Emma's 1st Whole30 log, starting August 17

[Emmaa]

Day 0

Hello everyone! I'm Emma. Living in Amsterdam (NL) and starting my first Whole30.

Last week I read the Whole30 book. I flipped through the slowcooker cookbook and the Fast & Easy cookbook. Last weekend I made a weekmenu and did the grocery shopping.

I've IBS and painful joints. I hope these things get better/less painful during the next 30 days. I also don't sleep very well.

I'm looking forward to start, but also feel like the next 2 weeks will be very difficult at times...

I go to the gym in Mondays and Wednesdays and I'd like to continu this the next coming weeks.

[MadyVanilla]

Welcome, Emma!  It sounds like you've done your preparations and you are ready to go.  I'm looking forward to hearing about your journey - here's to a successful first day!  

[jennifer_k]

Good for you, Emma! Look forward to reading about your journey!

[Emmaa]

Day 1:

I woke up early (6am) and decided to get a start on breakfast and cooked chicken for lunch. During the day I realized cooking takes a lot of time!! I spend my lunch break cooking preparing lunch and a snack and got all the ingredients in the slowcooker for dinner. I even have a blister from cutting all the potatoes and vegetables! Also making mayonaise for the salad was an adventure.

At work meetings were running late. And I had a time slot for the gym. Luckily I had the chicken meatballs prepared. I jumped in the car and went to the gym. I already read that gym time can be a bit different in the first 2 weeks (less strength). And that was indeed the case. I took it slow at the gym and drove back home to dinner!

I've not been hungry. But my brain wsa foggy from 3pm onwards. And I was shacking a bit with withdrawal symptoms. The evening I spend on the cough and watching Netflix.

[MadyVanilla]

Everything is so time-consuming during the first Whole 30, but you'll get more efficient with your food prep, clean-up, etc.  I can whip up a mayonnaise now in two minutes.  Your meals look yummy! 

[ShadowInTheKitchen]

@MadyVanilla is right, the first Whole30 takes tons of time until you get used to it.  Having protein prepared is a big step towards success, as you found out when you were running late and had that chicken ready to eat in the fridge.  I love the pictures of your food - it all looks delicious!

[Emmaa]

18 hours ago, MadyVanilla said:

Everything is so time-consuming during the first Whole 30, but you'll get more efficient with your food prep, clean-up, etc.  I can whip up a mayonnaise now in two minutes.  Your meals look yummy! 

Wow, mayonaise in two minutes! What machine do you use? I tried a couple machines before dumping it in the Kitchenaid. And that worked.

[Emmaa]

Day 2:

The morning went really well. No problems. I had breakfast and lunch. In te afternoon I couldn't focus. Working was hard. My head was foggy and I only wanted to watch TV. I got a friend over for dinner. I cut a sweet potato really carefully, because foggy head and shaking hands are not the best for making dinner. But dinner turned out really good. I'll make this again

After dinner foggy head and shaking hands are gone. Had a good visit with my friend and watched Netflix. Was really tired and went to bed on time.

 

[Emmaa]

I'm a bit behind on logging... Here's Day 3.

Day 3 was hell..........

I couldn't get out of bed, no motivation to start work or go to the gym, I was bloated, hungry and cold. I had no focus at work or at the gym. I the afternoon I had a foggy head, was really cold and had a headache. My body was scream for a snack to feel better. I had some cashew nuts, but didn't do anything... My body was screaming for sugar. I didn't give in. I went to the gym, just to be busy. It was an okay workout. My trainer was proud.

[Emmaa]

Day 4:

I had to go to the office for a meeting. I had breakfast at home and realized when I wanted to go for lunch that I left my lunch at home................ I had to buy lunch at the restaurant. I had one egg, two small tomatoes and an apple. After my last meeting, at 3pm I drove home and ate all my snacks. I had an early dinner and allowed myself to have a snack while watching Netflix.

Althoug I forgot my lunch, I felt a lot better then on day 3. I was bloated and ad a headache. And I kept looking for snacks, but that might have something to do with forgetting lunch. The most difficult part of today... Not stepping on the scale.

Overall, I think I'm doing okay. Please let me know if I do something wrong. Or if you have tips and tricks I'm already thinking of extending it for 60 days.

[Ginsky]

Your meals look beautiful!  I know what you mean about food prep becoming so time consuming. I often make big portions and then put leftovers in the fridge or freezer to have later.  

If you are wondering how to improve your Whole30 experience just keep going and keep reading  articles and info from the Whole30 website about meal recommendations vs rules, meal templates, etc.  

[Patricia71]

Hi Emma

sorry to hear you had a difficult day, day 4 my worst so far, i love coffee but hate it black so have tried a macadamia milk , but I am suffering from mega jitters and anxiety afterwards, really bad, so halved the coffee today, better but still there, it may be the milk, I will try it without the ‘milk’ tomorrow- apart from that loving it, the food is incredibly tasty and eating mindfully is something new for me, bloat has gone down and I drank water instead of wine last night, no acid reflux at all! 

 

What a lovely girl you are to to respond to my post, and your photos are amazing.

 

stay in touch,  stick with it, love P x

[Emmaa]

On 8/21/2020 at 11:29 PM, Ginsky said:

Your meals look beautiful!  I know what you mean about food prep becoming so time consuming. I often make big portions and then put leftovers in the fridge or freezer to have later.  

If you are wondering how to improve your Whole30 experience just keep going and keep reading  articles and info from the Whole30 website about meal recommendations vs rules, meal templates, etc.  

THank you!

I already make big meals and put them in portion sizes in containers in the fridge. And I did so much shopping last week I have enough food in the house for another week

I thin I need to look more into that meal recommendations/rules and meal templates. I don't think I follow that.

I would like to go back to three meals a day without snacks. I now still have a snack in the afternoon...

 

[Emmaa]

On 8/22/2020 at 4:49 AM, Patricia71 said:

Hi Emma

sorry to hear you had a difficult day, day 4 my worst so far, i love coffee but hate it black so have tried a macadamia milk , but I am suffering from mega jitters and anxiety afterwards, really bad, so halved the coffee today, better but still there, it may be the milk, I will try it without the ‘milk’ tomorrow- apart from that loving it, the food is incredibly tasty and eating mindfully is something new for me, bloat has gone down and I drank water instead of wine last night, no acid reflux at all! 

 

What a lovely girl you are to to respond to my post, and your photos are amazing.

 

stay in touch,  stick with it, love P x

After day 4 it became a lot easier. I was more tired, but no more headaches and other symptoms.

I just read you used coconut milk that's also a good alternative. I stopped drinking coffee a couple weeks ago already, because my stomach pain got worse after drinking coffee. Hopefully I can go back to drinking coffee, because I love it.

I don't know what kind of coffee machine you have but you can try other coffee beans or another coffee blend. Some blends are really good and I could drink it without milk.

[Emmaa]

Day 5-7:

On day 5 I realized my ankles are not thick anymore. Stomach is still bloated and joint do stil hurt.

I had my 'normal' breakfast, eggs and fruit. Lunch was a chicken salad with fruit and vegetables, without mayonaise. I have decided I don't like the mayonaise and I just use some olive oil over it. I've been hungry the entire afternoon, so had some sweet potato and green beans before going out for dinner. The restaurant did not really had any options for dinner. But the made me some fish with potatoes and vegetables. I'm not 100% sure it was WHole30 apporoved, but I did my best and that's okay for me now.

On day 6, I couldn't get out of bed. Someone was picking me up for a drive north. We were looking for a campground for next summer. Spend most of the morning and afternoon in the car and we had lunch at the beach. I ordered a salad that looked Whole30 approved and asked for the sauce on the side. That worked perfectly. They only served it with bread and that just kept staring at me. But I didn't eat it

Day 7: I was meeting friends in the morning and afternoon. We just stayed at one friends place and normally she would make lunch. Last week I already let her know that she didn't need to get lunch for me. I brought my own lunch. And had that. It worked really well.

I'm really proud of myself for sticking to it this week. I had a couple of times that I had other food in front of me, that I was not allowed to eat and I resisted everytime. Even the chocolate in front of me on Sunday. I do feel hungry in the afternoon. I should look into snack food for the late afternoon, before the gym . What do other people eat as snack food? It would be easiest to eat vegetables or fruit, but as far as I know that's not allowed. So I eat nuts, but I also think I eat too many nuts.

[ShadowInTheKitchen]

6 hours ago, Emmaa said:

What do other people eat as snack food? It would be easiest to eat vegetables or fruit, but as far as I know that's not allowed. So I eat nuts, but I also think I eat too many nuts.

You can eat anything you want for snacks, as long as its Whole30 approved.  Its best to try to think of your snack as a mini meal, with protein, fat and fruit or veg, or at least make sure your snack has two of those. I love pecan halves with Parnoosh brand pitted sayer dates inside, sort of a "date sandwich."  Any kind of compliant trail mix with dried fruit would be handy to have on hand, the fruit increases the bulk so you don't just fill up on high-fat nuts.  I keep Larabars in the pantry too, the apple and cashew flavours are compliant, and I keep one stashed in the car for emergencies.  Apple slices with almond butter is delicious.  Having carrots and celery in the fridge is a must.  I cut mine up and each gets stored in a glass container filled with water in the fridge.  They last for days.  If you have cut up vegetables or fruit for a snack, make sure to add a protein or fat, like a salad dressing, nut butter, or a few pieces of cold chicken breast to your snack.  It's important to have all of these things ready to grab quickly so that when you're hungry and your willpower is low, you will have something that is just as easy to grab as some of the other non-compliant foods that are always available for a quick snack like cheese and crackers.  If you're hungry between meals, eat a snack.  It's still early in the 30 days for you, but you will eventually figure out how much food to eat at meal time so that you won't need to be snacking.  If you are used to snacking and this is your first Whole30, it will take a while until you won't be looking for snacks.  Or at least that's my experience, I started my first Whole30 almost a year ago and still sometimes need to snack between lunch and dinner, even if I ate a huge lunch! 

Congratulations on finishing the first week, especially with all those distractions!  

 

[ShadowInTheKitchen]

Devilled eggs are also good to keep on hand, and go well with carrots and celery.

[Ginsky]

8 hours ago, Emmaa said:

Day 5-7:

I'm really proud of myself for sticking to it this week. I had a couple of times that I had other food in front of me, that I was not allowed to eat and I resisted everytime. ......(snip)..... What do other people eat as snack food? It would be easiest to eat vegetables or fruit, but as far as I know that's not allowed. So I eat nuts, but I also think I eat too many nuts.

I try not to eat snacks but sometimes I munch on some nuts or olives while cooking.  If you're talking about pre and post work-out, check out the official Whole30 meal template which covers that.  A lot of people like to keep some hard boiled eggs in the fridge in case of emergency.  The theory is: If you aren't hungry enough to eat that, then you're probably not actually hungry and just feeling the desire to eat for other reasons.  

The first week is rough; congratulations on staying strong!   

[MadyVanilla]

On 8/19/2020 at 3:18 AM, Emmaa said:

Wow, mayonaise in two minutes! What machine do you use? I tried a couple machines before dumping it in the Kitchenaid. And that worked.

I'm a little late, since I see that you aren't liking the mayonnaise, but I use an immersion blender.  I also do not like the mayonnaise if it's made with olive oil - it's so much better made with avocado oil (and a little more expensive, though you use less oil).  If you want to try it, take an egg and lemon juice out of fridge to come to room temperature.  Crack the egg in a tall container, like a mason jar.  Pour 1 cup avocado oil over top, then add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon each of salt and ground mustard (these can be adjusted to taste, or you can add other things such as dill, garlic, spices, etc. whatever flavors you want).  Capture the egg yolk under the immersion blender then turn on.  Don't move the blender until the mayo has formed at the bottom of the jar, then slowly draw the blender up through the mixture until blended.  You may need to do a little up and down with the blender at that point to make sure it's all blended.  This way, you've made the mayo in the container that you will store it in.  The clean-up with the immersion is much faster than it would be with the Kitchenaid, too!  Made with the salt and ground mustard, you will have a basic mayonnaise that can also be used as a base for other sauces and dressings.

Your meals look so delicious and it sounds like you are doing an awesome job with W30 and starting to experience some of the NSVs!