting there at 10:00 at night thinking about potato chips and ice cream. That is definitely something that needs fixing. This is part of the relationship with food.

I really liked this thing... I often find myself shocked at my relationship from food, see myself trying to feel joy or excitement through... food.

[br5532]

Day 5

Going much better then day 4. Slept well last night, head is clear today, and even the boss with his insanity didn't disturb me today.

It may be just a fluke day but my mood was definately tempered today. I didn't loose my temper, no yelling, no biting sarcasm, I didn't even feel like acting my normal way. I don't even feel like complaining about anything right now. Just feel good, feel content.

I did ask myself a few questions today :

Will I want pizza and other foods when I'm done?

Am I getting over my coffee habit (typically 5-8 cups a day now at 2-3)?

Will I slip up? I was looking at the pretzel rods last night. I'm a salt and carb person.

Then near the end of the work day I thought "why am I doing this? Is this what I should be doing?"

Now I sit here on the train and the easy answer is sure ,why not, it's only 30 days. But I don't believe this is the real answer. Yes, I am the experiment and it is only 30 days but why. It is the family, the kids, living the example. Don't just talk about it, be about it. When they ask me "what should I do", I need to be prepared to say "I know what I would do and have done".

And besides is there really something wrong with changing my ideas about food and drink? Do we all need to see these things the same way?

Anyhow I am running long this afternoon (I get an hour on the train to just think).

Meal 1: leftover haddock with tomatoes, apple and 3 eggs (very timely home page post for me today about unconventional breakfasts ).

Coffee break :avocado, 2 hb eggs, some nuts.

Meal 2: salad with some shrimp thrown in, broccoli and haddock wrapped in seasnax.

Meal 3: will be roasted turkey ( I roasted a12# turkey on day 1 so I have a lot of turkey), haddock, eggplant, zucchini, salad, spaghetti squash.

Once again thanks for listening, rambling like this makes it easier.

[br5532]

Wow missed the post on day 6 and can't believe today is day 7. I am sitting here on the train counting the days, all day I was thinking 6 but hey its day 7 fantastic.

Well now for the recap:

Day 6 started off great at 4:00am. Felt good, even had a glass of water instead of a cup of coffee before the train ride. Then I get the news @ 6:30 I have to work Saturday. I wanted to kill the man. Then it poured rain for 3 hours and we worked like drowning rats. Now I had murder in my eyes. I still felt fine, hunger was fine, strength good not tired. But now soaking wet and looking at a 6 day work week.

So we called the day do to rain & sent the men home. I split a little early too. Got home broke the news to the wife & kids and made dinner, and reevaluated the situation hey who can't use a few extra bucks on a whole30 anyway, right?

M1: 3 eggs, ground turkey veggies & radiccio (sp)

Coffees break : avocado, 2 hb eggs some nuts.

M2: salad with roasted turkey and turkey wrapped in seasnax, orange.

M3: radiccio wrapped tacos, sauerkraut, salad, applesauce.

That was day 6, no ramblings or thoughts just too angry to be working on my Saturday.

[Derval]

Think of the extra grass-fed meat

[br5532]

So this is day 7. I feel really good. Loads of energy, water in the am again instead of coffee. Saturdays are a 9:00 start time for noise on the weekends and I could hardly stand still. Then we got going and I went flat out all day. Plenty of energy carrying, lifting, and climbing for 7 hours all good.

On Saturdays we work through lunch break so we can leave early. I felt fine putting lunch off for awhile. I did eat while waiting for my train in penn station.

And here I sit now, on said train heading back to the homestead filled with 3 sick kiddies and a sick wife. They all appear to have infected each other.

First thought today :

After hitting the farmers market yesterday and getting my CSA on Wednesday, September has to be the best month for a whole30. Here in Jersey I don't think you can get a better variety then right now. Totally amazing.

Any further thoughts :

Read some entries this morning about not feeling the need to snack between meals and feeling like mealtime was time to refuel. Can't wait for that to happen. I definitely think I eat enough since I feel full. Just can't get past that feeling at night to snack and it drives me crazy. I usually just go to bed to get away.

Anyway missing the kids and wife right now. Heading home and all seems well.

Thanks for listening.

M1: 3 eggs, loose sausage, radiccio, peppers

Coffee break :avocado, 2 hb eggs some nuts.

M2: salad with roasted turkey and turkey wrapped in seasnax, apple

M3: probably more turkey but plenty of fresh veggies and I roasted some delicata squash last night as well.

[br5532]

Here we are : day 9. Wow! Day 8 flew by and here I sit right smack in the middle of day 9. Feels pretty good.

Ok let's get 2the days of food logs outta the way.

Day 8 :

M1: 4 eggs, loose sausage, tomatoes and mushrooms and water, 1/2 cup coffee

M2: roasted turkey with veggies and sauerkraut

M3: spicy ground beef w/ veggies, roasted root vegetables, big salad with sardines some olives.

Mucho Mucho water all day.

Day 9:

M1: 2 eggs with loose sausage and veggies, 1/2 cup coffee and water

Coffee break: 2 hb eggs some nuts and some avocado, water.

M2: salad with sardines, roasted turkey wrapped in seasnax, 1 orange, water

M3: I will finally get that turkey leg and some heart and liver, salad and acorn squash.

Now, food out of the way onto the abbreviated weekend.

the wife ran her 1st 5K yesterday morning. Took the kids to cheer her on and a good time was had by all. Wife did great good for her.

I was a bit shocked by the place in my age group so after playing with the kids, prepping some food and getting everyone in for naps I went for a run myself. Haven't for 2 weeks since I bruised my tailbone in a mud run. Ran well felt food, and there were roasted yams and beets when I got home. Perfect timing.

Mowed the lawn after. Energy levels are feeling fantastic. I feel the same as when I turned 30, but healthier. Then I was smoking 2 packs a day and drinking non stop. At work its the same. I feel as though I am repairing some of the years of abuse. Something must be right about what we're doing here.

I am totally digging the changes so far. Stress feels lower, sleep is still not on track (maybe 6 hours ), but I don't hurt, I don't get sluggish, I don't feel all weighted down after eating its seems great.

Added bonus not drinking every day =less drowsiness and no hung over feeling every morning.

Overall loving the ride so far.

As always thanks for listening

[Emily]

Sounding awesome! Congrats to your wife for her first 5K!

[br5532]

Day 10

1/3 of the way there. That's pretty cool. I'm very ok with that. To quote Anthony Bordain "this doesn't suck". I always watch "No Reservations " but it is very hard to do it on a whole30!

But last night I noticed something Anthony and another chef were talking about their medication decisions concerning lipitor. It was either make a lifestyle change or take Meds till who knows when. Unfortunately they both chose their Meds but hey to each his own.

Some crazy correlation their though. It really helps bring the food desires into perspective. I can live without a list of side effects longer then my grocery list thank you.

Well fall continues to be the wettest season in the northeast. Working in the rain again today. Thankfully I have a boot dryer. A great investment if anyone ever considers one.

Didn't get the turkey leg yesterday should get it today. Did get heart and liver though.

Anyway doing well again today. Feeling really good. Thinking heavily though that I should get my head around the whole9 stuff also. I'm going to start working on this. Get the entire program going forward here. Sleep will always be hard though. That is at a premium in our house.

M1: 2 eggs with loose sausage and veggies, coffee.

Coffee break: 2 hb eggs some nuts and some avocado

M2: salad with ground beef and sardine cali rolls in seasnax

M3: the turkey leg.

I just don't know if the coffee break is really in the spirit if the whole30 or not? I definitely feel like I need something to eat then and I try to only eat what I need and not more. Want to avoid the "grazing" idea. I don't know yet. Still working this one out.

Anyhow

As always thanks for listening.

[Derval]

I think seeing as your job is so physical your coffee break is almost like a post workout snack.

[br5532]

Thanks Derval, I was thinking of it that way nut not sure if that was only a justification or not. Perhaps not.

[homerfrizzell]

I'm with you - taking a pill is not the way. Let food be thy medicine.

[br5532]

Day 11.

And the days keep moving along. Still feeling good. I feel as though I have adjusted quite a bit here. I have a routine, and a routine is what I usually need.

I am a person with routines. My food log pretty much shows it. Basically the same meals 1&2 every day. Just a little spicy a little this little that. But this is good. I need to fit 2/3 of a day worth of food and water into my igloo cooler when I leave home in the morning. And I have to be ok with eating whatever it is relatively cold. I have a couple of thermoses (or is it thermosi ) I just don't use them that much till the winter.

However routine is good for me. So being able to fit this into a routine is great.

No deep thoughts with br5532 today. Just digging the new attitude and new perspective. My mind is definitely much clearer, my responses are faster, I have more initiative, less lethargic.

And most notably I feel really good after I eat. I mean physically and mentally I feel much different then when I would have a Gatorade and 2 beef patties from the back of a lunch truck. I feel ready to just go about my day. This is how it should be. I can't remember how many times I've said "oh I really shouldn't have eaten that".

At least I know that I haven't said that now for the past 11 days.

And the coffee drinking is down from about 6the cups a day to like 2 how great is that?

M1: 2 eggs with ground beef and veggies and Pomi tomato 1/2 cup coffee.

Coffee break: 2 hb eggs some nuts and some avocado, water

M2: salad with roasted turkey and sardines wrapped in seasnax, water.

M3: I reckon more turkey, salad, squash.

The wife and kids are all still sick so not much time at home. I will throw some sweet potatoes in the oven tonight just to prep for the rest of the week.

Anyway, long weekend coming (Columbus Day) can't wait. Had a bizarre discussion about who discovered America at coffee break, I don't know why I get into these things.

Anyhow As always thanks for listening.

[br5532]

Day 12

Still feeling good. No real changes from the past several days. I still don't get much sleep, 6 hours is the most and that is always interrupted by the baby at least once. But it doesn't seem to be bothering me. I feel awake in the morning and aware all day. Maybe I would feel better with more sleep? How great would that be?

Looking forward to the 3 day weekend. Plan to hit up the market for a winters supply of squash and root veggies. I will quasi root seller them in the shed. It should work it has in the past.

Still a house full of sick folks but not me yet. Hopefully that remains the same.

Anyhow today was a day as any other day. And that seems enough to be thankful for. I hope others are enjoying their whole30 right now or at least having a good enough day.

M1: 2 eggs with ground beef and veggies and Pomi tomato 1/2 cup coffee and water.

Coffee break : 1 hb egg some nuts and some avocado, and a plum.

M2: salad with roasted turkey and turkey wrapped in seasnax, an orange and water.

M3: not sure, the wife said she ruined the roast so I might have to either wing this one or attempt to ressurect the dead. We shall see. A salad nonetheless and roasted root veggies all from the CSA and probably sauerkraut.

As always thanks for listening.

[br5532]

Meal 3 update.

Saved the roast. It was a total Lazarus maneuver however. Things were bad, she was right. But it would appear there isn't much that coconut oilthe and fresh sauteed veggies can't fix. Little tomato puree and bingo back from the dead.

Good thing she isn't reading this stuff.

[homerfrizzell]

Sounds like lunch.

[br5532]

Day 13

Still going strong on day 13. All is going well. Strange thing this morning.

Sitting in the shanty and one of the guys came on after smoking a cigarette and wow did I have a craving. That hasn't happened in a while.

The urge passed and all was well.

Day went everything seemed good. Had little less for lunch today so wanted a snack for the train ride home. Bought a bag o nuts in penn station for about $6. Got on the train. Went to dig in and bango "roasted in canola oil". So the wife got a nice overpriced bag o nuts.

But I relaxed on the train and read a magazine and I didn't need the snack anyway. So it worked out for the better.

And then some lesson reinforcement this evening. Things got a little stressful tonight. Ate dinner, all good. Couldn't clear my head though.

Took a shower still couldn't figure it out. Damn did I want a drink and anything to eat.

Chilled out. Had a glass of lemon water and just whipped up a "ketchup" recipe I saw on a post and finally the urges passed.

Constructive restraint. Perhaps even active healing. Work through the problem then work it out.

Well look the problems still exist and some always will but I am at least controlling how they effect me.

What a relief. Just 2 weeks ago this would have been 1/2 a bottle of gin a pint of ice cream and a bag of potato chips.

Things are looking up even when they are looking down.

M1: 2 eggs with ground beef and veggies and Pomi tomato 1/2 cup coffee

Coffee break: 2 hb eggs some nuts and some avocado

M2: salad with roasted turkey and coconut beef wrapped in seasnax

M3: spicy ground beef, 2 eggs, squash, lively collard greens and mesculun with lots of tomatoes.

Hopefully the head is better in the am

As always thanks for listening.

[homerfrizzell]

Nice coping strategy. Have a great day.

[JennyH]

Have to tell you how much I enjoyed reading through your posts! Such great insight and awesome progress, especially with having quit smoking as well and working in a tough environment in which to do your own thing.

I agree with Derval that I wouldn't worry to much about letting go of the coffee break snack. You have a very physically demanding job so if you're hungry and you have a well rounded snack, go for it and don't stress about it.

Great that you've been able to avoid the illness your family has. I wish it was that way for me and not the opposite - me sick and my family well. Oh well!

Best wishes!