So this is happening. - Kelly's Whole30

[kellyfoss]

Whole30 Log – Day 1

Figured I should keep a log somewhere since this is a BIG DEAL and also my first time, and it's probably better to post here than to continuously piss off my family and friends by posting 3589476 pictures of my meals on Facebook. So! I'll log my Whole30 journey here on the forums, and maybe eventually make a personal blog about it if the mood strikes me. We shall see.

Pre-Day 1: Grocery shopped, stocked up on some bulk and frozen foods like a bag of almost-ripe avocados, a bag of frozen salmon steaks, lots of chicken breast, a pack of 18 cage-free organic eggs (more eggs than I've ever eaten in one week but I'm sure I'll burn through them fast), and a metric ton of fresh veggies! Prepped on Sunday which was the day before my program was set to start. I hard-boiled 6 eggs to eat as snacks throughout the week, and to put on salads. I made my lunch for Day 1: Kale salad with sauteed apples, chopped up almonds and shallots with a garlic lemon vinaigrette. I also chopped up some tomatoes and avocados for Day 1’s breakfast. Went to bed feeling prepared, but still slightly terrified!

Day 1: Woke up and basically launched myself headfirst into my black tea with lemon. I'm attempting to wean myself off coffee this month as well, since I'd have to drink it black or with coconut milk and it doesn't much appeal to me in either form. Tea is going to be my bestest friend! Fun fact, I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, so I take Synthroid every morning as soon as I wake up. I'm supposed to wait a full hour after I take it before I eat anything to allow it to absorb properly, but most mornings I don't have time to wait. I always give it a minimum of 30 minutes, so I set up everything I needed for breakfast in the meantime. 3-egg omelette with tomatoes, avocados and cilantro. And a side of sliced strawberries. It was delicious but I've decided 3 eggs is way too much for me that early in the morning. I could barely get it down. 2 eggs next time! I grabbed my salad for lunch and a hard-boiled egg and clementine for mid-day snacks, and left for work.

At dinner I made baked salmon filets crusted in spices, with homemade guacamole on top, and another side of strawberries. Holy yum! Made enough to have leftovers for lunch on Day 2 as well. Also prepped my breakfast for Day 2, twice-baked sweet potatoes. Feeling good so far, but I'm sure that confidence will eventually pass. I'm really excited to be COOKING so much, and to be experimenting with new foods and cooking equipment. Really, really wish I had a dishwasher, haha. I digress. 

/End D1.

 

[kellyfoss]

Side Note: I forgot to add a blurb about why the heck I'm doing this in the first place. Duh. Several reasons, not the least of which being the aforementioned Hashimoto's disease. I was diagnosed last August and have been on Synthroid (generic form) ever since. It is definitely hereditary - my father has it too. I would really love to see my thyroid strengthened or at least relieved with a better diet. Hormone levels, all that jazz, should start to equalize.

Also have some psoriasis on my scalp and have seen and heard great things about people healing their skin condition flare-ups with this program.

In general, I just want to be a healthier me. I'm only 27 but there are days when I feel 30+ years older due to stress from work (and life, and adult-ing). I'd like to build a stronger body for the future, and be around as long as possible for my S.O. and hypothetical future kids.

For my own reference, I did weigh myself prior to D1. Clocking in at 5'8", 157.8 lb. Let's see what NSVs and SVs I can achieve this month!

[kellyfoss]

Day 2

Warmed up my twice-baked sweet potato for breakfast – I made two so I could have the second one for breakfast on Day 3 if I liked it enough. And heck yeah I do! It was DELICIOUS. To make them I baked the potatoes for 45 minutes, then took them out and let them cool. I scooped out the insides, mixed them with chopped up carrots, onions, garlic and coconut oil, and then popped the mixture back into the skins and threw them in the oven for 15 more minutes. For breakfast today I just microwaved one and had a side of blueberries with it. Added a hard-boiled egg afterwards because I wanted to make sure I had my protein too. More tea with lemon. Honestly loving this so far.

Packed my leftover salmon and guac for D2 lunch, along with a side of Primal Kitchen’s Chipotle Lime Mayo, and it was off to work for me! Oh, and I grabbed another clementine for a snack. They’re good for tiding me over between meals.

Noticed today I became hungry for lunch more quickly than I did yesterday. Not enough fat for breakfast? Will add another egg or something tomorrow. Still made it until almost noon with no hunger or craving issues, so that’s a victory in my book!

Hit a serious wall around 3 PM where my energy levels took a big dip, to the point of wishing my keyboard was a pillow. Not sure why. Snuck some black coffee from my work lunch room even though I’m not part of the “coffee club” (all the while expecting coffee ninjas to drop from the ceiling and arrest me), but even that didn’t help. Thinking my body is starting to feel the effects of no sugar for roughly 48 hours.

Boyfriend requested pork chops and sauerkraut for dinner rather than the meal I had planned. Who am I to deny us W30-approved delicious pork? Checked the sauerkraut label about 37 times before making it, and noticed it has sulfites. Opted not to have any of that myself and just made some for the boo. Instead we grilled some asparagus along with the pork chops and I made a salad of kale, carrots, tomatoes, avocado, and oil and vinegar dressing. Tasted great! Packed the leftover chops and veggies for D3 lunch. Went to bed early to attempt to knock out this sleepiness… I know this is the "hangover" period now and I'm feeling it. Hopefully it'll pass after a couple of days.

[jmcbn]

4 minutes ago, kellyfoss said:

Noticed today I became hungry for lunch more quickly than I did yesterday. Not enough fat for breakfast? Will add another egg or something tomorrow. Still made it until almost noon with no hunger or craving issues, so that’s a victory in my book!

 

Hit a serious wall around 3 PM where my energy levels took a big dip,

Hey @kellyfoss & welcome to Whole30 

You could do with more protein at breakfast so see you through until lunch. When eggs are your only source of protein in a meal a serving would the number of whole eggs you can hold in one hand without dropping. 3-4 eggs is the average for a female. If you don't fancy so many eggs you could always add some ground beef to that baked potato...?

As for the 3pm slump, this should improve as the days go on - the increase in protein at breakfast will really help. If you're eating the clementine on it's own at some point this could also contribute to the slump - be sure to eat any fruit along side your meals, and if you need a snack try to make it at least two of the three food groups, with protein & fat being your best option (so maybe a hard boiled egg & mayo for instance)

Are you adding veg to the salmon & guac at lunch? 

Hope this helps!

[kellyfoss]

Thanks so much for the advice! Super helpful. I knew the balancing of the three food groups would be my challenge right out of the gate. I sometimes struggle to eat a lot of protein at breakfast because my stomach says, "no thanks". But if I ease into it, it should adjust. I'll throw in some ground beef or some smoked salmon next time. I also am weening myself off snacking, especially on fruit. Going to eat that with my lunch from now on.

D3 lunch is leftover pork chops, asparagus, carrots, and a decent side of mayo. Plus a banana. Hoping to defeat that afternoon slump!

[kellyfoss]

Day 3

Woke up freakishly early due to a raging thunderstorm outside our window, and never really went back to sleep. Took this as an excuse to make my pre-prepped breakfast a bit heartier, so along with my second stuffed sweet potato I scrambled two eggs and made my tea. Realizing I need to make an effort to up the veggie intake overall. It’s not something I’m used to eating so much of, so I knew that would be a challenge for me. But I’m up to the task!

Wasn’t hungry for lunch until noon, which was a small improvement over yesterday. Trying to keep my eating times as consistent as possible – 7 AM, noon, then 5-6 PM and no snacking later in the evening. Lunch was a big pile of randomness but it all worked! Leftover pork chop, asparagus, a bag of baby carrots and a healthy serving of chipotle lime mayo to dip them in. And a banana on the side.

Dinner was baked chicken breast with roasted tomatoes, onions and kale, on top of some zucchini noodles. Also had half an avocado on the side. See? Veggies for dayyys, y’all. Also spent the evening prepping more hardboiled eggs and, and made a big kale salad topped with the leftover chicken for D4 lunch.

Things I have learned so far: Avocados are your friends, embrace them. How did I survive 27 years on this earth without owning a food processor? It was $30 on Amazon and it is amazing. I hope I can learn to like black coffee because tea gets old pretty fast. I struggle with eating enough veggies but I will conquer this issue. I enjoy the routine and method of food planning quite a bit, and as long as I keep up with it I think I’ll be A-OK.

[kellyfoss]

Day 4

Got over 8 hours of sleep last night and I definitely feel the difference! The lethargic feeling I’ve had the last couple of days is starting to fade. Made a “breakfast salad” bowl for M1, consisting of 2 hard-boiled eggs, half an avocado, a handful of cherry tomatoes, and a sliced-up apple. Mixed that all up with some lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Very good and nicely filling, but I’m going to run to the grocery store after work and pick up some Aidell’s chicken sausage to add to my breakfasts. Had more black tea with lemon. I’ve been having a small shot of black coffee at work if I feel I need it throughout the day, but I’m hoping to eliminate that as the days go on.

Decided to do something a little different today and actually wait to eat lunch until I was really, truly hungry for it. Not just because “it’s noon”. I lasted until 1 PM this time. That’s 6 hours after M1. And honestly, my breakfast wasn’t even that huge. Just full of protein and rich with healthy fats. Could this crazy plan actually… be working??

M2 was the kale salad with chicken breast that I had prepped the day before. Also threw in more tomatoes, carrots, and avocado. Packed a side of oil and vinegar dressing as well, and a banana. No afternoon slump today, I noticed. Felt energized all through the day without going for coffee at some point. To be fair, I also slept way better last night. That is definitely a huge factor.

M3 was shrimp lettuce wraps with homemade guacamole inside, and a side of sweet potato hash. Saved some of the hash for M1 on Day 5. It was a delicious dinner! The boyfriend was impressed, which is good – I’m hoping as he sees that I’m eating yummy, filling food, he’ll want to go all-in on this with me at some point.

Things I have learned so far: I think I need more variety in the vegetables I’m eating. I’ll explore some that are more outside my comfort zone for week 2. And in general, I have to eat more of them... like, take how many veggies I think I should be eating, and double it. MUST SLEEP A LOT. I will never again underestimate how fast you can go through avocados and eggs. Really wishing I had a dishwasher… cry.

[kellyfoss]

Day 5

Woke up feeling good! I’ve been consistently getting over 7 hours of sleep for the last week, and I think that’s extremely important to this process. I’ve also been having some batshit-crazy dreams (pardon my French) because I’ve been sleeping so deeply. Not complaining, but wow… my sleeping brain sure comes up with some weird stuff when it has that much time to kill!

M1: Made a quick but hearty hash with the leftover sweet potatoes from last night, two eggs, a chopped up Aidells chicken apple sausage, and some green onions. More tea with lemon and a whole bottle of water.

M2: Another kale salad (going to make something more creative for next week’s lunches, kale is gonna get old real fast) with hard-boiled egg, strawberries, carrots, tomatoes, and dressed with olive oil and salt. And a healthy handful of almonds on the side.

M3: Stir-fry with chicken breast, broccoli, zucchini and red peppers! I used coconut aminos for the first time in place of soy sauce, and a dash of coconut oil and sesame oil as well. Really really good and very filling! I didn't really miss a starch like noodles or rice, it was good as-is. Had a small bowl of chopped-up strawberries and bananas afterwards. The first time I have really had anything akin to "dessert" in the past 5-6 days. I didn't like the fact that I felt the need to wrap up my dinner that way, so I'll try not to do it again.

Kind of discouraged though because at some point today I threw my back out of alignment. I've had lower back issues for several years now, thanks to a curviture in my spine and a pretty eroded last disk in my vertebrae. Fun stuff. It's been totally fine for weeks now but somehow I threw it out today, and I can't see the chiropractor until Tuesday. Sooo this is going to be a bit of a struggle, shopping for groceries, prepping and cooking today and tomorrow, doing 12 loads of dishes... going to rely a lot on the S.O. to help me until I get this sorted out.

Really, back? You couldn't have waited until AFTER my Whole30 to throw a hissy fit? Sigh.

[kellyfoss]

Day 6

Woke up in a lot of pain and was tossing and turning all night trying to get comfortable. Back seriously sucks today. It feels more like my very low back and hips, and every time I bend down or twist a certain way the pain shoots down my legs. So that's pleasant, haha. It's happened before so I know what it is, but that doesn't make it any less awful. I called my chiropractor's office and left a message so hopefully they can try to fit me in on Monday instead of having to wait until Tuesday. Trying to resist taking anything for the pain as long as possible.

M1: Leftover stir-fry from last night with two eggs cracked on top of it, and half an avocado on the side. I wasn't feeling all that fancy as I can barely stand at the stove for more than a few minutes before my back starts to hurt.

M2: Two over-easy eggs and the other half of the avocado. Plus a nectarine on the side. Wasn't worried about anything else, just trying to get something in my stomach around 1-2 PM.

M3: Boyfriend got off work and we met at Chipotle for my first meal out on the Whole30! All compliant, of course. Salad bowl with just lettuce, carnitas, tomato salsa and guacamole. Not as fun as my usual order but it tasted good and filled me up, AND I didn't have to cook! Huzzah.

Other than my back, honestly, I feel pretty good. My digestive system seems to have regulated and adjusted to the new fuel I'm giving it, and for the first time in a LONG time, I didn't make any tea or have any caffeine this morning. And I didn't even feel like I needed it. So that's an NSV as far as I'm concerned!

Things I learned today: When I am in pain or stressed, the urge to go off-plan is definitely greater. It was harder to resist the "comfort" of something sweet or unhealthy (or alcoholic... ha) to make the pain more tolerable. But I did it! Gonna keep pressing forward.

[kellyfoss]

Day 7

Back felt about 10% better today, still hoping to get in to see the chiropractor sometime on Monday. But other than that I woke up refreshed and with plenty of energy - the second day in a row without any caffeine and didn't really miss it.

M1: An over-easy egg with a cut up Aidell's sausage sauteed with mushrooms and onions, and half an avocado.

M2: A big hearty salad of baby spinach and kale with tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, turkey, olive oil and balsamic dressing. Found I wasn't very hungry for lunch so I didn't make anything other than this.

M3: Slow-cooker Whole30 chili! I decided to start a giant batch of chili in the crock pot so I would have plenty of leftovers for the week. I followed a recipe that included ground beef, onions, sweet potatoes, jalapenos, beef broth (I had a heck of a time finding compliant beef broth at Giant Eagle, but finally found some from Swanson's after about a 10-minute hunt), canned diced tomatoes, chili powder and cumin. It turned out super yummy! Had a bowl of this for dinner and I'll be packing some for lunch on Day 8 as well, with a salad or something on the side. It's a good way to get in some veggies and some protein all at once.

I'm feeling fairly good about everything. We saw a movie today (Logan - it was awesome!) and although the popcorn smelled delicious, I wasn't obsessing over it or craving it really. I brought a clementine in my purse in case I did feel like snacking, but didn't eat it. We have some social events coming up this week but I don't think it'll be a problem. I got this.

[kellyfoss]

Day 8

Woke up today to a call from my chiropractor, telling me they could see me at 9:45 this morning. SCORE! I had to duck out of work briefly but my boss understands, he has back problems himself. Hoping this will fix whatever is wrong.

M1: I was a bit naughty this morning… the thought of eggs and/or sausage today pretty much turned my stomach for some reason, so I decided to try a “two ingredient banana pancake” recipe I had dug up last week. One ripe banana + four egg whites + cinnamon, in a blender. Then fried it up in some coconut oil in a pan. It was pretty tasty, needed more time to cook but I was in a rush. I scarfed it down on my way out the door. Ideal? No. But it should fill me up until lunch.

M2: Wasn’t hungry for M2 until after noon. Opted against the leftover chili since I think I’ll have that for dinner. Made a baby spinach and kale salad topped with avocado, hard-boiled egg, tomatoes and cucumbers. Dressed with olive oil and lemon juice. Clementine on the side.

M3: Big delicious bowl of sweet potato chili, with a little side “salad” of green onions and avocado to cool down the spiciness of the chili. Tasty as heck.

Prepping some twice-baked sweet potatoes tonight for breakfast the next couple of days. I need a break from eggs. I may stuff them with some diced sausage to get my needed protein, and of course the usual medley of chopped veggies as well.

NSVs so far: No caffeine for three days. Got a comment that I’m looking slimmer (can’t tell the difference yet myself, but I’ll take it!). Boyfriend says he’s feeling better this past week too. Overall more energy and in a better mood, despite the gloomy March weather that usually triggers my seasonal depression. Definitely shows me something is working!

[jmcbn]

35 minutes ago, kellyfoss said:

“two ingredient banana pancake”

[jmcbn]

Not even if they are just eggs

[kellyfoss]

1 hour ago, jmcbn said:

Haha that's why I said, "not ideal".  Life happens, I won't make a habit of it!

[kellyfoss]

Day 9

The chiropractor yesterday helped a bit, but I was still pretty uncomfortable trying to sleep last night. Laying down seems to be the most uncomfortable position for me, which is a bummer because I can’t exactly sleep standing up! I’ll be going back in a couple of days for another adjustment. I’m mildly frustrated because I was planning to get back into a good workout routine this week, and it’s kinda hard to do that when I can barely bend over or twist from side to side without screaming. Grrr. No worries, not letting it get me down! I feel great in every other sense. Going on four days of zero caffeine which is unheard of for me, I used to drink energy drinks (boo hiss!) and then became a diehard coffee addict for years. So this is... pretty awesome.

M1: Twice-baked sweet potato stuffed with diced carrots, onions and spinach. Sprinkled some cinnamon on top and melted some coconut oil inside. Had a hard-boiled egg as well to make sure I had enough protein. This kept me full about 5 hours, until 12:30 or so.

M2: More leftover chili (somehow even tastier two days later), and a banana. Finding I’m not so hungry during the day and maybe I should make my portions for M2 a bit smaller.

M3: Chicken piccata with zucchini noodles! We also added tomatoes, mushrooms, and kale. Boyfriend has been bugging me to make him zoodles since my first batch turned out so good last week. Much yum, very wow. We both agreed this was our favorite recipe I have made so far.

More things I’ve learned: Slow-cooker is your friend. Make everything in giant batches. A little lemon juice (and a lot of garlic!) goes a long way. Cravings can easily be defeated by distracting myself with something else.

[kellyfoss]

Day 10

Woke up feeling good! Still sore, but hoping that will go away after my second chiropractor appointment tomorrow. I am still amazed at how I don’t even think to make coffee or tea anymore. It used to be the first thing I would do before I could even function in the morning, but now I just have natural energy. Awesome.

M1: Breakfast salad with two hardboiled eggs, tomatoes, avocado, sautéed mushrooms and chopped Aidell’s chicken and apple sausage. I made a LOT. Maybe too much. Couldn’t get it all down.

Snack: Apple. Trying to wait to have lunch until 1-2 PM today since I’ll be having a later dinner.

M2: Didn’t eat until almost 2. Leftover twice-baked sweet potato stuffed with carrots, onions and spinach. Half an avocado. Remaining sausage from this morning that I couldn’t finish.

M3: Chicken fajitas wrapped in lettuce with salsa and chipotle lime mayo on top! Holy DELISH, batman. We inhaled these.

I can’t believe I’m already a third of the way through this crazy adventure! When I went to the chiropractor on Monday they had to do a re-exam (which they do every time I seriously injure my back in any way) and they usually weigh me. I insisted that they couldn’t tell me my weight, and I covered my eyes so I wouldn’t see. But I can already tell a difference in the way my clothes fit. So far my biggest NSVs are energy and better sleep, and boosted mood. Hoping to see some improvement in my psoriasis before the end of the month, but if not I’ll survive. Honestly breaking the caffeine habit alone is almost worth doing this… that being said, I did hit a bit of an energy dip around 3-4 PM today, and I honestly think it may be the apple I had as a snack. I rarely snack and usually not just on fruit anymore, so maybe it was a sugar spike and then crash? No more of that for me.

[kellyfoss]

Day 11

M1: Had zero appetite this morning at all. Knowing I HAD to eat, I made two over-easy eggs and had a handful or two of carrot sticks dipped in almond butter. Trying to meet the protein + fat + veggie requirement and not get sick in the process. Not sure if maybe my M3s are too large? The last couple of mornings I haven’t been hungry for breakfast in the least. Hmm.

M2: Spinach salad with carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, turkey and hard-boiled egg. Dressed with olive oil, salt and pepper. Clementine on the side.

M3: 85% lean burger patties wrapped in lettuce, topped with sliced tomato and onion and a good dollop of chipotle lime mayo and salsa! Side of roasted sweet potatoes (which got a little crispy but still tasted good!).

Today was mostly uneventful. Went to my second chiropractor appointment of the week, and I felt MUCH better after leaving. Not 100% just yet but I'm on my way. I'm so relieved it was a problem that could be quickly remedied. Being in pain all day is no fun. And I am so glad tomorrow is Friday. I'm going to do some meal planning tomorrow night to get ready for next week. I think it's time to try some totally different food that I've never had or cooked before. We'll see!

NSV: Put on my skinny jeans tonight and didn't even have to do the stupid crazy dance around my room I usually do to get them on! They zipped up easily and I don't feel like a stuffed sausage wearing them. Heck. Yeah.

[jmcbn]

45 minutes ago, kellyfoss said:

Had zero appetite this morning at all. Knowing I HAD to eat, I made two over-easy eggs and had a handful or two of carrot sticks dipped in almond butter. Trying to meet the protein + fat + veggie requirement and not get sick in the process. Not sure if maybe my M3s are too large? The last couple of mornings I haven’t been hungry for breakfast in the least. Hmm.

Some loss of appetite is fairly normal at some point throughout the 30 days - you're doing the right thing in trying to at least meet the template. Not eating only perpetuates the problem. Eating really does help the appetite come back around again...

[kellyfoss]

3 hours ago, jmcbn said:

Some loss of appetite is fairly normal at some point throughout the 30 days - you're doing the right thing in trying to at least meet the template. Not eating only perpetuates the problem. Eating really does help the appetite come back around again...

Good to hear it's pretty normal to feel that way! I'll keep doing my best at M1 and make sure my other meals are buttoned-up. Hopefully it'll come back in a couple days.

[kellyfoss]

Day 12

Got a little less sleep than usual last night but still woke up five minutes before my alarm went off and hopped out of bed with plenty of energy. This feeling still blows my mind, folks. Plus I slept straight through the night last night WITHOUT earplugs (mischievous cats + snoring boyfriend = no bueno for sleeping), which is something I haven’t done in months. What up.

M1: Two eggs scrambled with zucchini, tomato, onions and broccoli. Handful of almonds. Still not hungry for breakfast so I’m not forcing myself to eat the same size portions as I do at lunch and dinner.

M2: Yummy spinach salad with carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and hard-boiled egg, dressed in olive oil. Side of apple slices with almond butter.

M3: Baked salmon and roasted broccoli, potatoes, onions and carrots. Dipped the salmon in some chipotle lime mayo.

Coworkers brought in cookies today and offered me some. It wasn’t hard to say no, but I did feel a bit mournful watching them bite into theirs. It’s all good though. Cookies will still exist (in moderation) after these 30 days. I did happily accept some of the really good black coffee they brought, even though I wasn’t tired. I like drinking coffee now for the taste or to warm me up, rather than needing it for the caffeine.

We are going to Melt tomorrow for lunch with some friends. For anyone who doesn't know, Melt is basically the worst possible restaurant to visit on a Whole30, haha. They serve giant grilled cheese sandwiches full of all kinds of different unhealthy toppings. I've looked at their menu and it looks like I may be able to do a house salad with some modifications and oil & vinegar for dressing. Wish me luck!

[kellyfoss]

Day 13

Posting twice in one day since I didn't have time to post yesterday. Today was honestly kind of rough, but not in the food department. Just feeling a bit depressed and this weather is NOT helping. It's freezing and grey and I'm so ready for it to be spring... when I feel like this, I always used to turn to food/alcohol and hibernating on the couch with some trashy movie. I've been having a really interesting time finding new ways to "heal the pain", so to speak, that don't involve consuming anything. I've been taking some really long, hot showers with some music playing to relax. And working on my creative hobbies. And honestly even cooking is nice and cathartic now, it passes the time. It both helps and doesn't help that my boyfriend has depression/depersonalization. On one hand, he completely understands when I feel down and helps me through it. On the other... I wish at least one of us was feeling better. 

M1: Leftover roasted veggies from last night, two basted eggs, some apple slices dipped in almond butter.

M2: Lunch at Melt! I was very strong and resisted the giant greasy sandwiches. Honestly... they looked pretty gross to me now. Got a house salad, left off the croutons and the cheese. Added grilled chicken and avocado. Oil & vinegar dressing.

M3: A shrimp "stir fry", sans rice or noodles. Shrimp and veggies cooked in olive oil. Not super hungry after the giant salad at lunch.

I know I'll feel better soon. It does bring me some happiness that I'm almost halfway through this! And I seriously cannot. Wait. To weigh myself. I know it's not all about weight, but I feel so much better in my body already. Definitely a plus.

[kellyfoss]

Day 14

Today was good! Much better than the day before. I made my shopping list the previous evening so today we hit up a few places just for a change of scenery. Trader Joe's for the majority of our produce, then Whole Foods for meat and a couple other items. Target because I needed cat litter, haha.

M1: Continuing the theme of not being hungry for breakfast. Two eggs, cut up an apple with some almond butter. Literally kept me full until 2 PM.

M2: Salad bar at Whole Foods. Threw together as many veggies as I could, as well as some roasted butternut squash and roasted potatoes. And a hard-boiled egg. Oil and vinegar dressing. Also drank this extremely overpriced green juice with all 100% organic ingredients. It tasted delicious, but for $8? Pass.

M3: 6 PM came along and I wasn't hungry from the giant salad I had at lunch. Ate a hardboiled egg and more apple slices and some baby carrots. Called it a day. I'm not going to force it if I don't feel like eating.

Not sure when my ravenous appetite will return, if ever, but I'm kind of enjoying this. If only because it seems like my body is using everything I'm giving it, and I'm full and satisfied most of the time. Tomorrow is the halfway point, woohoo!

[kellyfoss]

Day 15

HALFWAY POINT, WOOP!! Two whole weeks without sugar, dairy or grains, you guys. This is definitely a first for me and I am being 100% honest when I say I’ve never felt better. Or slept better, for that matter.

M1: Episode 6, Return of the Appetite! Okay, lame… sorry (not sorry, Star Wars 4 Life). I was actually hungry for breakfast today! Seems like keeping my M3s on the smaller side helps me with this. I made a three egg kale frittata and topped it with smoked salmon and green onions. Oh. My. God. Amazing. This will be a new staple in my breakfast repertoire, I think. The salmon isn’t cheap, but one $8 pack makes me about three frittatas. Not bad.

M2: Kale and arugula salad with hard-boiled egg, strawberries, cucumbers, tomatoes, and pecans. Topped with olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest.

M3: Shrimp on top of zoodles, tossed with onions and tomatoes. Cooked it all in ghee. Have I mentioned ghee is awesome? Because it is.

All right, halfway point… it’s all downhill and coasting from here, right guys? Right?? Hysterical laughter?! No but really, I’ve been enjoying this process quite a bit so far. The only thing I have been craving at all is chocolate. And, well… red wine. But I can do without dairy and gluten, no problem. Don’t even miss it.

[kellyfoss]

Day 16

Woke up to about a foot of snow on top of everything. Hoorayy snow in March. Hoorrayyy Ohio. Gave myself plenty of time to make breakfast, get ready for work and clean the snow off my car. All I’m saying is this had better be the last major snowfall this season!

M1: Another three egg frittata because I’m obsessed. Baked kale and tomatoes into it this time, topped it with green onions and smoked salmon. Cooked in olive oil.

M2: Arugula salad with hard-boiled egg, avocado, strawberries, carrots, tomatoes, dressed in olive oil and lemon juice.

M3: My wonderful and surprisingly domestic boyfriend cooked for us tonight! He was very careful to make sure that everything was compliant. Baked chicken breast stuffed with sugar-free on-plan turkey bacon and basil (YUM) with a side of roasted potatoes, carrots, onions and snap peas. And a kale salad. Color me very impressed, you guys.

We saw another movie tonight and although the snacks looked yummy, I wasn't tempted. I also went to a martini bar after work with some coworkers and just drank water with lemon and hung out with them. Cheaper AND I wasn't worried about driving home tipsy in a snowstorm! Winning on both accounts.

[kellyfoss]

Day 17

This was a fairly good day, nothing all that exciting to report. I tried a new recipe and it was delish! I can't believe how fast this is all going.

M1: Scrambled eggs with kale cooked in ghee, a few apple slices and almond butter.

M2: Leftovers from the night before. Chicken, roasted veggies, some of the salad I wasn't able to finish.

M3: Paleo Pad Thai from Well Fed! (It's here for anyone who's interested: http://meljoulwan.com/2011/05/08/paleo-pad-thai/) I modified it a bit and used ground beef instead of chicken, and zoodles instead of spaghetti squash because I had forgotten to pre-cook my squash ahead of time and I was hungry. It was still amazing. Made a bunch so I could have leftovers for lunch on D18.

Going strong, waiting for the real Tiger Blood to kick in this week. But honestly, I've been feeling good for like two weeks now so maybe I've had it all along?