Started this past Sunday, October 23rd

[scottsp64]

And today is the 26th, so I am on day 4. Everything is so far so good, but I just want to get this post out there so I have a place to ask questions.

About myself. I am a  52 year old dude and am really hoping that this is the beginning of a permanent change in how I eat. 

I have decided to not sweat exercise (hah) too much right now as I am convinced it will be healthier for me to get closer to my ideal weight first. 

On Sunday I completely emptied my house of all offending foods, 

Here are some thoughts and observation I have so far. 

• Black coffee is undrinkable.
• Black tea is more drinkable but still too bitter. 
• Black coffee with coconut oil blended in is OK. It'll do. (My girlfriend teased me that I drink warm coffee-flavored shakes. No more.)
• I love to cook and am good at it. I like winging it more than following recipes and the results are usually good. 
• Buying healthy food is expensive, but when there is no processed / crap food in your cart, it helps a lot. 
• Reading labels is EYE-OPENING. Things I discovered that were not allowed included packaged deli meats, frozen seafood, in fact, most pre-packaged meats. WOW.
• This morning I put a Chuck roast in the crock pot with taters, carrots and onions. I can't wait for dinner. 
• I am happy white potatoes are allowed. I plan on making mashed potatoes made from chicken stock and assorted fats. 
• I don't like raw carrots, Maybe I'll feel differently in a week or two. 
• I love cooked greens, especially spinach, kale and swiss chard. In my small city, only one grocery store (Publix, the expensive one) sells swiss chard. 
• Staying in budget is important. I will mostly shop at Aldi and Walmart Neighborhood Market. 
• I hate fish. Always have. I bought some frozen pacific cod and alaskan salmon. I had to search hard to find frozen fish that was banned-ingredient free. I really want to like fish. Any thoughts on preparation or recipes?  
• Roasted butternut squash with cinnamon and paprika = YUMM. 
• Ghee is so danged expensive. I may try clarifying my own butter, 
• Coconut oil is a miracle. 

I do have a few questions. 

I have joint custody of a 14 year old girl and a 26 year old man with special needs. They are at my house every other week. When I told my daughter about Whole30 and the fact I was getting rid of all the non-compliant food, she freaked out.  I told her I would not compromise on the availability of crap food in my house for these 30 days, It is not allowed. I started on the day (Sunday) she and her bro want over to their moms. She is certain she is going to starve to death during the two weeks she is at my house during whole30. I have told her I will have an abundant supply of food, and if she tells me what she likes, I will make sure to have lots of that. She is mostly freaked out about no milk and cereal.My adult son with down syndrome has "grooves". Things he does very habitually. For example, He makes himself a sandwich for lunch almost every day. I think He may also have a hard time adjusting.  Has any one dealt with this? Any suggestions? FYI, I am really concerned that if I have non-compliant foods in the house that I will be tempted to eat it. 

Scott

 

[habanero]

I started on the 24th and so far so good.  

I also like to cook and I've found that while having to get everything at once is expensive, many of the things last a long time so it might help to get a couple new things this week, a couple next instead of getting them all at the same time.  I gave up black coffee some time ago and also hated black tea, but learned I enjoy lots of other kinds of tea.  My current morning drink is green jasmine tea, or gunpowder green when I need a little extra push.  There are all kinds of tea for every taste - sweet, floral, strong, spicy.  Try a few.  I have a ridiculous collection and we've just gotten into tea season here in NY.

For the visitors, would it be possible to either shop for them (the bro) or take them with you (your daughter) and shop just for the time they are there?  So if she wants milk and cereal, you buy the little boxes or one box and just enough milk to last the week.  She wants a snack, then just how much she will eat in the week.  

I am not able to eliminate all non-compliant food either, but I've "sequestered" it (basement or separate drawer/cabinet in the kitchen) so I'm not coming across it and my goal is that everything I do come across is compliant .  

Lastly, I know what you mean by the labels!  On another thread (there is a big group that started on the 24th - see their thread if you are interested in more interaction) someone mentioned that canned TUNA was a problem!  I had to run and check my labels because it didn't dawn on me that there would be anything besides tuna and oil in the can.  The other problem I have is some kind of blindness.  For example, one of my favorite low caffeine teas is called YamaMoto - green tea and BROWN RICE!  Whodda thunk?  Also a salmon burger I was sure was OK, but has canola and/or SOYbean oil.  Sheesh!  

Anyway, nice to meet you and good luck to you!

[scottsp64]

Habanero - Thanks for the reply. I had actually begun to think that I could buy a few items for the kids and sequester them somewhere. 

[rhed]

For your son, does the type of sandwich matter? If there's, say, compliant chicken that  you've baked or roasted, would that work, or is part of the groove the type of meat (and cheese and whatever)? What about using homemade mayo? Compliant mustard is pretty easy to find. Sunbutter instead of peanut butter? If you can strip down the components and make as many of them as compliant as possible, then there will be less temptation for you, and he doesn't get kicked out his groove. 

Maybe you can also include your daughter in meal planning? Set her loose on Melissa Joulwan's site and have her choose a meal. Then, even if it's burgers and baked fries, it's compliant and she has a sense of agency and choice. And who knows, if she catches a whiff of your breakfasts, maybe she'll forgo the cereal and milk the second week she stays with you.

[becs]

Some thoughts:

• My favorite tea is white tea - none of the bitterness of black, though also not as much caffeine
• Made ghee for the first time this weekend using the recipe from Whole30 - so easy! And kinda fun
• My fav frozen fish is orange roughy. Throw it frozen in the over at 425 for 15 to 20 minutes. So buttery and delicious (I brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dried dill before cooking). My local grocery store sells it in the frozen fish section, but not sure how easy it is to find elsewhere (one of my two local grocery stores does NOT carry it). I did have to run to my freezer just now to make sure it was compliant! Didn't even think to look at labels for simple frozen meat. 

I don't have kids, but I do have a husband who is not doing this with me. There is non-compliant stuff throughout my kitchen, and not at all sequestered. My two cents is this - with a "diet" plan that is very strict like the Whole30, it can be easier on your brain not to be tempted by off-plan foods since there's no decision-making that needs to happen. For example, if you're doing some kind of generic diet, it's easy to be tempted by off-plan treats because your brain tells you that you can just get back on the diet tomorrow, no harm no foul. But on the Whole30, you're committed to 30 days with no cheats, period, so there's really no room to talk yourself into non-compliant foods without having to start over. I know I'm not explaining this very well, but Melissa does talk about it in one of the books. I am a straight-out junk-food-aholic, but I was shocked to find that there was absolutely no temptation for me to eat any of the goodies in the house. 

In any case, I would weigh the consequences of possible added stress from rebelling kids vs the extra will-power to say no to non-compliant foods in your house. The former may be harder to deal with than the latter...

[scottsp64]

 

1 hour ago, rhed said:

For your son, does the type of sandwich matter? If there's, say, compliant chicken that  you've baked or roasted, would that work, or is part of the groove the type of meat (and cheese and whatever)?

I have ALWAYS had pre-sliced and packaged deli meats, american or provolone cheese, bread and mayo on hand and that is what he would use. I was shocked at my first Whole30 shopping trip to find out how incredibly non-compliant pre-packaged deli meat were.   I'm pretty sure that the compliant foods will not be an adequate substitute. I'm honsetly not sure how to handle the food situation with him. 

1 hour ago, rhed said:

Set her loose on Melissa Joulwan's site

I do think I can get my daughter on board. I didnt know about that site, Thanks for letting me know. 

******************************************************

 

41 minutes ago, becs said:

Made ghee for the first time this weekend using the recipe from Whole30 - so easy! And kinda fun

Awesome. I can only buy ghee at Publix and its like $8 for a $16oz jar. I think I will try that this weekend.

42 minutes ago, becs said:

My fav frozen fish is orange roughy. Throw it frozen in the over at 425 for 15 to 20 minutes

OK. I will have to try that. When I was a kid my mom would serve fish that was not filleted well and it would make me gag. I really hope to find something I like. 

[snowflower]

I agree with @becs regarding keeping non Whole30 food in the house.  I have 2 teenagers and they eat what I eat for dinner, but they have sandwich stuff and bread for their lunches, and cereal or peanut butter toast for breakfast.  For dinners, depending on what it is, I will make something extra for them that I don't eat.  For example rice with stir fry, bun with burger, pasta with bolognese etc.  My daughter will often eat my Whole30 version and eat cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles, but my son prefers the traditional versions.  I would keep your son's meals as consistent as possible....especially lunch if that's his normal routine.  I don't have any issues not eating the food in my house that's not compliant. 

[scottsp64]

On 10/26/2016 at 4:34 PM, snowflower said:

 I would keep your son's meals as consistent as possible....especially lunch if that's his normal routine.  I don't have any issues not eating the food in my house that's not compliant

• So I did end up buying sandwich stuff, plus milk and cereal and that was all that was required to keep the content. They have been eating my whole30 dinners mostly without complaint. It's not been a problem for me. 
   

• On 10/26/2016 at 2:50 PM, becs said:

  My fav frozen fish is orange roughy

  Since you recommended it, I went Publix and bought the frozen Orange Roughy. It was very expensive, $10 for a package of two largeish filets. But I'm glad you recommended it. Fish has now moved from the "will not eat" category to "willing to eat". I even had the leftovers for lunch. I made a sauce out of vinegar, mustard powder, my homemade mayo and it was great. Fish without a sauce is too bland. But thanks!! I now eat fish. 

• I made my own ghee from 3 pounds of butter. It was super easy, was way cheaper than the ghee from the store and it tastes better. I also made another batch  of homemade mayo. My god that stuff is delicious. I put it on everything.  2 eggs, grapeseed oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard powder, salt. Stick Blender. 10 minutes. 

• I have really surprised myself because I have not been tempted to break my whole30 eating, AT ALL. I have no problems with the Sugar Monster. Not even on Halloween, I do kind of miss sugar, especially  on my coffee, but it's not a craving. I am concerned that after this is over I will re-introduce sugar to my coffee and it will start me back to eating sugar again. 

• I am very tempted to get on the scale. It is very obvius that I am shedding fat just because of how many notches I've had to move up the belt just to keep my pants from falling down. And in the shower I noticed I could see more of my feet than I have been able to see in awhile. 

[habanero]

@scottsp64 What a great update!  Thanks for sharing.  I hadn't really thought of doing the ghee  but you have me convinced to give it a try.  I've also found the foods are so close to "normal" non-Whole30 often don't even realize.  

Can you share the rest of the mayo recipe?  I've made the one from the book and am just amazed!  Made it with lime juice and then added cilantro and garlic to a bit of it for a little something different (again, book recipe).  Can't believe I never made it before, but would like to try different versions.  

I'm happy to say I'm 1/3 of the way done also and am going to stick with it.  

[becs]

@scottsp64 - sounds like you are making awesome progress! Congrats!

Yeah, Orange Roughy is not cheap fish, but it also doesn't taste like cheap fish. Glad you like it. I don't eat it on a regular basis, partly because of the cost, but I always have a pack or two in my freezer in case I find myself without a compliant protein ready to go.

I miss sugary, creamy coffee, as well. I will probably indulge on occasion when I'm done, but I will have to keep a close eye on it to make sure I'm not reverting to an unhealthy relationship with creamer.

STAY OFF THE SCALE!!!  

[scottsp64]

2 minutes ago, habanero said:

Can you share the rest of the mayo recipe?

I followed the recipe from YouTube. with the following differences. 

• I doubled the recipe.
• I used Apple Cider vinegar 
• I used Grapeseed oil

Also have used the 24oz asparagus mason jar like THIS with my stick blender.

So here it is in a nutshell

INGREDIENTS
2 eggs
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp paprika (my addition)
1.5 cup grapeseed oil

DIRECTIONS
Crack the two whole eggs into the bottom of the jar. 
quickly dribble in the vinegar against the inside wall of the jar
add the salt, mustard powder and paprika
dribble all the oil against the inside wall of the jar

insert the stick blender all the way to the bottom of the jar and do 1 second pulses to slowly emulsify the oil and blend it in with the rest of the ingredients. 
Keep pulsing for 5 or 10 minutes until more than half of the oil has been blended into the main mixture. I pulse until there is an inch or two of oil left at the top.
I then move the stick blender to the top and middle of the jar all around and back and forth, and the rest of the oil emulsifies and gets added to the mixture quickly after that. VOILA

 

 

[scottsp64]

11 minutes ago, becs said:

STAY OFF THE SCALE!!!  

YES, MOTHER.