amyjo Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 So this is it! I heard about Whole30 on a blog--the writer is working on losing weight and managing her PCOS symptoms, just like me, so I thought I should check it out! I bought ISWF, and everything made SO MUCH SENSE. I've exercised, I've dieted, I've done various websites and programs, but until the hormone side of things was explained I could never figure out why those plans didn't work! So, in preparation, I've been stocking up on different ingredients. Sustainable canned tuna and salmon, coconut aminos, ghee, organic pastured butter (WF even had it on SALE--surely it was meant to be!), coconut milk, compliant vinegars, etc. I've also been collecting recipes on Pinterest so that I have lots of ideas--no excuses that I'm bored with the food! I'm planning on making some omelets in muffin tins that I can freeze and reheat--I'm definitely used to grab-and-go breakfasts. Part of my problem going into December was thinking "I'm doing a whole30, I'll eat whatever I want before then!" After one particular sugar-laden week, I'm glad to say I was feeling so crappy and gaining enough weight that I decided that was a bad idea (DUH! ). For Christmas Eve, we had salmon and green beans with almonds--delish! Just a good reminder that FOOD is delicious, and I feel so much better when I cut out the crap! My husband has started reading the book. At first he agreed to eat the dinners I cook, but now it sounds like he may want to go all in with me! Our biggest hurdle there will be figuring out lunches for him--something portable that doesn't need to be heated, with enough variety so he doesn't get sick of salads. Anyway, I'm just posting random thoughts to help me organize. I'm actually really excited to get started and see the results! (We still have one more Christmas this weekend, and will be on the road, so January 3rd it is!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb0426 Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 Welcome and best of luck! I hope your husband is 100% on board! That would be awesome! The rule around here is that you eat what I cook. Anything noncompliant has to be eaten in the garage. Before I head out to Whole Foods for butter (sale!!), I want to gently remind you that you will need to make clarified butter for it to be whole30 compliant. If you love to cook, and it sounds like you do, consider purchasing the cookbook Well Fed. In the meantime, check out her blog here: <a href='http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/"<theclothesmakethegirl</a> You are going to do great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyjo Posted December 28, 2012 Author Share Posted December 28, 2012 Thank you for the welcome! I'm hoping for the Well Fed cookbook for Christmas--hopefully that's what my Secret Santa picked! (My four siblings and our spouses do a gift exchange every year--we open presents tomorrow!) I've got clarifying butter on my to-do list for January 1st, along with some serious grocery shopping! The only cheesecloth I've found so far doesn't seem thick enough to really get the milk proteins out--do you have a brand or a store that has good cheesecloth for this process? Here would be a good place to make my to-do list for January 1st: 1. Clarify butter. 2. Make homemade mayo and avocado dressing. 3. Cook and freeze some egg-based breakfasts (any good portable, freezable, easy to grab breakfast ideas out there?) 4. Make sunshine sauce from The Clothes Make the Girl 5. Wash and chop as many veggies as possible to make prep easier. Anything I'm missing? I also ordered some sugar-free bacon and sugar-free breakfast sausage today. Hubby is worried about not having enough variety at breakfast, so I think this will help mix some other flavors in there. I've been thinking about the goals I want to accomplish with the whole30. Here are a few: -Get my LDL and triglycerides into normal ranges, and lower my A1C even more. (Last bloodwork was in April, and I go back for an annual physical this April. Good motivation to stay on track!) -Help alleviate the PCOS symptoms (less body hair, weight loss, less acne, more normal fasting blood sugars, as well as normal results for the tests listed above.) -Improve my mood. I find myself getting anxious for a few days at a time. I'm starting to think this may have something to do with my diet--curious to see how I feel during the whole30. -improve my energy level. Generally hubby and I sit in front of the TV when we get home from work, and I'd like to be watching less TV and doing more cleaning, organizing, and light exercise. Not to mention more date nights! -Slay the sugar dragon! When I was little, I told my dentist I had four sweet teeth (I thought the pointy ones were your "sweet tooth!"). Now, I think every tooth is a sweet tooth--that's got to change. -Most importantly, I want to get my body in shape so we can start a family. The idea of gestational diabetes scares the crap out of me, and I know a mother's nutrition is incredibly important. I want to have the healthiest body possible for the healthiest (future) pregnancy possible! Phew! I thought coming up with goals would be hard, but after reading all the good results others have had, I'm excited to see if those will translate to my experience. Off to see the family I go--I'll have more to report on January 1st when I become a cooking mad woman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb0426 Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 Looks like you are ready! The only thing left to do is HAVE FUN! After one attempt at clarified butter, I was afraid that I too had milk solids pass, so I chose to not use it until after my whole30. I purchase ghee ready to go. I LOVE homemade mayo. I far prefer it made with the apple cider vinegar than lemon juice, but encourage you to make it both ways to see what you enjoy. Veggie prep is KEY for me. On the weekends, I peel and chop sweet potatoes and butternut squash, I wash and cut into sticks both carrots and celery, and keep them in cold water in the refrigerator for either quick meal prep, or to go with lunch. Other veggies are easy enough for me to prepare right before the meal. If you don't have a crock pot BUY ONE and make some bone broth. Search on the site and you will get to some recipes. I always have some beef (my favorite) or some chicken stock ready to go for recipes as well as just drinking a cup in the morning or when I get home from work. When I got a bad cold recently, it only lasted 3 days. Coworkers have been dealing with it for weeks and I am convinced my broth was the miracle cure! One last comment (my goodness I am verbose today) I went from mindlessly watching TV every night to cleaning the kitchen, lunch prep, time with loved ones and reading. The TV doesn't ever come on anymore! Looking forward to your journey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberrantatavia Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 Hi Amy, Congrats on starting your journey - you sound like you are committed and excited! Also, don't limit yourself to "typical" breakfast type things for breakfast. One of my favorite breakfasts is pulled pork! Pulled pork fritatta is totally on the menu soon.... Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyjo Posted December 28, 2012 Author Share Posted December 28, 2012 I thought it'd be a good idea to make my meal plan today, so that when I get up on Tuesday (after driving nine hours on Monday!) I don't have to worry about planning, only shopping and prepping! My plan is to shop/prep twice a week, so that the meat and produce is as fresh as possible. I plan on this happening Saturdays and Tuesdays. Also, since we're coming back a day early, I'm going to start a day early! So here's what I've got: Meals: Wednesday (Day 1) Breakfast: Egg "muffins" (omelet ingredients baked in muffin pans) Lunch: Salad with beets, avocado, arugula, chicken, & dreamy avocado dressing Dinner: Pork chops with escarole & Balsamic onions Thursday (Day 2) Breakfast: Egg muffins Lunch: Leftover pork chops Dinner: Halibut with sugar snap pea salad Friday (Day 3) Breakfast: Egg muffins Lunch: Leftover halibut Dinner: Roast beef with mashed cauliflower Saturday (Day 4) Breakfast: Bacon, eggs, sweet potatoes Lunch: Leftover roast beef Dinner: Moist lemon chicken & Broccoli squash medley Snacks/sides on hand: Extra sweet potatoes, cucumbers with lemon and chili powder. Also making something called "sassy water" with cucumber, mint, and lemon in it to help with our vitaminwater withdrawal. Grocery list: Meat/fish/protein: 4 mild chicken sausages, 4 chicken breasts, 4 boneless pork chops, 4 (6 oz.) pieces of halibut, 2 lb. chicken thighs (bone-in), 2 dozen eggs Frozen: 16 oz. frozen cauliflower, 24 oz frozen broccoli Spices/herbs/flavorings/etc.: garlic, mint leaves, fresh thyme, fresh basil, fresh rosemary, 1/2 cup unsweetened dried cranberries, fresh ginger, 3 limes, 2 scallions, 4 lemons, 2 oranges Leafy greens: arugula, spinach, 1 head escarole Veggies: 1 red bell pepper, 2 carrots, 4 sweet potatoes, 1 avocado, 3 english cucumbers, 2 beets, celery, 2 small red onions, 12 oz. sugar snap peas (4 cups), 2 c. cubed butternut squash Canned goods: 2 cans coconut milk Prep on Day 0 (January 1st): Clarify butter Make mayo & avocado dressing Cut veggies that neeed cutting Roast beets & sweet potatoes Cook the chicken for my salad Make egg muffins (2 doz) Set out roast to thaw for Friday Make sassy water I also ordered some premade paleo meals in case there's a night I don't feel like cooking (that has definitely been known to happen ). There are a few foods that I'm curious to see if I'm still hungry for after whole30. Sushi (I think definitely I will still want it!), ice cream (wondering if it will make my stomach hurt), soy sauce (to go with the sushi!), chobani yogurt (mainly for convenience--I have one every day for breakfast, that's why I'm not too worried about repeating breakfasts ), wine & beer (don't think so), bread with balsamic and olive oil (so yummy!) cheese (I'm not sure about this one), and bubbies ice cream mochi treats (ooh, so good!) Hopefully I'll be at the point where I can enjoy them (especially the favorites) without bingeing on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karin Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 You are so organized already! You will do great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jtandi Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 I am like you, I need to plan the week's menu or it will be a frantic search at the end of the day for SOMETHING... I have started to prepare, too. here's my final weekend push along with my other prep: - finish getting rid of everything in my pantry (I have unopened in one cabinet to donate, opened in another to pass along most likely to my parents) and restock - make almond milk - make some stock (chicken and beef) - I bought 25 paleo packs (we ended up breaking into them a couple weeks ago when we needed a quick snack - they were AWESOME) - I bought some Lara bars and have placed some in the car, my locker at work, and my diaper bag - I bought some pre-made Paleo meals and had them delivered a week ago, they are stocked in my freezer and ready for those nights when dinner ain't happening - make some dips/sauces - I bought two cookbooks and went through recipes with the family last night to find which they would eat I think that's it...I did buy ghee and will buy a tray of cut veggies. I made meatballs a couple weeks ago and froze them, but didn't make anything else even though the intent was there, now I just have a bunch of frozen chicken breast and ground beef in my freezer, which is fine, too! WE CAN DO THIS! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karin Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Yes you can! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michele West Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 You're off to a great start Amy! I too am beginning the Whole 30 on January 3rd. I made my meal plan for the week, picked up some groceries at Trader Joe's, ordered Ghee and Coconut Aminos off of Amazon and ordered some sausage, bacon and bison from US Wellness. I'll make one more trip to pick up groceries on January 2nd. That's also the day that I'll be cleaning out my fridge and pantry. My husband is going to be joining me. We have a 4 year old little girl and I'll slowly be introducing her to the lifestyle also! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstepikura Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 my wife get sweet potato sushi from our japanese place around the corner. you can make some too. almost completely cook a sweet potato and cool it over night. then take a mandeline or slice it thinny lengthwise. i usually by salmon or tuna and cut chunks across the grain. a little piece of avacado and maybe a celery stick for crunch. wrap up using plastic wrap to make the roll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grokette Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Amy, your meal plan looks delicious! I'll be following along, and you will do great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyjo Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 Alright, shopping day! Now I just need to figure out when Whole Foods opens today... I forgot hubby has a class tomorrow night, but he is going to be a champ with me and start a day early, too! I'll be subbing out taco salad (seasoned ground beef cooked with onions & green peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, complaint salsa, and avocado) so he has something a little more portable for himself. Think I'll take halibut off the menu to save my pocketbook a little more. I did get Well Fed for Christmas! I'm so excited! I did see a sushi recipe in there, and that sweet potato sushi sounds delish, jstepikura! Chocolate Chili will definitely be on the menu next time around! Also, as a nice bonus, my family sent me home with a ton of beef raised by local farmers in South Dakota. I know these animals are definitely treated well, and while not certified organic, I know they are not being given antibiotics and hormones like candy, either. Also, they are pastured, but usually corn-finished. While not perfect, I know it's definitely high-quality meat, and you can't argue with free! Wish me luck in finding cheesecloth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyjo Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 Oh, man, I am tired! Grocery shopping only took about an hour--between Whole Foods and King Soopers, the only thing I couldn't find was fresh rosemary. Guess dried will have to do--I was not about to drive to a third store! I was not really prepared for my grocery bill--$175! Yikes!! I'm going to have to start planning meals around the beef we have in the freezer and what's on sale. I'm also thinking I might stick to Whole Foods for the meat and go to King Soopers (our local Kroger chain) for the produce and frozen stuff. Also, I'm pretty sure I overdid it on the meat. I think the longer I do this, the better I'll get at estimating how much protein we really need. I prepped for about 2 1/2 hours. I baked chicken breasts for salad, made taco meat, baked the egg muffins, boiled the sweet potatoes, chopped all the veggies, hard-boiled some eggs (hopefully they come out, I can never get them cooked enough at this altitude!), and clarified the butter. I didn't get around to making the mayo or the avocado dressing, but I'll do that tomorrow while hubby's at his class. I was beat, so we went out for a "last meal." I was planning on going all out, but after two beers, a cup of french-onion soup, and half an appetizer order of chicken lettuce wraps with peanut sauce, I was stuffed! We had talked about getting some frozen yogurt, but were proud of ourselves for not forcing it down just because we could. Day 1 starts tomorrow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyjo Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 Ugh. Woke up sick this morning. Was getting a sore throat yesterday afternoon, hoped I was imagining it. Nope, sore throat, stuffy nose, upset stomach, feeling feverish, and I slept like crap. Wish I could have a cough drop, but I know most of them have sugar. I'm going to drink lots of hot coffee and tea and push forward. I'm staying home to rest up and hopefully get over this before it gets too bad. Wish I could have that improved immunity that I've heard people talk about right now! Alright, back to bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derval Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Feel better soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyjo Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 Thanks! I stayed home, slept for a few hours, and feel like the sore throat is getting better. Lots of rooibos tea and some coffee helped that. I weighed myself this morning, and took "before" pictures last night. I'm excited to see the difference! I'll just say that my weight ended in 0.4 (so I don't forget the specifics). The scale is in the desk drawer, not to be seen until February. The egg muffins were pretty yummy for breakfast, although a little dry--I think I'll pull them out of the oven sooner next time. My salad with arugula, beets, cucumbers, chicken, avocado, celery, and lemon vinaigrette was delicious, but I could only eat about half. I was worried I didn't get enough calories, so I grabbed about three cashews and ate a few spoonfuls of coconut milk--yummy! I put up some chicken soup for supper--celery, onions, carrots, parsley, and the leftover chicken with chicken broth in the crockpot. I think that will be absolutely perfect tonight. Hubby took some cut up peppers, celery, carrots, hard boiled eggs, and cashews to his class tonight. Some friends wanted to get together. They've been really supportive of my whole30, and we're planning a potluck at my place next week. I'm going to make salmon with green beans and berries with whipped coconut cream so that I have something to eat for dessert with them. I'm glad I still stuck with the plan to start my whole30 today-Day 1 is on track! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyjo Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 Day 2 Okay, they weren't messing around when they were talking about "The Hangover" on today's post. I felt fuzzy all morning (did I mention better mental focus was another goal for my whole30?) and now I have a SPLITTING headache. Uggghh...drinking lots of water. This could also be due to two nights in a row of crappy sleep because of my cold. On a positive note, I do feel like I'm getting over this cold faster than normal--usually I'm stuffed up and have a sore throat for days. Not sure if it's just a shorter-lived virus or if all the veggies and soup helped yesterday. B: Chicken soup and several cashews L: Taco salad with seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and compliant salsa. D: Will be pork chops with the tops from my beets and balsamic onions One thing I forgot to mention about grocery shopping was how nice it was to be proud of what was in my cart. I generally only do self-checkout, because I didn't want the cashier judging the fat girl buying oreos and ice cream. But at WF the other day, there wasn't one item in there that inspired guilt or shame. Good feeling. On the other hand, last night watching TV all I wanted was a frosty from Wendy's, which I normally don't even like that much anyway--I haven't had one in years! I'm not sure if I'm eating enough, either. Yesterday in particular felt a little light on calories, but I'm trying to trust my body. I was hungry before bed, but did not want to eat. I was starving by the time lunch came around today--I probably could have done with more protein and fat in my breakfast. Will have a nice hearty dinner and probably go to bed early to fight off this headache. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derval Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Cart pride! brilliant! hope you feel better today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyjo Posted January 5, 2013 Author Share Posted January 5, 2013 Day 3 Feeling pretty good today. Slept poorly again last night, and woke up with the headache again. I think it's part sinus, part carb flu. I did take some tylenol last night and today--not ideal, but I was not going to get through work with such a splitting headache! Last night before dinner hubby and I had some of the toasted coconut from Well Fed--so delicious! It was definitely a much-needed reminder that this is not about deprivation. Although I do need to stay away from TV commercials and all the crazy carby recipes on Pinterest. I"m running out of tupperware! And doing tons of dishes! I bought more glass containers last night after one of my perfectly-sized plastic ones cracked. On the plus side, I'm getting creative; I guess this is how a paleo girl uses a sandwich saver B: Chicken soup, macadamia nuts, banana L: Leftover pork chop, sweet potatoes, a baby carrot and two red pepper strips, and blueberries D: The most amazing lemon chicken and butternut squash/broccoli/walnut/cranberry dish: I'm loving cooking with my clarified butter! And it's been fun trying new dishes, even if a lot of work. I sort of felt I was in a cooking rut before this, and this is a wonderful way to try new recipes, ingredients, and cooking methods. I feel like my skin is clearer already. I had white bumps that would pop up between my eyebrows, and those are gone, and I don't have any new acne popping up. I feel less bloated--I even kept my jeans on at home after work, they didn't feel snug like usual. Usually I am OUT of those as soon as I get home! It seems like my nails are growing faster. I'm a biter, so I can tell. I don't know, maybe I'm imagining this, but I'll take whatever motivation I can get! Hubby and I are not at the "Must kill each other" phase yet--apparently that starts tomorrow, where we'll be together ALL weekend. This should be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyjo Posted January 5, 2013 Author Share Posted January 5, 2013 Here's my Pinterest board with the recipes I've been collecting: http://pinterest.com/amyjo1985/whole30-ideas/ I've seen others sharing their boards--I love other sources of inspiration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derval Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 Doing great Amy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michele West Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 I started following you on Pinterest Amy! The more ideas the better. I'm with you on the not sleeping. This is the 2nd night in a row for me:( I'm drinking some sleepytime tea and I'm hoping that it works! My link for Pinterest is below if you're interested. Keep up the good work! http://pinterest.com/michele_n77/whole-30/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyjo Posted January 5, 2013 Author Share Posted January 5, 2013 Just followed you Michele! You've got some great recipes on there! I did finally sleep last night--in fact, I fell asleep on the couch at 8:30, went to bed at 10, and slept like a rock until 5:00! I've been having pretty vivid dreams these past few nights, too. On Wednesday night I dreamt that the Top Chef contestants were cooking me food, and I kept having to say "No, you can't use that!" I had just watched an episode where they made "healthier" versions of dishes. One chef used tofu to make gravy. Funny how your perception of healthy changes! Some good news--I woke up hungry! Yay for correcting hormonal derangement! I never wake up hungry, but I always force myself to eat a little something. Hubby is excited for a freshly cooked breakfast, so I ate three egg muffins and a banana--I may have a little more with him since I ate so dang early. Still battling the cold, but feeling much better. Today will be meal planning and grocery shopping. And I've decided to finally buy a keurig--I'm spending so much time prepping food in the morning, the hassle of my french press (grinding the beans, boiling the water, waiting the four minutes) just doesn't seem worth it anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladunn Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 Hey Amy! Looks like you're really plugging away at this. I know what you mean with the grocery bill....I started shopping at whole foods about a year or more ago and hated how much money I was spending. I started looking around for other meat sources. For a while now I've been ordering grass fed & pastured meat online at uswellnessmeats.com They're prices are reasonable (although higher that conventional meats) and if you sign up for their newsletter, they do a hidden code about twice a month for 15% off your entire order. I'm also now stalking you on pinterest...and you too Michelle!! It's nice if you can follow a bunch of paleo people instead of just exploring and seeing all the yummy (but so so terrible) deserts and pasta dishes everyone else posts. My board isn't 100% Whole30 compliant...but here's the link if interested http://pinterest.com/ladunn24/paleo-recipes/ Best of luck moving forward!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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