Nicole's Whole30 Round 1

[eatspinraverepeat]

I'm starting my log on Day 0. 3 short hours and I'm heading into Whole30, Round 1, Day 1. 

 

I'm so excited to see the changes over the next 30 days. I will be logging my meals and general physical and emotional feelings each day.

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Day 1

Today was great!

Meal 1: (Post-Workout) 100 grams roasted sweet potato (tossed in coconut oil/salt before roasting) + 2 eggs fried in coconut oil (1 tsp) + 1/2 avocado + 2-3 handfuls spinach

This is seriously a delicious breakfast!

I was going to drink coffee when I got to work....but then I realized all of my K-cups have artificial flavors in them...so I donated them to the group and had Earl Grey tea instead.

I started getting hungry around 4 hours after Meal 1, waited it out for 15 minutes, took a walk, then sat down to eat for Meal 2

Meal 2: Practical Paleo (PP) Yellow Cauli Rice with Currants + PP Salsa Verde Chicken made with Whole30 compliant salsa verde + handful of baby carrots

Snack: 1 small gala apple

I had to eat a snack because my energy was fading..around 3

I was hungry sooner, so I ate around 4 hours after Meal 2

Meal 3: Zoodles + 1 tsp coconut oil + 1 Boar's head chicken/bacon sausage, handful of blueberries and a banana

I had to go to a 3 hour training course, and then head to the grocery store for more sweet potatoes, so I ate an apple I picked up at the store, then picked at some roasted sweet potatoes/ground turkey I made when I got home.

Perhaps this is too much snacking, so I will plan out larger portions tomorrow.

Overall, I felt great today. I felt empowered by my ability to stand firm with my decision to do this. 

I am experiencing a slight headache, which started around 3. I do think it is hormonal, but I am noticing already that headaches make me want to eat...even when I am not truly hungry. Perhaps I am looking for endorphins from comfort food to make me feel better. Glad to be discovering things about the reasons I eat (when not hungry) already!

 

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Day 2

Another great day! I have a running joke so far by checking in on the number of hours we are into Whole30. It's fun for now!

Meal 1: (Post-Workout) 100 grams roasted sweet potato (tossed in coconut oil/salt before roasting) + 2 eggs fried in coconut oil (1 tsp) + 1/2 avocado + 1/2 orange bell pepper and a few baby carrots, then a handful of currants on the way to work (probably didn't need these)

Early Grey tea came in clutch mid-morning

I started getting hungry around 3.5  hours after Meal 1, waited it out for 30 minutes, took a walk, then sat down to eat for Meal 2. Unfortunately, I had to work as I ate so it wasn't ideal

Meal 2: Practical Paleo (PP) Yellow Cauli Rice with Currants + PP Salsa Verde Chicken made with Whole30 compliant salsa verde + handful of baby carrots +1 small gala apple

Today I ate my snack with my lunch and didn't end up fading at 3pm. I actually made it all the way to almost 5 hours past meal 2 before I was hungry again.

Meal 3: Zoodles + 125g roasted butternut squash (coconut oil + salt) + ground turkey prepared with coconut oil, coconut aminos, and chinese five spice + a little extra cinnamon because I dig the flavor.

This was awesome and helped me not fade during my evening meeting. 

Snack: Handful of blueberries + 1 whole mango

I had a slight headache that started around 3:30 or 4 pm and progressively got worse as the night went on. My theory is that it is hormonal and I was very cognizant today of the fact that I sometimes eat to try to soothe pain, so I avoided any snacking in the afternoon and waited until I actually felt true signs of hunger to eat. The headache did not improve with my meal 3, but almost completely resolved after I ate blueberries and a mango....making me think maybe the headache is sugar withdrawal related. I did want to eat something before bed tonight because I didn't want to be totally out of energy during my morning workout. I workout early enough that I simply don't have time to get up to eat a pre-workout meal...also, I don't like pre-workout meals and think my best training is on an empty stomach and in the morning.

Tomorrow, I will see if the headache returns and make sure I do not eat to try to ease the pain...and I will see if I can avoid eating fruit in the evening if I still do have the headache. No other way to tame the sugar dragon than to just not feed it!

 

Onto Day 3

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Day 3

No headache today...and not much hunger either!

Meal 1: (Post-Workout) 100 grams roasted sweet potato (tossed in coconut oil/salt before roasting) + 2 eggs fried in coconut oil (1 tsp) + 1/2 avocado +  a handful of currants

Finally brought my (home-made) cold brew to work so I could have coffee mid-morning. The funny thing is, I rarely finish coffee when I drink it black, so I only had half a cup. Thinking back now...maybe this is why I didn't have a headache in the afternoon (caffeine-related, perhaps?). I'll experiment tomorrow to see if the headaches only happen on days without coffee.

 

Meal 2: Zoodles + 125g roasted butternut squash (coconut oil + salt) + ground turkey prepared with coconut oil, coconut aminos , and chinese  five spice + a little extra cinnamon because I dig the flavor (same as meal 3 yesterday) +1 small gala apple + sliced cucumbers.

I did not get hungry until around 7:30...and even then, I think it was because my roommates were cooking.

Meal 3: Romaine lettuce + Boar's head chicken bacon sausage + 1 whole yellow bell pepper + handful of tiny heirloom tomatoes + 1/2 tbsp melted coconut oil as dressing

I followed this with a banana and some flaked coconut

l felt really good today, despite a very high level of stress at work. I was surprisingly not very hungry at all today, although I did eat hearty meals. I worry that I am eating too much fruit. I do have a serious sugar dragon, so I need to avoid having too much. Tomorrow I will not eat fruit after meal 3, as I don't think it is a good idea going forward. 

 

Onto Day 4

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Day 4

I feel like I'm not having as difficult a transition into Whole30, because I had already experimented with Paleo prior to starting whole 30, so I had pretty much cut out dairy from my regular diet and found alternatives for my daily yogurt in advance of starting. That being said, I am experiencing far more muscle soreness compared to the weeks leading up to Whole30...I like feeling a bit sore (as evidence I worked hard), but I'm curious about the potential scientific reason for this.

Meal 1: (Pre-Workout) 2 eggs fried in coconut oil (1 tsp) + handful of blueberries

I was supposed to go to spin/core class, but read the time wrong, so I got in a 20 minute core workout.

I wasn't hungry afterward and didn't count that as a true workout, so I waited until I got hungry to have my next meal.

Meal 2: 100 grams roasted sweet potato (tossed in coconut oil/salt before roasting) + 2 eggs fried in coconut oil (1 tsp) + 1/2 avocado +  3 handfuls of spinach + 1 small gala apple +handful of blueberries

I snacked on cherry tomatoes in between (probably not the best idea). I need to avoid mindless snacking. 

Meal 3: Practical Paleo (PP) Yellow Cauli Rice with Currants + PP Salsa Verde Chicken made with Whole30 compliant salsa verde + 100 grams roasted sweet potato

Looking back on my meals today, I successfully decreased my fruit intake, but I think it would be a good idea for me to add variety to my starchy vegetables, and vegetables overall. Tomorrow, I'm planning on picking up asparagus or brussel sprouts and roasting them.

I felt great today emotionally, in fact, I thoroughly cleaned my bedroom and did all (almost all...still one load in the washer) of my laundry. I think this is a huge turning point for me, because when I am not 100% in terms of emotions/happiness, I tend to not pick up my room, and not have the motivation to put anything away. When I finally do a big cleaning, I know I have turned a corner. So happy to have turned this corner so early in the Whole30! And so happy that I could get this from Whole30!

Day 4 Observations: Increased muscle soreness and a bit of dry mouth, despite drinking 56-64 ounces of water daily

Good news: I didn't drink coffee today and didn't get a headache! I'll never know the true source of the headache.

EDIT: Onto Day 5

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Day 5

Pre-WO Meal: 2 eggs fried in coconut oil (1 tsp) + a few bites of mango

1 hr spin + 1 hr yoga

Meal 1: 150 grams (upped it today) roasted sweet potato (tossed in coconut oil/salt before roasting) + 2 eggs fried in coconut oil (1 tsp) + 1/2 avocado +  3 handfuls of spinach 

I snacked on some sweet potatoes as I prepped meals for this week with a friend and we were trying out recipes.

Meal 2: Indian spiced organic, grass-fed burger (homemade) + a few handfuls romaine lettuce + 125 grams roasted butternut squash + handful of raisins + 1/2 tbsp coconut oil

+1 apple about two hours later

I only ate two official meals today; however, I wasn't starving in between...and a large portion of my day was taken up by exercise, so if I ate 3 meals, it would have been 3 hours apart each....I wouldn't have been hungry.

My big disappointment for today is finding out that I had eaten non-compliant sausage on day 3 (didn't see the cane sugar in the ingredients until re-reading for the 4th time today). So I will be doing Whole33. I do not mind the extra days, as I hope to make this my lifestyle; however, I'm disappointed I didn't catch the sugar on the label. 

Also, in regard to my muscle soreness, a person on the forum recommended I cut out almost all fat post-workout, as fat will slow the absorption of protein.  I'm not sure how to do this feasbily, as I come home from a morning workout, shower, and make breakfast before leaving for work.

I'm going to try to eat plain canned tuna tomorrow when I make it home, as a lean protein source, then make my breakfast after my shower. I will either bring my breakfast to work and eat it there, or just make sure 30 or so minutes have passed to allow for some protein absorption from the tuna. If my muscle soreness decreases over the next few days of doing this, then I'll know this is the solution! I'm going to pick up some chicken breast and cook them tomorrow night, so I have something a little more palatable to eat after an early morning workout. Tuna does not sound appealing, but it is all I have for lean protein right now.

 

Onto Day 6 (of 33)!

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Day 6

Post-WO Meal: ~2 ounces canned tuna + compliant stone ground organic mustard 

Not as bad as I thought it would be. I cooked my breakfast after my showered and saved it until I got to work.

Meal 1: 100 grams roasted sweet potato (tossed in coconut oil/salt before roasting) + 2 eggs fried in ghee (1 tsp) + 1/2 avocado +  3 handfuls of spinach 

I noticed that I wasn't very hungry after my small post-workout meal; however, I did feel hungry after breakfast. I think that is the effect of carbs and the subsequent insulin spike. I'm keeping my post-wo meals protein only for now, since I'm trying to lean out. 

Meal 2: Practical Paleo (PP) Yellow Cauli Rice with Currants + PP Salsa Verde Chicken made with Whole30 compliant salsa verde + handful of baby carrots + cut up cucumber + mango

So full after this!

I waited around 6 hours until meal 3, and I was hungry, but not irritable or hangry. 

Meal 3: 1 chicken apple sausage (double, triple, quadruple checked compliance), + 125 grams roasted butternut squash + sprinkle of flaked coconut (bob's red mill) + sugar snap peas + 1 medium gala apple + 1.5 tbsp ghee

I had the ghee at the end of the meal to help me feel satiated and full. I am definitely full now! I am making a note for tomorrow that I want to make sure I add more fat to my dinner so that I feel full after eating, rather than needing to eat fat separately.

I felt really good today. Going strong! It never hurts to start the day with a strong workout too.

My work is extremely stressful right now, and I found myself to be super oily (skin) at the end of the day. My cortisol levels are pretty high, but I was really happy because I didn't get cravings for food. I did get a fleeting urge to make coffee/tea, but I like getting to sleep early, and it just wasn't worth it to mess up my sleep cycle. I know I have a strong pull to eat/snack/make coffee when I'm feeling stressed by something. It seems to pull me away from my stressor, but really it doesn't do anything for me except waste my time. I am going to remember this when I am off Whole30 as a reminder that I do not need to eat when stressed!

I'm hoping my muscles are not as achy as they have been, and will continue implementing the Post-WO tuna for this whole week.

I forgot to log it yesterday, but I am noticing a few pimples (zits) around my jawline. I noticed them for the past two days...maybe it is hormonal or stress related, or maybe it is somehow related to Whole30. I'm not sure why it would be the latter, as I'm just eating very clean on Whole30, and I was eating terribly before. Nothing in the Whole30 timeline about this, so I'll just wait and see.

Onto Day 7 (of 33)!

[Cheezochka]

21 hours ago, eatspinraverepeat said:

I forgot to log it yesterday, but I am noticing a few pimples (zits) around my jawline. I noticed them for the past two days...maybe it is hormonal or stress related, or maybe it is somehow related to Whole30. I'm not sure why it would be the latter, as I'm just eating very clean on Whole30, and I was eating terribly before. Nothing in the Whole30 timeline about this, so I'll just wait and see.

Onto Day 7 (of 33)!

Hi Nicole, thanks for your daily logs! I've started my Whole30 on the same day that you did, so it's interesting to compare our experience. As for pimples, I have the same! I don't usually have them, but I started to have one on my chin and one above my lip. I'm surprised because it should be other way round with skin cleaning up. Perhaps we'll get there soon . 

[eatspinraverepeat]

4 hours ago, Cheezochka said:

Hi Nicole, thanks for your daily logs! I've started my Whole30 on the same day that you did, so it's interesting to compare our experience. As for pimples, I have the same! I don't usually have them, but I started to have one on my chin and one above my lip. I'm surprised because it should be other way round with skin cleaning up. Perhaps we'll get there soon . 

 

Glad to hear I am not the only one! I will check out your logs tonight. I appreciate you reading mine!

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Day 7

Post-WO Meal: ~2 ounces canned tuna + compliant stone ground organic mustard 

Meal 1: 100 grams roasted sweet potato (tossed in coconut oil/salt before roasting) + 2 eggs fried in coconut oil (1 tsp) + 1/2 avocado +  3 handfuls of spinach 

Again, today, I was not very hungry after my small post-workout meal. I ate my breakfast as soon as I got to the office, around 80 minutes after my post-workout meal..and I didn't realize it until I was almost done, but I really tore through it. Thinking back, I had that problem with a lot of my meals today. I looked down, and all of the sudden my plate or bowl was almost empty! I will need to be more cognizant of the mindless eating tomorrow!

Meal 2: Zoodles + 1 tsp coconut oil + 125g roasted butternut squash (coconut oil + salt) + ground turkey prepared with coconut oil, coconut aminos , and chinese  five spice + a little extra cinnamon because I dig the flavor +1 small granny smith apple + sliced cucumbers, baby carrots and sugar snap peas

Thinking back on prepartion of the turkey, I probably didn't need this

I actually did not remotely hungry in the afternoon. In preparation for teaching my spin class, I did eat a small pre-WO meal of about an ounce of my ground turkey from Meal 2 (all that was left in that batch of cooking). I ate roughly an hour before my class, and worked my butt off. I did not get hungry, or feel out of energy during class, and did not get hungry until about an hour after I finished. I didn't follow the post-workout protocol, but there is not enough time before I go to sleep to have a post-workout and meal 3.

Meal 3: 1 chicken apple sausage (double, triple, quadruple checked compliance), + 10 spears of asparagus + sliced cucumbers, baby carrots and sugar snap peas + handful of blueberries

I do find myself creeping around the kitchen after dinner...thinking about something else to eat. I catch myself and think about whether or not I'm really hungry. Majority of the time, the answer is no. I think ultimately, I'm looking for something sweet. I ate less fruit today than prior days, so it is a step in the right direction; however, I will pledge to not eat any fruit (even berries) with my final meal tomorrow.

I am still suffering from little zits, but my body feels good. I don't get hungry or feel deprived. That is the beauty of consuming healthy fats!

My legs are not as achy as they were last week, but how my body feels tomorrow is the ultimate test, as today is my double workout day.

As promised, I will keep up with the morning post-WO tuna and compare this week to the previous week. I am so happy to have completed a full week on Whole30 (or Whole33 in my case...stupid sausage!)

Onto Day 8 (of 33)! Woo hoo week 2!

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Day 8

Post-WO Meal: ~2 ounces canned tuna + compliant stone ground organic mustard 

I dragged so much in my workout today. That lack of energy described in days 2-3 is hitting me now!

Meal 1: 100 grams roasted sweet potato (tossed in coconut oil/salt before roasting) + 2 eggs fried in coconut oil (1 tsp) + 1/2 avocado +  3 handfuls of spinach + handful of raisins

I quickly got hungry after my post-workout meal and even ate a few raisins before heading out the door for work. I ate my breakfast as soon as I got to the office, around 80 minutes after my post-workout meal and took my time to eat at a moderate pace, and think about what I was doing, rather than focusing on other tasks. I was so tired today, so I did make some coffee with my home-brewed cold brew (all compliant). It is super smooth and easy to drink without any additions. Although I have gone most days of my W30 without coffee, I felt very rundown and needed the boost (perhaps just a psychological boost) today.

I didn't get very hungry until around 4 hours after my Meal 1

Meal 2: Practical Paleo (PP) Yellow Cauli Rice with Currants + PP Salsa Verde Chicken made with Whole30 compliant salsa verde + handful of baby carrots + cut up cucumber + sugar snap peas + 1 medium banana

I get so full at lunch, eating all of my bite size veggies. I think this was good though, as I had to spend my afternoon/evening working a fundraiser. It was at a restaurant with no W30 compliant options, so I waited it out until almost 7.5 hours after meal 2 to eat anything. I wasn't ravenously hungry, nor did I feel "hangry," but I definitely knew I needed food by the time I got home. I started to feel a bit more urgency about eating as it got closer to the 8-hour mark since last eating.

Meal 3: Indian spiced organic, grass-fed burger (homemade) + 2 eggs cooked in 1 tsp ghee + handful of spinach cooked in remaining ghee in pan

I was making roasted sweet potatoes as I ate my dinner, and originally planned on eating a serving of those after dinner; however, I got to talking with my roommate and ended up not feeling the need to eat any more. Just packed them up for later meals.

It was easy to say no to "temptations" today: candy, wine, tacos, tortilla chips...because the answer is always no. I love it.

My muscles are feeling a bit weak lately. I'm keeping up with the post-WO meal through the end of the week before I make additional changes to my diet. I feel very accomplished to have made it into week 2. Hoping to have more energy tomorrow.

Day 9 (of 33), here I come! 

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Day 9

Pre-WO Meal (45 mins before): 1 spoonful of almond butter

Post-WO Meal: ~2 ounces canned tuna + compliant stone ground organic mustard 

I felt much better during the workout this morning! I will incorporate the small pre-WO for tomorrow, then go back to fasted training Monday to see if there is a difference. My body is less achy compared to last week, so I do believe that incorporating the post-WO high protein, low-to-no fat mini-meal is helping.

Meal 1: 100 grams roasted sweet potato (tossed in coconut oil/salt before roasting) + 2 eggs fried in coconut oil (1 tsp) + 1/2 avocado +  3 handfuls of spinach + handful of raisins

I ate my breakfast a little after I got into the office, around 90 minutes after my post-workout meal and took my time to eat at a moderate pace.

Around 11, my eyes felt tired, so I made some cold brew. It was yummy, but I never seem to finish black coffee. I was still sipping it around 1pm, and then I just threw the rest down the drain. I'm doing my best to avoid caffeine at 12 so that I can easily fall asleep at night. 

I ate again around 5 hours after my Meal 1

Meal 2: Practical Paleo (PP) Yellow Cauli Rice with Currants + PP Salsa Verde Chicken made with Whole30 compliant salsa verde + handful of baby carrots + cut up cucumber + sugar snap peas + 1 mango

I started getting hungry again about 4 hours after Meal 2....thinking back, I seemed to be spacing out my meals less today. Not sure why!

I snacked a bit on the items I was cooking as I made my dinner. I think this is a habit I should break immediately. Looking back, tonight was a very snacky, taste-testing evening, and I think this violates the spirit of whole 30

Meal 3: Ground turkey (prepared as described in many posts above) + cauliflower rice (prepared with 1 tbsp coconut oil, chinese five spice, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, handful of raisins, handful of flaked coconut) + roasted sweet potato + 1 medium granny smith apple + 1 tiny spoonfuls of ghee

I ate the ghee because I had feelings of still needing something, and ghee will make me feel instantly full, but also, it is not appealing to eat alone, so I feel like it is a good test of whether or not I have true hunger.

 

I'm feeling pretty good going into day 10, but logging my day here has made me think I am getting too relaxed with eating components of my meals as I prepare them. My goal for tomorrow (in addition to eating mindfully, always), is to not snack on my meal as I prep it. THIS will be harder than anything that has come before in my W30 journey.

Day 10 (of 33), here I come! 

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Day 10

Pre-WO Meal (45 mins before): 1 spoonful of almond butter

Post-WO Meal: ~2 ounces canned tuna + compliant stone ground organic mustard 

I think it is safe to say that the post-WO lean protein is helping with my muscular recovery...although it may just be the extra protein in my diet overall by adding in the tuna before breakfast. I will have to experiment with how I feel with and without the post-WO meal to decide if it is truly necessary.

Meal 1: 100 grams roasted sweet potato (tossed in coconut oil/salt before roasting) + 2 eggs fried in coconut oil (1 tsp) + 1/2 avocado +  3 handfuls of spinach + 1 medium banana

I ate my breakfast a little after I got into the office, around 90 minutes after my post-workout meal and took my time to eat at a moderate pace. I didn't add raisins this morning because I feel I have been adding in little things like that to feed my sugar dragon. 

Again, last night, I slept poorly, waking up at 1 am and not falling back asleep until probably 3:30. I was comfortably sound asleep at 5:30 when my alarm went off and a bit disappointed to have that good sleep interrupted. I drank coffee right after I finished my breakfast (cold brew with hot water to make a nice warm cup).

I ate again around 4 hours after my Meal 1 and I was feeling hungry at that point.

Meal 2: Indian-spiced organic, grass-fed burger (homemade) + romaine lettuce + 1 large red bell pepper chopped + 1/2 medium avocado + small gala apple

I started getting hungry again about 4 hours after Meal 2, consistent with the hunger I have been feeling between meals yesterday. I ended up eating an RXBar (coconut chocolate) to make it through the rest of my work. It helped me work an additional 1.5 hours before my 30 minute drive home in traffic.

Meal 3: Ground turkey (prepared as described in many posts above) + cauliflower rice (prepared with 1 tbsp coconut oil, chinese five spice, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, handful of raisins, handful of flaked coconut) + roasted sweet potato + 1/2 medium avocado. I also had a handful of blueberries + sugar snap peas

I did snack a little on the food I was preparing for dinner, but only from the portions I was going to consume. I did need something to keep me going.

I want to continue avoiding snacking on things as I prepare them, and will have to constantly stay vigilant about not overconsuming fruit. 

Continuing goals: slowly, mindfully eating; not snacking as I prep food; minimal fruit.

I feel good/strong in my workouts since adding the almond butter, but this constant hunger is making me think I am potentially turning away from becoming fat adapted. I do exercise hard, but I think I need to minimize carbs and see how I do. I will attempt to limit my fruit to 1 serving tomorrow.

I have felt like I am slimming down a bit (I see a change in my face), but my jeans are not loosening up. I am in no way discouraged by this; however, I hope to keep up with this new awareness I have for my hunger and the triggers that make me think about eating when I am not really hungry.

Day 11 (of 33) up next! 

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Day 11

No workouts today! I am happy to finally have a rest day. I slept in today until almost 8! This is a huge difference from my normal wake up call at 5:30. Last weekend I woke up at 6am. I got to bed very late last night, so I know I needed the sleep.

Meal 1: 100 grams roasted sweet potato (tossed in coconut oil/salt before roasting) + 1 chicken apple sausage + 1/2 avocado +  3 handfuls of spinach + 1 medium banana + 1 small gala apple

I think I ate 2 pieces of fruit because in my subconscious I was remembering I was going to limit myself to one. In retrospect, that was too much fruit. Overall, I think my diet is tending toward too carb heavy. 

I headed out to do my shopping for the week and brought a small lunch with me. I knew I would get hungry during the trip and didn't want to have to go home or buy something to eat at the store.

Meal 2: Practical Paleo Salva Verde Chicken + PP Yellow Cauliflower Rice + GT Trilogy Kombucha 

The kombucha has become an indulgence after grocery shopping. I love the tangy flavor. I drank it all on the drive home; however, it made me feel really full. Next time, I will be more cognizant of how I am feeling as I drink it.

I spent the afternoon roasting sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and a spaghetti squash. I ate some sweet potatoes after I was done roasting. Technically, I think this would be snacking. This is probably the toughest habit for me to break (eating while prepping/sampling as I cook). This should be my goal to end this for the rest of my Whole30.

Meal 3: Spaghetti Squash + Teton Waters Grassfed Uncured Junior Franks (cut into little circles) + 10 spears asparagus + 1/2 tbsp ghee + 1/2 yellow bell pepper + Newman's Own for the Common Good Tomato Basil Sauce

I thought it would be fun to make a spaghetti squash italian-type dish. The thing I noticed was that the taste of the sauce, and perhaps the reminder of pasta, made me experience this urge to overeat, to go back for me...and even though I never eat bread, I thought about how good it would taste to have some bread. 

Red Alert...maybe pasta-like dishes are a no-go for me in terms of psychological effect. I never even thought it would be an issue, as I never eat pasta; in fact, I probably have not made past in over 4 years. It's been so interesting to take a step back and analyze my cravings/urges regarding food and attempt to understand their origins. I also feel quite powerful to be able to separate myself from those urges and not indulge. Perhaps this is a NSV!

I am worried I am eating too many starchy vegetables. I would like to see if I can cut down to only one serving a day. I will begin reading the W30 book tomorrow morning and read the recommendations for inclusion of those starches. The last thing I want to do is gain weight during my W30.

I am feeling good, other than feeling quite bloated and gassy today in the afternoon/evening. I think it's probably the cauliflower, and perhaps the onions in my SV chicken that really mess me up. I wish I could eat those things without these issues. I will have to experiment to determine what is the source.

Onto Day 12!

 

[eatspinraverepeat]

I keep forgetting to add that I do not have the same muscle aches that I did prior to adding in the Post-WO "meal" of ~2 ounces tuna + compliant mustard. I did have a serious dip in energy and still am experiencing a slump in my athletic performance; however, my muscles are not miserably sore. I do believe that the post-WO protein is helping.

I will be trying to cut down on my starchy (read: carb-dense) vegetables this week, but will be maintaining my post-WO tuna. I will report back on if the decreased starchy veggies has an impact on my athletic performance or muscle recovery. 

[eatspinraverepeat]

Day 12

Today was an experiment with less starchy carbs and less fruit.

Meal 1: 2 medium eggs +3 handfuls spinach + 1/2 medium avocado + serving of ground turkey from recipe above-->>did not include my normal sweet potato serving with this meal

I had coffee after this then headed to the gym about 2 hours after breakfast. During my workout, I felt a little bit "empty," but I powered through and then did some shopping afterward. I was pretty hungry by the time I got home and ate meal 2 as soon as I got in.

Meal 2: (leftovers from last night's meal 3) Spaghetti Squash + Teton Waters Grassfed Uncured Junior Franks (cut into little circles) + 10 spears asparagus + 1/2 tbsp ghee + Newman's Own for the Common Good Tomato Basil Sauce

I noted the same feeling regarding wanting traditional pasta accompaniments with this dish. I am attributing it to the flavors in the marinara sauce. There are just so many memories connected to weekly pasta night...the important part is being aware of cravings, and I think I'm doing a fine job at that...and enjoying the process

I got very hungry only a few hours after meal 2 (~3 hours) and ate leftover (frozen) crustless quiche from Practical Paleo. I prepared it before W30, but luckily made it with coconut oil, so it was all compliant.

Snack: Practical Paleo Swirly Crustless Quiche 

I was able to wait on meal 3 for about 2 more hours.

Meal 3: Zoodles (1 medium zucchini) + Palm-size serving of chicken (http://meljoulwan.com/2009/06/09/the-best-chicken-you-will-ever-eat-ever/) + 3 Tbsp of lemon-herb dipping sauce from that recipe + 100 grams roasted sweet potato + 1.5 Tbsp ghee

I was feeling "empty" a bit after meal 3, so that is why I had the extra ghee. I felt the urge to eat fruit, and considered maybe eating more sweet potato, but I didn't want to mess up my experiment today. I'm thinking it may not be sustainable to limit my starchy veggie intake so much. I'll make that judgment based on how I feel tomorrow morning before I workout.

I am very excited to be sailing into the "teens" of my Whole30. I'm not experiencing increased energy, but I'm not deterred and I am delighted to be sticking to this plan.

Onto the "teens"--Day 13, here I come!

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Woke up at 1:45am last night and never managed to fall back asleep. I felt hungry, so I ate a medium banana...and although I felt less "empty" I wasn't able to relax. Lots going on with me regarding work, so I am thinking it must play a role in my mid-night insomnia. I ordered Natural Calm (a magnesium supplement) and will give it a shot when in arrives. I don't want to  get into a habit where I need to take something to fall asleep, even if it is just minerals; however, I can't keep losing sleep as this is a critical time for me in my work.

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Day 13

I spent most of today feeling great due to increased starchy carb/general carb intake. This was the calm before the storm. I definitely overate at Meal 3, although all compliant foods, but I'm disappointed in myself.

Meal 1: 3 eggs, spinach, 1/2 avocado, sweet potato, 1/2 large apple

Meal 2: (5 hours after meal 1) Spaghetti squash, ground turkey (see above), green beans, 1 tbsp coconut oil

Meal 3: Salsa verde chicken, zoodles, butternut squash, sweet potato, 1/2 large apple, shredded coconut, and raisins

I am quite full going to sleep tonight, and expect some unhappiness from the fiber I have consumed. 

I can safely conclude that scientific writing under stress makes my sugar dragon/eating dragon go out of control. I need help coping with these rare instances.

I am almost thinking of starting over, but will give myself the night to think it over.

Here's to a better Day 14 if I choose to keep on and not start back at Day 1.

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Day 14

So much better than yesterday, despite still being a huge ball of stress. I have felt like I have been in fight or flight mode non-stop so far this week.

Pre-WO: spoonful of almond butter + coffee

Post-WO: Tuna + mustard  >>I ate this roughly 2 hours after my workout...and I noticed my muscles were a little extra sore today. It really does make a difference to get that protein in right away!

Meal 1: Palm-sized serving of chicken (best chicken you will ever eat) + 3 handfuls spinach + 1/2 large avocado + serving of sweet potato

Meal 2: Spaghetti squash + chicken apple sausage + tomato basil sauce + asparagus (6-7 spears) + small gala apple + La Croix water

Snack: fresh fruit (pineapple, honeydew, watermelon, cantaloupe) + veggies (bell pepper, zucchini, carrot sticks)

Meal 3: 2 medium eggs + butternut squash + handful blueberries

 

I am so happy to get to bed tonight. I have not been as observant about my eating/cravings these past two days, but I will get back on track tomorrow. Here's to a good night's sleep.

 

Also, I have noticed my skin has gotten progressively worse over the course of my W30. Not sure where this is coming from, but I do need to figure this out. I have not had cystic acne for years and years and it's odd how this is showing up right now. The good news is a mysterious flakiness in my hairline that seems to come and go at times is gone, so I'm thinking it may have been the result of a mild reaction to something that is excluded from W30. Win some, lose some!

On to Day 15 (of 33)! Can't believe I'm almost halfway.

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Day 15

Halfway there

Pre-WO: Missed (ran out of gas on my WOD because of this)

Post-WO: 2 ounces tuna with mustard

Meal 1: 3 medium eggs +3 handfuls spinach + 1/2 medium avocado + 100 grams roasted sweet potato

Coffee

Meal 2: Remaining tuna from can + mustard (combination of Whole Foods Dijon--gross, don't buy it--and the regular mustard I have been using) + 3 teaspoons ghee (for fat) + sugar snap peas + baby carrots + 125 g butternut squash + LaCroix water

Made it well through the afternoon without hunger. Met up with a friend to exercise after so...

Pre-WO: 1.5 Tbsp almond butter + small gala apple (not the standard pre-WO template...but I needed energy)

Post-WO/Meal 3: 2 eggs + 2 handfuls green beans + 100 g sweet potato + 1 tsp ghee on green beans + GT Strawberry Kombucha

I feel absolutely exhausted, mentally and physically, so I will most likely take tomorrow morning off from the gym. My body is telling me I need a break through many signals. I will also be trying Natural Calm tonight, and I am hoping that will give me great sleep and help my muscles recover.

Onto Day 16 going strong!

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Day 16

Skipped the gym. Good decision. Still woke up at 5:30 with no alarm, but I was able to fall back asleep until 6.

Meal 1: 2 medium eggs +3 handfuls spinach + 1/2 medium avocado + 125 grams roasted butternut squash (I was so sad I had no sweet potato left)

Coffee!

Meal 2 (~5.5 hours after meal 1--I was starving): Coconut cauliflower rice (coconut flakes + raisins + coconut aminos + chinese 5 spice, cooked in coconut oil) + Salsa Verde Chicken (my fave!) + 1 small gala apple + 3/4 large yellow bell pepper + LaCroix water

Meal 3 (~6 hours after meal 2): few cherry tomatoes + Best Chicken (palm sized) + small serving cauliflower rice + green beans (microwaved) + 1 tbsp ghee + ~100 grams roasted sweet potato + LaCroix water

I am literally sitting here debating whether I should eat something else (apple or blueberries), but this is my sugar dragon. It is getting late and I should get to bed earlier today to get up for the workout tomorrow.

Here's to W30 helping bring awareness to my after-dinner sugar dragon!

Onto Day 17!

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Day 17

Pre-WO: Spoonful fo almond butter. Workout was OK. Pretty light. Only a 12 min WOD

Post-WO: Skipped. Straight to Meal 1

Meal 1: 2 eggs + spinach + 1 tsp ghee + 100 grams sweet potato + 1 small gala apple

Meal 2: Spaghetti squash + salsa verde chicken + sugar snap peas + carrots + 1 small gala apple + LaCroix water

Snack: blueberries + cherry tomatoes

Meal 3: 5 mini franks + palm size chicken breast + roasted yellow squash with avocado oil and curry powder + boiled green beans + 1 banana + 1 small gala apple + almond butter and ghee

I definitely ate too much at dinner. I think I was self-soothing with food. I held out the whole week here, but this wasn't too bad. My stress levels should be going down after Tuesday, so I'm looking forward to leaning out after that. 

I have felt that I have gained fat this week. I feel puffy. And it is frustrating because I felt like I was really leaning in the first week or so of W30. Oh well. I will be patient to wait for the magic.

 

Onto Day 18!

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Day 18

Got up, coffee, brought almond butter to be my pre-WO (5k run) snack but go too busy to eat it. Ran a sub-8 min/mile 5k then ate half a banana and a clementine.

Meal 1: 2 poached eggs + fresh fruit + 1/2 avocado

Meal 2: 2 eggs fried in ghee (1 tsp) + sweet potato + baby carrots + sugar snap peas + my almond butter that was supposed to be pre-WO

Meal 3: ~100 grams butternut squash with ghee and curry powder + salsa verde chicken + zoodles (1 small/medium zucchini) + banana

Meal 4 (hungry!): 1 small gala apple + 5 mini franks (all grass-fed beef)

Obviously a bit too much fruit today; however, I feel like I ate pretty lean today. I need to do this more days. I feel good. Success with my first meal at a restaurant (meal 1)

 

Onto Day 19

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Day 19

I had to wait to eat to go out with my family, so I split up my morning meal. I know that is a no-no, but I was mid-cooking when they called so I couldn't throw the food away

Meal 1: Green beans boiled then fried in ghee + 1/4 avocado + 3 slices tomato + 2 poached eggs + mixed veggies (bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash) sauteed in an oil that went right through me (this was at a restaurant) + mixed fruit (kiwi, pineapple, cantaloupe, grapes, strawberries0

Meal 2: Banana + almond butter/ghee mixed up then after the grocery store...Eating as I cooked...sweet potato (roasted) + currants + chicken pieces + ground turkey + kombucha

This was not a true Whole30 meal, but everything was compliant

Meal 3: Melissa's Chicken Hash

Meal 3 was my new recipe for the week and it tasted good; however, it did not look like the picture in the book. I know that they spiralized those sweet potatoes and did not grate them like the recipe directs you to do.

I feel pretty good today, other than eating too much sweet potato as I cooked it. I accomplished a lot prepping food for the week, but I should have eaten a meal 2 and not snacked. I would have more sweet potato to get me through the week, if so. Lesson learned.

Also, this weekend I went out to breakfast twice. Second time I learned that restaurant oils are killer and I shouldn't eat them. I hope anyone who is reading this, who is also on Day 19, is doing well. I also hope that I finally see myself lean out here as we get into the final third of the Whole30.

Onto Day 20!

 

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Day 20

Pre-WO: Almond Butter

Post-WO/Meal 1: 2 eggs + spinach + sweet potato + 1/2 avocado

Mid-Morning: Banana (didn't really need this, should have skipped)

Meal 2: Salsa verde chicken + yellow cauli rice (my fave) + sugar snap peas + baby carrots + 1 small gala apple + la croix water

Meal 3: Melissa's chicken hash + green beans + coconut oil + 2 slices paleo and Whole30 compliant bacon + 1/2 cup mango cubed

I'm trying to cut down on the amount of food I am eating. My first step was cutting out my post-WO tuna. I think the next step will be decreasing the fruit and starchy carbs. I'll need to really be aware of how I'm feeling and my sports performance. I am also thinking about cutting down on my number of workouts per week. Reading the Paleo Solution is pointing me in the direction of the fact that I may be overtraining...and that may be causing me to hold onto fat. 

One change at a time!

Onto Day 21!