Started/Failed multiple times...working mom, 2 kids

[Jennilee Autry]

My husband and I have done two successful W30s in the past. However, it was before kids and while doing CrossFit. 

Now we have 2 kids (3.5 yrs, 6 mos) and we both work full time (I work from home, my husband gets home around 7 each night). 

I feel so exhausted that seriously, even when there's cooked food in the fridge, I still have my husband pick up fast food. 

I don't need to slay the sugar dragon, I need to slay the fast food/convenience dragon! Plus, even when I try to commit, I'm so tired when it comes to food prep. 

Help! Please! (And please, something other than "suck it up" and "you can do it." I need tangible, implementable tips here!)

 

 

 

[Jennilee Autry]

[Pippa WG]

You are brave just contemplating doing a Whole30 when you have a toddler and a baby!  I remember those days of permanent exhaustion and I really sympathise.  The problem is that fast food is not going to help your energy levels - it will just make things worse.  Can you try something really simple, even if it is not Whole30 compliant?  For example, try one week of only eating really simple meals such as steak and salad, boiled eggs and apples, grilled chicken and potatoes, snack on bananas and nuts.  Real food that needs minimal preparation and, importantly, minimal clearing up afterwards!!   First break the fast food habit for just one week, see how you feel.  Go to bed early for one week.  Do this in really small steps.  30 days is a lifetime when you're exhausted. 

[littleg]

Maybe now isn't the time... but if it is than you do just have to suck it up  

 I'm assuming that when you say there is food in the fridge but you still get take out you mean unprepared food (because if its a casserole that is just too hard to put in the oven... then I don't think a forum can help ).  Do you have in laws or neighbors that can help watch the kiddos?  I think you just need to schedule some time to do the cooking.  I can imagine that with the kids this might be tough.  But if you could get a babysitter for a few hours and just get the kitchen to yourself then maybe you could get the prep done.  I agree with Pippa - simple foods would probably be easiest.  Do a giant batch of mashed potatoes, put 10 sweet potatoes in the oven, boil 1-2 dozen hardboiled eggs, put a whole chicken in the oven (or buy rotisseries from Whole Foods or some other place that makes them with just oil, salt and pepper or spices), use frozen vegetables instead of fresh (we go through 2-3 bags of frozen broccoli and frozen onions/peppers a week).  If you have the extra money around maybe try one of those meal plan delivery services - many have at least paleo options now.  Grilling food is great too - less clean up.  We do burgers usually 1-2 times a week.  Grill up enough for at least a few meals.  

Unfortunately there is no "easy" way to do W30.  Real food is simply harder than convenience food.  There are likely easier ways (fewer "recipes" more "meat and potatoes") but nothing that will have zero time investment.  You might also find that as you give your body better food and get better sleep that what right now seems too hard might become more manageable... but having those little guys around does make it tougher!

[Crastney]

do you have a slow cooker that you can put on last thing at night, then breakfast is prepared?  eat that then fill it again and put it on during the day, and dinner is ready when you get back?  things like chilli and stew/caserole can be made in large batches, so leftovers can make another meal, or two.

[Karen_Suep]

When I did whole 30 in August, my kids were 2.5years and 4months. Easy? No. doable? Yes

things that helped: precut veggies, Costco, precooking stuff, and the crock pot. My breakfast was salmon cakes, egg casserole, leftovers, or scrambled eggs with leftovers. Lunch was often veggies like broccoli slaw and true story turkey from Costco or roasted veggies and compliant sausage (I threw it all in the oven as I got the toddler her food). Sometimes it was protein salad. Then dinner was experimental or variations of our favorite foods. Meatloaf meatballs, a casserole from Danielle Walker's meals made simple, paleo takeout recipes for burrito bowls or green curry... I'd always add fats. Costco has individual servings of compliant guacamole that I'd add to stuff. I add ghee to tikka or coconut oil to my curry. Vinaigrettes got in my broccoli slaw and sopped up wit my turkey breast. Salmon cakes are great with mayo... that was my go to for my fourth meal a lot of times.

ideally I'd want an afternoon to cut veggies and make salmon cakes, but that often happened only at nap time or after they'd gone to bed. short bursts of prep but I did it. Were there times I didn't want to cook? Yes... but I had a list of compliant go tos for not cooking. We ate out a few times and I quickly mastered the art of knowing which places were safe and which weren't (modern market is very transparent with their ingredients and five guys doesn't use oil or seasoning on their meats, so I just added raw veggies to my normal baconless burger and added fat) I also intentionally made more. If we had burgers for dinner, I'd throw a few more on the grill and eat them for breakfast. 

 

I know whole 30 seems to be a lot, but it is doable with small kids and limited storage. We don't have a pantry at all except for one cabinet that got dedicated to it. Meal planning was really the only way we got through it. My dh and I would sit down, decide what we wanted for the week and then went shopping on Sunday evenings. 

[Jennilee Autry]

So helpful!! Thank you!!

[MilitaryWorkingMomm]

I am in the same boat.  Working from home with little ones is hard.

 

When I am overwhelmed and tired like this;

I hire a babysitter for 5 hours.

Grocery shop (to a meal plan)

Then MEAL PREP Freezer meals for the slow cooker.  I prep enough to cover dinner, then leftovers for lunch the next day.   That way, in the evening the only thing I would need to make is side dishes, which is normally a frozen veg.   I would also do the mason jar salads.    

This was a lot of work on Sunday.  BUT, it made a huge huge difference, and the toddler had a blast with the babysitter.  (My 4 month old is fairly easy going, so I just baby wear him as I do stuff).

 

Good luck!