AliS's Whole30 Log

[AliS]

I'm glad I found this page. I felt like even after my first day yesterday I needed a place to log, talk things out and maybe get other feedback in a hopefully decently safe zone. I am ok with tough love too... so if I'm doing something wrong... call me out! 

Day 1: 

B: 3 eggs, spinach, & tomatoes cooked in a little olive oil 
L: chicken cooked in a little olive oil in a skillet, then topped with Marie Sharp Habanero sauce, then roasted purple cauliflower, green beans, and diced white potatoes that was tossed in olive oil, salt, and various herbs
D: Homemade Vegetable Soup w/ Organic Beef Bone Broth (veggies in soup: petit potatoes, okra, green beans, cabbage, baby bella mushrooms, spinach, carrots, onion, garlic, celery, can of diced tomatoes), also had 4 shrimp cooked in fresh lemon -- no fat added to anything for dinner b/c I had to have a Fat Free dinner for my ultrasound this morning. 
S: Strawberries & baby carrots

I've done really good for a Day 1. I had one Diet Coke craving but it was more situational craving than me really wanting one.... my son and I were driving to an appointment & we were really early and I was thirsty and I wanted to bad to stop for a Diet Coke. But I got water instead. 
After dinner though, something started happening... I don't know if it's normal... and TMI alert... but things are now going through me fairly quickly. I don't know if it's the habanero sauce (it's happened once, but that was when I was actually in Belize & we ate it every meal for 3 days straight... but I've had in since with no problem) or the new abundance of fruits & veggies..... 

It's still happening today. 

[AliS]

Day 2:  By 1pm the "issue" has so far resolved itself. Whew!  I hit 2 moments of just a bit of crash & maybe a little low sugar? So I did eat a little more fruit today than I intended. Breakfast was super late & "on the fly" b/c I had my ultrasound and couldn't eat before. But I planned ahead and took it with me. I usually eat around 6:30-7am but today I couldn't eat or drink anything until 8:45am and had to eat in my car from the appointment to work. A little rough when you start your day about 6am! 

B: 2 hardboiled eggs & an apple

L: leftover shrimp from last night & roasted okra, serrano peppers, & broccoli 

D: 5 oz steak**, boiled salted sweet potato, veggie kabob which had mushrooms, tomato, zucchini, & onion on it. Steak was grass-fed organic.... it was delicious. My husband is doing Whole30 with me & he said if we had chicken everyday he'd be a cranky man. So I made sure these 4 lunch/dinner didn't repeat chicken... he didn't have chicken today at all. (tomorrow though he gets it twice!) 

S: strawberries (8 total), 1/3 of a banana

 

**Our favorite seasoning steak rub is Daddy Hinkles which has a lot of sugar in it so I decided to make my own based off their ingredient list... it came out wonderful!! I didn't measure anything though!! It was salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, celery seed, paprika, turmeric 

 

No soda cravings & my headache only lasted a little bit & didn't even need to take medicine for it. 

 

 

[AliS]

Day 3: I've noticed even already that I'm sleeping much better. I haven't had the "flu" or crash really at all. No real cravings.... I'm very surprised by it all b/c I'm usually someone who has great cravings. I'm making sure my meals though are enjoyable & flavorful. 

B: 3 eggs cooked in olive oil, 2 halos

L: red curry -- chicken, carrots, green beans, some potato over riced cauliflower 

D: Leftover soup from Day #1

S: carrots & apple 

My biggest crash moment is really about 3-ish... doesn't matter what diet I'm on, what I do.... it always hits, I'm always really hungry. 

[AliS]

Day 4: My dad brought pizza to work today. I teased him when he asked me if I wanted any but really I had no FOMO or craving for it. This is really weird b/c normally when I cut a lot of junk out I do crash, but the opposite really seems to be happening so far. I had had blood work done and part of the reason of starting Whole30 was b/c I was actually afraid my A1C was crazy... that wasn't it, it was inflammation & high cholestorol levels. The dr. put me on a baby aspirin & told me to cut out the junk & reduce my carbs. I let him know I had already started Whole30 & he seemed happy with that response. With my blood pressure, thyroid, unresolved pain (diverticulitis maybe? Ultrasound came out clean) on my left side, now inflammation & cholestorol ... I'm happy to be doing this. DH is struggling... he's feeling "the flu" bad. It's usually the other way around. 

B: 3 eggs cooked in olive oil (left my apple on the counter!!) <--- got to find something else to eat... I'm getting tired of eggs

L: Balsamic chicken w/ mushrooms, roasted cauliflower, radishes, okra, seranno peppers & broccoli (Take that Pizza!! It was delicious and filling! I love mixing up a lot of veggies together)

D: Chicken w/ artichoke & spinach coconut milk sauce (LOVED IT! Told my husband I called the dibs for lunch leftovers!), & Green beans

[AliS]

Day 5 (yesterday): A few things I've noticed that have already changed since starting Whole30.... 5 days in. 

1. My family is eating at the dinner table. We've eaten dinner at the table 3 out of the 5 days! We're lucky to eat together 1 day a week b/c we've been just taking our meals (me) away b/c I don't feel good, I'm stressed, the food is just food that's really only good in front of a tv mindlessly eating. Monday & Wednesday was the only day we didn't all eat together, but that was b/c of 2 heading to Cub Scouts while I cooked on Monday and 2 of us ate earlier than the other & then 3 of us ate our food at church on Wednesday and my husband has band practice. 

2. I'm enjoying cooking again. I used to love to cook, but over the last year or so I got out of the habit. 

3. I'm sleeping better. Other than my VERY realistic dream last night of me drinking most of a Diet Coke & Club Sandwich and then realizing in my dream half way I'm on Whole30 and I'd have to start over and then me forcing myself awake to make myself realize it was a dream.... my sleep has been great. 

4. My kids are talking about "healthy eating". They're not quite 100% there... but for them right now I'm losing the battles to win the war. For example, I took my youngest (he's 4 and super addicted to sugar/carbs... it scares me... he eats like my sister. My 8 year old has always loved fruits & veggies) to Sprouts yesterday and he said he was hungry. He wanted Animal Crackers. I told him we weren't buying those anymore so he could pick a fruit or vegetable. After him repeatedly stating he "didn't like anything", he slumped into moppy until we got to the bulk section. He pipped up and then started directing me around the bins. While I thought he was taking me to the gummy worms, he took me to the nuts and said he wanted peanuts. I know it's not Whole30, but I was at least happy with that choice of losing a battle to win the war and got him a little scoop for him to eat after we paid. 

Food Log:

B: 2 1/2 eggs scrambled with tomato & spinach

L: leftover of yesterday's dinner -- I had plans to meet with a friend for lunch. I ate before I went at work & then just had an unsweetened ice tea with a little bit of lemon. It was the first time I actually enjoyed iced tea & didn't have FOMO of the food. I really had bought it just to have something in my hands. 

D: Mediterranean Cod dredged in almond flour (which i ended up scrapping off... next time I won't bother), & seasonings (I leave those) cooked in olive oil & ghee & lemon w/ garlic. Roasted petite potatoes & baby bellas on the side. 

[AliS]

Day 6 (yesterday):

Had my girl's night. Everything I made was Whole30 and everyone enjoyed it!! It was A LOT of work... but the good news is I'm pretty much prepped for quite a few days. 

B: baked potato w/ bacon, avocado & 2 eggs 

L: Didn't really eat lunch since I was so busy in the kitchen... but I did sample what I was making so 1 meatball & few pieces of fruit, a couple carrots with the ranch I made, a burger bite & a few pickle slices

D: made my plate for girl's night a couple meatballs w/ marinara  & burger bites, some jalapeno poppers, fruit, veggies, compliant ranch, a spinach artichoke potato boat thing... it was Whole30 complaint. I had sent my friend the recipe & some of the ingredients & she made it,  fruit infused water.

 

 

[AliS]

Day 7: Today wasn't as great as following on the meal template. Everything was Whole30 compliant though. I did go to a Super bowl party (that was bacon themed) & only ate the food I took (which ended up being the jalapeno poppers & bacon wrapped cut up hotdogs, grapes & pineapple b/c I had a few burger bites at home right before hand and then filled up really fast. No one at the party new my Jalapeno Poppers were Whole30 and I only asked the host if she knew if anyone had a nut allergy b/c of the cashews.... but they were a BIG hit! When I was leaving there were 3 left & I asked and 2 people came over and grabbed them... which was fine. I'm done with those for awhile. They were good, but 2 days in a row and I'm done. I didn't get a lot of veg in and did get probably way too much bacon.... I am so over bacon right now.
 

B: 3 eggs, 2 leftover jalapeno poppers and 1/2 of a leftover spinach artichoke potato thing (so 1/4 of a potato)

L: 3 chicken wings, raw carrots & celery & Whole30 ranch

D: a few burger bites, 2 jalapeno poppers, 2 hotdogs wrapped in bacon, 2 small pieces of pineapple & maybe 10 grapes

 

[AliS]

So now I'm having these "nightmares" where I eat something off plan and I just flip the freak out in my dreams. They're also super vivid and feel totally real. I wake up and truly have to think about if I ate it in real life or it was a dream. 

[AliS]

Day 8: I was pretty tired today... but probably b/c of my food nightmares. I need to get my veggies back up. Also wasn't nearly as hungry today at all.

B: leftover meatballs chopped up & cooked with scrambled eggs & apple

L: chicken w/ potato, green beans & mushrooms

D: Leftover Superbowl food from yesterday (no poppers), grapes

[AliS]

Day 9: Well not hungry yesterday = SUPER HUNGRY today.... I was fine at breakfast, and lunch but by 4pm today I was just constantly hungry.... like I had a hallow leg.

B: 3 hard boiled eggs & banana

L: 4 chicken wings & raw carrots, celery & whole30 ranch

D: 2 bowls of hamburger soup (~1 cup/bowl), still hungry but waited while I meal prepped for tomorrow.... at 3 of those shrimp & pureed cauliflower.... waited... STILL hungry... ate another bowl of soup.... still a bit hungry.... finally ate half a LARA bar (DH ate the other half)... finally did the trick.... holy crap. 

[AliS]

Day 10: I'm cranky, irritable, tired and generally annoyed at the world. 

B: 3 eggs w/ olive oil & spinach, banana

L: baby carrots/cucumbers dipped in ranch & 5 jumbo shrimp, roasted veggies & pureed cauliflower

 

[AliS]

Day 10 evening: I think the hunger has passed finally.  I had a calmer evening. 

D: leftover hamburger soup (1 BIG bowl)

[AliS]

Day 11: perked back up, not nearly as tired or hungry, but still kinda hungrier. I'm wondering if it's b/c I haven't had a potato in a few days.... 

Tomorrow I got on a trip to my grandparent's house that has NO INTERNET!! My phone doesn't even work there... it's out in the middle of nowhere. I'm taking food so I can stay on track... thankfully though my grandma has chickens so FRESH EGGS!!

B: 2 eggs, 2 bacon, 2 halos

L: shrimp, veggies & pureed cauliflower, raw cucumbers

S: Lara Bar, carrots, blackberries

D: egg roll in a bowl

[AliS]

Don't worry I didn't fall off the wagon! I was at my grandparent for Day 12, 13 & 14..... and I STAYED WITH IT!!! Guys, you have NO IDEA (unless you have grandparents like mine) how big of a deal that is. I took my own dinners to make and share. I did have to remind my grandma a dozen or so times that I couldn't eat x, y, z. But otherwise it went with out incident. I can't remember in what order I ate everything but basically, 

Raw veggies, cantaloupe, cucumbers in vinegar & onion, chicken thighs, deconstructed stuffed bell peppers w/ beef, riced cauliflower & sweet potato, eggs, white potatoes, almonds, complaint polish sausage, unsweet tea, water, strawberries, halo oranges, roast beef, carrots

[AliS]

Day 15: 

B: Eggs, fruit

L: Caprese chicken 

D: deconstructed stuffed bell peppers

S: fruit

I had an NSV today, my aunt was behind me and commented my pants were getting baggy in the back. Now I know this can happen if I wear the jeans a couple of days without washing, but this is the first time I wore these since I washed & dried last night. Still feeling great and amazed how well I'm doing/feeling at the half way mark! 

[AliS]

Day 16 (which was yesterday): It's getting to that time of the month & usually by now I go a little manic on organization and cleaning. While I felt it a little... I didn't have the total outburst I normally do where I just lose it on my family. So that's really good. I also, even though I really just wanted to sit and only watch the Olympics I had the energy to not only cook our themed dinner, do 2 loads of dishes, folded 2 loads of laundry, organize the drawers in my bathroom, make a steak stir-fry for a prepped meal & made chicken green curry for more prepped meals, make cupcakes (not for me! But my son's class). The only thing I didn't do was my 15 minute workout. However, this is a vast improvement. Before maybe a load would get switched over but not folded, dinner might happen, and I would have sat and just watched the entire Olympics... dragging myself to get the cupcakes done (which have to be decorated today). 

B: 2 eggs, 2 bacon

L: 2 complaint Whole30 hot dogs & green beans & strawberries 

D: Whole 30 inspired Jambalaya 

 

[AliS]

Day 17 (yesterday): Valentine's Day. Shockingly this was the hardest day for me.  Maybe it was just catching myself before I licked icing off my finger while frosting cupcakes, or being around ice cream and such. I also had my first 2 big cravings.... guacamole & peanut butter. I was at the store and so I did pick up complaint guac and used veggies (meh) then changed to sweet potato & added that (yum!) but the peanut butter was shocking to me b/c I really don't care for it at all.... and I wanted peanut butter on celery (again, something I've always hated). I thought about getting almond butter, but passed on that. 

I also go my first real bummer news. Not bad, just bummer and it put me in a weird place. It was the first time I wanted to go for a Diet Coke or a mango-rita. But I didn't, I had a little pity party, then moved on. 

B: 2 eggs, 1 bacon

L: leftover jambalaya from yesterday

D: 2 Whole 30 hot dogs, pickle, tomato, grapes, then a slice of sweet potato with guac on it & a few raw veggies

S: Epic jerky bites (about 8 total at various times), 1/3 of a Lara Bar

[AliS]

Oh NSV yesterday... someone commented that my skin tone & complexion looked really good & asked what I was doing different. 

[AliS]

Yesterday was Day 18 of Whole30 for me.... and one of the many reasons why I'm doing it happened..... my 4 year old didn't fight us on eating dinner. He ate pork chops & broccoli and asked for seconds on the broccoli even before asking for seconds on the pork chops.

My snack-loving, only eats crackers or cereal, hates all vegetables except sometimes peas or corn child asked for 2nds of BROCCOLI. Now we have purged our house of crackers, fruit snacks, packaged snacks, etc. 

B: Sweet Potato toasted, guac & 2 eggs
L: Chicken Curry w/ broccoli, snow peas & mushrooms

D: creamy (coconut milk) chipotle pork chops, a potato w/ salt & ghee, and steamed broccoli, carrots, & snow peas. 

[littleg]

I love seeing kids doing well with real food options  We have a 13m old who has eaten only paleo at home since he started eating food and I'm a little nervous about how it will change as he gets older and realizes some houses come with things like frosting in the cabinets... How are your kids doing with the pantry purge?  Was it a tough transition?  

[AliS]

Yes! It was tough. Before we started, I had already done a pantry challenge to start clearing out stuff... I wasn't sure if I was doing Whole30, or Keto, or Paleo at the time, but we started working towards it. Once we decided I had already gotten rid of all just flour & sugar and other baking things.  I haven't kept the kids 100% Whole30 but at the house mostly. When I did my final "clean out" I did keep the last of some things around for the kids to help transition... we had some cereal, oatmeal, fruit snacks, noodles & Dairy-free Mac & Cheeze sauce (my oldest is dairy intolerant). As they finished them off... I haven't repurchased.... I think they're down to a few noodles left.. and then they do have some stuff in the freezer I'm letting them have once-in-awhile... but not the standard. 

Again, they go to their grandparents A LOT and while I've at least gotten my mom to not let my 4-year-old snack constantly.... it's still a bit of a battle with my inlaws... however, I'm so happy they are starting to have a greater range of what they will eat.

I know I haven't posted a lot but I've been complaint!! Today we had a birthday party and my MIL made a meal that had things that everyone could have and enjoy. I skipped cake for fresh fruit for my dessert too. 

[AliS]

Day 23 - Wow! Only a week left!! I'm starting to crave beans a lot... especially chili with beans... that may be because it's 27 degrees and iced (snow? no, it's just ice) in the yards. I've been adding in more workouts this past week so that's been good. 

[AliS]

Day 24 -- Today is a snow day so I'm going to prep some meals (including soup!). 

I had an awesome NSV today (possible TMI alert- fair warning men!). I was getting dressed for the morning and put on my bra... I was distracted by the news (watching weather) when I clasped it at the most natural feeling spot (not too tight, not too loose)... I then realized I clasped it on the final spot! It may not be long now before I need to get a new smaller banded bra!!! When I started 24 days ago, I was on the largest setting & there was a lot of spillage. Now it's comfortable, no boob spillage, no side boobs, no back cleavage (if you wear a bra that's too tight & the fat on your back pushes together). YIPPEE!!!!!!! 

 

[Present4Life]

Hurray for your NSV!! 

[AliS]

Day 25 -- Another Snow Day! 

I cleaned, made a lunch, we'll have leftovers for dinner. I spent most of the day cleaning & organizing and decluttering my bedroom. My husband and I did our 25 minute workout today too. I can't believe it's Day 25!!