Oh, it is ON --martihana60

[Nath]

Regarding the headaches, I had more headaches days then I thought I would, it was very hard the first two days and then it was better but I still had (lighter) headaches for a few days after that

I think you're right: drinking enough water, and breathing fresh air too , will really help.

Take courage! You're doing fine!

[EileenRBe]

Eileen -- before pix of my food? Pictures of live chickens and cows and a garden full of sweet peppers and broccoli?

You are too, too funny!! I love your log. You write like you talk. I'm going to have to make up reasons to come out there so we can have another awesome-super-chat session.

[martihana60]

Day 7. Outside is rainy and gloomy and cold. My attitude has improved somewhat since yesterday, but I'm achy, just . . . everywhere, including headache and aches in most major joints. And I HATE me when I'm whiny.

Breakfast was a small ground beef patty, 2 fried eggs, and boiled cabbage/cauli with some ghee on it.

Then after breakfast I took some ibuprofen. Since I like to have food in my stomach on either side of taking ibuprofen or other OTC pain meds, I ate a small handful of pecans (about 6) after the med. Stomach does not hurt, so I think I got that right.

Having my first cuppa coffee now -- weak, black, no sugar. And I'm all out of my at-work coconut oil stash, so no oil in the coffee either.

Blood sugar this morning was up a few points from yesterday. Wearing my Unhappy Camper face about that, but will just hold steady. Saving the rest of the sweet potato until later in the week.

Nath, Eileen, thanks, both of you. You're a great audience for my interesting attempts at humor. And I love all the advice and encouragement. Yes. More water. Now.

I have a serving of last night's soup for lunch and a serving of nuts for snack.

More later.

[LaDeb]

Day 5

First thing: Blood sugar this morning was down another 13 points. Still not where I want it to be, but headed in the right direction.

I'm so proud of my breakfast today that I just couldn't wait until the end of the day to post.

Sweet potato hash brown with onions

sauteed kale, cabbage, and onion

small portion of crumbled ground beef

2 fried eggs

Sweet potato hashbrowns are so very awesome that I think I'll have to limit myself to once or twice a week. I chopped up a little red onion, grated the sweet potato (a small one) with a box grater, and cooked them in a frypan with a little coconut oil and a little ghee. Seasoned with just a pinch of salt.

Posting a picture. I hope it comes out.

This looks awesome! I am going to ask by husband to try the hash browns (I will volunteer to do the grating).

[martihana60]

Day 7 coming to a close and I am still on track. Lunch was indeed a bowl of the soup I made yesterday. I forgot to replenish my coconut oil supply at work, so neither today's coffee nor today's soup had that added fat. I was feeling it, too, because I was hungry about 3 hours after lunch. Hunger is lessened when I have a little more fat.

Dinner was lamb chops, a little bit of the last of the cauli/broccoli combo. Did not have a clean pan handy, so I dumped the veggies in with the lamb chops to cook. Also had a few sweet red pepper sticks and 6 olives. Ate a handful of pecans early, while I was fixing dinner, because I was starving.

A little less achy tonight, but I am definitely ready for bed.

Tomorrow's a brand new day!

[Marcia]

I'm going to have to try that sweet potato hash... sounds devine! Not diagnosed diabetic, but I do have blood sugar issues so I'll have to limit it also.

Keep up the good work!

[martihana60]

Day 8: Yeee haw! Blood sugar had dropped 22 points this AM, so I decided to treat myself to sweet potato hash browns. A little smaller serving than before, and they were just as yummy. Also had two of the tiniest chicken thighs I've ever seen, 1 fried egg, and a good sized serving of steamed broccoli.

Feeling better today. I did get 8 glasses of water yesterday, so that's good. I also got to bed a little earlier last night, but was awake briefly in the middle of the night. Feel fairly well rested, headache is gone, and my joints are much less achy than yesterday.

Here's a pic of my breakfast. More Later.

[xacerb8]

Your soup formula sounds really good. I've never had ground meat in anything but chili, so I'm dying to try this.

Sounds like the "kill everything" mood has passed....good news for me as tomorrow I hit day 6!

[martihana60]

xacerb8, I mashed together a couple of better known weight-loss soups and added some of my own ideas. Have made this soup 4 or 5 times, but this was the first time I used the three meats together. Usually I use either turkey or beef.

It involves a fair amount of vegetable chopping, but I make a big pot at a time and have several meals' worth. Am having the soup for lunch again today.

[EileenRBe]

I'm so happy you're doing so well! Aren't you proud if yourself for your progress?

[martihana60]

Actually, Eileen, I *am* proud of myself. I think my mind was really ready for this commitment. I even passed up Ghirardelli chocolates today! And I'm surprised how easy it has been to just stay on program.

Okay, Day 8, continued.

Late morning snack (actually around noon) was some chopped nuts with a couple tablespoons of blueberries. Also, since nuts tend to be a choke hazard for me (inhaling the little pieces), I dressed the whole combination with a little melted coconut oil--maybe two teaspoons. It was good. I don't recommend frozen blueberries, though. I think I'll buy a little dried fruit (cranberries or blueberries) next time I'm at the health food store (and yes, I'll make sure they're not sweetened).

I also had a cup of coffee with a little coconut oil melted into it. The one sweetness I miss is a little in my coffee. But I'm staying true to program.

Lunch was another serving of soup, this time with about 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil melted into it. It was yummy, and seemed to stay by me better than without the coconut oil.

Well! I guess I got my quota of coconut oil today!

Dinner was chicken thigh meat, a turkey burger, some sauteed cabbage, and a few slices of a watermelon radish. First time I'd had one of those. I am not impressed. But the turkey burger was a real find! At a health food market I don't go to often enough, I found some really good organic, free-range ground turkey, better quality and less expensive than the brand I usually buy. Woo hoo!

I got in at least 8 glasses of water, AND I, who never exercise, took a 35 minute walk. It was sunny, breezy, and mild today, so being outdoors was glorious. My feet still hurt, but I'll get over it.

And tomorrow's a brand new day!

[martihana60]

And hey, y'all. Sometime in the past day or two I got promoted to "Advanced Member." See? Being chatty has its rewards.

[martihana60]

Day 9, all at once for a change.

I've been feeling good today, but my nose has been runny all day. Weird. Off work today for a couple of doctor's appointments -- nothing to worry about, just routine stuff. But it does tend to play havoc with my schedule.

Breakfast was late, around 10 am. I had a very small turkey burger, two fried eggs, some sauteed greens (kale and cabbage) with a little onion. Raw sweet pepper and some raw watermelon radish.

Lunch was late -- probably 3:15. Another turkey burger plus two small yellow summer squash cut up and sauteed in the same pan.

Did not get my coffee today. I'm hoping I don't wake up with a screeching headache. Also did not have a snack today, due to late breakfast.

Dinner. Oh, dinner. The health food store was on my way home from the med appointments, so Istopped by there. One of the things I bought was a good quality steak from a local farm. I cooked it up for dinner, along with some cauliflower I made into puree. O.M.G. What an awesome dinner. The steak was the tastiest and tenderest I've had in a long long time, and the cauliflower mash was the BEST I've ever made.

And just because I wanted to taste them, I'm cooking two organic hot dogs for "dessert"!

And maybe a cup of tea.

I could post an after picture of my empty dishes, but that would just be crazy.

[xacerb8]

MMMM, organic hot dogs! I've been devouring Bubbie's sauerkraut like it's cotton candy, so now you have me fantasizing about how great a hot dog with spicy brown mustard and sauerkraut would be. And, though before it would have sounded gross, maybe just a dollop of pureed sweet potatoes for the sweet kick that ketchup used to give!!!

What kind of hot dogs did you buy?

[martihana60]

xacerb8, I think the brand is Applegate Farms. I read the label, and these had no chemicals and no sugar. And they were plain beef hotdogs. I was thinking this morning of cooking 2 hotdogs, slicing them into a bowl, adding some raw onion and warmed sauerkraut and a wee bit of the new dijon mustard I also bought at the healthfood store. Sounds like tomorrow's lunch!

Oh, Day 9 finale: Forgot to mention that before supper I had a handful of pecans.

[martihana60]

So. Day 10.

Wow! Day TEN! I'm a third of the way there! Got weighed at the doctor's yesterday. I may be down a pound or two, but it feels like my pants are getting loose.

Breakfast: 1 small turkey burger, 2 fried eggs, boiled cabbage with ghee, and now I'm on my second cup of weak coffee. The only thing I am missing is a little sweetness in my coffee. I'm getting by with unsweetened coffee, but that little bit of sweet is the only thing I've even thought about adding back.

Time for snack: small turkey burger, a few olives, some chopped raw red sweet pepper.

[martihana60]

Day 10, the rest of the food:

Lunch: My homemade soup, with some coconut oil melted into it.

Dinner: I was really hungry when I got home, so I cooked and ate 3 hot dogs. Decided that wasn't quite enough, so I sauteed some -- you guessed it -- cabbage. With onions. In a combo of ghee and coconut oil. Just what I needed.

Two interesting notes. First, I've figured out that for better morning blood-glucose numbers, I should not load protein at night. I've done that a couple of nights, and my number was high the next morning. So for dinner, I'm going to work on more fat and a little less protein.

Second note: what is happening to my sense of smell? It has gotten SO sensitive. I think this is probably good news, and part of the cleansing process, since one of my reasons for starting the Whole30 was incessant sinus problems. So I'd think smelling better is a good thing. But it's weird. My sinuses are occasionally clear, but they don't stay that way for long.

I think I'll just keep at this.

G'night, y'all!

[martihana60]

Day 11

I'm getting into a good habit of eating breakfast at home and of logging in the morning. I like both of those things.

Breakfast this morning is a chicken breast sauteed in coconut oil and I finally got back to my old "chop salad." Only this time I tried out my (relatively) new julienne slicer and julienned it. See that picture down below? Salad contains daikon radish, carrot, zucchini (courgette?), red onion and red pepper, and is dressed with olive oil and just a hint of balsamic. (Note: I "julienned" the red pepper with a regular potato peeler.)

For morning reading today, I decided to pick up a carton of "organic, free-range" chicken broth I'd bought at the conventional grocery store a few days ago. If I remember correctly, isn't "yeast extract" just liar's code for MSG? And why on earth is there cane sugar in chicken broth? Good thing I didn't use this before I read the label! Maybe I'll save it for when I'm not being Whole30 pure, but not for a few weeks yet.

In the "changing my thinking" department, I'm getting habituated to the idea of not eating any one macronutrient alone. Like last night. I ate those hot dogs, but really wanted some carb and a little fat to go with it. And it's like that for breakfast, too. Gotta get the protein and the carb and the fat.

More later, I'm sure. Enjoy your day!

[martihana60]

I'm baa-ack! Day 11 continued. It really is interesting how I now think, during food prep, "Now how do I balance this meal?" Was ravenous when I got home tonight, but instead of chowing down on every type of meat on hand that was not still breathing, I stopped and thought to balance the meal. But I digress.

My snack this late morning was some "granola" I made: chopped pecans, brazil nuts, and almonds, with about 1 tablespoon of dried blueberries, and all of it coated in just a little melted coconut oil.

Lunch, a little early because I was starving, was two pieces of chicken breast, some raw sweet pepper and daikon radish.

I had two cups of coffee today: One with my snack and one after lunch. Put coconut oil in only the second one.

Dinner tonight was a turkey burger plus a serving of cauliflower mash and one small carrot, cut into sticks. Tasty. I'm full and satisfied and about ready for bed.

The swelling in my hands has gone down. I think tomorrow I'll try on some rings.

And. Tomorrow's a brand new day! Good night all.

[megmac]

Just thought I'd tell you how much I am enjoying your posts. You are a hoot and are doing great! I am looking forward to following your journey.

[martihana60]

Thanks, megmac. It may be that by Day30 I'll be ready to get off this program, but that's not how it feels right now. I think this is becoming a lifestyle. I'm looking toward retirement in a few years, and one of my goals is to retire as healthy as I possibly can. This is seeming like a great way to do that -- not focusing on the weight loss, but on the health.

Oh, and I'm glad you find me entertaining!

[martihana60]

Day 12! Sorry I'm late with this, but I actually had some energy, so I've done house keeping and laundry!

Breakfast was a 2-egg omelet with ground turkey and sauteed onions and red pepper. Plus 1 cup coffee with butter and coconut oil whipped.

Brunch was fun! I boiled three hot dogs -- yes, that's how I cook them -- chopped them up with some raw red onion, some raw red pepper, and some sauerkraut that I heated slightly. Put it all in a bowl and seasoned it with a shot of dijon mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper. This was more satisfying than I believed possible! I've found a delicious way to get some sauerkraut into me.

After brunch I had a second cup of coffee, this time just with coconut oil.

"lunch" around 4:00 pm was chicken breast and some green beans with ghee, garlic, salt and pepper.

"Dinner" has been a handful of nuts--pecans and brazil nuts.

That's it! I've had some energy today, noticeably more than I 've had recently. Me likey.

[martihana60]

Howdy, y'all! Day 13.

Breakfast: 2 fried eggs. 1 small beef patty, sauteed cabbage with kale and onion. Coffee with coconut oil and ghee blended in.

Lunch: Tuna with onions, mayo, and olives on the side. And I see what folks mean when they post that regular olive oil, not light, gives a rather "rugged" taste to the home-made mayo. My first batch is tolerable but not great.

Dinner, which I'm eating now, is beef patty with a little mayo plus warm diced tomatoes (from a jar) on the side.

May have either tea or decaf coffee w/coconut oil a little later in the evening.

Doing well, feeling fairly good, not as much energy as yesterday, and I'm not sleeping quite as well yet as I'd like to.

Best wishes to all. Tomorrow's a brand new day.

[martihana60]

And I finished off Day 13 with a small handful of brazil nuts.

[martihana60]

Day 14! Yay!

Breakfast: ground beef, onion, cabage, sauteed together with 2 poached eggs on top

Coffee with a little ghee and a little coconut. Took me all day to drink it. I warmed it up twice. Heh!

Lunch: pork and beef patty, coleslaw made with cabbage, a little parsley, garlic powder, mayo, and a splash of apple cider vinegar. I also had the last of the jar of diced tomatoes I'd opened a day or two ago, warmed, with butter.

Dinner was a down and dirty quick meal that was tastier and more satisfying than I'd expected: 1 can of sardines with a little dijon mustard, green beans w/butter and salt, about 1/4 of a raw red sweet pepper.

Now I'm finishing the day with a small pot of tea.

I'm really hoping to keep up the discipline of making three full balanced meals every day, well beyond W30. That discipline is probably the best thing this program has done for me!

And I think I may have some symptoms from eggs. I may avoid them for a few days just to see if the symptoms clear up. But no, not until I've used up the ones I have!

Onward and upward. Tomorrow's a new day.