JinksE's Whole30 Adventure!

[Jinkse21]

Time to Pack Up the Baggage!

As I start my new life adventure, I need to take the time to note those things that have led me to buy my one-way ticket to a new healthy me! I thought Rheumatoid Arthritis was my biggest burden but add on aging spots (I am only 40!), an overactive bladder, high blood pressure, clogged oil glands in my eyelids resulting in scratched corneas about one a month in both eyes, dry cracking skin, a total knee replacement in one knee and another coming up in the other knee, and being very over-weight for a 5' tall Asian female, you have one HOT MESS (not as bad as Lindsay but pretty darn close!)! I can't wait to see what impact Whole30 will have on these not-so-old bones!

After traveling yesterday and doing lots of shopping and label-reading at Trader Joe's andd Whole Foods, I was worn out and failed to weight myself or get before pictures so I can see the changes at the next train stop of this adventure. I guess I will be doing a Whole31 so I can do these things tonight and really see what kind of impact 30 days makes.

Day 1 - The Excitement of Starting a New Adventure!

You know how you bound out of bed on the day you are getting ready to leave for a trip after days/weeks of planning? That's how I was this morning! Yes, I knew I didn't have anything pre-made for breakfast or lunch but I didn't care! While getting ready, I planned everything out in my head and packed my lunch bag in 10 minutes. When I pack for a trip, I always ask myself, "What did I forget??" Well, I didn't forget anything but I was missing something...my daily Diet Coke! Out of all of the changes to come, getting rid of Diet Coke for 30 days will be the biggest challenge. Notice, I said getting rid of it for 30 days?? On day 32, I will try one and see if it tastes as good as I remember and go from there!

Breakfast:

2 Cage-Free Hard-Boiled Eggs from Trader Joe's

2 slices Applegate Farms Roast Beef

Cucumber Spears

1/2 Avocado

Lunch:

Bistro Salad Fixin's (Spring Mix Lettuce, Shredded Carrots, Hard-Boiled Egg, Greeg Peas, Greek Olives, Cucumber, Red Onion, Mushrooms)

1 can Trader Joe's Tuna in Olive Oil

1-2 Tbsp Tessamae's Pepper Dressing

So far, everything has been very filling! Now to think about what to make for dinner....

Dinner:

Grass-Fed 80/20 Ground Beef cooked with Olive Oil, Coconut Aminos (probably could have added more), 1/2 chopped onion, Crushed Red Pepper, Salt, and Pepper

Sweet Potato rounds with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper

Roasted Brussel Sprouts using TJ's Uncured Bacon Pieces fat and a few tablespoons of homemade Ghee topped with crumbled bacon

I made enough to have leftovers for breakfast and lunch but I think I am going to have to do some better planning so I can mix things up more. I do have to say, the sweet potatoes tasted really good! But I think that was because I knew that was carb treat!

Surprisingly, I was satisfied all day minus time when I was busy prepping to cook but I munched on compliant foods like a few strawberries and some bacon once it was cooked. I headed to bed shortly after 10:00 as part of my plan to get more sleep and I was out like a light!

Starting Weight: 200.1

[Jinkse21]

Darn it! Just realized the bacon I bought had sugar in it! Something else to get donated to my husband's I-eat-whatever-you-don't-want to eat diet...

[joanna_banana]

I have one of those husbands that can eat whatever he wants too! At least he thinks he can, but I'm betting he still has that sneaky silent inflammation But I definitely don't want to force any food changes on him because I know he will just resist. We just got married in November so I want to keep him around!

I was a serious diet soda drinker before going paleo in February. I crave one every now and then, but I just remind myself that it lacks any benefit whatsoever and that makes it a little easier. I'm actually surprised how easy it was to give up!

Good luck with everything!

[Jinkse21]

Day Two - The Honeymoon is OVER!

Could the honeymoon really be over ALREADY??? Today was a little rough! I had moments of sleepiness that came up on me this morning and this afternoon. I definitely need to put more variety in my meals so I don't get bored and want to give up. I came home tonight and made some yummy egg muffins in my new muffin cups so I am back on track! Although....I think I need to eat smaller portions of meat and more veggies. I still have it in my mind that as long as it s still on my plate, I need to eat it all!

Breakfast:

2 hard-boiled eggs

Leftover Brussels Sprouts

2 slices Applegate Roast Beef

Cucumber Spears

Lunch:

Repeat of last night's dinner

Dinner (I was very hungry so I know I need to eat more at lunch!):

1 Cage-Free Scrambled Egg (leftover from egg mix for muffins)

TJ Smoked Oysters

2 cups Kale sautéed in 1tbsp Coconut Oil and Garlic

3 Egg Muffins made with leftover ground beef, leftover sweet potato, mushrooms, onion, asparagus, spinach and eggs

I am full now! =)

When I was packing my meals for the work day, I felt like I needed to pack more! I had my breakfast and lunch so what else was I missing?? A Diet Coke and fruit , veggies, or other snacks to eat throughout the day! However, I didn't miss them while I was at work! Progress!!!

[Jinkse21]

Day 3 - Little Bit of a Recharge

I don't feel as tired and grumpy as I did yesterday...yea for my co-workers!

Didn't get a lot of sleep last night...probably fell asleep a little after midnight...damn those electronic gadgets! I think I am going to make it a rule that I can't get out my phone or iPad after 10pm. I can still have the TV on (with the sleep timer on for an hour!) because I typically fall asleep before I can find out whodunit or who got voted off! I was awake at 5:30 though which made me sad since I don't usually get out of bed until 6:00. I didn't have to really worry about getting my meals together so I arrived at work 30 minutes early! Some would think I loved my job! Not! I was a little sleepy this morning but I think it was more out of boredom.

Breakfast:

3 Egg Muffins

Kale sauteed in Coconut Oil

Less than 1/2 Avocado

6-7 Water Chestnuts

Lunch (packed a few things to add to a salad but opted for Chipotle with co-workers):

Salad with Carnitas, hot and medium salsas, and Guacamole

Lunch was actually satisfying and filling and I really liked that I didn't have that icky bloated feeling afterwards! Now I have to figure out if I am eating what I brought with me for dinner or for lunch tomorrow. Off to find ideas to cook my fish...

On my way home from work, I decided I would make Chicken Liver Pate since I bought a container at Whole Foods on Monday and knew they needed to be cooked. I used Mark Sisson's recipe and I couldn't believe how easy it was and I had everything in the house! I looked at other pate recipes online and they called for all kinds of stuff! I did use ghee instead of butter like he had in the recipe but I don't think that changed anything. I had to try a little when it was done even though you are suppose to let it sit in the fridge at least 4 hours! YUM! My dinner was a mish-mosh of foods since I had eggs and avocado that I planned on eating for lunch. =)

Dinner:

2 Hard-Boiled Eggs

1/2 Avocado

About 3 Tbsp Pate

2-3 Celery Stalks

I know....Where were all the veggies?? After making the pate, my cooking brain shut off but so did my stomach! I wasn't hungry the rest of the night. Goal for the upcoming week: EAT MORE VEGGIES!!! I stopped at Findlay Market on my way home and went to Madison's to see what their veggies looked like. I ended up buying $28 in veggies (that was after the $1 off discount the owner gave me ;-)! I am going to make a huge pot of veggie soup over the weekend so I have it next week to eat with proteins and fat.

[Jinkse21]

Day 4 - Weekend Challenge??

I'm feeling good today and getting a good night's sleep but I feel like there is this impending doom coming up called "The Weekend". While I am at work, my eating is more controlled and the evening haven't been bad because my husband has been out or working late so he hasn't come home wanting to go out to eat. Tonight shouldn't be bad but the challenge could be tomorrow since I will be home all day while the husband is at work and I typically want to get out and do something when he gets home. It's not that I don't trust myself going out and just drinking water and avoiding all the food and beer but, in the past, it was more of a jealousy thing when I would go out with friends and not be able to have what they were having. Plus, it gets to be annoying when they get drunk and I do not! But, I also do not want to look at the food I can't eat. It's just easier to avoid those situations at this time, especially this early in the game! Maybe I'll go see a movie or do some window shopping so I don't feel like I was cooped up all day...

Even though the weekend is upon us, I am still psyched about Whole30! I've been better at exploring different food choices as the week has gone on and am looking forward to receiving my meat order from US Wellness Meats on Tues. or Wed. Is it bad that I don't plan on making any of it for my husband to eat...with his ranch dressing, cream cheese, and hot sauce?? I don't think so! He is choosing to go out with his friends, drink, eat icky stuff instead of doing this with me so he can get over it! One of these days I'll get over my food possessiveness! LOL

Breakfast:

2 Egg Muffins

1/2 cup Liver Pate (for some odd reason, my co-workers did not want to enjoy this creamy goodness!)

A Bunch of Celery and Carrot sticks (the carrot sticks tastes so good with the pate! Adds a nice sweetness.)

Lunch:

Lightly Smoke Sardines in Olive Oil

1/2 Avocado

1 Hard-boiled Egg

Handful of Greek Olives

Lots of Spinach and Mixed Greens

Carrots, Grape Tomatoes, Red Onion, Cucumber, Mushrooms

1Tbsp Tessamae's Pepper Dressing

Dinner:

1 Hake fillet wrapped in Prosciutto

Sugar Snap Peas and Broccolini sautéed with garlic in EVOO and finished off with Ghee

Water Chestnuts

I hate lockdown!! On a positive note, I watched 50/50 with the husband and got on a few laughs and a few tears. Great movie!

[Jinkse21]

Day 5 - Productivity at its Finest (for me! ;-)

I received my daily Whole30 email today and low and behold it was about weekend/social challenges! It's really not anything new....eat before you go, drink seltzer so people think you have a drink, blah, blah blah. But it did remind me that if I am going to make this a lifestyle, I am going to have to suck it up and and e social....or choose to live without friends or good conversation! So I will make an effort to be out socially and practice restraint....just not this weekend!

I actually went to bed early last night but then woke up after 30 minutes and couldn't sleep so I turned on Netflix and discovered that Hunger Games is now on there! Even though I have seen it twice, I opted to watch it again so I was up after 1:00. I woke up at 7:00 but I still felt like my body had enough sleep. It ms have because I got laundry started, coupons clipped (why are there never coupons for fresh good-for-you-foods???), good breakfast made, or should I say partly reheated, and dishes washed and put away....all before 9:00! Feeling productive for the morning, I decided it was time for a break and caught up on Grimm and watched X Men First Class.

I got lunch together and sat down at the table (something I am trying to do at every meal instead of at the couch) and noticed that it was silent, except for the dryer downstairs. I was always the type of person who had to have the TV or radio on no matter what. I guess they were my company. To my surprise, I didn't get up to turn one of them on. Instead, I sit here in silence (dryer still running!!) and it has been over an hour! It amazing what you can hear when there is nothing to distract you!

What are my plans for the rest of the day, you may ask? Finish laundry and other icky household stuff, make a big pot of veggie soup (to help increase my veg intake during the week), and whatever else floats my boat!

Breakfast:

3 Egg Muffins

1/2 Avocado

Mushrooms sauteed in EVOO and Ghee

Lunch:

Leftover Hake wrapped in Prosciutto

Leftover Veggies

Chicken Liver Pate with Carrot and Celery sticks

Okay, so I didn't make the veggie soup...I opted to catch up on Touch. =). I did manage to make it out to dinner with DH. We went to my favorite Thai restaurant that also has sushi so I was able to stay OP and I couldn't even finish it all. No was watching what others were getting and I remembered the taste of the dishes and, yes, I wished I had them! DH drank a few beers while I drank my hot tea and water...and, yes, I wanted beer too. But I did it! I stayed OP!! When we were trying to figure out who to call to join us, we really couldn't think of anyone. Most of the people we hang out with are big drinkers and I am not ready to be around them and just drink water. Kinda sucks that we don't have a lot of friends here who can just go out to eat and just a few drinks and enjoy the company without out getting plastered. I guess with not drinking, I am not being as tolerant. I have a feeling I could be finding out more that I need to change in my life in these 30 days that are toxic to my well-being. I will end my rambling....for now....

Dinner (Thai Taste):

Chicken Coconut Soup (think I found a new favorite soup!)

Hero Salad (tuna, yellowtail, salmon, masago, cucumber, daikon radish, lettuce)

Steamed Veggies

Good dinner....now time to watch Argo.

[Jinkse21]

Day 6 - Day of Rest....Right!!

At least I got lots of rest last night! Slept in until close to 8:00 which is something I rarely do. I made breakfast this morning and found I couldn't eat it all so I packed up what was left to snack on later. So proud of me for not stuffing my face! Ha!!

Breakfast:

2 Cage-free Eggs cooked in Ghee

1/4 Avocado

Sugar Snap Peas and Broccolini sautéed with Garlic in EVOO

(Did I mention that I love that I can come back and edit my posts so I can update throughout the day?? I tend to forget things so this feature is awesome!)

Lunch:

2 Applegate Chicken Hot Dogs with Yellow Mustard

Chicken Liver Pâté

Carrots

Cucumber Slices

Dinner:

1/4 Avocado

1 Fried Egg

Leftover veggies from this morning

Veggie Soup

Saw Silver Linings Playbook with a friend and I made sure I ate before I left and took a bottled water with me. The popcorn did smell lovely though! It was a great movie. I can definitely understand why Jennifer Lawrence won the Oscar! I came home and got to chopping for my veggie soup and boy did I chop! Celery, onion, asparagus, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, parsnips, mushrooms, snow peas, garlic, and Pacific Free-range Chicken Broth. I should have added more salt, pepper, and other herbs and spices because it was definitely lacking in flavor. Nothing on TV tonight so it looks like an early night for me.

[Jinkse21]

Day 7 - Time to Reflect

It's hard to believe I have gone 6 WHOLE days following the program to a tee! As I look over what I have eaten, I have never been dissatisfied with having to make the choices I have made, even with eating out twice. Yes, everyone else's food look really good and I could taste it in mouth but I know I made the better choices for my health! I do need to have a little more variety available so I am not scrambling at the last minute to get breakfast and lunch together through the week because I find that eating hard-boiled eggs with avocado and whatever veggies I can scrounge will not make this program last for me. I have plans to do some cooking tonight as all I made yesterday was the veggie soup which turned out bland. I know myself and I know that if I cook everything for the week on Sunday, by the time Wed. gets here, I won't want to eat it...I am horrible with leftoevers if it's not the next day after cooking them! I have decided to freeze things so I can have them on hand as I go through the month and to help with not getting bored with what I am eating.

I'm glad I went to bed early last night though I did have a little bit of a hard time falling asleep. It was the first night I didn't even turn on the TV when I went to the bedroom! I was finally asleep when I woke up to a small dog heaving on the bed at 2:30a...not good! I managed to get her off the bed before she threw up two more time but it was too late for the freshly washed comforter and sheets! I cleaned up what I could and went back to bed. So now I have to clean the bedding when I get home too. Oh well, Kai seemed fine after that so hopefully no more episodes while I am gone. My poor baby!!

While I was up, I noticed my right eye was bothering me so I knew I would be waking up to a scratched cornea due to clogged oil glands in my eye lids...another reason I want to go the whole 30 to see if it helps clear this up. I have noticed that my flare-ups that were occurring before I started Whole30 have gone away. I was stuffing myself with carbs and other processed "goodies" before I started so I think that was the antagonizer. I just have my typically aches which I can deal with for now.

I realized something...since I could nto drink over the weekend thus limiting what I wanted to do socially, I found that I watched a ton of movies! 50/50, Hunger Games, X Men: First Class, Killing them Softly, Argo, Zero Dark Thirty, Silver Linings Playbook, Snow White and the Huntsman, and who know what else I forgot. Guess i need to find a hobby! LOL

Today's meals are lacking in creativity but after tonight's cooking melee, I should be good!

Breakfast:

3 Hard-Boiled Eggs

1/2 Avocado

Carrot, Zucchini, and Cucumber

Lunch:

Veggie Soup

2-3 Applegate Chicken Hot Dogs

1/2 Avocado

Carrot, Zucchini, and Cucumber

I just finished reading my Day 7 email and what perfect timing! This morning, I have already been reflecting on the changes I have made and how I feel so it was great to see the 5 common errors to avoid and know that I did not eat any "Paleo" foods, eat the wrong fats (Not a wrong fat but I bought a bag a macadamia nuts and it's still sealed! I fear that if I open it, I'll eat the entire bag! And it's a BIG one!), ate until I was full so my I had enough energy, didn't weigh or measure my foods and didn't weigh myself (even though it was very tempting!), and didn't eat too many fruits (in fact, I ate a few strawberries in the beginning but didn't eat any more fruit the reast of the week).

The section "You're Only Cheating Yourself" hit home because, in the past, I would have played Cheating Solitaire. I bought bacon from Trader Joe's that had sugar in it, which I found out after eating it once, and I thought to myself, "There's not enough sugar to have an impact and I spent so much on it, I should just keep eating it." I stopped myself and packaged it up and put it in the freezer! Once I am done with Whole30, I may consider using a little bit at a time or as a treat. Last night, I was talking with my mom about cheating and how I would have to start over if I did...it's not worth it to be 6-7 days in and then have to start all over! I guess if I was going to cheat, it should have been on day 1 or 2! I want this to be a Whole30 30-day challenge and I want to succeed at it! I don't want to make it a Whole39 or Whole 50 unless I want to at the end of this, not on day 7.

Posting my progress and thoughts on this forum has been working wonders for me and reading others' journeys is so inspiring!

Cooking can take a lot out of a woman! :-). I ended up roasting the free-range chicken with EVOO and salt and pepper since I wanted to use leftovers to make something else tomorrow night. I was really happy with tonight's dinner and ended up getting 3 more meals plus a chicken breast to make something else. It was yummy and filling! The cauliflower rice with veggies was really filling and satisfied any craving for pasta or rice. And I STILL love sweet potatoes!!

Snack:

2 slices Prosciutto (ate while cooking)

Dinner:

2/3 Roasted Free-range Chicken Breast

2 Sweet Potato Slices roasted with EVOO

Cauliflower Fried Rice

I am surprised at how little I eat compared to before. I am eating good-for-me food and, boy, is it good!!!

[Jinkse21]

Day 8 - One Week Down!

Today's email resonated with me a little, especially the part about being patient. I realized that I have been wanting to see changes NOW and it's only been one week! I have a skin problem on the back of my hands and keep wondering why it hasn't gone away...my wedding ring doesn't feel extra loose like I was expecting either...my pants don't feel any different... Mildly frustrating but the one thing I noticed that has changed in one week is my dedication to stick with Whole30 so I can become healthier for me! When I walk past the scale, I say, "I will not let you win!"

This adventure is not so much about losing weight (although I would be extremely happy!) as it is, for me, more about having a better relationship with food. For the longest time, I have lived to eat. I love trying new foods, healthy or not. I see food as an adventure and love sharing with others! I love to make things and have people tell me how good it is and to see them happy while they eat what I took time to prepare for them. And, of course, that means I have to test everything to make sure it's worthy of sharing! I know that once I am finished with Whole30, I will still continue to make delish food to share with family and friends but I will incorporate whole foods so they can be healthier too! As far as my eating habits go, I eat because I am bored, because I think I deserve it, and because it's there! The 20th bite never tastes as good as the first bite but I have to keep trying, right?! I don't consider myself a stress-eater...I am clearly a stress-shopper so I guess that's one thing in my eating-favor!! I know I need to have a better relationship with food so I can concentrate on feeling better phyiscally and mentally. With Whole30, I know I am on my way to accomplishing that!

I received an email that my US Wellness Meats order has been shipped! I can't wait to receive my goodies and I am even more excited to cook them!! The DH is not excited about the beef liver, braunschweiger, or liverwurst but I sure am! I bought Italian and Pork Sausage sliders to make for breakfast so I am not always eating eggs so I may have to hide them from DH because I know he would demolish those! My mouth is watering just thinking about it all!!

Breakfast:

3 Hard-Boiled Eggs

1/2 Avocado

2 cups mixed Veggies from the Veggie Soup

Lunch:

2 Roasted Drumsticks

Roasted Sweet Potato Slices

Cauliflower Fried Rice

I had a lot of energy today except at 3:00 when I just wanted to put my head down. I have found that this has been the case every day at work about an hour to an hour and a half after eating lunch. Not sure why other than boredom at work.

I stopped by Findlay Market, Cincinnati's local farmer market/merchant area to pick up food for my dog (she needs to eat healthy too, right??) and dinner for tonight. I went to the sausage stand to get some sausage for DH. And saw that they had bacon too. I decided to ask if they had any bacon that does not have sugar and the guy said none of it does. What??? Is it too good to be true?? I think I will have to call back or stop by when the owner is there to verify with him. If that is the case, then I will be in bacon heaven! Especially for $4.99/lb! I also noticed a few stands had Amish chicken...I need to do some research on that! I can't wait to go to the market on the weekend to get lots of fresh veggies! I love that place!

I decided I wasn't cooking tonight...the husband did it....AFTER I prepped everything! I ate half a chicken breat and veggies and I was stuffed. I am trying to listen to my body to know when to quit eating. I have always been the type who could eat everything off the plate plus a few extra bites while putti g leftovers away! Can't do that now!

Dinner:

1/2 Chicken Breast plus skin

1/3 Roasted Sweet Potato

Zucchini and Squash and Onion cooked with EVOO and seasoning.

[pjena]

Today's email resonated with me a little, especially the part about being patient. I realized that I have been wanting to see changes NOW and it's only been one week! I have a skin problem on the back of my hands and keep wondering why it hasn't gone away...my wedding ring doesn't feel extra loose like I was expecting either...my pants don't feel any different... Mildly frustrating but the one thing I noticed that has changed in one week is my dedication to stick with Whole30 so I can become healthier for me! When I walk past the scale, I say, "I will not let you win!"

I'm feeling impatient, too. Thanks for the reminder to not let the scale win!

[Jinkse21]

Day 9 - First Major Sign This is Working For Me!

Other than not feeling bloated anymore, having more energy, better skin, belly fat noticeably disappearing, feeling happier, getting more done around the house, and having fun cooking and experimenting with new foods and recipes, the FIRST MAJOR SIGN this is working for me has appeared! The Osteo pain in my left knee is not present today!

Before starting Whole30 eight days ago, I had been dealing with pain in my left knee due to Ostearthritis for over 6 months. When I got out of bed this morning, I noticed I didn't have that nasty pain when put weight on it! I walked around, put more weight on it than norrmal and it didn't hurt (outside of a little pain from a slightly torn meniscus)! Can I walk up several stairs yet, no, but I'll take walking up one!

I know I am probably jumping the gun but after dealing with the pain for so long, it is nice to have a pain-free day! I have done nothing different than I have in the last 6 months other than change my diet. It's amazing what that one "small" thing can do! This is keeping me motivated, as if I wasn't already!

Being without the pain this morning has given me a lot more energy as I am excited to see what other changes are ahead! But, it also makes me scared to re-introduce things into my diet in fear that some of these nagative things will come back but I guess that's why they suggest reintroduces foods slowly. I have to say that I am loving this way of life and can't see going back to stuffing my face with all those carbs (I can still imagine it though! )

Breakfast:

Handful of leftover Chicken Breast

Cauliflower Fried Rice (actually reminds me more of Cous Cous) & Veggies

1/3 Roasted Sweet Potato

1/2 Avocado (was going to eat on my salad at lunch but realized I didn't have enough fat with everything else and that I would be adding dressing and olives to my lunch salad)

Time to plan my Whole30 Dream Vacation!

Lunch:

Leftover Roasted Chicken Breast

Bistro Salad (Mixed Greens, Red Onion, Hard-Boiled Edd, Mushroom, , Carrot, Dried Cranberries, Peperoncinos, Handful of Olives)

Tessamae's Cracked Pepper Dressing

I decided to add a little bit of Dried Cranberries to my salad today and I have to say, they and a nice sweet flavor. I do not have a Sugar Dragon (mine is all about Starchy Carbs!) so I'm not worried that adding something sweet will trigger cravings. I brough about a cup and a half of leftover chicken from dinner to put on the salad and when I did, it looked like I put the entire chicken on it! I took half of it off and I am finding I can't even eat everything I left on it. Same with the olives. I guess we'll see if I ate enough to tide me over to dinner in 6 hours!

My husband called to let me know FedEx delivered my US Wellness Meats order this morning! YIPPEEE!!! I can't wait to get home so I can inspect it! Now to find some recipes to make some yummy meals!

So....I wasn't planning on cooking but I ended up not really having anything for tomorrow so I made bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and cut up veggies. I have beef jerky thawing in the fridge from US Wellness Meats. Can't wait to try it!

Dinner:

2 Roasted Chicken Legs

1/3 Roasted Sweet Potato

Zucchini and Yellow Squash

2.5 slices Sugar-free Bacon

[Derval]

Great news about pain!

[Jinkse21]

Day 10 - 1/3 Success!!

I just realized that I am 1/3 of the way through my first Whole30 (notice I said 1st so there will be more to come!) and I couldn't be prouder of myself for sticking with this and staying 100% on plan! I have to say that it's been awhile since I have been so committed to something as my attention seems to wane. Now that I have completed over a week, I need to start making some tweaks to my eating since I think I am eating too much protein and not enough veggies, or just too much protein. I guess after giving up meat through Lent, I've been a little over-indulgent in the meat department but I need to get over that now! I have found that I don't always finish what I plan on eating because I am full so that's a start but meals like what I prepared for breakfast today appear to be lacking in the vegetable department and over-abundant in the fat department but bacon justs tastes so good!

Breakfast:

2.5 slices Sugar-Free Bacon

2 Hard-Boiled Eggs

Handful Black Olives

1.5 c Veggies drained from the Veggie Soup

While I would LOVE to lose weight on this journey, I know it is more important for me to build a better relationship with food so I haven't been concentrating so much on how many calories I may be eating. Have I been tempted to plug everything into myfitnesspal.com, YES! But I resisted! Do I try to add things up in my head?? I start but then remind myself why I am doing this. I do think it's time to start making some modifications so I can steer towards losing weight but I still won't make that the priority in this!

There is a farm stand open this afternoon at the Farmer's Market so watch out little farm-stand guy!! This girl is on a mission today!!!

Headed to the post office during my lunch break which just HAPPENED to be near Penzey's...15 minutes and $26 later, I left a happy shopper! Now I just have to figure out what to make with my goodies so I will be looking ofr ideas from my fellow Wholer30ers!

Lunch (I made my own Lettuce Wraps!):

4 large Green Leaf Lettuce Leaves

1 and a half palm-fulls of Roasted Chicken Breast

3/4 Avocado mashed up with Lime Juice, Salt and Pepper

Carrot sticks

1 Kiwi

Still doing it...still getting really tired around 3:00 and when you are just sitting there waiting for calls or emails to come in, it's hard to stay awake! I have a 12.7 fl oz water bottle so I have to get up and walk to the water fountain more often but it doesn't seem to be helping! ARGH! Guess I will have to make an effort to go for a short walk around 3:00 every day.

I am stopping by the farmer's market on the way home so can pick up ingredients to make bolagnese with spaghetti squash for dinner. The pictures for the recipes I found look so yummy!!!

Made it the market but couldn't find a few ingredients and I didn't want to stop anywhere else so I made due. I found a recipe for Paleo Bolognese that looked really good and boy did it taste good! Even the the substitutions I made. It is definitely on the list to make again!

Unfortunately, while prepping, I started getting a flare-up in my right hand/wrist. Luckily, I was able to finish making everything before it got really bad! It's too late for me take one of my pain pills as it will keep me up all night. I really wish this new way of eating would fix my RA but I don't think it will.

Dinner:

Spaghetti Squash

Paleo Bolognese

[Jinkse21]

Day 11 - Another Weekend and on the Road

Here we are...another weekend! And to top it off, I have to go to Lexington for a last-minute visit to see my brother so that means I may be getting together with friends. Luckily, they are not big drinkers and I never really feel like drinking when I am with them but they do LOVE to go out to eat! Luckily, I know enough about Lexington to look up restaurants that would have some Whole30 compliant options but I hate to be the one to ask 50 bazillion questions...I think that's why I haven't wanted to go out unless I know for sure what they have. I have to remind myself that it's about the visit with friends, not the food.

My sleep has been horrible lately because, even though my knee seems to be fine during the day, it's very uncomfortable when I am laying down. I have an appointment with my orthopedic next week to discuss a knee replacement and at this point, I say DO IT! After having the other one done after several years of pain, I now know that the other one could be so much better! Then I could get back to the gym!

Breakfast:

Spaghetti Squash

Paleo Bolognese

I was worried that I had way too much to eat but then when I broke it down, a majority of my breakfast was veggies since I put a ton in the bolognese...so now I don't feel so bad and I have a full, happy tummy! :D Well, I am glad I had a huge breakfast because lunch was not totally satisfying. If anything, I am full from the hot tea! I went to Panera with a co-worker and ordered the Power Steak Lettuce Wrap off of the Hidden Menu. When it came, it was just thin-sliced steak (which was actually cooked to a good temp...more like roast beef), red onion slices, a little bit of chopped tomatoes, a few slices of cucumber, and 4 large lettuce leaves. It did come with a lemon cut in half but I can't stand lemon on anything so there goes any added flavoring. The only flavor in the dish was the beef. There was no added fat so I am worried that I will be hungry this afternoon since I didn't have my minimum template requirements. Luckily, I brought in a few sticks of the Extra-Dry Plain Beef Jerky Strips I ordered from US Wellness Meats in anticipation of not having enough at lunch.

Lunch:

Panera Power Steak Lettuce Wraps

Compliant Hot Tea

As far as how I feel today...I don't feel any different than I did before I started Whole30. My energy is kinda low, I'm tired (wish I could go sit in the car and sleep!), and I just feel indifferent about it all. That's not to say that I want to go off program because I know it is working it's magic, somewhere, but I just feel blah today.

I am making a stop ot Whole Foods today to pick up their halibut which is on sale for $15.99/lb today only and some veggies to make dinner so hopefully that will pep me up a little. I can't believe I am excited about $15.99/lb for fish! It was just a few months ago that I wouldn't buy anything unless it was on sale and/or I had a coupon for it! It better be some tasty fish! LOL I made it to Whole Foods and bought halibut that was n sale as well as some other meats that just looked too good to pass up! When I got there, there was a huge line of people who were there for 5 for $5. Boy, I wish I could participate in that! Wine and food samples for $5??? Mentally note for a future trip!

A friend invited me to join her and a few other girls for sushi tonight so I ended up meeting them at the Thai place and enjoyed hanging out. She said she was a little freaked out that I wasn't eating sushi and drinking. It was nice to socialize and not feel the need to drink. I did smell the white wine that was being drank and I was actually put off by it.

Dinner:

Cocunut Chicken Soup

Hero Salad

On another note, I have been itching like crazy! My skin has been itching all afternoon and evening all over. I didn't eat any avocado today and most everything else is nothing different than I have had previously other than the beef jerky. All that is is beef and Celtic Salt. Not sure why that would cause problems...I stopped at Walgreen's and picked up some Clariton to see if that helps with the itching. I hope so because this really sucks!

[Jinkse21]

I am so excited! I just received an order of 2 dozen eggs from someone at work that has his own farm with chickens and cows. He sells the eggs for $2.50/dozen and thoughout the summer he sells several different veggies from his garden as well as whole chickens and every now and then whole cows (which can be split).

I was asking him 50 billion questions and I am glad I did! All of his chickens are free-range and anti-biotic/hormone free...same with his cows. Plus, his veggies are pesticide-free. His prices are very comparable to the stores and the farmers' market vendors but the best thing is he delivers to work! He typically sends out an email at the beginning of the week letting everyone know what he has available to bring in on that Friday so it's all fresh! I opened the eggs to check them out and found that one dozen were all shades of green! He told me the Ameracauna chickens lay those and some people only order those. I can't wait to do a taste test!!!

After speaking with someone else at work, I found out her husband is growing a ton of peppers and other veggies this year so I'll have another source for fresh veggies and best of all, they'll be free because he tends to go overboard!!

Yea for the small "farmers" of America!!!

[pjena]

I'm very envious! My town is currently debating a chicken ordinance and I so hope that one of my neighbors raises chickens and is willing to sell me the eggs. (not raising chickens is on my list of "reasons I have a job" along with chopping wood, growing a large garden and many other things my husband seems to think would be a good idea for us (meaning ME) to do)

[Jinkse21]

Day 12 - Hungover

Woke up still feeling groggy and grumpy (just ask the husband!) like I spent the previous night drinking it up! This was the first time I have experienced this and I didn't like it. It did remind me of when I did drink and how I felt in the morning. Gave me motivation to not really drink so I guess something good came out of it! I managed to pull myself together and make a decent breakfast since I knew there was a chance I would not be eating lunch until after 3:00. I used the eggs I got from the guy at work and I decided to do a comparison between he green eggs and the other more normal looking eggs. While both tasted the same, the green eggs had a much oranger yolk plus I was surprised at how much bigger the yolks were in these eggs. I would love to make poached eggs with these!

Breakfast:

3 Free-range Eggs fried in Ghee

Mushroom, Redd Pepper, and Onion Hash cooked in EVOO

Radishes

I drove to Lexington to visit with my brother for a coupe of hours and by the end of the visit I was famished! There are no healthy options so I was screwed and just filled myself up on water! When I left, I was on a mission to find a Whole30-compliant restaurant....not easy to do in Georgetown, KY! I opted for Ruby Tuesdays since I know they have a good salad bar and roasted spaghetti squash.

Lunch:

Salad Bar with EVOO and Balsamic Vinegar (I actually liked this combo!)

Top Sirloin with extra fat cut off (I told the server to hold any butter or other fat if possible. I did not appear to have any butter or oil on it and the seasoning were really good!)

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

I was nice and full and ready to be on my way back home! AFTER a stop at Starbuck's to try out one of their teas. I made the mistake of getting a venti green tea as I did not like it at all. It was so bitter and had a taste different than what I am used to. At least it was much cheaper than my normal Venti No-Fat Wet Capp!

Made a stop at the grocery store to pick up veggies and tea so I wouldn't have to go out tomorrow. I love how much faster my trips are! My cart was nowhere close to being full and I had room for some a really pretty tulip plant for the table. After looking at the Boar's Head meats, I found a Kielbasa that is compliant! I can't wait to grill it then eat it with some sauerkraut (which I forgot!). Whole30 has definitely awakened my cooking goddess and I love it!!

We ended up going to a friend's house to socialize and sit around the fire pit so I grabbed some pate from the freezer and cut up some veggies. My friend knows that I am doing this and she follows a Paleo/Primal lifestyle so she made sure she had foods that I could eat...love her! She made these amazing roasted nuts with cinnamon that I couldn't stop eating! It was the first time I have eaten nuts since starting and they tasted so good! I know I don't need to have these nuts in the house, especially since I am also trying to lose weight but they were a nice treat! My dinner tonight was spread over the course of 3 hours and I am okay with that since I stayed OP and resisted the urge to drink wine.

Dinner:

Smoked Oysters in OO

Couple dips of Pate

Carrots, Zucchini, Orange Pepper

Nuts and lots of nuts! (maybe 2 handfuls)

All in all, it was a very successful day on the road and visit with friends!

[Jinkse21]

Day 13 - Cooking Day!!

After not being around to really do anything around the house yesterday, I am housebound today so I can clean and do lots of cooking to get ready for the week! It's going to be a gorgeous day out today so, hopefully, I will find some time to do a little "cleaning" outside too!

Breakfast:

Farmhouse Omelet (3 eggs, mushrooms, scallions, red pepper, zucchini, squash, prosciutto, asparagus and a little Hot Sauce)

Lunch:

Grass-fed Beef Polish Sausage Patties

Roasted Cauliflower Florets

Mashed Cauliflower

Lots of cooking done! Made the sausage which I am not I pressed with. The texture after cooking it like pressed meat. I'Ll eat it the rest of this week for breakfast but I won't be ordering it again. I also made mashed cauliflower with an orange cauliflower and it ended it up tasting really good, especially after adding the ghee! . I made roasted cauliflower too so I could have another side with lunch. I roasted some sweet potatoes but I ended up roasting them too long on the second side. . I sautéed and bunch of veggies to make egg muffins for the week...can't wait to eat them!! Taking a break now before cooking dinner....

I forgot how much I love halibut! I grilled a piece of it with just EVOO and salt and pepper. Yum! I love grilling time because there was very little clean up!

Dinner:

Grilled Halibut

Grilled Kielbasa

Grilled Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto

Mashed Cauliflower

Time for Sunday night TV guilty pleasures!

[Jinkse21]

Day 14 - Tax Day!

Luckily, we got our taxes sent in a few weeks ago and God love our tax preparer! We thought we were going to owe money and she found legal ways to get us a lot back! We may be able to get new windows...finally!!

I slept pretty well last night except when I tried to lay on my stomach and have my left leg straightened out. The knee would not have it! Stupid knee! At least I have my appointment this Thursday to see if a knee replacement is in my near future! I found myself turning the TV back on in the bedroom when I go to bed so no more as of today. If anything, I will read a few pages of a book or magazine then go to sleep.

I'm glad I did all that cooking yesterday and separated everything into different containers so meals are ready to go all week!

Breakfast:

3 Egg Muffins

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Prosciutto-wrapped Asparagus Bundle

Lunch:

Halibut (sorry for the fish smell fellow co-workers! )

Few pieces of Kielbasa

Mashed Cauliflower

Prosciutto-wrapped Asparagus Bundle

The right hand decided to flare up this afternoon. You really get reminded of how mic you actually do with your hands when it flares up and you can't open doors, moved the automatic gear shift, turn a key, make a fist, hold an adorable little boy....this sucks. . I wonder if something I ate brought it on or it's just because of my stupid RA.....

I got to see my nephews this evening and I was reminded just how adorable they are! They are growing so fast! I really need to try and see them more often even if my husband doesn't try that hard.

I was I the mood to do some shopping and luckily, found some shoes for work. I went to BB&B and found a julienne peeler so I can try making zucchini noodles before I invest in a spirooli. Can't ait to try it this weekend!

I got distracted wandering around the stores and didn't get home until 8:30 and hadn't eaten yet so I was starting to get a little grouchy. Luckily, I had food made so I just had to reheat. While I was out, I thought about how I would have stopped somewhere to just pick something up to eat and I wouldn't care a lot about what it was. Instead I had a makeshift dinner!

Dinner:

Kielbasa

Mashed Cauliflower

Black Olives

Carrots, Radishes, Cucumber

[Jinkse21]

Day 15 - RA Could Care Less About Whole30

Horrible night last night! My hand flare-up did not go away, only got worse. I woke up a little after 2:00 with a lot of pain and could not get comfortable. Got up and took two Aleve since my pain med only makes me wide awake and put a cold pack on it which seemed to help...until the heat from my hand melted it all! . Changed cold packs then finally fell asleep around 4:00 but woke up on and off. Decided to stay home from work today since I knew just getting ready would cause a lot of pain. I ate breakfast so now I can take my pain meds and veg on the couch with my buddy, Kai.

Breakfast:

1 FR Egg fried in Bacon Fat

Two Polish Beef Sliders

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Cauliflower

Thankfully I had leftovers ready so everything could be done with one hand!

After giving it some thought, I wonder if the kielbasa I have eaten over the last few days caused the flare-up. My flare-ups in my hand stopped after my 2nd day OP and started bothering me yesterday morning after I had eaten the sausage. Everything else I have eaten is still pretty much the same as before (this is why I love the fact that I have been logging everything I eat so I can see what could cause changes with my body). The ingredients for the sausage appeared to be whole30 compliant but I read somewhere that says "spices" could mean MSG. I know I have had issues with MSG in the past so I wonder....I guess DH will get to finish the sausauge!

Lunch:

3 handfuls of Baby Spinach

1 FR Hard-boiled Egg

1 tin TJ Lightly Smoked Sardines in EVOO (used EVOO as the "dressing" on the salad)

Well, the RA moved for the right hand to the left hand! . There's still some pain in the right one but definitely not as bad. I was able to cook dinner but had to have the husband put in the salt and pepper as they are both in grinders. It really sucks having to ask for help. Thankfully, I have a food processor to help with the chopping of veggies! Actually made them more into a mush but I'll take it!

Dinner:

Grass Fed Ground Beef cooked with taco seasoning

Cauliflower Cous Cous mixed with different veggies

Cashews

[Jinkse21]

Day 16 - Halfway to my Destination!

I can't believe today is day 16 and I am still here! In the past, I would have thrown in the towel as soon as I had a flare-up because my expectations would have been that this is going to fix my RA. I have accepted that my RA isn't going anywhere and the flare-ups will happen no matter what I do but I know there are things I can change to minimize how often they happen. Maybe once this is over and I have gone through some re-introduction, I will follow the AIP program for 30 days...but talk about restrictive! While I am not tempted to give in, after the last two days of pain, I think I need to reflect on the things that have changed for me since I started Whole30 16 days ago.

1. Left Knee pain greatly reduced after 6 months of Osteo pain!
   
2. Cooking a lot more which a stress-reliever for me
   
3. Sleeping better (outside of the last two nights)
   
4. Watching less TV - Busy cooking and when I eat at the table I have the TV turned off
   
5. Started out with a lot of energy but it has fallen off over the last few days, mainly because of the RA limitations
   
6. Better skin on my face - not as dry as it was
   
7. No bloating
   
8. No Hangovers due to alcohol
   
9. Ability to hang around husband and friends while they drink (still a controlled environment though...no bars)
   
10. Saving money by not going out to lunch every day or for sushi dinners and drinks (although I am finding other ways to spend it! )
    
11. Lost 6 pounds since last doctor's visit a month ago (was not intentional! The nurse was excited that I lost and said it out loud while I was looking away from the scale!)
    
12. Have not stepped on the scale since Day 1!
    
13. Have not felt the need to measure and weight my food
    
14. Have not had 1 Diet Coke!
    
15. Most importantly, stayed dedicated to making the Whole30 work for me!
    

It may have only been 15 days but a lot has changed for me and I couldn't be happier!

Breakfast was eaten in the car this morning so I was not able to take a picture of it. Completely forgot as I was running a little late! I have managed to take a picture of every single meal I have eaten so far. I guess I can take a pic of my breakfast for tomorrow since it's the exact same thing I ate this morning.

Breakfast:

Grass-fed Polish Beef Patty

2 Egg Muffins

Roasted Sweet Potatoes (1/4 of potato)

Small hanful of Macadamia Nuts

Lunch:

Grass Fed Ground Beef cooked with taco seasoning

Cauliflower Cous Cous mixed with different veggies

Small hanful of Macadamia Nuts

After having my hands hurt for the last 3 days, I decided I wanted to go out to eat for dinner. The plans were to go to Outback where I knew I could stay OP. When I got home the DH suggested the steal place in the new casino so I said, "Okay!" Jack Binion's is your typically hoity toity casino steak house and I am all about hoity toity when I can get it! Amazingly, I didn't get the steak. I was starving by the time we got to the casino so we decided to eat dinner then hit the tables (should have walked away from the tables!) and hauling around leftovers was not the ideal situation. I ordered a salad that had avocado and maily just lettuce and we split the seafood tower thing with oysters, lobster, crab, and shrimp. YUM! Shamefully missing was a larger portion of fat as the avocado equaled less then 1/3 cup, if that. They brought a breadbasket to the table and the server put it on the other side of the table from me...my guess is that she assumed I was not eating any carbs since I had her hold the croutons. Good thing because at the end of the meal, I asked DH to show me the bread so I could see what they bring and it was a basket of fresh popovers! OMG! I haven't had one of those in years!!! Good thing we left right after that!

Dinner (probably overkill on protein but a girl's gotta eat, right??):

Salad with lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado

2 Large Shrimp

2 half Alaskan King Crab Legs

3 Oysters

1/2 c Lumb Crab Meat (put on salad)

Lobster Claw

One thing in life is for sure...this girl is not meant to gamble!! on the penny slots, I ended up winning $15 at one point after putting in $6...GONE! At the Blackjack table, won 3 games and had $60 (started with $20)...kept playing...GONE! At least I stopped! LOL! $36 could buy me a few pounds of grass-fed Beef!!

[Beets]

Hey. I realize you ate I days ago but I wanted to tell you that Pacific Free Range Chicken Broth has sugar in it. I know bc I almost used it last week. Kind of crazy. I was surprised. I'm not surprised by sugar in most things but that did surprise me. Just FYI in case you are planning to use it again.

It's so easy to make broth in the slow cooker. Just chuck your bones in there before bed and you wake up with stock. (I tend to use mine pretty quickly and ran out.)

[Jinkse21]

My bad! I forgot that I used the Pacfic Vegetable broth because that was the only one I could find with no sugar. I remember now because the broth is very bland and I ended up straining the veggies out and just ate the veggies with my meals!

I need to make my own broth. Maybe I'll do that in my cook-up this weekend!

[Jinkse21]

Day 17 - Re-energized!

I finally slept through the night! Well, with the help of a small Ambien pill... I'll take it though since the two nights before were horrble!

My hand pain is finally starting to go away so I will be back on the cooking bandwagon tonight! Although, I will try to limit how much chopping I do which is going to be difficult because I am one of those freaks that LOVES to chop stuff up! I found some recipes for some different sauces that I plan on mkaing this weekend as I am in serious need of sauces or dips to go with my meals. I have also decided to give avocados a try again to see if they are okay for me to eat since it's been about a week. I really hope I don't have to give them up because i love using them for my meal fat. I've added in nuts lately and it's just too easy to keep eating them if I don't portion them out properly. I had avocado on my salad last night and so far so good but it was a very small amount.

I was running late this morning so thankfully breakfast was pre-made but lunch was a different story! I opened a small can of chicken to put on a salad from the work Bistro but then saw that it had some kind of starch in the ingredients. Well, that got added to the honey-you-can-eat-this pile! So, lunch will be a last-minute, what can I eat before going to the doctor meal!

Breakfast:

Grass-fed Polish Beef Patty

2 Egg Muffins

Roasted Sweet Potatoes (1/4 of potato)

Small hanful of Macadamia Nuts

I'm getting ready to volunteer at a children's school for children who are challenged with slower learning or unfortunate living situations and who cannot attend regular schools and i look forward to doing this every month! I don't have kids so I love seeing how they learn and the different personalities. I have been known to want to take a few of them home with me too! Being on Whole30, I ask myself a lot how many learning disabilities could be changed by eating whole foods and eliminating processed foods. I have become one of those people who wants to grab foods out of people's hands or tell them they shouldn't be eating that...good lord!! LOL!

Volunteered at the children's school and we helped them make tissue paper flowers. I think I am a pro at making those flowers now! My favorite little man was there today so I helped him make several flowers to give his new foster family. I just want to bring him home!!!

I had a doctor's appointment at 2:45 so I had little time to figure out something to eat! Made a decision to stop by Wendy's. maybe not the best de inion but I didn't have time to sit and wait and I was starving!

Lunch:

Wendy's Grilled Chicken Breast

Side Salad with no dressing

Another meal where I am missing my fat! Makes me feel like I am going back to the low-fat diet days! I will be better! I stopped bt Trader Joe's before heading home. $135 later, I have few excuses to not be prepared! I bought more protein options as well as veggies and good fats! I am happy to have the use of my hands back because I was ready to cook!

Dinner:

2 small Chicken Thighs cooked in EVOO

Celery

TJ' Number One Guac

Stir-fried Shaved Brussels Sprouts, Snow Peas, Red Pepper, Zucchini, Squash in EVOO

Well, I have my left knee replacement scheduled for Aug. 2nd. Another reason to keep doing this for the long-term! I would like to be. At least 20 pounds lighter by the so it will help with recovery. I know it is possible!