Matt's January Whole30

[littleg]

Have you read any of Katy Bowman's stuff?  If you just want some ideas about "blindspots" her stuff is worth looking at.  Move Your DNA is her most popular book and she highlights lots of examples of accommodating "sticky" areas.  For example, lots of people just move their backs and ribs to move their arms because their shoulders are so stuck.  

[Juice06870]

I checked her website, doesn't seem like my thing.  Thanks for the recommendation though.  Speaking of books, I need to find my Supple Leopard book and get moving on that.

[Juice06870]

Day 16 (over half-way home!)

Up at 540AM, foam rolling and mobility work.  Had to leave super early for work, so at home I only had a very large coffee with a small scoop of Ghee.  Threw together a quick breakfast to bring to the office.  

B: leftover baked chicken thighs over cauli-rice.  Medium Yam.  Large avocado.

L: Beef taco meat over cauli rice with hot sauce.  Cucumber and baby tomato salad with Tessemae's ranch dressing (about 1 oz)

After work I wanted to take my son to a local basketball game, so I needed a snack since I would be eating a late dinner.

Snack: half avocado

D: (around 930pm) 2 cups of egg whites (my wife bought them thinking I would need them, I normally wouldn't eat them except post workout), scrambled with mushrooms.  Side of tessemae's ketchup for dipping.  Solid coconut milk.  

No gym for the day.  I felt pretty good though, pretty consistent energy.  Mood has was a lot better as well which is nice.  Although I have realized that a lot was/is probably contributing to my crankiness over and above being on the Whole30.  (Bought and renovating a house, waiting to sell my current place - buyer's lender fell through in December, and we are hoping for confirmation of the 2nd attempt at the loan this week, also handling a deceased relative's estate which is located out of state, and my father has recently checking into a nursing home and I am handling the Medicaid application process for my mom).   On the bright side I am not having a few drinks every night to try to ease the tension.  A good workout tonight would probably help.  

 

[Juice06870]

So much for that workout last night.  Came home from work to find our heat was not working.  The technician didn't show up until 930pm and it turns out they need to order a part today in order to fix it.  So my wife and I camped out in the kid's room since we put the space heater in there for them.  I slept on the floor and I actually feel fine this morning.  I was expecting to wake up really stiff and sore.  Maybe a result of the time spent working on my body this month?  Or just lucky?

Yesterday was day 17:

B: 4 eggs scrambled with leftover beef taco meat w/ hot sauce.  Sauteed kale w/ sea salt.  Solid coconut milk.

L: Baked chicken thighs over cauli-rice.  Sliced yellow pepper (raw).  Large avocado.

Snack: macadamia nuts and walnuts. (perhaps I needed a bit more food at lunch)

D: Baked chicken thighs over cauli-rice.  Baked cumin carrots.  Almond butter.  Herbal tea.

 

I buy organic chicken thighs (skinless) at Costco, they come in a pack that is anywhere from 5.5 lbs to 6.5 lbs, so there is always a lot to cook .  This partially explains why I eat it so often.  There is just so much of it in the fridge.  It's very easy to pull a few pieces out and slice them up.  Plus the thighs do not get dry after a couple of days in the fridge like chicken breast would.  The cauli-rice is also from Costco.  There are 5 large frozen bags per pack.  One bag is good for 2 meals for me, and it only takes 5 minutes to zap it in the microwave.  I can cook a bag of that in the morning while I am making breakfast and use it for my lunch, and the leftovers either for dinner or lunch the next day.  I know I'm going to get tired of the chicken sooner or later so I need to start mixing something different in aside from the grass fed ground beef that has been the go-to alternative so far...

[AnitaC]

Oof, just read your Day 16 entry. Good luck with everything. It's been almost seven years but I still remember everything about the day we put my dad in a long-term care home. Hardest day of my life (and he's since passed). All the best to you and it's great you can take the pressure off your mom.

[Juice06870]

On 1/18/2018 at 12:56 PM, AnitaC said:

Oof, just read your Day 16 entry. Good luck with everything. It's been almost seven years but I still remember everything about the day we put my dad in a long-term care home. Hardest day of my life (and he's since passed). All the best to you and it's great you can take the pressure off your mom.

Thank you!

[Juice06870]

Catching up here on a few tardy entries:

Day 18:  Heat was not working in the house, so I was not getting up early to do any foam rolling or mobility.  

B: Coffee with small spoonful of grass-fed ghee, 5 eggs scrambled with red peppers and hot sauce.  Baked broccoli.  Solid coconut milk.

L: Baked chicken thighs over cauli rice. Cumin roasted carrots.  Walnuts.

D: Grilled chicken breast,sauteed kale, half avocado.  

Workout: some strength work and a Crossfit WOD at 9pm  Not a great workout, not much energy or motivation.  

Post WO: egg whites and Tessemae's ketchup.  

In bed late, close to midnight.

 

 

[Juice06870]

Day 19:

Up around 615, did 15 mins of mobility work.  

B: 5 eggs scrambled with butternut squash cubes.  Sautéed kale.  Quarter avocado and small handful macadamia nuts.

L: Chicken thighs over cauli rice.  Baked broccoli.  Macadamia nuts and some almond butter.

D: Grilled chicken breast, baked butternut squash, brussels sprouts, tessemae's ranch dip, whole avocado.  Kombucha.  

Was pretty tired in the evening since I stayed up so late the night before.  In bed by about 10pm and asleep right away. 

[Juice06870]

Day 20:

Pre WO: 3 oz grilled chicken

Workout: basic bro workout - some bench press and other chest work + 30 minutes of cardio.    Also 20 min mobility work.

Post WO: 4 oz grilled chicken

B: 5 eggs scrambled with medium sweet potato, cauli rice, fruit salad.

L: 7 oz grilled chicken, large avocado, brussels sprouts and broccoli

D: baked chicken thighs with Tessemae's ketchup.  Steamed, mixed veggies with Tessemae's Ranch.  Diced, sauteed mini white potatoes (sauteed in avocado oil)

 

Day 21: 

Mobility work on waking up

Pre WO: 3 oz grilled chicken

Workout: Crossfit WOD

Post WO: 4 oz grilled chicken and small sweet potato.  Coffee.  

Meal 1 (1pm): Nom Nom Paleo stir fry with pork from whole foods (all compliant ingredients), sauteed ginger carrots

Meal 2 (530pm): Baked, organic buffalo wings. (tossed in coconut oil, salt & pepper, baked 45 min, then tossed in Frank's Red Hot) for the football games. No veggies, boo!

Meal 3 (830pm): 1/2 can coconut milk & RX Bar.  (I wanted to get a 3rd meal in before it got too late, and since I ate a lot of wings during the football games, I could not stomach an actual "meal" at that hour.  Excuses, excuses!  I know.

 

Day 22:

Didn't sleep great the night before, was awoken by my daughter around 245am, and I did not fall back asleep until about 5am.  Too much on my mind.

B: 5 eggs scrambled with diced sweet potato, sauteed kale.  Cauli rice.  2 large coffees

L: Chicken thighs and brussels sprouts over cauli rice & hot sauce. Full avocado

Snack: handful macadamia nuts.

D: 2 Trader Joe's chicken sausages (compliant ingredients).  Steamed, mixed veggies with Tessemae's Ranch. Small serving butternut squash.  Half cup coconut milk.

No gym, was tired from the night before and wanted to be in bed before 10 (I met this goal, slept all night and woke up before my alarm today fresh as a daisy.  Will get a good solid workout in later tonight hopefully).

[Juice06870]

Day 23: 

In bed by 10pm the night before.  Woke up before my alarm - 535am.  Rolled out of bed before 6 and did some foam rolling and mobility work.  

B: 5 eggs scrambvled with diced red potatoes, sauteed kale, raw peppers, macadamia nuts.

L: Chicken thighs, sweet potato, brussels sprouts.  Cucumber and tomato salad with EVOO.

D: Baked chicken thighs, sauteed diced potatoes, baked cumin carrots, 1/2 can coconut milk.

Workout 915pm: 30 minute Crossfit WOD

Post WO: 1 cup egg whites and Tessemae's ketchup.

 

Day 24: 

Up before alarm - 530am.  Rolled out of bed a little before 6 for foam rolling and mobility work.

B: 5 eggs scrambled with mushrooms, peppers and diced potatoes.  1/4 can coconut milk.

L: Chicken thighs and hot sauce over cauli rice.  Cucumber and tomato salad with EVOO.  Small amount of macadamia nuts.

Snack: walnuts

D: Can of tuna with Primal Mayo (compliant).  Diced potatoes and cumin carrots.  Macadamia nuts.  

Workout 9pm: Heavy squats and light squat cleans.  Crappy workout.  Not motivated, knees hurt, elbows were stiff.  Weight felt heavy.  Hips and ankles felt tight.   Glad I went though.  

Post WO: 3 oz grilled chicken. 

 

Overall feeling somewhat tired, sleeping well, but the constant late workouts mean I am going to bed at least 75 minutes later than I normally would.  I need to find a way to make a change to my workout schedule sooner or later to make up for that.  I think it's the only thing really giving me a problem right now.  Still pretty cranky too, but probably due to lack of consistently long sleep.  

[Juice06870]

day 25:

Slept in, very tired.  (645am)

B: 6 oz grilled chicken, small sweet potato, sautéed kale, coffee with large scoop of ghee.  

L: Salad with grilled chicken, hearts of palm, avocado, tomatoes etc.  EVOO and balsamic.

Snack: walnuts & RX Bar

Very tired in the afternoon and evening.

D: 7 oz grilled chicken, compliant mayo (Primal Foods brand), small serving butternut squash, scoop or 2 almond butter.  In bed by 10.

 

Day 26: 

Up at 615, felt slightly less tired

Foam rolling & mobility right away.

B: 5 eggs with small sweet potato, mushrooms and hot sauce.  Large coffee with large scoop of ghee.

L: Nom Nom Paleo dishes from Whole Foods: shredded port with pineapple, brussels sprouts w/ bacon and some chicken.  Kombucha.

Snacks: Walnuts (at work), some Epic pork rinds, a date and a couple of bites of fruit (at home prior to making and eating dinner)

D: Grass fed ground beef with compliant sauce over spaghetti squash, 1/2 can coconut milk

Exhausted by 830, in bed and fast asleep by 915 or 930pm.  

 

I'm aware of the snacking and I usually try to avoid it, but if I know it will be a while before my next meal then I will go ahead and have the Rx Bar or the nuts.  I generally try to cut down on the fruit though because i feel like it's unnecessary sugar that I do not need, but I guess I still need some more time to kick those sweet cravings.  Although day 30 is fast approaching, I feel like I need a few more days at least to try to really get myself fully reset.  

 

I am feeling a lot better and less full and bloated compared to December and November.  It's been REALLY nice getting up the morning and not being slow and foggy due to drinking the night before.  Surprisingly I have not really had any strong cravings for a drink at all this entire time.  I thought that would be the toughest thing to fight.  I think it's because I really drank a LOT between Nov. and Dec. that I turned myself off to it.  My work pants, while still tight, seem to be fitting better now (I had to expand my belt by 1 hole a few months ago, and I am not yet close to getting that hole back, but I didn't expect that to happen in 30 days).  

[Juice06870]

day 27:

Slept in until 715am.

Mobility work on waking.  Spent most of the day running around the house packing things up for our move across town to a bigger place.  Dropped off a bunch of stuff at the house as well that I don't trust the movers with. 

B: Chicken breast with compliant mayo, coffee with scoop of ghee (no veggies, boo!)

L: ground beef and mushrooms with compliant sauce over spaghetti squash, whole plantain sliced and fried in coconut oil, dusted with sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Pre WO: 

RX bar, coconut milk

Workout:

Crossfit WOD - excellent workout, felt good, motivated, limber and strong.  

Post WO:

Egg whites and hot sauce

D: Thai red curry with chicken over cauliflower rice.

Excellent energy levels all day, this carried over to the evening - i was wide awake until almost midnight   Better than feeling crappy though.  

 

[Juice06870]

Sorry i have some catching up to do here.  Life has been quite busy the past few months, but especially this past week.  

 

Day 28:

Couldn't fall asleep until midnight, and then was up at 5am today.  

B: 3 pieces compliant bacon, whole plaintain (sliced, fried in coconut oil, dusted w/ sea salt, nutmeg and cinnamon), 4 eggs with mushrooms and hot sauce.

L: Chilled shrimp with squeezed lemon. Butternut squash, coconut milk (about 1/4+ of a can)

Snack: RX Bar & Macadamia Nuts

D: Chop't salad with grilled chicken, avocado, baby tomatoes, hearts of palm.

No workout, was quite busy with other stuff all day.

 

Day 29:

Foam rolling and mobility upon waking

B: 5 eggs scrambled with small sweet potato and mushrooms, sauteed kale.

L: Baked chicken thighs over cauli rice w/ hot sauce.  Fried, sliced plantain, (in coconut oil), 1/4+ can coconut milk

D: grass fed taco meat over cauli rice, diced sweet potatoes, macadamia nuts.

Workout: heavy front squats and Crossfit WOD (excellent workout, felt strong and energized)

Post WO: 4 oz grilled chicken breast

 

Day 30 (!!)

Foam rolling and mobility on waking

B: 5 eggs with sweet potato and mushrooms.  1/4 (ish) can coconut milk

CLOSED ON THE SALE OF OUR TOWNHOUSE.  Been waiting for this for a long time, we should have closed on the sale in December but the lender screwed over my buyer.  So he had to go back and start all over.  Meanwhile we had purchased a new house in November and have been pumping some money into that for some renovations and updating.  THANK god it worked out, if we had to put the place on the market now, it would have been a disaster.  

We sold it directly since we know the buyer, so avoided the commission and hassle of having to stage and show the place.  We met him and his wife after closing for lunch to celebrate.  I broke the whole30 rule on alcohol a day early - I was hoping not to, but I was so relieved that really wanted to toast with them.  Food wise I was fine though

L: Seared tuna over salad with citrus vinegarette.  Club soda...

....oh and a vodka soda and 2 bottles of white Italian wine (I shared the 2 bottles of course)

Snack: handful macadamia nuts

D: Grass fed taco meat over spaghetti squash, diced white potatoes, kombucha.  

Took my son to a local basketball game and then had some almond butter afterwards since dinner was somewhat earlier than normal.

 

Whole30 complete!  But it's not over yet.  I have maintained it since then and will do so for a while longer if I can help it.  I will write a separate entry soon on my thoughts, challenges, goals met etc for the Whole30.