Death of the Dragon - 30 days of carnage (July 25)

[emilyelowe]

@Susabella627 So sorry about the bad news, friend! I think giving yourself some grace during this time might be wise. It's so important to set yourself up to feel successful during this stressful time. I hope it doesn't derail you too much! Definitely keep checking in with us! Hopefully we help remind you of all your own little victories. 

[emilyelowe]

17 hours ago, Delicacious said:

My husband eats... alot. 

 Girl, I hear you. I was in the kitchen for hours yesterday and after I packed it all up I was just distraught because I knew it wouldn't last but a few days. I can't decide if doing this with him is better or worse! (Kidding - it's definitely better). 

[emilyelowe]

53 minutes ago, SugarcubeOD said:

Happy Sunday and for those who are celebrating this weekend, HAPPY PRIDE!!

I'm going to America this evening to hit up Target and Trader Joes... I need my Dasani White Peach sparkling water and TJ's Joe Dark for my cold brew factory!  I saw in the Trader Joe flyer that they have Nutritional Yeast on sale and I was thinking of trying it but wondering if others have used it and what you thought?  I don't want to buy it just to waste it... 

On the menu this week is Scotch Eggs with Horseradish Mayo, sausage and veggie hash, something to do with the pile of red snapper I had to freeze last week thanks to poultry gate and a bunch of raw veggies, salad greens and ranch dip because it is too hot here to leave the oven on to roast veggies... doing the scotch eggs is already probably going to kill me!

It's a long weekend here in British Columbia so I don't have to work tomorrow!  Thank goodness because if I have to see any more pallets full of garbage cans, I"m going to lose my mind... we placed around 750-800 garbage and recycling bins into all the patient rooms and support spaces last week... it was like a workout... it was miles of walking and pulling those stacks of plastic cans apart (thanks static and suction) was a serious upper body workout!

 

Where are you from, @SugarcubeOD? 

I've had nutritional yeast on like baked fries/wedges and on top of things with red sauce. I generally use it in small enough quantities (think sprinkly dry Parmesan cheese) that it's hard for me to tell you exactly what it actually tastes like. I would definitely recommend trying it though, as I think it's a nice extra dimension. I can buy it in bulk at my local grocery so I can just buy it little bits at a time since I don't use it often. I don't know how long it would take me to get through a whole canister. 

[SugarcubeOD]

Just now, emilyelowe said:

Where are you from, @SugarcubeOD? 

I've had nutritional yeast on like baked fries/wedges and on top of things with red sauce. I generally use it in small enough quantities (think sprinkly dry Parmesan cheese) that it's hard for me to tell you exactly what it actually tastes like. I would definitely recommend trying it though, as I think it's a nice extra dimension. I can buy it in bulk at my local grocery so I can just buy it little bits at a time since I don't use it often. I don't know how long it would take me to get through a whole canister. 

I live in Vancouver BC.  I"m from Northern BC originally (only saying that in case there are other Northern BC'ers reading).  It's about 30 min to get to the Canada/US border from my house and then another maaaaybe 25 min to get to Bellingham.  I go down to the states consistently becasue I also have a PO box right over the border (sometimes when you order online it's $30 to ship to Canada and $5 to ship to the US... it's nuts!).

There's actually a little place called Terra Organica that has a natural bulk food section in Bellingham and I think I might go there before Trader Joe's and see if they have NY.... then I can try a bit before committing to a bunch!

I agree about the extra dimension... sometimes I put black sesame seeds on eggs or hash just for something interesting to look at... LOL!

[emilyelowe]

Day 13 for me! 

Friday was Day 11 and we were feeling real lazy so ended up going to Piada for a big bowl of veggies, meat, and pesto. It's the only thing I could think of and I just KNEW I couldn't cook. Haha. 

Had a visit from my brother this weekend and my hubby managed to serve beer without drinking it, so that's a victory. 

We're both feeling pretty tired today and not sure what's up with that. We're sleeping really well, eating lots of potatoes (maybe too many - could that make me tired?), and focusing on getting fat at every meal. Possibly haven't done quite as well with fat this week because I got a different mayo that I don't like as much - it's too lemon-y. We were also pretty consistent in the gym this week so maybe the body just needs a little break. 

Yesterdsy I prepped lots of food for the week: everything bagel potato muffins; roasted sweet potatoes; hash with sweet potatoes, bacon, celery, peppers, onions; okra; steak fajita bowl stuff and Italian bowl stuff (sausage, onions, peppers, red sauce) that I plan to eat with arugala... I think that's it. Also plan to make butternut squash stuffed, bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers, roasted green beans, and coconut crusted chicken for friends coming over this week. Excited! 

Today we had grilled chicken Caesar salads with carmelized onions that were really delicious. We grilled the halved romaine heads and used tessemae's Caesar. 

I'm waking up alert and with lots of energy and starting to feel better in my clothes so that is very exciting. Major wins I am still waiting for are improved digestion (though I haven't been bloated since Monday, which is great) and sustained energy throughout the day. 

I was wondering: is it OK to make kombucha part of my daily routine? I wasn't sure for it was too similar to fruit juice.

Also wondering if LaCroix counts as part of my daily water intake? I wasn't sure if the carbonation would contribute to dehydration or if that's a thing I made up. 

Hope everyone's having a great weekend! 

[CPerez]

Hello, this looks like such a fun and informative group! I want to join.  I started July 30, I'm on Day 8.  First days were quite rough, but it's going a little better now.  I'm feeling very good and hoping this keeps me motivated to stay on task.  

I have two Non Scale Goals, 1) Control my sugar in-take.  I have a huge sweet tooth and once I start eating sweets, I can't seem to stop.  2) Feel better with overall health.  My joints already feel better.  My knees had been bothering me a lot and I can feel a big difference.  My energy level is up too.  I can tell I'm on the right track!  

Looking forward to making Whole 30 buddies! 

[SugarcubeOD]

3 hours ago, emilyelowe said:

Day 13 for me! 

Friday was Day 11 and we were feeling real lazy so ended up going to Piada for a big bowl of veggies, meat, and pesto. It's the only thing I could think of and I just KNEW I couldn't cook. Haha. 

Had a visit from my brother this weekend and my hubby managed to serve beer without drinking it, so that's a victory. 

We're both feeling pretty tired today and not sure what's up with that. We're sleeping really well, eating lots of potatoes (maybe too many - could that make me tired?), and focusing on getting fat at every meal. Possibly haven't done quite as well with fat this week because I got a different mayo that I don't like as much - it's too lemon-y. We were also pretty consistent in the gym this week so maybe the body just needs a little break. 

Yesterdsy I prepped lots of food for the week: everything bagel potato muffins; roasted sweet potatoes; hash with sweet potatoes, bacon, celery, peppers, onions; okra; steak fajita bowl stuff and Italian bowl stuff (sausage, onions, peppers, red sauce) that I plan to eat with arugala... I think that's it. Also plan to make butternut squash stuffed, bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers, roasted green beans, and coconut crusted chicken for friends coming over this week. Excited! 

Today we had grilled chicken Caesar salads with carmelized onions that were really delicious. We grilled the halved romaine heads and used tessemae's Caesar. 

I'm waking up alert and with lots of energy and starting to feel better in my clothes so that is very exciting. Major wins I am still waiting for are improved digestion (though I haven't been bloated since Monday, which is great) and sustained energy throughout the day. 

I was wondering: is it OK to make kombucha part of my daily routine? I wasn't sure for it was too similar to fruit juice.

Also wondering if LaCroix counts as part of my daily water intake? I wasn't sure if the carbonation would contribute to dehydration or if that's a thing I made up. 

Hope everyone's having a great weekend! 

I have 5% battery left and I"m off to the states but just wanted to say 'yes' it's okay to use kombucha every day and 'yes' the bubble water would count toward your water intake but be careful, lots of bubble can cause bloating.

Have a great Sunday evening everyone!

[Delicacious]

4 hours ago, emilyelowe said:

We're both feeling pretty tired today and not sure what's up with that. We're sleeping really well, eating lots of potatoes (maybe too many - could that make me tired?), and focusing on getting fat at every meal.

I know that too much potatoes (white) does make me sleepy. Potatoes raise blood sugar levels rather quickly so that may be one reason. So I've been limiting them in my diet plan. Probably once or twice a week. 

[Delicacious]

Day 13 for me! I'm feeling slightly tired - probably from insufficient sleep. Joints started aching a little these past two days but hopefully it'd ride out. 

I haven't prepped as much food as I'd like but I think it's hold till tomorrow. Wed is a national holiday for us so I hope to prep more food! I'm also out of lard so I'd have to render some tonight or tomorrow. 

Meal plan today: breakfast was sweet potato tuna cakes with salad and new mayo. Lunch will be pork carnitas over cauliflower tabouli. Dinner is prob going to be either baked chicken with olives or beef stew. 

Have a great Sunday everyone! It's Monday morning here for me. Oh and hello @CPerez! It IS a fun and informative group.  looking forward to hearing more about your whole30 journey too! 

[jephrystanley]

HI EVERYONE!  Spoiler alert: this is a long one.  Feel free to skim.  Seriously.  

Sorry to have been off the forum for so long; nuts at work, traveling, blah blah blah.  I'm back and I've missed you all...I've been catching up on everyone's posts and it seems like everyone is going strong!  YEAH!

I'm happy to report that, even with my long absence with no posting, we're still going strong!  DAY 13 DONE!  Tomorrow is the two week mark for us and we're in it to win it.  I survived the challenges (including a terrible date night Friday with the Hubs that started bad and just got worse...eating out, one of our favorite things to do together, has been really hard) but I don't think I am going nearly as strong as some of you.  @emilyelowe, your posts are so thoughtful and introspective and honest (and specific), I learn so much!  I feel like I could be working harder at my Whole 30 after reading yours.  @SugarcubeOD, you're hysterical and SO instructive.  Thank you!  @Susabella627, I am so sorry to hear about your news but man, that silver lining you found is like MASSIVELY inspirational.  I hope you kick cancer's ass!!  @Delicacious, I have to tell you that Thai place from last week was a lifesaver.  Because they make everything there, our waiter was super helpful....and I appreciate that last week.  I had to eat out a lot while in Tennessee last week for design meetings and man, it was TOUGH!  In one place, I had to send a salad (seriously, y'all, a SALAD) back three times.  Once it didn't make it to the table because the waitress realized right before setting it down that the corn was still on it.  Second time, the dressing (that they agreed to make for me) was not on the side and then the THIRD time, it showed up with feta cheese on it which had not been on the previous two iterations (AND WAS NOT LISTED ON THE MENU)  but magically appeared the third go around.  Apparently, it took so long for me get my meal that the chef's shifts changed in the kitchen and the second chef thought the salad was supposed to have cheese.  My lunch took two work shifts!! (Mind you, this was not DENNY'S, this was a fine restaurant...still, how can you screw up a salad that much??  It was poached salmon, sprouts and arugula, not a rocket.) My client and her kids were long done with their meals by the time my fourth plate showed up.  Alas, they knew and were supportive.  The sweetest thing is that my client's 14 year old daughter welcomed me to their house by baking cookies (her mom, my client, did not tell her I was doing Whole 30...but I resisted!!!).  So I had some bland meals out for meetings and whatnot, but I managed to work my way through all of them without so much as a blip.

Ok, my biggest challenges: cashews.  They love me and I can't keep them away from me (they're desperate, what can I say?).  Snacking has always been a big problem for me and it's hard to get through a day without wanting something to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner (usually my longest span).  I've done moderately well but my jaw dropped, @SugarcubeOD, when I read that bit about a closed handful every other day.  I am DEF exceeding that.  So I am gonna try to get that under control for the second half of my Whole 30.  Fruit.  I'm eating more than I should just because I love it.  I have always eaten lots of fresh, seasonal fruit as part of my diet and it is hard to give up.  Again, something I am going to try and cut down on in the next two weeks.  

We've made some DELICIOUS meals, though.  I made one up the other night by making turkey burgers on the grill (constructed the patties from turkey and some spices with some onion), put those over a bed of spinach with sliced tomato on top, some bacon and avocado and MAN, it was good!  Something I've really enjoyed is learning some new dishes that are just so good that I will fold them into my repertory of meals.  Tonight, we made the walnut encrusted pork tenderloin from the book and I was REALLY looking forward to it but was disappointed.  It was satisfying but not overly delicious (like some of the other things I've made, case in point, the butternut squash soup from the book which is slap-my-mama good).  I paired it with the cauliflower rice, though, and THAT was tasty.  I'm going to grill some chicken tomorrow morning and send Hubs with it and the leftover cauliflower rice plus some avocado for lunch.  We made the swiss chard, kale and butternut squash side dish this morning and had two eggs over it  and some fruit which was yummy.  And yesterday I made 3-egg omelets with spinach, bacon and mushroom and I'm still thinking about them, they were so good.  Ghee, what a game changer.  And the MAYO!  I will NEVER buy jarred mayo again, even when not doing the w30 because first of all, its SO MUCH CHEAPER to make it and secondly, it's so much more delicious.  Also made my own almond milk (which I've used far less of than I thought I would), the red pepper sauce, ketchup, vinaigrettes, and tomorrow I am making sunshine sauce (if I can find that random-ass butter it calls for) for the cold thai noodle side dish. 

I've found that shopping every three days and planning meals that way has been super helpful.  I don't get bogged down in planning a week out and it allows me to enjoy researching recipes (the gal who took over Whole 30's insta this past week, paleorunningmama (Hubs thought she was called PALErunningmama and was baffled as to why anyone would call themselves that...when I pointed out she was paleO, he was tickled by his own dumbness) was really good and I am going to try her slow cooker meatballs either tomorrow or Tuesday plus one other recipe I can't remember because I am delirious).

I did have one strange occurrence with gas, though (always a good way to start a story) and I'd love y'all's thoughts.  Sooooo, we had dinner with another couple on Saturday and I spent a long time on the phone with the wife (she's the cook) Friday afternoon to be sure that the meal would be compliant.  She was very sweet and supportive.  We had a simple salad with a home made lemon vinaigrette (delish), dry rubbed grilled steak with a kebabs worth of veggies and peaches and strawberries (so no extra fat but I let it go) and Hubs and I both suffered from serious gas right away.  I mean, SERIOUS.  And I mean, right away.  Like as we were playing Scrabble right after dinner right away.  Not stinky but crampy, bloat-y and painful.  Now, Hubs has some recurring GI issues (large part of why we're doing this) but I don't and that threw me for a loop. I don't really know what it was.  It's true that we eat red meat very rarely but our intake has slightly increased on the Whole 30 (I've eaten steak three times in 13 days and our normal is like once a month usually) but without the gas.  And there was nothing extraordinary otherwise.  All the veggies we had (mushrooms, all color peppers, zucchini, red onion, cherry tomatoes), we've been eating consistently for years (and on the w30) without the gas.  I don't know why, but it was tough.  Sleeping has been great.  Energy levels are good.  Aches and cravings are way down.  Hubs has seen some waistline changes but not me (damn it).  But I am just rubbing my buddha belly and heading to sleep with the hopes that our 15 mile bike ride today and good eating will start to make me SEE some changes.  I know, I know, I shouldn't count on that but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping to see SOME change.

Thanks for all the words of wisdom and for reading my epistle.  I promise to stay more connected during the second half...thankfully no work trips!  YAY!

[Delicacious]

@jephrystanley Glad to hear that the work trip went ok! Eating out is also painful for me - except for salad bars, it's tough to find anything compliant. But it also made me discover more about the ingredients that some restaurants put in their food - I'd probably stay away from some of these places, even after Whole30! As for gas, I'm not sure why but I did note that some vegetables produce more gas for me than others. The broccoli/cauliflower/brussel sprouts family tend to be more gas producing than the others it seems. 

[emilyelowe]

Welcome @CPerez! 

[emilyelowe]

8 hours ago, jephrystanley said:

I did have one strange occurrence with gas, though (always a good way to start a story) and I'd love y'all's thoughts.  Sooooo, we had dinner with another couple on Saturday and I spent a long time on the phone with the wife (she's the cook) Friday afternoon to be sure that the meal would be compliant.  She was very sweet and supportive.  We had a simple salad with a home made lemon vinaigrette (delish), dry rubbed grilled steak with a kebabs worth of veggies and peaches and strawberries (so no extra fat but I let it go) and Hubs and I both suffered from serious gas right away.  I mean, SERIOUS.  And I mean, right away.  Like as we were playing Scrabble right after dinner right away.  Not stinky but crampy, bloat-y and painful.  Now, Hubs has some recurring GI issues (large part of why we're doing this) but I don't and that threw me for a loop. I don't really know what it was.  It's true that we eat red meat very rarely but our intake has slightly increased on the Whole 30 (I've eaten steak three times in 13 days and our normal is like once a month usually) but without the gas.  And there was nothing extraordinary otherwise.  All the veggies we had (mushrooms, all color peppers, zucchini, red onion, cherry tomatoes), we've been eating consistently for years (and on the w30) without the gas.  I don't know why, but it was tough. 

Welcome back @jephrystanley! Glad to hear it is going so well and that you find the posts helpful.  My husband and I also LOVE to go out to eat together and he gets nervous about losing that every time we/I do a Whole30. I've found that cooking and eating together can be similarly satisfying, though and there are certainly ways to still go out and enjoy yourself, it just takes a bit more thought. Having him on board is a victory in itself, though. When I have done a Whole30 while my husband is NOT on one, that conflict is much harder. 

Regarding the gas - Since it happened that quickly, are you sure it wasn't something you ate earlier? Did you two have the same food for lunch? Other thoughts would be: Did you have any bubbly water or anything? (that can make me bloated and burpy) or... Did you cook the steak or kabobs in oil and if so which kind?

[emilyelowe]

Day 14! Two weeks done! Whoo hoo!

It's funny to me that I'm celebrating the half-way mark today, as I was reflecting on my drive to work today that I don't miss any particular foods right now. I miss the convenience of some foods, probably, but I am not really feeling particularly anxious to be done with this Whole30. We had white potatoes at my in-laws last night, for example, and I had no desire to put ketchup on them. They were perfect how they were. This may just be the full fridge talking, so check back with me later , but this was a very encouraging thought to me today. Maybe this is finally the one that will stick a little better than the last. I learn something new/more from each W30 so it is exciting that I might be learning to make this more and more a way of life. Particularly because the things I don't like (cooking and meal prep) I do even when I'm not eating W30, so why put in the same work for fewer benefits, you know? Like I said, we'll check back on Day 30. Haha. 

Dinner at the in-laws yesterday was grilled new york strip steak, white potatoes, broccoli, strawberries, and warm apples with cinnamon (no sugar is a BIG step for this fam, so it was very thoughtful).

Today should be...

Pre-WO: HB egg

Post-WO: HB egg white

Breakfast: sweet potatoes, okra, 3 eggs (I know, I know, I keep saying I'm going to change this up and then I don't. Haha.)

Lunch: burger, everything potato muffin, avocado, arugula with some olive oil and strawberries.

Dinner: Blue Apron Asian beef with cauliflower rice. 

I was more tired this morning and on the way to work than I have been, but I'm thinking that might have been the lack of fat at dinner (we forgot the mayo we planned to bring ). So I hope that passes quickly. Fridge is pretty stocked, so I hope we make it through the week! I'm also feeling a little stuck/plateau'd at the gym, so might be posting in the athletes forum a bit later when I have more time.

Hope everyone is having a good Monday! (I'm so jealous of your time off this week, @SugarcubeOD and @Delicacious!) 

[SugarcubeOD]

11 hours ago, jephrystanley said:

HI EVERYONE!  Spoiler alert: this is a long one.  Feel free to skim.  Seriously.  

Sorry to have been off the forum for so long; nuts at work, traveling, blah blah blah.  I'm back and I've missed you all...I've been catching up on everyone's posts and it seems like everyone is going strong!  YEAH!

I'm happy to report that, even with my long absence with no posting, we're still going strong!  DAY 13 DONE!  Tomorrow is the two week mark for us and we're in it to win it.  I survived the challenges (including a terrible date night Friday with the Hubs that started bad and just got worse...eating out, one of our favorite things to do together, has been really hard) but I don't think I am going nearly as strong as some of you.  @emilyelowe, your posts are so thoughtful and introspective and honest (and specific), I learn so much!  I feel like I could be working harder at my Whole 30 after reading yours.  @SugarcubeOD, you're hysterical and SO instructive.  Thank you!  @Susabella627, I am so sorry to hear about your news but man, that silver lining you found is like MASSIVELY inspirational.  I hope you kick cancer's ass!!  @Delicacious, I have to tell you that Thai place from last week was a lifesaver.  Because they make everything there, our waiter was super helpful....and I appreciate that last week.  I had to eat out a lot while in Tennessee last week for design meetings and man, it was TOUGH!  In one place, I had to send a salad (seriously, y'all, a SALAD) back three times.  Once it didn't make it to the table because the waitress realized right before setting it down that the corn was still on it.  Second time, the dressing (that they agreed to make for me) was not on the side and then the THIRD time, it showed up with feta cheese on it which had not been on the previous two iterations (AND WAS NOT LISTED ON THE MENU)  but magically appeared the third go around.  Apparently, it took so long for me get my meal that the chef's shifts changed in the kitchen and the second chef thought the salad was supposed to have cheese.  My lunch took two work shifts!! (Mind you, this was not DENNY'S, this was a fine restaurant...still, how can you screw up a salad that much??  It was poached salmon, sprouts and arugula, not a rocket.) My client and her kids were long done with their meals by the time my fourth plate showed up.  Alas, they knew and were supportive.  The sweetest thing is that my client's 14 year old daughter welcomed me to their house by baking cookies (her mom, my client, did not tell her I was doing Whole 30...but I resisted!!!).  So I had some bland meals out for meetings and whatnot, but I managed to work my way through all of them without so much as a blip.

Ok, my biggest challenges: cashews.  They love me and I can't keep them away from me (they're desperate, what can I say?).  Snacking has always been a big problem for me and it's hard to get through a day without wanting something to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner (usually my longest span).  I've done moderately well but my jaw dropped, @SugarcubeOD, when I read that bit about a closed handful every other day.  I am DEF exceeding that.  So I am gonna try to get that under control for the second half of my Whole 30.  Fruit.  I'm eating more than I should just because I love it.  I have always eaten lots of fresh, seasonal fruit as part of my diet and it is hard to give up.  Again, something I am going to try and cut down on in the next two weeks.  

We've made some DELICIOUS meals, though.  I made one up the other night by making turkey burgers on the grill (constructed the patties from turkey and some spices with some onion), put those over a bed of spinach with sliced tomato on top, some bacon and avocado and MAN, it was good!  Something I've really enjoyed is learning some new dishes that are just so good that I will fold them into my repertory of meals.  Tonight, we made the walnut encrusted pork tenderloin from the book and I was REALLY looking forward to it but was disappointed.  It was satisfying but not overly delicious (like some of the other things I've made, case in point, the butternut squash soup from the book which is slap-my-mama good).  I paired it with the cauliflower rice, though, and THAT was tasty.  I'm going to grill some chicken tomorrow morning and send Hubs with it and the leftover cauliflower rice plus some avocado for lunch.  We made the swiss chard, kale and butternut squash side dish this morning and had two eggs over it  and some fruit which was yummy.  And yesterday I made 3-egg omelets with spinach, bacon and mushroom and I'm still thinking about them, they were so good.  Ghee, what a game changer.  And the MAYO!  I will NEVER buy jarred mayo again, even when not doing the w30 because first of all, its SO MUCH CHEAPER to make it and secondly, it's so much more delicious.  Also made my own almond milk (which I've used far less of than I thought I would), the red pepper sauce, ketchup, vinaigrettes, and tomorrow I am making sunshine sauce (if I can find that random-ass butter it calls for) for the cold thai noodle side dish. 

I've found that shopping every three days and planning meals that way has been super helpful.  I don't get bogged down in planning a week out and it allows me to enjoy researching recipes (the gal who took over Whole 30's insta this past week, paleorunningmama (Hubs thought she was called PALErunningmama and was baffled as to why anyone would call themselves that...when I pointed out she was paleO, he was tickled by his own dumbness) was really good and I am going to try her slow cooker meatballs either tomorrow or Tuesday plus one other recipe I can't remember because I am delirious).

I did have one strange occurrence with gas, though (always a good way to start a story) and I'd love y'all's thoughts.  Sooooo, we had dinner with another couple on Saturday and I spent a long time on the phone with the wife (she's the cook) Friday afternoon to be sure that the meal would be compliant.  She was very sweet and supportive.  We had a simple salad with a home made lemon vinaigrette (delish), dry rubbed grilled steak with a kebabs worth of veggies and peaches and strawberries (so no extra fat but I let it go) and Hubs and I both suffered from serious gas right away.  I mean, SERIOUS.  And I mean, right away.  Like as we were playing Scrabble right after dinner right away.  Not stinky but crampy, bloat-y and painful.  Now, Hubs has some recurring GI issues (large part of why we're doing this) but I don't and that threw me for a loop. I don't really know what it was.  It's true that we eat red meat very rarely but our intake has slightly increased on the Whole 30 (I've eaten steak three times in 13 days and our normal is like once a month usually) but without the gas.  And there was nothing extraordinary otherwise.  All the veggies we had (mushrooms, all color peppers, zucchini, red onion, cherry tomatoes), we've been eating consistently for years (and on the w30) without the gas.  I don't know why, but it was tough.  Sleeping has been great.  Energy levels are good.  Aches and cravings are way down.  Hubs has seen some waistline changes but not me (damn it).  But I am just rubbing my buddha belly and heading to sleep with the hopes that our 15 mile bike ride today and good eating will start to make me SEE some changes.  I know, I know, I shouldn't count on that but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping to see SOME change.

Thanks for all the words of wisdom and for reading my epistle.  I promise to stay more connected during the second half...thankfully no work trips!  YAY!

Welcome back, I knew knew KNEW you guys could get through that work trip!  Love it!

Re: the sunshine sauce, if you can't find the weird ass butter, use almond butter... lots and LOTS of us make it using almond butter because it's more readily available... I've also used a combo before... half almond butter, half whatever other nut/seed butter I"ve had in my fridge - altho disclaimer, I feel that recipes are suggestions so I hardly ever make something as written.

As far as the gas, I would ask if the dry rub had soy in it... or if she cooked anything in soy oil... or if her spices had rice flour or another type of grain flour... they've started using non compliant filler for non clumping agents so that they can claim organic... I can't remember what it is that these spice brands use and what it was, but I know that many companies are changing to grain flours so that they can get their organic labelling... 

I would also wonder if it was the fruit... I get terrible gas from strawberries... Sorry to hear that happened... Playing scrabble while clenching to make sure you don't let out a terrible toot would not be fun!

[jephrystanley]

Howdy from Norfolk, VA!  Thanks for the thoughts, everyone... @emilyelowe, I had that thought but Hubs and I ate differently Saturday afternoon so I don't think it was something from earlier in the day.  We drank a lot of bubbly water (one of my w30 indulgences...I drank a lot of before but now I am drinking enough that I should just buy stock in La Croix) but it has never produced gas like that.  It was just strange because we haven't experienced gas like that on the program at all.  Who knows?  @SugarcubeOD, the only oil that was used was lite olive and we just used fresh oregano, s & p on the veggies.  The dry rub on the steak was from the book so I just don't know...and probably won't.  I thought it was worth mentioning because it was so abnormal.

@emilyelowe, Hubs and I also enjoy cooking together but it is usually me cooking and him prepping/cleaning.  He hates cooking!  BUT he's done really well since we started.  Normally I shoo him outta the kitchen and he made the tenderloin last night ON. HIS. OWN.  This is major, I'm telling you.  I love the benefits of the program that are not really discussed.  The bonds, the exchange of information.  For example, that great conversation earlier on this forum about positivity (totally a word, bee tee dubs) generated solely out of smart, similarly minded people coming to terms with issues with which we all wrestle.  And I got a lot of that and it wasn't even in the book! 

Breakfast today was leftover kale, chard and butternut squash with an egg and some cherry tomatoes (too little fat) and then lunch was the greek salad from the book with chicken thighs sautéed in ghee.  DELISH!  The dressing for that salad is seriously good! We're doing the chicken stir fry tonight, @SugarcubeOD, so thanks for the suggestions about the butters.  I'm hitting Fresh Market and hoping I don't have to drive out to Whole Foods today.  

KEEP ON TRUCKIN, Y'ALL!

[Delicacious]

5 hours ago, SugarcubeOD said:

As far as the gas, I would ask if the dry rub had soy in it... or if she cooked anything in soy oil... or if her spices had rice flour or another type of grain flour... they've started using non compliant filler for non clumping agents so that they can claim organic... I can't remember what it is that these spice brands use and what it was, but I know that many companies are changing to grain flours so that they can get their organic labelling... 

The non compliant filler you were mentioning seems to be rice flour. Bought a new bottle of cajun spices lately and didn't look hard enough at the ingredients. I came home and realised it had rice flour in it so it goes to the back of the pantry. Some of the organic butchers where I am use rice flour in their deli meats so that they can still say it's gluten free. At least that's what I've been noticing. 

[CPerez]

Day 9 for me.  Had a hard time getting up this morning, but once I got going I was good.  

I had one of my better dinners tonight since I've been on Whole 30.  It was spaghetti squash with red pepper pesto and Italian sausage.  I made the red pepper pesto; it was easy and very tasty.  I'll keep this recipe once I'm off Whole 30.  

@Susabella627, I saw your suggestion on the coconut oil for constipation and it worked.  Thank you.  

I really do enjoy reading all your comments, besides being funny, they're quite informative.  

Have a good evening.

[Delicacious]

Hi everyone! Day 14 for me and hubby. Quick questions - we seemed to have started getting leg cramps yesterday. My ankle (yes weird) to calves cramped up yesterday when I was squatting to grab something. Weird cos we don't usually get cramps, and I only last got them when I was pregnant. Seems like I might be missing out on some nutrients? I thought it might be potassium, but we have been eating sweet potatoes (good source) and other vegs. Could it be calcium? What do you all use (since dairy is out) to replace calcium? 

[SugarcubeOD]

7 minutes ago, Delicacious said:

Hi everyone! Day 14 for me and hubby. Quick questions - we seemed to have started getting leg cramps yesterday. My ankle (yes weird) to calves cramped up yesterday when I was squatting to grab something. Weird cos we don't usually get cramps, and I only last got them when I was pregnant. Seems like I might be missing out on some nutrients? I thought it might be potassium, but we have been eating sweet potatoes (good source) and other vegs. Could it be calcium? What do you all use (since dairy is out) to replace calcium? 

Try adding a magnesium supplement?  Can you get Natural Calm in Singapore (btw, I went there once, I LOOOOVE IT!).  

As for calcium, generally dark leafy greens are high in calcium... here's a good list - just ignore the lima beans and snap beans obviously https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/high-calcium-vegetables.php

[Delicacious]

10 minutes ago, SugarcubeOD said:

Try adding a magnesium supplement?  Can you get Natural Calm in Singapore (btw, I went there once, I LOOOOVE IT!).  

As for calcium, generally dark leafy greens are high in calcium... here's a good list - just ignore the lima beans and snap beans obviously https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/high-calcium-vegetables.php

Thanks @SugarcubeOD. I didn't think about magnesium! I'm not sure about natural calm. I'll check it out and look at natural magnesium sources. We haven't been eating nuts or sesame. Maybe we should add some small amounts cos they're apparently good sources. 

Glad that you loved Singapore! It's hot, but it has awesome food. Haha... which makes whole30 tough! 

[SugarcubeOD]

10 minutes ago, Delicacious said:

Thanks @SugarcubeOD. I didn't think about magnesium! I'm not sure about natural calm. I'll check it out and look at natural magnesium sources. We haven't been eating nuts or sesame. Maybe we should add some small amounts cos they're apparently good sources. 

Glad that you loved Singapore! It's hot, but it has awesome food. Haha... which makes whole30 tough! 

My favorite food on the planet in my whole life was the Oyster Omlette from.... oh gosh, now I can't remember the food place... starts with an N I think... we took a train to get there... I can picture it vividly... the guy that sold us the chicken sate and the fresh squeezed sugarcane juice and the oyster omlette... please tell me you know the name of it... it's one of the most popular ones... I also went to Maxwell and East Coast (I think they're called)... anyway, when I dream of winning the lottery sometimes I dream of moving there!  I also vividly remember swimming across the Sentosa lagoon and a fish bumping me and nearly drowning from surprise!  GAH! Love it there!

[Jim4884]

On 8/6/2017 at 11:07 AM, SugarcubeOD said:

Happy Sunday and for those who are celebrating this weekend, HAPPY PRIDE!!

I'm going to America this evening to hit up Target and Trader Joes... I need my Dasani White Peach sparkling water and TJ's Joe Dark for my cold brew factory!  I saw in the Trader Joe flyer that they have Nutritional Yeast on sale and I was thinking of trying it but wondering if others have used it and what you thought?  I don't want to buy it just to waste it... 

I bought the NY at Trader Joe's about three weeks ago.  It's not a huge bag and I didn't think it was expensive especially now that I see how slowly I am using it.

I mainly sprinkle it on the Meatza recipe I got from Mel at Well-Fed.  (I'll post upon request, I love it but I think most can find it easily enough.)  I would agree that it's sorta like Parmesan cheese, not close enough to fool you if you were really craving that, but also not close enough to be FWNB (that acronym doesn't look right - Food With No Brakes?) 

I'm glad I have it but wouldn't die if the program suddenly declared it non-compliant.  

The riced broccoli and cauliflower bags at Trader Joes I might die if those became unavailable  

[SugarcubeOD]

7 minutes ago, Jim4884 said:

I bought the NY at Trader Joe's about three weeks ago.  It's not a huge bag and I didn't think it was expensive especially now that I see how slowly I am using it.

I mainly sprinkle it on the Meatza recipe I got from Mel at Well-Fed.  (I'll post upon request, I love it but I think most can find it easily enough.)  I would agree that it's sorta like Parmesan cheese, not close enough to fool you if you were really craving that, but also not close enough to be FWNB (that acronym doesn't look right - Food With No Brakes?) 

I'm glad I have it but wouldn't die if the program suddenly declared it non-compliant.  

The riced broccoli and cauliflower bags at Trader Joes I might die if those became unavailable  

I actually found it in bulk and bought about 4 tablespoons of it for less than a dollar so I'll try it out; thanks for weighing in!  THanks also for reminding me about the Meatza, I haven't made that since my first Whole30 one million years ago.

I think you meant SWYPO (sex with your pants on)   

[Jim4884]

9 minutes ago, SugarcubeOD said:

I think you meant SWYPO (sex with your pants on)   

Yeah that!   I thought I had seen food with no breaks somewhere too, but point made now