Kate's First W30

[kdiddy]

My start date is tomorrow and I am so excited! I am going to be keeping track of my meal plans, food log, and overall progress in both a dedicated Whole 30 notebook and my bullet journal, but I wanted to start this thread as well to give myself lots of tracking options and figure out what works best for me. 

 

I know the first day is the "What's the big deal day?" but as a non-breakfast person, I am shocked by how excited I am to wake up and eat a nice plate of eggs and homemade sausage and spinach and avocado in the morning! 

 

Here we go... 

[Staggolee41]

Woohoo! Congrats and welcome!

[Jager07]

Welcome aboard!

 

Love that you're already planning your breakfast and what a way to start the day with a victory.  I've never been a breakfast person either and feel your excitement and going all in tomorrow morning.

 

Good job having options for tracking and accountability.  You're setting yourself up for success and this forum definitely helps.  Look forward to seeing your progress.

 

You've got this! 

[kdiddy]

Thanks ladies!! I love the support of this community!

 

 

DAY ONE:

Meal #1: 1 homemade sausage patty (1/3c measured raw pork/turkey w/ spices), 1 fried egg, 1-1.5c spinach sauteed with some mushrooms, dash of hot sauce, and 4 raspberries

Meal #2: 1 Trader Joe's chilli lime chicken burger, grilled zucchini/squash/onions, roasted sweet potatoes, homemade mango salsa (mango, red onion, cilantro, spices, white balsamic)

 

Meal #3: broiled cod, sauteed spinach/broccoli/carrots/green beans/cauliflower, 1/4 avocado, cucumbers

 

Day one felt great! I felt full while I still had a few bites left on my breakfast plate, but as a non-breakfast person I decided to finish my plate to try and train my stomach to eat a full meal in the morning. If this feeling of fullness continues I will adjust my portion sizes, but for the first few days, I really want to focus on forming some good meal habits. As I got ready for bed, I started to feel hungry again. Unfortunately, I have always been a night time eater, often snacking right up until I get ready for sleep. I have a feeling this late night hunger had more to do with that pattern of behavior than any shortcomings in my dinner. I hit my hydration goal for the first time in weeks - drinking 2.5 liters of water - and was very excited about that!

 

DAY TWO:

Off to a great start! So far:

 

Meal #1: 1 homemade sausage patty, 1 fried egg, sauteed spinach/mushroom/leftover sweet potatoes, salsa verde, 4 raspberries.

 

Meal #2: Trader Joe's hot Italian chicken sausage, sauteed onions/bell pepper/mushrooms with tomato sauce/olive oil, 3/4c cauliflower rice. 

 

Meal #3: TBD

 

Again, I felt full with a few bites left on my plate this morning, I decided to focus on finishing the protein and left a few bites of veggies on my plate. Doing well on my hydration goal and expect to meet or beat it by the end of the day. I find myself thinking about my usual snack foods a little bit, but really haven't felt hungry until 4-5 hours after my meals, so I think my portions are working pretty well. I am worried about not getting enough healthy fats. I have a bunch of beautiful avocados sitting on my kitchen counter, and for some reason I cannot seem to remember to slice one up and throw it on top of my meals! That will be something to focus on for dinner tonight and through tomorrow. 

[Staggolee41]

Again, I felt full with a few bites left on my plate this morning, I decided to focus on finishing the protein and left a few bites of veggies on my plate. Doing well on my hydration goal and expect to meet or beat it by the end of the day. I find myself thinking about my usual snack foods a little bit, but really haven't felt hungry until 4-5 hours after my meals, so I think my portions are working pretty well. I am worried about not getting enough healthy fats. I have a bunch of beautiful avocados sitting on my kitchen counter, and for some reason I cannot seem to remember to slice one up and throw it on top of my meals! That will be something to focus on for dinner tonight and through tomorrow. 

 

Nice work! Maybe turn that avocado into guacamole and use it as a topping?

[kdiddy]

Staggolee41 - great idea! Hopefully if I put a little more effort into the prep of it, I'll actually remember to put it on my plate!

 

DAY TWO:

Meal #3: grilled hamburger, sauteed broccoli/cauliflower/carrots/spinach, 1/2 avocado, dash balsamic vinegar

 

Just met my hydration goal for the day, hoping to add another half liter or so before bedtime. Feeling good about my dinner choice. Not only was it delicious, I think the healthy fats from the avocado and burger should keep me satiated until breakfast tomorrow. 

[kdiddy]

DAY THREE:

 

Meal #1: sausage patty, fried egg, 1/2 avocado (managed to get it on the plate this time!!), 1.5c sauteed spinach, mushrooms, salsa verde, 4 raspberries

 

Meal #2: turkey burger, grilled squash, roasted sweet potato, mango salsa

 

Meal #3: beef burger, sauteed brocolli/cauliflower/spinach, 1 WHOLE avocado, 4 small slices tomato

 

Feeling good today. I definitely had a little bit of the "I want to kill everything" mood when I got to work, but it passed quickly so I think it had more to do with work than with my diet. Haven't had any of the hangover feeling really, but I have needed some extra sleep the past two mornings - unsure if that's the W30 hangover or the fact that my back is still healing (had a flare up of a herniated disc a few days before starting my W30 and am on steroids to reduce the inflammation until tomorrow). I work at an inn/restaurant, so I ordered my dinner from the kitchen the past two nights. Tonight they were super nice and gave me a whole avocado - more than I ever thought I would eat, but I didn't want to waste it so I ate it all. I'm worried this was way too much for one meal, but am not going to stress about it because if my biggest worry for the day was whether I over ate avocado, I think I'm doing pretty well! Also, hit my hydration goal for the third day in a row! Yay!

 

Excited for a day off tomorrow and some quality meal prep time! 

[kdiddy]

DAY FOUR:

Meal #1: 3 eggs, 2 sweet potato hashbrown cakes (shredded potato, egg, pinch of coconut flour), salsa verde, a few bites spinach

Meal #2: 1 plum, 1/2 banana, 3oz compliant kombucha

Meal #3: 6 compliant chicken wings (dusted w/ coconut flour and spices), roasted broccoli, roasted sweet potatoes, cucumber, W30 ranch dressing

I had some anxious dreams the night before and slept in way later than I normally would on a day off (10 am!), but I think I needed the rest. I wasn't very hungry for meal one and had a hard time finishing my veg. I also had a 12 oz glass of iced tea/yerba mate and was feeling way over-caffeinated/anxious for a few hours after finishing it. I totally failed at meal #2. I think a combination of a late breakfast and a poorly timed grocery store trip are mainly to blame. I definitely need to come up with some good protein on the go sources to make sure this doesn't happen again. I felt a little of the "kill ALL the things" at the grocery store, but unclear whether this was from caffeine, W30, stress, or my back pain flare up. Started noticing that my skin is incredibly clear and soft - especially on my face. NSV!!

 

DAY FIVE:

Meal #1: 3 egg frittata with broccoli, bell pepper and sweet potatoes, diced avocado with lime juice, salsa verde, and 1/2 plum

Meal #2: romaine, carrots, tomatoes, cukes, red onion, almonds, topped with chicken salad (W30 mayo, veggies, and grapes), leftover mango salsa, and a homemade vinaigrette 

Meal #3: 6 W30 chicken wings, squash/mushroom/onion/tomato sauce ragu, roasted sweet potato, lime cilantro aioli, W30 ketchup

Snack? 6oz. compliant kombucha a few hours before bed

This was a lazy, sleepy day at home with my partner. I did start to notice that vegetables and fruit seemed to have so much more flavor! And fruit seemed really sweet - I had more fruit at meal 2 than I've had in a single meal since starting, and I definitely noticed a bit of sweetness overload after finishing. I did fail at my hydration goal for the first time since starting whole 30 (I only drank 1.6 liters of water, instead of my goal of 2.4). I had a bit of a headache before bed, not sure whether this was dehydration or W30. Fell asleep easily and slept really well for the night. 

 

DAY SIX:

Meal #1: sausage patty, fried egg, spinach, mushrooms, 1/4 avocado, 1/2 plum, salsa verde

Snack? 4oz. compliant kombucha 

Meal #2: turkey burger, roasted sweet potatoes, grilled squash, salsa verde

Meal #3: TBD

I was really sleepy this morning and had to force myself out of bed after almost two hours of hitting the snooze button. I'm feeling a bit of an improvement in my back flare up over yesterday, and my skin just keeps getting better and better! I started taking some vitamins/supplements today - a once-a-day women's multi-V, fish oil, and black cohosh. These used to be part of my much larger list of daily supplements, but I gave up on all of them a few months ago. I'm often forgetful when it comes to daily supplements, but I'm hoping that the schedule I've adopted with my W30 will help me keep on track with these, too. I've had a slight headache on and off today, but water seems to help. Looking forward to a tasty meal #3 at work, and jumping into bed as soon as I get home!

[kdiddy]

DAY SIX:

Meal #3: grilled beef burger and half an avocado

Dinner was a bit of a fail. I was at work so I ordered a meal from the kitchen... they've been pretty good about dealing with my specific requests lately, but I still make sure to state them in detail every time. Tonight it didn't work... I took one bite of veggies, tasted butter, and immediately spit them into my napkin. I managed to scrounge up a half avocado instead, but my meal was still really lacking in veg.

I've had several "fails" the last few days in terms of reaching my balanced plate at every meal, but I need to keep reminding myself that overall, I am definitely WINNING! I successfully said no to butter today, even though it made it into my mouth. I did not eat that Larabar (even if it is compliant!) when I realized I missed my opportunity for a real lunch at the grocery store the other day. I also scored another NSV today! I started my period this afternoon... I have issues with large ovarian cysts and hormonal imbalances; so for me, that time of the month is normally met with intense irritability, headaches, and crippling cramps, especially one the first day. But not this time - I've been calm and happy all day, and completely cramp free!!! If this is how I can feel every month, I have absolutely no problem spitting that butter out. 

[kdiddy]

DAY SEVEN:

Meal #1: fried egg, sausage patty, spinach, salsa verde

Meal #2: beef burger, romaine lettuce, avocado, carrots, radishes, cucumbers, olive oil and balsamic

Snack: 1/2 of a Larabar (cashew cookie) when I got stuck in horrendous traffic on my commute home

Meal #3: grilled flank steak, chimichurri, roasted sweet potatoes, grilled mushrooms and asparagus

I had the hardest time waking up this morning. I was in the middle of a super anxious nightmare, and even after I finally pulled myself out of bed I wandered around the house like a zombie for a while before I could snap out of it. BUT, I still managed to make and eat breakfast and make it to work on time (It was my first morning shift on the Whole 30). My back felt great when I woke up - I almost forgot it had been painful the last few days - but did tense up on my drive into work. I was pretty alert at work until about 2:00 when my energy started to crash. I got stuck in some bad traffic on the way home and was so tired and starting to get really hungry and caved and had to eat 1/2 of a Larabar. The Larabar was not the best choice to fuel my commute, but it was compliant and the only edible thing in my car at the time. I was a total waste the rest of the day, but still managed to cook dinner! I fell asleep easily and early, something I tend to struggle with normally.

 

It's officially been an entire week of Whole 30!! I feel so great so far! I'm really, really enjoying this new way of eating and focusing on what I'm using to fuel my body.I really am not struggling with many cravings at all, and didn't cave and need a snack until day 7, so I think I'm doing pretty well with my eating schedule and portion sizes. My partner (in life, and Whole 30) is struggling a lot more with cravings and has snacked consistently through his W30 so far (he never planned on quitting his snacks like I am). I think one of the key differences between our experiences is that I went into my Whole 30 very well informed and truly believing in the Whole 30 process and lifestyle, while he is much more skeptical. Despite our differences, I really think we are both succeeding at this in our own ways - I am so proud of both of us for hitting our first-week mark!

My biggest NSV so far is definitely my skin - I've luckily always been blessed with pretty clear skin, but it has never been this clear and smooth before! I can't stop touching my face. My back also seems to be getting better. Unfortunately, sitting in a desk chair at work for 8 hours most days seems to undo most of the improvement, but overall definitely getting better. I think I've lost a little weight, or at least changed my body composition a bit - I've noticed my face/chin, arms, and legs (especially around my knees) are a little tighter and leaner. I've never been one to obsess about the number on a scale so I didn't think the no scale rule would be hard, but I am so curious!! I'm not tempted enough to where I think I will be in any danger of breaking the rule, but it will be interesting to see where I'm at on day 31. 

 

DAY EIGHT:

Meal #1: fried egg, sausage patty, spinach, chimichurri, 4 oz kombucha

Meal #2: tuna salad (1 can tuna, chimichurri, relish) wrapped in Boston lettuce, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, asparagus

Meal #3: beef burger, spinach, carrots, green beans with a healthy drizzle of olive oil

Feeling pretty low energy earlier today, but in good spirits overall. I got a great night sleep last night and am hoping for the same tonight. It's amazing how close the Whole 30 timeline is to my experience in the last few days. While I definitely think there are some changes going on with my body composition, this morning I woke up and felt decidedly less "improved" when I looked in the mirror. I still feel a little leaner in some areas (mainly my face and arms) but overall felt disappointed this morning that I didn't see much difference between this morning and on Day 1. Tonight, of course, I looked at my timeline and today and tomorrow are my "Ugh, my pants are tight" days. In the end, I know it's not so much about how I look as how I feel, but it was comforting to read that timeline today and know that I am still on track. Tomorrow I have a day off and am excited to get some relaxation in, along with meal planning and prep to make my life a little easier through the weekend. 

[Robin R.]

I just started my first Whole 30 on Monday, August 8th and enjoyed reading your journey so far.  I also loved seeing that the Trader Joe's chili lime chicken burgers and hot Italian sausage are Whole 30 compliant! Will be near one next week and plan to stock up.

A few things I have learned so far about the healthy fats at each meal because I was also concerned about that.  I drink coffee, so I stirred up a can of full fat coconut milk and froze it in an ice cube tray then popped out the cubes and put in a freezer bag.  Two cubes in my coffee help with the healthy fat portion of my breakfast.  I also add olives and nuts (dry roasted cashews right now) if I feel I am lacking in a fat at a meal. This morning, I had two hardboiled eggs, leftover roasted green beans, a few grapes and some cashews.  Strange breakfast but it was quick and it worked!!  

[kdiddy]

Thanks so much for the great healthy fat ideas Robin! For some reason, I lost interest in coffee a couple weeks before starting my Whole 30, but I've really been craving a nice iced coffee lately - I'm going to try your coconut milk ice cubes in the morning! Such a great idea! TJs is pretty far from our house, so I tried to stock up for the month when we went a few weeks ago, but I think I'm going to have to make another trip soon - those burgers and their salsa verde are calling me!!

I hope your Whole 30 has been off to a great start!

[kdiddy]

Playing some serious catch up on the forum version of my food journal. Here we go:

DAY NINE:

Meal #1: 3 egg frittata with squash and zucchini, kiwi

Meal #2: 1 can of tuna mixed with chimichurri, butter lettuce, cucumber, and grapes

Meal #3: W30 meatloaf, mashed potatoes (with ghee and coconut milk), roasted carrots and broccoli, ratatouille 

I wasn't very hungry or excited for breakfast this morning but managed to get it down. I used ghee as my healthy fat for the first time in my Whole 30 today and was really loving its buttery, indulgent flavor. My back was feeling really bad today, a lot of pinching and some serious tenderness all along my spine, but I kept up a good attitude and stuck to my meal plan for the day. Hopefully, my back will improve soon!

 

DAY TEN:

Meal #1: egg, 1/2 pork sausage patty, ratatouille

Meal #2: beef burger, romaine lettuce, tomato, cucumber, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and avocado

Meal #3: W30 meatloaf, mashed potatoes, carrots, broccoli, ratatouille

I was running late for work and threw my breakfast in a container, hoping to try and eat it on the road (not sure what I was thinking... a whole sausage patty is not an easy thing to eat while driving!). I wasn't able to eat it until I was settled into the desk at work, and by that time I wasn't too hungry so I didn't finish the sausage patty or the ratatouille. I decided to make a plan to make some chicken salad for my early mornings next Monday and Thursday to avoid this problem next week. The rest of the day my meals went much better and I think I hit all of my goals in terms of having a balanced plate.

 

After my first meal on day ten, I dropped the ball on bullet journaling for a few days and did not keep a daily record of my meals. Luckily I remember everything I ate and was able to make a little catch-up food log, but I don't have any notes on how I was feeling those days. 

 

DAY ELEVEN:

Meal #1: egg, pork sausage patty, spinach, salsa verde

Meal #2: tuna salad (tuna, homemade W30 mayo, dill relish, celery, spices), romaine, cucumbers, carrots

Meal #3: beef/mushroom/onion ragu with zoodles and tomato sauce

I had some intestinal cramps that day, but they seemed to pass quickly after I used the bathroom. I rested and stretched my back for the morning and early afternoon, and it was a really good back day. It was incredibly hot that day, and despite the heat, I was able to rally and cook a delicious, compliant dinner instead of relying on tuna salad for two meals in a row. 

 

DAY TWELVE:

Meal #1: LaraBar

Meal #2: cobb salad - romaine, chicken breast, egg, onion, tomato, avocado, olive oil, balsamic

Meal #3: turkey burger (turkey, jalapeno, onion, egg, dusting of flax meal), mango salsa (mango, jalapeno, red onion, spices), grilled squash, mushrooms, and onions, potato salad

Meal #1 today was my first official complete fail. I had to be at work 2 hours earlier than I thought and didn't realize until 10 minutes before I needed to leave. So - I grabbed a Larabar and flew out the door. I felt incredibly guilty and defeated, but at least it was a compliant choice, if not a well-balanced one. My mood and confidence bounced back at lunch time when I had a delicious salad filled with healthy veggies. Our dinner was one of the best meals we've had in a while. Turkey burgers have become one of my go-to specialties, but the whole meal was so flavorful and delicious! Even my partner, who has spent the last few days complaining about how much he misses bread and deli meats and cookies said it left nothing to be desired. Huge win!! He made a super delicious potato salad, and while I wanted to eat a huge bowl of it, I managed to limit myself to a small scoop on my plate. I know white potatoes are W30 compliant, but between a desk job and my back flaring up I have not been living a particularly active lifestyle lately and am trying to avoid eating them too much. But man, those few bites of potato salad were out of this world!

 

DAY THIRTEEN:

Meal #1: homemade turkey sausage patty, egg, spinach, salsa verde, 1/2 avocado

Meal #2: turkey burger, mango salsa, grilled squash and onions, potato salad

Meal #3: cobb salad - grilled chicken breast, romaine, egg, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, radish, olive oil, balsamic

Got up and had a delicious, leisurely breakfast this morning. Again I managed to successfully limit my potato salad portion at lunch.. this is a huge win for me. A few weeks ago, I would have gorged myself on this potato salad, especially around 9 or 10 at night before going to bed. Now, just savoring a few tasty mouthfuls seems to do it for me. The Whole 30 timeline (I know it's not accurate for everyone, but I like to use it as a reference) has me at the "all the energy" phase, but I don't think I'm there yet. While i am not tired during the day, I started getting super sleepy after dinner last night and finally gave in and crashed at 10pm, only to sleep until 10am this morning! 12 hours of sleep!! It was insane but felt great. It's been unbearably hot the last few days, so I wonder if that has anything to do with it. Or that my back is still hurting? I find that sleep sometimes helps it loosen up/heal, so maybe my body needed the extra rest? Either way, it was glorious. 

 

Tomorrow will by my two-week mark on Whole 30, and I cannot stop telling people how much I love it. I'm not officially committed to it yet, but I am seriously considering going 45 or 66 days instead of the 30. I'll wait and see how I feel in the next week or so, but I am really loving this experience so far! Some goals for the coming week: I need to get back into daily bullet/food journaling, and I need to recommit myself to my hydration goals. I have still been carrying my water bottle around with me the past few days, but not quite reaching my goal (at least 3 800ml bottles full a day) and I can feel it -  my skin isn't quite as clear/soft anymore, my urine isn't a nice light hydrated color, etc. Bring on day 14!

[kdiddy]

DAY SEVENTEEN:

I had intended on logging in here to catch up on my daily food log, but my partner just came home and gave me some horrible news. Yesterday, he requested that I pick up a rotisserie chicken from a certain grocery store on my way home for dinner and I gladly obliged. I am not a big fan of rotisserie chicken, especially since these ones are not organic and sit in hot plastic containers under heat lights for long periods of time. He ate some for dinner, while I made myself some compliant chicken sausage and peppers. This morning, in a mad dash to get ready for work, I shredded up some of his rotisserie chicken breast and threw it in my breakfast bowl. He just came home and told me that he read the label this afternoon and saw that the chicken has sugar and carrageenan in it. I feel so incredibly stupid for not reading the label myself, both when I purchased it, and when I decided to eat it. I should know that food producers will hide sugar and additives in anything and everything! I've been feeling so amazing the last few days, and so proud of myself for making it through the first two weeks. Now, I just feel defeated and frustrated and guilty. 

I am going to continue doing what I'm doing, but will now have to extend my end date until September 18th. I had already thought about extending my Whole30 experience anyway, so I'm not upset about having to change my end date. I'm disappointed in myself for failing. I've been working so hard to meal plan, and shop, and read my labels, (UGH, I've been so diligent about reading EVERY label, even if I've purchased the product before!) and I still failed. 

As defeated and self-deprecating (and, let's be honest, self-pitying) as I am right now, there is one silver lining... Normally when I feel let down, or guilty, or negative like this I would bury my sorrows in ice cream and late night potato chip binges. Tonight, however, I feel fully satiated by my compliant dinner and really have no desire to seek comfort in those things. 

Tomorrow, I will start over at Day 1, Meal 1. Here's to a fresh start! 

[MrsZimm13]

Don't beat yourself up over chicken.  It doesn't help you in the long run.  

You've learned an important lesson and will move forward better off for it even though it doesn't seem it now. 

I am sorry you had the experience, but it taught you something.... And learning is ok.  Before this, you were doing great and you will continue to great!  

I  think your partner is awesome for pointing out the sugar and carrageenan in the chicken.  It keeps you from eating more of it in the future.  Kudos to him! 

[kdiddy]

MrsZimm13 - Thank you so much for the support! Right after I posted that update and closed my computer, I felt a huge sigh of relief. I think writing our my frustrations really helped, thank you so much for reading. You are totally right, I shouldn't beat myself up. I did learn a valuable lesson, but one small mistake with chicken is certainly not a failure! And yes... my partner is pretty awesome, if I do say so myself :). Thanks again!

 

[kdiddy]

Playing catch up again...  I already typed 95% of this up and then my computer crashed, so this version may be a little rushed but here we go:

DAY FOURTEEN:

Meal #1: turkey sausage patty, egg, spinach, salsa verde

Meal #2: beef burger, arugula, steamed carrots, cauliflower, broccoli

Meal #3: grilled chicken, sweet potatoes, onions, mushrooms, mango salsa

Between constant leg/back spasms and a racing mind, I could not sleep last night. I think I finally nodded off around 3:00 and was up at 6:30. Normally, this little sleep would make me a total zombie the next day, but I had energy all through my work day until I got home. I got into a bit of an energy and mood funk at home in the evening, but I think that was a combination of lack of sleep and some personal stressors. My lunch might have been a little low on healthy fats, especially since I got too full to finish my burger, but the crunchy steamed veggies really filled me up. I did my full physical therapy routine for my back for the first time during this flare up, and I felt surprisingly okay afterward (sometimes this is a little too much when my back is really inflamed). I’m committing to doing this routine every other day, in addition to my daily stretching. I’m really hoping that will lead to some major improvements!

 

DAY FIFTEEN:

Meal #1: fried egg, turkey sausage patty, spinach, onions, mango salsa

Meal #2: grilled spiced chicken, onions, sweet potatoes, riced cauliflower, mango salsa

Meal #3: cobb salad: romaine, chicken, arugula, egg, tomato, cucumber, radish, carrots, avocado, olive oil, balsamic

I woke up feeling a little fatigued and was very down and angry for most of the morning and early afternoon. I think I was still overtired from the night before and just generally stressed out. I decided to take a short 30-minute walk to try and stretch out my back and perk myself up a bit. It was super hot and humid, but it made me feel a little bit better. Once I got to work and started interacting with more people my mood really improved and the anger and frustration seemed to melt away. I had a HUGE, delicious salad for dinner and couldn’t finish it all. But, so yum!

 

DAY SIXTEEN:

Meal #1: egg, turkey sausage patty, spinach, mango salsa

Meal #2: ribeye steak, mesclun greens, tomato, red onion, avocado, roasted red peppers, olive oil, balsamic

Snack: cashews and dried fruit (prunes, apricots, peaches, plums)

Meal #3: Italian chicken sausage, mushrooms, onions, and peppers in tomato sauce with riced cauliflower and spinach.

An old friend was in town for the day so we spent the day together and went out for lunch and a movie. We went to our favorite bar/restaurant where, in the past, we would meet for drinks and fried chicken wings and greasy cheeseburgers with French fries. Today, I opted for a super delicious salad but was a little worried it would feel lacking compared to his more decadent choices. My salad was so good, I didn’t envy his decadent choices at all! I had intended on completely resisting the traditional movie theater snack, but as he stocked up on his munchies I caved and bought myself some cashews and dried fruit. I initially felt guilty about my indulgence, but in the end, I had to remind myself (this is becoming a pattern) that I had made a compliant choice and had been able to constrain myself to a small, healthy portion. My snack definitely impacted my dinner, however, as I was barely able to finish my protein and left a lot of my vegetables in my bowl. I’m not going to beat myself up about my snack, but as my body has adjusted to this new eating schedule it’s clear there isn’t really room for snacking.

I also discovered a new NSV today. As I was explaining the W30 to my friend, I realized that I hadn’t had heartburn since my Whole 30 started. Before, I would get it a few times a week, especially after eating a lot of tomatoes. I have consumed tomatoes throughout my W30 and haven’t had heartburn once!

 

DAY SEVENTEEN:

Meal #1: egg, rotisserie chicken (NOT COMPLIANT), spinach, riced cauliflower, roasted potatoes, grilled onion, hot sauce, lime juice

Meal #2: beef burger, arugula, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots

Meal #3: chicken sausage, mushrooms, onions, peppers in tomato sauce, riced cauliflower and spinach

My breakfast was a total mish-mash of leftovers, but it was SO tasty and required very little effort before rushing off to work. I wasn’t able to finish my lunch (I left a few bits of burger on my plate) or my dinner. I’m starting to notice that I get fuller faster and I think I need to work on adjusting my portions in the next few days.

Despite feeling successful throughout the day, this was the day of the dreaded sugary/carrageenan-y chicken! I was incredibly defeated when I found out about the ingredients in my chicken, but I learned a few really important lessons. One, I need to keep reading EVERY label, EVERY time. Two, I need to be kinder to myself. I have gone 17 days without knowingly eating any non-compliant food, and have had a balanced plate at the large majority of my meals. After years of late night snacking, I haven’t had one post-dinner snack in 17 days, and only one or two snacks in between meals. I need to keep reminding myself that one minor slip up is not a failure; it is a small bump on my much larger health journey. Three, I think one of my biggest NSVs has been a change in my temperament. I do not handle disappointment well, at all. I get very negative and often lash out at myself, or (often passive aggressively) at others. This time, I was certainly very upset, both with myself and my situation, but I dealt with the whole issue very calmly and rationally, instead of the emotional storm I can be. I came to terms with my need to extend my Whole 30 experience very quickly, and after I wrote out my earlier post about this issue, I felt relieved and eager to tackle the 30 days ahead. Which brings me to number four, despite my disappointment, I really think this slip up was the push I needed to commit myself to extend my Whole 30 program. I do not admit this very much, not even to myself, but I am a binge eater and have been for most of my life. While I have, overall, had a fairly easy adaptation to this new way of eating, 30 days is not nearly enough to undo a lifetime of binge habits. For now, I have extended my end date to September 18 (48 days after my initial start date) but am seriously considering a further extension through September 30. We will see how I feel in the next few days, but, for now, I am happy to commit myself to another 30 days of delicious food and mindful eating.

DAY ONE/EIGHTEEN:

 

Meal #1: ½ Trader Joe’s chili lime chicken burger, 2 fried eggs, zucchini, mushrooms, hot sauce, ½ peach

Meal #2: ½ chicken sausage, mushrooms, onions, peppers, and tomato sauce

Meal #3: chili mocha rubbed ribeye, roasted sweet potatoes, grilled onion, mushrooms, asparagus, peach and tomato salad with basil

I felt a little anxious/lost/lacking today but managed to keep positive and make it through. My lunch was not well-balanced plate or large enough portion. Like a week or so ago, I timed my grocery/errands trip poorly and did not have a plan to eat on the road. Instead, when I got home (a good 6-7 hours after my breakfast) I ate the last few pieces of chicken sausage and a few bites of vegetables before I started to prepare dinner. Our dinner was AMAZING! In honor of my second day one and recommitment to a new Whole 30, I splurged (well, kind of... they were on sale) at the grocery store and bought two beautiful organic, grass fed ribeye steaks. Ribeyes are my favorite, but I very rarely buy them to cook at home. I used the It Starts with Food mocha steak rub as inspiration and made a delicious rub of coffee, cocoa, chili powder, cumin, oregano, thyme, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. It was the best steak I have had in a long time. I was so excited about my dinner, especially after my lacking lunch, and overloaded my plate a little bit. Before the Whole 30, I would have been so pleased with my delicious steak and veggies I would have eaten the whole thing, regardless of whether I felt full. Tonight, I ended up eating about half of the food on my plate (still a smaller portion than what I’ve been giving myself the last two weeks) and feeling full and putting the rest away for lunch the next day. I need to pay a little bit more attention to small wins like this and give myself some credit when it’s due!

 

DAY TWO/NINETEEN:

 

Meal #1: turkey sausage patty, fried egg, zucchini, spinach, tomato, dash hot sauce, ½ nectarine, 3 ounces kombucha

Meal #2: mocha-chili ribeye, asparagus, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, onions

Meal #3: cobb salad: romaine, chicken, egg, tomato, cucumber, carrots, avocado, olive oil, balsamic

My back was really tight this morning and on my way into work, but after some ibuprofen, it really seemed to calm down. Two weeks ago, ibuprofen did nothing for me, so I think this is a sign of at least some minor improvement. My breakfast was delicious and a similar portion to what I’ve been eating the past two weeks. I cut my lunch portion down a little bit, compared to the last few days and it was plenty to keep me satiated until I got a chance to eat dinner at work. I ordered a HUGE salad and was only able to eat about 2/3 of it, but tried to prioritize finishing my protein (chicken and egg) and healthy fat (avocado). I’m feeling really bloated today and should really focus on upping my water intake between now and bedtime. Tomorrow, I need to recommit myself to my physical therapy exercises and make time to get my routine in before work. As my back is starting to improve a little, I really think I need to (gently) push myself to start getting some more exercise again and see how that improves/affects my W30 experience.

[kdiddy]

DAY THREE/TWENTY:

Meal #1: turkey sausage patty, fried egg, zucchini, spinach, hot sauce

Meal #2: 3 scrambled eggs, spinach, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, asparagus, hot sauce

Meal #3: mesclun greens, arugula, shrimp, cucumber, peach, radish, tomato, carrots, avocado, olive oil, vinegar, cashews

I was tired today but still pushed through my whole physical therapy routine before work. My back was feeling awesome until I got to work and had to sit at the desk all night. My second meal was totally thrown together just a few minutes before I had to leave for work - I originally planned on having tuna salad, but the new tuna we bought this week is SO salty it's inedible. Meal #2 tasted great at first, but towards the bottom of the bowl it was really watery and I couldn't finish it. Dinner was super delicious though - I have a whole new appreciation for shrimp! They were so rich and buttery tasting! I'll definitely be eating them more at work in the coming days. 

 

DAY FOUR/TWENTY ONE:

Meal #1: chicken salad (chicken, homemade mayo, mustard, parsley, onion powder, celery seed, garlic powder, celery, almonds, carrots, S&P), raw carrot and cucumber, olive oil and balsamic

Meal #2: shrimp, sauteed spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots

Meal #3: chicken salad, roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes, and 4 oz tart cherry juice mixed with water

I was exhausted today... I was ready to go to sleep at 6pm, but managed to push through to a second wind and stay up for a few more hours. My partner had a flare-up of gout today (something that plagues him every few months) and bought some tart cherry juice because it is known to help flush uric acid build up and has helped him during flare-ups in the past. My back has been in pain for over three weeks now, so I decided to try some of his juice to see if it would help with my inflammation at all. My back felt so much better for the rest of the night! Unsure whether it was placebo or coincidence or if tart cherry juice really is that magical, but I'm going to try it again tomorrow and see what happens. I know drinking fruit juice is not the best choice on the Whole 30, but if it helps my back feel better I'm not going to worry about a few ounces of juice each day. 

 

DAY FIVE/TWENTY TWO:

Meal #1: turkey sausage patty, egg, spinach, hot sauce, blueberries, and 4-6 ounces tart cherry juice mixed with water

Meal #2: chicken salad, cucumber, carrot

Meal #3: mesclun greens, arugula, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, cashews, avocado, shrimp, olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Tart cherry juice is the nectar of the gods!!! I know it's only been two days, but my back is feeling the best it has since my flare up started at the end of July. I'm definitely going to be adding a serving of cherry juice to my routine for the next few days and see if I can finally kick this inflammation for good. I haven't hydrated very well today and felt like my brain was a little slow at times and I got a bit of a headache. But, now I am focusing on hydration and it seems to be easing up a bit. I did my physical therapy routine again today and can feel my core gaining strength. I don't really feel like I've lost any weight, but my body definitely feels more solid/tight. Yay for NSVs! I got some disappointing news at work today that may encourage me to start a new job search, and again I really think my temperament has improved during this Whole 30 experience. I was certainly feeling frustrated and upset with the situation, but I was able to put it into context and avoid the catastrophic lines of thought I tend to jump to when I am disappointed. Hopefully, my new optimism (or at least, decreased pessimism) can prove useful during this possible transition! I have a day off tomorrow and am excited to focus on some self care and get some household chores in order. 

[kdiddy]

DAY SIX/TWENTY-THREE:

Meal #1: fried egg, turkey sausage patty, spinach, broccoli, hot sauce, 6oz. tart cherry juice mixed with water, blueberries

Meal #2: turkey burger, sauteed pattypan squash, onion, kale, slice tomato, 3-4oz. coffee with coconut milk

Meal #3: grilled pork sirloin, mango/kiwi salsa, sauteed tomatoes with garlic and basil, grilled vegetables (eggplant, summer squash, pattypan squash, onion, mushroom)

Hydration goal:  

I ate meals #2 and #3 a little late in the day compared to my typical day off routine. I felt SUPER energetic and focused all afternoon... not sure whether it was the little bit of coffee I had or my first taste of Tiger Blood? My back is still improving! I think a combination of the tart cherry juice and my PT routine is really turning things around. 

 

DAY SEVEN/TWENTY-FOUR:

Meal #1: egg, turkey sausage patty, spinach, hot sauce, 4 oz. tart cherry juice mixed with water

Meal #2: sauteed shrimp, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots

Meal #3: pork sirloin, sauteed tomatoes, grilled squash/eggplant/mushroom/onion, mango/kiwi salsa

Hydration goal:  

I started a new supplement routine this morning. I know the Whole 30 recommends not taking supplements/vitamins and instead getting all of your nutritional needs from real food. I've decided to re-commit to a daily supplement routine in order to continue/support the progress I have made with my back. I will be taking 1 tsp of L-Glutamine powder twice a day, fish oil, a multi-V, and black cohosh. 

I had a hard time choking down breakfast this morning, I really need to diversify my vegetables at meal one... I think I'm getting sick of spinach. I ordered lunch from the kitchen at work and had to wait much longer than expected. I was so hungry by the time I got my food at 3:15 - it was delicious!! My back is a little tight today, but still so much better overall. 

 

DAY EIGHT/TWENTY-FIVE:

Meal #1: 1/2 turkey burger, fried egg, sauteed squash, onion, and spinach with bits of leftover pork

Meal #2: curry crab cakes (canned crab, egg, cashew meal, pinch coconut flour, curry paste, spices), squash, onion, and spinach

Meal #3: baked acorn squash stuffed with ground turkey, onions, carrots, kale, curry powder, a splash of coconut milk, and spices

Hydration goal: - Supplements: x

Lunch was a total on-the-fly concoction and such a success! I will definitely make these again. Dinner was even better! I had thought about doing a stuffed acorn squash with turkey and apples and sage and other fall flavors, but it is still just too hot to get into the idea of fall. So, I went curry! My partner and I both agreed, this was one of the best dinners I've made in a long time, and definitely one to add to our regular rotation. Otherwise, it was a pretty lazy day off at home. My back was feeling really tight, so I spent some time resting/stretching. 

 

DAY NINE/TWENTY-SIX:

Meal #1: leftover turkey/kale/onion/carrot/curry mix w/ fried egg

Meal #2: mesclun/arugula, shrimp, cashews, cucumber, carrot, radish, egg, olive oil, balsamic

*Snack while cooking dinner: small (1/2 palm) handful of roasted, unsalted cashews and cucumber

Meal #3: roasted chicken breast, roasted vegetables - carrot, parsnip, broccoli, onion, sweet potato, peach with coconut cream

Hydration goal:  - Supplements: x

I was feeling fairly low energy and a little lacking today. I have been craving roasted chicken lately! I don't think I have ever craved roasted meat like that before... I've noticed I've had some other strong cravings for clean, healthy foods that I wouldn't normally find crave-worthy before so I am counting that as a new NSV!! I had to wait a lot longer than usual between meals 2 and 3 (7 hours) so I ended up having a small snack while I prepped dinner (knowing it would be at least another hour+ until it was finished roasting). After cleaning my dinner plate, I indulged in a treat of a sliced peach drizzled with coconut cream. 

Between my snack, and my dessert (?) I felt a little guilty about my eating habits today, but I think the snack was necessary considering how hungry I was waiting that long for dinner. I know nuts are not the best snack, and are supposed to be eaten with a meal but I figured pairing them with the cucumber would cover my three major food groups - healthy fat, protein, veg. The peach after dinner was definitely an indulgence... I think it was mainly in response to my feeling of "lacking" or being slightly down all day. Definitely not a good decision, as I think this was a form of emotional eating. But, I am not going to beat myself up about it... a peach and some coconut cream is still a better choice than the cookies or chips I would have gorged on a few weeks ago. 

 

DAY TEN/TWENTY-SEVEN:

Meal #1: turkey sausage patty, fried egg, roasted carrot, onion, sweet potato, parsnips, hot sauce

*8oz cup black/yerba mate tea

Meal #2: roasted chicken breast with roasted carrot, onion, sweet potato, parsnips, broccoli

*16oz cup cranberry tea

Meal #3: TBD

Hydration goal:  (already met by 3pm!) - Supplements: x

I feel great today! I got a nice early start, had a productive morning, spent some time with my partner, and did a nice long version of my PT routine. My back feels the best it has in forever (not tightness, at all!). I was feeling a little bloated with water weight today so I've been drinking some tea (first cup this morning for a little energy perk, cranberry tea in the afternoon to try and combat some water bloat). I already hit my hydration goal by 3pm today! I'm going to keep up with the water intake for the rest of the evening, but feeling pretty proud of myself for that one!

[kdiddy]

DAY ELEVEN/TWENTY-EIGHT:

Meal #1: fried egg, sausage patty, zucchini, hot sauce

Meal #2: mesclun/arugula, grilled chicken, cucumber, radish, carrots, avocado, almonds, olive oil, balsamic

Meal #3: mocha chili rubbed NY strip steak, sweet potatoes, zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, onions

*Dessert: sliced peach with coconut cream

Hydration goal:  - Supplements: x

I put way too much salt on my breakfast and couldn't finish the vegetables so I got hungry a little earlier than normal for lunch. My back was a little stiff/inflamed when I got to work in the morning, so I iced it for a little bit and it really helped! It was my mom's birthday, so I cooked an almost compliant dinner for my family (only variation was the way our steaks were spiced - my bro is a big fan of teriyaki) and it was a delicious success! So delicious, that I basically finished my entire 10 oz steak, except for a few large chunks of tough fat. I think it might have been a little bit over the two palm portion limit, but not by much, so I feel okay about it. After dinner, I had a sliced peach with some coconut cream while the rest of my family had chocolate birthday cake. I wasn't even tempted by their cake and felt good about my decision. After a long day of work/errands/birthday celebration I ended up having to go to the ER with my boyfriend after he had some intense pain in his side. Turns out the poor guy has a kidney stone, just a week or so after a gout flare up (I have a feeling they are related). He's been a total trooper though and is continuing with his Whole 30 through tomorrow (his Day 30!!!) and then will begin his reintroduction. I thought I would be jealous when he neared the 31-day mark, and maybe I will be, but for right now I really have no interest in ending my Whole 30 routine. I have officially committed myself to a Whole 60 (most likely a Whole 64, to coincide with the big September Whole 30 dates) and am really excited to see what other NSVs might be coming my way. 

 

DAY TWELVE/TWENTY-NINE:

Meal #1: fried egg, turkey sausage patty, zucchini, onion, squash, swiss chard, hot sauce, and a few sips of iced coffee with coconut cream

Meal #2: ground turkey with homemade tomato sauce, mushrooms, onions, peppers, roasted carrots, parsnips, sweet potato

Meal #3: TBD

Hydration:  - Supplements: x - Exercise: PT routine (knee-to-chest stretch, ankle-on-knee sideways stretch, bridges, 5lb ball arm extensions from behind head to torso (with core engaged), 5lb ball flies (with core engaged), clamshells - all 3 sets of 10 reps). 

I was exhausted and cranky this morning after such a long day yesterday but managed to pull myself out of bed and be slightly productive this morning. I decided some coffee would be a good idea to give me a little extra pick-me-up, but only had a few sips with breakfast. After breakfast, I felt really bloated and a few hours later ended up having some really bad diarrhea and stomach cramps. I'm not sure if it was bad coconut milk (the can had been open in the fridge for a few days), my new supplements (I had some diarrhea after taking my first dose of L-Glutamine a few days ago) or something I ate. When I got to work I still wasn't feeling well, so I took some Pepto and it cleared everything up. I think I'm going to avoid coffee again for a while, mainly because I don't seem to enjoy it as much as I used to, and focus on drinking tea if I feel I need a little caffeine. 

I have definitely been noticing and celebrating lots of NSVs throughout my twenty-nine days, including some slight changes in my body composition. I know Whole 30 is not about weight loss, and I do not look at it that way, but the reality is I really need to lose some weight. I felt some pounds shedding in the second or third week, but since then have felt very stagnant in my weight and overall size/measurements/body composition. The Whole 30 has helped me make great improvements in my relationship with food, but now I think I am ready to rethink and reapproach regular exercise. For the last two weeks, I have been very diligent (I did cut a few things out today due to time constraints) about completing a physical therapy stretching/core strength building routine every other day. While this has greatly improved my back (I'm feeling about 95% better!), it is not enough. So, I rejoined the gym and am committing to starting a new routine tomorrow. I posted about this seeking some advice on another Whole 30 forum, but this is not the place to discuss weight loss so I will need to find some other resources. BUT, I will be adding my exercise to my daily log, starting today. Here's to developing more healthy habits!

[kdiddy]

DAY TWENTY-NINE/TWELVE:

Meal #3: mesclun, arugula, grilled chicken, cucumber, carrot, avocado, almonds, olive oil, balsamic

 

DAY THIRTY/THIRTEEN:

Meal #1: fried egg, sausage patty, swiss chard, and kale

Meal #2: tuna cakes with homemade tartar sauce and sauteed kale

Meal #3: ground turkey with tomato sauce, onions, peppers, sauteed squash and onions

My back was a little tight and I was super low energy today, but still managed to cook some tasty meals. Tuna cakes are becoming my new favorite thing! I felt constipated most of the day, too. I had plans to get to the gym for day one of my new routine and do a lot of cleaning and laundry at home, but I ended up just ignoring everything on my to-do list and lounging around the house with my partner all day. It was exactly what I needed! Today was my partner's last day on Whole 30 and originally would have been mine as well. I am so proud of him for pushing through and completing all 30 days!! I'm also proud of myself for making it 30 days, but, most importantly, I am really excited to keep up my Whole 30. I may have had a tired/off day today, but overall I feel great and am not ready to stop!

Hydration:  - Supplements: x 

 

DAY THIRTY-ONE/FOURTEEN:

Meal #1: turkey sausage patty, fried egg, kale, squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, hot sauce, and 12 oz of black tea/yerba mate blend

Meal #2: sauteed shrimp, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, olive oil

Meal #3: ground turkey with tomato sauce, onion, green peppers, roasted broccoli, squash and onions

Snack: frozen grapes

Hydration:  - Supplements: x - Exercise:  PT routine (knee-to-chest stretch, ankle-on-knee sideways stretch, bridges, 5lb ball arm extensions from behind head to torso (with core engaged), 5lb ball flies (with core engaged)

My breakfast this morning was so delicious! I am on a new sauteed kale kick and am loving it. I had to eat it slowly at the desk at work, which is not the best environment or pace to eat, but it was so good!! I got a good night sleep last night (slept from 10:30 until 6:20) and the combination of quality sleep and caffeine this morning had me feeling super high energy and focused during the day. By the time I got home after work, however, my energy had crashed a little. I overate and had a huge dinner... the veggies were delicious, but I felt so disgusting afterwards. Despite overeating, I got hungry later in the night and ended up eating frozen grapes at around 11pm. They were SO sweet and I definitely did not need to eat anything else that night, especially sugar (naturally occurring or not). I am really going to make an effort to not eat any more snacks after dinner, especially fruit. I was feeling constipated/bloated on and off again today, I'm thinking I should pay more attention to my nut intake. I think I have been eating more nuts lately (on salads, but have also grabbed a small handful a few times while prepping dinner when I'm super hungry) and wonder if that is the cause of my digestive discomfort. 

 

DAY THIRTY-TWO/FIFTEEN:

Meal #1: tuna cakes (tuna, pickle, flax egg, spices, coconut flour, cashew meal), tartar sauce (homemade mayo, pickles, pickle juice, spices), sauteed kale

Meal #2: none

Meal #3: seared sesame/ginger crusted tuna, sauteed cabbage, carrots, cauliflower rice, and mushrooms with coconut milk and curry paste

Hydration:  - Supplements: x 

I had some stomach cramps this morning after drinking my L-Glutamine but felt a little better/looser after using the bathroom. I was high energy today - almost a little spazzy at times? I had a lot on my to-do list and managed to get almost all of it accomplished, so that was great, but I felt a little rushed all day and wasn't able to relax much. 

 

DAY THIRTY-THREE/SIXTEEN:

Meal #1: fried egg, sausage patty, coconut curry cauliflower rice, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, onions

Meal #2: mesclun/arugula, chicken, carrots, radish, tomatoes, cashews, olive oil and balsamic

Meal #3: grilled spiced chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, grilled squash, mushrooms, onions, and peppers

Dessert: chia seeds, almond milk, banana, peach

Hydration:  - Supplements: x - Exercise: 20 minute cardio (elliptical), 3x12 back extensions, 3x12 ab press

I made it to the gym today!! I felt super motivated and while I didn't get a well-planned or intense workout in, it felt really good to get back in there. I didn't eat enough for breakfast or lunch so I was starving before dinner. I still kept myself to a healthy portion and balanced dinner plate, and it was so delicious (always one of my favorite meals). We had some friends over for dinner and my partner made us all chia pudding for dessert, so I indulged in a small serving (1/2cup or so). Overall I have avoided chia pudding so far during my Whole 30, and it is something I miss from my pre-Whole 30 diet (I often ate it for breakfast). I know it isn't technically compliant because you aren't supposed to reproduce "comfort" foods like pudding, but I have never enjoyed pudding and really do not see a resemblance between traditional, sugary pudding and chia pudding. So, for me, I felt comfortable having a small portion with our guests.

 

DAY THIRTY-FOUR/SEVENTEEN:

Meal #1: turkey sausage patty, fried egg, kale, grilled onion

Meal #2: spinach, cucumber, carrot, roasted red pepper, grilled onion, paleo chicken avocado burger

Meal #3: mesclun/arugula, shrimp, tomato, carrot, cucumber, avocado, peach, cashew, olive oil, balsamic

Hydration:  - Supplements: x 

I started my period the night before and woke up with some cramps and bloating this morning, but definitely not as bad as in the past. I had planned on packing some delicious leftovers for lunch today but totally spaced before I left the house. I ended up stopping at a local paleo deli/cafe (such an amazing resource! - especially considering there aren't any other places like it in my area) and got a salad to go. The salad was tasty, but the spinach portion was skimpy. I did end up feeling satisfied though and will definitely keep it as a backup option if I am in a bind again. While my cramps haven't been too bad, I have had a very heavy flow today. In the past, I would have a heavy flow for the first few days of my period, and this probably matches the heaviest I've had but seems to be an increase from last months (my first W30 period). At least the cramps have improved!

Tonight, I also found out that one of the meals I ate a week ago was not compliant. I ordered a flounder dish from my chef buddy at work last Sunday and told him very briefly about my Whole 30 requirements, highlighting the no dairy (watch for butter!) and no grains rule (I was already gluten free, but he knows I love quinoa), but didn't mention the sugar aspect because it didn't seem necessary. The dish is listed on the menu as seared flounder with roasted patty pan squash, sauteed Tuscan kale, and roasted red peppers (what I found out was actually a hot pepper jelly). Knowing I couldn't have the hot pepper jelly, I mentioned my sugar restriction to him when ordering tonight and he informed me that he puts sugar in almost all of his food... sauteed kale? Sugar. Roasted squash? Sugar. I couldn't believe it!!! So, add one more mistaken slip up to my W60 experience. Luckily, though, this meal was eaten in my first 30 days, so I can hopefully still count my second 30 days as a true, successful Whole 30. 

*While writing this post, I realized I never entered that meal in for day ten/twenty-seven. I cannot go back and edit it due to the controls on this forum, but I will add a blurb here based on my notes in my BuJo (with the knowledge that recent information could color what I write):
DAY TEN/TWENTY-THREE:
Meal #3: pan seared flounder, kale, roasted patty pan squash, truffle oil
I ordered dinner from Dave at work and forgot to tell him about the no sugar part of my Whole 30 (I didn't think there would be any considering what I ordered) but what were listed as roasted red peppers were spicy peppers with sugary glaze, like a hot pepper jelly. I tried my absolute best to eat around it/spit it out, but I'm afraid trace amounts may have gotten into my mouth. Oh, well. If I did eat any, it was definitely a negligible amount so I'm not going to beat myself up over it.*

With this new knowledge of a second slip up, I have also decided to make a change in how I am counting/tracking my days. I've decided to ditch the secondary count, and just keep my count dating back to August 2nd (my original start date). 

 

DAY THIRTY-FIVE:

Meal #1: spiced grilled chicken, grilled onion, zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, sweet potatoes

Meal #2: mesclun, arugula, romaine, grilled chicken, tomato, carrot, avocado, radish, cucumber, olive oil and balsamic, 8 ounces iced coffee

Meal #3: baked tandoori chicken thigh, coconut curry cauliflower rice, roasted broccoli, sauteed onion, mushroom, squash, nectarine

Hydration:  - Supplements: x

I felt much less bloated today than the last several days and my cramps are basically gone! I was exhausted this morning... I think I've just been really busy the last few days and haven't gotten as much sleep as I should. Some iced black coffee helped, though, and tasted so good! We tried a new recipe for dinner and it is definitely a new favorite. My partner found a compliant, bottled tandoori paste so we marinated some chicken thighs in it for an hour or so, and then put them on a rack in a hot oven. They were so moist and flavorful! I tend to shy away from chicken thighs, but I definitely need to start eating more of them.

 

[kdiddy]

DAY THIRTY-SIX:

Meal #1: turkey sausage patty, fried egg, sauteed kale, 12 oz black tea/yerba mate

Meal #2: tandoori chicken thigh, coconut curry cauliflower rice, broccoli, squash, mushrooms, onion

Meal #3: romaine, mesclun, arugula, grilled chicken, radish, tomato, cucumber, avocado, cashews, carrots, apple, olive oil, balsamic

Hydration :  - Supplements: x - Exercise: 32 minute elliptical hill workout (2.64 miles, 335 calories), stretches, 3x10 core flys 7.5lb, 3x10 core overheards 7.5lbs, 3x12 tri press 1x40lb 2x55lb, 3x12 bi curl 1x30lb 2x20lb, 3x12 ab press 1x50lb 2x55lb 

I think I had some anxiety dreams last night (I woke up a little anxious and not super well rested) but wasn't too tired once I got going. I had a great workout!! It was just challenging enough, and the elliptical had me grinning like an idiot... I <3 endorphins!! I was in a happy, mellow mood (felt really relaxed post-shower) when I got to work, but some negativity around me dampened it a bit. I fought it off and am now just really tired/low energy. It's a really quiet, rainy night so I'm okay with that. I wasn't very hungry for dinner, but I ate it anyway... I am getting so sick of having the same salad every day at work! I need to come up with something new. 

[kdiddy]

I've been keeping a daily log in my bullet journal, but wow do I have some catching up to do here... I've found that I tend to add some extra commentary on here because sometimes typing is easier for me that trying to squeeze writing into my daily layouts, so I think there is some value to keeping up with this log. Here we go:

DAY THIRTY-SEVEN:

Meal #1: fried egg, turkey sausage, kale, salsa

*Snack: grande iced black coffee at Starbucks

Meal #2: 3 tuna cakes, homemade tartar, kale

Meal #3: sweet potato cakes, fried egg, tuna cake, roasted broccoli

Hydration:  - Supplements: no - Exercise: 35min elliptical (hills) - 3.3miles/370 calories; stretches

The gym felt great again today! BUT, I waited too long to eat lunch after working out and was shaky/had that low blood pressure feeling by the time I got home from the gym and grocery store. Eating helped a little, but then I felt super anxious (physically - high pulse, dizzy/lightheaded, pressure in my chest). I tried laying down with ASMR videos, taking a hot shower, deep breathing, drinking herbal tea, etc. Nothing seemed to help so I ended up having to, reluctantly, take an anti-anxiety med that did provide a little relief. I think the strange feeling was a combination of working out, an empty stomach and drinking the most caffeine I've had in a while. I really need to do better with timing and make sure I eat pretty soon after working out to ensure this doesn't happen again. 

 

DAY THIRTY-EIGHT:

Meal #1: fried egg, sweet potatoe cake, roasted broccoli, salsa, black/yerba mate tea

Meal #2: romaine/mesclun/arugula, shrimp, apple, cashews, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, radish, avocado, olive oil and balsamic

Meal #3: stuffed acorn squash with ground turkey, carrot, onion, kale, mushrooms, curry paste, coconut milk, with roasted broccoli

No Exercise, no notes on hydration, supplements, how I felt, etc. Did make a small note that I thought I was finally noticing some more weight loss. 

 

DAY THIRTY-NINE:

Meal #1: leftover curry stuffed acorn squash, roasted broccoli

Meal #2: spinach, paleo avocado chicken burger, roasted peppers, onions, carrots, cucumbers, olive oil and balsamic

*Snack: honeycrisp apple

Meal #3: roasted tikka masala chicken thigh, roasted sweet potato, roasted squash/mushroom/onion, kale

*Snacks: apple, pear, cashews

No exercise, no notes on hydration/supplements

I had the day off and my partner left town for the weekend. I planned on running errands and going to the gym, but never actually made it to the gym. I was way too focused on consumerism and spent most of the day wandering around stores. In the past, I would use my partner's (infrequent) out of town trips as an excuse to order my favorite take out and eat junk food while watching my favorite movies and trashy television. I wasn't fully successful in avoiding this pattern, as I did stay up watching television and binging on snacks, but at least my snacks were fruit and nuts? I'm still really disappointed in myself, but it is a slight improvement over past habits. Another small win - I was CRAVING kale at dinner! Best craving ever. 

 

DAY FORTY:

Meal #1: tikka chicken thigh, kale, broccoli, sweet potato, squash/onion/mushroom 

Meal #2: romaine/arugula/mesclun, shrimp, tomato, cucumber carrot, avocado, radish, olive oil and balsamic

Meal #3: roasted tikka chicken thigh, sweet potatoes, kale, squash/onion/mushroom, apple

*Snacks: apple, 1.5 frozen bananas, grapes, pecans

No notes on hydration or supplements - no exercise

I gorged on fruit and nuts again tonight. I've really slipped back into nighttime eating the last few days. I need to stop! I need to slow down and be more concious of what I am eating, and why I am eating it. Hopefully, an early bed time tomorrrow night (get out of work at 10pm and have to be back at 8am the next morning) will help. I had plans to go to the gym again tonight after work, but decided to bail to give myself a self-care night at home - had a relaxing foot soak, foot and facial masks, drank some tea, and watched some trashy television. It was really relaxing and definitely needed!

 

DAY FORTY-ONE:

Meal #1: turkey sausage patty, fried egg, kale, salsa

Meal #2: EPIC chicken bar, kale chips (Raw Food Central - Curt's Classic)

Meal #3: broiled cod, carrots, green beans, asparagus

Hydration:  - Supplements: no - Exercise: 30minute elliptical (hills) - 2.34miles/309 calories; core flies (3x10 8lbs), core pullovers (3x10 10lbs), bridges (3x10)

I felt so bloated and achey and gross this morning. I took some ginger extract in water and felt a little better, but the gym really made me feel awesome! It was definitely not my most intense gym workout, but I wasn't feeling well to start and I still managed to finish, so I'm calling it a win. I failed at planning for lunge and ran out of time to make myself anything, so I stopped at the local health food store on my way to work and grabbed an EPIC bar for some protein, and kale chips for veggies and fat. The EPIC bar was definitely not my favorite - it was super salty and flavorful, and had a really crumbly texture that I literally choked on at one point. But, I will try some of their other proteins (dried chicken would be crumbly, but they were out of the bison/beef/or bacon ones) and it's good to know that they are an option when I am in a rush. I tried to drink a lot of water while eating the bar and kale chips to combat their lack of moisture and I think it helped a little. 

[kdiddy]

I am having a lot of trouble with this forum today... I have typed out my day 42 recap three times now, and when I hit enter at the end of a longer paragraph all of my text gets deleted! Ugh, for my fourth attempt...

DAY FORTY-TWO:

Meal #1: turkey sausage, fried egg, kale

Meal #2: romaine/mesclun/arugula, shrimp, tomato, radish, carrot, cucumber, oil and balsamic

Meal #3: roasted tikka chicken thigh, sauteed squash and onions, kale, sweet potato

*Snack: frozen banana and pecans

Hydration:  - Supplements: x - Exercise: none

I planned on going to the gym after work today, but had to stay an extra 2.5 hours to fix some computer issues. I had lots of energy during the afternoon and my extra couple hours, but was pretty mellow by the time I got home. I ate fruit and nuts after dinner, again. And, again, I made a note in my bullet journal that I needed to commit myself to ending my late night snacking habit. Since I am writing this recap a couple weeks later, I can now see that I was clearly out of control with my eating and food choices. Yes, these snacks might be technically compliant, but eating sugary fruit and gut-busting nuts late at night completely goes against all of the hard work I put into planning and preparing healthy, compliant meals during the day. Luckily, I seem to have gained more control lately, but we'll get to that. 

 

DAY FORTY-THREE:

Meal #1: fried egg, sausage patty, squash, onions, spinach, salsa, coffee with coconut milk

Meal #2: 2 sausage patties, mushrooms, peppers, tomato

Meal #3: salmon, spinach, asparagus with olive oil

Hydration:  - Supplements: no - Exercise: 20-30 minutes of floor weight/body exercises

I had a lot of energy this morning, especially after drinking my coffee, and had grand plans to be productive at home and then hit the gym before work at 2pm. Unfortunately, I did not budget my time properly and didn't make it to the gym. I was so frustrated and annoyed with myself, especially because I had so much energy to burn. I decided to suck up my disappointment, and just got down on the floor and did some quick weight/body exercises before I had to run off to work. I think I need to be a little more careful with caffeine - it really seems to be getting me fired up lately. But, more importantly, I need to plan my time better. 20-30 minutes of floor exercises is still something, but I would have rather had some more time to reach my exercise goals. At the time, I was more focused on cardio work and thought that the floor exercises were a poor replacement. I have since changed my philosophy, but the point about time management is still apt. I was also feeling frustrated today because I felt like I had stopped losing weight (I know weight loss is not the focus of the Whole 30, but it is something I need to seriously work towards). I made a note in my BuJo that I went through my last few weeks of daily logs and noticed that my (feeling of) weightloss seemed to have plateaued just as my night time snacking had started to become a habit again. Despite this realization, it looks like my lack of control persisted for a few days.

 

DAY FORTY-FOUR:

Meal #1: fried egg, sausage patty, squash, mushrooms, onion, tomato

Meal #2: tuna cakes, homemade tartar sauce, squash and kale

Meal #3: sesame/ginger crusted seared tuna, asparagus, kale, salad (lettuce, tomato, carrot), oil and vinegar

*Snack: 1/2 banana and frozen grapes

Hydration:  - Supplements: no - Exercise: 35min elliptical (hills) - 3.13mi/381cal, stretches, back and butt machine workout (all 3x12: glute machine - 25lb; back extension - 85lb; squats with TRX pull; seated row - 50lb; lat pull down - 45lb; reverse fly - 25lb)

I waited too long after the gym for lunch and got super hangry. Again, I really need to plan my post-gym meals better. And, again, I snacked on sugary, starchy fruit after dinner and, again, made a note about needing to stop in my bullet journal. AH! So frustrating to read that now. 

 

DAY FORTY-FIVE:

Meal #1: sesame/ginger seared tuna, kale, asparagus

Meal #2: spinach/mesclun, shrimp, carrots, cucumbers, radish, tomato, oil and vinegar; 16oz iced black coffee

Meal #3: tuna cakes with homemade tartar sauce, kale, squash 

*Snack: finished tuna cakes when I got home from kayaking

Hydration:  - Supplements: x - Exercise: rest day, but went night kayaking with my partner

I was sore today, especially my glutes (makes sense) and the back of my neck. The idea of tuna for breakfast made me want to gag, but it was so delicious!!! A friend in the kitchen made me a huge delicious salad at work, so huge I couldn't even finish it. It was the day before the full harvest moon, so my partner and I brought the kayaks down to the lake near our house to go night fishing. It was a beautiful, bright night! I was initially a little worried about kayaking as I was sore, and have had issues with my herniated disc after kayaking in the past, but I felt really strong and comfortable paddling. I didn't want the night to end! When I got home, I was really hungry so I finished the batch of tuna cakes (1 can of tuna total) that I had made earlier. Not a good choice to eat after dinner, but it was definitely better than fruit and I was really hungry. 

 

DAY FORTY-SIX:

Meal #1: scrambled eggs with squash

Meal #2: apple 

Meal #3: curry chicken salad (with homemade mayo, carrots, and apples) with roasted broccoli and sweet potato

Meal #4: smaller portion of meal #3

No notes on hydration, supplements, or exercise

I had a really long, deep sleep and woke up sore and spacey. I was really not feeling well and was nauseous throughout most of the morning/afternoon. I ate a few bites of breakfast and ended up tossing it. I ate an apple as my lunch because I couldn't seem to stomach anything else. By the time dinner rolled around I felt better and ate a smaller portion. A little while later my hunger came back with a vengence so I had a second, smaller portion of dinner later in the night. 

 

DAY FORTY-SEVEN:

Meal #1: scrambled eggs with broccoli and sweet potatoes

Meal #2: mesclun/arugula with cucmber, carrots, grilled chicken, oil and vinegar, and 12oz of cold brewed coffee

Meal #3: 2 romaine lettuce boats with curry chicken salad and 1/2 of a raw carrot

*Snack: apple right after finishing dinner

No notes on hydration, supplements, or exercise. 

I did not want to get up in the morning and was really dragging until I had some coffee. I had some fruit after dinner, but instead of eating it as a late night snack I had an apple right after finishing my dinner plate. I feel a little bit better about that choice, but still would prefer to limit my fruit to my second meal, or make it a part of my third meal, instead of an afterthought. 

 

DAY FORTY-EIGHT:

Meal #1: mild italian chicken sausage and kale

Meal #2: curry chicken salad, asparagus, and kale

Meal #3: cod, string beans, carrots, spinach, olive oil

Hydration:  - Supplements: no - Exercise: 12min elliptical - 1.1mi/125cal; leg machines 3x12 each (hip abductor: 30lb/40lb; hip adductor: 40lb/50lb; leg press: 90/110/130lb; leg curl: 30lb; leg extension: 20lb; 25 ab curl swings)

I slept in hard again today and was feeling really emotional this morning. I had a big, stupid fight with my partner that blew over pretty quickly. I need to slow down and do some self-care tomorrow (gym, bujo, laundry, clean house, etc.). A new guy was recently hired at work who also works as a personal trainer. I talked to him about my Whole 30 experience - he had never heard of that specific program but said it sounded like a really great "diet" (diet in the sense of what you fuel your body with, not a weightloss plan). I told him I was starting to get back into the gym, and he gave me lots of tips. I don't know whether I knew it at the time, but his conversation was a huge game changer in my healthy journey. He told me all about High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and, more specifically, the Tabata method. He explained that diet and sleep are the two most important things you focus on to improve your health/lose weight, followed by weight training, and cardio is really just the cherry on top. He advised that, in an ideal world, I should be doing HIIT workouts 5 days a week, with two cardio workouts per week (either later in the day after a HIIT workout, or on an "off" day). I took lots of notes and started to do a lot of my own research and decided to try and enact some of his advice in my next gym workout. 

 

DAY FORTY-NINE:

Meal #1: turkey sausage with kale

Meal #2: turkey sausage with kale and asparagus

Meal #3: made fresh tomato sauce with lots of veggies, sauteed organic grass-fed beef, and roasted spaghetti squash... I ate a few bites of it all and tossed it, then ate a sausage patty

*Snack: almonds and frozen grapes

No notes on hydration, supplements, exercise

I, again, wrote some notes in my BuJo about my lack of focus lately. I've still been compliant in my food choices, but less concious of some of my goals (hydration, meal times, no snacking, etc). For dinner, we made a bit batch of homemade tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes and tons of veggies, some organic grass-fed ground beef and roasted spaghetti squash. This is normally one of my favorite meals (even before W30), but everything tasted awful! The tomatoes we used were way too acidic and had an off taste to them. The beef tasted really gamey, and not like any beef I've ever eaten before (I know grass-fed beef, especially, can have a gamier taste than corn-fed beef, but I have eaten grass-fed beef consistently for the past year or more and it's never tasted like this!). Even the spaghetti squash tasted strange and acidic and just awful. We ended up having to toss all of it.. I feel so bad for wasting food, but it was really just inedible. I ended up just eating a sausage patty for dinner. Of course, my munchies and Sugar Dragon reared their ugly head later in the night and I ended up binging on roasted almonds and frozen grapes. 

 

DAY FIFTY:

Meal #1: turkey sausage patty, kale, 12oz black coffee

Meal #2: cod, green beans, carrots, spinach, olive oil

Meal #3: italian chicken sausage, onions, squash, tomato sauce, kale

Hydration:  - Supplements: x - Exercise: none

I woke up feeling dehydrated and developed a headache in my temples for much of the day. I was also very constipated in the morning/early afternoon... most likely due to the nut binge I had the night before. 

 

DAY FIFTY-ONE:

Meal #1: chicken sausage, squash, onions, tomato sauce, coffee with coconut milk

Meal #2: not really a meal... 12 roasted almonds before the gym

Meal #3: curry stuffed acorn squash with ground turkey, onion, carrot, kale, mushroom, curry paste, coconut milk, and broccoli

Hydration:  - Supplements: x 

Exercise: First HIIT workout!

Circuit #1 - 20sHI/1min rest x3: 20lb dumbbell hi/lo cuts; 25lb dumbbell overhead pulls, 2x7.5lb dumbbell core flies, bird dog crunch 

Circuit #2 - 20sHI/30s rest x3: 50lb lat pull front; 50lb seated row; 50lb lat pull back; 30lb lat push

Circuit #3 - 20sHI/10s rest x 3: lunges, squats, pushups

Cardio Warmup: 4min row machine, Cardio Workout: 16 min. walk on treadmill

I skipped lunch today and didn't even realize it until I was entering things into my food log for the day. I spent too much time out of my day driving around trying to find good headphones or a phone holder for the gym. I think I was nervous about my first HIIT workout, and decided to use consumerism as a procrastination tool. My first HIIT workout went well though, I felt really great but was pretty sore, especially in my legs, afterward. 

 

DAY FIFTY-TWO:

Meal #1: ground turkey, carrot, onion, kale, mushroom, coconut milk, curry paste, black coffee

Meal #2: mesclun/arugula, shrimp, cucumber, tomato, avocado, carrot, oil and balsamic

Meal #3: curried coconut turkey and vegetable stuffed acorn squash

*Snack: almonds and frozen grapes

*Snack: kale and sweet potatoes

Hydration:  - Supplements: x - Exercise: Too sore from first HIIT workout the day before, had to listen to my body and skip the gym

I got full really quickly at lunch, but was starving by the time I got home. I ate dinner really early and then went on a snacking binge throughout the rest of the night. I think the main cause of my night time snacking is a lack of will power, but I also think I am not feeling satiated at the end of my day. I think I need to focus on getting enough healthy fats, but also on the timing of my meals. If I eat a third meal at 5pm, but don't plan on going to sleep until 12am, I really need to add in a fourth meal, not just snack on random things and end up binging. My legs (quads especially) were so sore today, I had a hard time moving. I think I went a little too hard too fast with the lunges and squats at the gym - I haven't done lunges like that in years! I did some stretching and rested at home instead of going back to the gym. 

 

DAY FIFTY-THREE:

Meal #1: turkey sausage patty, egg, kale, and broccoli

Meal #2: EPIC bacon bar, banana, spinach-berry fruit leather

Meal #3: mocha chilli rubbed London broil with grilled zucchini, squash, onion, mushroom, pepper

Hydration:  - Supplements: x 

Exercise:

Circuit #1 20sHI/20s rest x3: bent rows (2): 10lbs; chest press: 2x10lbs; overhead pulls: 2x10lbs; crunch flies: 2x10lb

Circuit #2 20sHI/20s rest x3: clams (2); front leg lifts (2); side leg lifts (2); donkey kicks (2)

Circuit #3 20sHI/15s rest x3: lat pull front: 50lb; seated row: 50lb; lat pull back: 50lb; lat push: 30lb

Circuit #4 20sHI/15s rest x3: ab push: 70lb; torso twist (2): 30lb; back extension: 90lb

Cardio Warmup: 20sHI/10s rest bike, Cardio Workout: 30min walk on treadmill (mainly @ incline) - 1.19mi/200+cal

 

The gym felt great, again! I was there for over two hours between my HIIT circuits, cardio, and massage bed time. My quads seemed to loosen up a bit after putting my body to work, but I was still a little sore. After the gym I planned on hitting up the smoothie bar at the local health food store for a pumpkin smoothie, but they were closed! Again! Every time I go lately they are closed. I know smoothies are not technically W30 compliant, as we should focus on eating our food and not drinking it, but I knew I hadn't done sufficient meal prep to make myself a meal, and I wanted something quick, compliant, and easy with some healthy carbs in it. My trainer buddy at work told me that to burn more fat in my workouts, it's best to focus on eating a combination of healthy fats and protein (and veggies!) before my workout, and carbohydrates and protein (and veggies!) after my workout. Instead, I grabbed an EPIC bacon bar (much better than the chicken one I tried first!), a banana (for some healthy carbs) and a spinach-berry fruit leather in a pathetic attempt to get some green vegetables into my body.

 

DAY FIFTY-FOUR:

Meal #1: sausage patty, egg, kale

Meal #2: London broil w/ squash, onion, mushroom, peppers

Meal #3: salmon, spinach, green beans, carrots, olive oil

Hydration:  - Supplements: x 

Exercise:

Circuit #1 20/15: dumbbell flies (2x10lb); dumbbell overhead pulls (2x12.5lb); bent rows (2) (12.5lb); chest press (2x10lb)

Circuit #2 20/15: leg lift front (2); leg lift side (2); clams (2); donkey kicks (2)

I didn't make enough time for the gym work out that I wanted, but I still got a short on in! My clothes feel looser, but I tried on a dress that fit back in March, and seemed to fit the other day, but is now too tight in the shoulders/upper arm. Am I gaining muscle? I seemed to have successfully recommitted myself to NO nighttime snacking, hopefully I will be able to keep up my commitment. 

 

DAY FIFTY-FIVE:

Meal #1: egg, sausage, squash with green onions, 6oz coffee with coconut milk

Meal #2: London broil, onion, mushroom, squash, peppers

Meal #3: mesclun/arugula, chicken, avocado, tomato, carrot, cucumber, evoo and balsamic

No notes on hydration, supplements or exercise

I felt really energetic and motivated today. I spent some time talking to my partner about a lot of house projects I want to get done this fall and really feeling like I had the motivation to tackle them. I am so bored of the same old salads at work... I need to come up with some more creative ideas. 

 

DAY FIFTY-SIX:

Meal #1: 3 eggs, squash, handful of roast almonds. 

Meal #2: salmon, green beans, carrots, spinach, olive oil

Meal #3: spaghetti squash, ground beef, homemade tomato sauce

Meal #4: smaller portion of meal #3 2.5 hours after eating meal #3

I couldn't finish my eggs this morning - I am just not great at making egg scrambles. Tonight I decided to have a smaller meal/snack after my dinner because I was still really hungry. I'm worried it will make me a little sluggish or unwell in the morning, but there was no way I could fall asleep feeling that hungry. I am still committed to NO nighttime snacking, and do not count this fourth mini-meal as a failure in terms of that goal. It was a balanced plate and was intended to satiate my hunger, not my Sugar Dragon. My clothes are definitely feeling looser, though, and I've had a lot more energy the last few days. At first I thought these improvements had to have coincided with my HIIT workouts, and I'm sure that's a part of it, but I think quitting my night time snacking habits has been a huge help as well.

 

DAY FIFTY-SIX:

Meal #1: EPIC beef bar, kale, 10 almonds, 10oz coffee w/ almond milk

Meal #2: spaghetti squash, ground beef, homemade tomato sauce

Meal #3: TBD

Hydration:  - Supplements: x 

Exercise:

Circuit #1: 20/10: clams (2); front leg lifts (2); side leg lifts (2); donkey kicks (2)

Circuit #2: 20/10: side steps + squat; pushups (2 rounds) tri dips (1 round); fire hydrants; punches

Circuit #3: Russian twists; bridges; crunches; reverse crunches

I slept hard last night and woke up dazed and dehydrated with a stiff back. Coffee and exercise gave me so much energy and endorphins and really loosened up my back! I had intended to go to the gym today, but I woke up a little late and didn't want to stress or rush so I decided to just do what I could at home. Not the longest workout ever, but still pretty solid. I thought I would feel larger or something this morning after a later 4th meal last night, but I feel even slimmer. I am currently wearing a pair of beloved legging pants that I haven't been able to fit into in over 3 years (including just a few days ago)!!! These HIIT workouts are really making me feel great - I feel stronger, leaner, and have so much energy and a great mood after I'm done with them. They really have been life changing! I can't wait to have some time to hit the gym tomorrow and do things the way I really want to, including some cardio.