MrsJessica's Second W30

[mrsjessica]

I recently finished up my first W30 and knew even before it was over that I'd be one of those that needs more than one W30 to really set new habits. While the first W30 wasn't nearly as difficult as I imagined it would be, I didn't have any moments I'd describe as "magic" or "tiger blood". My starting diet wasn't a huge cry from being compliant, so maybe that had a little to do with it. My sleep did improve some, and I am down 5lb (of a recently gained 10), so I was plesantly surprised but still hoping for a little more.

Then came day 31.

A couple of treats and I have been sick, sick, sick. I would never have imagined that the foods I could eat a month ago would make my body feel this awful. I've never felt the literal feeling of a "sugar high", but a few pieces of chocolate on day 31 sent my head spinning like a top. I wanted a glass of wine, but I felt like I'd already drank it... I've tried to add in a few other things, but they've not gone much better.

This time around, I want to refine the progress I've made. More veggies and water, fewer nuts and fruits. I don't want to get caught up in recording exact food everyday, but I do think a quick note of what I'm eating will keep me accountable for 3 meals. Toward the end last time, I started to get more snacky - something I'm really going to work on this time.

Today I cooked up some staples and a few new recipes to get ready for Monday. Here we go!

[mrsjessica]

DAY 1: Nice and Easy

Nice to be at it again! I've actually found being off W30 a bit stressful as most things I've eaten off plan have made me ill. I think it's because I really didn't think I'd be that sensitive to anything. I've eliminated things before and not felt this kind of difference. Just confirming the truth that even a tiny bit of trigger food can mask the source of the problem.

Goals for W30 #2 include sticking to the template instead of just being compliant, drinking enough water each day, and working on quality of sleep. First round I upped the quantity, which was huge (4/5hours to 8 hours), but I'd like to see what I can do for quality. Creating a more comfortable sleep environment (bedroom), quiet time before bed, getting organized so the day is less stressful? Just some ideas...

FOOD

B: Egg, scotch egg, green veg, coconut oil, coffee

L: Chicken and mixed veg, coconut oil

D: Chicken, sweet potato, mixed veg, coconut oil

S: Apple with Sunbutter

Water: 6c

MOOD

Relaxed and in control.

SLEEP

8 hours, only woke up once or twice (used to wake up 6-8 times/night)

[mrsjessica]

DAY 2: Spring Fever

The sun has finally come out and it makes me want to clean my house. Not be outside, but clean and organize my house! I got married in September and have yet to fully settle into our new apartment. Non-food goal for this week: Complete at least one house project I've been putting off (a lot to choose from!)

Recipe success = Cocoa Roasted Cauliflower 

FOOD

B: meat/veg muffins, scotch egg, coconut oil, coffee

L: Chicken, carrots, mixed nuts, small grapefruit

D: Chicken, cocoa roasted cauliflower, mixed veg, coconut oil

S: Carrot with Sunbutter (part of dinner, really), mineral water

Water: 6 c

MOOD

Pretty content. Stomach is still settling after a week off W30, but otherwise things are good.

SLEEP

8 hours, but woke up from hot sweats and bad dreams. A little tired today. Tomorrow I'll try opening the window a little before bed.

[mrsjessica]

DAY 3: Zooooom!

I'm pleasantly surprised how much faster this time around seems! Already day 3? Great! Note to self - don't over think this and the days will zoom by!

Also, my kombutcha scoby is coming along nicely and much faster than I expected given the temps in our house lately. Made speed is catching? Looking forward to a first brew!

Recipe success = Bulletproof coffee is dreamy! I used 1/2t of ghee + 1/2t co and had with breakfast.

FOOD

B: Carrot, scotch egg, eggs, bulletproof coffee!

L: Tapas-style meal: Grilled chicken strips, olives, Veg, avocado,

D: Beef/spinach muffins, veg, leftover chicken, coconut flakes

S: Carrot with sunbutter, banana

Water: 4c... 

Need more green veg... And water.

MOOD

Good, but looking forward to relaxing this weekend! Busy, busy with work and family events.

SLEEP

7 hours, woke up once, still hot. Really active dreams so I feel I've been running around... Opening the window helped, but maybe a little more tonight...

[mrsjessica]

DAY 4: You give me fever...

Fighting a losing battle to germs. My husband mentioned feeling ill yesterday and now I suspect I'm catching it as well. Chicken soup and an early night for our house tonight.

FOOD

B: Eggs, avocado, grapefruit, coffee

L: Chicken, veg, coconut oil

D: Beef, salad greens, avocado

S: Nuts, piece of banana (just after dinner as everyone else had birthday cake)

Water: 6c...

MOOD

Happy. I feel "fresh" if that's possible The way fresh veggies look when they're just rinsed in cool water, or a primary color of paint - crisp and pure and unmuddied. That's what my body feels like.

SLEEP

7 hours, woke up a few times, twice to early morning phone calls, ugh. Opening the window helped a lot. Next is to get lighter sleeping clothes as it's almost spring where I live

[Emma]

You're making kobucha! I wish I could watch someone else make it so that I'd feel like I could too. Of course, I know cognitively I could, but I admit that I'm sometimes fearful of making my own foods - like sauerkraut. I think it's years of hearing about things like botulism or other crazy things that get in my way (and maybe laziness).

I wonder what our family is going to do at the end of Whole30. I think I'd be quite content to continuing, but I know plain yogurt and cheese were big things in our life before. Before we started Whole30 I thought we'd be able to reintroduce some foods back in, but now I fear I'll react or fall overboard and just starting eating like I did before. Reading about your experiences trying things and then getting back into Whole30 is really interesting for me.

Hope you kick your illness soon. Seems like everyone in our town is battling some virus and I know I'm tired of the one I've had.

[mrsjessica]

Kombucha has been easy, you should give it a try! I thought the same - what if I do it wrong and accidently poison myself?? But it's simple, easy enough to tell if you've got a problem (fluffy, bread-type mold is a problem, not much else), and cheap enough that if ever in doubt, you can pour it out and start over. I used realfermenting.com to get started, and have been reading up at kombuchakamp.com for more tips. You can even ask them Q's and send pics for them to check out if you're worried.

I'm hopeful that my husband will be joining me in a more W30-style lifestyle after this. I've gotten him to (willingly!) switch from soda to flavored mineral water and from straight juice to juice-sweetened K, so small progresses I usually prepare our meals, so at least I know I have the buying power. I'll be pleased if we eat the majority W30 at home and save other foods for really special things. I have really good mental peace and "freshness" about eating food without all sorts of additives, so I'll continue to buy as well as we can afford. I want to give dairy a try again, because I really enjoy homemade plain yogurt but I know already the days of cafe au laits and eggs with cheddar are over.

For falling off, I'm glad my reaction was so strong or I would have definitely reverted a bit. I just need more time than 30 days; some for my body to heal and some for my head to catch up to what's going on and to get comfortable with the change.

And thanks, we're both feeling much better!

[mrsjessica]

DAY 5: Finally Friday!

FOOD

B: Eggs, avocado, grapefruit, coffee

L: Leftovers

D: Turkey, salad, carrots, Sunbutter

S: Nuts and fruit

Water: a few cups

MOOD

Lacking. I feel I need to plan ahead better so that when things come up - like unexpectedly being out of the house all day or going to my parents house (where W30 food is rare), I can eat something besides nuts and the odd bit of fruit that might be there.

SLEEP

6 hours, woke up once at 5am...again. Maybe that's just the time I need to get up?

[mrsjessica]

DAY 6: Weekend days

I seem to have more trouble on the weekends than during the week. Not really more temptations, just more activity, so I again comes that planning thing. The less prepared I am, the less I end up eating. Not a good combination. For this Monday's cook-up, I'm going to make a few complete meals that can get packed up in a flash if I need to get out the door. I just discovered (late, as I read everyone else's posts!) the glory of Costco's selection for things W30 compliant. Groceries (among other things) run very high in my area, so having organic beef at $4.25/lb?! That's amazing. Speaking of food.... I know. But I did the best I could for a day on the run. This week will be better.

Recipe success = Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives (adapted from the Williams-Sanoma One Pot of the Day cookbook) YUM. "It's so good I want to eat it again, even though I'm eating it now." and "I'm almost sad I'm going to be full after I eat it because I want to keep eating it." - my husband

FOOD

B/L: Turkey, olive oil mayo, coffee

D: Chicken with preserved lemons and olives, cauli-couscous

S: coffee, carrot with oo mayo

Water: a few glasses...

MOOD

Content. A few girlfriends asked how my "30 day thing" went, and when I told them about it and that I was doing it again, looks went from skeptical to suprised quickly! One gal that had done a similar set up last year told me how she's about to get back into it, so maybe I'll have a partner for W30 #3

SLEEP

Good! Think I've got the window/pj/pillow combination down. Friday was clean-and-conquer-the-bedroom day and I find it very peaceful without the clutter. Maybe it's helping?

[mrsjessica]

DAY 7: Sunshine Sunday!

It's a beautiful day here! Today's line up is a church social, birthday lunch with sister/hubby, bbq with friends, and a coffee/dessert going away this evening at mine. I never thing of the US having "cultural" connections with food like some other countries, but I guess we do in a different way - food at events rather than food being the cause of the event. Either way, I'm thankful cravings haven't been a problem for me (except my wacky dream which is in the Sleep section!) and will eat before the social and have tea there, have checked out the restaurant and know what's available for me, am bringing lovely salad/meat to the bbq and will enjoy it fully, and am making a fruit-based dessert our guests can eat and will save out a bit of fruit to eat with coconut milk/flakes for my self. Must be my type-A, but control feels so good

FOOD

B: Sausage, salad, coffee

L: Leftovers, pineapple, coconut milk

D: Steak, huge chopped salad w/pumpkin seeds

S: Coconut flakes with berries and coconut milk

Water: a few sad glasses. Really need to get with it here.

MOOD

Pretty good, sleepy and it's only 10pm. This is great for me! I have explained W30 again tonight, and am seriously considering buying a hard copy of ISWF (I bought the Kindle version for my iPhone) to use as a loaner. The majority of people I talk to are more interested than skeptical/judgemental/defensive, for which I am very thankful!

SLEEP

Last night I had a food dream. I had one my first W30, but about a food I don't usually eat. This time, I had a dream that I had a dream about eating Easter chocolates (the exact thing that gave me my first ever sugar high day 31 last time). I ate a few and thought, "Ohhhh, I'm going to wish I hadn't, I just remembered these make me ill...." and in my dream I woke up and was convinced that I'd eaten it and needed to restart. I was irritated it happened as I haven't wanted chocolate at all this past week and realized I must have been forced or fell into it (that's one of my fav parts of ISWF, when Melissa says those are the only ways you can "slip" on non-W30 foods ) Well, I woke up for real and am pretty amazed at my sleeping brain. Not only does it know I have a new-found sensitivity to sugar, it pulls info from ISWF to diagnose my actions

[Emma]

Funny your comments about poisoning! I bookmarked the realfermenting site and will add it to the area of my daily to-do list where I list all the things I want to be doing, but probably aren't going to get even close to doing that day. Maybe I'll shoot for the start of June which should be a far less stressful month than May. I do miss the drink.

It feels like we've been eating really well for months and months. It surprises me to realize we're only on day 22. I think I may try that Chicken Tagine as well - looks good and your comments were pretty much a perfect sell.