Kirbz's Whole30 Log

[kirbz]

Day 21: Friday, October 6

Meal 1: 1 chicken apple sausages pan-cooked in avocado oil; herb salad mix with Primal Kitchen Green Goddess dressing (I ate part of this around 8:30 am and then part of it around 10:00 am and then didn’t finish the rest)

Snack: 2 Epic Turkey Bites (mostly because I wanted to try them – very, very salty)

Snack: San Pellegrino sparkling water (had a coffee meeting with a colleague so I just ordered a sparkling water)

Snack: one snack pack Justin’s almond butter (because it’s 4:00 pm and I still haven’t had time for lunch)

Meal 2: none

Meal 3: grilled chicken with NONCOMPLIANT spices; grilled asparagus; ½ avocado

Water Intake: ~80 oz

Supplement(s): Natural Calm dissolved in water before bed

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 40 minutes (2:58 deep; 5:40 light; 0:02 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: I guess it’s somewhat ironic that the day after I asked for feedback on what I could be doing better to realize the most benefits of this diet, I have a day like this… Today was insanely busy for work. I overslept so I made breakfast and took it with me to eat at my desk. But that never really happened. And then I didn’t have time for lunch at all. Oops.

And then, I accidentally  ate non-compliant chicken when I got home for dinner. I have a shelf in our cupboard that has all of my compliant Whole30 ingredients. Shawn knows to always make me something only from that shelf. But, he included something from another shelf and it had coconut palm sugar. I didn’t find out until half way through the meal. And then he felt so awful that I didn’t have the heart to not finish it.

I honestly don’t even know what to feel? I don’t think I can start over. It wasn’t my fault. It wasn’t carelessness on my part. It wasn’t a lack of preparation or planning. How bad is having a tiny bit of sugar? Gah, I’m so bummed! Part of me just wants to throw my hands in the air and give up on the whole thing! Rocky Road anyone?

I think I’m just going to carry on. I’m committed to getting back on track tomorrow. My feedback from the Moderators was to make sure I eat my breakfast within an hour of waking up and to eat it in one reasonable sitting. I will make sure to do that!

[kirbz]

Day 22 / Day1: Saturday, October 7

Meal 1: leftover beef burger pan-cooked in avocado oil with salt and pepper; steamed carrots; small cup of store-bought guacamole

Meal 2: three over-easy eggs pan-cooked in avocado oil with salt and pepper; two slices of compliant bacon; spiralized golden potato and sweet potato pan-cooked in ghee

Meal 3: grilled filet mignon with compliant spicy seasoning blend; large salad with romaine, bell peppers, onion, and cucumbers with Primal Kitchen Green Goddess dressing

Water Intake: ~110 oz

Sleep Last Night: 9 hours 43 minutes (3:36 deep; 5:50 light; 0:18 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: Today was definitely hard. After mistakenly eating something non-compliant, I felt ready to throw in the towel. I honestly don’t think I can start over. And why bother finishing if I’ve messed up the results? Why not just start eating the way I plan to eat for the long term? I wanted so badly to make some Paleo banana bread or some Paleo ice cream. I mean, it would still be healthy. It just wouldn’t be Whole30. Why finish if I’ve ruined it all anyway?

[kirbz]

Day 23 / Day2: Sunday, October 8

Meal 1: three over-easy eggs pan-cooked in avocado oil with salt and pepper; 1.5 slices of compliant bacon; spiralized russet potato and sweet potato pan-cooked in ghee with salt, pepper, and Spice Cave Land spice seasoning

Snack: one snack pack Justin’s almond butter (because I was at family’s house and they were all snacking on wonderful and amazing treats brought home from Costco)

Meal 2: grilled sirloin steak with compliant spicy seasoning blend; large salad with romaine, arugula, bell peppers, onion, and cucumbers with Primal Kitchen Green Goddess dressing

Meal 3: none

Water Intake: ~110 oz

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 27 minutes (2:07 deep; 6:14 light; 0:06 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: I’m definitely bored with food. And I want dessert more than ever. And I’ve lost a lot of commitment and motivation. I’m trying desperately to get it back but the best I can do right now is to stay compliant.

I did a lousy job of eating today. I definitely didn’t eat within an hour of waking this morning. And I had a snack when I didn’t really need one. And I only ate two meals. Oops. Not a good one at all.

The best I can say is that, despite all of that, I still feel confident and in control of what I eat. Does that even make sense given the other things I just said?  

[kirbz]

Day 24 / Day 3: Monday, October 9

Meal 1: one can Wild Planet tuna with spicy chipotle mayo, chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, chopped cilantro, lime, and ground pepper; served in romaine lettuce cups

Exercise: 30-minute walk over my lunch break

Meal 2: baked salmon with BBQ sauce and Spice Cave Sea seasoning; steamed carrots with ghee; herb salad blend + arugula salad with Primal Kitchen Green Goddess dressing

Exercise: 20 minutes of indoor rock climbing (bouldering; 8 wall attempts)

Meal 3:  one full stuffed acorn squash with sausage, apples, and cranberries (two half-squash servings, which might have been a little much) 

Water Intake: ~110 oz

Supplement(s): Natural Calm dissolved in water before bed

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 23 minutes (3:42 deep; 4:24 light; 0:17 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: I’m actually very proud of the meals I ate today. I feel like I ate healthy, well-balanced meals and I didn’t do any snacking. Go me!

Still no feelings of increased energy. I wish I knew if I was doing something wrong or if I just need to stick with it longer… If it’s either, I’d be willing to do it! I just need to know what to do.

[kirbz]

Day 25 / Day 4: Tuesday, October 10

Meal 1: two slices compliant deli turkey; two hard-boiled eggs; herb salad blend + arugula salad with Primal Kitchen Green Goddess dressing; ½ GT’s Gingerade kombucha (did not eat within one hour of waking up)

Snack: one snack pack Justin’s almond butter (because I didn’t have time for lunch and needed something to hold me over; on second thought, I probably should have eaten the Wild Zora bar because that would have been more healthy and balance…)

Meal 2: 1/2 stuffed acorn squash with sausage, apples, cranberries, and pecans cooked with ghee (two halves seemed too much last night but I’m not sure just half was enough)

Snack: chamomile tea with Vital Proteins collagen peptides

Meal 3: 1/2 stuffed acorn squash with sausage, apples, cranberries, and pecans cooked with ghee

Water Intake: ~60 oz (terrible day for water)

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 24 minutes (2:55 deep; 5:25 light; 0:04 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: I really hate when my day doesn’t go as planned. I feel like I have so much commitment and so much energy invested in this but, despite all that, sometimes I just can’t do it right. Meetings got in the way of both breakfast and lunch so I didn’t eat within an hour of waking and I didn’t eat lunch until after 3:00 PM. I didn’t have water with me as I rushed from meeting to meeting so I didn’t drink very much of it. Overall, I stayed compliant but not a good day.

I can’t believe I’ve almost hit 30 days. At this point, I’m planning to try for an extra 5-10 days in the hopes that I achieve some of that energy everyone talks about. Honestly, I’m not sure I feel differently enough from when I started that I would even be able to discern whether other foods bother me during a reintroduction…

[kirbz]

Day 26 / Day 5: Wednesday, October 11

Meal 1: three scrambled eggs pan-cooked in ghee with pulled pork, salt and pepper; served in romaine lettuce cups with Yai’s Thai salsa on top (didn’t quite finish all of it but ate within 30 minutes of waking!)

Meal 2: Wild Zora Mediterranean Lamb meat and veggie bar (once again, I didn't have time for lunch due to meetings) 

Meal 3: chicken tossed in arrowroot starch and soaked in The New Primal Classic Marinade pan-cooked in avocado oil with broccoli, mushrooms, celery, bell pepper, onion, sugar snap peas, and carrots; 10 kalamata olives with orange zest in dipping oil (yuck)

Water Intake: ~110 oz

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 15 minutes (3:48 deep; 4:27 light; 0:00 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: I was a bit down about the whole program today. I sat in an afternoon meeting, nearly dozing off, and felt sorry for myself for not having more energy. Which was my primary reason for doing this in the first place.

[kirbz]

Day 27 / Day 6: Thursday, October 12

Meal 1: two chicken apple sausages pan-cooked in avocado oil; small serving of steamed carrots; small cup of store-bought guacamole; ½ GT’s Gingerade kombucha  

Meal 2: chicken tossed in arrowroot starch and soaked in The New Primal Classic Marinade pan-cooked in avocado oil with broccoli, mushrooms, celery, bell pepper, onion, sugar snap peas, and carrots

Exercise: 30-minute walk over my lunch break

Meal 3: chef’s combo sashimi plate at a local restaurant

Water Intake: ~70 oz

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 58 minutes (3:08 deep; 5:50 light; 0:00 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: Today was the first day I’ve gone out to eat since starting the Whole30. I’ve simply turned down all the other offers to eat out, not wanting to deal with the stress and hassle of trying to find something compliant. But this was a working meeting at a local restaurant so I didn’t have much choice. Fortunately, it wasn’t hard to stay compliant because there were easy options to choose form. Unfortunately, it was very hard to stay compliant because it’s one of my favorite restaurants and my favorite meals are not compliant. I wanted to order my very, very favorite sushi rolls so badly!

So while I consider it a success that I navigated restaurant eating for the first time, I got really sick after eating the sashimi. I had to pull over to the side of the road while trying to drive home and puke into my dog’s dog dish. It was rather awful. I immediately went home and went to sleep. So, I didn’t really have anything to eat after 4:00 PM and I didn’t drink any water for the remainder of the day.

Still, I call is a successful day! I managed restaurant eating and being sick and I still stayed compliant! Yay for me! Three more days to go!

[kirbz]

Day 28 / Day 7: Friday, October 13

Meal 1: three over-easy eggs pan-cooked in avocado oil with salt and pepper; two slices of complaint bacon; served over spiralized Japanese sweet potato pan-cooked in avocado oil with Spice Cave Land seasoning and salt and pepper  

Meal 2: baked salmon with BBQ sauce and Spice Cave Sea seasoning; steamed broccoli with garlic ghee; pineapple strawberry La Croix

Meal 3: grilled chicken with Spice Cave Wind seasoning and BBQ sauce; romaine salad with bell peppers, onion, and carrots with lemon garlic dressing

Water Intake: ~80 oz

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 58 minutes (3:30 deep; 5:27 light; 0:01 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: I was hungry a lot today. I definitely didn’t eat enough fat or drink enough water. I also didn’t have my first meal until after 11:00 AM because I still felt sick from last night. I was also super lazy and only took like 3,500 steps today. Overall, not my best day and not how I want to be winding down my Whole30. But, I’m still trudging along so I guess that’s a victory.

[kirbz]

Day 29 / Day 8: Saturday, October 14

Meal 1: three over-easy eggs pan-cooked in avocado oil with salt and pepper; two slices of complaint bacon; served over spiralized Japanese sweet potato pan-cooked in avocado oil with Spice Cave Land seasoning and salt and pepper  

Exercise: 9 mile hike with 1,500 feet of elevation gain

Mid-Exercise Snack: snack pack of compliant turkey; snack pack of almond butter

Post-Workout Snack: snack pack of compliant turkey

Meal 2: baked salmon with BBQ sauce and Spice Cave Sea seasoning; steamed carrots; romaine salad with bell peppers, onion, and carrots with olive oil and lemon dressing

Meal 3: citrus grilled shrimp with zucchini noodles and an olive oil, citrus sauce (recipe courtesy of Paleo Running Momma) 

Water Intake: ~130 oz

Sleep Last Night: 9 hours 52 minutes (4:19 deep; 5:17 light; 0:16 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: It felt so wonderful to get out and hike today! It was beautiful and warm and amazing and I felt strong and happy! This diet is becoming somewhat routine and natural for me but I still have cravings. I want chocolate and ice cream so bad. I want a burger with a bun. I want real spaghetti with real noodles. I want all of the things I shouldn’t have and the things I cannot control. I’m really afraid to end my Whole30. I have little confidence that I will be able to reintroduce the things I have been avoiding and eat in moderation. So, for now, I’m not going to end it. I’m going to try for another week for now… Shawn starts tomorrow so I’ll join him for his first week and we’ll go through this together!

[kirbz]

Day 30 / Day 9: Sunday, October 15

Meal 1: Bacon Spinach Tomato Breakfast Salad (from the Whole30 Cookbook) – two poached eggs served over spinach with tomatoes, bacon, and bell peppers

Meal 2: Thai Turkey Noodle Bowl (from the Whole30 Cookbook) – spaghetti squash with ground turkey, baby bok choy, mushrooms, bell peppers, onion, carrots, onion, and all sorts of other goodness

Exercise: 2.75 mile hike with 500 feet elevation gain

Snack: snack pack of compliant turkey; snack pack of compliant almond butter (I ate this just because I was hungry, not associated with my workout)

Meal 3: Mexican Salmon Cakes with Mango Relish (from the Whole30 Cookbook) – two osalmon cakes with pineapple, avocado salsa

Water Intake: ~80 oz (not even close to enough water for the day)

Sleep Last Night: 9 hours 3 minutes (2:39 deep; 6:16 light; 0:08 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: Well, today is the last day of my 30 days. Not sure how I feel about that. I thought I would be super thrilled but I’m not. One, because I haven’t achieved the results I had hoped for (i.e., energy). Two, because I’m afraid for what’s next…

Well, I won’t be tackling what’s next yet. I’m going to continue for another week and see how I feel after that… Even though I am continuing, I'll log my official notes tomorrow morning, including my NSVs, weight, and measurements! 

[kirbz]

Day 31 / Day 10: Monday, October 16

Meal 1: Bacon Spinach Tomato Breakfast Salad (from the Whole30 Cookbook) – three over-easy eggs served over spinach with 2 strips of crumbled bacon, tomatoes, bell peppers, and avocado  

Meal 2: Thai Turkey Noodle Bowl (from the Whole30 Cookbook) – spaghetti squash with ground turkey, baby bok choy, mushrooms, bell peppers, onion, carrots, onion, and all sorts of other goodness

Meal 3: Mexican Salmon Cakes with Mango Relish (from the Whole30 Cookbook) – three salmon cakes with pineapple, avocado salsa

Water Intake: ~80 oz (another day of not enough water)

Sleep Last Night: 7 hours 13 minutes (2:17 deep; 4:51 light; 0:05 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: I’m just one day past my Whole30 and my plans to commit for another week or two are in serious jeopardy! I keep thinking of that paleo pumpkin bread I wanted to try. Or those brownies, or the ice cream, or the carrot cake! Or indeed, a candy bar! Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups anyone? Or a Snickers bar?!

Gah! This is been the hardest day by far… But I’m definitely realizing that I’m not ready to go off on my own yet. I’m not ready to demonstrate control with food freedom…

[kirbz]

Day 32 / Day 11: Tuesday, October 17

Meal 1: 1.5 chicken apple sausages pan-cooked in avocado oil; steamed sugar snap peas; small cup of store-bought guacamole; ½ GT’s Cosmic Cranberry kombucha

Meal 2: Thai Turkey Noodle Bowl (from the Whole30 Cookbook) – spaghetti squash with ground turkey, baby bok choy, mushrooms, bell peppers, onion, carrots, onion, and all sorts of other goodness; ½ GT’s Cosmic Cranberry kombucha

Meal 3: Churrasco Skirt Steak with Grilled Tomatoes and Cilantro Sauce (from the Whole30 Cookbook) – grilled skirt steak with cilantro sauce; grilled cherry tomatoes; romaine salad with cucumber, onion and Primal Kitchen Greek dressing; small handful of Castelvetrano olives (about 6)

Water Intake: ~100 oz  

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 59 minutes (5:19 deep; 3:36 light; 0:04 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: Today wasn’t too difficult. I honestly don’t really have any particular reflections or thoughts about the day.

[kirbz]

Day 33 / Day 12: Wednesday, October 18

Meal 1: three over-easy eggs pan-cooked in leftover bacon fat; two slices of bacon; spiralized russet and sweet potato pan-cooked in avocado oil with Spice Cave Land seasoning and pepper  

Exercise: 30-minute walk over my lunch break

Meal 2: Thai Turkey Noodle Bowl (from the Whole30 Cookbook) – ground turkey, baby bok choy, mushrooms, bell peppers, onion, carrots, onion, and all sorts of other goodness in coconut milk and other spices; ½ GT’s Gingerberry kombucha

Pre-Workout Meal: two hard-boiled eggs

Exercise (Insanity Day 1): 45 minutes Insanity (Plyometric Cardio Circuit)

Post-Workout Meal: snack pack of compliant turkey

Meal 3: one full acorn squash with sausage, celery, onion, apples, cranberries, and pecans (two half-squash servings, which might have been a little much; but one half is too little) 

Water Intake: ~120 oz  

Sleep Last Night: 6 hours 57 minutes (3:51 deep; 2:54 light; 0:12 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: I felt super good doing my Insanity workout today. I felt strong and I don’t think my heart has to work as hard on my workouts these days. And, it feels great to not have so much flab jiggling around as I jump up and down. Yay!

However, my feet were super crampy during and after my workout. In fact, I woke up a number of times throughout the night with cramping. I’m not sure what caused this? Maybe more water? More potassium? More minerals?

Related to the diet, I think I have once again settled comfortably into the Whole30 routine again. The serious cravings that came along with Day 30 have settled down again and I’m more mentally prepare and committed to continuing this for a little while.

[kirbz]

Day 34 / Day 13: Thursday, October 19

Meal 1: one hard-boiled egg (which I didn’t eat until about 10:00 AM; I overslept and forgot I had to take my car to the dealership for maintenance and then had a morning full of meetings)   

Exercise: 30-minute walk over my lunch break

Meal 2: leftover acorn squash with sausage, celery, onion, apples, cranberries, and pecans (two half-squash servings, which felt fine today since I didn’t have breakfast)

Pre-Workout Meal:  smoked salmon

Exercise (Insanity Day 2): 40 minutes Insanity (Cardio Power & Resistance)

Post-Workout Meal: snack pack of compliant turkey

Meal 3: grilled flank steak kabobs with cilantro olive oil marinade and bell peppers, onion, and pineapple; 12 Castelvetrano olives

Water Intake: ~120 oz

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 26 minutes (4:47 deep; 3:33 light; 0:06 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: Not much to report today. Not my best day of eating at all. I didn’t eat enough vegetables and practically had no breakfast at all. I didn’t have any significant cravings today though.

I did all my weight and measurements today so my next post logs my official results as of Day 34. I’m super proud of all I’ve achieved but there are still some things I want to see so I’m sticking with it for a while longer! I would say that I’m sticking with it as long as it takes but I want time to do reintroductions before Thanksgiving so I’ll only continue long enough to do that. I do hope I see those results in the next couple of weeks!

[kirbz]

Results as of Day 34 of Whole30

Body Results

• lost 15.5 pounds
• lost 3.5" in my bust 
• lost 3.5" in my hips
• lost 2.75" in my waist
• lost 2" in my thighs

Heart Health Results

• resting heart rate went down from 71 to 55
• V02 max went from 30 to 35 

NSVs

• fewer blemishes 
• flatter stomach
• leaner appearance 
• clothes fitting better
• wedding ring fitting better 
• feeling more confident in my appearance
• less painful joints
• less heartburn 
• less knee pain 
• fewer carb cravings 
• improved body image 
• feeling in control of my food
• eats to satiety 
• listens to my body 
• no longer use food for comfort
• no longer use food as reward
• more nutrition in my diet 
• food no longer has unwanted side effects

Results Not Achieved (and the reason I'm sticking with this for a while longer)

• fewer sugar cravings 
• think more clearly 
• feel more productive
• sleep more soundly 
• energy levels are higher 
• energy levels are more even 
• more energy in the morning 
• can exercise longer, harder, or faster 

[kirbz]

Day 35 / Day 14: Friday, October 20

Meal 1: spinach and mushroom frittata with chicken apple sausage and a variety of spices for flavor

Meal 2: leftover acorn squash with sausage, celery, onion, apples, cranberries, and pecans (two half-squash servings)

Pre-Workout Meal: two hard-boiled eggs  

Exercise (Insanity Day 3): 45 minutes Insanity (Plyometric Cardio Circuit)

Post-Workout Meal: none (oops, forgot to eat this one)

Meal 3: The Best Chicken You Will Ever Eat (from the Well Fed cookbook) – grilled, brined chicken with spices; Creamy Spice Market Kale (from the Well Fed cookbook) – collard greens pan-cooked with coconut oil and coconut milk with spices; Cucumber, Avocado, and Strawberry Salsa (from the Inspiralized cookbook) – spiralized cucumber with avocado, onion, strawberries, lime juice, salt and pepper (chicken and greens were both recipes from Well Fed and had such great depth of flavor)

Water Intake: ~130 oz

Supplement(s): Natural Calm dissolved in water before bed

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 35 minutes (1:58 deep; 6:24 light; 0:13 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: I’m feeling really strong and motivated for both exercise and eating well lately. Shawn and I are trying a lot of new recipes and we’re genuinely enjoying the meals that we’re cooking. I’m also trying to work out every day and have even set a goal to finish an entire cycle of Insanity.

I’m still not sure how long I’ll stick with the Whole30 but at last through Sunday. At that time, I’ll probably decide on another week, especially now that Shawn is doing this with me.

[kirbz]

Day 36 / Day 15: Saturday, October 21

Meal 1: three over-easy eggs pan-cooked in ghee; served over spiralized russet and Japanese sweet potato pan-cooked in ghee with Spice Cave Land seasoning and salt and pepper; two slices of bacon

Exercise: 4-mile hike with 650 feet of elevation gain

Mid-Hike Snack: one hard-boiled egg; snack pack of Justin’s almond butter

Meal 2: leftover grilled chicken; leftover cucumber, avocado, and tomato salad

Meal 3: grilled tri-tip marinated in coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, apple juice, and spices; spinach and artichoke twice-baked potatoes with ghee, coconut cream, spinach, artichoke, onion, garlic and spices

Exercise (Insanity Day 4): 30 minutes Insanity (Cardio Recovery)

Water Intake: ~130 oz

Supplement(s): Natural Calm dissolved in water before bed

Sleep Last Night: 9 hours 15 minutes (3:07 deep; 6:07 light; 0:01 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: Shawn and I are really branching out and trying new meals and we’re loving them! We tried a couple of Mel Joulwan’s recipes from Well Fed yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed them. They’ll definitely be added to the rotation. We also tried a couple of online recipes today and they were also delicious. It felt really nice to have a delicious tri-tip and twice-baked potatoes, just as we did before starting this journey. It’s a wonderful feeling to know we can eat healthy AND thoroughly enjoy the food we eat!

I continue to feel strong in my exercise and workouts. I don’t know if it’s the diet or simply a renewed dedication to fitness, but I feel good and I feel strong! Though, honestly, I do think the diet is helping to fuel my body better. I think I handle intense workouts better. Which would make sense. A workout fueled by Lucky Charms was probably not gonna be great…. LOL, but oh how I miss Lucky Charms!

[kirbz]

Day 37 / Day 16: Sunday, October 22

Meal 1: two over-easy eggs pan-cooked in ghee; served over spiralized russet and sweet potato pan-cooked in ghee with Spice Cave Land seasoning and salt and pepper; 1.5 slices of bacon; one chicken apple sausage pan-cooked in avocado oil

Exercise: 2.75-mile hike with 200 feet of elevation gain (this ended up being more of a walk in the woods than a hike due to icy conditions)

Meal 2: baked salmon with avocado oil, BBQ sauce, and Spice Cave Wind seasoning; leftover spinach and artichoke twice- baked potatoes; steamed broccoli; one small head of baby bok choy pan-cooked in olive oil with lemon, cashews, salt, and pepper; one spear dill pickle

Snack: one spear dill pickle

Pre-Workout Meal: one hard-boiled egg

Exercise (Insanity Day 5): 40 minutes Insanity (Pure Cardio)  

Post-Workout Meal: two slices compliant deli pepper turkey

Meal 3: crock-pot roast with carrots, potatoes, onion, and celery cooked in chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and apple juice  

Water Intake: ~110 oz

Supplement(s): Calm Buddha Blend tea with two scoops of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides after dinner; Natural Calm dissolved in water before bed

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 26 minutes (3:13 deep; 5:00 light; 0:12 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: I didn’t really feel anything of particular interest today. Again, this is sort of just starting to feel like life and it’s fairly comfortable. I did notice some slight discomfort in my right knee on my hike today and during my workout so I’m going to start taking collagen peptides on a regular basis and hope that helps clear it up!

I do enjoy looking at Paleo cookbooks and fantasizing about all the desserts I want to try when I’m done with Whole30. You think it would be torture but I genuinely like looking at the recipes and it doesn’t induce cravings. It honestly just gives me something to look forward to!

[lizitapola]

This is awesome. Thanks so much for posting! 

[kirbz]

@lizitapola Oh, you're welcome! I mostly did it for my own accountability but I'm thrilled if it's also useful to others! :-) 

[Debbie Baier]

I’m impressed! Great notes.

[kirbz]

Day 38 / Day 17: Monday, October 23

Meal 1: two over-easy eggs pan-cooked in leftover bacon grease; large spinach salad with carrots, cucumbers, avocado, two strips of crumbled bacon and Green Goddess dressing

Exercise: 30-minute walk over my lunch break  

Meal 2: leftover crock-pot roast with carrots, potatoes, onion, and celery cooked in chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and apple juice; snack pack of basil and garlic green olives

Pre-Workout Meal: snack pack of compliant turkey; mini snack pack of guacamole

Exercise (Insanity Day 6): 40 minutes Insanity (Plyometric Cardio Circuit)  

Post-Workout Meal: snack pack of compliant turkey

Meal 3: chicken breast pan-cooked in avocado oil with BBQ sauce, salt, and pepper; served over a handful of mixed greens; steamed carrots; brussel sprouts pan-cooked in avocado oil; handful of cherry tomatoes

Water Intake: ~130 oz

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 26 minutes (3:13 deep; 5:00 light; 0:12 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: I’m trying to eat a LOT more veggies and more fats. I’m hoping that will help with the energy levels, because they are still very low. I’m frequently tired during the day and I definitely STRUGGLE to get out of bed, even when I’ve had plenty of rest.

I still had some pain in my left knee while doing Insanity but I didn’t manage to take a collagen supplement today. I’ll get back on that tomorrow.

[kirbz]

Day 39 / Day 18: Tuesday, October 24

Meal 1: leftover chicken breast pan-cooked in avocado oil with BBQ sauce, salt, and pepper; side salad of mixed greens and cherry tomatoes with Green Goddess dressing; steamed carrots; 1/3 GT’s Gingerberry kombucha (I did not eat this within an hour of waking; I ate it between 9:00 and 10:00 AM)

Exercise: 30-minute walk over my lunch break  

Meal 2: leftover crock-pot roast with carrots, potatoes, onion, and celery cooked in chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and apple juice; snack pack of chili and garlic black olives; 1/3 GT's Cayennade kombucha 

Meal 3: grilled burger wrapped in romaine leaves with bacon, chipotle mayo, avocado, onion, and spinach; two dill pickle spears; half avocado

Water Intake: ~90 oz

Sleep Last Night: 9 hours 17 minutes (3:19 deep; 5:51 light; 0:07 awake)

Supplement(s): peach black tea with two scoops of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides after lunch

Thoughts/Reflections: Nothing significant to report today. My resolve to eat more vegetables and more greens didn’t exactly flourish today… I’ll keep working on that!

I do have two restaurant invitations coming up. I still have only attempted to navigate restaurant eating once in my 39 days of Whole30. I’m honestly not sure I’ll do it. I’m tempted to decline. Trying to do that honestly falls into the “not worth it” category for me. Though one of them is my favorite restaurant so that one I’ll probably have to do… Wish me luck!

[kirbz]

Day 40 / Day 19: Wednesday, October 25

Meal 1: three over-easy eggs pan-cooked in leftover bacon grease; 1.5 slices of bacon; served over romaine and spinach with ½ cucumber and ½ avocado  

Exercise: 30-minute walk over my lunch break  

Meal 2: none (I got pulled into meetings after my walk and didn’t have time to eat lunch)

Snack: Wild Zora Curry Turkey meat and veggie bar; snack pack of rosemary and lemon green olives; snack pack of almond butter

Pre-Workout Meal: snack pack of compliant turkey; mini snack pack of guacamole

Exercise (Insanity Day 8): 40 minutes Insanity (Cardio Power and Resistance)  

Post-Workout Meal: snack pack of compliant turkey

Meal 3: chicken breast pan-cooked in avocado oil with BBQ sauce, salt, and pepper; brussel sprouts pan-cooked in avocado oil; side salad of mixed greens with a handful of cherry tomatoes and Primal Kitchen Caesar dressing

Water Intake: ~120 oz

Supplement(s): wild cherry black tea with two scoops of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides shortly before leaving work; Natural Calm dissolved in water before bed

Sleep Last Night: 6 hours 55 minutes (3:08 deep; 3:37 light; 0:08 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: Tonight was a restaurant opportunity. It was a work dinner that would have been fully paid for at a nice restaurant. I used to jump at those, thrilled to have an opportunity to order something expensive and eat appetizers, a main meal, and dessert on someone else’s dime. But, eating out just isn’t on my “worth it” list for Whole30. Not at all.

I continue to be exhausted on a regular basis. I was exhausted on my drive into work and pulled over for a short nap. I was exhausted and yawning frequently during my afternoon meetings. And I did not want to work out. Not one little bit. And now I find myself sitting on my bed at 9:02 PM and I could go to sleep… And I probably will.  

[kirbz]

Day 41 / Day 20: Thursday, October 26

Meal 1: leftover chicken breast pan-cooked in avocado oil with BBQ sauce, salt, and pepper; handful of cherry tomatoes; snack pack of chili and oregano green olives (I did not eat within one hour of waking; I slept in because I was tired and so I had to take my meal on the road)

Meal 2: leftover hamburger patty broken up and served over a large mixed green and romaine salad with 1.5 slices of bacon, cherry tomatoes, ½ avocado, and Green Goddess dressing

Pre-Workout Meal: two hard-boiled eggs; small handful of macadamia nuts

Exercise (Insanity Day 9): 40 minutes Insanity (Pure Cardio)   

Post-Workout Meal: one slice of deli pepper turkey

Meal 3: one can Wild Planet tuna with spicy chipotle mayo, onion, cilantro, lime, and pepper; service in romaine lettuce leaves

Water Intake: ~100 oz

Supplement(s): peach black tea with two scoops of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides shortly before leaving work; Natural Calm dissolved in water before bed

Sleep Last Night: 9 hours 08 minutes (4:00 deep; 4:59 light; 0:09 awake)

Thoughts/Reflections: I planned poorly for meals today. I knew I did not have enough food for a proper breakfast last night but I didn’t want to go to the store. So I didn’t. And then I slept in because I was sleepy, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to eat my breakfast for some time. But I didn’t care. Because I wanted to sleep. Honestly, I find that I’m becoming increasingly bitter that I do not have any more energy than I did when I first started this. I’ve tried so hard.