Julzology's January 2017 Whole30

[Julzology]

So I'm sick.  Started feeling a tickle in my throat yesterday.  Worked out anyway.  Spent a couple hours in the kitchen making breakfast casserole, ghee and mayonnaise.  By the time I was finished with dinner I was completely wiped.  Then, in spite of my tiredness I still woke up several times last night but I think that was this cold coming on.  Now, I feel pretty crappy and think I'm going to ask to take the rest of the day as a sick day. 

(side note:  I made mayo with a combination of avocado oil and olive oil and I don't care for the tast of it at all.  I may have to ditch it and start over)

Breakfast casserole was good.  Had that as soon as my coffee was ready.  I used a modified version that I found linked here from the paleorunningmomma website.  I made it with ghee, japanese yams, onions, bell peppers, spinach, bacon, eggs.  Wow, so delicious.  Can't imagine why I haven't made this sooner. 

Lunch was a large salad topped with tuna salad made with the mayo that I don't really like all that much.  The tuna helped it and I ate it for lack of other food but it wasn't my fav.  I had a large navel orange because I feel like it might help my cold, vitamin C and all.  

Last night my husband made me a big mug of turmeric tea which was so soothing (just grated fresh turmeric and lemon juice.  Surpisingly delicious).  

I have no idea what's for dinner.  I just want to go home and take a nap. 

[Julzology]

So last night, in bed, I had turned off the light and was turning over to go to sleep (I always fall asleep on my left side) and I got this searing pain when my left elbow touched the bed.  WFT!  I felt around and there is a sore spot between the bones in my elbow and it hurts, a lot, especially if I bend it a certain way or straighten it a certain way.  Dammit!  I ended up falling asleep with my arm on a pillow.  Waking up at 2 am to take some Advil.  Laying awake until the advil kicked in while I tried to find the position where it hurt the least.  Even now, I usually rest my forearms on my desk and I can do that as long as the elbow doesn't touch.  I don't remember bumping it or injuring it except for the pain when I leaned on it turning over in bed.  Dammit.  I've got some ice on it how.  I think that might be helping. 

Plus I have a cold.  I am seriously considering calling sick. 

Loving that breakfast casserole.  two days in a row I ate a soon as i got up and made coffee.  previously I wasn't eating until hours later.  This is a good thing.  

Tom made chicken soup yesterday.  Delicious and W30 compliant.  I'll be feasting on that for a few days.  Yummy.  

My challenge this week is a steering committee meeting at 5:00 tomorrow where a "light dinner" will be served.  I have a feeling it's going to be pizza.  Then immediately following there's a public meeting that I must attend from 7-9 and then if that weren't enough a meeting about a grant opportunity at 9.  I have not figured out my food situation yet but I'm going to talk to the secretary who is probably coordinating the food and find out what will be served and ask if I can bring my own.  I'm not shy, I'd be OK to show up with my own tuna salad or something.  Planning, it's all about planning.  This is way too close to the end to get caught with no plan and I won't be at my best if I'm starving.  

[Julzology]

OK so Day #24.  Whoodathunk that I'd get this far?  I have some challenges in the days ahead but I think I'll be fine.  

Stayed home sick yesterday, should have today but came in.  I plan to leave early and get a quick nap and dinner before my 5pm meeting. 

Damn headcold.  My mother, bless her heart, suggested on Facebook that I should have some whiskey that another friend was joking about.  Um, no, WTF mom?!

Yesterday:  

Breakfast:  Bfast Casserole,  Coffee with coconut milk

Lunch:  1 avocado, chicken soup

Dinner:  Pork Chop, Spinach Salad with bacon bits (mmmm, bacon), roasted cauliflower with turmeric.  

Snack:  honeybell orange, 1 fig, a spoon of almond butter (not all at the same time)  Not exactly a W30 snack any of  them but I'm giving myself a little pass because I'm sick. 

Today so far is just like yesterday:  Breakfast casserole, Avocado plus chicken soup for lunch.  Not sure what's for dinner.  Might actually be more chicken soup.  or more breakfast casserole.  I just know that the "light dinner" that they're serving at the meeting won't be anything I'm willing to eat. 

[Julzology]

Yes and now it's the third day in a row that I've had the same breakfast and lunch and to be perfectly honest, I'm a little tired of it.  I really need to change it up but it's been easy since I feel crappy, to have the breakfast casserole all made and the leftover chicken soup in the fridge.  

Dinner tonight is collarg greens and polish sausage from US Wellness and probably potatoes.  Hmmm, I'm  having an idea about potato pancakes. 

[Julzology]

Day #27 which 90% complete but that's not really the end of it, is it?  This is just the end of the 30 days.  Reintroduction is where the real fun starts. 

Breakfast:  Black coffee (because we ran out of coconut milk) two slices of bacon, two eggs scrambled with leftover zucchini from last night's dinner. 

Dinner:  brisket with root vegetables.  We're not exactly sure how we're making this yet but I know it will be good. 

Lunch ??? no idea.  I need to make more mayonnaise because the last batch I made with a combination of avocado oil and olive oil tasted weird.  None if us liked it and it's been sitting in the fridge, unused, for 5 days.  Time to ditch it and start over.  I think combining the two oils was a mistake. 

I'm still sick which sucks mightily because I'm not enjoying the Tiger Blood like I should be and I am not exercising because I feel like crap.  Dammit! 

[Julzology]

Breakfast:  Coffee with Coconut Milk, two soft boiled eggs, 1 tangerine.  I know, not enough fats or veggies.  

Lunch:  Leftover Ropa Vieja, Salad, tostones

Dinner:  Probably Chicken soup or maybe I'll reverse lunch and dinner.  

I'm going to a dinner meeting and they'll likely cater from the local Italian place so I need to eat before.  I know the sausage and meatballs won't be compliant.  Of course the pasta isn't and I'm just not sure if the salad will be already dressed or contain cheese.  Best to be prepared and eat first.  Many of those at the meeting know I'm doing Whole30 so they'll understand. 

Feeling ever so slightly better today with this stupid head cold.  At least I got out of bed and took a shower and put on clothes.  

 

[Julzology]

Dinner meeting last night went well.  I ate before hand and then had salad and grilled chicken (no dressing).  

I've gotten a few more compliments on how I seem different in a good way.  

Breakfast today was a banana and almond butter.  Yes, I know, that's not a good W30 breakfast.  I didn't plan well today. 

Lunch leftover Ropa Vieja and an orange.  Another so-so meal due to poor planning. 

Not sure what's for dinner.  

I have been sleeping almost through the night.  I usually wake up 1 time to go to the bathroom and then go right back to sleep but I'm tired when the alarm goes off.  I think I need to go to bed earlier.  I've been really bad about screen time and often spend the moments just before bed playing games on my kindle.  

I do not want to give up this deliciously good sleep I've been having.  That right there is enough of a reason not to drink.  

 

[Julzology]

Well, here I am Day #31.  I realized last night that this Whole30 eating has become a habit and one that I'm not all that keen to break.   I'm approaching reintroduction carefully. I really don't think I have any significant food issues but I do know that I don't want to go back to my previous daily alcohol consumption.  I feel too good and am sleeping too well.   

Here's the good and the bad of it:

The Good:  I lost 8.6 lbs, I'm sleeping better, my stomach feels flatter and less bloated (my first Orange Theory workout when I was on the rowing machine I was aware of how much belly was getting in the way, now, I just don't feel that). My itchy rash on my chest has cleared up.  I've had several people comment on how radiant I look and how this lifestyle is agreeing with me.  I generally feel emotionally and physically strong and successful.  

The not so good:  I never did get my pre and post workout meal routine worked out.  I always ended up grabbing something that was compliant but not necessarily what I should be having because I didn't plan ahead.  Likewise, my meals haven't contained as much vegetable as they could have and were probably a bit too protein/fat centric.  Especially breakfast and lunch.  Also, one of my goals was to eat more slowly, really appreciate my food and learn to stop when I am satisfied.  That didn't happen.  Sorry to say but that's a lesson I still have to learn.  

so there you have it.  I still haven't decided what reintroduction looks like.  I was going to reintroduce non gluten grains first but I might go with cheese instead.  Dairy is the one thing that I've been missing.  Everything else, not so much.  

Life is good. 

 

 

[Julzology]

For the first time in 30 days I partook of the employee lunch.  Tossed salad, some kind of egg casserold that looked similar to my breakfast casserole.  Tiny bit of rice (I'm reintroducing non gluten grains first).  

First of all, I'm spoiled from eating organic eggs.  The egg casserole was not tasty.  I'm also spoiled by eating organic veggies.  Those were also pretty blah.  And now I feel kinda gross so my first post whole 30 meal experience was not great.  Guess I can't enjoy the free lunch anymore. 

[ultrarunnergirl]

It is quite possible that the egg casserole had bread/gluten in it, unless you confirmed the ingredients in it. Take that into consideration when you assess how you feel.

[Julzology]

Thanks. There was no crust and it looked like just eggs and vegetables so I checked with the chef and no bread/gluten.  I could taste the difference in the eggs.  Plus they were over cooked (I'm such a food snob) 

It didn't have cheese but might have had dairy.  I forgot to ask about that.  We're celebrating someone's birthday here with chocolate fudge cake.  I am enjoying black coffee.