Kirbz's Whole30 Log

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 2: Thursday, February 22

Sleep Last Night: 6 hours 30 minutes (1:45 deep; 4:45 light; 0:02 awake)

Wakeup: 5:30 am

Pre-Workout Meal (5:30 am): two chunks of chicken breast + small handful of walnuts (~5 walnuts)

Insanity Day 2 (5:40-6:20 am): Cardio Power & Resistance   

Post-Workout Meal: snack pack of compliant turkey slices

Meal 1 (7:00 am): two chicken apple sausages pan-cooked in avocado oil; huge portion of green beans pan-cooked in ghee with salt and pepper; large spoonful of kraut

Exercise (12:05-12:40 pm): 2.15-mile walk during my lunch break (no elevation gain; flat neighborhood terrain)

Meal 2 (12:45 pm): 2.5 chicken wings pan-cooked in avocado oil with BBQ sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper; ~2 cups of brussel sprouts pan-cooked in olive oil with salt and pepper

Meal 3 (5:15 pm): 2.5 chicken wings pan-cooked in avocado oil with BBQ sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper; large baked potato with a generous portion of ghee

Snack (12:30 am): two medium-boiled eggs (because I was completely starving when we got home from the game, which was just a few minutes prior to this thanks to snow conditions on the road) 

Supplement(s): none

Water Intake: ~80 oz (not enough for any day, let alone a workout day)

Steps: 18,314

Thoughts/Reflections: Shawn and I went to an NBA basketball game tonight (the best game we’ve ever been to!). Knowing that it’s a tradition for us to eat nachos at basketball games, I ate a hearty dinner before I went so that I wouldn’t be hungry. Honestly though, I did okay at the game, despite that we had club access and there was all sorts of free and yummy foods. I really wasn’t that tempted and remained totally committed to Whole30.

However… The difficulty came after the game, when I seriously wanted to go to Red Robin. It’s one of our favorite places and we don’t have one less than two hours away. We rarely get to go. So, if Red Robin had been open when we finished the basketball game, I probably would have eaten a burger and fries and started over. And I’m not sure I would have felt bad about it. It would have been entirely worth it and would have only delayed my Whole30 by two days.

Not sure how I feel about that but that’s how it was today… I guess I’m just grateful it was no longer open and it couldn’t be a temptation for me.  

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 3: Friday, February 23

Sleep Last Night: 7 hours 1 minutes (2:35 deep; 4:07 light; 0:19 awake)

Wakeup: 8:10 am

Meal 1: none (after getting home super late from the game, I opted to sleep in rather than cook breakfast; by the time I had time to eat, it was lunch time)

Meal 2 (12:00 pm): three over-easy eggs cooked in leftover bacon fat; 2.5 slices of compliant bacon; served over small spiralized sweet potato and small spiralized russet potato cooked in ghee with salt, pepper, and Spice Cave Land seasoning 

Snack (5:30): handful of coconut chips + one medium-boiled egg

Meal 3 (7:30 pm): 6 sardines pan-friend in coconut oil (seasoned with olive oil marinade and coated with tapioca starch); served over a small bed of lettuce tossed with leftover olive oil marinade; medium head of steamed broccoli; ½ bunch of kale pan-cooked on coconut oil with coconut milk and spices (Well Fed 2 Pan-Friend Sardines and Well Fed Creamy Spice Market Kale)

Snack (10:00 pm): cup of Numi Embrace tea

Supplement(s): none

Water Intake: ~80 oz

Steps: 5,973

Thoughts/Reflections: I started off the morning feeling like I didn’t want to eat anything. I did sleep in late, which made it difficult to prepare food before I needed to start work. But I also just didn’t want to make anything. I started to feel overwhelmed by the amount of food prep. I was frustrated and kind of just decided not to eat anything rather than have to prepare it.

And so, in the afternoon, I pulled out the cookbooks and I planned some new and interesting meals for the next few days. I picked several recipes I had been meaning to try during my new first round. And then I whipped one up for dinner. Delicious! And it helped me overcome my very early food boredom.

Oh, and I decided I LOVE coconut chips. I finally found a great new source of fat. And no, they aren’t really chips. They’re more like chipped coconut. You know, like slightly larger flakes than shredded coconut. That’s all. But they’re yummy and will likely become my go-to pre-workout fat.

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 4: Saturday, February 24

Sleep Last Night: 9 hours 55 minutes (4:23 deep; 4:56 light; 0:36 awake)

Wakeup: 8:15 am

Meal 1 (9:15 am): three over-easy eggs served over ~2.5 cups spinach with 2 strips of crumbled bacon, tomatoes and an olive-oil based dressing (Whole30 Cookbook Bacon Spinach Tomato Breakfast Salad)

Pre-Workout Meal (5:30 am): none (it didn’t feel necessary since I had eaten breakfast within the last hour

Exercise (10:30 am): 2.65 mile snowshoe hike with 518 feet of elevation gain (154 average HR; 185 max HR)

Post-Workout Meal: none (I would have liked to have something because the hike felt much more intense than anticipated but I didn’t have anything prepared)

Meal 2 (1:00 pm): large bowl of spaghetti, which was ground beef and tomato basil pasta sauce served over ½ medium spaghetti squash; handful of coconut chips (which I ate while cooking, because it didn’t really go with the meal but I was hungry and wanted some fat with what I was eating) 

Snack (5:30): handful of coconut chips + one medium-boiled egg

Meal 3 (8:99 pm): tri-tip cooked on the grill and after soaking in a marinade for a few hours; two halves twice-baked regular potatoes with coconut cream, ghee, spinach, artichoke, onion, garlic, and nutritional yeast (Jay’s Baking Me Crazy Best Paleo Whole30 Marinade and Paleo Running Momma Spinach Artichoke Twice Baked Potatoes)

Supplement(s): none

Water Intake: ~80 oz

Steps: 11,298

NSVs/Symptoms:

• Extreme exhaustion during my hike
• Knee pain during climbing part of hike
• Fewer cravings

Thoughts/Reflections: Today was a really good day. I thoroughly enjoyed trying a couple of new recipes and the food today was absolutely delicious! I didn’t have a single craving or thought of non-compliant foods.

Though I still call it a great day, I seriously struggled on my snowshoe hike. It normally takes me 30 minutes to get to the top of the fill and it took a full hour today. I had to stop every minute or two to rest. I’m not sure if it was because my body is adjusting to a new nutrition regime or if it was because I was laying first tracks (though it was only 6 inches of snow so it doesn’t feel like it should have been that hard). Regardless, I hope this improves soon!

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 5: Sunday, February 25

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 41 minutes (3:51 deep; 4:45 light; 0:05 awake)

Wakeup: 7:05 am

Meal 1 (9:30 am): medium chicken breast pan-cooked in avocado oil with salt, pepper, Spice Cave Wind seasoning, and BBQ sauce; steamed carrots; one full avocado made into guacamole with tomato, parsley, lemon, salt, and pepper; ½ Gingerade kombucha

Meal 2 (1:00 pm): medium chicken breast cooked on the grill with 21 spice seasoning and BBQ sauce; two halves twice-baked regular potatoes with coconut cream, ghee, spinach, artichoke, onion, garlic, and nutritional yeast; ½ Gingerade kombucha (Paleo Running Momma Spinach Artichoke Twice Baked Potatoes)

Meal 3 (8:00 pm): 3 oven-fried salmon cakes with sweet potato, eggs, almond flour, parsley, spices, and ghee; dipped in spicy vegetable sauce Sauce (Well Fed 2 Oven-Fried Salmon Cakes and Well Fed 2 Lizard Sauce)

Supplement(s): none

Water Intake: ~80 oz

Steps: 6,504

Thoughts/Reflections: I continue to enjoy trying new meals. I think I’ve already tried more new meals in this round than I did in my entire Whole43. Okay, maybe not, but I am enjoying it and I am making it a point to do it frequently.

I also continue to struggle with the timing of meals. I constantly underestimate how long it takes to cook so I end up eating dinner quite late. And I’m not doing a very good job of eating my first meal within an hour of waking.

I’m also not being very active. I didn’t do anything at all active today and it was a day off from work. I’m not getting 15,000 steps a day, as I had hoped. And I did not continue the cycle of Insanity. I plan to resume that tomorrow.

Gah, I’m so negative. On a positive note, I’m feeling strong and confident in this lifestyle for the next 30 days. I’m feeling motivated and confident about trying new recipes. And I don’t seem to be overly tired. I wouldn’t say I have an energy spurt or anything, but I do feel less tired. Which is huge for me!

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 6: Monday, February 26

Sleep Last Night: 7 hours 24 minutes (2:51 deep; 3:57 light; 0:36 awake)

Wakeup: 7:04 am

Meal 1 (9:30 am): two medium-boiled eggs; ~1 cup of raw baby carrots; small handful of coconut chips (I was rushing to get out of town before the storm so I didn’t prepare a proper breakfast)  

Exercise (11:45 am-12:15 pm): 1.87-mile walk during my lunch break (no elevation gain; flat neighborhood terrain)

Meal 2 (12:30 pm): extra large bowl of leftover spaghetti, which was ground beef and tomato basil pasta sauce served over ½ medium spaghetti squash

Meal 3 (7:00 pm): 2.5 leftover oven-fried salmon cakes; dipped in spicy vegetable sauce; 2 halves leftover spinach artichoke twice-baked potatoes

Supplement(s): none

Water Intake: ~80 oz

Steps: 11,988

Thoughts/Reflections: Nothing significant to report today. Still going strong and still enjoying the delicious meals I cooked over the weekend!  

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 7: Tuesday, February 27

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 58 minutes (2:27 deep; 6:31 light; 0:00 awake)

Wakeup: 6:15 am

Meal 1: none (I had a terrible morning so I didn’t feel like cooking or eating)   

Exercise (12:10-12:45 pm): 2.18-mile walk during my lunch break (no elevation gain; flat neighborhood terrain)

Meal 2 (12:30 pm): 3 leftover oven-fried salmon cakes; dipped in spicy vegetable sauce; handful of raw baby carrots; medium herb salad with Caesar dressing; ½ Synergy kombucha

Meal 3 (7:00 pm): pork stir fry with large pork chop coated in arrowroot starch and pan-cooked in avocado oil with onion, bell pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, mushrooms and The New Primal Citrus marinade

Supplement(s): none

Water Intake: ~80 oz

Steps: 13,187

Thoughts/Reflections: Typically, I would have eaten a dozen peanut butter cups, or some ice cream, or some Cocoa Puffs, or some other form of chocolate for breakfast after the morning I had. I’m an emotional eater. So, not having any of those things available to me, I opted to not eat at all. The thought of having to prepare food that wasn’t even what I wanted and then eat it was just too much. I guess my stress eating is becoming stress not eating…

And then, I had to stop at the store for some veggies for my stir fry tonight, and lo and behold, there were small, evil children selling girl scout cookies! I totally bought some. But, I didn’t eat them. And I won’t until I’ve finished what I started. I am, however, fully intending to eat them after my Whole30. Because yeah, Carmel Delites are ALWAYS worth it in my Food Freedom.

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 8: Wednesday, February 28

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 40 minutes (3:51 deep; 4:49 light; 0:08 awake)

Wakeup: 6:45 am

Meal 1: none (I was too tired so I slept in rather than waking up and preparing breakfast)

Snack: Tazo Organic Peach Cobbler tea with 1.5 scoops of collagen    

Exercise (12:10-12:45 pm): 2.18-mile walk during my lunch break (no elevation gain; flat neighborhood terrain)

Meal 2 (12:30 pm): leftover pork stir fry with large pork chop coated in arrowroot starch and pan-cooked in avocado oil with onion, bell pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, mushrooms and The New Primal Citrus marinade

Meal 3 (9:00 pm): medium piece of salmon baked in oven with Spice Cave Sea seasoning and BBQ sauce; ~1.5 cups of brussel sprouts pan-cooked in ghee with salt and pepper; ½ large baked sweet potato with ghee, salt, and pepper

Supplement(s): Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides

Water Intake: ~80 oz

Steps: 7,907

Symptoms/NSVs:

• Extreme tiredness in the mornings and difficulty getting out of bed
• No motivation to eat in the morning  

Thoughts/Reflections: I continue to really struggle with eating in the mornings. I set my alarm early to prepare breakfast but I just feel so exhausted that I reset the alarm and don’t bother with breakfast at all. I struggled with this during my first Whole30 and really want to improve on it! Gotta keep working on this one!

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 9: Thursday, March 1

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 12 minutes (2:06 deep; 5:57 light; 0:09 awake)

Wakeup: 6:45 am

Pre-Workout Meal (7:45 am): four chunks of chicken breast + ~2 tablespoons coconut chips

Exercise (8:10-9:20 am): 2.28 mile snowshoe hike with 528 feet of elevation gain (161 average HR; 188 max HR)

Post-Workout Meal (9:45 am): snack pack of compliant turkey slices + 3 bites of mashed sweet potato

Meal 1 (10:30 am): three over-easy eggs cooked in leftover bacon fat; 3 slices of compliant bacon; served over medium spiralized sweet potato cooked in ghee with salt, pepper, and Spice Cave Land seasoning 

Meal 2 (6:00 pm): medium sirloin steak cooked on the grill with spicy blend of seasoning; ~1.5 cups of brussel sprouts pan-cooked in ghee with salt and pepper

Meal 3 (9:00 pm): large chunk of roast cooked in the crock pot in beef bone broth, apple cider vinegar, apple juice, and bay leaves with carrots, potatoes, onion, and celery

Supplement(s): none

Water Intake: ~90 oz

Steps: 10,046

Thoughts/Reflections: Nothing significant today. I continue to prefer not to eat at all than to face preparing and eating Whole30 compliant meals. As a result, I know I’m not eating enough and I’m going too far between meals. I’ll continue to work on that.  

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 10: Friday, March 2

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 50 minutes (3:17 deep; 4:58 light; 0:35 awake)

Wakeup: 6:11 am

Meal 1 (8:00 am): small chunk of leftover roast cooked in the crock pot in beef bone broth, apple cider vinegar, apple juice, and bay leaves with carrots, potatoes, onion, and celery

Meal 2 (12:40 pm): large chunk of leftover roast cooked in the crock pot in beef bone broth, apple cider vinegar, apple juice, and bay leaves with carrots, potatoes, onion, and celery

Snack (5:30 pm): one hard-boiled egg + ~2 tablespoons coconut chips

Meal 3 (9:00 pm): Dungeness crab boiled in salted water; served with melted ghee mixed with fresh garlic, chili powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper

Supplement(s): none

Water Intake: ~100 oz

Steps: 5,924

Thoughts/Reflections: Though the number of steps I took doesn’t reflect it, I actually worked really hard today. We got several feet of snow so I helped with shoveling, snow blowing, and removing snow from the roof. It was exhausting! Not really much to say about Whole30. I guess I’m just plugging along…

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 11: Saturday, March 3

Sleep Last Night: 9 hours 49 minutes (4:47 deep; 4:18 light; 0:44 awake)

Wakeup: 8:25 am

Meal 1 (9:30 am): three over-easy eggs cooked in leftover bacon fat; 3 slices of compliant bacon; served over small spiralized sweet potato and small spiralized russet potato cooked in ghee with salt, pepper, and Spice Cave Land seasoning 

Meal 2 (4:30 pm): handful of cubed chicken with Lizard sauce; ~1 cup raw baby carrots; small spinach salad with Primal Kitchen Ceasar dressing; cup of Numi Embrace tea with two scoops of collagen

Meal 3 (8:30 pm): stew meat cooked in the crockpot with a red curry sauce, green beans, and yellow onion; served over cauliflower rice cooked in ghee with garlic, yellow onion, salt, and pepper (The Whole30 Cookbook Thai Red Beef Curry with Green Beans) 

Supplement(s): Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides

Water Intake: ~80 oz

Steps: 8,640

Thoughts/Reflections: Nothing remarkable about today. Maybe that I ate way too much for breakfast and felt full for way longer than I should have? I have actually over-eaten on several meals while doing Whole30. Usually they involve potatoes. Which I’m eating too much of. But which I really, really love.  And I am being fairly active so maybe it's okay? Probably not, but I'm not sure I want to reign that in because it's some of the best food I eat. 

Oh, except the dinner I had tonight was AMAZING. I kept gushing about it as we were eating, which made Shawn laugh. But seriously, it was GOOD! I had tried cauliflower rice once before and it was awful. But this variation was really good. And wow, the beef curry! Yum! I don't get to feel this way about food very often anymore (since I would usually only feel that way about desserts) so I tried to really, really embrace it as I was feeling it. 

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 12: Sunday, March 4

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 26 minutes (2:54 deep; 5:22 light; 0:10 awake)

Wakeup: 6:45 am

Exercise (8:30-10:30 am): Snowboarding at Heavenly Boulder (one short run and three long ones)

Meal 1 (11:30 am): three over-easy eggs cooked in leftover bacon fat; 2.5 slices of compliant bacon; served over small spiralized sweet potato and small spiralized russet potato cooked in ghee with salt, pepper, and Spice Cave Land seasoning 

Snack (5:00 pm): Numi Vision tea with 1.5 scoops of collagen  

Snack (7:00 pm): packet of Justin’s Almond Butter

Meal 3 (8:30 pm): tri-tip cooked on the grill and after soaking in a marinade for a few hours; two halves twice-baked regular potatoes with coconut cream, ghee, spinach, artichoke, onion, garlic, and nutritional yeast (Jay’s Baking Me Crazy Best Paleo Whole30 Marinade and Paleo Running Momma Spinach Artichoke Twice Baked Potatoes)

Supplement(s): Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides

Water Intake: ~60 oz

Steps: 8,831

Thoughts/Reflections: Snowboarding today was so much fun! It felt good to get out and do something active! We’ve been snowed in for a few days and it’s just felt like to much effort to wade through feet of snow to get outside. But we did it today and it felt great!

I’m still not really feeling any significant NSVs or symptoms. Which is pretty similar to what I encountered my first round.

I continue to not time my meals well and I continue to not eat enough. Except for potatoes. I’ll try to get back onto a more regular schedule with the work week coming up. For some reason, it’s a lot easier to maintain a regular eating schedule around work. Also, I need to be drinking more water!

Onto the next week! This one will be better!   

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 13: Monday, March 5

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 8 minutes (3:13 deep; 4:49 light; 0:06 awake)

Wakeup: 5:40 am

Meal 1 (6:15 am): a few chunks of chicken breast; bowl of Bright Herb salad with a generous portion of Primal Kitchen Caesar dressing

Meal 2 (12:00 pm): none (I had a last-minute meeting scheduled during my lunch hour so I literally had no time to eat until after my last meeting of the day, which ended at 5:45 pm)

Meal 3 (7:00 pm): huge portion of leftover Thai red beef curry with green beans and onion; served; served over leftover cauliflower rice

Supplement(s): none

Water Intake: ~80 oz

Steps: 6,463

Symptoms/NSVs:

• Less tiredness (though not necessarily feelings of significant energy)

Thoughts/Reflections: I noticed today that I haven’t been feeling as tired lately! This is a huge NSV for me, as this was one of the main reasons I started the program. I’m not saying I have that increase in energy that so many people talk about, but I don’t seem to feel as tired. So yay for me!

Obviously today wasn’t as planned, but I stayed compliant and I didn’t give in to eating those Girl Scout Cookies I have hidden away at home. Which was tempting after going all day without eating. I definitely need to get some emergency foods to have on hand at my desk at work.

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 14: Tuesday, March 6

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 32 minutes (3:01 deep; 5:26 light; 0:05 awake)

Wakeup: 6:00 am  

Meal 1 (7:30 am): 1 sun dried tomato sausage pan-cooked in avocado oil; ½ leftover spinach and artichoke twice-baked potato

Meal 2 (12:30 pm): leftover Thai red beef curry with green beans and onion; served; served over leftover cauliflower rice

Meal 3 (8:00 pm): chicken breast pan-cooked in avocado oil with 21 spice seasoning and BBQ sauce; two halves leftover spinach and artichoke twice-baked potato; small Bright Herb salad with Primal Kitchen Caesar dressing 

Supplement(s): none

Water Intake: ~80 oz

Steps: 8,917

Thoughts/Reflections: Not much to report today. I’m plugging along. I’m committed. I’m starting to worry about what life will look like after Whole30. Because I have three boxes of Girl Scout Cookies waiting for me and I’m not sure I’ll be able to refrain from binge-eating an entire box. Where do cookies fit in my food freedom and how to I moderate how much I eat?

I’m vowing to actually finish reading Food Freedom Forever in the next two weeks. I bought the book but never finished it. Hopefully it will help!

[kirbz]

So, here I am again. I’m back for another round. I really don’t even remember why I gave up on the last attempt. Which is sad. But... I’m back! And I’m determined that one of these rounds will eventually lead to a permanent lifestyle change! Because I know that this type of eating is what’s best for me. I hope it’s this round that leads to such a change!

However, to be completely honest, I’m not entirely sure I’m 100% committed to a full Whole30 this time around. This may end up being some sort of mini reset. Because I have a number of significant roadblocks that will make this really hard and I’m not sure it needs to be that hard. And I have an outdoor women’s rendezvous in Moab coming up and I’m not sure I even want to attempt to stay compliant there. Because, well, free food. And socializing at group meals.

I’m pretty sure I don’t have any food sensitivities so I guess I’ve convinced myself that I don’t really need to do the official, full Whole30 with reintroductions. However, I know myself enough to know that I do better with black and white rules. So I’m starting one even though I know I may not finish. Because any day I eat Whole30 is a day for my health!

At the end of the day, I’m doing this for the same reasons I’ve done other rounds. I want to kick-start a lifestyle of healthy eating so that I’m one day 70-years old and still able to do all the things I love. And some weight loss and energy gains would be great too!

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 1: Monday, April 16

Sleep Last Night: 7 hours 40 minutes (2:18 deep; 5:22 light; 0:11 awake)*

Wakeup: 5:15 am  

Meal 1 (6:00 am): ~½ chicken breast pan-cooked as a stir fry with ~1 ½ cups carrots, onion, bell pepper, snap peas, yellow squash, broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms and The New Primal Classic marinade

Snack (9:30 am): Numi Organic Embrace tea with 1 scoop collagen powder

Meal 2 (12:30 pm): ~1 ½ chicken breast pan-cooked as a stir fry with ~3 cups carrots, onion, bell pepper, snap peas, yellow squash, broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms and The New Primal Classic marinade

Meal 3 (7:30 pm): ½ lb burger patty seasoned with garlic powder, onion, powder, salt and pepper pan-cooked in avocado oil; 2 strips of bacon; 4 leaves romaine lettuce; 4 dill pickle spears; two large scoops of spicy guacamole

Supplement(s): Primal Kitchen Collagen Peptides  

Water Intake: ~85 oz

Steps: 11,173

Thoughts/Reflections: Day 1! Again. Yikes! Oh dear... :-) 

*Slept with the pups

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 2: Tuesday, April 17

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 40 minutes (3:57 deep; 4:43 light; 0:18 awake)

Wakeup: 7:11 am  

Meal 1: none

Snack (11:00 am): snack pack of raw coconut butter + Numi Organic Embrace tea with 1 scoop collagen powder

Exercise (12:45-1:20 pm): 2.17-mile walk during my lunch break (no elevation gain; flat neighborhood terrain)

Meal 2 (2:30 pm): ½ lb burger patty seasoned with garlic powder, onion, powder, salt and pepper pan-cooked in avocado oil; 4 leaves romaine lettuce; 4 dill pickle spears; two large scoops of spicy guacamole

Meal 3 (7:30 pm): large sirloin steak grilled with spicy seasoning; ~1 cup of baby carrots steamed in water; medium baked russet potato with large glob of ghee

Supplement(s): Primal Kitchen Collagen Peptides  

Water Intake: ~90 oz

Steps: 11,546

Thoughts/Reflections: Not much to say. I tend to eat larger-than-necessary meals when I first start Whole30 to help combat all the things I’ve given up and tend to crave. So far, I’ve been alright though. I’ve been here before and the first couple of days tend to be pretty uneventful. That seems to be the case this time around too.

 I did skip breakfast this morning because I decided to sleep instead. I literally woke up early, took an early shower with good intentions to prepare and eat a breakfast. But then I decided I didn't want to deal with it so I went back to bed for another 45 minutes. That is honestly my greatest struggle with Whole30 - the food prep and cleanup. So much work. Guh! Not a good habit and one I've always struggled with when attempting Whole30, so I'll try for better tomorrow. 

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 3: Wednesday, April 18

Sleep Last Night: 6 hours 54 minutes (2:19 deep; 4:35 light; 0:05 awake)*

Wakeup: 5:05 am  

Meal 1 (5:45 am): three over-easy eggs cooked in leftover bacon fat; 2.5 slices of compliant bacon; served over small spiralized sweet potato and small spiralized russet potato cooked in ghee with salt, pepper, and Spice Cave Land seasoning 

Meal 2 (12:30 pm): medium piece of salmon baked in oven with 21-spice seasoning and BBQ sauce; ~1.5 cups steamed baby carrots; side salad of spinach with Primal Kitchen Caesar dressing

Snack (5:00 pm): Numi Organic Embrace tea with 1 scoop collagen powder

Meal 3 (7:30 pm): ~1 cup pulled pork with BBQ sauce, salt, and pepper; 6 small-ish leaves of romaine lettuce; ~1.5 cups cubed sweet potato pan-cooked in avocado oil with cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper; large spoonful of guacamole; ½ bottle of Harmless Harvest Coconut Water, which I drank while preparing the meal  

Supplement(s): Primal Kitchen Collagen Peptides  

Water Intake: ~100 oz

Steps: 9,310

Thoughts/Reflections: I’m already overwhelmed and annoyed by the time and effort it takes to meal plan and prep to eat this way. Guh. I really don’t mind being healthy. I genuinely enjoy the food and I love the way it makes me feel. But eating like garbage is just oh-so-much more convenient. Cocoa Puffs for breakfast takes 10 minutes. A Whole30 breakfast takes 45. Not cool.

*Slept with the pups

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 4: Thursday, April 19

Sleep Last Night: 9 hours 21 minutes (3:04 deep; 6:17 light; 0:01 awake)

Wakeup: 7:00 am  

Meal 1: none

Snack (9:00 am): Numi Organic Purpose tea with 1 scoop collagen powder

Meal 2 (12:10 pm): ~1.5 cups pulled pork with BBQ sauce, salt, and pepper; large baked russet potato with large glob of ghee; side salad of spinach with Primal Kitchen Caesar dressing; GT’s Synergy kombucha

Pre-Workout Meal (6:30 pm): two medium-boiled eggs + ~2 tablespoons coconut chips

Exercise (7:00 pm-7:40 pm): 3.15 mile trail run (4:1 interval) with 89 feet of elevation gain (167 average HR; 195 max HR)

Post-Workout Meal: none (I didn’t have anything to eat)

Meal 3 (9:30 pm): medium chicken breast grilled with spicy seasoning; large salad of romaine lettuce, bell pepper, cucumber, and onion with a generous amount of Primal Kitchen Caesar dressing

Supplement(s): Primal Kitchen Collagen Peptides  

Water Intake: ~90 oz

Steps: 16,054

Thoughts/Reflections: I decided to sleep in again rather than eat breakfast. I really need to not do that.  

On a positive note, I was super proud of myself for going trail running, despite getting off work much later than expected. And I felt really strong. I ran a 4:1 interval rather than my usual 3:1 interval and it felt good. My heart rate was high but I didn’t feel like I couldn’t do it. So yay me!

[metcat64]

Hi, I am enjoying reading your journal and I'm inspired that you do not give up. Nice job!

[cappiegirl47]

It sounds like you have been doing a great job. Your meal plans are varied and consist of many vegetables. I think lack of energy is pretty common as your body adjusts to not having sugar as a source of fuel anymore and the middle of the 30 can be the hardest. Keep up the great work

[kirbz]

Well, I'm back. Again. My goals haven't changed. My primary motivation is general health. I am determined to one day be that kick-ass, 80-year old lady on the trail. I want to feel good now and I want to feel good 50 years from now. I am doing this to kick-start a lifetime of healthy eating habits. One of the biggest deterrents to that is convenience (i.e., I generally tend to fall of the bandwagon because fast food and junk food is just so much easier) so I'll be looking for ways to make meal prep fast and easy. 

I also want to lose weight. I lost about 25 pounds doing Whole30 and then sticking with healthy eating for a few additional months last fall. But I've gained all of that weight back. I don't like the way this weight feels. 

When I first committed to this a few days ago, I had given myself an out. I told myself that I wouldn't bother to remain Whole30 if a good backpacking opportunity were to come up. But, I took that excuse away by buying a dehydrator. I plan to prepare my own Whole30 backpacking meals. Yay! In the end, that should not only save money but give me healthier options for eating meals in the backcountry. 

So, here we go again! 

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 1: Saturday, August 4

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 54 minutes (0:42 deep; 5:02 light; 3:10 REM; 0:30 awake)*

Wakeup: 8:15 am  

Meal 1 (9:30 am): three over-easy eggs cooked in leftover bacon fat; 2 slices of compliant bacon; served over medium spiralized sweet potato and medium spiralized russet potato cooked in ghee with salt, pepper, and Spice Cave Land seasoning; small glass of orange juice 

Meal 2 (4:30 pm): ~1½ chicken breast pan-cooked in avocado oil with Tessemae's BBQ sauce; ~2 cups of brussel sprouts pan-cooked in avocado oil with salt and pepper, plus a spoonful of ghee before serving; 1.5 snack packs of compliant chunky avocado; 1/3 GT's Gingerade kombucha 

Meal 3 (9:00 pm): ~1 chicken breast pan-cooked in avocado oil with Tessemae's BBQ sauce; ~2.5 cups of steamed baby carrots; snack pack of compliant chunky avocado; 2/3 GT's Gingerade kombucha 

Supplement(s): none

Water Intake: ~100 oz

Steps: 6,036

Thoughts/Reflections: Day 1! Again. Not too much to report. The first day has never been that hard. 

*Slept with the pups for half the night

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 1: Sunday, August 5

Sleep Last Night: 6 hours 24 minutes (0:42 deep; 4:24 light; 1:18 REM; 0:02 awake)*

Wakeup: 6:15 am  

Pre-Workout Meal: none (I really, really didn't feel like eating anything) 

Exercise (6:45 am-8:15 am): 3.51 mile hike with 702 feet of elevation gain (128 average HR; 178 max HR)

Post-Workout Meal: a few bites of chicken breast 

Meal 1 (9:30 am): three over-easy eggs cooked in leftover bacon fat; 2 slices of compliant bacon; served over medium spiralized sweet potato and medium spiralized russet potato cooked in ghee with salt, pepper, and Spice Cave Land seasoning; small glass of orange juice 

Meal 2: none (due to a long nap and some family stuff, I didn't get around to eating my second meal)

Meal 3 (8:30 pm): cauliflower "fried rice" with bacon, pork, chicken, carrots, kale, onion, green onion, and some sauce/seasoning (Paleo Running Momma Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chicken & Pork) 

Supplement(s): none

Water Intake: ~100 oz

Steps: 13,651

Thoughts/Reflections: I had a headache for much of the day. I'm not sure if it's due to not drinking enough water, napping during a loud movie, or if I'm having some "carb flu" symptoms. Note that I have never, in all the times I've started Whole30, had any negative symptoms when I started. 

*Slept with the pups 

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 3: Monday, August 6

Sleep Last Night: 8 hours 05 minutes (1:01 deep; 4:21 light; 2:43 REM; 0:27 awake)

Wakeup: 6:45 am  

Meal 1 (7:15 am): three scrambled eggs pan-cooked in avocado oil with salt and pepper (I realize this wasn’t enough food but I opted to sleep longer rather than cook)  

Meal 2 (12:00 pm): ~3 cups leftover cauliflower "fried rice" with bacon, pork, chicken, eggs, carrots, kale, onion, green onion, and some sauce/seasoning (Paleo Running Momma Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chicken & Pork); snack pack of compliant chunky avocado; full bottle of GT’s Gingerade kombucha 

Pre-Workout Meal (5:00 pm): 2 hard-boiled eggs + snack pack of Artisana Organics coconut butter  

Exercise (5:30 pm-6:30 pm): Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit + Insane Abs (partial only) (141 average HR; 178 max HR)

Post-Workout Meal (6:45 pm): a few bites of chicken breast + a few chunks of seasoned Japanese sweet potato + a few swallows of coconut water

Exercise (7:15 pm-7:45 pm): 1.72 mile walk around the neighborhood (no elevation gain; flat neighborhood terrain)

Meal 3 (8:30 pm): large sirloin steak grilled with spicy seasoning; large baked potato with ghee and salt; small side salad with mixed greens, cucumber, orange bell pepper, red onion and Primal Kitchen Ranch dressing

Supplement(s): none

Water Intake: ~120 oz

Steps: 11,280

Symptoms/NSVs:

• Constant, low-grade headache
• Less stomach bloat (which had been frequent as of late)

Thoughts/Reflections: Today felt like a good day. I was proud of the meals that I ate (despite that breakfast wasn’t ideal), the timing of them, and the amount of exercise I did. Mostly, I think this was a really well-balanced day and I want more of them!

Of course, I was working from home today so that helped a lot. I’m a bit nervous to go back to work tomorrow, which will be my first day of Whole30 at the office. There are a lot of tempting snacks in the room I work in and many offers of free, non-compliant lunches. I also tend to struggle with meal prep during the week (since I despise batch cooking). I honestly have very little prepare for tomorrow so we’ll see how it goes!  

[kirbz]

ROUND 2 Day 4: Tuesday, August 7

Sleep Last Night: 7 hours 28 minutes (0:40 deep; 4:35 light; 2:13 REM; 0:04 awake)*

Wakeup: 6:20 am  

Meal 1 (9:15 am): Wild Zora Curry Turkey meat and veggie bar; snack pack of Justin’s almond butter; organic apple squeeze pouch; Numi Embrace tea with one scoop collagen powder

Meal 2 (4:00 pm): ~3 cups leftover cauliflower "fried rice" with bacon, pork, chicken, eggs, carrots, kale, onion, green onion, and some sauce/seasoning (Paleo Running Momma Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chicken & Pork)

Meal 3 (8:30 pm): four chicken tenders pan-cooked in avocado oil with Tessemae’s BBQ sauce; one large handful of green beans pan-cooked in a very generous amount of ghee with salt and pepper; small side salad with herb greens and Primal Kitchen Ranch dressing; large scoop of guacamole; Cherry Lime La Croix  

Supplement(s): Primal Kitchen Collagen Peptides

Water Intake: ~50 oz

Steps: 6,891

Symptoms/NSVs:

• Strong cravings today
• Totally lacking in any sort of meal planning or strategy today

Thoughts/Reflections: I’m really struggling with the ad-hoc meal prep this time around. I despise big cook-ups and I resent the time it takes away from my weekend, but this week isn’t going so well with the ad-hoc cooking. And it’s costing A LOT of money. I might have to rethink how I approach this round to be successful… I almost convinced myself to give in and just buy an easy meal on the way home because I had no plans for dinner and nothing to cook with at home. I stayed strong though!

*slept with the pups for half the night