Round 2 AGAIN...

[Jenny B]

I did my first Whole30 last July.  Loved it and learned a lot, but I went right back to my old eating habits.  Tried to do a second Whole30 starting January 1st and lasted 7 days.  I basically just talked myself out of it.  So, low and behold my husband said to me on Friday, "I will do a Whole30 with you".  I about fell on the floor. He is not overweight, but consumes sugar like I consume water.  He is a carpenter so he just burns it off so fast.  So, we started yesterday, February 21st.  I was happy to have the support at home.  It makes it much easier on me!

 

I did a lot of prepping yesterday for veggies. 

 

2/21/16:

Meal#1: Potatoes with jalapenos and onions, 2 eggs scrambled and 2 pieces of bacon (compliant of course)

Meal#2: Grilled Chicken, grilled veggies (zuchinni, squash, onions, peppers)

Meal#3: Pork Tenderloin, carrots, onions, and shaved brussel sprouts with prosciutto

 

First time making brussel sprouts.  I decided to shave them and add prosciutto.  My husband loved them. I just ate them and won't be making them again.  LOL!

 

2/22/16:

Meal#1: Scrambled hash (eggs, bacon, potoates, jalapenos, onions and tomatoes)

Meal#2: Grilled Chicken salad (peppers, green onions, chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, spinach and romainne lettuce). Plus Tessemaes Balsamic Dressing.

Meal#3: Still deciding but probably hamburgers with grilled onions, pickles, cucumbers, roasted potatoes. 

 

So this time around I am just trying to make it through and make some lifestyle changes.  I have a very strong addiciton to coca cola (the real stuff not diet).  I think that is the hardest part for me is drinks.  I drink tons of water, and sparkling water with lime.  I don't like tea or coffee. 

 

Plus, I am vowing to branch out on trying some new veggies (hence the brussel sprouts above). I may try roasting them to see if I can handle them.  LOL!

 

 

[Jenny B]

Well, I had an eyeopener this morning!  I didn't weight on Sunday when I started, because my scale needed new batteries. Finally went to get them, so I could have a starting weight.  YUCK!  That was depressing. Glad I don't have to do that for awhile!  HA!  I am so angry with myself for letting myself gain back all the weight I had lost during my last Whole30.  Live and Learn.

 

Yesterday I had a bit of a headache, and was really tired which is to be expected.  I slept like a rock last night, and did not want to climb out of my warm bed this morning!  No headache today (so far) so that is encouraging.  I am still tired but I will muddle through it! 

 

Meal#1: Scrambled hash (eggs, bacon, potoates, jalapenos, onions and tomatoes)

Meal#2: Pork Tenderloin with grilled veggies (zuchinni, squash, onions, peppers, and probably a few slices of red potatoe)

Meal#3: Pot Roast (Celery, Onion, Carrots, and Potatoes).  It is in my slow cooker now. YUMMY!!!!

 

Probably too much potatoes today, huh?  Funny how when you write it down you really look at what you are eating.  So, I will see what made it into my bowl for lunch and then decide if I want to disgard the potoates with dinner. 

[Ramonax]

Hi Jenny - 

I'm on my second, started on the 22. Same same. did one in July, went 90 days and felt amazing. Then back to the exact same eating habits as before and gained back all the weight and all the problems (bad sleep, sore joints etc) 

Do you think you will find lasting changes this time? I'm not sure how to get from the extreme of the 30 days to the normal of life?

 

 

Well, I had an eyeopener this morning!  I didn't weight on Sunday when I started, because my scale needed new batteries. Finally went to get them, so I could have a starting weight.  YUCK!  That was depressing. Glad I don't have to do that for awhile!  HA!  I am so angry with myself for letting myself gain back all the weight I had lost during my last Whole30.  Live and Learn.

 

 

[Jenny B]

Hi Jenny - 

I'm on my second, started on the 22. Same same. did one in July, went 90 days and felt amazing. Then back to the exact same eating habits as before and gained back all the weight and all the problems (bad sleep, sore joints etc) 

Do you think you will find lasting changes this time? I'm not sure how to get from the extreme of the 30 days to the normal of life?

 

Well, I am hopeful that I can combine my normal life with Whole30.  I now know that I definitely did not have control when I finished my first Whole30. I didn't do the reintroduction at all, and just winged it.  I quickly fell back into my old habits (chronic coke drinker). 

 

This time I am really trying to be mindful of what I am eating, and making sure that I try different veggies to mix it up some.  I tended to stick to what I liked/knew and didn't branch out much.  So that is a change.  Plus I am just not happy with myself right now.  I am going to be 45 years old at the end of May and I just don't want food to consume the rest of my life.  I quit smoking over 4 years ago and just replaced smoking with food.  I am healthier, but I am not comfortable with my weight or my self esteem,  Plus my skin is more red when I eat like crap.  I have no energy and I hate that!  So, I think my mindset is completely different this time around. I really want to make some changes.  I won't eat Whole30 for life, but will probably switch to a more Paleo lifestyle after this. 

 

What about you?

[Ramonax]

Hummm. I just don't know. I love sugar. I LOVE it. I didn't miss it at all last time around - I know that. I know I feel better, I sleep better etc. But when I start eating it, I don't feel able to stop. I'm turning 44, and it has been a lifetime of sugar lust! I will try the reintroduction in a more mindful way too. But need to really think about balance. that will be my goal.

[Xandra]

Never give up. Some people get the magic fairy dust of committing to healthier eating as a lifestyle in their first round of W30, and others take more than one swing at it. It's taken me four rounds over a couple of years, but I finally feel like I have the hang of it, like the W30 was the first 30 days of the rest of my life and not just 30 days in limbo until I can eat like my old self again. This feels like my old self now, but I know it took me a lot of practice to get here. Just keep trucking and it will get easier for you, too.

[Jenny B]

Thanks, Xandra!  I think it is all about what Ramonax said - balance!  I think I have one bad thing and that means the rest of the day, then week, and the well just screw it.  I need to get out of that mindset, which is what I am hoping another round will do with a real reintroduction.  I like eating healthy, but I am not going to lie I love my coke! HA!  I like to pull through a drive thru when I am too lazy to cook.  The funny thing is I love to cook, but I just get bored and lazy.  So, all of these things I need to watch for and really try and find what works in my life.  For now, that is another Whole30!  One meal at a time!

 

So, today is Day 4.  I feel okay, but I am tired.  No headache. Weird the first round of Whole30 I had a headache for days. This time just on Day 2 and it was a just a minor ache.  I do feel like I could sleep forever though.  I don't feel like I am cranky, but I did yell at several drivers today on my way to work, so I must have a little anger inside me.  LOL!

 

I think my husband is having a more difficult time than I am.  He is pretty cranky and tired and wants his sugar.

 

Meal#1: 2 fried eggs, 2 pieces of bacon and some blackberries (Yes, I am aware that there was no veggie this morning.  Pure laziness on my part)

Meal#2: Pot roast, carrots, celerly, onions, potototes. Plus a side of cucumbers

Meal#3: Taco salad (beef, homemade taco seasoning, onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, lettuce, cilantro, and homemade salsa (all roased veggies)). And I may try and make some plaintains to go with it. Depends on how I feel later tonight!

[Jenny B]

So, anyone else have a problem with the timeframe of eating?  I wake up at 5, and have breakfast between 5:45 - 6. I am out the door no later than 6:15 (I have a 45 minute - 1 hour commute to work).  I don't eat lunch till around Noon (would eat earlier but the day would stretch on forever).  I leave work by 4 (home by 5). Take my dog for a walk (usually around 30 minutes).  Then eat dinner around 6:30ish.  So, I am having at least 6 hours in between my meals. I don't know another way to make it work. I do usually have a handful of almonds when I walk in the door from work though.  If I did 4-5 hours, then I would eat breakfast at 5:45, lunch at 10:45, and dinner at 3:45. That is so not feasible, because then I would be starving at bedtime!  HA!

[Xandra]

I sometimes have to go long stretches between meals. My secret weapon is salted bone broth, which I carry around in a Contigo steel thermos. For me, that is enough to bridge between meals without feeling hungry, and I like to stick to 3 meals a day.

I keep a small crockpot (1.5 qt) of broth always hot on my countertop, and I drink it all day, replenishing water as I go and replacing the bones each week (save bones in the freezer for this purpose).

[Jenny B]

I sometimes have to go long stretches between meals. My secret weapon is salted bone broth, which I carry around in a Contigo steel thermos. For me, that is enough to bridge between meals without feeling hungry, and I like to stick to 3 meals a day.

I keep a small crockpot (1.5 qt) of broth always hot on my countertop, and I drink it all day, replenishing water as I go and replacing the bones each week (save bones in the freezer for this purpose).

I got some beef bones from my butcher last week. I was going to cook them in my pressure cooker.  I have made chicken broth before, but never with beef.  Also I have never just drank it.  If I made it in the past it was for soups/stews etc.  So, I am interested to see if I will like it.  I don't usually get too hungry in between meals, but I defnitely go longer than 4-5 hours.  That just is not doable. 

[Jenny B]

Day 5

 

Well today sucks and it is only 7:45 in the morning. Ha!  I am definitley cranky today.  I mean like I really hope I don't kill anyone at work today. I hope everyone leaves me alone, so then I can go home and crawl into bed and make the day go away! I wrote on another post that just because I am aware I am cranky does not make it any better.  Seriously. 

 

Meal#1: Scrambled hash: 2 eggs, 2 pieces of bacon, potatoes, green onions, and jalapenos. 

Meal#2: Salad w/ spinach, romainne, green onions, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and tessemae's balsamic dressing. Plus a side of grilled veggies and pork tenderloin. 

Meal#3: Chicken wings (salt/pepper baked at 450 degrees, yummy). probably just some raw veggies on the side to make it simple

 

Have I mentioned I am cranky today? 

[Jenny B]

I meant 400 degrees for the chicken wings. 

[Jenny B]

Day 6

 

I have noticed that I am relying too much on potatoes in my meals.  So, I am going to tweak that over the next week.  I don't know what is too much - but I feel like if I have them at every meal or twice a day it is too much.  Thoughts?

 

So, todays meal plan is below:

 

M1: Scrambled hash (bacon, small amount of potatoes (maybe around 1/8 cup or a little higher, eggs, green onions). Side of sliced tomatoes

M2: Cold roasted chicken breast with a side of raw veggies: cucumbers, tomatoes and slide sweet peppers with Tessemae's balsamic dressing.

M3: Italian sausage (butcher here has no added sugar in their sausage (except their breakfast sausage ). Grilled peppers, onions. Side Salad.

 

I am not as cranky today, Thank the Lord!  That is never fun.  I think I am still pretty tired. I am glad it is Friday and I have the weekend to relax.  No plans except some pampering for myself and grocery shopping.  I am going try and work on a meal plan for this coming week. 

 

Happy Friday everyone!

[Jenny B]

Hmm, so I just read Katie's blog and a moderator said a fist size of starchy vegetables per day.  So, maybe I am not getting too much in my diet.  WOO HOO!!!

[Jenny B]

Day 7! WOO HOO

About to run out and do some personal errands for the day. Meeting my mom for lunch. We are going to Jason's Deli, so we can do the salad bar. LOL! What is it about someone else chopping all the vegetables that make that salad taste so good.

M1: Hard boiled eggs, potatoes and bacon - out of veggies got to go to the store today

M2: Jason's delis salad

M3: Steak, baked potatoe and asparagus or green beans. Haven't decided yet.

Gorgeous weather here today. I am going out to enjoy it.

[Jenny B]

Day 8

 

Officially made it through the first week. I feel pretty good today (and yesterday as well).  I have already prepped my veggies for the week and I have some beef broth in the pressure cooker.  I am going to try having that daily (we will see how I like it).  

 

M1: 2 fried eggs, shredded potatoes with green onions, bacon and tomatoes

M2: Leftover sausage and peppers/onions

M3: Roasted turkey, green beans and maybe some buttered potatoes (clarified butter of course)

 

Going to try and work on taxes today.  YUCK.  But needs to be done.  Ha!

[Jenny B]

We had a great dinner. Comfort food, but healthy. I picked up a turkey breast with bone from Traders Joes and then made garlic green beans on the side. Decided to make mashed potatoes. I just used some of the starchy water and clarified butter to mash. They were relish!

Did find I munched today. I kind of relaxed and found myself grabbing some grapes or cashews here and there. All compliant but not really what I should be doing. So, at least I am aware and will make sure I make some changes. I do feel pretty good about the day even though I had some munchies this afternoon. I would have munched on junk a week ago so it is progress!

[Jenny B]

Relish not relish! Ha!

[Jenny B]

LOL, I see it still changed my word from delish to relish!

 

Day 9

 

I feel pretty good today.  I put a brisket in my slow cooker for dinner. That is going to smell amazing when I walk in the door tonight!

 

M1: Scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes green onions and mandarin

M2: Leftover steak and grilled veggies

M3: Brisket, green beans and a salad

[Jenny B]

Good morning!  Day 10 has arrived.  You know what that means, right?!  1/3 of the way through! WOO HOO!

 

I did wake up really tired this morning, and I hoping that goes away.  I think the only thing that bugs me about the Whole30 is grocery shopping and trying to figure out how much will last throughout the week.  LOL!  My husband and I are both doing the Whole30, but my son who is 21 is not.  Although, he gets home late at night after work/school and rummages through the fridge. Sometimes my lunch is left - sometimes it is not.  I can't really blame him for eating all that goodness.  HA!

 

So, I will be going to the grocery store again this afternoon after work.

 

M1: Scrambled eggs, potatoes with green onions and blackberries (I have some almonds/cashews since I didn't have any fat this morning)

M2: Salad: Cajun chicken, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, spinach, romaine. Side of mandarain oranges and blackberries

M3: Don't know yet.

[Jenny B]

Day 11

 

I am feeling pretty good today. Yesterday it took me forever to drive home from work, on my way home I wanted to vote so that took another hour. Then I had to go to the grocery store. I was out of eggs and knew I would fail if I didn't have anything available. Went to the store. By the time I got home, cooked dinner and sat down to eat it was 7 PM.  That is 7 hours and I was cranky.  But dinner was quick and good. Husband helped me out cooking.  Had burgers, baked cut up potatoes with a Flavor God Spicy Seasoning, mushrooms and cucumbers. Simple and easy.

 

And OMG, I never liked mushrooms before.  Hated them. But sauteed them in Tessemae's Lemon Garlic dressing.  SO FRICKING YUMMY.  So those smothered by burger. Tried Tessemae's ketchup.  Umm, not a fan. My husband gave it a go though. He ate it and said it would do. Way to vinegary for me.  But I am not a ketchup fan to begin with, so really no big deal for me.

 

M1: Scrambled hash (eggs, bacon, green onions, left over potatoes from last night)

M2: Turkey and a salad

M3: Creole Steak (In the crock pot: flank steak, green peppers, onions, Everything Spicy seasoning, and Rao's Marinara Sauce). Will serve over spiralized zuchinni and squash.

[Jenny B]

Day 12

 

Feeling pretty good. I think I will try and pencil (pen) going to the gym this weekend.  I really need to figure out a schedule and make myself go. I am just so tired when I get home. Then take my dog for a 30 minute walk, fix dinner, clean up, and then make our lunches.  Yes I have help from my husband most days, but still. So, I just need to make myself go and deal with it. 

 

M1: Scrambled hash ( pretty much my go to in the morning, super easy and quick)

M2: Leftover creole steak on top of a potatoe.

M3: Don't know - it will be leftovers in the fridge

[Jenny B]

Day 13

 

So, this is probably TMI but oh well. I have had some gut issues.  Used to be diarrhea and thought it was IBS.  Then in my early 40's it turned into mostly constipation. My family has a history of diverticulitis, IBS, ulcerative colitis - you get the picture.  Anyway, over the last 13 days I go to the bathroom regularly everyday (maybe twice).  It is an amazing feeling.  Unless you have ever dealt with stomach/gut issues you just don't get it.  So, this happened last time I did Whole30, but I didn't do the reintroduction and just went back to my way of eating. So, of course my stomach issues resumed where we left off.  So this time I am determined to do the the reintroduction correctly and probably slowly to figure out what exactly in my diet causes the issues.  I am pretty exicited because this time I am really aware.  Of course I want to lose weight, but this is a MAJOR NSV.

 

So, last night I went to play bingo with a couple of girlfriends.  I ate before I went and I brought a large bottle of water. They sat around drinking soda and eating popcorn.  All around me there was concession food.  I am not gonna lie - the popcorn was the hardest part.  I do love popcorn.  But I didn't ask for anything or even mention anything.  I left feeling pretty proud of myself.  Because seriously have I mentioned I love me some popcorn!

 

Last nights meal was leftover brisket, potatoes and cucumbers/tomatoes/green onions with Tessemae's balsamic dressing. Super simple and filling

 

M1: Scrambled hash ( pretty much my go to in the morning, super easy and quick)

M2: Leftover creole steak and half an orange, cucumbers/tomatoes/green onions with Tessemae's balsamic dressing.

M3: Taco salad - or something.  LOL!

[Jenny B]

Also, I noticed that I do munch on almonds/cashews if I have them around. I brought them to work - for a just in case.  But, I find I munch on them if they are there.  So, next week I will not bring any to work. 

[Xandra]

Breaking a snack habit is one of the most valuable things you can do on W30. Giving your body that break between processing food makes such a difference.

Nice job with popcorn night! Practicing those social events without disrupting your plan is another really good experience to build on.