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SweetCee March Whole30


sweetcee

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Day 8 here. I’ve done one whole30 before but been so grateful for this forum as I’ve struggled with the same things this time around! Going to start documenting here.

My big takeaways from week 1 are that I tend to undereat (smaller than template, but proportional), and I need to eat earlier, which I will make work. I also shoot to eat all the colors every day and am working around some sensitivities. No avocado for me :-(

meal 1 7:45- Melissa’s chicken hash w chicken sausage instead of chicken, and Brussels sprouts thrown in. 

Meal 2 12:45- bacon wrapped meatloaf, cauli rice, spinach, extra ghee, small blood orange

meal 3 - 6:00- salmon fillet, roasted veg (asparagus, bell pepper, purple potato), olives, coconut butter

I am concerned about eating too many starchy carbs - I don’t want to overrely on them or feed a sugar demon, but I find meals where I have a small amount (1/3ish cup?) of potato or sweet potato feel more satisfying to me. I am only doing light yoga for mobility right now so I don’t need “extra” carbs. 

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Day 9 and feeling fine! I didn’t touch coffee until 9am - which is something that ever would have happened before!

woke up 5am.

meal 1 - started at 5:50. Leftover Melissa’s chicken hash with Brussels and greens. ate half, couldn’t stomach the rest. It was SO early.

finished meal 1 at 7:15 at work. Added coconut flakes as well for added fat.

meal 2 - 1:00pm: Nom Nom Paleo’s Kalua pig, pressure cooked purple cabbage, butternut squash. Added olives and coconut flakes.

meal 3- 6:00:  leftover bacon wrapped meatloaf (turkey, grass fed beef liver, spinach, sun dried tomato); leftover roast veg, leftover veg from lunch, cauli rice topped with a little Tessemae’s lemon garlic. Added a few olives and a spoonful of coconut butter.

finally starting to feel more satiated in between meals, I think adding a little more fat helped! And of course hydration!

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Day 10! 1/3 done! I was so proud of my breakfast today and then I must have been short on protein or fat at lunch because I was hungry nearly all afternoon. 

Up at 7. I actually slept nearly 10 hours which is unheard of for me. I woke up a few times but slept hard for a bit!

meal 1 - 7:55am - hash with cubed sweet potatoes, sundried tomatoes, shredded Brussels sprouts, and power greens, 3 eggs on top, 3 pieces of compliant bacon. Turns out my hands hold 3 eggs and I can eat that much! This left me feeling very satiated

meal 2 - 1pm - leftover kalua pig, leftover IP cabbage (a lot), cooked frozen spinach and Farmhouse Culture kraut to round off the plate. Also, olives. I was quite full when eating this but started getting low key hungry around 3:30. My meals normally tide me over better. And of course I was grocery shopping and wanted everything all at once. I knew I wouldn’t break - I have put in way too much effort to slip now - but I also had to consciously avoid buying raisins or having almond butter at dinner because I was so ready to overeat something.

meal 3 - 6pm - leftover bacon wrapped meatloaf, heaps of cauli rice, spinach in ghee, a bit of roasted purple potato, and a beet I cooked in IP. Tessemae’s lemon garlic on the veg. Added coconut butter and a blood orange as well.

NSV: couldn’t finish my usual amount of coffee. I am sad to waste it bc I LOVE coffee but I didn’t need or want the jolt!

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Day 11- Sunday. Daylight Savings SUCKS!

up at 6 (which was really 5) with zero appetite. I think the time shift messed me up a lot.

m1: 2 hb eggs, 2/3 a chicken sausage, NNP’s carrot cardamom soup, spinach w/ghee

m2: NNP Kalua pig, diced sweet potato, shaved Brussels sprouts, and cauli rice in ghee; coconut flakes

m3: I was out for a St. Patrick’s Day parade and packed snacks. Hb eggs, carrots, almond butter. Had a bit of a chipotle carnitas salad but the to go container broke and I lost my appetite once everything in my bag smelled like carnitas. 

Bar hopping while drinking only seltzer was an interesting experience but I wasn’t at all tempted! 

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Day 12 Monday 3/12

I really, truly think Daylight Savings messed me up. I was getting better with regulating my morning appetite. I’ve cut back on coffee (I was having 2 mugs a day which is like 4 cups in my coffee pot) but the thought of food had me dry heaving for half the day.

I didn’t really have any digestive issues until today, so I’m wondering if the nausea and upset stomach are my body either adjusting to w30 or just saying “it’s too early to be awake.”  I made the decision to not eat until dinner. That way if I got sick I’d be at home, at least. I hydrated all day and not eating didn’t affect my energy at all. Not sure that’s the kind of NSV we want to see, but I stayed compliant even when I wanted a ginger ale to help fight the nausea.

up at 5. Prepped breakfast, caught one whiff of it, and put it aside.

m1- 7:30- homemade turkey sausage patties, applesauce cup. (I had zucchini soup but one spoonful and I couldn’t do it.)

m3- 6:00 - deviled eggs with lots of mayo. I usually hate mayo (visual and texture) but was really craving it. Must have needed the fat.

I know there is no perfect whole 30, but I really want to get it right. So I was feeling guilty about not doing template meals and making myself eat. But I have come a long way and stayed compliant with what I DID eat where I wouldn’t have otherwise. So that’s a win.

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Day 13! Still not sleeping well, but my appetite bounced back. I’m craving things like salmon and roasted veggies. Today I ate template meals and prioritized things I knew I could tolerate sans nausea. No new recipes. Hopefully the nausea is a thing of the past!

m1 8am: turkey sausage patties, spinach in ghee, a little sweet potato, 1/2 c frozen blueberries with coconut milk

m2 1:00pm: smoked salmon and 1 hb egg, stir fried Brussels sprouts, spinach, sundried tomatoes topped with tahini, raw kraut, and porkitos (à la NNP).

m3: leftover Kalua pig and cabbage, veggies roasted in ghee, olives 

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Hi, sweetcee - just wanted to share that at least for me the digestive stuff kicked in about the same time - so maybe it's just the bacteria adjusting themselves at last, etc.   I've also had an issue with not enough protein and feeling hungry - so you are not alone!  Glad you are feeling better and keep up the good work!

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Thanks Ellie! I’m inclined to think daylight savings kicked my butt, but you never know. 

My energy was amazing today! I forgot I had coffee until 10:30am, unheard of pre-whole 30. Is this tiger blood?

sleep is still meh- I fall asleep quickly but wake up in the middle of the night (not for long, but I remember being restless) and sleep lightly. But that isn’t new. Just surprised it doesn’t feel better since I’m so much higher energy.

m1: turkey sausage patties - so good! And carrot soup from NNP - ate most of it, but 2 hours after waking.

m2: paleomg buffalo chicken soup w sweet potato and avocado ranch dressing

m3: roasted salmon (in tessemae’s lemon garlic), a ton of roasted veg in ghee, porkitos

2 weeks down!

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Day 15! “Halfway” there!

Still feeling good. The energy is lasting - I legitimately forgot I had coffee until 10:30 this morning, and I’d been up since 4:30! My sleep is still bad (see waking up at 4:30, also tossing and turning) but I’m literally in front of / wrangling 9th graders from 7:30-1:00 daily with no break and my energy is amazing.

m1: 2 aidell’s chicken apple sausage, carrot soup (good cold!), coconut flakes

m2: beef stew w butternut squash and broccoli, side of spinach in ghee 

m3: roasted salmon and roasted veg in ghee, sautéed cruciferous crunch in coconut oil, berries/mango/coconut flakes. 

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Day 16.

Today was hard. Not whole30 hard, life hard. Long story short, I got hit in the face breaking up a high school fight that happened because adults dropped the ball. I’m fine, but I was SO angry at all adults involved, that between the adrenaline of breaking up the fight and the frustration after, I lost my appetite for half the day. I wanted a cup of my stress relief tea, but it has stevia in it. Then I wanted a shot of vodka. I’m still mad as heck about my day, but I was not even tempted today. I know meal skipping is not ideal, but I was hydrated and had energy and even turned down free pizza opportunity #4 with no qualms. I’ll fuel myself better for tomorrow but I’m glad I was able to recognize and stop my desire to eat and drink my feelings. Sorry that ended up being longer than intended. If you read this, thanks for commiserating.

m1: chicken apple sausage, carrot soup, coconut flakes

m2: none.

m3: burger over greens, sautéed veggies, olives

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Day 17 done! I think my period interrupted my tiger blood (no puns intended) and thinking about this journal, a lot of things impact my appetite and feelings of hunger. I don’t say that as an excuse, I’m all in on this, but forcing myself to eat with zero appetite is hard. Something to think about as I move ahead.

m1: kite hill plain almond milk Greek yogurt, heaps of shredded coconut, blueberries. I couldn’t stomach meat or veg and barely kept this down due to severe cramps. And yogurt is not a gateway junk food for me, I’ve been off dairy yogurt for a while. I know it wasn’t the best template choice but it was eat this or nothing while my uterus waged war.

m2: compliant TJ’s deli turkey with mustard, smoked salmon, spinach in ghee, sweet potato in ghee

m3: I went to a party and brought my own snacks. real food with Dana’s buffalo chicken dip (made w mayo and ranch), zucchini-based hummus, and lots of jicama, carrots, celery and broccoli. Super satiating and people kept telling me the buffalo dip was the best they’d ever had! And I had no feelings of missing out about all the chips, dips and cupcakes. No desire to even have a cupcake.

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Day 18 done, Day 3 in a row of birthday celebrations where I bring my own food. I’m not missing out and I’m not really craving anything. I’m surprised that my sugar dragon isn’t worse given how much I typically eat sugar.

m1: 3 eggs over easy served over a hash with spinach, shaved Brussels sprouts, and sweet potato with a side of compliant bacon

m2: compliant deli turkey with mustard, cruciferous crunch sautéed in ghee and topped with extra ghee, about 1/3 an apple because I used the rest in meal prep, coconut butter. Detox tea with collagen powder.

m3: compliant kielbasa, sautéed cruciferous crunch and heaps of baby spinach, added coconut oil. 

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Pederson's has one that is whole30 compliant! (it says it as a sticker on the product and the ingredient label confirms it!)  I get it at my local Stop and Shop grocery store - my Whole Foods doesn't carry it. I have no idea what grocery chains you have in WA, though.  It was an AWESOME find -- it tastes so delicious roasted with veggies and is a great way to get me to eat my kraut.

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19 down! Even with some terribly disrupted sleep I think I’m feeling that sang de tigre. I was restless, then up at 4 and just couldn’t get back to sleep before the dreaded 5am alarm, but I had plenty of energy, I was able to focus a little longer, and lots of little NSVs.

m1: chicken apple sausage, butternut squash soup (squash, carrot, coconut milk, chicken broth, spices, instant pot)

m2: paleomg buffalo chicken soup (tons of veg blended into the soup itself) with ranch, honeycrisp apple. Was a bit low on fat for this one. Had to teach before I could finish eating.  

m3: roasted salmon, leftover roast veg, spinach in ghee, cruciferous crunch sautéed until crispy in coconut oil. So satisfying. 

Time to recover some sleep!

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2/3 done! It has flown and it’s exciting to consider reintroductions and how I want to stay mostly w30. I am happy with my NSVs so far, and even considering a w45 to right some habits I still haven’t done well, namely eating early and eating enough. The last couple of days I’ve been feeling full before finishing the template sized servings. I have such a hard time forcing myself to eat when I feel full or done. 

also interesting: a soup I made in my prep now tastes too sweet! It’s no sugar of course, but the combo of tomato paste, coconut milk and red curry paste was too sweet to eat.

m1: chicken apple sausage, butternut squash soup, coconut flakes

M2: leftover sausage, olives, coconut flakes, Thai chicken stew w/veg (I ate half and it was so sweet I had to stop)

m3:  “pad Thai” with leftover poached chicken, stir fried zoodles, bell pepper and broccoli slaw, one scrambled egg, and a bomb.com sauce (fish sauce, lime juice, coconut amino, rice vinegar, date, almond butter). Because lunch was a little low on protein and veg, I made a little more than usual. Couldn’t finish but it is SO good.

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Day 21. Feeling good! I am going to have to watch my hunger in between meals— I am eating toward the smaller side of the template and sometimes think I should eat more. Then I try and I’m full before I finish.

m1: homemade turkey sausage, squash soup 

m2: leftover chicken pad Thai from last night with added chicken and veg - I made a bigger serving of meat and veg but couldn’t eat it all. 

M3: pan fried compliant kielbasa w mustard, sautéed purple potato, shaved Brussels sprouts and spinach, olives, crispy compliant prosciutto, a little frozen mango with coconut shreds

the end is coming up so fast!

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Day 22 and feeling meh. I’ve been super hungry today. I think the snow delay, which pushed off my meal times and my usual schedule, affected me. Also still sleeping poorly. I fall asleep so fast but am not staying asleep. I’m wondering if it’s hormonal. But for dinner tonight I just wanted FAT. I don’t like mayo (visual / texture - I use it sparingly) but I had to have deviled eggs. 

M1: turkey sausage, butternut squash soup, green tea w/coconut oil, collagen, ACV

m2: beef, broccoli and butternut squash stew (made w coconut milk), spinach in ghee, blueberries with shredded coconut, 1/4 c pecans 

m3: 2 deviled eggs made with at least 1T of mayo, leftover chicken pad Thai, olives, coconut butter. I will add more fat tomorrow morning to try to stave this off because wow I haven’t been this hungry since the beginning! 

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3 hours ago, sweetcee said:

I don’t like mayo (visual / texture - I use it sparingly) but I had to have deviled eggs.

How do you feel about smashed avocado/guacamole? Lots of people make deviled eggs, chicken salad, and other things that usually have mayo in them with it instead. Little different flavor but if you prefer it to mayo, it might be a good options.

For the extra hungry part, if it applies to you, menstrual cycles can affect that -- usually during the week or so leading up to your period is when you'd be extra hungry. It's normal, just eat more, it'll go back to normal in a few days.

For sleep, have you tried including a serving of starchy vegetable at your last meal of the day? Some people find that helps them sleep. Some people also find it helpful to take magnesium around bed time. If you google Whole30 sleep, there's some different articles with tips on sleep hygiene and other information that may help. 

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6 hours ago, ShannonM816 said:

How do you feel about smashed avocado/guacamole? Lots of people make deviled eggs, chicken salad, and other things that usually have mayo in them with it instead. Little different flavor but if you prefer it to mayo, it might be a good options.

For the extra hungry part, if it applies to you, menstrual cycles can affect that -- usually during the week or so leading up to your period is when you'd be extra hungry. It's normal, just eat more, it'll go back to normal in a few days.

For sleep, have you tried including a serving of starchy vegetable at your last meal of the day? Some people find that helps them sleep. Some people also find it helpful to take magnesium around bed time. If you google Whole30 sleep, there's some different articles with tips on sleep hygiene and other information that may help. 

Thanks for the thoughts! 

I am allergic to avocado (I know, how can I even whole30?!), even a bite or two makes the itching start. I could never drop a glob of mayo on my plate, but I use it in tuna or salmon salad or in eggs. I rarely crave mayo, so I always think it’s weird when it’s the thing I want. I also have only craved things like salmon and mayo on this w30 which is cool. 

it could be cycle related, between my hormones, the pill and whole30, I could just be out of whack. But I did just end my period and shouldn’t be preparing for another one yet. With my luck though :-) if the hunger continues I’ll make sure I have more carbs at dinner. But I had a real hunger for fat, and after reading forum posts decided it wouldn’t hurt to feed it. 

I slept better last night though still up before the 5am alarm. My natural calm has stevia, but I have other options. It’s weird because I fall asleep within 10 minutes of trying most nights. I just wake easily. This is improvement- I’ve been trying to fix my sleep for a long time- but still a ways to go.

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Day 23 (late because I was drained!)

m1: turkey sausage, coconut oil, carrot soup. I increased the amount of sausage and added a hunk of coconut oil- trying to see if a bigger breakfast would help my exhaustion and fat craving. It kept me feeling super satiated! I wasn’t hungry 5-5.5 hours later but I still ate 

m2: buffalo chicken soup with ranch (my go-to this entire w30, so glad I made and froze ahead); 2c baby spinach in ghee

I worked unexpectedly late and then did my grocery shopping, which pushed back dinner a little. That’s when the “give me ALL THE FAT” and exhaustion set in. 

m3: 2 deviled eggs with mayo (blechh but so good), compliant chorizo, sautéed shaved Brussels Sprouts and spinach, tostones (first time making them and they were goooood!)

I slept like the dead for 10 hours. I was very alert upon waking up, but I also wish I could sleep for 10 more. I had high hopes to meal prep a little last night ahead of a busy weekend, but my body was crying for sleep.

I’m really excited to find out what works for reintros and finding my food freedom, but I am also excited to feel how much easier w30 feels, at least mentally. It’s still a pain to wash so many dishes, and the things I most enjoy eating for dinner have some active prep involved, but this feels more feasible than it did 3 weeks ago. 

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Day 24! I just woke up from another nearly 10 hours’ sleep. I feel so much better, even if I still would take a few more hours, than I usually do. It’s making me think about my workweek habits and how I can get closer to 8+ so I don’t spend my weekends in sleep. 

Today I ran around a lot but stayed full for all my endeavors.

m1: 9:30/10a: Brussels sprouts and spinach cooked in bacon grease, 3 fried eggs, 2 pieces compliant bacon, side of tostones (the other half of the plantain), coffee with collagen after eating

m2: eaten post- march for our lives and at a kid bday party, 3ish: Turkey epic bar, plain grilled burger, hot salsa, bruschetta tomatoes, apple, 3 mini packs olives that I shared with the 5yo birthday boy. My nephew will literally eat anything!

 M3: I was so tired by 7:30, but I knew I should eat. Bacon wrapped chicken thigh (the balanced bites recipe- I haven’t made it in years but it’s so good!), carrot soup with shredded coconut and a couple of salted pecans 

I have been so lucky to have friends who accommodate me at events. I am also proud that my sugar dragon seems pretty tame. I love sweets, nearly all my foods without brakes are sweet! But I’ve had an rxbar and a larabar in my bag for 3 weeks and have never gone for them.

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Day 25 done. I wonder if my body is just getting used to rising and sleeping with the sun? I am tired earlier and would happily sleep 9p-7a if I could (northeast US, not much sun here still). I am a little sad because I haven’t been able to socialize as late as I used to - I’m not joking, I’m useless after 8pm - though I am super grateful for the rest, I wonder when I will feel “it is BEDTIME” less urgently

m1: 3 eggs, 2 pieces compliant bacon, spinach and shaved Brussels sprouts, coffee with collagen, nut pods and coconut oil 

m2: out at brunch - the best I could do was 2 poached eggs, grilled tomatoes, roasted potatoes. Earl grey tea. As soon as we left I went to my car and ate 2 packs of olives and 2 baby food pouches with veg

then we went to a cider distillery where I finished my olives, ate coconut flakes and pistachios, and drank seltzer. I was hungry a little closer to the 4 hour mark but the fat held me over well.

M3: chicken pad Thai. I had no starchy carbs ready to go and instead had some mango cubes alongside my giant pile of veg. I can’t recommend the pad Thai enough- I linked it above.

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Day 26! I feel like I am cracking what works for me for this situation. My meals are farther apart than ideal but I am finally hitting the mark on portion sizes and satiety! I increased my protein sizes a little and I think that helped today.

M1: homemade pork sausage patties, carrot soup w coconut shreds. 

M2: beef meatballs (random recipe) in sauce over zoodles ... finally christened my spiralizer! Also olives.

m3: 2 bacon wrapped chicken thighs, sautéed cruciferous crunch and spinach, NNP’s root veg mash

 I ADORED the root veg mash the previous times I made it. But now it tastes too sweet. This happened to me last week too. A stew I ate day 2 that I froze and ate day 23... too sweet. Have my taste buds morphed so far?! I will be trying to make it less sweet but it was jarring when I tasted it.

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2 hours ago, sweetcee said:

 I ADORED the root veg mash the previous times I made it. But now it tastes too sweet. This happened to me last week too. A stew I ate day 2 that I froze and ate day 23... too sweet. Have my taste buds morphed so far?! I will be trying to make it less sweet but it was jarring when I tasted it.

Isn't that weird?  I can't eat two little mandarin oranges now without getting the shakes.  One is just right.  I think my head might blow off if I ate something like a cinnamon roll. ;)  Glad to see how well you are doing - congrats!

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