First Whole30 - Hi from the UK

[TynCoed]

Hi

Your stories here are very inspiring. Thank you for sharing recipe links and ideas.

I read ISWF last year - it was an Amazon recommendation - and did have a month of very loosely following the principles and guidelines. I noticed a big improvement with health niggles of my respiratory and digestive system. A persistent eczema problem also disappeared.

I lost my way in the Autumn - cooking to please others and neglecting myself.

A recent increase in digestive problems, sinus problems, wheezing and the eczema returning with a vengeance has brought me to a point of accepting responsibility for these conditions and doing what I can to help my poor old body.

So, Day 1 is complete.

Breakfast: Eggs scrambled with red and yellow peppers and an onion

Lunch: Minced beef (perhaps ground beef to you), onion and spinach

Supper: Minced Beef, onion, spinach and carrots

For each meal I used coconut oil for the fat element.

I've also made my list for grocery shopping tomorrow and cleared out cupboards and fridge.

Food is not the challenge at the moment. The biggest challenge is dealing with negativity from husband and believing in myself.

Looking forward to getting to know you all a little better as the days go by and continuing to be inspired by your successes.

D

[Derval]

Hiya, followed you over here from my log. Welcome!

There are a few posters from UK & Ireland that should be able to help you out with any specific questions. In the "Sourcing Good Food" sub-section I started up a uk/ireland thread so that would be a good place to post any questions about ingredients, products etc.

Well done of day 1 under your belt.

[smacd]

Good luck, it's such a brilliant journey.

[30Canandaigua]

^{Good Luck! I have had some difficulties with my husband being negative. I have found his negativity is more rooted in fear, than out of spite. Stick to your goals and stay strong!}

[TynCoed]

Thank you to Derval, smacd and 30Canadaigua for dropping by and for your words of encouragement.

Have just read the day two newsletter and followed the link to the blog post on Whole9life about the expected timeline. I seem to have condensed Days 1-3 into Day 1. Had a crippling headache by lunchtime yesterday, and today (Day 2) I have the Day 4 'kill all the things' mood. I am appalled at how irritable and angry I feel (I usually do 'nice').

Wondering what the divorce rate is like for whole30 participants?

D

[TynCoed]

The second half of Day 2 was much better tempered than the first. Oh my, that really wasn't nice.

Meal 1 was the egg muffins with added peppers, onions and minced beef plus a tomato salad

Meal 2 was the best ever chicken and a sweet potato rosti

Meal 3 was turkey curry made with turkey, peppers, onions, tomatoes and lots of spices. I had mine with spicy spinach but made a potato and spinach side dish for husband.

Felt a little wired at bedtime and took a while to get to sleep and have woken this morning before the alarm without what had become the habitual morning drowsiness.

[TynCoed]

Day 3 has been fine. I am beginning to wonder if I am doing it wrong! Apart from my little hissy fit yesterday morning mood has been stable.

Woke up this morning without feeling tired and I can't remember the last time I felt like that.

Have also managed to focus on my work today getting far more done than I usually manage,

Meal 1 Meal 1 was the egg muffins with added peppers, onions and minced beef plus a tomato salad

Meal 2 was a large salad plus some salmon and my first attempt at making my own mayonnaise using the recipe from WellFed. Also a small satsuma

Meal 3 was the meatza, again from Well Fed accompanied by sweet potato chips and a large portion of steamed veg. Also half a mango.

Breathing is much improved too, for which I am grateful.

[TynCoed]

Day 4 started obscenely early and I could not get back to sleep so 4.30am saw me showered and dressed and ignoring the accusatory looks from the dog, who was still trying to sleep. I drank more coffee than I am used to yesterday and wonder if that was the cause. I am not fond of black tea but can drink black coffee with a sprinkle of cinnamon on it.

Last of the first batch of breakfast muffins for meal 1 with tomato salad (again).

I was concerned about the amount of mayo I had made with just one egg as it doesn't have the shelf life associated with the shop bought stuff. I needn't have worried as husband has almost worked his way through it. That's good as he is now showing some enthusiasm for the new meal ideas.

Downside of so little sleep last night has been a day of firing on a single cylinder.

Some salt beef and an egg fried in ghee plus tomato salad for lunch. Oh, and a few grapes. For supper it will be turkey and mushrooms with a carrot and sweet potato rosti.

Have drunk more water today with lime juice and had just one mug of coffee.

Really feeling a significant improvement in health niggles, which is prime motivator for following the whole30 - so that is gratifying.

[TynCoed]

Day 5 and the tiredness persists which is a bit of a nuisance as it is a busy time for work. Drinking a lot more water and avoiding coffee for the time being.

Meal 1 - Boiled eggs and they were perfect as promised by nom nom paleo, cucumber, black olives. An odd mix and one I probably shan't repeat!

Meal2 - Leftover turkey and mushroom from last night with red cabbage plus a satsuma and a few grapes

Meal 3 - Leftover meatza and cauliflower mash and half a fresh mango

I have 3 very itchy patches on my neck which have appeared during today. I don't know if it is change of diet or mechanical irritation from my hair or my collar.

Husband came home with profiteroles, a lemon tart and a large peppermint aero (chocolate bar) last night. The desserts are in the fridge and the chocolate is on the side and I haven't been tempted even once. Not sure whether he didn't think, whether he is testing my resolve or whether he is deliberately trying to sabotage me!!

Managed to walk properly with the dog today for the first time in a couple of days. The weather has been dreadful and the wind so strong it was difficult to stand up let alone walk. Feel better for getting outside for a while.

Points of note that are interesting to me:

- so far I have had absolutely no cravings and no desire to graze at bedtime. I find that astonishing as that is an old, old habit.

- the puffiness under my eyes has reduced considerably even though it has only been a few days and even though I feel so tired

- my eczema patches are improving really quickly which makes me ashamed and embarrassed that I haven't stuck with this regime before now.

[TynCoed]

Yesterday was Day 6 and it was an 'out of routine' day which made food planning difficult.

Meal 1 was salt beef and a fried egg with cucumber - using ghee for fried eggs is a revelation. They taste so good but years of indoctrination about fat has my mind screaming insults at me as I prepare and eat them!

Meal 2 didn't happen. A stream of visitors kept me away from my lunch. I was making tea and coffee for everyone and offering the leftover Christmas shortbread (not even tempted to have one myself) and didn't make time for lunch

Meal 3 turkey curry with cauliflower rice and a mushroom bhaji. I did make ordinary rice for husband. He loved it all and went back for seconds. I cooked the curry with coconut oil and it was very rich and unctuous. A hit.

Missing lunch was a mistake and late afternoon the voice in my head was telling me it wouldn't hurt to have a glass of wine..........which is a little bizarre as I only ever drink with a meal and certainly not during the afternoon! (I'm not a goody two-shoes. I could easily drink wine all day and am aware of the slippery slope so I am very cautious around alcohol simply because I know my self control is not as strong as I would like it to be!)

I slept much better last night. In fact I woke this morning and I appeared to be in exactly the same position I went to sleep in. I am certainly not experiencing the 'I-want-to-go-back-to-bed-for-an-hour-having-gotten-husband-off-to-work' tiredness, which is pleasing.

Husband has eaten profiteroles over the last two nights so I have dealt with those. Didn't even lick my fingers when I got them covered in the chocolate sauce! There's just the lemon tart to handle now......So far it isn't calling to me

[Kirsteen]

Well done. Really enjoying your log. Well done on avoiding the profiteroles, tart and aero. I kinda guess from your user name you might possibly be Welsh. I'm Scottish but my father's Welsh and all his family are scattered round about the Cwmbran area.

[TynCoed]

Day 7 and still on plan. I am not actually hungry. At all and am struggling to eat 3 meals.

Today I combined meals 1 and 2 into an early lunch but had little appetite. It was a large salad with crayfish and boiled eggs and olive oil and lemon juice dressing. I normally love that type of meal but felt very 'off' today.

For supper it was cold salt beef with steamed veg - carrots, cabbage, mushrooms, onions with lots of black pepper and some melted ghee. I had some grapes too.

Concentration and focus seems to be improving. There have been days in the past where I had wondered if I was going to be an early onset Alzheimers case such was my mental fog.........this is definitely improving which is encouraging (understatement).

Have fridge stocked with veggies and meat for the weekend and husband is away so I don't have to cook two meals. Having said that I have only made modest adaptations to my meals this week to suit him and I don't think he has noticed.

Am so pleased to have gotten this far and not to have caved in to old habits.

[TynCoed]

Kirsteen - thank you for dropping by. I am in Wales (Anglesey) but not Welsh. A Forces posting brought us here - it's a lovely part of the world.

Lovely to meet a fellow Brit on the boards here.

D

[TynCoed]

Just made the Kale chips (we call them crisps over here) from nomnompaleo and they were really tasty. Even the dog wanted one.

Challenged by total lack of appetite and enthusiasm for food today (not a sentence I thought I would ever utter!). Have decided I need to make smaller meals. It wasn't that I ate from a trough before but whereas I would eat a dinner size plate covered with food (but not piled high) it now seems that a tea plate is more than enough. I think perhaps I have been overfacing myself.

[TynCoed]

Finishing off Day 7. Mood is very level - and it has been a tricky day.

Meal 1 - salt beef, black olives, mushrooms cooked in ghee, boiled egg, kiwi fruit.

Meal 2 - watercress, salt beef, half avocado, tomato, cucumber, spring onion, pear

Meal 3 - minced lamb made into meatballs with all manner of herbs and seasonings, tomatoes and onions blended into a sauce, aubergines, coconut oil to cook the onions, apple.

I've had more fruit today. 3 pieces. I've had them as a part of my meals with the protein so hope this doesn't make me a bad person. I just like the cleansing feeling of fruit as part of a meal.

I've been working for 12 hours, two walks with the dog, a batch of Whole30 cooking and my energy levels are still good. I'm beginning to love this way of feeling.

Hope you are all having a grand weekend.

[TynCoed]

Not sure how I managed to miss 2 check ins. But I think I have started numbering the days incorrectly. Duh!

The Day 7 menu above was Day 8.

Day 9, yesterday, was another good day as far as food goes except for the fact that I combined meals 1 and 2 into a brunch. Still not feeling hungry first thing.

So:

Meal1&2 - tuna, watercress, cucumber, spring onion, avocado and olive oil and lemon juice dressing and a pear.

Meal 3 - The carnitas pork recipe from well fed (which is absolutely marvellous), sweet potator mash, kale cooked in coconut milk with spices and garlic, red cabbage cooked in balsamic vinegar with different spices and a satsuma for 'dessert'.

Had some aches and pains in bed last night. This used to be a regular occurrence but had diminished in the last 10 days.

Sinuses also felt congested again yesterday. I personally think I am allergic to housework!!!!

[Jvillemich]

Hey TynCoed, how's it going for you? Havent heard from you in a few days. Hope you are well!

[TynCoed]

An absence.

Daughter moving house and, despite having done so well for 10 days I have blown it. No excuses - lots of reasons (are they different?)

A little disappointed in my self (understatement) but if I dwell on it I won't pick it up again.

Back to day 1 today.

[TynCoed]

Thank you for noticing the absence J.

Hope all is well with you. Haven't had chance to catch up with the forum threads yet - but I will!

D

[Derval]

Back on the horse you can do it.

[Jvillemich]

YOU CAN DO IT!! We are all here to support you.

[TynCoed]

Thank you Derval.

You are right.

Have had a good day today. I'm absolutely fine when at home and in routine....travelling and being away from home completely threw me. Silly really.

Anyway, onwards!

[TynCoed]

And I am still on the horse although absent from the forum. Offline for longer than expected getting youngest daughter set up in her new home. I am the archetype empty-nester now as husband is away as much as he is here. It feels strange.

Having slipped during my first trip South I was better prepared this time and have reached Day 15 of my Whole30. The only way I am not compliant is in sometimes choosing to miss meals rather than eat something off-plan.

Now going to make a hot drink and enjoy everyone else's news here.

[TynCoed]

Day 16 completed and I am finding it easier to be in my own home and kitchen, that's for sure.

A big shop today to do some prep tomorrow. Having read some of your updates here I am convinced that these prep cooking days make life easier!

I've had to get some new passport photos done (where did that 10 years go?) and if you are recognisable from your last photos you don't have to bother with counter-signatories. I took form, photos and fee to the Post Office this morning for their 'check and send' service and the woman spent an age scrutinising the photo in the expiring passport and comparing it with the photos just taken. Apparently it is unusual for people to look better and younger than they did 10 years ago!! I know the puffiness has disappeared from my face since I have been following this new-to-me regime but was very pleased to hear her comments....really put a spring in my step. (Of course this may be more of a statement about how dreadful I looked 10 years ago........ )

I am getting into a bit of a rut with food choices, mainly because I don't want to slip up, hence the big shop and prep day planned for tomorrow. Haven't been able to buy avocados here this week. I am sure I remember buying frozen avocado at Trader Joe's when I was in the States a few years ago. Not sure why we don't do frozen avocado in the UK (or perhaps someone will tell me we do!)

It is now time to start thinking about incorporating more activity into my life. I do walk my dog several times daily and I do the usual housework and chores. The yogayak.com link posted here has sparked my enthusiasm for trying that as a form of movement but I think I also need to think about doing something to build strength. I live in a very rural area and an 80 mile round trip to a gym isn't really a viable option so I am looking at ways I can do things at home.

The only downer at the moment is a problem with the skin on my neck. I have no idea what is causing the sensitivity I am experiencing. I have changed nothing other than my diet. It is very strange. I do have some eczema problems (which are much improved already) and this doesn't feel like eczema. All I can do is keep the area clear of clothing in case it is a mechanical irritation and be conscious about anything I put on that area in the way of lotions and potions!

If anyone has a tip about how they keep up with new posts on this forum I'd be grateful for the share. Maybe I just need to allocate more time so I can participate more fully. I find everyone else's post really interesting and very motivational.

[Derval]

That's great re the pics.

10 years ago I was 8 months pregnant and 60lbs heavier so I'm pretty sure I look better now

Re the managing the forums hre's what I do since January when it went a bit mental

click topics I have not read

the click filter forums - I have several unclicked - medical conditions & athletes for example

Then as you read the forums choose logs/posts that you really like and click the follow them ( I choose anonymously, no notification) button

So - first I read, "items I follow" (put that tick on), then I take that tick off and click "items I participated in", then when they are both read I'll unclick those filters & read the remainder if I have time.

Hope that is comprehensible and helpful!

Ps I also use the preview this post & mark as read button under each post for quick keeping up.