KitchenWitchy Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 I'm on day 16. When I started the Whole30, I was doing a lot of things right food-wise, but could not manage my sugar monster. I was interested in getting a handle on that. I could stand to lose some weight, but my main goal was to stop eating candy and chocolate and cookies after dinner until bedtime. I've been lurking on the forum but this is my first post. Eating according to the Whole30 meal template has not felt like deprivation at all. In fact, I love to cook, so it's actually been really fun to wake up in the morning and stumble into the kitchen to fix a meal. And fortunately my partner doesn't mind washing the dishes My sugar cravings are mostly gone, and I feel full most of the day. When the sugar monster pokes me at night, I usually drink tea (Yogi Tea's Peach Detox is my favorite); once I had a snack of grapefruit and a few raw almonds. On Mondays and Tuesdays, I work a long/late shift at work, and have a few almonds between lunch and dinner (otherwise it would be 7 hours between meals). For the first 9 days, I kept a food journal in a notebook, but it was too much of a pain to keep up with so I stopped. Physically I was feeling great - my body moved better, I was sleeping better, my chronic hip pain went away. My moods have been more even, and I haven't been waking up the way I usually do - lamenting the fact that it's time to get up! I have always struggled with insomnia and, over time, developed my own ways of dealing with that. Since starting Whole30, there's been a lot of improvement in that area. However, the last 2 days have been worse than ever, with cramping in my legs. Possible PMS related, but since I haven't been logging my food over the last week+, I can't look back at what I've eaten for other possible causes. With so much cooking and eating the same template, all of the meals kind of run together and I don't remember exactly what I ate, and when I know I stick with the 3 meals and very occasional snacking (as mentioned above) but I think this process will be more useful to me with more documentation. Day 14 leftover egg, pepper, mushroom, sweet potato fritatta, coffee with coconut milk kale salad with chicken, pepper, broccoli and homemade apple cider viniagrette salmon cake, egg, sweet potato, brussels sprouts, mustard; tea Day 15 leftover salmon cake, eggs, sweet potato, thyme mushrooms, coffee with coconut milk taco salad - beef, onion, lettuce, tomato, tomatillo salsa; frozen berries with coconut milk horrible sausage with zucchini, pepper, onion and sweet potato fritter with almond butter Day 16 eggs, tomato, cucumber, sweet potato fritter, coffee with coconut milk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb0426 Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Cramping in the legs can often be associated with a potassium imbalance. I have read here that it is not uncommon when going from the standard American diet with processed, high sodium foods to unprocessed foods that you experience an imbalance because you have drastically reduced that sodium. Sodium and potassium work together. Add a bit of salt to your foods . And welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 21, 2013 Author Share Posted April 21, 2013 Thank you kb! I will try that. I think my muscles were wanting some exercise. I felt much better after a hike in our nearby state park, physically and emotionally. Had a nap after and also slept well last night. Lunch yesterday was hash of beef, onion, kale, and butternut squash, plus half a grapefruit. Dinner was roast chicken with bacon Brussels sprouts and spaghetti squash, followed by a handful of frozen berries. I am finding that I crave fresh produce, so if my veggies are cooked, I want fruit. So far the fruit is not affecting my sugar monster, who is asleep. Yesterday my partner came home with donuts and apologetically informed me they'd be gone today... But I don't care, I don't have any interest in them. Today Smoked salmon, sweet potato fritter, almond butter, tomato, cucumber, coffee with coconut milk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 Day 17 Breakfast as outlined earlier Snack at work: half a grapefruit and a few almonds Lunch: hash of andouille sausage, sweet potato, red pepper, mushroom, avocado, and tomatillo salsa Dinner: roast beef, zucchini with tomato/mushroom sauce, raspberries with coconut milk I noticed it takes less food to fill me up. As long as I get enough protein, it takes a long time to feel hungry. One unexpected benefit I am really enjoying is the opportunity to learn new cooking methods. Roasting large cuts of beef and pork, something I was intimidated to try in the past, turned out to be really easy and delicious. I don't have any fancy tools to make zoodles, but I can julienne... And wow, another new thing to add to the menu. I did several dishes this weekend: sweet potato fritters, roast chicken, roast beef, tomato cucumber salad, taco meat for salads at lunchtime, portioned out and frozen, tomato sauce with veggies... I will easily make it through Wednesday before needing to cook. I am feeling very accomplished My partner has been eating everything I've cooked, but she doesn't eat much fruit. She isn't doing w30 but she is supportive of me (and is losing weight - her new pants are loose, even though she is eating the template plus bagels, cream cheese, coffee creamer, etc...) Tonight she tried a taste of my frozen raspberries with a bit of coconut milk and asked me to fix her a bowl. I know fruit is not for all the time, but I think it's great that Amy actually ate fruit with coconut milk instead of chocolate chex right from the box on the sofa while watching tv. Speaking of tv, it's almost time for Game of Thrones... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 Day 18 Eggs, sweet potato fritters, almond butter, tomato, cucumber, coffee with coconut milk Salad with red peppers, broccoli, avocado, balsamic dressing, chicken Dinner will probably be leftover roast beef and spaghetti squash with the bacon Brussels sprouts, and maybe some fresh veg or fruit. I will cross that bridge later. I am just glad to know that when I roll in after 7 tonight dinner will be ready Crappy morning. Felt fine health wise, but had an argument with Amy about cat vomit on the bed. Noticed that when I am upset, I don't want to eat, even if I am hungry. Managed to calm down and eat - good thing, because Mondays are such long days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 Can't believe it: I made it to 3pm before stopping for lunch. Didn't even feel hungry, but took a break to eat since its been 6 hours since my last meal. Had breakfast at 9am, sipped coffee until 11. The extra bit of fat in the morning just might be the key to making it through Monday and Tuesday's long days without snacking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 Can't believe it: I made it to 3pm before stopping for lunch. Didn't even feel hungry, but took a break to eat since its been 6 hours since my last meal. Had breakfast at 9am, sipped coffee until 11. The extra bit of fat in the morning just might be the key to making it through Monday and Tuesday's long days without snacking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 24, 2013 Author Share Posted April 24, 2013 Day 19 Eggs, sweet potatoes, coffee with coconut milk Chicken, red pepper, avocado, grapefruit with olive oil Roast beef with sautéed kale and sweet potato, raspberries with coconut milk On the stove for tomorrow: Italian veggie deliciousness with chicken! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 24, 2013 Author Share Posted April 24, 2013 Day 20 Eggs, sweet potato fritters, almond butter, cucumber, coffee with coconut milk Chicken, tomato sauce, mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant Salmon cakes, sweet potato, Brussels sprouts Inexplicably felt bad this morning... I blame hormones... I haven't woken up in my typical bad mood since starting W30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyS Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 I'm so sorry, but this whole thread was worth it to read about your argument with your Amy about cat vomit on the bed. (In the interest of full disclosure to the rest of the forum, I am not KitchenWitchy's Amy, though I reserve the right to argue with her about cat vomit on the bed at any time in the future.) :lol: Seriously, though, hang in there and let the changes roll. It's so weird what our bodies do when we start feeding them only healthy food. (Maybe the cat needs a Whole30? ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 25, 2013 Author Share Posted April 25, 2013 Dinner ended up being arugula and fennel salad, lamb burger, sweet potato, and plantain Amy was feeling the weight of her tax return check and insisted on buying dinner. It wasn't too hard to find options. I made the plantain at home. I'm still going to cook tonight so I don't have to tomorrow. Plus I'd already pulled out salmon to defrost and I would hate to waste it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 25, 2013 Author Share Posted April 25, 2013 Haha AmyS, in hindsight I do Believe I overreacted to the fact that Amy's cat threw up on the bed... After all, he had the courtesy to only get it on the feet end, Amy's side. I just think its disgusting and rude, for a creature as clean as a cat is supposed to be And, you are so right about bodily changes. I keep expecting a dramatic change - visually - even though I am only on day 20. It's totally unrealistic, especially given my age and history, but somehow also sneakily demoralizing. I am trying to focus on how much better I am sleeping, lack of pains, the way I bounce down the stairs instead of dragging the way I used to... And pride at having made it this many days. And, cooking. One of my favorite hobbies has become an obsession. Tonight I made tostones, jicama slaw, and salmon for various meals tomorrow. Day 21 Eggs with ground beef and mushrooms, sweet potato fritters, coffee and coconut milk Salmon over lettuce with broccoli and red pepper, with homemade balsamic vinaigrette Taco meat over tostones with tomatillo salsa and jicama slaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beets Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 I am finding that I crave fresh produce, so if my veggies are cooked, I want fruit. So far the fruit is not affecting my sugar monster, who is asleep. Yesterday my partner came home with donuts and apologetically informed me they'd be gone today... But I don't care, I don't have any interest in them. Great feeling, right? I am a raw veg person so when I don't have a giant salad for a few days I'm really craving it. Tonight I prepped a salad before a yoga class and stood there munching on it, dressing-less. It's amazing how sweet red peppers are tasting to me. I can't stop eating them. And all of the other flavors: the slightly bitter lettuce, the crunch and almost sour taste of cabbage. It was blowing my mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 26, 2013 Author Share Posted April 26, 2013 Yes! Salad is awesome. I was on a kale salad kick for the beginning of the year, and when I switched to Lettuces a few weeks ago I was struck by how fresh and sweet they tasted. Last night I had plans after work so I rushed home to eat my taco meat and plantains before rushing out again. I came home around 11pm and wanted to eat just because, but I wasn't actually hungry so I didn't. This is a huge change for me, a welcome one! I usually would have come home and eaten and gone immediately to bed. I wasn't hungry this morning when I woke up either. But I got up and started cooking Day 22 Eggs, smoked salmon, sweet potato hash browns, coffee with coconut milk Not sure what's lunch or dinner today... Going to run errands, including grocery store/butcher. We discovered an awesome butcher not far from us. They have a few package deals that are real bargains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 27, 2013 Author Share Posted April 27, 2013 Day 22 cont Lunch was salad with taco meat, tomato, lettuce, jicama, red pepper ; plus half an apple with some almond butter Dinner was salmon cakes, tomato cucumber, kale sauted in bacon, and sweet potato Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 27, 2013 Author Share Posted April 27, 2013 We are having Amy's family over for her mom's birthday dinner... Grilling burgers and hot dogs, doing salad and fries. I am going to make my brownie recipe, a favorite treat for everyone... And Amy also got marshmallows for the kids to roast in the fire pit. Physically I am not craving these things, but when I smelled those marshmallows I almost wanted to face plant in the bag.... Almost! But not really! They just smell do damn good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 27, 2013 Author Share Posted April 27, 2013 Day 23 I woke up feeling like the living dead this morning. Got a good 8 hours of sleep but just did not want to move! Last night as I was trying to go to sleep, the cramps in my legs were painfully distracting. The bananas were calling me. I broke down and ate one, by itself, in bed immediately before trying again to sleep. I wasn't hungry, but I knew my body wanted that potassium. And the banana did help... The cramps went away and I fell asleep. Sometimes, food=medicine, and not in the way that a brownie soothes an emotional pain. I just have to remember to take the medicine during meal times! Menu today: I don't know yet. But I have options! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 27, 2013 Author Share Posted April 27, 2013 Breakfast was eggs with red and green pepper and mushrooms, sweet potato fritters with almond butter, and coffee with coconut milk Lunch will probably be hard boiled eggs or smoked salmon with salad Dinner is grilled burgers and salad, maybe some fruit (banana!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 27, 2013 Author Share Posted April 27, 2013 Today is a horrible day. I burned the birthday brownies, and after talking with my little sister, am feeling terribly homesick. Once again, unpleasant emotions turn off any desire to eat. I put together a quick lunch of prepared-already beets, a mini cucumber, a couple slices of smoked salmon, and a soft boiled egg. The colors in the dish were comforting, but I didn't really enjoy eating even though it tasted good. I followed with a few berries with some coconut milk so I could get some fat and more fruit. Sometimes very "sunny" foods can help lift my mood, so I am waiting to see if those berries do their job. The most significant change I am seeing with this w30 is in the way I "use" food. I have always enjoyed cooking food and delighted in the textures, flavors, smells of fresh fruits and vegetables. They really are beautiful, in a way that other foods aren't, to me. But while I still have an aesthetic enjoyment of food, my body is leading me to choose meals based on what it wants to experience: if I am feeling cold and jittery, a spiced sweet potato brings warm and calm; if I am feeling sluggish or unquenchably thirsty, a piece of grapefruit makes me feel sunny and energized; if I am tired, some greens give me energy that lasts a long time. All of these little things I am noticing as a result of focusing on how my body reacts to the food I put in it. So while there is definitely an element of planning involved, there is also a spontaneity that is based not on what will feel good as I eat it, but what will make me feel good as a result of eating it. A subtle difference that is also a huge improvement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 28, 2013 Author Share Posted April 28, 2013 The party went well. We grilled burgers and hot dogs and had all the fixings, a big salad with Bibb lettuce and kale and red peppers and broccoli (artfully arranged by moi), processed crap fries and Mac n cheese for the nephews, strawberries also for the nephews. Brownies and marshmallows for the guests. The boys toasted the marshmallows over the grill. Amy's brother stuck a marshmallow in my face and tried to make me eat it. I didn't! Everyone loved the food... Even the raw kale in the salad! Grandma even asked to take some home. After dinner I asked if anyone wanted tea... Nobody did, but me. So I made myself a cup of peach detox yogi tea and within 10 seconds everyone had changed their minds... The spicy smell was very enticing! This was the first time I have made dinner for Amy's whole family, and I am so relieved it is over and they liked everything and had a great time! I am always so worried I am going to come off as weird to them because we are so different in a few big ways. I realized after they left that I hadn't eaten any fat with my burger/salad dinner, so I had half an apple with some almond butter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 28, 2013 Author Share Posted April 28, 2013 Day 24 Eggs, andouille sausage, sweet potato, green pepper, coffee with coconut milk Leftover salad and burger, avocado, balsamic/olive oil Arugula salad with fennel and orange, lamb burger, sweet potatoes, banana, almond butter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 29, 2013 Author Share Posted April 29, 2013 Day 25 Andouille sausage, plantain, coffee with coconut milk Kale, cucumber, broccoli, avocado salad with balsamic and olive oil, chicken leg and thigh Stuffed pepper casserole, apple with almond butter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 Day 26 Holy plantains, it just hit me that my w30 is almost over. Wah! I am enjoying this so much. I am not sure I want it to be over! Egg muffins with beef, portobello, onion, butternut squash, and greens; sweet potato fritters, coffee with coconut milk Kale, cucumber, broccoli, avocado, balsamic and olive oil, baked chicken Stuffed pepper casserole, strawberries and almond butter Then stiilllll hungry so I ate a piece of chicken. Probably should have had another plate of dinner instead of so many strawberries :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted May 1, 2013 Author Share Posted May 1, 2013 Day 27 Woke up angry this morning, and bloated and constipated. I was hoping the strawberries would have helped with that, but that doesn't appear to be the case. I am going to try focusing more on getting more sautéed kale in every day. I already eat it in raw form, but it's easier to eat more of when it's cooked. Egg muffins, sweet potato fritters, tomato with olive oil, coffee with coconut milk Leftover stuffed pepper casserole and a banana Kale with bacon, eggs, sweet potato, a few strawberries I am also going to try cutting the fruit and almond butter from my third meal. They don't affect the sugar monster, but they might be affecting my digestion and mood. I will try fruit at earlier meals instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitchenWitchy Posted May 2, 2013 Author Share Posted May 2, 2013 Day 28 Egg muffins, sweet potato fritters, half an apple, coffee with coconut milk Kale, cucumber, sweet pepper, broccoli, chicken, avocado, pepita salad with balsamic and olive oil Pork chops, sautéed kale, sweet potato, mushrooms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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