Am I doing this right?

[LetsEatGrandpa]

Help a girl out?

Today was Day 2. I'm trying to figure out if I'm eating too much / too little of protein, veggies, fruits, and fats. I have always been a grazer (eating here and there and everywhere, but rarely cooking a full meal for myself) so my meal-planning skills need work. I've found myself hungry (even shaky) before lunch the last two days (around 11, I eat at noon), but I'm not used to eating so much for breakfast and I've found it hard to stomach so much food so early in the morning. I'm full after meals, maybe a little too full, especially at dinner.

To give you a taste of what I would normally eat: Clif Bar at 7:00, banana at 9:00, pita chips and hummus at 10:00, usually go out to eat for lunch and eat real-world "healthy" (soup and sandwich, salmon and veg, greek pita w/ sweet potatoes) at 12:00 (w/ leftovers), latte at 3:00, a piece of chocolate or two at 4:00, a bowl of Special K at 5:30, a slice of cheese or two at 6:00, steamed broccoli at 7:00, a small bowl of ice cream around 9:00. And a Diet Pepsi or two throughout the day.

Needless to say, Whole30 is a whooooole different kind of eating for me.

Day 1 Breakfast

Two eggs

Sautéed spinach

1/2 an avocado

Blueberries

Day 1 Lunch

Chicken fajitas (one chicken breast, peppers, onion, olives, spices, no tortilla obv.)

Side salad with veggies (sugar snap peas, radishes, carrots, etc.) with olive oil / balsamic reduction dressing (liberal amount)

Blueberries / blackberries

Day 1 Dinner

1/3lb Pesto burger (homemade spinach pesto + grass fed beef)

Side of butter lettuce, 1/2 tomato, 1/2 avocado

1/2 sweet potato w/ olive oil drizzle

Sautéed snap peas, mushrooms, carrots

Day 2 Breakfast

Two eggs fried w/ green onions

Sautéed spinach

1/2 an avocado

A mandarin

Had a banana at 11...not the best snack, but it's what I had at work.

Day 2 Lunch (mostly leftovers)

1/3lb Pesto burger

1/2 sweet potato w/ olive oil drizzle

Raw sugar snap peas

Sautéed snap peas, mushrooms, carrots (smallish portion)

Blueberries / blackberries

Day 3 Dinner

1/2 chicken breast, mushrooms, green onions sautéed in garlic

1/3 avocado (couldn't finish the large half)

Fried egg

Steamed broccoli

Two strawberries

A few random notes: I have Oral Allergy Syndrome so nuts and some raw veggies are hard to eat without my mouth itching up a storm. Really hoping the Whole30 helps clear those up.

I am thin-ish and not really trying to lose weight. I'm trying to get digestive issues in order (I am slightly nauseated about 1/3 of my life. I throw up a few times a month, usually after eating a big fatty dinner. NOT bulimic -- trust me, I would much rather keep my food and calories on the inside!). Doc says my gallbladder is not a problem, but I think differently.

I'm also getting married in August and would like to FEEL fabulous -- energy, life, etc.

I exercise on and off -- run a couple times a week, strength training once a week. I'm not as consistent at it as I should be.

I hate to cook, but I'm sucking it up to make a better me. Plus, the food I've been making is TASTY. I'm really only missing cheese (I'd kick a puppy for some Parmesan and it's only Day 2) and wine so far.

OK! Let me have it. Too much fruit? Not enough something else? What can I do to help tide me over to lunch without making me want to throw up at breakfast? Any and all thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!

[Tom Denham]

Your meals look really good! Congrats on making good choices.

You might want to consider a digestive enzyme like Now Foods Super Enzymes with your history of having trouble with a "big fatty dinner." Not just when you eat a big fatty dinner, but just before each meal. Some people find them very helpful with digestive issues and they won't hurt. Here is a recent article on the topic: http://whole9life.com/2012/09/digestive-enzymes-101/

Going from a grazer to three meals per day is a pretty big deal. I could not do it. I ate 5 or 6 meals per day for a long time. I probably would not recommend 5 or 6 meals per day for you, but you might want to schedule 4 meals per day. A real meal is better than a snack and you might find it just works well for you, especially if your days are long.

[LetsEatGrandpa]

Hi Tom -- thanks for the encouragement! I'm going to check out those enzymes you mentioned.

Unfortunately, my work schedule is such that my meal times are super-planned. I get a lunch break that is strictly from 12 - 1 and no other breaks where I could really eat a full meal.