Beware the Dragons!

[Noelle]

Happy 30th birthday (and Day 1) to me! I had my cake yesterday—really a flourless "brownie" made from lots of almond butter and raw honey—so I could start my Whole30 today without feeling treat- or celebration-deprived.

I like the "no snacking" guideline, but I'm also breastfeeding my almost five-month-old daughter. To make sure I'm getting enough food for both of us, I'll be eating four meals a day. Also, nuts are among my personal dragons, so I'm going to limit them.

Meals

#1: Slow-cooker mango-coconut chicken, steamed broccoli, coffee.

#2: Two eggs scrambled with chicken sausage and zucchini, roasted root vegetables (sweet potatoes, turnips, and carrots), homemade kombucha.

#3: Small green apple, roast chicken breast, Larabar.

#4: Salmon cakes, green salad with fig vinaigrette, steamed green beans.

Activity

Does holding the 15-lbs.+ baby all day count? I did two short yoga routines: one to heal my (small) diastisis recti and one to help my (considerable) low back pain. I'm still trying to figure out how to get some aerobic activity back into my life...and still sleep.

Thoughts

Coming off a gluten- and soy-free vegan diet, this doesn't feel terribly difficult...yet. All of my food was absolutely delicious. Meal #3 was a reminder that I need to make sure things are prepped and ready to grab, so I don't end up in an "Oh, crap, I have to leave the house now or I'll be late for preschool pick-up, but I'm STARVING!"-type situation. I ended up "borrowing" from the chicken for tomorrow's soup.

[melody]

Happy Birthday! I'm also a former veggie. For those "running out the door hungry" situations, look into egg muffins. I just discovered them and they have already saved me twice! There are many versions out there that you can find with a basic search, but basically you take 12 eggs, a combo of veggies, meat and/or fruit, and spices, mix everything together and bake in muffin pan. Then you have eat-on-the-go meals or snacks (depending on how many you eat at once!). Best of luck!!

[kb0426]

Happy Birthday!

I love that you added a meal - and not a handful of nuts. Bravo!

[Noelle]

I love the "no weighing yourself" rule. I've been weighing myself every morning for years. I'll be the first to admit that the number in the morning was partially responsible for my mood on any given day. As much as I am a creature of (not-so-healthy) habit, I am also a rule-follower. I feel like I now have permission to take a break from my compulsive behavior.

Meals

#1: Three eggs scrambled with coconut flakes (I don't know what possessed me to do this, but it was delicious!), "More Rockin'" Sweet Potato-Spinach square*, sauerkraut, coffee.

*I adapted a favorite recipe for Potato-Spinach Squares to include sweet potatoes instead of Yukon golds. After omitting non-compliant ingredients, I decided the recipe needed some good seasoning, so I went with a Moroccan spice blend. They were even better than the original recipe! Hence, "More Rockin'."

#2: Green salad with sardines and vinaigrette, handful of green olives, roasted baby carrots, homemade kombucha. (Plus a few nips of the chicken I was cutting up to add to soup, which made me realize I was hungry in the first place.)

#3: Salmon cakes, celery sticks, "Mother's Milk" herbal tea.

#4: Chicken soup, steamed spinach with lemon and extra-virgin olive oil, large orange.

Activity

Nothing "official" yet, but I feel like I didn't stop moving all day. I may do some yoga before bed, or I may not. I'm wiped!

Thoughts

I woke up tired. I don't know if that has more to do with the dietary change, or the teething baby who needs lots of holding and comfort right now. I suspect it's the latter. A couple times I boarded the "what have I gotten myself into?" train of thought. But I quickly reminded myself that it's only for 30 days. Also, my diet was so restricted before, I feel like there's so much more I can eat now. So that's excellent.

[Noelle]

Hello, and welcome to Day 3!

Meals

#1: Three eggs scrambled with coconut flakes, steamed green beans, handful of green olives, coffee.

#2: Big bowl of chicken soup, the last lonely salmon cake, whole raw orange bell pepper, homemade kombucha.

#3: Chicken sausage, baby carrots, two Persian cucumbers, pear.

#4: Brazilian Fish Stew, butter lettuce and radicchio with olive oil and lemon juice, handful of coconut flakes, peppermint tea.

Activity

Low back yoga. (I ended up doing this last night, too.)

Thoughts

I seem to remember reading somewhere (how's that for vague?) that Day 3 of any major dietary change, exercise program, detox, or what have you is the day. That if you can get through Day 3, you can make it—because Day 3 is when all the symptoms and the cravings come knocking. That's certainly been my experience of quitting caffeine in the past (and someday I hope to be caffeine-free again!), but I'm not sure it applies to the Whole30. Or maybe it's different because I eased into the switch with a little "trial run" in December? Who knows.

In any case, today was pretty good...except I was exhausted by 5:00 PM. There may be some early bedtimes in my future.

[Noelle]

I have about 15 minutes in the evening to get EVERYTHING I need to get done done, so I didn't log my food here yesterday. And I had a crazy day. But! I still managed to stay on track.

{Day 4}

Meals

#1: Salad with romaine, radicchio, fig vinaigrette, and canned red salmon; banana; coffee.

#2: Three-quarters of a Larabar (shared with my 5-year-old, who wasn't thrilled that I presented it to him as a "treat"), steamed green beans, Persian cucumber, chicken sausage.

#3: Sardines, red bell pepper slices, celery sticks, pear.

#4: Salmon fillet with coconut milk-spinach "cream" sauce, baked sweet potato with coconut oil.

Activity

Yoga.

Thoughts

I wasn't hungry at all after my first meal, but made myself eat after four hours—both to keep my milk supply up, and because I knew if I got off my food "schedule" I'd be too hungry later in the day. Also my baby seems to be having some sort of tummy issue. I don't know if it's related to the new diet, or because she's teething, or both. I'm keeping a physical food journal (pen and paper! Old school!) where I'm also recording her symptoms to see if I can figure out what's going on. Her doctor isn't at all concerned, but I hate to think she's gassy and uncomfortable. Mostly, I'm going to try not to worry, and trust that the food that's nourishing me is also nourishing the baby.

{Day 5}

Meals

#1: Coffee, chicken soup, grapes.

#2: Leftover salmon with spinach sauce from last night (this will definitely go in the regular meal rotation!), baked sweet potato, 1/2 large pear with a generous tablespoon of coconut butter, 8 oz. Americano.

#3: Three eggs fried in coconut oil, yellow bell pepper, tomatillo salsa.

#4: Lamb loin chops with parsley-walnut pesto, steamed broccoli, leftover baked sweet potato from earlier.

Activity

After a few days of ouchmybackasana, it's getting all Namaste up in here. I'm feeling a little stronger.

Thoughts

Too much caffeine today! The temptation to fight exhaustion with coffee is huge. I'm so tired, and I wish the baby could sleep a little longer without needing me to soothe her. I'm definitely not feeling fully "recharged" when I get up in the mornings. Screw food cravings—I'm aching for a good night's sleep!

[Melelina]

Would you mind sharing your recipe for the slow cooker mango coconut chicken you had on the first day? It sounds really yummy!

I hope you are having a good day today.

[Noelle]

The chicken is so easy, Melelina! I hardly want to call it a recipe. It's just:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken, cut into generous-sized chunks (I used thighs)

1 can coconut milk

1 (I think mine was 16 oz.?) bag frozen mango chunks

1-2 tsp seasoning of choice. I just used sea salt and a teensy pinch of red chili flakes (I'm a little spice-phobic while nursing), and it was bland-in-a-good-way. Something sweet-spicy like curry powder or chipotle chili powder would be delicious!

Throw it all in the slow cooker and cook on Low for 6 hours. Eat like soup.

{Day 6—How is it only Day 6?}

Today was odd. I threw my meal schedule completely off by being busy in the late morning (when I usually eat my Meal 2), and then the baby threw the afternoon off when she wanted to nurse and cuddle extra. I don't blame her; she had shots yesterday. Meal 3 ended up being a mini-meal, because it was so close to dinnertime. And then, my husband decided to make delicious-smelling granola after dinner, and while I don't normally care for granola, homemade baked anything is my weakness.

So. I broke my own "no snacking" rule in a big way. But! I didn't eat anything non-compliant, so I'll call today successful, if not ideal.

Meals

#1: Lamb with pesto, broccoli, coffee.

#2-ish: Larabar, homemade kombucha.

#2-ish-later: Birthday jerky. (My husband got me Whole30-friendly beef jerky for my birthday because he's adorable.)

#3: Large pear (shared with the 5-year-old—he probably ate 2/3 of it), small serving of Brazilian fish stew, teensy portion (about 1/4 cup) baked sweet potato, herbal tea.

#4: Baked chicken thigh with tri-colored pepper sauce, salad (romaine, red cabbage, sliced cucumber) with pesto dressing (pesto + olive oil + apple cider vinegar = magic), watermelon (in January, I know), handful of coconut flakes.

Snack: Handful of green olives, cashews, 1/2 small apple, herbal tea.

Activity

Tummy yoga.

Thoughts

My food log seems pretty repetitive—but everything has been really delicious, so I'm not minding at all! Also, I find finishing up leftovers (and remixing leftovers into different meals) really satisfying. I stocked up on bell peppers this week, because they were 10 for $10.00, and I'm remembering how much I like them. I feel a little guilty about the amount of out-of-season fruit in my house right now (Watermelon? Blueberries?), but I cannot say no when my son asks for a fruit or veggie in the grocery store. I won't say yes to candy, but strawberries in January? You got it, dude.

Other than kinda-sorta wanting foods I usually never even think about—holy cow, that granola smells amazing!—I'm having almost no uncomfortable symptoms. I'm kind of astonished. I was ready to feel like crap before I started feeling better...but I'm mostly just feeling better. I wonder if this is because I was already gluten- and dairy-free? Maybe I'm just lucky? Whatever it is, I'll take it.

[Noelle]

Behind on my log once again... I feel like I'm constantly playing "catch-up" these days. Having two children is such a different experience from having one. I feel like I'm always short-changing someone (and oftentimes, it's me).

{Day 7}

These meals require some explanation. Monthly Goddess Circle was today, which is always a pot-luck. We meet for five hours in the afternoon/evening, so I ended up with nearly identical Meals 2 and 3. I brought baked salmon and "More Rockin'" Sweet Potato-Spinach squares. Both were a hit. There was also roast chicken, which was just roast chicken, nothing added. Wonderful! We raised a lot of powerful energy, and I was feeling pretty spacey afterwards, so I opted for some coconut water with my Meal 3. Later that evening, I was still feeling floaty, and an evening snack helped ground me.

Meals

#1: Giant salad (roast chicken, hard-boiled eggs, mixed greens, beets, cucumber, radishes, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper), coffee.

#2: Salmon, chicken, sweet-potato-spinach squares, herbal tea.

#3: Chicken, sweet-potato-spinach squares, coconut water.

#4: Small handful of mixed nuts, pear, herbal tea.

Activity

Tummy yoga. (I think my diastasis recti is improving.)

{Day 8}

Meals

#1: Chicken sausage, coconut-milk-"creamed" spinach, green olives, coffee.

#2: Meatloaf, salad with olive oil, apple cider vinegar and green salsa, blueberries, homemade lemon-ginger kombucha. (This might be my favorite kombucha combination yet.)

#3: Lamb chop with pesto, pear, sweet-potato-spinach square.

#4: Chicken thigh with bell pepper sauce, broccoli, coconut milk.

Bedtime snack: Small slice of meatloaf.

Activity

Nothing. I was parenting solo this evening, and by the time my bedtime rolled around, I was so tired I could barely get my pajamas on.

Thoughts

I really should have made myself a mug of tea before bed, but my stomach was growling and I thought it would keep me up. As it happened, I had a hard time falling asleep. I don't know if I was just overly tired, or if the snack didn't agree with me. In any case, last night was hard.

Also, the baby definitely seems to be sensitive to something I'm eating. I'm not excited about the prospect of turning my Whole30 into a WholeEliminationDiet, but I might have to do that.

[Noelle]

I feel like I should mention that today—Day 9—I'm feeling really down, and sort of "over food." I have lots of lovely things to eat that I genuinely enjoy, but nothing sounds good. I wonder if I'm coming down with something, or if this is just part of the process.

[melbournegirl]

Fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, it's pretty normal around that stage

[praxisproject]

It doesn't last, but best not to skip food, it'll wake the dragons

There's a kids section in the forum, maybe other breastfeeding mums might have some ideas. Could be just adjustment?

[Noelle]

{Day 9}

Meals

#1: Meatloaf, steamed broccoli, coffee with coconut milk.

#2: Roast chicken, steamed zucchini, lemon-ginger kombucha.

#3: Beef jerky, turnips (raw), sweet potato with coconut oil, herbal tea.

#4: (Leftover night!) Small lamb chop with pesto, half slice of meatloaf, steamed green beans, cashews, coconut flakes.

Activity

None. I had a little pity-party for myself about...

Thoughts

I'm so frustrated and I feel like quitting. I'm sure this is completely commonplace at this stage, but I'm concerned about the baby. Probably overly so, but still. I hate to think she's uncomfortable. I've had so much trouble with my own food sensitivities over the past five years, and I really don't want to go down that road again: the incredibly plain, boring meals, the obsessive food journalling and symptom-watching, the discovery that you can't handle something really common... It's disheartening. Food is fuel, but it's also supposed to be joyful!

I'll definitely consult with the moms on the forums. As I said, my baby's doctor isn't concerned. She suggested extra probiotic supplementation for both of us. I'm not going to quit my Whole30 just yet.

Also, I think some of this upset is probably emotional fallout from the regular Whole30 "detox" process. I know for a fact that certain foods mess with my mood, and a big part of the reason I'm an emotional wreck right now might just be my hormones doing their thing.

[Noelle]

{Day 10}

I'm feeling more encouraged after today—even though I didn't do as well as I would have liked with food. I was STARVING all day, despite eating what felt like huge amounts of food (and lots of good fat). It's becoming increasingly clear to me that pre-Whole30, I wasn't eating real meals, except at dinner: I used to just snack all day, grabbing a piece of fruit here, a muffin there. (A gluten-free, soy-free vegan muffin, but still.)

My mom brought me a jar of coconut butter and I want to put it on everything. I managed to work it into three meals today! I might have a coconut dragon.

I'm still worried about the baby and what she might be sensitive to, but she's such a happy little lady most of the time, I figure she can't be feeling too bad. I've decided to watch her closely (and not overdo it on any one food), but I'm not going to worry.

Also, the baby nursed like crazy today. I think she's gearing up for a growth spurt. That could explain why I was so hungry.

Meals

#1: Three eggs fried in coconut oil, zucchini, sweet potato.

#2: Chicken, green beans, broccoli florets, 1/2 an avocado, pear with coconut butter.

Snack (during a marathon nursing session): Larabar.

#3: Chicken bone broth with arame seaweed and ginger, small Granny Smith apple, coconut butter.

#4: Lamb leg steak, curried onions and tomatoes, roasted cauliflower, coconut butter.

Activity

Brisk 1-mile walk (with the baby in the carrier).

Thoughts

See above, re: coconut dragon. I was raised in the era of nonfat EVERYTHING, but coconut was one of my favorite foods as a child. I was rarely allowed to have it, because of all the "crazy-bad fat, OMG, so scary!" A few months ago, I started cooking with coconut oil, and it was so wonderful. Now I feel like I have to watch it a little with the coconut, because I'm too emotionally attached to it.

Today I reminded myself of some of the reasons I want to stick with this program:

• I have been varying shades of sick and hurt for the past five years; I could be the poster girl for chronic systemic inflammation.
  
• The cleaner I eat, the fewer pain flare-ups I have.
  
• After my daughter's amazing birth, I had a retained placenta. I hemorrhaged in the OR and lost 60% of my blood volume. I received three units of blood (thank you, blood donors!), but I knew there was no way I was going to build my blood back up with iron supplements, lentils, and black beans.
  
• My hair is falling out in handfuls.
  
• My skin looks awful.
  
• I need—and deserve—to feel strong and healthy. For myself, and for my husband and children.
  

[Noelle]

{Day 11}

It was a GOOD DAY! I woke up with a killer headache and the sniffles, but by the time my husband got home this evening, I was feeling pretty good. He even said, "You're in a notably better mood!" (He really said "notably." He's kind of verbose.) I'm running out of vegetables, though. Good thing tomorrow's grocery day!

Meals

#1: Lamb steak, green beans, sweet potato with coconut oil, coffee.

#2: Meatloaf; salad with butter lettuce (is my new favorite lettuce!), radicchio, orange bell pepper, 1/2 an avocado, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar; watermelon, tea.

#3: Tuna marinated in olive oil and lemon juice (which I overcooked, but was still tasty), pear with coconut butter.

#4: Veggie-full chicken soup, roasted roots (rutabaga, parsnip, and golden beets).

Activity

Low back yoga.

Thoughts

Today was hard, but awesome. Hard, because I was so busy and had to cram in my Meal 3 a little earlier than I would've liked. Awesome, because I wasn't hungry all afternoon (no energy slump in that 2:00-4:00 PM space), and I sat down to dinner feeling really good and not starving. Also, I washed my hair this evening and my hair-loss is maybe slowing down a little? I hope? I didn't end up pulling huge handfuls out while shampooing the way I usually do.

I'm really craving my old vegan go-to meals: chickpeas and broccoli, kitchari, and especially oatmeal. I'd like to try making almond-coconut-apple "porridge," but I worry that it toes the cheaty, technically-legal-but-not-such-a-good-idea line. I'll probably save that for the post-Whole30 world.

I just really, really wish I could get a full night's sleep. The baby has decided that she can't sleep without Mommy RIGHT NEXT TO HER. This cannot stand. We're moving her to her own room this weekend. While I'm sure sleep-training will suck at first (and kind of goes against how I'd like to parent in a perfect world), I need to sleep if I'm really going to recover.

Also! I started reading The Vegetarian Myth this afternoon, and holy shit. I don't know what else to say. I feel like I need to apologize to my family for leading them down the vegan path. The picture of deteriorating health that Keith paints in the first few pages is me, only less severe. No wonder my back has been feeling like crap; it's entirely possible that I was destroying my spine with my diet.

[Noelle]

{Day 12}

Meals

#1: Chicken soup, sweet potato with coconut oil, coffee.

#2: Meatloaf, butter lettuce, radicchio, broccoli, avocado, green salsa, pear with coconut butter.

#3: Olive oil- and lemon-marinated tuna, butter lettuce, radicchio, red and yellow cherry tomatoes.

#4: Zucchini "noodles" with veggie-packed meat sauce.

Activity

Carried the baby all over today, but nothing "official."

Thoughts

Tired. Tired. So tired. I'm guessing it's about 30% "detox" and 70% "could the baby please sleep for more than a couple hours at night? Please?" at this stage.

I'm having major scale withdrawl. I love not weighing myself, but the impulse to step on the scale first thing in the morning (and maybe later in the day, too) is it's own kind of dragon. I'm feeling fat, which makes me think my scale-y dragon (ha!) is roaring.

The Vegetarian Myth is blowing my tiny little mind.

I'm "out" as a new meat-eater to my parents, my brother, my Goddess Group, and these forums (obviously), but nowhere else. I haven't even told my closest friends, which feels strange to me. Coming to terms with the changeover, mentally and spiritually, has been difficult. It helps that I'm feeling better and cooking delicious food, but part of me is still very much saying, "But...no!" I'm also really not comfortable with the "Paleo" label. I don't know why, exactly. I'll have to work on that.

I'm pleased, however, that I haven't lost my meat-cooking mojo. I was a fabulous omnivore cook when my guy and I got married, and I still have the skills, even after 5+ years of veganism. Go me!

[Noelle]

{Day 13}

Meals

#1: Roasted root vegetables with meat sauce, 1/2 pear with coconut butter, coffee.

#2: (This was an, "Oh, crap, must whip up something to eat now, now, NOW!" meal. Whoops.) Sardines, garlic and almond meal sauteed in coconut oil, zucchini "noodles," coconut flakes, Larabar.

#3: Chicken soup, sweet potato with coconut oil, grapes.

#4: Beef fajita filling, pico de gallo, guacamole, radish and cucumber slices.

Nighttime snack: Spoonful of coconut butter.

Activity

LOTS of furniture moving. The baby is now in her own room (which meant not only moving the crib but also disassembling it so it would go through the door and reassembling it), and I rearranged my son's room also.

Thoughts

I've never been especially athletic, but I was pretty active before my daughter was born and during my pregnancy. I miss doing formal "workouts," but I'll settle for a really active day. Unfortunately, I was too tired to fall asleep easily.

{Day 14}

Meals

#1: Three eggs scrambled with shredded zucchini and shredded green apple, coffee.

#2: Chicken breast sauteed with onions, broccoli, orange bell pepper, ginger, and coconut aminos; handful of raw almonds; tea.

#3: Meat sauce (which thickened into stew in the fridge), pear with coconut butter, handful of homemade sweet potato chips, decaf coffee.

#4: Salmon filet, simple salad of romaine, green olives, and olive oil.

Activity

Diastasis recti yoga.

Thoughts

My husband is a sneaky dude. He made sweet potato chips for himself and our son this afternoon and they were lovely and delicious. Chips aren't a thing we buy or make normally, so I didn't feel like it was against the spirit of the Whole30 rules—but still. Stoke the junk food fires, why don't you?

In other news, I kind of want a dehydrator now.

I woke up with another killer headache. I slept terribly last night, but I also wonder if I'm not drinking enough water. I don't log my water, though I do drink it. I just don't really pay attention to how much. I have a couple of water bottles that I fill throughout the day. Maybe I should start paying better attention to my hydration.

[Noelle]

Wow, am I behind! I've been writing my meals down in my journal, but I haven't had substantial computer time for almost a week—hence the silence here.

Meals

{Day 15}

1. Chicken, roasted root vegetables, green beans, coconut oil, coffee.
   
2. Mixed green salad topped with 2 fried eggs, salsa, avocado, and hazelnuts; Americano.
   
3. Chicken (again), sweet potato, apple with almond butter.
   
4. Brazilian fish stew, braised kale, coconut butter.
   

{Day 16}

1. Chicken and zucchini omelet, green olives, coffee.
   
2. Brazilian fish stew with extra coconut milk added.
   
3. (Eaten in the car.) Jerky, Larabar.
   
4. Tortilla-less chicken soup topped with avocado, coconut butter.
   

{Day 17}

1. Three eggs scrambled with kale, avocado slices, coffee.
   
2. Chicken leg and thigh, green beans, coconut butter. (Plus a taste of the homemade kombucha after pH testing to double-check readiness for bottling.)
   
3. Handful of macadamia nuts, 1/2 an Asian pear.
   
4. Handful of baby carrots (while preparing dinner), Broccoli Beef, acorn squash.
   
5. (I was starving at bedtime!) Macadamia nuts, other 1/2 Asian pear.
   

{Day 18}

1. Fisherman's Eggs (is My Favorite Breakfast).
   
2. Meat sauce with acorn squash, macadamia nuts.
   
3. (Eaten in "courses" while shuttling the 5-year-old around) Macadamia nuts, Asian pear, jerky.
   
4. Baked chicken with mushrooms, "slaw" of cabbage, golden beet, and turnip with avocado dressing, 3 dried apple rings, tea.
   

Which brings us to today:

{Day 19}

1. Tortilla-less chicken soup, coffee.
   
2. Almond-crusted salmon, sauteed mushrooms, shredded cabbage, homemade kombucha.
   
3. Broccoli beef with cashews.
   
4. Meatballs, tomato sauce, green beans, roasted Brussels sprouts, macadamia nuts and almonds.
   

Thoughts

Things have been rocky. I feel like I'm doing well and horribly simultaneously. I want to quit. I want to eat this way forever. I feel great. I feel exhausted. I really, really miss brown rice. But I will never—and I mean never—go back to thinking I could fuel my morning on coffee and three muffins. Gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free muffins...but still.

Macadamia nuts are ridiculously delicious, and I wish I hadn't bought so many. They're calling to me from the pantry. I've been leaning on nuts and fruit (and other "snacky"-type things) more than I would like. Here's the problem: my body seems to be shifting from needing four meals a day to needing three meals a day. That's awesome, except that the half-way point between my Meal 1 and Meal 3 (in a three-meal model) happens right around the time I'm taking my son to preschool. I'd really like to be able to sit down and eat a proper meal then, but so far, that's just not feasible. I might end up making three meals, but splitting the middle one into two smaller meals. The baby makes that challenging, though.

Am I making excuses? Probably. I know I can work this out. I like the idea of more "portable" meals that I can have ready to take with me (especially on our busiest days), but that means even more cooking. Don't get me wrong: I love to cook (and I think I'm pretty good at it, too!). And if all I had to do was cook three (or four) meals from scratch every day, that would be awesome! But as it stands, I feel like I'm always either: planning a meal, shopping for a meal, cooking a meal, or cleaning up from a meal.

[Noelle]

{Day 20}

Meals

#1: Tortilla-less chicken soup, coffee.

#2: Meatballs, roasted Brussels sprouts, cashews, small (6 oz.) green smoothie.

#3: Sardines, apple slices, macadamia nuts.

Snack: Larabar, tea.

#4: Two duck eggs fried in coconut oil, sweet potato-onion hash browns, romaine lettuce, olives, almonds, tea.

Thoughts

This is hard and I hate it. I feel like I was doing well at first, and now I'm really struggling. I'm not sure what changed. I might just be fighting an uphill battle against sleep-deprivation.

I think nuts might be one of the (many) things that mess with me. Not badly, but I've upped the nuts recently (mostly for convenience, and because I have a pantry chock full of them), and I've been feeling worse.

[praxisproject]

Are you getting enough fat? I find I crave nuts more when I skimp on fat in a meal.

Sleep is a huge piece of the puzzle and it's hard if you're not feeling well.

I like egg cups for a portable meal, 12 eggs, one 12 cup muffin tray. Quickest ones I make have cooked crumbled breakfast sausage and then an egg on top (I use sage & pork sausage), bake until cooked. I haven't frozen them, I like them better warm or room temp than ice cold. They are quick and portable though.

[TynCoed]

I am so impressed that you are able to manage the whole30 with a family to feed - including two young children. I feel quite feeble by comparison

You have come so far. I am not far enough into my own whole30 to offer suggestions but would like to say I think you are an inspiration.

xx

[Noelle]

Thanks, TynCoed! Feeding the baby is easy, since she's still breastfeeding! The 5-year-old is super-picky, and he practically lives on fruit and eggs right now...but he's coming around.

Sadly, I think nuts might be an issue for me. Both in the food-with-no-brakes sense and the upset-belly sense.

Yesterday—{Day 21}—looked like this:

Meals

#1: Fisherman's eggs, sweet potato hash browns, coffee.

#2: Tortilla-less chicken soup, broccoli with coconut oil.

#3/Snack : Larabar, banana, orange pepper strips, guacamole, two slices of Asian pear, herbal tea.

#4: Lamb chops, sauteed zucchini, steamed carrots, coconut flakes.

Snack: Macadamia nuts and cashews.

Activity

I tried a new yoga sequence, and it was much more power-y than I'm used to. I felt fine immediately afterwards, but then I felt like I needed a bedtime snack. Nuts came to hand easily, and...

Thoughts

...this morning, my insides are not happy. My back is a little flared up, too. I don't know if it's the food or the yoga (or both), but it definitely gives me something to think about. Like maybe staying the course and making this a Whole45. I was looking forward to chocolate-avocado mousse for Valentine's Day, but I'd like to get some of these issues sorted out first.

[Noelle]

{Day 22}

Meals

#1: Meatballs, sweet potato, carrots, zucchini, coconut oil, about 1/4 cup of spirulina kombucha (to test the batch), coffee.

#2: Lamb chop, coconut "cream" of broccoli soup, 3/4 avocado.

#3: Sardines, kale with coconut butter, banana.

#4: Salmon seasoned with turmeric and saffron, cooked in coconut oil with onion and Brussels sprouts, served on a bed of romaine lettuce with guacamole, green salsa, and grape tomatoes (delicious!); spoonful of coconut butter.

Activity

Yoga for relaxation. Hardly counts as "activity," but active stretching is better than just sitting around. At least, that's what I'm telling myself.

Thoughts

I had some serious tummy troubles this morning, but that seems to be over now. I had a little bit of what I thought was painful gas after dinner, but it was gone almost immediately.

My back is very tender. Hoisting the baby around today was hard—but I managed to have a pretty good day nonetheless.

A few foods are on my "watch" list: nuts for sure, and also bell peppers, eggs, and maybe onions.

I put some lavender essential oil in my face wash, I have a cup of herbal tea waiting for me, and I'm feeling nicely "wound down" after my yoga sequence this evening. Here's hoping for some good sleep tonight (until the baby wakes me up to nurse, of course!).

[Noelle]

{Day 23}

Meals

#1: Meatballs with tomato sauce wrapped in romaine lettuce leaves, sweet potato with coconut oil, coffee.

#2: Three lamb chops, huge bowl of coconut "cream" of broccoli soup.

Snack: Beef jerky, coconut flakes, and a few raisins, a.k.a. homemade, nut-free trail mix!

#3: Super-lazy crockpot lamb stew (lamb, green beans, carrots, pearl onions, garlic, water, salt and pepper), 3/4 cup wild blueberries, coconut butter, decaf green tea.

Thoughts

It's not even 9:00 PM, and I'm so ready for bed it's ridiculous. I would've gone to bed even sooner, except the baby had a hard time falling asleep and needed extra soothing.

I'm not proud of this, but I'm so envious of the people who get to experience the Whole30 without tiny, wakeful people in their lives. Getting to go to sleep and stay asleep all night sounds awesome right now.

I was really hoping to be rid of food cravings by this point, but I'm still wishing for oatmeal, rice, and chocolate. That last one is strange to me, because I'm not usually a big chocolate person. Also, I've never been one to blend up a bunch of fruit, but a smoothie sounds amazing right now.

[Noelle]

{Day 24}

I am so angry, I don't know what to do. My back is all flared up again, and all I can feel is anger. With a touch of despair. I tried really hard to eat well today, to not dip into emotional eating, and I mostly did OK. I did end of snacking through the afternoon, which is not in the spirit of the Whole30, but I was hungry. I'm trying to be gentle with myself and remember that I'm not supposed to starve.

Meals

#1: Lazy lamb stew with extra green beans added, coffee.

Snack: Mix of 1 Tbsp raw cacao nibs and a handful of coconut flakes (so satisfying—scratched my chocolate itch in a totally non-sweet way!), tea.

#2: Salmon and sprouts from {Day 22}, sweet potatoes, coconut oil.

#3: Salad with romaine, cherry tomatoes, smoked oysters and olive oil.

Snack: Chicken sausage, spinach and egg "muffin," eaten while preparing dinner. (Totally awful. I was hoping for a new portable food option, but these were not to my taste at all. Interestingly, the 5-year-old LOVED them and devoured two. Go figure.)

#4: Beef with broccoli, spoonful of coconut butter.

Thoughts

I'm angry about my back.

I've been dealing with this pain for 5 years. I'm sure it will take at least a few months to resolve the pain, but I was hoping that food would be the magic bullet. I so wish there were a quick fix for this. It's really hard to function—especially as a mom—when it hurts to move, bend over, lie down...