started a while ago, just joined forum

[Crastney]

Hi All - I'm Jon, I'm nearly 40, a few weeks ago I weighed 70kgs, with a height of 5'10".  skinny arms and legs, with a big belly (people jokingly asked if I was pregnant!)

 

so I started in early April, however not properly, as it was my wife's birthday on 17th and we were out drinking, and eating with friends, and I hadn't fully got into this.  SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed - aka The Wife) - she's been trying to eat healthier, and exercise more for several months since putting on weight around her middle after giving birth a couple of years ago.  her nutritionist suggested Whole30 - she printed off some details and left them for me, and I decided that if she's going to do this she'd need help and encouragement, so I started too.  I bought here It Starts With Food for her birthday.

 

I think I've been doing ok, however I know there have been slips.  I've felt bloated and full after a meal of grilled chicken, salad, and plain jacket potato - presumably some kind of sauce or marrinade on the chicken that they didn't mention (it's in the nearest cafe to work).  Salads at lunchtime seem to be ok, just with olive oil as dressing.  I can get a potato and egg salad in Sainsbury with the sauces in separate pouches so easy to do.

at home I've been eating pickles (cornichon) and olives in brine - not sure on some things as they contain some chemicals in the ingredients.  And the first page on this website does stress that the smallest amount of a banned ingredient is enough to put us off track and require a restart.

 

On Sunday we had family over and had a roast dinner, chicken, roast potatos, parsnips, carrots, brocolli, and gravy.

I was great, and didn't drink alcohol, but completely forgot about the gravy - I checked afterward on the ingredients list, and there's wheat, and other banned items... doh!

 

I make home brew wine, beer and cider - obviously I've stopped drinking it, but there's still some on the go.  I had to rack a couple of DJs of elderberry cider off the sediment - I had to taste it to see if it was off or not - a couple of sips of each botttle, I felt very wierd - there's no sweet taste, as all the sugar has been converted to alcohol, and I didn't use sodium matabisulphate, or camden tabs, so I'm guessing this little slip might be ok...?

 

I do feel better in myself, and I can fit into much smaller trousers now.

(A few months ago I had heart tremors which I thought might be a heart attack so I started looking at more exercise, and a healthier diet back then - I feel much better now than I did a few months ago)

 

One thing that is worrying though is that I've started to notice that my left knee, and left hip have started clicking as I walk.  I probably should go to the doctors but it's not painful, so again not sure if it's a problem or not?

 

anyway that's me!

 

[SugarcubeOD]

Hey there!

Just imagine how AMAZING you'll feel if you feel good now with the 'slips'... you'll be on cloud 9 if you can do a full 30 days.

In answer to your question, yes a little slip (intentionally tasting the cider, altho I get the reason why) counts as non compliant.. it doesn't really matter if there was no sugar, that's pure booze then... which is off limits.

I really recommend with how good you feel with the off plan choices that you've made (or that have happened to you) that you're 90% of the way there anyway, so give it a good and true 30 days and you'll be flying!

[Crastney]

Thanks for the reply.  I've only just found the meal plan which suggests the amounts of things for each meal - up to now I've been winging it.

My wife says she's 'doing 90%' of it and feels better already, but she's missing the point of cutting everything out, so that she completely reset her system.

 

I have a question about potatos - they're a vegetable so I'd have thought they'd be ok, but I've read that they are very simple carbs, and the body treats them almost like sugar, and that micronutrient wise they're a bit poor.  a large jecket potato for lunch (plain, not butter), with a side salad, and grilled chicken - is that too much?  I realise it has no fats, so I'm going to have to alter that.

 

would a good salad be two boiled eggs, half an avocado, and lots of lettuce, tomato, and cucumber, with maybe olives too, and/or olive oil?

 

yesterday I had a salad from Subway, plain grilled chicken, lots of salad no dressing.

a few days ago it was one from Sainsbury, egg and potato, and salad, plus a tin of pilchards in olive oil, and a few nuts.

 

my breakfasts have been a mug of coffee (black no sugar) and smoothie (though not smooth enough to drink) - usually a mix of an apple or pear, a kiwi, sometimes an egg, maybe a carrot, some nuts, a few spears of brocolli, maybe ginger, mint, or corriander, then water to bind.  most times also added milled linseed with cranberries, and blueberries.  Other breakfast have been Spanish omlettes - with whatever veg I have.

 

Yesterday I bought the Whole30 cookbook, which will turn up in a few days, so that'll help.

[jmcbn]

Hey there - I've answered your questions in red below - hope this is of some help.... 

Thanks for the reply.  I've only just found the meal plan which suggests the amounts of things for each meal - up to now I've been winging it.

My wife says she's 'doing 90%' of it and feels better already, but she's missing the point of cutting everything out, so that she completely reset her system.

 

I have a question about potatos - they're a vegetable so I'd have thought they'd be ok, but I've read that they are very simple carbs, and the body treats them almost like sugar, and that micronutrient wise they're a bit poor.  a large jecket potato for lunch (plain, not butter), with a side salad, and grilled chicken - is that too much?  I realise it has no fats, so I'm going to have to alter that.

Potatoes are absolutely fine to eat and we'd recommend at least a fist sized serving of starchy veg daily - some people need more if they are particularly active or suffer from depression/anxiety, some people need less. Micronutrient wise they are naturally high in potassium & tryptopan amongst other things - both of which are play an important role in your well being. If you're worried about the sugar content eat them cold (they work well in a salad) - cold potatoes contain resistant starch which is absorbed more slowly by the small intestine meaning most of the dietary bulk of the resistant starch is excreted, whilst still providing a high level of satiety. You could maybe try making some home-made mayo for added fat, or guacamole would work well here too. Here's a quick, easy & compliant mayo recipe... Make this & you'll likely never buy store bought again.

 

would a good salad be two boiled eggs, half an avocado, and lots of lettuce, tomato, and cucumber, with maybe olives too, and/or olive oil?

When eggs are your only source of protein in a meal you should be eating the number of whole eggs you can hold in one hand. I'm a 5'2" female and I can hold 4 when hungry - I'm guessing as a male you could easily hold 4 too. Alternatively you could mix your protein sources & add some chicken/pork/whatever.

 

yesterday I had a salad from Subway, plain grilled chicken, lots of salad no dressing.

a few days ago it was one from Sainsbury, egg and potato, and salad, plus a tin of pilchards in olive oil, and a few nuts.

Be very wary of pre-made salad dressings which will often contain sugar in some form or other - see >this guide to sneaky sugars list< for reference & always read your labels.

 

my breakfasts have been a mug of coffee (black no sugar) and smoothie (though not smooth enough to drink) - usually a mix of an apple or pear, a kiwi, sometimes an egg, maybe a carrot, some nuts, a few spears of brocolli, maybe ginger, mint, or corriander, then water to bind.  most times also added milled linseed with cranberries, and blueberries.  Other breakfast have been Spanish omlettes - with whatever veg I have.

Smoothies are hugely discouraged for a number of reasons... Firstly they tend to have a HUGE sugar hit especially first thing in the morning when you've fasted over night, and secondly your body gives a different satiety signal with food that you drink over food that you chew. This is because it is the act of chewing which encourages the production of digestive enzymes and so when you drink your body often doesn't register the same amount of food. Just eat the food.

 

Yesterday I bought the Whole30 cookbook, which will turn up in a few days, so that'll help.

[Crastney]

thanks - points noted.

the Sainsbury salad had a salad cream with it, but in a separate package, which I didn't eat.

[jmcbn]

thanks - points noted.

the Sainsbury salad had a salad cream with it, but in a separate package, which I didn't eat.

Yep, you really need to work on your fat intake or you'll start to suffer - mentally & physically... Fat is essential for brain health, for energy, & for carrying fat soluble vitamins throughout the body.

Compliant bacon is easy to find in the UK and is a fat source on Whole30, or there's good old (& cheap as chips) lard for roasting your veg, duck/goose fat available in all supermarkets, coconut milk/oil/flesh/flakes, olives, olive oil, avocado & avocado oil, nuts/nut butters (to be used in moderation), nut & seed oils, fatty cuts of meat like brisket, shin, chicken wings (skin on), tallow & schmaltz to name but a few...! Then if you make the home-made mayo you can make all kids of dressings with that as a base.

Invest in some Frank's Hot Sauce too (available at Tesco) - it's great with eggs & has a good sodium hit too since your sodium levels can drop by up to 75% when switching to a whole food diet.

[missmary]

Two more things (sorry to be piling on!):

 

1. "plain" chicken at subway is anything but, I'm afraid that one has wheat and sugar and probably soy as well (check ingredients, but the US subway chicken is nowhere close to compliant).
2. which book are you calling "the whole30 cookbook"? If it's "the whole 30" by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, you are golden. If it's some other "whole30 cookbook" beware there are tons of imposters out there, and those aren't always compliant. "Well Fed #1" and "Well Fed #2" by Melissa Joulvan are also fantastic compliant cookbooks if you want more variety.

great work so far, just a few more tweaks...

[jmcbn]

1. "plain" chicken at subway is anything but, I'm afraid that one has wheat and sugar and probably soy as well (check ingredients, but the US subway chicken is nowhere close to compliant).

UK Subway plain chicken is apparently just that - plain chicken, as is their turkey - pretty much everything else there is off limits though...

[tmhampton1]

I'll give you my two cents as well. I have to be really careful when eating starchy veggies. I can't eat more than the one serving a day or I get really bloated and feel very uncomfortable. 

[Crastney]

in Subway they have a print out on the wall of all the ingredients, and all the things they contain (it's a european law) - and I checked till I found one with zero ticks across - plain chicken.

 

the salad cream in the packet had other off plan ingredients - hence why I didn't eat it.

I am eating olives, olive oil, cooking in coconut oil, eating nuts, etc.  and I add sea salt when cooking.

I could live off Olives if I had to - they're great!

 

the first book I bought was, it starts with food - the one that "I haven't read" - the second one is indeed the official Whole30 cookbook.  I saw something called a similar name, but cheaper, which is apparently all the same recipes, but no photos.  I got the official one don't worry.

 

Bacon straight from a butcher should be ok right?

 

I've seen others mention sausages, but I've yet to find any that are fully compliant for one reason or another!  Surely a sausage of any other 'fake' kind is SWYPO?

 

please don't tell me to buy stuff at Tesco - for about 5 years I've boycotted them for far too many reasons to mention here, but they're a really horrible company (imo) and there are many other places to shop instead.  Others might be bad, but I believe T£sco to be the worst offenders in many ways, so I'm never going to buy stuff there.  I'll obviously look up the sauce, and see if I can find it elsewhere.

I'm trying to stop using Amazon too, but that's not as easy.

 

in terms of sauce - Tabasco seems to be ok?

I have plans to make my own Mayo - and I do also eat avocados.

 

.... having said all that, I let go a bit, and ate a double choc belgium cookie yesterday afternoon, then had a compliant meal last night, and then had weetabix with milk, and berries for breakfast, with milk in my coffee.

completely off plan and I know I'll have to restart, but I figure, what the hell.  I'm fairly sure it's because I am eating too much fruit so the sugar dragon (soup dragon? snap dragon? swamp dragon? ... something from my childhood about a train? a dragon?  welsh story?... anyway I digress) so the dragon was still there.

 

The wife and I are going to start over after the weekend.  she's away, I might be compliant over the weekend on my own.

 

[edit to add] I have lard in the fridge, and I also have kept oils from cooking (it's just something I've always done) - there's a tub in the fridge, I use some, I put some back, great taste, a mix of lots of things - probably not great, but I don't put it down the drain as that causes fat-burgs, and I letting it set and scraping it out to just throw away feels wrong - I'm a bit of an environmental nut.  sometimes I'll use kitchen paper to wipe out the oil, the stuff the oily paper into an empty loo roll, stored in a jam jar - once filled up it makes a fantastic fire lighter for the barbeque.

[jmcbn]

soup dragon? snap dragon? swamp dragon? ... something from my childhood about a train? a dragon?  welsh story?... anyway I digress) so the dragon was still there.

 

Ivor the Engine, and The Clangers!!    

Yes, eating fruit will only feed the sugar cravings - lots of people opt to leave it out completely for that reason.

Re the allergen list - the Subway Chicken & Turkey Breast is fine as far as I know, but do bear in mind that sugar is not an allergen, and many meats are marinated in sugar so you still need to ask the questions.

Bacon should be fine so long as it's not maple cured - nitrates are fine by the way, and most of the Supermarkets own brands are sugar & sulphite free.

Sausages are MUCH harder to find - in fact I've yet to find a compliant sausage as we know them in the UK. Italian/Spanish type sausage is easier to find if you like that kind of thing...

 

Tabasco is also fine.

 

Frank's Hot Sauce should be available in Sainsburys, Morrisons, Asda etc

Good luck with the restart!!

 

[NoMoreCrunchyCravings]

So glad to read your posts. I love knowing that all over the world, there are lots of people like me looking to reset their lives through healthier eating!

[Crastney]

haven't restarted yet.  Am planning on a restart soon, but getting some ideas firmed up in my head first.

do I try to persuade the wife to do it properly this time?

do I get our child onto this too?  my wife clearly hasn't read the book or fully understood the basic principles as when I say that we could get our son on it too, as he should really be eating the same stuff as us at mealtimes, she says things like 'well he needs the calcium from the milk' or 'he won't get the right nutrients' and sometimes she says that he just won't eat certain foods, or that nursery wouldn't agree to it during the week - which of course they would!  we pay a lot for him to go there, so that he's looked after while we're at work. If we tell them he's only allowed certain food ingredients, then that's what they'd have to give him.

altogether easier at the moment just to give him what he'll eat while he's at home.

 

lunch today was a salad box - lettuce, tomato, cucumber, 3 boiled eggs, 1/2 an avocado, black pepper, olive oil, and tobasco.

no snacks this afternoon, no afternoon slump (sometimes I used to be nearly asleep in my chair at half 3), no cravings for cookies, and it's nearly 6pm - but I probably won't be eating till 8pm ish which isn't ideal.

[Crastney]

so I'm not technically on a W30 at the moment, but I am trying to have complient meals when I can.

went to the health food shop in Hackney today, and got roast butternut squash spicy soup, along with some coconut Aminos, and a jar of saurkraut!  lovely stuff.

I then got a bottle of EVOO from M&S, and a packet of roast beef slices - took me ages to find some sliced cooked meat that didn't have sugar or sodium nitrite added! £3.25, but enough for 3 portions.  I had some olive paste still from yesterday, so a mixture of all this, (but not the aminos) made a very tasty lunch.

 

I don't think I ever realised how nice saurkraut tasted.  I might try to make some at home at some point.

 

breakfast I'd had cabbage, olives, and toms fried in ghee, then 3 eggs scrambled into it.  and a mug of black unsweetened coffee.