All the way in to May!

[GoJo09]

I had planned to do a Whole 30 later in the year (can't actually remember what month I had flagged it for, maybe October), but I had decided to give up alcohol from April 2 already and I just decided "stuff it, let's go whole hog on it". I have a party on May 12, so I've carefully planned out my reintro so that I can have a wine that night - I'm probably going to enter a trail run for the following day, so I know I won't go OTT. I will probably start Sunday, as I have an activity on Saturday that I think includes lunch, but if it doesn't then I'll start today, I guess!

I just sat down and wrote out my reasons for this being a good time to do another Whole 30:

1. I've been drinking too much (booze, that is). It's making me chubbs, I can't afford it (although it's so cheap in SA - hence drinking too much of it...), and it's not fun waking up feeling seedy. I don't get drunk on the reg or anything, but a couple of times a week at least I'll have 2-3 beers. I'm perfectly happy to sit at a pub with a sparkling water while my friends have beer, so no worries on that score. 
2. My notoriously clear skin is not great right now - blotchy redness and a few more hormonal spots than is normal.
3. Mood has been very up and down (more up than down though, and the downs aren't very low).
4. Morning and afternoon snacking is becoming a regular thing.
5. Stomach bloat and all over fluffiness since being back in SA (see alcohol, above. Although the current belly bloat is from coconut cream, I'm 90% sure).
6. Binge eating actions starting to creep back in, which I know from experience Whole 30 helps to curb. 

PLAN:

Start - Sunday 8 April (or today)

Finish - Monday 7 May

Reintro

• 8 May - legumes (chickpeas and chakalaka with beans)
• 10 May - non-gluten grains (rice noodles, corn chips)
• 12 May - alcohol (wine)
• 14 May - gluten grains (100% rye bread - I already know I react badly to wheat products.)
• 16 May - alcohol (beer. I generally feel fine after drinking beer. At least, I tell myself I do... Best to test.)

 

[GoJo09]

Day -3

Pre-WO @ 04.30: coffee with collagen peptides and coconut cream (ditching the coconut for a bit to see how my puku reacts)

Crossfit: very cardio based workout

Post-WO @ 06.15: couple of chunks of chicken and some roasted sweet potato

M1 @ 07.00: 2 eggs, tinned tuna, pile of sauted spinach, all cooked in olive oil with 3 spoons of mayo on top 

M2 @ 12.30: pulled pork and halloumi with roasted vege (cauliflower, beans, carrots, summer squash) and a banana - just realised writing this that the pork and halloumi is completely non-compliant (it was leftovers from a pub meal on Tuesday, anyone's guess what's in the pork. Tastes great though!). Guess this will not be day 1 . 

M3 @ 18.00: chicken and salad (lettuce, capsicum, cucumber, tomatoes, roast sweet potato) and a small handful of seed mix (sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds).

I may go for a walk with a friend after work, so will have a hard boiled egg beforehand if that's the case.  

[GoJo09]

Ended up eating the egg and some sweet potatoes at about 5 before my friend came over, then having a few dried pears with dinner, which was at 18.45. We didn't walk as the weather wasn't nice, so just sat and drank tea and she vented about her day. 

Day -2

Pre-WO @ 04.30: black coffee and water with collagen peptides

Crossfit: deadlift/hang power clean/push press complexes

Post-WO @ 06.10:  couple of chunks of chicken and some roasted sweet potato

M1 @ 07.00: 2 eggs, tinned tuna, pile of sauted spinach, all cooked in olive oil with 3 spoons of mayo on top 

M2 @ 12.30: shredded pork and roast vege (cauli, beans, carrots, summer squash) with a drizzle of olive oil (pork is quite fatty) and a banana.

M3 @ 17.00: scotch egg and salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, capsicum, sweet potato) with a small handful of seed mix.

Going to a gig at a bar tonight, so eating before we go, and I know this place has a nice tea collection (and I have no qualms about drinking tea at a gig - actually did it last time we were at this place as it was so cold!).

[GoJo09]

Day 2 (because it turns out today I was compliant, so I'm back counting  )

M1 @ 07.00: shredded pork, sauteed spinach and 2 big spoons of mayo

2 hour Bike tour (decidedly non-strenuous, but still activity)

M2 @ 11.30: roast chicken, roast vege (cauli, carrot, beans, summer squash), 1/2 avocado

M3 @ 17.30: Scotch egg, salad (rocket, tomatoes, cucumber, mushrooms), olives, banana

May need to eat a mini-meal a bit later, as I am running in the morning, and I can't run with much beyond a banana in my stomach (I've tried protein and fat, and it's not great), so can't wake up hungry.

Today was a touristy kind of day, doing a bike tour of a suburb, going to a couple of markets and bars with friends. I decided to just bring my own food along, and so glad I did - I get really overwhelmed at markets trying to pick something to eat anyway, so it was one less stressor (and expense!). I ate my food in the car as we were driving from the bike tour to the first market, and my friends thought I was a little weird, but were interested in the elimination I was doing - I'm already gluten free (thanks to a previous Whole 30) and they knew I was giving up alcohol for April, so it wasn't much of a stretch for them.

I was super grumpy in the afternoon, which might be W30 related, or just because one of the girls annoys me when I spend too much time with her... And also it was super hot in the car, and the driver was not very confident driving, and it's dog-eat-dog on the roads in Johannesburg, so that was kind of stressful as a passenger. Got home, walked to the shops and bought some nice mint teas (hopefully!), had a shower and made dinner, so all good now. I did have one moment at the bar when I was like "a drink would be really nice right now, I was planning on starting Whole 30 Sunday anyway..." but I got over that quickly (not least because I'd told them all I wasn't drinking only a few days ago!).

It came to my attention yesterday how few steps I get at work on a daily basis. Wore my watch with step counter and the day at work was only about 3000 steps! Not sure how I can remedy that at work, as there's nowhere to go for a lunch time walk at all, and I already take the stairs. Yesterday was a particularly bad day, eating at my desk to meet a stupid deadline that was thrust at me last minute, but still not a good indicator. 

[GoJo09]

Day 3

Pre-WO @ 06.00: black coffee with collagen peptides, banana

8km trail run (1hr 14min)

Post-WO @ 08.30: few chunks of chicken while driving home

M1 @ 09.15: shredded pork, small handful sauteed spinach, roast vege (cauli, carrot, beans, summer squash), 2 spoons mayo

M2 @ 13.00: green juice... tinned tuna, bit of chicken, roast vege, mushrooms, 1/2 avocado (basically a bunch of bits and pieces of leftovers in the fridge)

M3 @ 18.00 (planned): eggs, sauteed spinach, mayo, roast potatoes

I was wrecked during that run. Not sure if Whole 30 related or just general tiredness - although I went to bed super early last night and got over 10 hours! Legs were dead on the hills, which I blame on Crossfit, because my aerobic fitness seemed to be fine - also I haven't run in a good 3 weeks, so 8km was probably ambitious! Seeing zebra, giraffe (including a baby!), hartebeest and wildebeest on the trail makes up for any additional effort needed! It was my first time running with this group, so I fear I didn't make a good impression, but I'll just blow them away next time .

This afternoon will be a couch day, I believe - just made a nice herbal tea, so will find a movie or maybe just read a book )if I can find one brain dead enough for my mood).

What went well today: Remembered to take my post-WO, and eat it! Went to a cafe with a friend and happily drank black coffee while she ate a (delicious looking) smoked trout and cream cheese GF sandwich.

What could be better: I didn't need that green juice at all. I probably should have taken something to eat when I was out with my friend, but I didn't realise we'd be out so long. I was ravenous when I got home, but luckily had plenty of easy food to eat.

Energy: 4/10

[GoJo09]

Dinner was not at all as planned yesterday! I prepped a pile of roasted sweet potato to eat during the week, and ended up eating all of it! Halfway through I decided to just make it dinner (at 4.30pm), so added a serving of shredded pork (the pork was quite fatty and the sweet potatoes were cooked in a fair amount of oil, so didn't add more fat). So probably 3 serves of starchy vege and no greens, but it could be worse. Not sure if this was my body demanding carbs (I did have a hard workout in the morning, but I doubt this), or just bingey behaviour (more likely, but can't pinpoint a cause. Unless it was that green juice...).

Anyway, no long lasting effects, and something I know I need to watch out for with sweet potatoes (this is not the first time) - I don't have the same behaviour with white potatoes, so I'll just stick to them for a while. 

[GoJo09]

Day 4

I'm not going to bother logging each meal, as it's so repetitive, so I'll just log the differentials.

Got stuck in a meeting until 13.30 today, and my colleague came by afterwards joking that she thought my eyes were going to jump out of my head and devour her! I was peckish and headachy going in to the meeting at 11, but it was only scheduled for an hour...

Steps for the day were again super low (about 4000), so went for a walk after work, which was actually a fantastic decision. I live in such a gorgeous neighbourhood, so I should make the most of it before the evenings get too short and the weather too cold. I wanted to take photos of all of the gorgeous gates and plants, but I worried the security guards would think I was casing the joint .

Dinner wasn't quite satiating (not enough fat - tuna, roast potatoes and salad with seed mix and a drizzle of olive oil), so had a scoop of tahini and a banana as the easiest fat source to get down. Totally good after that. (Not a dessert thing, as tahini is quite bitter actually. The banana was more to wash the tahini down.)

Workout: Crossfit 1RM Overhead Squat. Had enough time to practice double unders and pull up progressions afterwards.

What went well today: Better energy, great Crossfit workout, lovely evening walk.  

What could have been better: Planning dinner better to not need the extra fat afterwards.

Energy: 7/10

[GoJo09]

Day 5

I think I need to either increase my breakfast, or increase my post-workout. Once again hungry at 11 today - at least I checked my calendar, saw I had a meeting at 12.30 and didn't make the mistake of holding out for lunch! Today will need to be a mini-meal when I get home for sure (probably more roast pork and some cucumber). 

Also feeling/looking a little bloated yesterday and today. I think it's just timeline related rather than something I'm eating. Will go for a walk after work, as I need to buy more coffee anyway so will head to the shops. If I can find a fat source that is easy and cheap, I'll grab some for a pre-WO. Not almond butter though, as I know what I'm like with that...

Workout: Crossfit - turkish get ups. Workout was a little rough, legs were pretty dead, but it was a WOD with a lot of running and box jumps, so not totally unexpected. Probably still stiff from Sunday's run too. Still practiced my double unders and pull ups afterwards. 

What went well today: Waking up with my alarm at 4.20 easily

What could have been better: Hungry well before lunch time. Will adjust food for Thursday (should be fine tomorrow as not working out)

Energy: 5/10

[GoJo09]

Day 6

That weird moment when you want to message a friend to tell them you just had the best poo! (I didn't, but she would have been on board if I had!) My digestive system is hopefully finally adapting to not having diarrhea promoting foods (I'm looking at you, beer!) to assist it every morning. I had been borderline constipated the past week, and was pretty excited this morning - it's the little things!

On the topic of toilet matters, I had forgotten how my bladder likes to make itself known more often at the start of a Whole 30 - I don't drink any more water/liquids than usual on a Whole 30, but I always need to pee more, and that "just in case" pee before a run or crossfit is more urgent. Weird. 

Upped my breakfast this morning (2 eggs + 1/2 tin of tuna V 3 eggs), and also had the day off exercise, so was fine until 12.30 for lunch. Well, not fine: concentration wasn't the best between 11 and 12.30, and I was a bit headachy, but my stomach wasn't trying to crawl out my mouth, so that's something.

I didn't go for a walk yesterday afternoon (I say it's because the weather was iffy, but really I was just lazy), and my punishment was no coffee this morning. Had to have a tea instead, which just isn't the same. I made up for it once I got to work though.

I'm going to a friend's for dinner tonight, it's a braai so I could easily get a non-marinated piece of steak and find a compliant salad, but I think I'll just take my own Tupperware dinner. I'm lazy and it's just easier - it's pretty hard to keep an eye on your specific piece of steak when it's all on the grill together, and telling people to keep their dirty hands off your salad is probably a little rude.

Workout: Much needed rest day

What went well today: Breakfast lasted me until a normal lunch time

What could go better: Steps still woefully low, a measly 3500 by 2pm...

Energy: 6/10

[GoJo09]

Days 7 and 8

Felt pretty nauseous from about 10am right through until lunch yesterday. At first I thought it was hunger, but then I was like "oh, I might throw up, that's not hunger". Anyway, it went away and all was well.

I did end up having dinner as soon as I got home from work, at about 4.45 because I was starving, then went out for drinks with friends (I had sparkling water while they had gin flights. Actually didn't even care). Consequently I was starving when I got to crossfit at 5am this morning, which is unusual for me (I never really eat before hand, just coffee with collagen peptides). But the workout was great none-the-less - in fact I told the coach he'd made the scaled version too easy (he wouldn't let me put weight on the bar for the WOD, and it was too light. Should have trusted myself). Stuck around to practice some pull up progressions afterwards, which are getting easier too - need to use a lighter band to make it a bit harder again. 

Have been having the weird cheating dreams - first with a single hard lollie, and in the dream I had a debate about starting over because no one need ever know! And then with wine, I think - definitely some kind of alcohol - and I think I didn't even want it in the dream!

Today I'm going out for a drink with another friend (you can see why I needed a month of no alcohol! That's 3 nights this week so far where I've been out for drinks!). The fridge is getting pretty bare, so will have to go straight to the supermarket tomorrow after going to a craft market with friends. Actually, I don't think I've got anything to eat for lunch tomorrow, that might be a problem... Might have to duck in to the shop tonight and grab a few things.

[GoJo09]

Swapping out 1 egg for half a big tin of tuna at breakfast seems to make a big difference to my hunger - it was 12.45 today before I thought about food (although I did have more work to focus on today also, so that could play in to it). I also brought a much bigger serve of protein for lunch, as I think I've been undercutting when I have the shredded pork - it looks more bulky than it really is, which is why I've been going home hungry and having to eat straight away.

Or maybe just some days are hungrier than others! Although you'd think a crossfit day would be hungrier than a rest day...

My boss said he will invite me round for a braai (barbecue), and I said we should wait until May because I wasn't drinking at the moment (and I know he likes a wine). The look on his face was priceless! He was actually horrified that I would do that to myself .

[GoJo09]

Day 9

Bit of a disaster today (not really, but...). I specifically went out yesterday and bought a baby food package to throw in my handbag to take to the market today, because I knew it would be too hard to find compliant food. And then we got there and I realised I'd forgotten to grab it! I'd had a huge breakfast before we went, and I was actually fine when we left at 13.30, but by the time I got to the shops to get groceries at 14.30 I was nearly shaking! Made our first stop the healthfood store where I grabbed a green juice and a sweet potato, date and cashew bar, which I downed in about 2 seconds flat. Amazing foods? Nope, but the closest I was going to get to anything compliant in a rush. Finally got home at 16.00 and shoved some cold sweet potato in my face while I cooked up a chicken breast, pak choy and capsicum, which was possibly the best tasting food I've ever eaten!

So, a whole 2 meals and a fruity snack today. No wonder I'm feeling a bit wiped out. Currently roasting some more sweet potatoes, so will have some of that and maybe a tin of tuna, and then an early night, I think.

(The market was fun, BTW. Caught up with a friend I hadn't seen in a while, had a coffee, watched them all eat food that didn't look terribly appetising, listened to some super old fashioned music, bought some cute earrings...)

[GoJo09]

Day 10 (Sunday)

Felt like I ate horrendously, but in reality I had lunch, ate a small packet of almonds mid afternoon (two big handfuls - partly I was hungry, partly I was bored and wanted a treat...they weren't even that great, I don't know why I kept eating them), had some beef curry at about 4.30, and then some pan fried potatoes at about 6. So hardly the worst thing in the world, but I did feel like I was eating constantly - something to work on for next weekend.

I did get my period last night, so that could explain the stuffed feeling when I didn't really eat that much (half a dozen baby potatoes is not that much food!). Had a terrible run in the morning, had to turn back after 1.5km because I was scared I was going to poo my pants! I think this can also be attributed to the period. Shame, as I was running really well, I just didn't want to risk getting further and further from the carpark!

Day 11 (today)

Had a fantastic Crossfit workout this morning (powered by those potatoes, no doubt ). Got a PB 2RM squat, and probably could have added some more weight if there had been time. And a few other things are getting easier too. Plus, I finally, finally, after 2 months of consistent practice after every class, got 5 double unders in a row! 

 

[GoJo09]

Day 12

It's funny how putting a number on it makes it so much more daunting. Over the summer, I barely drank at all, mainly because the friends I was staying with barely drank. So when I decided to be alcohol free for January it wasn't a big deal at all as I only had to say no a couple of times (21-odd days actually, and then my dad offered me a beer and I was like "you know what, yes, I'd like to have a beer with my dad I only see once a year").

I'm not sure if it's because I'm in a completely different environment now, where everyone drinks all. the. time., or if it's because there's a number 12 up there which means at least another 18 days (+ reintros), but I'm thinking about alcohol a lot more. I'm not finding it difficult to say no when I go out with friends, but I keep thinking up scenarios where I would want to say yes. Like, this morning I was thinking about this guy, and what would happen if he asked me out on a date, and I'd have to say "oh, I'm not drinking this month, and I also won't eat any of the food at any of the places we would go, so why don't we just go out for black coffee?". This is a complete and utter hypothetical, as the poor man hasn't even indicated that he'd like to ask me out, and here I am making it weird already!

Anyway. I'm also beginning to obsess over sweet potatoes, and if I'm eating too many, or eating them in an unhealthy way. Sweet potatoes, for God's sake. And I know I do this every time, but it's exhausting. I need to be a little more conscious of only eating a plated meal. 

On the plus side, my friend the other evening was just sitting there staring at my face because "your skin is so perfect, it's like porcelain". So there's that. (Not all attributable to Whole 30 - I have started using a very expensive brightening serum which actually seems to be worth the cost. But cutting out alcohol definitely has an impact.) Since that is one of the reasons I am doing the Whole 30, I'm pretty stoked. 

No crossfit this morning because I woke up, saw the workout and just thought "nope" (burpees and box jumps with no lifting. I'd rather stay in bed). I will try to go for a run and do some intervals this evening. I say try, but the only thing holding me back is laziness. I will do some intervals this evening. 

[GoJo09]

Day 13

I honestly can't believe how much I ate last night! I didn't actually think I was all that hungry, but I ate probably 2 fists of sweet potato with mayo, a pile of vegetables (pak choy and capsicum), and an entire giant chicken breast. I cooked the whole breast intending to put a chunk aside for post-workouts, but I ate the amount I'd identified (at least 1.5 palms) and then wanted to eat the rest too. Then I had cooked up another breast to have in the fridge, and ended up eating a few bites of that too. And I was by no means stuffed at this point! And I still woke up hungry this morning! Clearly my body just really wanted some extra protein!

I was all ready to go for a run last night, even though I didn't want to - changed into workout gear, laced up sneakers, started doing some dynamic stretching and then was just like "nah". And when I saw the workout at crossfit this morning, it totally justified my decision! I can't run at night and then back up with running in the morning! I'm too old for that sh!t! Was a great workout though, and for the first time ever I finished the WOD first (it was the running slowed everyone else down, whereas this morning I was full of energy for it). Power cleans and overhead squats, 2 things I struggle with, were pretty doable this morning. Followed up with some pull up progressions, just for funsies.

[GoJo09]

Day 14

I spent all of yesterday on my feet, organising a workshop (and all of the associated hustling to get other people to do their jobs!). I ate lunch at 11.30, even though I wasn't hungry, because I knew I wouldn't get a chance later. We had platters and platters and platters of food for the mingling session afterwards, and my boss was like "come on, eat something, you can have those vegie sticks and meat sticks!" (he knows I'm gluten free anyway). I explained I was doing an elimination diet so I couldn't eat any of it since I didn't know what it was cooked in. He said it sounded horrible, but I looked fantastic so it was clearly worth it (I couldn't be bothered explaining about my digestive issues to my boss,  so I just said thanks). Lest anyone think he was being creepy, he wasn't - it's extremely common here for both men and women to comment on your appearance, and in fact it's really helped me in some ways - previously, whenever someone commented on my weight or appearance it would be almost guaranteed to lead to a binge of at least a few days, but often weeks (yes, I've had therapy. It's a tough one), but here it's so common and meant in the most lovely of ways that I just don't react the same way. African women are so damn proud of their bodies, regardless of size or shape, that it's very empowering. It's rare to go a day here without someone telling me how beautiful I am, and it's got nothing to do with the size of my thighs.

I didn't really intend to say all that, but nevermind. Anyway, I had a few pieces of pineapple and watermelon and some sparkling water, then had a small bowl of beef curry when I got home (wasn't hungry at all).

Crossfit this AM was fun, despite horrible blisters from my shoes yesterday (there was a barefoot walk through the carpark last night because my feet were so sore - and I was wearing flats!). Rope climbs, which are going to bruise, and a deadlift/ring row WOD. And we had time left over so the coach made us row 2km. Because he's a jerk. No practice afterwards as my hands were smoked.

 

[GoJo09]

Day 15

Nothing interesting to report. Last night I was super hungry. I ate a bowl of curry, a Scotch egg with mayo, then about a fist of roast sweet potato with more mayo. Was pretty full at that point, and put the rest of the sweet potato in the fridge.

Still having the urgent, non-ideal bowel movements of a morning. Seem to swing between no BM and borderline diarrhea. I might google the cause and effects of the foods I've been eating - although it's 90% the same every day, so I can't see why there would be the swing between the two. 

Busy weekend ahead - out for drinks tonight, mud run tomorrow morning, then markets and a second hand bookshop in the arvo and maybe movies in the evening, then a  hike on Sunday - which I need to buy some food for this evening - I've got a tin of tuna, some cucumbers, olives...it's only 15 km so I'm not sure that we'll stop for a sit down lunch, more 5-10 min snack stops, so I'll grab a bag of nuts and some dried mango as well. Ugg, the mango will have sulphites...maybe some dates if I can find fresh, loose ones.

I just bought 6kg of the most delicious olives! I have no idea how I'm going to fit 2 x 3kg jars in my tiny bar fridge, but I'll find a way!

[GoJo09]

Day 16

Mud run was awesome fun - 5km of obstacles while weighed down with mud!

I thought I'd prepared food well, but I stuffed it up again.

Breakfast before was fine, and I took a baby food packet of chicken and sweet potato (which was fairly gross, btw). Ran, drank a carrot and orange juice they gave us at the end (compliant and delicious), showered, remembered the baby food so sucked down half of it. Then grabbed a coffee while the other girls had (delicious looking) fried chicken bao, then the rest of the chicken and sweet potato in the car.

By the time I bought groceries and got home it was 3.30 and all I'd had was a date and nut bar. Made a quick salad with tuna, seed mix, olive oil and olive paste, and by the time I'd had a bath and washed up everything I was hungry again (an hour and a half later). 

Hopefully there's no carry over effects from my poor meal planning today! 

On the plus side, my arms looked totally buff in the photos from today! 

[GoJo09]

Day 17

Woke up very early and headachy this morning. Went out for a hike, which was great, 3 hours, much of it off track and pretty rough. Was still feeling the headache, but not too bad. Ate a banana and some nuts while we were out, and a juice. 

Absolutely stuffed this afternoon, and the headache has got worse. Probably going to just go and watch a movie in bed and have an early night. Not sure if yesterday's meal timing is having an impact, or if I'm maybe just a bit under the weather. It was an active weekend, but no so much as to justify my current lethargy. 

[GoJo09]

Day 18

Had pretty disjointed sleep last night, and when I checked my watch to see how long until I had to get up, and it was half an hour after my alarm should have gone off! (I'd set the wrong time.) Mad rush to the gym, where I was the only one to show up, so I'm glad I made the effort! Since it was just me, the coach let me choose what we wanted to work on, so an hour long pull up progression it was! Jelly arms at the end.

Other than that, I feel fine, food is still all fine, haven't been seriously tempted by anything yet (except beer, and that was fleeting), and managing to construct my meals so that I make it to the next one pretty easily - give or take an hour or so. Weekends are, of course, the hardest, as I'm out of routine.

[GoJo09]

Day 19

Bought a bag of nuts for hiking on Sunday, and finished off the packet last night with dinner (there didn't look to be enough to bother putting the packet back in the cupboard...). And consequently I've been pretty bloated the past two days. So that's my reward for eating too many nuts. Annoyingly, I didn't even really enjoy them (I am annoyed at myself, not the nuts).

I also had proper diarrhea this morning (as opposed to just my normal morning loose stool), which could either be nut related (not sure how likely that is), onion related (I'm beginning to think this might be a problem), or something in my salad last night was past it's best (also a definite possibility - the dry coleslaw mix didn't smell amazing and I shouldn't have eaten it). I decided to go to Crossfit anyway, thinking that I'd probably have to turn the car around half way there! But it was all fine, although my stomach now is a bit iffy. I had to come in to work for meetings, so let's hope it sorts itself out.

[GoJo09]

Day 20

Didn't have dinner until quite late last night after picking a friend up at the airport - surprisingly my stomach wasn't too angry about eating 2 hours later than normal (7 hours after lunch). Guess that's the old fat adaptation kicking in . Did wake up with diarrhea again this morning. This is getting old! I think the onion flakes will need to go . 

Eating all over the shop today. Went to a Dawn Service for ANZAC Day this morning, so left home at 5am with nothing except a coffee with collagen and a date and nut bar (why did I not think to boil some eggs last night?!). Buffet breakfast afterwards at the High Commissioners house, which I didn't even bother looking at because I knew the only thing I'd be able to eat was fruit. So breakfast wasn't until I got home at 9.30 - wasn't particularly ravenous, though. I guess that means lunch will be pushed back as well.

Tossing up whether to run tonight or not - the friend I was planning to go with isn't sure she'll make it, so weighing the benefits of doing it solo v. a rest day. I should probably rest as I have an active weekend coming up again. And I'm lazy about running.

[GoJo09]

Day 21 (Thursday) 

Skipped crossfit yesterday as my calf was really tight and I have a lot of hiking planned for this weekend, so thought it best to rest it (nothing at all to do with the threatened 300 burpee workout the coach warned me about...). 

Popped to the shop after work to grab a few things, and ended up with a small bag of cashews "for hiking". It's amazing how I keep telling myself this same story. Unsurprisingly, I ate all the cashews (at least they were tastier than the nuts last week, but by the end they left an odd after-taste). I decided to eat some protein also to make it more of a meal (at 4 in the afternoon, mind you), and then had some roasted sweet potato. By the time I met my friend at the pub I was stuffed (uncomfortably so). 

Drank 1.5l of sparkling water at the pub, while my friend put away quite a lot of beer and food. We had a serious discussion about alcohol (we both have alcoholics in our families, and have addictive tendencies), and he said next time we go he will try to drink just water with me. I hope he does. This guy drinks a LOT.

I have to confess though, the first time we went out while I was not drinking he did start with sparkling water also, in solidarity. And I, unintentionally, was pushing him to get a beer! Not because I wanted to be superior to him in my non-drinking, but I didn't want him to "miss out" because I wasn't drinking. I only really realised it afterwards, and I apologised to him, but not cool behaviour from me, especially when I do think he has a problem. 

Day 22 (Friday - today) 

We have a long weekend here, so planned lots of fun things, as well as plenty of chill time - I'm really conscious of cramming too much in and being exhausted and not getting chores done. 

Today a friend and I are heading up to the coolest park to hike, where it's all boulders for scrambling on and rock pools for jumping in. It won't be hard core, just 3-4 hours of mucking around. The last time I went to this park was with my ex, so not looking forward to those memories, but time to supplant them with new ones. 

I have some biltong, dried apricots, a couple of bananas and a tin of tuna to eat (no nuts...), and I'll chuck some other proper food in a chilly bag for after. 

[GoJo09]

Days 23-25 (Saturday-today) - or Days 1-3...

Lots and lots of fun and exercise this long weekend! Been eating rather like a horse in consequence .

 There was a stuff up on Friday (or Saturday, I can't remember) - grabbed a convenience food from the shop, which I've had before I'm sure, scoffed it and THEN looked at the packet - rice flour right on up there in the ingredients list. Ugh, so dumb. I don't really have a clear 30 days to start again, because of the party I am going to 12 May (and yes, I can just not drink, and maybe that will happen - I was only planning on 2 wines anyway, but I don't want to set myself up for failure...). I'll see what happens at the party, but I do need to get my reintros done before 23 May as I'm heading to a festival weekend in Swaziland where pretty much all food will be purchased at food stalls (it's camping and you're not allowed to take braais or barbecues, so pretty limited on BYO food options. I will take a bunch of hard boiled eggs, tins of tuna, salad stuff, but there's only so much food you can pack when there are 4 of you going and a small car).

Friday hike was 2.5 hours of clambering around on boulders, jumping in crystal clear (and freezing cold) pools in our underwear, and generally having a good time. We both bought food to eat when we got back to the car, and then stopped for coffee on the way home.

Saturday I ran sprints, which were hard, and then I looked at my watch and realised I was going much faster than usual, so it makes sense it was tough! Then dinner out with friends/colleagues - I ate before I went, and then just ordered a green salad off the menu and asked for olive oil instead of dressing. I certainly couldn't have survived on just the salad, so that was a good way to make it work.

Sunday hike was a tough one, with an early start and tonnes of climbing. I ate breakfast at 5am before I started the 1.5hr drive to get there, so consequently I was starving by 9am (an hour of fast, steep hiking). I had a Nakd fruit and nut bar then, and then just snacked on a few bits of biltong and turkish apricots the rest of the morning. I had chicken and vege in the car before starting the drive home at 12.30, but more snack size than lunch size (all that was left in the fridge!), so I scoffed a second mini-meal of tuna,olives and potatoes when I got home. Then I quickly showered and went out to a get together at a friends, where everyone was drinking Pimms(!!) and eating delicious smelling savoury pastries. I had about a minute of pining for the Pimms, then realised I actually didn't want it that much, and since I'm gluten free at the best of times, I was never going to be eating the pastries anyway. I was happy after that with my sparkling water.

Crossfit this morning was tough! Apparently some idiot emailed the gym saying the workouts were too short lately, so the head coach has made all the workouts this week really long. The coach loves sneaking extra plates on my bar when he thinks I'm not looking, and he's always right about my ability to do it, damn him! Then I did my pull up practice afterwards, and it's definitely making a difference - I'm getting heaps higher on my kip now (previously my shoulders were barely rising at all, but now I'm actually getting the top of my head level with the bar).

[GoJo09]

Day 26

Odd food timing again today. Breakfast at 7, then was sightseeing with friends, so had some biltong and dried apricots in the car around 2 (side note, that biltong makes my farts smell terrible! Second time I've noticed this.) Then proper lunch at 3.30. Then a couple of meatballs and a pile of roast potatoes with mayo about 6.30.

Was grumpy and tired yesterday afternoon, and then this afternoon I was irrationally crying at an article on Bored Panda. Still 12 days until my period, but I guess it is going to be really this month if this is any indication. 

Rest day today, and much needed (there was talk of a run, which I'm quite glad didn't come off).