Kaleena's Whole30 Log!

[Kaleena]

I'm starting this on day 4. I don't plan on posting daily menus just how I'm feeling and maybe the odd meal if it was particularly good.

Here's my story:

I'm a former personal trainer but when I quit the fitness business, started writing as a profession and began dance training almost every day of the week, my diet started to get lazier and nastier. Over the course of the past 6 months my energy levels have gone down, my pimples have increased and I feel pretty wonky from the inside out.

Finally, after 10 days straight of drinking and eating crap over the holidays I thought I'd try this Whole30 thing. What is unique about my Whole30 is that I'm a vegetarian who heavily relies on dairy and soy for protein. I also don't eat enough fat. I've been using sweeteners for about a year in coffee and syrup.

When I was in India back in April I tried fish for the first time and decided that for the Whole30 I would try fish for a month. So there's a lot of new stuff going on for me here. So far here are my negative experiences:

-I'm having a hard time getting used to savory breakfasts. I ate "protein pancakes" or egg whites, oatmeal and raw honey for breakfast for a loong time. Yesterday I couldn't stomach the idea of eggs, fish or greens and ate a plantain with macadamia nut butter. It set me up for a day of craving sweet. Although I ate nothing outside of the compliant foods, it didn't feel right. Today was fine.

-I miss cream in my coffee and a glass of milk at night! Coconut milk in my coffee has been nasty and I'm slowly getting used to coconut water as my other than water drink.

-On day 2 and 3 I felt wretched! I think it was the after-holiday hangover combined with cutting out the sweeteners and sugar. Ick!

THE GOOD

-I feel more vital ALREADY!

-I'm sleeping better

-I'm fuller between meals.

-I'm cutting back on coffee

-Libido is up.

Well, this is my first post and you can bet I'll be back again with more updates and hopefully rave reviews!

[Tom Denham]

Glad you're here. Welcome!

[Kaleena]

Thanks, Tom. I've been browsing your recipes for inspiration! : )

[ORBren]

Big changes bring big rewards. I bet you can rock this.

[Kaleena]

Morning of Day 5 now...

According to the timeline I should be wanting to kill all things by now. Actually, I felt very happy and energetic yesterday. So did my husband! Around 6pm I decided I would take a lie-down after hours of walking and errands (usually we are both ASLEEP by 4pm on a Saturday) but he dragged me out of bed to give him a yoga class! *scratches head*

So energy levels are up but the weekends are really hard because I'm used to eating more. And dining out! It's purely psychological. "Yeah, you had a tough week but you worked hard and ate healthy so go ahead and have that (fill in the blank with something trashy)."

I admit I did eat more than I would on a workday but 1. Compliant foods and 2. Less than I otherwise would have. I'm moving in the right direction. I do wish I had started Whole30 earlier in the week but the 2nd was a Wednesday, what can you do?

I actually have a bit of a cold right now. Not sure if it's because my immune system has been turned on its head or if it is coincidental. I do have a meeting with my publisher today but fortunately despite it, I have been feeling quite vital. My stomach has been slightly...disturbed though..haha

I'm not sleeping as well as I'd like these past couple of days. Also a weekend thing that I'm hoping will be cured.

Some Points of Contemplation

-One of the reasons I'm not posting my daily menus is because I don't want to become obsessed with my diet. I don't want to think about my food choices after my lips. Been there, done that, and it's not cool for me! I used to study nutrition and even knowing how to eat I believe even the healthiest of interests should never take up a lot of your time.

This is why my Whole30 is probably much more basic than most. I'm not into making elaborate dips or sauces and I'm not taking an hour to make a meal. i'm going pretty "rustic" with basic seasonings and ingredients. I think this is ideal for me.

-Toronto has no fish! Seriously, my husband and I ran around all over yesterday trying to find "a good fish" for dinner and we ended up back at the grocery store in the frozen department. Wth? This led to about 15 minutes of fish puns. *facepalm*

-My cockatiels are happy that there's more food that they can eat too!

-Feeling sexier

Well, off to experience day 5!

[Kaleena]

Morning of Day 6

Yesterday was a little rough. I think i have a cold in combination with a food allergy, making it the worst cold I have ever had! I'm pretty sure coconut is the cause. I've been having common allergy symptoms, rashes and trouble breathing : 0 I cut out the 3 new foods to my diet for most of the day (avocado, fish and coconut) and started to feel better...Until I had coconut water and my throat tightened up and I felt like I ate broken glass. Sucks too, because that stuff is expensive!

So for the first half of the day I WAS pretty crusty. I walked by my favourite bakery and saw a kid eating my Sunday sandwich (brie and cranberry chutney) and I was thinking "Ohhhh look at you and your delicious sandwich. Well I'm being healthy and I'm covered in rashes and my nose is running like a faucet so there!" Did I mention my upset stomach yet? I guess I AM experiencing the "Kill all things" part of the timeline!

I had a meeting with my publisher that ran really long. I ate a good breakfast at 11:30 but now it's nearing on 6pm and all I've been able to find to snack on is dried apricots. By the time I got home I did one of those stand in the kitchen and shove down hard boiled eggs and dried figs...ew That actually made me feel quite unwell.

I had a fish soup for dinner but I was feeling off and didn't eat much. Of course, this made me hungrier later and I snacked on a

Lara bar, dried fruit, blackberries and nut butter....Completely defeating the purpose of this program.

However, it is Monday and I always feel like Monday is good time to re-check and re-work plans for the week.

I have to admit I hope I start feeling better soon. I'm becoming frustrated that I have been missing workouts. I haven't done much more then run in the mornings and practice dance a bit. On Friday I skipped yoga because I felt brutal (my hangover phase). I guess over the weekend I was walking a lot but I really want to do something today and right now I just feel so terrible. WHERE'S THE TIGER BLOOD I HAD ON SATURDAY?

Anyway, my goal for today is to eat a lot less sugar. I have not had any foods that are non-compliant but I'm still turning to fruit and dried fruit when I feel like I can't handle fat and protein. I'd really like to cut back to one or two fruit portions a day within a week.

[Derval]

Feel better soon

[ORBren]

Sounds like you had a Rough day. Sleep well and be gentle with yourself.

[Kaleena]

Morning of Day 7

It's very hard to describe how I'm feeling since I have a nasty cold...And a potential allergy. Obviously I'm not feeling well (and thanks to those who have wished me well, I truly appreciate it.)

I'm not worried about giving up. I never do. Once I'm determined to follow through with something, I will. I just hope it becomes a more comfortable experience.

My husband, who has been loosely following with me switched from diet Pepsi to club soda yesterday without mentioning it. I started to notice something was up by about 10pm when he seemed a little edgy. He drinks A LOT of diet pop so he may need my support these next couple of days. I think the only other non-compliant food he is consuming is milk. He loves milk. So do I and I miss my half cup in the evenings dearly.

I was trying to avoid the avocado and coconut yesterday just to be on the safe side re: allergy. Without these two, I found that I didn't eat enough fat and had to snack a couple of times on berries or figs.

This is an interesting thought to me

So the entire month of December I was eating complete garbage and drinking a lot of wine and beer. Months prior I was eating giant almond butter and apple baguette sandwiches and buying ready-made granola parfaits for months (with like 60 grams of sugar!). Now I'm eating 4 dried figs and I think I'm doing it all wrong?

That's all out of whack...lol. I'm really trying to focus (especially in this first week) on tweaking meals until it feels right and being HAPPY with the fact that I'm making SUCH healthier choices now.

Energy Levels

Are not good. Again, probably the cold. I'm also noticing that I'm having trouble getting out of bed!? This has never been a problem for me. Usually I fly out of bed every morning ready to take on the day. Lately I'm lying there for 30 minutes all groggy. I wonder if this means I need more sleep? Last night I got 8.5 hours...With a cold! I'm going to say that if nothing else, my drastic reduction of coffee/caffeine must be helping. Really, I can function on 5+ hours but I know I need more.

I'm very curious how the next 23 days will play out. I've always been full of energy but if the Whole30 can improve my body composition, give me that same (or better) energy and mental clarity (this is a big one for me) then I would seriously consider living a mostly Whole365 lifestyle...with the exception of a drink and some dark chocolate as a special treat...and to not be a social outcast

[Kaleena]

I'm posting meals now (didn't want to at first) but I'm feeling really bloated and a little confused by the templates. I run in the mornings and have never had food before a run. Right now I'm having a cup of coffee with coconut milk. It's not great, I know. After I run (this is more for limbering up/wellness. It's not hardcore) I end up waiting about an hour before I eat (I know, not ideal) but by the time I shower and take care of my pets an hour has gone by, making my wake up time to breakfast a staggering 3 hours with the exception of about a 1/4 can of coconut milk.

If I were to eat something before or after what would that be? How does that work into the program? So anyway on day 6:

Breakfast

Egg white omelet (half cup) with mushrooms and kale. Spread mashed avocado and salsa on top. + a hard boiled egg.

This kept me full for about 4 hours or so. In the afternoon I thought I was hungry. I had lemon water. It did the trick.

Lunch

Tuna (1/2 can) and avocado (1/2) salad mixed with celery. A hard boiled egg, steamed kale and mushrooms and half a plantain with a dab of macadamia nut butter

Started feeling hungry again after 2.5 hours. I had a chai tea. Seems to have worked.

Dinner (currently in the making)

Salmon patties made with 1 can of salmon, 1 small sweet potato, half a packet of hemp hearts. Steamed broccoli, cauliflower and carrots on the side.

Every night I've still been back in the cupboards for dates and cashews or other "snackables." I'm pretty sure this is psychological.

So, is this looking alright? Any recommendations? I'd like to do this right. My energy levels have never been so low and I feel rather bloated. I'm hoping this clears up really soon but I also realize that I could be messing up here!

[ORBren]

I am too new at this to give any advice...looks like plenty of veggies and avocado for good fat.

I have never had hemp hearts, are they like artichoke hearts?

Have you thought about using pre-planned distractions when having cravings (suggested in the book and in the daily e-mail) that has worked for me when I want a "snackey thing" My drawers and baskets are getting very organized!

[Tom Denham]

The food you are eating looks good, but I am suspicious you are not eating enough. The meal template calls for a serving of protein at each meal as big as the palm of your hand. Also, the meal template allows for eating a protein serving as big as both palms of your hands if you are hungry. The way you are "tricking" yourself out of eating by drinking lemon water or tea concerns me. If you are hungry, eat! Having enough to eat makes avoiding snacks easy, but if you are truly hungry, the draw of snacks will remain strong. It would be okay to add a fourth meal if you need to eat more, but don't want to eat more at your basic three meals.

Oh yes, beyond the protein portion, the meal template calls for filling the rest of your plate with veggies cooked in a measure of fat as big as your thumb - maybe one or two tablespoons of fat.

Feeling bloated may mean that you are having trouble digesting protein and fat. Many people find taking Now Foods Super Enzymes with meals helpful because it can improve your digestion and get you to a better place quickly.

[Kaleena]

I am too new at this to give any advice...looks like plenty of veggies and avocado for good fat.

I have never had hemp hearts, are they like artichoke hearts?

Have you thought about using pre-planned distractions when having cravings (suggested in the book and in the daily e-mail) that has worked for me when I want a "snackey thing" My drawers and baskets are getting very organized!

Lol, That's a good suggestion/reminder. I should write a list of distractions. Sometimes I forget that completely changing your way of eating and thinking about food takes work, you know? : P

Hemp hearts are basically just de-shelled hemp seeds.

[Kaleena]

The food you are eating looks good, but I am suspicious you are not eating enough. The meal template calls for a serving of protein at each meal as big as the palm of your hand. Also, the meal template allows for eating a protein serving as big as both palms of your hands if you are hungry. The way you are "tricking" yourself out of eating by drinking lemon water or tea concerns me. If you are hungry, eat! Having enough to eat makes avoiding snacks easy, but if you are truly hungry, the draw of snacks will remain strong. It would be okay to add a fourth meal if you need to eat more, but don't want to eat more at your basic three meals.

Oh yes, beyond the protein portion, the meal template calls for filling the rest of your plate with veggies cooked in a measure of fat as big as your thumb - maybe one or two tablespoons of fat.

Feeling bloated may mean that you are having trouble digesting protein and fat. Many people find taking Now Foods Super Enzymes with meals helpful because it can improve your digestion and get you to a better place quickly.

Tom, thanks for the thoughtful advice. I'm a little torn between differentiating between actual hunger and trying to break my old routine. I used to have a good sized snack at 2:30 every afternoon so now around that time I want to eat even if I'm not hungry. I work from home so boredom and clock watching does come into play.

I do cook with oils but yes, I need more on the veggies.

I'll look into the Now Foods Super Enzymes.

Thanks again. I really appreciate it! : )

[Kaleena]

Day 8 Wrap Up

Well it's the morning of day 9 and I slept really bad. On day 8 I had a lot of energy and so I did a lot of activity. It was also my first dance class back and I always find my passion for the art a little over stimulating. .It could be the the cold, which is still lingering a bit but much improved. Maybe i can catch some Zzzzzs this afternoon.

Anyway, back to day 8. After my nasty coffee with coconut milk (I was reading there's a whipped “creamer†recipe out there..woo hoo) I thought I'd take a teaspoon of macadamia nut butter before my morning run just to see how I felt. Well, it gave me a bit of pep. I ran faster than usual and then decided to cut the mileage and time in favor of some intervals, which I would normally never have the energy for in the AM!

After the run I thought heck, I can still do more so I practiced dance choreography, did 30 squats, 25 pushups and 50 crunches. Not bad! Then I ate half a hardboiled egg (kinda ate around the yolk) and some canned pumpkin before I got into the shower. This actually held me over a little while to get some work done.

Then I had breakfast:

-Egg white omelet (1/2 cup) with mushrooms and kale topped with salsa and avocado (about ¼)

-The rest of my hardboiled egg

-About 2 tablespoons of pumpkin with cinnamon.

I felt like I was going to explode. However, after that settled I was full of the tiger blood and did a bunch of errands, chores, food prep, work and more dancing. I found my dance practice more focused!

Lunch

-Tuna patty (1 can tuna, 1 egg, celery) pan fried in olive oil topped with mashed avocado ¼

-Sweet potato fries (a little less than 1 small potato)

-Steamed kale and mushrooms

-Half a plantain with a bit of macadamia nut butter

-¼ tomato

This was a BIG lunch but I had a lot of activity to fuel. I power walked to the dance studio (30 minutes) and did a pretty intense hour and a half class.

Dinner

-Tilapia in curried coconut milk (1/4 can ish)

-Mashed cauliflower and pumpkin

-Mix of steamed veggies and sea salt (green beans, peppers, broccoli etc)

Shameful snack

Lara Bar. How the heck do I stop the nighttime snacking?

I still feel like I'm eating a ton of food but I know that compared to giant baguette sandwiches and bowls of white rice at the sushi restaurant, I'm eating high quality food. I'm also still feeling like I'm getting fatter. Ugh. I'm all squishy.

In other news I picked up It Starts with Food, even though I just bought a new fiction last night. I never read non-fiction so just goes to show how into this I am right now.

[1Maryann]

Why are you not eating the egg yolks? That's where most of the good stuff and healthy fats are to keep you full.

[puffycookie]

I was wondering the same thing about the egg yolks.

I think that you'll learn a lot about food and how it affects your body through the book It Starts With Food. I'm about halfway through the book (and on Day 4 of my first Whole30) and I am totally blown away by the information it provides.

PS: I feel like I'm "puffier" at this point, too. My wedding ring doesn't fit, and I feel like my face looks puffy or more round. I'm hoping that as I progress through the program that all of that goes away. I've seen a few other people mention it, as well, and so far everyone seems to report that it does indeed alleviate towards the middle-to-end of the Whole30.

[Kaleena]

Why are you not eating the egg yolks? That's where most of the good stuff and healthy fats are to keep you full.

To clarify, I ate the rest with meal 1. I read that after a workout it's better to eat protein and a starchy veg and to avoid the fat. I like the yolks, no worries!

[Kaleena]

Morning of day 10. I woke up about 2 hours earlier than I had to. I'm hoping the program makes my sleep cycles better. The past couple of days I've been really full of energy and perfect timing, I need the focus and clarity for the dance studio. Especially as we prepare for a performance.

Of course, the studio has an abundance of chocolate and muffins going on right now. My "gimme" instinct is pretty strong because I almost took one without even thinking. So on day 9 I tried the nut butter pre-workout and the egg white and pumpkin post. Just from that little bit of food I'm really blasting through my runs and adding strength training in where I never would have before. I'm actually sore from running. Me? Sore from running? Ha, incredible!

Breakfast

Exact same as day 8. Yes, I will switch it up today and I always do a little extra throughout the weekend. However, I don't mind eating the same breakfast and can do so without being bored for quite a while but I'm out of avocado this morning so I'll make scrambled eggs instead.

Lunch

I was so busy so this had to be a quickie.

-Left over sweet potato mashed with salsa

-Tuna and avocado salad with celery

-Steamed kale and broccoli slaw with olive oil and sea salt

-Blackberries

I went to the dance studio and had my first mini meal. The class in an hour and a half and INTENSE. The second is less intense but just as long and it's troupe, so it requires a lot of focus. I had a hard boiled egg and 3 dates.

Dinner

Husband did the dinner because I get home wildly late and I sent him a copy of moderator Tom's recipe for some cauliflower, canned salmon, coconut milk and artichoke heart mix. Apparently I don't like artichoke hearts. Had 4 figs instead and coconut water.

it took me ages to feel tired. I was up past midnight reading "It Starts with Food." Hopefully this will even out. I'm also just excited about life right now so if there's any reason my body won't stay in bed at least that seems like a good one.

Also good news, I feel slightly less bloated now!

[Kaleena]

Day 10 Musings

Despite being seriously thirsty and having the driest lips and skin right now ever (waves from the Canadian desert), I haven't felt this level of energy in a long time!

Sadly for me this energy spike has caused me to go all out these past couple of days and today I'm SORE! Usually I would do a 90 minute hot flow class in the afternoon but dang, body is screaming for mercy. This is actually a big change for me. Usually I'd do it anyway.

I'm also happy to report that I'm down more than half of my usual coffee consumption since the start of my Whole30. I'm not really getting into the herbal teas though. I wish that could change!

So my meals for today:

I did a little macadamia nut butter before my run and dance practice, and egg white and pumpkin post. I can't believe the difference this is making.

I also woke up for no good reason at 5:30 but I have had no desire whatsoever to take a nap. : )

Breakfast

-1 egg + 1/3 cup whites scrambled with kale and mushrooms, topped with salsa

-hard boiled egg

-About 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree with cinnamon.

Lunch

-Salmon patties made with 1 can, 1/2 egg, celery, pumpkin, dill and pepper

-hard boiled egg

-Steamed green beans and spinach

-About 5 blackberries

Dinner (soon to be made)

-Curry shrimp and spinach stir fly with peppers and onions

Snack (I dance a lot on Friday nights)

-Almonds and raisins

I kind of feel like I'm eating too much but at the same time I'm definitely hungry before my next meal. Is it just a psychological thing? I wonder because I'm used to the ol' multi small meals a day.

I'm trying so hard not to count calories and I don't even want to think about macronutrients (fat especially) because it might blow my mind. If I had to guess I'd say I'm actually eating less calorie wise. I donno, this program (don't like calling it a diet) is really different from what I'm used to...lol

[Krista Billows Rodriguez]

learning to trust your body to tell you when it's hungry is hard, give it time, hopefully you'll become more comfortable with it.

[ORBren]

Your energy level is a good indicator you are doing it right. Sounds like your energy expenditure is through the roof and if you are deeply hungry before your next meal...you may need more fat. If you are burning it with dancing, you need it! All the changes you are making are sure to improve your performance.

You are 1/3 of the way through!!! Keep it up.

[Kaleena]

Thanks, guys. your support really means a lot! I still feel like I'm eating too much, especially when I look at other people's logs! I just keep telling myself that I feel darn good and if that means eating a lot and maybe even gaining a few I'll take it!

[Kaleena]

It's my husband's birthday today. I felt almost guilty that we're doing the Whole30 but then again this is a great way to remember that booze + junk food doesn't equal fun! It's the people you spend your time with.

But of course his Mother brings him a box of chocolate. Don't worry guys, I'm not even going to think about it. He immediately hid them and we've already decided to re-gift at a birthday party next weekend. Not that we want others to be unhealthy but man, I hate throwing stuff!

However, I do know I'll be baking some plantains with salsa (and probably eating a Lara Bar too) later tonight after dancing and hanging out. Hey, it's the guy's birthday. A night time snack has by far been my biggest weakness during the Whole30 and the weekends amplify my nighttime snacks...big time. I try to justify it as a 4th small meal but I'm not fooling anyone! At the same time the Whole30 is seriously reducing my weekend intake and balancing out the bad cycle of OMG ate bad this weekend now I have to cut calories during the week.

I'm still feeling really sparky in the mornings. After some macadamia nut butter (egg white and pumpkin post) I did an interval run this morning (47 mins), 20 mins of choreo practice, a 1 min plank, 45 second side planks, 30 pulsing crunches and ball passes. Then I did more dancing in the afternoon. I didn't even want to finish the workout but figured I needed to get ready for the in-law visit.

I'm still awfully thirsty and I broke out a bit today but other than that I'm feeling better than ever!

Day 11

Breakfast

Pan fried salmon with pepper and dill

hard boiled egg

half an avocado

steamed spinach and mushroom

Lunch

1 small baked sweet potato and salsa

1/2 can tuna mixed with 1/2 avocado and mustard served over steamed kale

5 blackberries

Dinner

giant whitefish (seriously like 2 portions) broiled with a mix of olive oil, tomato, capers and onion served with a lemon wedge.

Steamed beets and kale

I wish my plates were more photogenic. Some of this stuff looks fine dining good, even without trying!

[Spinnin Jenny]

It's great to see another vegetarian/pescatarian doing W30. Thanks for posting your meals, I'm about to start working out again this week and I'm going to need to add in the snacks so I'm getting great ideas from you. BTW, I haven't been doing any workouts so far, and I'm on Day 14, so don't look at my meals for comparison because I wouldn't be eating enough for that added activity.

Also wanted to let you know that I went through some similar hurdles to yours as I got to this point. I'm feeling great now with 3 meals a day but struggled in the beginning at limiting myself to 3 meals. I ate way too much nut butter in the beginning as a result. But, I didn't eat anything that wasn't on the list. Seems like in the past 3 days I finally stopped wanting to eat a snack at night or in the afternoon too. I also work from home so I pushed my breakfast out to a little later in the morning so the gap between breakfast and lunch wouldn't be so great. That helped alot.