February 15th--Let's Do This

[Brensuma]

Oy.....beware of exploding butter! I was trying to make clarified butter and had just turned away when it exploded. Flippin A! As if feeling like I got ran over by a truck and having no energy wasn't bad enough I had to struggle with cleaning up melted butter.  Ughh......I need a nap

[jmcbn]

2 hours ago, eatspinraverepeat said:

Maybe that explains my hunger only 4 hours after my meals....

Where are you in your cycle? (Assuming you're female...!) Appetite is known to increase in the week leading up to your period...

[MargretB]

2 hours ago, Brensuma said:

I was trying to make clarified butter and had just turned away when it exploded.

Make sure you're melting the butter over low heat. I used Kerrygold to make it, and holy crap. It. Is. Delicious. 

Day 11 everyone, less than 20 to go! It's snowing big, heavy snowflakes that make it look like I'm sitting in a snowglobe and I really want some hot chocolate with Bailey's. Oh well, coffee with coconut cream will have to suffice for now. I'll be off soon to take the dogs on a hike and hopefully tire them out for the rest of the day. I'm thinking chicken/pineapple kabobs in the oven for dinner tonight, does anyone have a good sauce recipe that would work with that?

[Brensuma]

It was low heat. First time around I did it according to the book on med heat and no problem. 2nd time low heat and explosion. 3rd time med heat and alls good. 

[ArtFossil]

27 minutes ago, Brensuma said:

It was low heat. First time around I did it according to the book on med heat and no problem. 2nd time low heat and explosion. 3rd time med heat and alls good. 

Whether its lower heat or or higher heat, don't let your butter boil. It's the water inside the butter that causes the explosion until all the water has simmered out.  Just keep it on a gentle simmer and keep an eye on it so it doesn't either boil or burn. I take my iPad into the kitchen and watch a TV episode while my butter is clarifying. 

[rgill]

3 hours ago, Brensuma said:

It was low heat. First time around I did it according to the book on med heat and no problem. 2nd time low heat and explosion. 3rd time med heat and alls good. 

Mine exploded too!  I was wondering if it was the type of butter I used.  I wanted a good one and spent a little more on Finlandia.  I thought that was the reason, but, have only made it once.  I made the BBQ sauce recipe in the book today.  Took a LONG time......over an hour.  Def a kitchen disaster...If you all make it don't do it right before you eat.  I really just wanted to order a pizza at that point b/c I didn't have the energy to cook...but I did cook some shrimp to go with it and a salad.  

[eatspinraverepeat]

9 hours ago, jmcbn said:

Where are you in your cycle? (Assuming you're female...!) Appetite is known to increase in the week leading up to your period...

I'm on the the pill. Same dosage everday, so not the result of hormonal fluctuations.

[eatspinraverepeat]

Got the majority of my grocery shopping in late morning/early afternoon...then spent my whole afternoon roasting sweet potatoes and butternut squash. 

After all that was done, I roasted a spaghetti squash for dinner. I now have enough spaghetti squash for at least 6 meals!

I'm worried I am consuming too many starchy vegetables. I have a serving of sweet potatoes and/or butternut squash with 1-2 meals a day. Sometimes 2-3. How many servings of starchy carbs is everyone else eating?

[jmcbn]

8 hours ago, eatspinraverepeat said:

I'm on the the pill. Same dosage everday, so not the result of hormonal fluctuations.

I'd still run with the hunger signals and increase the size of your meals. You'd be surprised how much a change in diet can effect your hormones. You should have a have a browse through the 'Ladies Only' section of the forum to see how common a change in cycle can be - regardless of what type of BC you are using.

[eatspinraverepeat]

6 hours ago, jmcbn said:

I'd still run with the hunger signals and increase the size of your meals. You'd be surprised how much a change in diet can effect your hormones. You should have a have a browse through the 'Ladies Only' section of the forum to see how common a change in cycle can be - regardless of what type of BC you are using.

 

Thanks @jmcbn! I will check out that section and increase the size of my meals a bit. I've been keeping to this thread and my personal log, primarily, so it's probably a good idea to branch out.

[rgill]

12 hours ago, eatspinraverepeat said:

Got the majority of my grocery shopping in late morning/early afternoon...then spent my whole afternoon roasting sweet potatoes and butternut squash. 

After all that was done, I roasted a spaghetti squash for dinner. I now have enough spaghetti squash for at least 6 meals!

I'm worried I am consuming too many starchy vegetables. I have a serving of sweet potatoes and/or butternut squash with 1-2 meals a day. Sometimes 2-3. How many servings of starchy carbs is everyone else eating?

I eat 1 - 2.  Def one with breakfast.  Usually sweet pot with spinach and eggs.  Then, one at night.  Is Spag squash considered a starchy veggie?  We are having that on friday nights with a meat sauce instead of our usual pizza.  Habits, habits:)

 

[rgill]

We are through the toughest days!!! This is awesome. And, loving the boundless energy days for the next few. That was one of my main reasons for doing this eating plan.   Sort of worried about that craving part in the next few days....  Just gonna go with the positive and get stuff done. 

 Another slight challenge tonight as I go to a dinner/Oscars party.  Don't judge Two of the ladies have completed the Whole 30 and are bringing compliant goodies.  I'm bringing chicken meatballs(compliant & courtesy of Costco)and a BBQ sauce to dip them in.  YUM!

How's everyone feeling?  Happy Sunday.

[Brensuma]

I know drinking your meal isn't recommended but thought I would give it a try so I can try and get more veggies in. I put about a cup of kale/spinach/arugula mix plus a half banana,couple of strawberries and a couple blackberries (won't add those next time, I don't think they're needed with the banana) and about a cup of coconut water. I know, too much at once. I then ate some scrambled eggs for lunch. I think burgers for supper and not sure about what kind of veggies yet.

 Stay strong everyone!

[History&Pearls]

Can y'all believe it's day 12? I think I've hit the cravings days - my mom's eclair cake, homemade quesadillas, and pasta have all been occupying my thoughts today! Luckily it's all stuff I would have to go buy and then make, so it's more an abstract craving than a "this is sitting in front of me" one. 

Went to chipotle last night, which was a much needed break from cooking, and my event yesterday went fine. My boyfriend and I made breakfast - he had to be at work early too - and I have lettuce from the salad they provided and a grilled chicken breast, plus a Larabar (because yeah they're candy but my friends were eating amazing chocolate cake in front of me and by god I was having dessert so I didn't eat the cake/murder my friends!). 

Made scrambled eggs topped with Heidi's "happy medium" salsa (from fresh market), with scrambled eggs and bacon (Pedersons) for breakfast today (so good!), and we're about to take the dogs for a long walk.

Hope everyone has a great Sunday! 

 

[MargretB]

I just finished off the big frittata I made for breakfasts, I think for this week I'm going to roast up a bunch of sweet potatoes with apples that I can top with fried eggs in the morning. I have a roast in the crock pot for dinner tonight. I'm planning on making another batch of mayo today, too.

I'm working on drinking enough water on the weekends. I take a gallon with me to work every work day and either finish it off or get really close, but on the I don't have an open water bottle sitting in front of me all day long and I end up super thirsty by Sunday night. 

We got through the days we're most likely to quit, yay us! 

[jboyd]

Thanks everyone again for sharing! Day 12. I had a ton of energy for most of the day and now lagging this early evening. I'm thankful for the lack of cravings for sugar and carbs. I try to remind myself how I felt those all day long before starting this! Thanks for posting ideas of foods you are preparing. My husband is making tenderloin and apsarusgus for dinner. Making hamburgers on portabellas tomorrow. I haven't yet tired of a hearty salad of greens at lunch with protein and preroasted veggies dumped on top. I do miss peanutbutter!! I've eaten a cut up apple with no sugar added sunflower a couple of times and that is almost the same  Good job everyone! Thankful you are along for the ride! Into the teens tomorrow!

[jboyd]

"

I just finished off the big frittata I made for breakfasts, I think for this week I'm going to roast up a bunch of sweet potatoes with apples that I can top with fried eggs in the morning."

Margret, that sounds so good! I have starting making frittata and didn't realize how easy they are to make...I think my new favorite breakfast!

[eatspinraverepeat]

5 hours ago, rgill said:

I eat 1 - 2.  Def one with breakfast.  Usually sweet pot with spinach and eggs.  Then, one at night.  Is Spag squash considered a starchy veggie?  We are having that on friday nights with a meat sauce instead of our usual pizza.  Habits, habits:)

 

 

I believe that spaghetti squash would fall under the category of a non-starchy vegetable, although I would classify it as borderline. Depending on the source, it falls in either category. The only thing I'd warn you about regarding spaghetti squash was that it reminded me so much of spaghetti combined with the compliant marinara sauce I purchase, that I had this urge to eat the usual accompaniments that come with pasta dishes!

It was interesting to try to understand that urge and separate myself from it. I think it may be the flavors in the sauce (basil, garlic) that brought back memories and associated cravings.

[eatspinraverepeat]

2 hours ago, MargretB said:

We got through the days we're most likely to quit, yay us! 

 

I concur: Yay us!

[eatspinraverepeat]

4 hours ago, Brensuma said:

I know drinking your meal isn't recommended but thought I would give it a try so I can try and get more veggies in. I put about a cup of kale/spinach/arugula mix plus a half banana,couple of strawberries and a couple blackberries (won't add those next time, I don't think they're needed with the banana) and about a cup of coconut water. I know, too much at once. I then ate some scrambled eggs for lunch. I think burgers for supper and not sure about what kind of veggies yet.

 Stay strong everyone!

 

@Brensuma Did you only have your green smoothie for breakfast? Or was the smoothie combined with your lunch of scrambled eggs? I think the amount of veggies in there, and limited fruit, made that smoothie a good option as a side to a meal with protein and fat.

[Brensuma]

@eatspinraverepea just the green smoothie. Then about 3 hours later the eggs. I can't get the hang of 3 meals. Supper is the only one I can wrap my head around the veggie,protein and definitely have to work on the fat part too. I need to do more reading. Lol

[eatspinraverepeat]

2 hours ago, Brensuma said:

@eatspinraverepea just the green smoothie. Then about 3 hours later the eggs. I can't get the hang of 3 meals. Supper is the only one I can wrap my head around the veggie,protein and definitely have to work on the fat part too. I need to do more reading. Lol

 

 

Three meals by the meal template will make a big difference, I'm sure! 

For Day 12, I experimented with eating less starchy carbs. I had not starchy carbs with meal 1, went to the gym to workout (moderate lifting), had spaghetti squash and half of a large apple as my starch at meal 2, and was starving about 3.5 hours after meal 2. I ate a serving of crustless quiche I had frozen to tide me over until my chicken was ready for meal 3. I ate sweet potatoes with meal 3 and avoided eating any fruit.

I definitely felt an energy boost with the sweet potatoes, as I had spent most of the day feeling a bit in a fog. I am trying to decide if it is worth it to force myself to become more fat adapted, or if my regular high-intensity workouts during the week warrant higher starchy veggie intake.

I did so much food prepping this weekend! I certainly have enough of everything except spinach to get me through the full week. I even tried a new chicken recipe (http://meljoulwan.com/2009/06/09/the-best-chicken-you-will-ever-eat-ever/), so I'm glad to say I have already met my goal for the week of trying a new recipe. I'm not sure the chicken truly qualifies as the best chicken I will ever eat, it is very moist due to the brining, so no complaints.

Did everyone else meal prep this weekend? Are you feeling the boundless energy as predicted in the W30 Timeline? (I'm not just yet!)

I'm excited to head into another happy and healthy W30 week!

[Kmactx]

 Hi all, it's been a  few days since I've posted. I honestly had HUGE energy problems that finally resolved yesterday. It was a struggle just to get up off the couch. I only worked out on Thursday last week and did absolutely NOTHING on Friday. I was making sure I had a sweet potato or another starchy vegetable to help but it just did not seem to do the trick.

But the good news is that my son had a baseball tournament all weekend and I was able to stay compliant by packing food in a cooler for myself. A major win! And the boys got 2nd place in the tournament so another major win!

@rgill  I definitely have two servings of a starchy vegetable. I can't imagine what I would feel like during the day if I did not.  I have a 20-month-old that is into absolutely everything and keeps me on my feet all day long.

I am so glad everyone is doing so well!  Last night I made a ranch dressing called dump ranch. It was awesome on top of my baked cod.   Here is the recipe if anyone is interested. http://www.whole-sisters.com/#!Dump-Ranch/c1v9p/551c04330cf21e26bac67eb2

I am still craving sugar after my dinner at night but have not given in at all. No Lara bars or fruit with nut butter. I think if I continue to have these cravings, I will extend my whole30 or at least take a break when we go out of town for spring break and then start right back up on a new whole30.  Slaying the sugar dragon is one of the main reasons why I did this whole30.

I'm not sure if anyone else mentioned why they are doing whole30, but if you haven't, I would love to read some posts about why you started and what your goals are. 

[History&Pearls]

@Kmactx I'm not having cravings for sugar in general (more for very specific things, like this amazing cake I make sometimes that I'm literally dreaming about) but I am finding that I'm still hungry after dinner. And I'm eating a LOT. Last night we had thin pork chops (I had two), roasted squash and zucchini, and mashed potatoes made with chicken stock. For brunch we each had 3 scrambled eggs with salsa, a half an avocado, and 5 pieces of bacon. For a "snack" - kind of smaller meal 3 because brunch is life on Sundays - we had a couple of Applegate hot dogs and some leftover roasted sweet potatoes. By about 20 minutes after dinner I was starving. I'm drinking plenty of water, and I took about half an hour to think, "am I hungry enough to eat dinner all over again, or do I just want some sugar?" I would have eaten dinner all over again! My boyfriend and I each had an apple with a little nut butter and my stomach finally stopped growling. I don't know what the deal is!

My reasons are pretty straightforward. I've always had a bad relationship with food - I grew up really poor and so you didn't let food go to waste, it was a really emotional thing, and not cleaning my plate or taking any opportunity to eat has always been a problem, emotionally, for me. My mom also yo-yo dieted her entire life - and still is, I'm encouraging her to do a Whole30 when I go home later this month! - so I never really had healthy ideas of food. So 1, break the emotional ties to food. 2. Lose weight - I was an athlete in high school but a sports injury ended that, and my weight has been creeping up ever since. 3. Be generally healthier - I've finally met the love of my life and he was eating fast food literally ever day for lunch, and had gained about 40lbs since we started dating, and I want us both to live as long and healthily as possible! 4. Manage my anxiety by having control over at least one area of my life. 

What about everyone else? 

[eatspinraverepeat]

1 hour ago, Kmactx said:

I am so glad everyone is doing so well!  Last night I made a ranch dressing called dump ranch. It was awesome on top of my baked cod.   Here is the recipe if anyone is interested. http://www.whole-sisters.com/#!Dump-Ranch/c1v9p/551c04330cf21e26bac67eb2

 

How did you feel about including a raw egg? 

 

@History&Pearls and @Kmactx

Reason I am doing this: primarily, I decided to do Whole30 to support my co-worker, who is hoping Whole30 will heal her current ailments. A few days before we started, I ate some of my old staples (Kirkland protein bars, protein powder, other not so ideal food) after eating Paleo for almost 3 weeks....I spent my evening feeling absolutely awful and came to the realization that I needed to eat healthier foods (not just low calorie/high protein concoctions). 

I am so happy I decided to undertake this challenge, because, unexpectedly, I have finally been able to separate myself from my cravings. I think it is the combination of the very well designed intervention that is Whole30 along with the supporting literature, plus this supportive forum/environment that has allowed me to transcend my urges to eat. I see my urges as separate from me and can analyze what I truly want/need or what I am truly feeling in the moment. It's also interesting to analyze where some of the urges come from, as it varies from feeling stress to a familiar smell or taste (i.e., pasta sauce really made me crave the normal things that go along with a pasta dish/italian meal). I cannot thank the creators of this program enough for allowing me to gain this skill...and in only 13 days!