ShadowInTheKitchen Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 1 hour ago, RachelR said: Things like forgetting to take meat out of the freezer to thaw or it being hot so not wanting to use the stove or oven I often forget to take meat out of the freezer too, and then do a quick drive to the grocery store to buy something fresh! Have you tried freezing your meat in thin packages? I repackage ground beef by placing it in a large ziplock bag and gently flattening it to about 1/2' thick or less. I saw someone somewhere online suggested flattening it with a rolling pin, but the meat became too compacted that way, pressing gently works better. This way the meat thaws in about an hour in cold water in the sink. I freeze sausages individually, they thaw quickly this way too. I haven't tried pounding chicken breasts flat before freezing them, but that may help to thaw them quickly too. 1 hour ago, RachelR said: it being hot so not wanting to use the stove or oven If your space allows, you could plug in your slow cooker or instant pot outside. I've done this in the summer to keep the heat down in the house. I also noticed that with the heat I don't want to eat some of the things I relied on in rotation in May. Before I began in May I made a list of 21 meals that I could make quickly and easily. For me, I feel its time to revisit the list and come up with a revised list for the hotter weather. Maybe doing something like this would be helpful for you too? I hope that you find a solution, and that you continue. You've made so much progress... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachelR Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 @ShadowInTheKitchen Thanks so much for the ideas! I definitely need to look for more warm weather type recipes to add to the rotation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadyVanilla Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 An Instant Pot is great for dealing with frozen meat, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadyVanilla Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 16 hours ago, RachelR said: I've been struggling a bit the past couple days with sticking to the meals I had planned and snacking a bit more. Things like forgetting to take meat out of the freezer to thaw or it being hot so not wanting to use the stove or oven. While I've still stayed Whole30 compliant, I'm a bit disappointed and need to get back on track. It's these little things that usually add up and next thing you know I'm back on the fast food train. This time I want it to be different. So, I need to recommit to sticking to my plans and get back on it. This is me!!! The forum is such a godsend for support and troubleshooting. And a great place to go when I'm feeling non-creative. Stay here with us. Keep making alternate plans for when your original gets derailed. You got this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachelR Posted June 13, 2020 Author Share Posted June 13, 2020 On 6/10/2020 at 11:28 AM, MadyVanilla said: An Instant Pot is great for dealing with frozen meat, too! Thanks! I have one but I've been too afraid to use it. I think I'm gonna try it this weekend though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachelR Posted June 13, 2020 Author Share Posted June 13, 2020 I feel like when I get stuck or struggling it has really helped to return to a favorite recipe that I love! This time around it has been the blackened chicken avocado berry salad as well as the rosemary mustard pork chops from the Whole30 fast and easy cookbook (I think it is that one). Also, it's ok to let someone else do the cooking occasionally. (Just don't want to get back in my old habits). Yesterday, a coworker and I ordered from Zoe's Kitchen. I like that they clearly indicate compliant items on their menu. And with some adjustments other items can be compliant as well. I ordered the chicken kabobs w/ harissa sauce (oooh that's spicy), greek salad (without pita, feta, or some other veggies I don't care for), and their grilled potato salad (which just tasted like roasted potatoes and was delish). I've found weeks where I don't try multiple new recipes to be the most successful with staying motivated. But, the occasional new recipe is a key to make sure things aren't boring. Last night I made this blackened shrimp taco recipe https://jz-eats.com/shrimp-tacos/ (I adjusted some of the ingredients so it wasn't too spicy) and I also made this mango salsa to go on top https://cookinglsl.com/the-best-mango-salsa-recipe/ (I de-seeded and scraped out the inside of the jalapeño so again- it wasn't too spicy). I put the shrimp on green butter lettuce with the salsa and some guacamole (from trader joes). It was a very quick cook on the stove and the mango salsa was very summery and made it so refreshing. Now, to consider other dishes to use the salsa in.... perhaps on chicken? One other thing of note, is that I've stepped on the scale multiple times since I finished my first 30 days. While it has gone down overall, I did notice fluctuations of a pound or two between a couple days. This was not good for my motivation and psyche. I will be returning to weighing in once a month to get an overall view of my progress but not get so caught up in every fluctuation my body makes. Overall, sleeping much better- more soundly and easier to fall asleep. Most mornings, I'm not ready to get up so I'd like to see my energy improve even more but I feel like I'm overall more productive and positive at work. My coworker said she noticed that I'm not saying "I'm tired" as much as I used to so that is a huge plus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachelR Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 I guess my Whole30 journey extended has technically come to an end before day 60 because I made spaghetti squash and meatballs last night. I thought the sauce I had left in my cupboard was compliant but at looking at the ingredient list it had soybean oil. Better than it having sugar in it but I have been trying to stay compliant. Anyway... I just said it doesn't matter and had it anyway. I'm still going to plan to eat primarily Whole30 going forward but not beat myself up if I happened to overlook an insignificant percentage of the ingredients. I'm still a bit nervous that I as I give myself more leeway that I will go off the rails. But, can't stay so restrictive forever...right? I have the food freedom forever book but haven't read it yet. Definitely need to make that a priority. On the plus side- I was able to wear jeans today that I hadn't fit into since last summer/fall- one size down from where I started. It felt good! Oh- and I broke my promise to myself that I'd wait until July 3rd to weigh in again but I just couldn't help myself. I stepped on the scale on Sunday and I was down to 251.5. That is almost 20 pounds since I started my Whole30 on May 3rd. Insanity! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowInTheKitchen Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Ooh grats on rocking the jeans! Wow. just wow. 20 lbs in 7+ weeks. That's about 3 lbs a week! That is awesome. I'm glad to hear that you aren't beating yourself up about the bit of soybean oil. I totally agree with you that you can't remain on W30 forever, unless you live in a cave in the middle of nowhere. I get the fear about going off the rails. It happened to me but I find its kind of easy to get back on track, and I think you will find the same. You've been doing this long enough now to know what feeling good feels like! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachelR Posted July 3, 2020 Author Share Posted July 3, 2020 2 months in to my journey and I measured and weighed/took pictures again today. Referencing the beginning pictures definitely helps because day to day it is hard to see or feel the progress. Here are the results: (Measured myself so they may not be exactly accurate). S=start; C=current Waist @ belly button- S= 53.5"; C= 50" Waist @ narrowest point- S= 45"; C= 42 1/4" Hips- S= 54"; C= 51 1/2" Thighs- Right- S= 29 3/4"; C=29" Left- S= 30"; C= 28 1/2" Calves- Right- S= 18 1/4"; C=17 3/4" Left- S= 18 3/4"; C= 17 1/2" Biceps (making a muscle)- Right- S= 17 1/2"; C=17" Left- S= 17 1/4"; C= 16 7/8" Wrists- Right- S= 7 1/4"; C= 7" Left- S= 7 1/4"; C= 7" Neck- S= 15"; C= 14 3/4" Bust- S= 49"; C= 46 1/4" (not sure if this is right but I measured twice) Chest S= 43"; C= 42 1/2" As far as weight goes- I'm happy that the scale is continuing to move downward. I think it could be more but I started my cycle last night so I'm sure that fluctuated things up a bit. I think I'll weigh in again next week to see the difference between on cycle and not on my cycle. I continue to walk a half hour a day (only missed 2 days in the past two months) at a comfortable-ish speed for me (about 2.5 mph). I decided that I want to add in some type of strength activity so I'm planning on doing this arm workout at least 4x/week for the full weeks going forward. Here is a close up "before" picture of my arm today July 3rd. I'm excited to gain strength and some definition. We'll see how this works. As far as food goes, I continue to eat primarily Whole30 meals/recipes. There were a couple intentional meals where I went off plan and that was because my best friend was in town. I thought it was a special enough occasion to not have to overly worry about Whole30 while we were out. Last Saturday we met for dinner. I really wanted to try some place that I had never been before and I wanted to make sure there was outdoor seating along with somewhere that seemed relatively safe given this COVID-19 pandemic. We tried a place called The Lazy Goat here in Greenville. I got the Lazy Paella dish which was rice, grilled chicken, chorizo, and green beans. I usually hate green beans but I gave them a try. They were blanched (I think?) and still crisp. I didn't mind them too much. The rest of the dish lacked flavor in my opinion. So, after trying several bites, I ended up just searching for all the meat and left a lot of rice behind. My friend mentioned wanting gelato and... y'all- if I've had any specific cravings since starting this in May- it has been ice cream. We walked around and found a place that sold gelato. I decided that if there was sorbet that I would get that since it wouldn't have dairy in it but they did not have any. I ended up treating myself to a scoop of "Peanut Royal." And I was able to enjoy every bite. Old Rachel would have got the 2 or 3 scoop- thinking the 1 scoop wouldn't cut it. But, it was more than enough. Then, on Sunday we met for lunch. I wanted to share one of my favorite taco places because it's one place that I truly love the dish I get every time. I made a conscious decision to order my tacos on lettuce instead of a tortilla. While the other ingredients may not have been compliant (fried shrimp, pimento cheese, etc) it felt like a healthier option. After these meals- I tried to pay attention to how I felt. I had a bit of headache and some stomach cramps as well as feeling tired. I'm sure a lot was dairy related from both the gelato and the extras on the tacos but I think some of it was also due to anxiety of being out in public amidst COVID-19. There were sooooooo many people without masks as we walked around downtown Greenville. While I enjoyed seeing my friend and it was nice to try a new place and visit a favorite- I think I will plan on primarily sticking to home cooked meals or easy Whole30 to go (like Zoe's Kitchen and Chipotle- which I both enjoy). It also hit home- that if I'm going to splurge on ice cream then make it something that will taste good. So glad that I got that scoop of gelato rather than a Sonic Blast from Sonic (which always sounds delicious but in reality never tastes truly great). Also, I realized that I am capable of making cheaper and (in some instances) better tasting food at home. Also, I realized that I can make an intentional choice instead of an impulsive one to eat something and then get right back on track. I was afraid that once I stepped out of the boundaries of the Whole30 rules that I would end up just giving up. I also started reading Food Freedom Forever over the past week and hope to gain more insight on how to continue my journey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadyVanilla Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 What impressive measurements and you look like you've lost 40 pounds! I love how you were able to enjoy meals with your friend, and to not eat what didn't taste good. And the gelato...so much more worthy than the chemical-concoction that makes up the Sonic mixes. This is what I want to be able to do - so inspirational. Good luck with the arm workout - I can't wait to see your progress! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachelR Posted July 5, 2020 Author Share Posted July 5, 2020 Used my Instant Pot for the first time today. I've had it almost a year and a half and I've just been too intimidated to use it. But, today- I went for it and made hard boiled eggs and they turned out PERFECT! Put a couple into potato salad and will save the rest to either put on a salad or maybe deviled eggs or egg salad. hmmm.... I also made green beans tonight for the first time. Willingly. On purpose. Lol. I've always hated cooked green beans since I was very young but giving them a try at the restaurant last weekend made me feel a bit more adventurous. I sautéed them in coconut oil and added salt, pepper, some red pepper flakes, and a couple dashes of coconut aminos. They were still crunchy and I liked the flavor with the salt, etc. Green beans are still not my favorite vegetable but I enjoyed this tonight. I had extras so we'll see how it tastes as leftovers tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachelR Posted July 12, 2020 Author Share Posted July 12, 2020 This week was ok. A lot of anxiety and stress regarding changes at work and could still feel those old habits trying to creep in (need for sugary/fatty foods and drinks to cope with the stress). But, I held them at bay and stayed primarily compliant (used some Italian sausages that I had frozen that had minor amounts of sugar in them). For some reason, I did not plan out my meals and decided to wing it with all the foods I had at home and a couple as needed grocery stops. One day, I completely forgot I had used up all my eggs. What was I going to have for breakfast? I've been eating eggs every. single. day. since May 4th. Anyway.... I ended up with a large spinach salad w/ strawberries and blueberries and then I wrapped some deli ham (compliant) around a pickle spear and then another slice of deli ham with a hard boiled egg (I boiled too many- hence why I didn't have any to scramble). It was good enough. But I can't tell you how many times I had to fight the urge to just go to Chick-Fil-A instead. Long story short- I made it through the week but I feel more comfortable when I know what to expect and make sure I have all the ingredients for the week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachelR Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 I have been MIA.... Hope everyone is doing well. I'm proud to say that I have continued with primarily eating Whole30 foods. There have been a few conscious decisions to treat myself- small ice cream last week- as well as some choices to use food I have even if it isn't fully compliant-sausages w/ a bit of sugar in them, corn starch when I couldn't find arrowroot powder for a recipe, etc. I also made a batch of cookies yesterday because I have been wanting more sweet stuff. My thought is that if I have in moderation when I'm really wanting it- maybe it will prevent me from just going on a binge. I may end up throwing them out. So far my thoughts are- first bite was way to sugary sweet. I had a headache after eating two and felt more lethargic. But then later before bed- I was contemplating having more but I knew it was out of boredom. I had a couple more today when I got home from work. Again- serving size on packet said 2 so that is what I'm trying to stick to. Probably would have been fine with one. Honestly- probably didn't need any because it was only when I opened my pantry to put some groceries away that I smelled them and then wanted them. It's an experiment right now. Hopefully it doesn't blow up. I've doing better at making better decisions and still "treating myself." For example- Last week I just really did not want to cook anything. Didn't feel like going to Chipotle or Zoe's kitchen where I know I can stay whole 30. My mind kept going to McDonalds. I was so torn with myself because I knew whatever it was that I thought I wanted wouldn't taste good in reality. Anyway...I got in my car and all the way up to the stop light I kept debating with myself. In the end, I still chose to go and buy something but got a grilled market salad from Chick-Fil-A w/ honey mustard as well as a large fry. Have to say- the fries were not great. The salad was good and I enjoyed the honey mustard as I haven't had any sugary dressings. I may be going down a slippery slope OR last week was just tough and I needed to slack off a bit??? We'll see.... I still struggle with really feeling like I've made progress when it comes to day in and day out and how my body moves and feels. My energy still isn't where I hoped it would be but overall I have to remind myself that I am doing a lot better than I was several months ago. I have to keep reminding myself to focus on the things I have seen change in order to continue with my motivation to keep going forward. My clothes are fitting better and even some things are too big now. What I hate is the mind-fuck that occurs with women's clothing sizes. I can comfortably fit in to my size 18 Old Navy Rockstar skinny jeans but I cannot fit in to my size 18 dress pants from a brand sold at Target. Again, I have to go over and over to myself about the progress I've made and that with time, those clothes will fit again too. As far as walking on the treadmill and doing the arm toning video. I wasn't as consistent with the treadmill as things came up on my mom's schedule and instead of walking without her the few days, I just vegged out and been watching The Crown (just started season 3 today). With the arm video- my goal was to do it 4x/week. I did ok the first 3 weeks and then the last week in July- I only did it once. I don't see much of a difference in my photo of my bicep but I can feel a bit of a difference. I want to keep going with it and become more consistent with this simple video. Hopefully in September, I'll feel ready to add in some more exercise. Anyway.... I've lost 29.2 pounds since May 3rd. Here is my progress pictures and my measurements: Here are the results: (Measured myself so they may not be exactly accurate). S=start; C=current Waist @ belly button- S= 53.5"; C= 50 1/4" Waist @ narrowest point- S= 45"; C= 41" Hips- S= 54"; C= 50 3/4" Thighs- Right- S= 29 3/4"; C=27 1/2" Left- S= 30"; C= 28 1/2" Calves- Right- S= 18 1/4"; C=17" Left- S= 18 3/4"; C= 16 3/4" Biceps (making a muscle)- Right- S= 17 1/2"; C=17 1/4" Left- S= 17 1/4"; C= 17 3/4" Wrists- Right- S= 7 1/4"; C= 7" Left- S= 7 1/4"; C= 6 7/8" Neck- S= 15"; C= 14 1/4" Bust- S= 49"; C= 46 3/4" (not sure if this is right but I measured twice) Chest S= 43"; C= 40 1/4" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadyVanilla Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Wow, what great progress! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowInTheKitchen Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Wow! You are looking aMAZing Rachel! Keep going!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RachelR Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 Update.... I threw the cookies out! I worked from home today and I was tempted before lunch but curtailed myself by getting fruit instead. Then after lunch- I was like...hmmm... I'll only have one. Then, about 10 minutes later I was wanting more (my brain that has been infiltrated by the sugar dragon- not the rest of me)- and so- even though I'm not proud of how I handled the situation (I ate 2 more, rather quickly, and then threw out the rest of the batch). I do not have enough self-control to have large quantities of sweets/snacks in my home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadyVanilla Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 But you threw them out!!! So it was a battle with the Sugar Dragon, and you won! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowInTheKitchen Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 On 8/4/2020 at 4:15 PM, RachelR said: I ate 2 more, rather quickly, and then threw out the rest of the batch LOL I do this too! Well done to trash them. I'd insert a thumbs up emoji for you if there was one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.