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Shadow’s May 2020 Whole30


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4 hours ago, MadyVanilla said:

have a list of healthy habits to accomplish each day and one item is to communicate with someone outside my house. 

Thanks for this Mady.  I will try to incorporate this habit.  Email and texting just doesn't cut it all the time, and I found in the past that I was the only one doing the phoning, so that got to my self esteem, wondering if they really wanted to talk to me at all.  About a month or two ago I did reach out to a few women in a group I belong to, and they both called me back about a week later.  Hmm, I think its time to call them again!  You're comment has led me to feel much better!  :wub: Thanks again.

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Day 37, Saturday June 6

M1: brat sausage, 2 fried eggs, green beans with ghee

M2: 1/4 spaghetti squash topped with La Dee Dah butternut squash beet sauce and leftover meatballs

M3: angel hair primavera (modified for W30 using spaghetti squash and omitting the parmesan), with chicken breast, broccoli, snow peas, red peppers, zucchini, https://www.food.com/recipe/angel-hair-primavera-206621 

NSV: I was out of bed at 7:02 today, I ate well all day and didn't snack, and I kept up with my habits

NSV: I had good energy today, but was a bit sleepy mid afternoon, probs because my sleep last night wasn't perfect - I think I was just dehydrated

NSV: I didn't have any cravings today

Plan for tomorrow:  make ghee

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Day 38, Sunday June 7

M1: green salad with green goddess dressing, romaine, celery, green onion, avocado, green grapes, chicken, a few strawberries from my own strawberry plant

M2: leftover green salad, topped with store-bought strawberries

M3: stir fried chicken with broccoli, onions, carrots, sweet pepper and snow peas on leftover spaghetti squash, seasoned with a bit of coconut aminos, lemon juice and lots of black pepper

NSV: I didn't have any cravings today.  I made rhubarb streusel muffins and didn't sample any, which is a big deal because that streusel - flour, cinnamon, sugar and butter - was kinda tempting but only in a bad habit sort of way. Before this I would have held back some of the streusel topping to eat while the muffins were baking, I would have licked my fingers clean, and then would have snacked on those muffins while they were still warm.  But today, I was just proud to bake and serve them, and accept the compliments.  

NSV: I didn't snack between meals, and more importantly I didn't even want to snack. I'm feeling a bit hungry this evening, but not enough to go foraging in the fridge or pantry.  I can wait until the morning to eat!

NSV: I spent lots of time in my gardens today, weeding and transplanting, and setting a new raspberry garden. I feel connected to all the healthy food I'm growing.  I think I'm bonding with it all LOL.  I also bought rutabaga seeds to try out.  Before this I really didn't like rutabaga at all, but now? Yum!

NSV: I was out of bed at 7:03am

NSV: I had excellent energy all day.  I'm physically a bit tired this evening, but not zonked so that's awesome. 

 

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So many great veggies in your line-up yeserday! Bravo! Perhaps no coincidence that you have been feeling good lately.

And bravo for unsnacked baking. Baking during the Whole 30 without "sampling the goods" is a next level, Rocky-climbs-the-museum-stairs accomplishment.

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35 minutes ago, Contessa said:

So many great veggies in your line-up yeserday! Bravo! Perhaps no coincidence that you have been feeling good lately.

Thanks!  And I didn't have any potatoes, which I've been eating waaaay too many of.  Perhaps you've hit on something, and maybe high starch potatoes aren't all that good for me.  I see a new food experiment in my future!

38 minutes ago, Contessa said:

 And bravo for unsnacked baking. Baking during the Whole 30 without "sampling the goods" is a next level, Rocky-climbs-the-museum-stairs accomplishment.

LOL!  Cue up the music! I'm Gonna Fly Now!

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3 minutes ago, MadyVanilla said:

What Fantastic NSVs!  I love reading these - such wonderful indicators of both mental and physical health.  

Thanks!  I need to report my NSV's so that I can read through them and remind myself how far I've come.  I tend to forget things very easily Lol

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I've read a bit about white potatoes in Melissa Urban's Food Freedom Forever. One elimination protocol she offers in the book is the "nightshade" category (even more limited than the Whole 30). Tomatoes, potatoes, bell/sweet peppers, and black pepper all fit into the nightshade category. (Sweet potatoes/yams are fine.) These foods are recognized by many as causing digestive sensitivity.

"If you're really struggling with inflammation and are ready to 'go big' to see potentially huge benefits, [nightshade elimination] is an option worth considering," she says. Given that inflammation is one of my issues that drove me to the W30, I'm curious to turn down the volume on white potatoes in my diet, too, and see what happens.

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6 hours ago, Contessa said:

I've read a bit about white potatoes in Melissa Urban's Food Freedom Forever. One elimination protocol she offers in the book is the "nightshade" category (even more limited than the Whole 30). Tomatoes, potatoes, bell/sweet peppers, and black pepper all fit into the nightshade category. (Sweet potatoes/yams are fine.) These foods are recognized by many as causing digestive sensitivity.

"If you're really struggling with inflammation and are ready to 'go big' to see potentially huge benefits, [nightshade elimination] is an option worth considering," she says. Given that inflammation is one of my issues that drove me to the W30, I'm curious to turn down the volume on white potatoes in my diet, too, and see what happens.

Oh I thought W30 was tough!  Argh.  I could live without bell peppers most of the time, potatoes and tomatoes some of the time, but black pepper?  Ugh.  That would be disappointing.  

But thanks for this, it's interesting for sure.  I know that wheat is most likely problematic for me, and now I'm thinking potatoes may be too.  I learned on this W30 that I love sweet potatoes, and am thankful for that.

I am considering doing a low FODMAPS trial at some time in the future, and now I also believe a nightshades trial will be necessary too. But I hope I won't need to eliminate black pepper.  I'm going to have to first figure out how to do a two week stint without potatoes though.  I feel two weeks is a good amount of time to experiment.  Two days is too short IMO.  

I hope that you find out what is contributing to your inflammation problems.  

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Day 39, Monday June 8

M1: leftover tenderloin steak, 2 perfectly cooked over-easy eggs, a generous handful of green beans topped with lots of ghee, strawberries to finish

M2: a large romaine salad with chicken, walnuts, celery, 1/2 avocado, green grapes, Primal Kitchen dressing

M3: apple Larabar while cooking my family's dinner, leftover primavera veggies for my dinner

NSV: last night I was feeling 'hungry' after dinner but chose not to eat a snack, then woke up this morning not feeling hungry at all.  This is the second time this has happened on this W30 that I'm aware of.  I'm not sure what's going on. If I was hungry in the evening then logically I would have been even more hungry in the morning, but I didn't eat my pillow, so what was I really feeling after supper last night?  I'm counting this as a victory because I am becoming aware of stuff going on with my body.  Previous to W30 I would have chosen the snack.

NSV: I had high energy all day

NSV: Cravings were absent all day

NSV: I didn't nap, even though my sleep was less than ideal thanks to my annoying cat waking me at 4:30 and being relentless until I kicked him out of my room at 6:30.  He didn't get to go outside to hunt for birds like he wanted to, so thats another victory: I very likely saved a bird's life this morning :-)

NSV: my new raspberry patch (3rd one) is finished as of this evening. I hope we get a yield from it this year.  I am so looking forward to eating all of my home grown foods.  I am a bit disappointed that I haven't found a sugar-free rhubarb recipe that I like yet, but I have been freezing the rhubarb because I am eager to eat it when I add sugar back in. This is new for me, prior to this year I've never looked forward to eating rhubarb in my life!

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Day 40 Tuesday June 9

I was out of bed at 4:30am, feeling just way too hot.  Even with A/C, my bed isn't big enough with two people in it right now and I just can't find a cool spot when I really need one.

I think the hot flashes have subsided a little over the past 40 days but I can't be sure.  I'm thinking of setting up a tent in my backyard after the rainy days have passed, so a little later this week, as long as the nights remain coolish.  Oh to have the space to starfish when I get too hot... 

My stomach is a bit sore this morning.  It may be from the tea I had after dinner last night.  It was 'Disney Wonderland Mad Tea Party Blend - premium blended black tea with ginger, peach and apricot flavors.'  Huh? What exactly are "flavors?"  I want to believe that flavors are extracts from the fruit and ginger, but if that's the case why doesn't it say "extracts"  on the label?  I'm going to save the last bag I have of this tea to do a little experiment in the future.  

My stomach pain could also be from my medications (it's listed as a side effect for both meds). I have a telephone appointment with my doctor on Thursday this week to discuss this, and I really hope that I get the ok from her to discontinue these meds.   I really dislike being a slave to the pill bottles.  Being truly healthy was one of my goals when I first entered into the W30 health-a-verse last fall, and although I am grateful that medications are available to help with many ailments, I think that doctors tend to overprescribe and I believe that is what's happened in my case.   Or maybe my meds were helpful when my lifestyle was less than ideal and I'm certain I will never return to that.  

I'm toggling between weighing myself after my 40 days are done, or saying forget it I don't even want to know.  The last time I weighed myself was in mid-April, about two weeks before I started.  I guess I don't care how much I weigh. What I really want to know is how much fat I've lost.  I have been doing "InBody" measurements at my gym over the past two years and my fat number is the one I want to reduce the most.  I want to feel even better than I do now.  

Fun fact: 1 litre of olive oil weighs 2 pounds.  I've considered setting up a 1 litre bottle of olive oil along the top of my kitchen cabinets for every two pounds of fat I want to shed, to give myself a really good visual of just how much fat needs to go.  Of course I would have to choose the prettiest bottles LOL!  

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13 hours ago, ShadowInTheKitchen said:

If I was hungry in the evening then logically I would have been even more hungry in the morning, but I didn't eat my pillow, so what was I really feeling after supper last night? 

Yes, what the heck?  This happens to me, too.  I am thinking my evening hunger may actually be habit....the experiment is in process.   

 

2 hours ago, ShadowInTheKitchen said:

Fun fact: 1 litre of olive oil weighs 2 pounds.  I've considered setting up a 1 litre bottle of olive oil along the top of my kitchen cabinets for every two pounds of fat I want to shed, to give myself a really good visual of just how much fat needs to go.  Of course I would have to choose the prettiest bottles LOL!  

What a  cool idea!  

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Day 40, Tuesday June 9 continued

M1: 2 fried eggs, brat sausage, green beans, ghee

M2: chicken salad - breast cooked in rosemary & thyme, cubed and added to homemade mayo, celery, chopped romaine, 1/2 avocado, onion & garlic powder

M3: the last bit of leftover chicken salad, taco stuffed sweet potato, recipe from today's W30 email

NSV: No cravings today

NSV: That taco recipe was good, if a bit salty but that's an easy fix.  I forgot how much I like taco meat and this is something I will add in to my rotation about once a month after the leftovers are gone. The victory is trying a new recipe, and not feeling my meal was too different from the rest of the family's dinner.  

Well I went back to bed this morning for two hours because my day just wasn't happening without enough sleep.  Then I zonked out again before supper for a half hour.  I hope this doesn't happen too often. 

I don't have a reintroduction plan yet.  My wine reintro isn't happening as planned, so I have to think about what food I want to reintroduce first instead.  I miss bacon, have been unable to source compliant bacon nearby, so I'm going to try to get some with sugar and hopefully without preservatives.  I think I want peanuts too.  I kinda miss them. I also want to get dairy in because I miss ice cream, especially now that the weather is hot.  Rice.  Other than that I plan to continue W30.  I like the food I'm eating, I like the way I feel, I like the way my clothes are fitting better.  I want to keep going.   

 

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You made chicken salad!  How was it?  That W30 recipe in yesterday's email looked delicious - I'm going to have to try it, too.  

Like you, I really just want to have wine, bacon, rice, and dairy (risotto!  Caesar salad with Parm cheese!) back in my diet.  I'm so glad you are still here - I want to follow your reintroduction path.  And you have such awesome NSVs!  

 

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3 hours ago, MadyVanilla said:

You made chicken salad!  How was it

Yummy!  The herbs added to the breast as it was cooking were a nice touch. I’m going to keep experimenting with chicken salad recipes.  It’s a summertime staple IMO.  

Thanks for reading!  

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It's weird how much there is to appreciate about rice when one is maintaining a safe social distance from rice, isn't it? :D  I'm glad you are feeling such momentum to keep going. You've come a long way and it's wonderful to think about cherishing all that progress!

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Day 41, Wednesday June 10

M1: 1/2 leftover sweet potato, diced and pan fried, kale, 2 fried eggs, ghee, banana

M2: 4 cup green salad with romaine, celery, broccoli, green grapes, a bit of cilantro, PK dressing

M3: bbq burger with Everything Bagel seasoning mixed in, on iceberg lettuce cups, bbq zucchini rounds and asparagus with Primal Kitchen Ranch for dipping, a thick grilled pineapple ring

NSV: I did it!  I made a plan and I stuck with it.  It's a super satisfying feeling, just sayin'  :D

NSV: I discovered that zucchini bbq'd and dipped in ranch is pretty darn close to being just as tasty as the deep fried battered stuff we get in restaurants, my victory here is that I experimented and came up with something delicious and that makes me feel really proud of myself, and eliminates feeling compelled to go out for this tasty treat ever again.  The EB seasoning mix is really good in the burgers, and the grilled pineapple - well I've done that before but why oh why don't I do that more often?  Who needs junky sweet stuff when this tastes soooo much better!

NSV: I forgot to make caramelized onions for the burgers (OMG has anyone ever in the whole wide world ever ate a burger without onions on it before) which sent my Dear Son searching in the fridge for something to add to his burger.  But I did season the burgers, and asked him to try them first before adding other stuff.  He was happy with the taste, and although he did add hot peppers, pickles and cheese, he said they didn't need the onions, or ketchup either.  He gave me two thumbs up for dinner tonight :-)

NSV: one of my goals when I began this experiment was to learn to cook, and I feel that I am steadily improving my cooking skills.  I have little desire to buy frozen food in boxes anymore.  

NSV: I didn't measure my weight today because I don't really care what its at, but I measured my waist this morning and it's down 1" and I'm happy about that.  

My waist to hip ratio (WHR) 30 days ago was 0.897, today it is 0.892.  WHR can be calculated by dividing waist measurement by hips measurement.  A WHR over 0.86 is considered a high health risk/obese, 0.81 - 0.85 is a moderate health risk, and below 0.8 is a low health risk (for heart disease, diabetes, and other disease commonly associated with being overweight).   I'm on the right track.  I want to be healthy.  I want a smaller waist and less belly fat and W30 is helping me to achieve that.  

For my first week on this W30, I made a list of some meals that I like and that were compliant, so that I wouldn't have to fret over what to make.  I have quite a few more choices now, and I want to make a new list to keep posted somewhere in the kitchen, so I remember to make these new meals occasionally.  I also have a few recipes that were suggested here that I want to try out.  I'm starting to resent cooking two dinners on some nights, one for me and one for the family, so I'm going to search for more W30 meals that everyone likes.  I want to have lots of W30 choices ready that I know how to make and that I know taste good, rather than needing to look for something when I'm in a rush and want to eat clean. 

I plan to do the reintroductions, although it's a bit scary LOL.  What's going on?  Now I'm afraid to eat?  Ha Ha Ha, not really but sort of.  I just don't want to fall back into bad habits.  I will continue here, logging what I eat and how I feel, because when I read my journal my progress becomes clear in my head.  

My plan for the immediate future:

I bought bacon bits (Greenfields brand from Costco) with sugar, no nitrates, and am looking forward to trying those out.  I hope they don't stir my Sugar Dragon awake but I really don't think they will be a problem.  I'll probably have those tomorrow, at least twice, then back to W30 for the next two days.  Other than that I just want to continue to focus on eating well.  

Today I'm feeling grateful for having discovered this new W30 lifestyle.  Props to everyone on this forum.  You're all awesome, thank you for your support as I made my way through the 40 days, all while doing something good for you too!

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Post Whole30 Day 1, Thursday June 11

M1: 1/2 sweet potato, kale, Greenfields crumbled bacon with sugar but no nitrates, pineapple, cilantro and cinnamon, two eggs sunny side up

M2: green salad with lettuces, celery, broccoli, green grapes, chicken breast, bacon crumbles, 1/2 avocado, PK dressing

Snack: salted cantaloupe (thanks @Blueautumn for the tip! I've never had it salted before but I like it)

Snack: raisins, pecans, walnuts, almonds

M3: sweet potato topped with beef taco meat, guac, and cantaloupe to finish

NSV: I had excellent energy all day

NSV: I didn't have any cravings for junky stuff

NSV: I had an excellent sleep last night

NSV: My healthy habits are rubbing off.  DD17 chose to take a Larabar on her lunch in place of a granola bar :-)

I snacked today.  Twice.  I'm disappointed in myself.  I had the fruit early in the afternoon, then was feeling shaky (sugar crash? at 5pm) so had some trail mix.  Having fruit on its own is not a good idea.  I know this. Now to remember going forward

I used to like to add bacon crumbles to my salads, but now?  Not so much.  The bacon flavour overpowered the other flavours in the salad, and I could still taste it in my mouth a half hour after I finished eating my lunch. I now know that I prefer my green salad without bacon.

I am still having trouble getting out of bed some mornings, not because I'm tired.  I think it may be my meds, which are supposed to help me to sleep, though my sleep has been waaay better these last few weeks of W30 than the previous years on the meds.  I also think my medications may be causing my stomach to hurt a bit (pain level 1/10).  This gut pain is so minimal that I probably wasn't bothered by it pre W30 due to other g-i issues.  I had a phone appointment with my doctor today and have been cleared to discontinue taking them, hoping it helps with my mornings and with the stomach pain.  I also have an appointment for bloodwork on Monday to make sure everything else is ok.  I'm thrilled to stop the meds, and feeling hopeful.

Plan for tomorrow:

1. All meals will be Whole30 compliant

2. No snacking!

3. Out of bed at 7am  

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Post Whole30 Day 2, Friday June 12

M1: sweet potato hash with onions & bratwurst, fried in ghee with 2 eggs, green beans

M2: romaine, green grapes, chicken, PK green goddess dressing

M3: cantaloupe, green beans, egg salad

NSV's:

1. Excellent energy all day, even better than any day previous since starting W30.  Today was the first day on meds reduction, and this increased energy is what I was hoping for 

2. Excellent sleep quality

3. Absolutely no cravings, saw lots of junky stuff a super cheap prices in a store today and I wasn't a bit fizzled

4. I was awake at 6:30, out of bed at 6:50, 10 minutes before my target time

5. I remained W30 compliant, didn't snack, didn't even feel the need. Family had pizza and I didn't want any of it, and not just because I wanted to remain compliant

6. My meal times were per my scheduled goal - 8am, noon and 6pm

7. All of my meals were super simple today, and didn't take much time out of my day to prepare them.  I don't mind eating the same simple things over and over again

8. I started planning my birthday party with my family next weekend, and ordered the extremely expensive and I've never seen anything so pretty and edible in all my life cupcakes.  Also found new dinner dishes online that I want to pick up to pretty up the dining table just because, well, I think I'm worth it!

I sooo want this to be my new normal.  

 

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3 hours ago, Tevenie said:

That sounds like the actual perfect day!  I so want to see the cupcakes, can you post a link?

Thanks Tevenie.  It was a good day, and I got a haircut!  Yesterday Ontario moved into phase two of re-opening meaning hairdressers could open, and I sooo needed a trim :-)

I'm so lucky to have this cake company close my home, only ten minutes away.  I live in the country and it will be a pleasure to go and pick these up on Friday without having to go into the city.

Here's the link.  Enjoy the feast for your eyes! http://thegirlwiththemostcake.com/

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Post Whole30 Day 3, Saturday June 13

M1: "cereal bowl" with almond butter, almond milk, chia seeds, walnuts, pecans, 1/2 banana, pineapple, strawberries

M2: green salad with romaine, spinach and baby lettuce, 1/2 avocado, green grapes, PK dressing

Snack 1: Larabar

Snack 2: orange

Snack 3: carrot

Snack: two non-compliant potato chips, totally not planned

M3: steamed broccoli, oven roasted potatoes and onions, chicken thighs 

NSV: woke up at 6:40 am, no alarm, was up at 6:50 am

NSV: had excellent energy most of the day, got lots done around the house but took a wee 10 minute nap late in the afternoon

NSV: I experimented successfully with seasonings for M3, and have noticed that I am looking more often for something to "spice up" my meals and make them more interesting

I felt like snacking this afternoon because I felt hungry.  Three fruits at breakfast was probably too much, and threw me off balance for the afternoon.  I don't have any other explanation.   I plan to do an experiment in the future to test the number of fruit I can have at any one time and still maintain high and even energy throughout the day

The "cereal bowl" was very good, but I missed having vegetables at breakfast.  If/when I have a cereal bowl again, I will make it smaller and have it as a side dish

One of my goals close to the beginning of my W30 was to be on auto pilot with my food choices.  I feel I haven't achieved that yet, because I was feeling a bit of food boredom when planning M3 today.  I didn't want to search for a recipe.  I knew I wanted chicken thighs, but just didn't have a cooking method and Whole30 seasonings in my mind right away.  This is something I'd like to improve.  I've mentioned before that I never really considered myself a good cook, and I like trying new recipes but I want to be able to cook most of my meals from my head, without having to look up methods and ingredients.  Living with Covid restrictions, restaurants closed except for takeout, and living too far away to rely on takeout has been immensely helpful in learning to cook good meals.  I want to learn to be a better cook, and right now I don't have any desire to go out to eat or pick up take out.  So becoming a better cook is going to happen for me, and I feel pleased about that.  

 

 

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Post Whole30 Day 4, Sunday June 14

M1: my standard green salad

M2: strawberries and pineapple cup, egg salad, green beans

M3: a few strawberries, grilled zucchini & grilled lemon to squeeze over top, potatoes & onions, bbq tenderloin steak, pickle spear

NSV: I was a bit worried that my lunch didn't include enough fat and that I wouldn't make it to dinner without snacking, but it wasn't a problem.  

NSV: I hit my targets today: up before 7am, eat only W30, no snacking, and regular meal times at 8, noon and 6, although lunch was a half hour late and dinner an hour late because I was working on projects before both meals and lost track of time.  I stopped when I started to feel hungry, looked at the clock and then still had to prepare my meals, which means I made it from one meal to the next without cravings, and I felt hungry signals right on time. :)

I'm still reluctant to reintroduce foods because I just feel so good right now.  But I need to do it.  I'm thinking I'll try peanuts tomorrow. 

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On 6/13/2020 at 8:16 PM, ShadowInTheKitchen said:

Living with Covid restrictions, restaurants closed except for takeout, and living too far away to rely on takeout has been immensely helpful in learning to cook good meals. 

Isn't that a nice blessing of doing a W30 at this time? I feel lucky that so many of the places that have become "lazy" meal solutions over the years simply aren't options. Nice for the wallet, too. 

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