My Whole9+

[Taylor Herman]

After doing a second, shortened Whole30, I decided to move my log here. I read a bunch of other topics in the Post-Whole30 Log category yesterday and I think this corner of the forum is a good fit for me. As I've said in previous posts, for the most part I eat Whole30. Ever so often I off-road it for special occasions or treats.

For example, this past weekend I was helping my grandmother prepare for a family BBQ. We made roasted vegetables, salad, steak, salmon, my grandma's famous mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes. Simply put, I had good, nutritious food available to me. I said yes to the veggies and steak, no to the mac and cheese and mashed potatoes.

For dessert, my grandma bought the ingredients to make my aunt's bundt cake. My aunt recently passed away and since her passing I've been making the bundt cake for family gatherings. In the past, I've abstained from eating it but this time I had a small piece. It was delicious and I did not regret it. But I did regret having that small scoop of ice cream with it! Won't beat myself up about it, but I will remember how I feel the next time I decide to off-road.

Now, for my goals:

• Stay away from dried fruit. I have to break this habit, its actually a problem.
  
• Eat enough at meal times to be full. Particularly, eat enough so I don't snack..
  
• Eat breakfast!
  
  • This one is hard for me because my commute eats up an hour and a half of my time in the morning. I know I should eat first thing but to do so I would have to wake up at least thirty minutes earlier and I'm not willing to give up my eight hours of sleep.
    

  [*]Gym twice a week: Spinning, yoga, barre, weight lifting, get this body moving.

  • When I move closer to work (in April or May) I plan on bumping twice a week up to three or four day a week.
    

  [*]Go on a date with my boyfriend once a week!

[Taylor Herman]

I had breakfast this morning! I grabbed four homemade beef, sweet potato, kale, and chard meatballs on my way out the door and ate them at work. I don't think that my breakfast was big enough but its a start. I ate at 9:30 and I'm starting to get hungry now. Maybe next time I'll bring along an avocado or something. I think more sweet potato would be good too.

For lunch I brought a homemade chicken salad (cubed grilled chicken, homemade mayo, cut up apple, and chopped walnuts), carrots, and some steamed broccoli from last night. I brought a pretty good portion but I think I may need to upgrade my lunchbox so that I can bring more food in to work.

I am excited to get home because I ordered a Prepara Oil Mister! Now I can spray my vegetables with avocado oil. What a dream come true.

​Tonight for dinner is Well-Fed's chocolate chili with steamed broccoli. I'm going to a friends for dinner so I'm bringing my own food. They are ordering Chinese or pizza. Luckily, I have zero desire to eat either.

[Terez]

I am excited to get home because I ordered a Prepara Oil Mister! Now I can spray my vegetables with avocado oil. What a dream come true.

Don't you love the stuff that gets us excited nowadays! Way to go, Taylor!

[Taylor Herman]

I finished lunch a little before 1 and began feeling hungry at 3. I ran down and got some lemon water to try to wait it out. By 3:30 I was still feeling hungry. Seeing as though it feels like its 6 degrees outside, my snack options are limited to the news stand in my building. I chose raw almonds and had a few to curb my hunger. I know its not the best choice, but its also not the worst. Tomorrow I'll pack more food for lunch (maybe more fat?) and bring beef jerky just in case.

[Taylor Herman]

Woke up so hungry this morning! I think it was because I only had a bowl of chili last night (no avocado or veggies with it like i usually have).

When I got to work I had an omelet with onions, tomatoes, spinach, peppers, and turkey. I asked the chef in our building if the eggs had anything else in them and he said that they were just plain eggs but I remain suspicious. In addition, I had a small side of fruit (strawberries, blackberries, kiwi). I feel good but still a little hungry. Going to wait it out until lunch which will be a roasted sweet potato (made with my Prepara Oil Mister!!), steamed broccoli, roasted brussels, and a chicken/apple sausage.

I keep thinking about the foods I want to prepare this weekend. I think I'll do my normal batch of chili, mayo, and perhaps try sunshine sauce. I also think I'm going to take half the mayo and add italian seasoning so I can have it as a dip with my raw veggies. The possibilities are endless!

[Taylor Herman]

Small victories: NO DRIED FRUIT YESTERDAY!!

[Taylor Herman]

Positive things I did this weekend:

• Slept for 8-9 hours on Saturday and Sunday
  
• Bought 12 cans of organic tomato paste at Costco for less than $6 (12!!)
  
• Made a batch of chili with my new Chili 9000 spice from Penzeys
  
• Made some mayo, then mixed in shallots, chives, garlic, onion, and green peppercorns
  
• Ordered a french coffee press and some crio bru
  
• Went for a really nice walk out in the winter sunshine
  
• Moved my plants around the apartment to catch said winter sunshine
  

Really excited about the crio bru because I am not a coffee or a tea drinker. I tried making my own bone broth to see if I liked that as a warm beverage but I really couldn't get past the taste, it was so beefy! I know what I just said is like a sin on this forum, but I just couldn't do it (I do, however, use my bone broth in my chili). Now I can't wait for Wednesday when my Crio Bru is supposed to arrive!

[kb0426]

I just read some interesting information that may just get you to eat your breakfast earlier.

This is directly from the book Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity and Disease.

Reducing ghrelin, the hunger hormone, will diminish total food intake at any given meal. And the best way to do so is to eat breakfast. If you don't eat breakfast, you don't ratchet up your thermic effect of food, ghrelin levels keep rising as the morning drags on, and you will eat more at lunch, more at dinner, and into the evening.

I am not trying to lecture you here...the earlier you can get some food in your belly, the better. This may help control those afternoon cravings, and even the dried fruit issues. I wholeheartedly agree that you should not foresake sleep for anything, and I don't have any suggestions unfortunately. I just present what I read and let you do with it what you will!

[Taylor Herman]

Thanks for the message kb0426. You'll be happy to know I ate breakfast this morning! Ground turkey with broccoli and some blueberries.

[Taylor Herman]

I think I've broken the spell. Or at least, I've taken one big step forward. Over the past couple of days, I haven't obsessed over food like I usually do. Yesterday, I ate breakfast and then didn't think about food again until I was hungry for lunch. This this is huge for me.

Getting to a better place with food has been one of my Whole9 goals for a long time. I'm glad that my relationship with food is improving. I hope it continues.