First Whole30 - determined!

[VickiJane]

Good morning! I am posting here to help with accountability. I am hoping if I tell this to the "world" (LOL) that I'll not stray from the plan.  I am doing the Whole30 for several reasons.  One a few years back I was always struggling with IBS, bloating, lethargy and so on, at that time I went to a nutritionist that I said saved my life, as at the time she did. She put me on an elimination diet of sorts, and I felt so much better I stuck with it for about a year. Not as strictly after the initial 14 days, but close.  I just got bored with the same thing every day in and day out...the next thing the holidays came around and I didn't stick to plan. I enjoyed everything. I do mean everything...wine, champagne, chocolate, cakes, all the foods and trimmings.  I thought I will get back on plan after the holidays. Will I tried to follow the plan that the nutritionist had me on, and for some reason I didn't have the same positive impact I had before. I kept trying to eat healthy and then do the strict diet for 2 weeks, but I still wasn't feeling the same energy I had before and I had completely messed up any success I had achieved for my digestive tract.  This was my goal initially to help with all the digestive issues I had experienced. Will fast forward about 5 years later to now, I am now 59, still have digestive issues and feel like I have a none existent metabolism.  I top of that I recently enjoyed the holidays to the fullest.  I must feel better and get back on track. I would love to loose 10lbs, but that would be a bonus.  I also have been working with specialist (MDs) on getting my hormones in check. Hopefully eating better and doing the bio-identical hormone replacement will help a lot! 

Oh and did I mention I love wine....and champagne. I am fussy about the selection, so I won't just drink any wine to just drink. But the ones I enjoy, I do enjoy at social occasions or with my husband. So 30 days of no wine is a sacrifice for me.  LOL!  I know I can do it.  (I am talking myself into it!)

So today is my first day on this positive journey. Whole30 makes so much sense and I already know gluten and sugar are not my friends.  So here we go!

I started today with two hard boiled eggs, and a half of avocado with salt and pepper for breakfast. It tasted delicious. I think avocado makes everything taste good.  

I do have a cold and am taking Sudafed on top of it all. I am so hoping good nutrition will also help this cold go away faster (it has been 5 day already).

I prepped and marinated pork last night and put it in the crock pot this morning. I used the Whole30 slow cooked pork recipe. I am looking forward to this for dinner tonight and leftovers for lunch this week.

I am trying to plan ahead. Not easy for me, and I am not a cook. But apparently I will become one!

Thanks for listening (reading) and holding me accountable. Even if no one reads this.....I made myself account for the day ahead. 

[aprilb]

You got this, @VickiJane! (Fellow wino making the colossal sacrifice for a greater good. )

[VickiJane]

Thanks April!  Fellow wino...you get me...lol.

Day 1 finished off just fine. I think I have to do more prepping to make the recipes I find appealing. I was hungry when I got home from work last night. The slow pork recipe was cooked to perfection in the crock pot, yay! What was not so perfect was the fact that I wanted to make some sweet potato spears.  Since I am not cook at all, it seems to take me forever to get the ingredients together just to make a simple side dish.  However, I just took a taste of the pork, which was very satisfying and held me over until the sweet potatoes were done. I also whipped up the blender salsa to have on eggs, or anything else that needs a little zip (IMO).  My husband liked everything too..which is great. And he has volunteered to cook Whole30 recipes for us also.  Yippee!  He likes to cook. He is not on the program with me officially, but he is supporting my effort.  "Happy Wife = Happy Life" Right?!

So I am pleased Day 1 went by fairly easily.  I only had one craving and that was for dark chocolate after lunch.  I was tempted to have a Larabar (Cashew cookie) to help with the sugar craving..but then remembered the advice. That if I want to slay my sugar dragon, I can't replace the craving with a something Whole30 compliant...so I asked myself - do you really need something sweet? Am I hungry....and the answer was no. So in about 20 minutes the craving was gone. Sounds easy right? Will I do have a little experience with slaying the sugar dragon from the way back machine, as I mentioned before when I utilized the assistance of a certified nutritionist. So I knew this would pass. 

On to day 2!  Which for now it feels like day 30 may never get here.   

Have a great day everyone!!

[VickiJane]

Ok...so today is day 7.  I have had plenty of obstacles (to say the least) this past weekend. My Mother in Law, ("mom")  whom I love, had to have emergency surgery on Sunday early morning. It was exploratory, and they found she had a tear in her small intestines.  She is 87 years young, and my father in law and her have been married  about 67 years.  They are totally in love to this day.  Anyway, my mother in law survived the surgery, and is now in ICU in extremely critical conditions. Lots of complications, and now fighting sepsis. She is not conscious, but we have been with Dad and her by her side. When this happened I was on day 4 of my Whole30.  I am trying to stick to it as close as I can, as I know this will be better in the long run.  I think I have done pretty good. When Dad wanted to go out to have a slice of pie after a long day in ICU, I had a egg scramble.  I generally would be enjoying the sweet treats with Dad (who loves chocolate desserts like I do and apple pie ala mode), but my husband and brother in law supported him in the sweet dessert department, and they supported me in having a more healthy meal at the end of an emotionally exhausting day.  I have to admit I have used RX bars more than I would like to admit. But, I don't know if this is an excuse of not, I figured that was better than starbucks and a coffee cake. At least it has healthy ingredients...

So now Mom has been in ICU for going on the 4th day. It appears that it will be a stretch if she survives this. But as long as she has the will to live and is attempting to fight this infection, Dad and the rest of the family are giving her the opportunity to do that.

This is very hard on the family - as all of us who have lost loved one before know.  (I lost my Mom, 6 years ago, my sister, 4 years ago and my brother 2 years ago...so I know). 

I know it seems like watching my food at this time seems so trivial in light of the situation.  However, I thought if I can do this now, I will feel better physically, then eating foods that I know make me feel yucky (mainly bread and sugars).  Which will help me support the immediate family through this time. Of course I have thought this is easier to say since she is still with us.  If she passes, I may feel more compelled to turn to a glass of wine, or ? So I thought I would write my current situation here;  to write it out, and see how it feels. 

As I just finished writing this, I think I can stay Whole30 compliant, if not perfect in template.  Seems so silly....

I love my Mother in Law, and wish only for the outcome to be the best whatever that is, for her.  So I'll just keep keeping on what I can, and the most important thing right now is to be with her, my husband, Dad, and the other family members.

I just feel sad.

[Cathie C]

Sorry to hear about your Mom, and wishing her a quick recovery. My thoughts in reading about you sticking to the program during these times made me think that maybe by focusing some energy on what your are putting into your body will ultimately help your body in dealing withe stress of dealing with a sick loved one. The main thing I am doing whole on Whole30 is keeping a positive open mind about all the changes to my (past) lifestyle. So every time a negative thought pops up, I replace it with something positive.....like I need to feed by body and prepare it in dealing with the upcoming stress.  That may sound silly to some, but it helps me get thru those not so fun moments of like.

Sending your family positive healing thougths.

[VickiJane]

@Cathie C Thank you for your kind words. I agree, I do think eating healthy has to be a plus to dealing with these stressful times.  I appreciate the support!