Whole 30, Redux

[elenaSG]

Alright then, let's do this.

This is the second time around for me. My first Whole30 ran from January 31 - February 29 of this year and it was a-ma-zing. I definitely have a tendency to eat...well, everything you cannot eat on the Whole30 program. As a result, I just felt puffy and foggy (science terms!) and generally a mess. Whole30 #1 erased all of that, but unfortunately also ended on the day I left on a mini-vacation before returning to a very busy social calendar. Life intervened, as it will. In fact, life (and the flu) has intervened on my previous 3(!) attempts to start this second Whole30.

I'm hoping this log will keep me motivated and hold me accountable.

Also, that it will stop me from boring those around me with lists of meals, pictures of food and countless stories about just! how! happy! I'm feeling.

As far as goals, I don't have anything specific other than completing the 30 days. Let's just see what happens, yes? Let's.

"So we beat on, boats against the current..." only this time refusing to be borne back into the past.

e

[Carie Skeahan]

Welcome back to the Whole30 and welcome to the Forum. Your comment made me giggle...if you were to look at my FB page, it is all about food. Pictures, articles about whole/real food and like you, how darn happy I am. I know for a fact that none of my friends care. 'oh well...

Welcome again and I look forward to reading your logs.

[Derval]

Great post! Have a fab W30, look fwd to hearing all about it.

[elenaSG]

oh hey, thanks to all who have checked this out!

DAY 1

From my prior experiences, I know that Day 1 isn't so bad because you have the thrill of a new adventure and you haven't really had time to miss any foods yet. It was the same this time around. It was a little disorganized though since I hadn't had the chance to prepare (diving in!) and I had a very early work appointment. Mistakes were made, but things will get better.

8:00am - time I had to be at work appointment, breakfast never gets skipped but it did this time

11:00am - starving, break the glass and have the emergency Larabar

1:00pm - cobb salad: mixed greens, grilled chicken breast, avocado, diced tomato & chopped apples with balsamic vinaigrette

4:00pm - coffee, black, upon realization that I forgot to bring fruit or nuts to work

6:30pm - have to do market run, don't want to be starving when I do so... 1 slice uncured bacon and handful of pistachios

9:00pm - late dinner, seasoned chicken breast + roasted broccoli (about 2 cups w/ avocado oil + garlic)

Here it is all pretty(ish):

(ok, that's not my salad, but I forgot to take a pic)

Overall, it felt like a test run- getting the idea of it but scattered and not ideal. At least it's a start!

e

[Derval]

Love your pretty pics.

[elenaSG]

Love your pretty pics.

Thank you! I'm kind of using them to keep me motivated. Like a project.

[elenaSG]

Day 2

In which I eat a vegetable for breakfast.

I have an issue with vegetables for breakfast. Let's just say that I remember my last two attempts to eat a veggie omelette for breakfast VIVIDLY, and not fondly. For some reason, vegetables that I enjoy all day make me sick in the morning. Recently, I had gotten around this issue by making "Green Monster" spinach smoothies for breakfast, but with almond milk being out of the question (and coconut milk being way too think) for the next 29 days, I have to find other options. I decided to wing it and throw some broccoli into my chicken sausage and I miraculously didn't die.

9:30am - chicken & apple sausage "stir fry" with broccoli, coffee with coconut milk

2:30pm - turkey burger on bed of arugula (dressed with olive oil, s/p and a bit of lemon), orange

5:30pm - apple with almond butter

9:00pm - lemon butter chicken breast, asparagus sauteed with pancetta, shallots & lemon zest), peppermint tea

run was cancelled due to pouring rain

[elenaSG]

Day 3

9:30am - 2 eggs scrambled with leftover asparagus from last night (again, I survived!), coffee with coconut milk

3:00pm - shredded turkey breast on mixed greens with avocado slices and avocado alioli, sparkling water, orange

6:00pm - apple with almond butter

9:30pm - garlic herb chicken breast with roasted broccoli, orange

Meal timing was very off today, due to a busy morning and my lunch order being forgotten by the restaurant. I mistakenly erased my dinner pic so the stunt spinach is standing in again.

[elenaSG]

So I've decided not to keep a log.

This weekend I was at a dinner party with a friend. Every comment she made was about her diet and what she could and could not eat and why and protein shakes and supplements and carb cycling and on and on and on. I turned to the person I was there with and told him that if I ever get to that point, please shoot me. There is nothing wrong with caring about and monitoring what you eat, of course. But in my book being a boring dinner party guest is a mortal offense.

Then I realized I WAS being her, just to a different audience. I said I was starting this log so as to not foist my eating habits on my friends and family, but really I was beginning to bore myself. I do like the plan and I like eating this way, I'm just tired of talking about it, even if it's just my inner dialogue. And in the end, this log is just the manifestation of my inner dialogue, right? Well, I know it's the right decision for me because as soon as I decided not to keep logging- not on here or anywhere else- it felt like a weight was lifted from my shoulders. Food is a part of my life, I just don't want it to be the center.

So I'll still be grinding out the rest of my 30 days- I may even check in at the halfway or finishing points, and I'll definitely be on here asking questions- I just don't want to talk about it anymore.

And of course, this is what is best for me but everyone has a different "best." Logging helps so many people, and overall it is a positive experience for most. It's not you, it's me.

If you happen to have glanced at these pages, thanks for stopping by.

[Derval]

I see where you're coming from...Hope the rest of your W30 is a great success