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Katie's Whole30 Log - cooking, eating, and exercise!


kshacklett

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Hi, I'm Katie, I love to cook, work out, and eat! I did a dry-run of paleo eating a few weeks ago and felt GREAT, so I can't wait to see how my Whole30 goes :)

Most of the recipes I use are on pinterest, where you can find me as kate2tog . I'm excited to try lots of new recipes in the coming month - every paleo recipe I've made so far has been amazing!

I took lots of measurements and pictures yesterday, and tucked them away in a drawer until February. I started working out seriously and doing lots of strength training in September, and while I've seen some progress, I'm hoping Whole30 kicks my butt and helps me drop some inches on my waist and arms. I can feel all the muscle I've built underneath - now I want to lose that fat!

Also - due to food allergies, I make all of my recipes nut free, and avoid most seeds as well.

DAY 1 MENU

Breakfast: Sweet Potato Hash

Peppermint Tea

Morning Snack: Fat Guacamole Devils

Lunch: Chicken Salad in an Avocado Cup

Clementines

Afternoon Snack: Banana Chips (no sugar added)

Dinner: The Best Chicken You Will Ever Eat, green beans, carrots

Workout: EHIIT (a interval strength training class at my local gym - although this has become more of a cardio workout for me in between my heavier lifting days)

The chicken recipe for dinner is the only thing on today's menu I haven't already tried, so expect a review tomorrow!

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Nice pin boards! I still haven't quite gotten into Pinterest... it'll be on my to-do list until I invariably become addicted like everyone else. :P

I can't wait to hear your success story at the end of the month!

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I made it through day one! Just like when I did a "practice run" of paleo eating a few weeks ago, the hardest time was between 3pm and dinner (usually between 5:30 and 6:30 at our house). I kind of felt like I was coming down with a bug, which didn't really make me want to eat by the time it was dinnertime. But, I forced myself to eat a very healthy, filling meal, and then went to the gym, and I felt much better :) I'm glad I practiced this last month (and gave up soda then, too), otherwise I might have been worried that I'd continue to feel that way. Hopefully today or tomorrow is the last day of that (I think it lasted 2 days last time?)

Last night's dinner, The Best Chicken You Will Ever Eat, was certainly a success. I wish I had a little more time to brine the chicken, but the results were very yummy. Also, I boiled some carrots and green beans, then drained and tossed them with a little ghee and salt - very yummy! This is the first time I tried ghee, and I'm a big fan.

Today will be a good test of how hungry I am when I reach for a snack - I made a batch of Fat Guacamole Devils the other day, and it seems the avocado in them oxidized -they're now a lovely greyish brown. I know it's still ok to eat, it just doesn't look as...palatable.

DAY 2 MENU

Meal 1: Sweet Potato Hash

Peppermint Tea

Morning Snack: Fat Guacamole Devils

Meal 2: Best Chicken You Will Ever Eat

Green Beans and Carrots

Clementines

Afternoon Snack: Dates

Meal 3: Slow Cooker Cuban Beef

Wilted Greens

Cauliflower Rice

Workout (Between Afternoon Snack and Meal 3): Weight Lifting at the gym...update tomorrow on what I actually did!

Meal 3 is in my shiny new crockpot that I got for Christmas and smelled *delicious* when I left for work...here's hoping it looks just as good when I get home!

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On to Day 3! 3pm to dinner was still awful yesterday - I tried to find some sort of snack until my husband got home, and ended up eating a warm avocado with cocktail sauce (homemade). Don't do that.

I'm finding that whatever happens to me in that time period ends up with me feeling so sick I don't want to eat, even though I need to. I think I was about halfway through dinner last night before I even wanted to be eating. However, this seems to be alleviated by about 30 minutes after the meal, and I'm fine the rest of the night. Today, I've packed half a baked sweet potato to eat around 2:30 to see if this helps at all.

I ended up working late and didn't make it to the gym, so I've moved weight lifting to today. Then, with any luck, skiing this weekend!

The cuban beef last night was amazing - I made mine with a can of diced tomatos since I picked the recipe last minute and didn't have any fresh on hand, so it was a little soupy, but oh-so-tender. Great with the wilted greens on top, but the cauliflower "rice" isn't really my thing.

Later, I ended up making some sweet potato microwave chips with chile powder - exactly what I needed to survive while my husband ate a box of mac-and-cheese :)

DAY 3 MENU

Meal 1: Sweet Potato Hash

Peppermint Tea

Morning Snack: Dates/Dried Bananas

Meal 2: Slow Cooker Cuban Beef

Roasted Asparagus

Wilted Greens

Clementines

Pre-Workout Meal: 1/2 baked Sweet Potato with Ghee

Meal 3: Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Chicken Salad in an Avocado Cup

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*sigh* wishing I had kept track of what I ate on our honeymoon to St Lucia this past May (before I'd even heard of paleo!). So many good things, and I think so many of them may have been paleo, or at least close. Everyone's posts about coconuts, fresh fruit, and fish are making me want another vacation!

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I'm posting tomorrow's menu early since I've got a busy day planned! Today went very well; having a sweet potato mid-afternoon was just what I needed to stave off that awful feeling I'd been getting the past two days.

Day 3 Workout:

Bench Press: 40 lbs

Squats: 50 lbs

Arnold Curls: 15 lbs

Tricep Pulls: 60 lbs

Bicep Curls: 20 lbs

Running: 2 minutes (I got really lazy. Need to work on this. I aim for at least 10 minutes after lifting)

Day 4 Menu:

Meal 1: Sweet Potato Hash

(Early) Meal 2: Thai Beef Skillet (from ISWF)

Afternoon Snack: Microwave Sweet Potato Chips (maybe with guacamole?)

Meal 3: Pulled Pork and Plantain Mash

Workout: Skiing! Hoping the microwave chips are a good portable option, since I don't eat nuts or seeds, trying to find a good portable, compliant snack (that isn't cold!). Wishing I had already made bone broth so I could bring some. (posted from my tablet so I couldn't update the links)

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Me too - most of that was pre-paleo, but I'm not willing to give up the knowledge! I see you tried weight watchers, too - did you have any luck? I lost 20 pounds that way, but as soon as I started weight lifting, I got stuck. I think it was a great starting place for me, just not what I need right now.

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Day 5, and I still feel good! Other than some stomachaches/irritability from 3:00pm until dinner on days 1 and 2, I've felt fine. No "kill all the things"; no crazy food dreams - I'm almost nervous that I'm doing something wrong. I'm not really having cravings, but I've noticed when I see something on TV or read about a particular food, I want it more than if I wasn't whole30 and could actually have it.

The pork and plantain recipe I had last night was absolutely amazing - and I turned it into 4 servings of pork and plantain breakfast hash this morning (and I STILL have more pork leftover!)

Not very sore from skiing yesterday, which is exciting, so I plan on going for a run a little later when it warms up a little bit.

DAY 5 MENU

Meal 1: Pork and Plantain Cuban Breakfast Hash

Meal 2: Leftover Thai Beef Skillet (from ISWF)

Afternoon Snack: Sweet Potato Chips and guacamole

Meal 3: Chile Verde Chicken Casserole (my tortillas never turn out good enough to make enchiladas, lol)

On my tablet again, so here are the links to the recipes

http://paleomg.com/pork-plantain-breakfast-hash/

http://www.againstallgrain.com/2012/01/23/chile-verde-chicken-enchiladas-scd-primal/

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Good morning! Ready for day 6 :) I didn't make it for a run yesterday, ended up getting caught up in housework. I don't feel tired lately so much as I'm lacking in motivation - hoping that picks up during week 2.

Yesterday I finally got a little "kill all the things" - mostly because my (super skinny, lived off of hamburger helper before he met me) husband decided yesterday would be a great day to "eat all the things." I kid you not, the guy rarely snacks, and yesterday, he ate tortilla chips with cheese, tortilla chips with salsa (twice!), a small bowl of m&ms, half a chocolate bar, a mug of hot chocolate, some ritz crackers, and a bowl of pasta and butter (ew). And then claimed he eats like this every day. I asked him when the last time he ate ANYTHING chocolate was, and he couldn't remember. So like I said, kill all the things.

The only thing I was really craving yesterday (aside from everything I watched my darling husband eat) was ketchup. I rarely even eat ketchup, but suddenly, I really wanted some hash browns smothered in heinz 57.

Cooking successes this weekend included homemade mayonnaise, which worked on the first try - I spent 5 whole minutes drizzling in the olive oil. I also have a batch of bone broth going in the slow cooker, I'll transfer it to the fridge when I get home, and hopefully get to try it before bed.

Today's menu is below, and I'm working out with my trainer tonight, so hopefully I'll have some good weight lifting updates tomorrow!

DAY 6 MENU

Meal 1: Pork Plantain Cuban Breakfast Hash

Morning Snack: Banana Chips and/or Dates

Meal 2: Leftover Chile Verde Chicken

Afternoon Snack: Deviled Eggs

Meal 3: Tilapia with Roasted Green Beans and Lemon-Ghee-Basil-Dill Sauce

Post-workout Meal: Bone Broth, assuming it works!

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You're doing good! I would have had a hard time not stealing a bite of that mac and cheese. I think one of the reasons I haven't had cravings or caved is because my boyfriend is doing it too, so the bad food just isn't there. Kudos to you for sticking with it with all the distraction! oh and I followed you on pinterest. I'm at http://pinterest.com/jmborchardt

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Day 7, and I'm feeling great! I think I might be a little sleepier than usual, but that's fairly typical for me in the winter months, anyway. Made it to the gym last night to work out with my trainer, and he's really starting to notice more muscle tone in my arms and legs - now if only I could get rid of the fat on top of those muscles!

Last night's workout:

Sled Push (2 laps)

Dead Lifts - 60 lbs (15 reps)

Plate Clean - 10 lbs (15 reps)

Rope Pull (8 reps)

Russian Twist - 25 lbs (15 reps)

Slide Pikes (15 reps)

Chest to Ground Pushups (10? reps)

Repeat the whole thing 3 times, first 3 one more time.

The other thing I've really enjoyed about Whole30 is the amount of time and care I put into preparing my food. I really love to cook, but sometimes I feel like I get stuck in a rut with the same 5 or 6 recipes over and over. Lately, though, I've even been making the foods I used to think of as ingredients - mayo, stock, etc.

Looks like the bone broth worked - tonight I'll scrape off the fat and try some after my run - it's supposed to get up to 50 degrees today!

DAY 7 MENU

Meal 1: Pork Plantain Cuban Breakfast Hash

Morning Snack: Banana Chips and/or Dates

Meal 2: Chile Verde Chicken

Afternoon Snack: Deviled Eggs

Meal 3: Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy

Butternut Squash

Possible Snack: Guacamole

Workout: 30 minute run

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I'm HUNGRY this morning! Normally, it's an effort to eat breakfast within an hour of wakingup, but this morning I was ready - seems like a good sign to me! I was very sleepy yesterday, but pushed through since I have trouble taking even short naps in the winter (tends to end with me asleep the whole night) and then went to bed a little bit earlier than usual. Finally had my first food dream, too - not a particular craving, but a dream that I was at some sort of interview and they fed me lunch, and I ate it before I remembered it wasn't whole30 (and it was all really weird, made up food, too - like zucchini pastries floating in some sort of liquid). Not too much panic or stress though - slept through the night anyway :)

Went for my first run in a while yesterday since the weather was nice - not a particularly great or bad run, just average. Hoping to get in a few more before the weather gets cold again (which it had better soon - I want to go skiing again!). I plan on going to the gym tonight for EHIIT (interval strength/cardio)

DAY 8 MENU

Meal 1: Pork Plantain Cuban Breakfast Hash (with hot sauce!)

Clementine

Morning Snack: banana chips and/or dates

Meal 2: Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy

Butternut Squash

Afternoon Snack: Deviled Egg

Meal 3: Paleo Spaghetti with Homemade Veggie Tomato Sauce

Post-workout Meal: Sweet potato chips with guacamole

And here's a ninja, just because I want to use one: :ph34r:

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DAY 8 EVALUATION

I find myself craving sugar, bread or sweets when: I see my husband eating them, or 3pm until I eat dinner

Sometimes, I think I'm hungry, but I'm actually just: I notice I get hungry if I start thinking about how full I am...

When I'm craving sugar, I used to eat: chocolate, or cookies - but I never really craved sugar so much as salt or carbs

During my whole 30, I'm going to reach for: proteins!

When I eat sweet food like fruit, I notice: how delicious they are!

When I eat salty foods like nuts or olives, I notice: they make me crave more

I thought I'd miss eating/drinking: Diet soda, cheese, tortilla chips

I didn't think I'd like eating: vegetables at breakfast

I have the hardest time sticking to the whole30 when I'm feeling: tired

I have the hardest time sticking to the whole30 when i'm in: any situation where I'm not really hungry, but crackers/candy are available

When I eat a good breakfast, I feel: awake, content, healthy

When I prepare a healthy meal from scratch, I feel: calm, accomplished, helpful to my family

Since I started my Whole30, I've noticed:

  • That my exercise or sports performance: about the same, but I'm always trying to improve. Skiing was easier in that I wasn't starving 20 minutes in like I used to be!
  • That my sleep: still the same, but I'm a good sleeper :) Still have night sweats, though, wish that would stop.
  • That my energy levels: Pretty constant, but I have been sleepy the past two days.
  • That my emotions: are the same as usual
  • That my recovery after exercise: still about the same
  • That my body feels: about the same
  • That my clothese fit: still about the same
  • That my condition(Skin issues, allergies, digestive distress, etc): still all about the same, but no huge issues to begin with

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Ohh that breakfast hash looks good! Aside from the many treat-recipes we can't have on the Whole30, I really like PaleOMG's recipes.

Also, I am now following your Whole30 board on Pinterest! I am just now starting to get into it. My hope is to gather up categories of Paleo meals to use for future meal planning: http://pinterest.com/dellanova/ (obviously, some boards are still empty, but it's a work-in-progress).

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Day 9 has arrived, and with it, some lessons about myself. Like, if it comes in a bag (even if it is whole30 compliant), I have no brakes. Calorie counts ruin my self esteem. My stomach hates sunflower oil. Eating "too much" or "bad things" gives me the urge to weigh myself.

Long story short, I got tired of making sweet potato chips in the microwave and bought two bags from the store (ingredients: sweet potatos, sunflower oil, salt). 3 nights later, both bags are gone. Spend most of last night with stomach cramps, a heavy feeling in my stomach, and tossing and turning. I recognize that a lot of this could be psychological; I started to feel really guilty after I realized each bag was 750 calories. So, I'm trying to take this in stride, recognize that Whole30 is forcing me to learn about what I can handle (both in terms of ingredients as well as psychologically), and managed to not weigh myself this morning.

On a more positive note, my HIIT class last night was AWESOME, got in a great workout and it seemed to increase my energy levels. I'm trying to focus on getting more protein this week - always a challenge for me. Whole30 has helped, since before I tended to eat refined grains when feeling (insert absolutely any emotion here), and it was an easy-out for side dishes since my husband doesn't really like vegetables. I want to avoid the trap, though, of eating mostly vegetables and neglecting my protein intake. I'm switching my post-workout "meal" from sweet potato chips and guacamole to a deviled egg.

DAY 9 MENU

Meal 1: Chicken and Gravy

Sweet Potato with Ghee

Morning Snack: Apple

Meal 2: Paleo Spaghetti with Homemade Tomato Veggie Sauce

Deviled Egg

Pre-workout: Butternut Squash

Post-workout: Deviled Egg

Meal 3: Freezer Crock Pot Chicken

Green Beans

Tonight's planned workout is a run - trying to make the most of this nice weather rather than pouting that it's too warm to ski.

As a side note, just wanted to point out that all of the recipes I post are not whole30 as written, but I make them whole30 by eliminating or substituting ingredients :)

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Day 10! Yesterday was the hardest this has been for me so far. My crockpot dinner burnt, and the smell made me sick, plus I had to come up with a back up meal (which was actually pretty darn good). I think I've had my fill of butternut squash and ghee - I always forget how overpowering ghee can be and add too much. I miss snack foods - none in particular, just the convenience and instant gratification of simple carbs. I spent an hour making eggplant chips in the microwave last night, and I think it only took me 5 minutes to eat them <_< I keep telling myself that I'm doing this just as much as a cooking challenge as a health challenge (and I'm still so darn proud of my mayo!). I'm also frustrated that I really don't feel much different than I did before I started this. That's not to say I don't feel well, I just feel...the same. Plus more frustrated than usual. And then I feel bad that my life revolves around food so much that this change has made me feel this way.

But anyway...went for a run last night, and remembered why you're supposed to stretch after your previous run - my legs were t-i-g-h-t! But I made it through, got home, and promptly forgot to stretch again. Ended up making a substitute dinner of chicken breasts seasoned with Herbs de Provence, Garlic Powder, and salt and pepper in coconut oil, plus a side of green beans with Trader Joes Every Day Seasoning, and some leftover butternut squash. And because it was so yummy, my husband was nice enough to let me take all of the leftovers for lunch (while he bought a strombolli...)

Searched for W30 compliant breakfast sausage at the store, and couldn't find any. Plus, I learned that the brown and serve I had been eating previously had mechanically separated turkey, aka pink slime. Eeew! Found a quick and easy recipe for making my own, though, so I'll try that this weekend.

DAY 10 MENU

Meal 1: 2 Egg Muffins (egg, sausage, spinach)

Clementine

Meal 2: Chicken Breast with Herbs de Provence

Butternut Squash

Pre-workout Meal: Deviled Eggs

Meal 3: Broiled Tilapia with Tomato Caper Sauce

Roasted Asparagus

Today's another heavy lifting day at the gym - updates tomorrow!

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Finally getting around to writing my day 11 entry at 8:30 at night - it was a good day! Started the morning with a trip to the butcher and the grocery store - almost entirely vegetables :) Then headed to the gym for my High Intensity Interval class. I got my husband to go with me for the first time, and it really kicked his butt (he's in pretty good shape, but I think he over-estimates how healthy he is because he's skinny). I tried to get him to have some protein before and after, but that wasn't happening. One thing at a time, I suppose.

I'm usually pretty in-tune with my body, but more so lately than ever, as I try to figure out what does and doesn't have to do with the way I eat. Last night into mid-day today I noticed I was really cold, and last night I pretty much passed out around 10:00 (my normal weeknight bedtime). Today, however, I have tons of energy, which has been great!

DAY 11 MENU

Breakfast: 2 egg/spinach/sausage muffins

Black Coffee

Pre-workout: 1/2 deviled egg

Post-workout: 1/2 deviled egg

Lunch: Firecracker tuna, served on cucumber slices (like little crackers)

Afternoon Snack: Sweet potato chips and guacamole

Dinner: Steak with Brazilian Marinade, Sweet Potato Fries, and roasted asparagus

All I have to say is that if you haven't made the firecracker tuna yet (from www.theclothesmakethegirl.com), stop everything you're doing and go do it right now. Seriously.

Oh, and here's an update on yesterday's weight lifting:

Bench Press: 50 lbs

Squats: 70 lbs

Tricep Pull: 60 lbs

Bicep Curl: 20 lbs

Arnold Press: 15 lbs

Ball pikes

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Day 12, and I was feeling great until I received a dinner invitation from my MiL for BiL's birthday. So frustrated - I really don't feel like talking about my whole30, particularly with very SAD people who will pretty much tell me I'm out of my mind, government conspiracies, hippies, blah blah blah. It's January 26 - 4 days from the end, so there's no way I'm caving at that point, I'm just trying to figure out the best way to get through this and keep the peace. First I need to figure out if they're going out to dinner or having dinner at home - and either way, this is no guarantee as they often change plans at the last minute. Honestly, going out would be much easier. I've already tried to explain my food allergies to them, and this past Christmas was the first time that they 1. remembered and 2. didn't say "well, can't you just pick the nuts out? So something tells me they'd just make me a non-whole30 meal and then hope I just "picked out" the sulfites or whatever. I'm thinking of bringing my own meal, and explaining what I'm doing as a whole-foods elimination diet in order to better understand my existing allergies (which is, in fact, true, just not the entire truth). And spending the night dealing with lots of annoying comments.

AND FOR THE RECORD my husband's brother, whose birthday we're celebrating, only eats chicken fingers and pizza, and yet I'm the one whose going to take flak over what I eat. Seriously, people...

(And my in-laws are very lovely people. I'm just stressed that this unexpected obstacle came up).

Anyway, today is a cooking day, so I got to the gym early and I'm getting ready to spend the afternoon cooking! Hopefully this will make me happier.

DAY 12 MENU:

Meal 1: 2 egg-spinach-sausage muffins

Black Coffee

Post-workout: 1/2 deviled egg

Meal 2: Leftover Steak

Firecracker Tuna

Cucumbers

Meal 3: Twice Baked Chorizo Sweet Potatos

Carribean Chicken with Mango Salad

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