WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
WE WE WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
I'm thinking of the little pig with the pin wheel riding in the car (commercial). It's the last day of my Whole30 challenge, but it would seem that tomorrow will be the first day of the rest of my life of eating (and thinking about food) differently.
I told some of the ladies at work (it's hard to explain why anyone would want to eat this way) about my cavewoman diet, and so last week, I told them I would be bringing donuts to our weekly meeting in the morning. Today... I know I will still buy the donuts, but now... I don't think I will eat one.
Honestly.
(Is she fur realz?)
Yeah. I'm dead serious. We've been planning all week what our first big day off Whole30 would look like, and now all I can think is, "I don't wanna..." I don't want to ruin all my hard work. I don't want to lose my results. I don't want to go back to the way I used to feel, sluggish, the highs and lows, the doomsday naps, the upset stomachs.
For someone who never used to care about the food she was eating, worry (enough that it reflected in my diet changing) about my weight, or consider those kinds of things. I'm a little worried now that I may have created a monster... Now that I know what kind of effects I can get, I'm afraid it's going to become consuming. I've never been afraid of food the way I feel right now. Apprehensive, leary... I'm hoping tomorrow will bring some call conclusion that things will be okay, that I'll find a happy medium.
In all, I lost 2 inches from my chest, 2 inches from my waist, 1 inch from my hips, and 2 inches each from my thighs. I lost a total of about 10lbs. I have clear skin, level energy throughout the day, and a clear head. Thank you, Whole30!
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Whole30: Day 29
Ok, so it's Day 29. Day 30 is right around the corner, and after that? How to feel? I want to scream "I'm Free!" But...
Am I free? Free to eat like I want? Free to cook using the ingredients I want? Will I ever truly be 'free' to eat the same way and have the same lifestyle and mentality I had before?
Nope.
I'll forever think about pigs now, and how they are treated: http://whole9life.com/2013/01/the-conscientious-omnivore-pork/
I will always know that things that I love, like ice cream (aka dairy products) are most likely what causes my skin to break out. I'll probably also feel some major bloat and a case of the nasties after our first Post Whole30 meal. If you didn't know, we're planning a trip to Chili's. It's nowhere fancy. I just want some queso (and chips! Good lord I've missed chips) and possibly a margarita. Justin wants a Triple Dipper (appetizer). It's going to be awful. We'll probably feel gross afterwards. We might even have stomach aches. But at least we'll know, right?
That's what we're hoping for. In my mind, I'd like to continue to eat cleanly during the week, and on the weekends, allow myself to feel like a human and socialize in restaurants and not be a food 'pariah'. That's what we're hoping for, at least.
My goal is to continue losing weight and getting back to a healthy toned body. Since we've been doing Crossfit for six months, we've both made huge gains in our endurance. Heck, I could probably go out and run a 5k right now and think nothing of it, even though I haven't actually run more than a mile unbroken in the last 6 months. My hope is that continuing to eat like this will help me shed the rest of the flub while maintaining nice muscle tone. What do all the Pinterest pictures say? Skinny looks good in clothes, but strong looks good naked? My goal is to be able to agree.
And again, I love to take pictures of myself at school when I have a second. Makes me feel good about the day for whatever reason. So here is my latest 'face' change photo. It's a pretty visible and drastic change to me, but I assume much more subtle to those around me.
Am I free? Free to eat like I want? Free to cook using the ingredients I want? Will I ever truly be 'free' to eat the same way and have the same lifestyle and mentality I had before?
Nope.
I'll forever think about pigs now, and how they are treated: http://whole9life.com/2013/01/the-conscientious-omnivore-pork/
I will always know that things that I love, like ice cream (aka dairy products) are most likely what causes my skin to break out. I'll probably also feel some major bloat and a case of the nasties after our first Post Whole30 meal. If you didn't know, we're planning a trip to Chili's. It's nowhere fancy. I just want some queso (and chips! Good lord I've missed chips) and possibly a margarita. Justin wants a Triple Dipper (appetizer). It's going to be awful. We'll probably feel gross afterwards. We might even have stomach aches. But at least we'll know, right?
That's what we're hoping for. In my mind, I'd like to continue to eat cleanly during the week, and on the weekends, allow myself to feel like a human and socialize in restaurants and not be a food 'pariah'. That's what we're hoping for, at least.
My goal is to continue losing weight and getting back to a healthy toned body. Since we've been doing Crossfit for six months, we've both made huge gains in our endurance. Heck, I could probably go out and run a 5k right now and think nothing of it, even though I haven't actually run more than a mile unbroken in the last 6 months. My hope is that continuing to eat like this will help me shed the rest of the flub while maintaining nice muscle tone. What do all the Pinterest pictures say? Skinny looks good in clothes, but strong looks good naked? My goal is to be able to agree.
And again, I love to take pictures of myself at school when I have a second. Makes me feel good about the day for whatever reason. So here is my latest 'face' change photo. It's a pretty visible and drastic change to me, but I assume much more subtle to those around me.
I'm still nowhere near being back into my skinny leg jeans, but I hope that I'll get there within the next month or two. Overall, I feel a heck of a lot less lousy about myself. I think I feel kind of accomplished (but not as much as I had assumed I would, or as much as I think Justin feels). Now it's become less of an accomplishment, and more of a 'Doh! I was an idiot for not eating this way before' kind of feeling.
Breakfast:
Can you guess? :D
Nuked scrambled eggs with pico de gallo
Orange
Lunch:
Pork chop
Fresh baby carrots
Banana
*I had a bout of yawning this afternoon. I haven't done this in quite a while, so I'm starting to believe bananas just have too much sugar in them. I think I might have to stick to just a half of a banana, or get different fruit.
Dinner:
Tilapia filet
Steamed snow peas (more pod than pea, right?)
Whole30: Day 28
Well, playing catchup for Tuesday. The WOD was absolutely vicious today, for whatever reason. I felt like I was going to faint after doing the box jumps. Still have this stinky old man of a dog. He's whiny and smelly and bringing out the evil in Beau. On the plus side, I have a potential adopter who is meeting him Saturday. Let's hope he likes him!
Breakfast:
Same old
Lunch:
Chicken breast
Steamed veggies
Pear
Dinner:
Pork chops
Sauteed spinach and mushrooms
Yep. Can you tell I'm having a blah day? Since it's actually Day 29, I'm going to write that one as well.
Breakfast:
Same old
Lunch:
Chicken breast
Steamed veggies
Pear
Dinner:
Pork chops
Sauteed spinach and mushrooms
Yep. Can you tell I'm having a blah day? Since it's actually Day 29, I'm going to write that one as well.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Whole30: Day 27
I had a horrible case of the Mondays... I was sleepy and took a while to wake myself up. It was a quick food day, nothing really hard to prepare. I'm getting pretty tired of cooking for myself, although I'm still pleased with the results I see in my body and in my energy levels and my mood.
I feel like I'm probably eating too many bananas (I'm used to having a clementine after breakfast, but I haven't been able to find them at the store, so it's been bananas for us).
Breakfast:
Nuked eggs
Banana
Lunch:
Stuffed bell pepper
Raw carrots
An apple
Dinner:
Chicken breast
Steamed veggies
I feel like I'm probably eating too many bananas (I'm used to having a clementine after breakfast, but I haven't been able to find them at the store, so it's been bananas for us).
Breakfast:
Nuked eggs
Banana
Lunch:
Stuffed bell pepper
Raw carrots
An apple
Dinner:
Chicken breast
Steamed veggies
Monday, January 28, 2013
Whole30: Day 26
Well, we had a nice Sunday at the Parker house. I got up, made a big ole breakfast, we watched some TV, then made lunch. Justin went to crossfit (I stayed home, Mr. Zack had the oozy poops... not so fun to clean up after). Around 3pm, Lauren and I decided to do a little shopping. We started out at my favorite store... TJMaxx! I found an awesome rug to go in the formal living room, and I also got a white table cloth for her baby shower we'll be hosting in a few weeks.
Then we hopped over to Old Navy. I got a few things:
and this, but in a light cream color...
and some really pretty jewelry!
Then we went to JoAnn's fabric store where I picked up some card stock paper for a project for the shower. I'm thinking this:
We left JoAnn's and headed to Target. We shopped for a while, checking out their jewelry (surprisingly pricey), baby stuff, and home goods. I didn't plan to purchase anything, but on a whim, I picked up a coral colored cake stand, to use for the shower. I think it will fit the Yellow/Coral/Grey scheme we'll be using, to match her nursery.
Oh, yes, we ate food yesterday too. I got invited to go to La Huerta (my absolute favorite) to visit with Myra while she was passing through, but I had to decline... I am so close to the end of the Whole30, and all I wanted was a margarita. I knew I would slip up somehow.
Breakfast:
Banana/egg pancakes (honestly, you can't eat scrambled eggs everyday... I needed a new presentation)
Turkey patty, spinach
Lunch:
Chicken sliced in small pieces and cooked in coconut oil
Carrots and cherry tomatoes
Dinner:
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Whole30: Day 25
Trying to keep chugging away, but I'm getting less and less creative with my meals/flavors.
Had a lot to do today, went to a baby shower, came home starving and tired, so the nap won over (first nap I've taken in 20 days), and woke up starving, to go to the grocery store. Picked up some necessities, but no bacon (boo!) so I substituted it for some pancetta. I'm thinking of wrapping pear slices with it. Fancy!
Breakfast:
Frittata with spinach and applegate sausage
Lunch:
Um.......
Dinner:
Turkey burger patty
Sweet potato fries
Yeah, no wonder why I needed a nap midday.
Had a lot to do today, went to a baby shower, came home starving and tired, so the nap won over (first nap I've taken in 20 days), and woke up starving, to go to the grocery store. Picked up some necessities, but no bacon (boo!) so I substituted it for some pancetta. I'm thinking of wrapping pear slices with it. Fancy!
Breakfast:
Frittata with spinach and applegate sausage
Lunch:
Um.......
Dinner:
Turkey burger patty
Sweet potato fries
Yeah, no wonder why I needed a nap midday.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Whole30: Day 24
The day from Hades...
So we're fostering Zack right? Well, I thought I'd be nice and let all of the dogs out this morning, instead of letting Justin do it - back track: I have forever and always gotten up early to let the dogs out. We start doing the Whole30, and so I can have time to make breakfast and get lunches ready, Justin has started taking them out - I thought I would take them out to be sweet.
Bad idea. Beau stopped to poop on another bush, and instead of shaking his booty and coming on in, he apparently decided to go for a country romp. It took two cars and an entire hour of driving around just to find the stupid dog. Honestly, I cannot WAIT for our fence to be finished. Beau is a jerk.
Lots of yelling and screaming and crying later, and Justin left with his breakfast and I stayed to mop myself up and head to work.
Let's just say, I was beyond having an appetite at that moment in time. As the day continued, I could tell I was going to have a serious tension headache, and my stomach was still in knots, so I didn't feel like eating what I brought for lunch either. By the time I got home, I was near to throwing up because the headache was so bad. I got some medicine and finally found some relief by the time the WOD came around. It was a sprint WOD today, but man, 40 pushups in a row at the end are killer!
Breakfast:
Intentions - egg scramble with steak, clementine
Reality - half a clementine (it tasted funny) and some almonds
Lunch:
Intentions - egg scramble with steak (still uneaten from breakfast)
Reality - nothing
Dinner:
Fish filet and salad
Was that enough? No way. Did I feel good yesterday? Not by half. Am I glad it's Saturday? Thanking the good lord. Am I going to buy bacon today?
You bet your socks I am.
So we're fostering Zack right? Well, I thought I'd be nice and let all of the dogs out this morning, instead of letting Justin do it - back track: I have forever and always gotten up early to let the dogs out. We start doing the Whole30, and so I can have time to make breakfast and get lunches ready, Justin has started taking them out - I thought I would take them out to be sweet.
Bad idea. Beau stopped to poop on another bush, and instead of shaking his booty and coming on in, he apparently decided to go for a country romp. It took two cars and an entire hour of driving around just to find the stupid dog. Honestly, I cannot WAIT for our fence to be finished. Beau is a jerk.
Lots of yelling and screaming and crying later, and Justin left with his breakfast and I stayed to mop myself up and head to work.
Let's just say, I was beyond having an appetite at that moment in time. As the day continued, I could tell I was going to have a serious tension headache, and my stomach was still in knots, so I didn't feel like eating what I brought for lunch either. By the time I got home, I was near to throwing up because the headache was so bad. I got some medicine and finally found some relief by the time the WOD came around. It was a sprint WOD today, but man, 40 pushups in a row at the end are killer!
Breakfast:
Intentions - egg scramble with steak, clementine
Reality - half a clementine (it tasted funny) and some almonds
Lunch:
Intentions - egg scramble with steak (still uneaten from breakfast)
Reality - nothing
Dinner:
Fish filet and salad
Was that enough? No way. Did I feel good yesterday? Not by half. Am I glad it's Saturday? Thanking the good lord. Am I going to buy bacon today?
You bet your socks I am.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Whole30: Day 23
Things are really just par for the course now. I'm still in the 'just a few days left' mode, but at the same time, in the back of my head, I know I'm going to continue to eat this way for the most part, so I really need to start building a repetoire of recipes. I've been pretty lax lately. Not to mention, I had a stressful day...
We've had a dog in rescue for a while, this poor old guy, and no one would foster him. He was stuck in boarding for months (blugh...) and we finally thought we had it made with a foster in Fayetteville, but that fell through when Gentleman Zack attacked the cat 0.2 seconds into his foster home...
Sooooo... 3 weeks of boarding later, and the boarding facility said he must go. This minute. Awesome. Where does that leave him? With us. Our house is last chance sun dance for rescue dogs. I always tell myself, if I can't handle them, no one else in their right mind would want to try. So I go pick up the big lug and bring him home.
Big lug indeed. Think Hooch in GSP form. Really, he's not that bad. Kind of whiney, but he's house trained (and in my book that makes him better than half of my previous fosters). I could care less if he snaps at Beau from time to time. Beau certainly deserves it, the jerk. He's a big goofy boy who likes to act like my shadow around the house and cuddle close. Totally fine with me :) He also knows what scolding is (and for a big guy with a sharp mouth and big paws, stopping whatever he's doing when you start to raise your voice is a must). Yep, all good qualities, if you ask me.
Of course, since I had just brought him home, I didn't have a lot of time to spend with him, so I stayed home from CF (even though I was really looking forward to the WOD). It also left me a little perplexed when planning dinner. In swoops Justin the dinner maker! Saving us from a doomed dinner by grabbing steaks and sweet potatoes. He's one heck of a husband :)
Breakfast:
Same old, nuked eggs with additives
Half a banana
Lunch:
Green beans
Chicken/turkey sausage
Dinner:
Delicious Steak
Fantastic Sweet Potato
*Meals taste wonderfully when you don't have to make them yourself!
We've had a dog in rescue for a while, this poor old guy, and no one would foster him. He was stuck in boarding for months (blugh...) and we finally thought we had it made with a foster in Fayetteville, but that fell through when Gentleman Zack attacked the cat 0.2 seconds into his foster home...
Sooooo... 3 weeks of boarding later, and the boarding facility said he must go. This minute. Awesome. Where does that leave him? With us. Our house is last chance sun dance for rescue dogs. I always tell myself, if I can't handle them, no one else in their right mind would want to try. So I go pick up the big lug and bring him home.
Big lug indeed. Think Hooch in GSP form. Really, he's not that bad. Kind of whiney, but he's house trained (and in my book that makes him better than half of my previous fosters). I could care less if he snaps at Beau from time to time. Beau certainly deserves it, the jerk. He's a big goofy boy who likes to act like my shadow around the house and cuddle close. Totally fine with me :) He also knows what scolding is (and for a big guy with a sharp mouth and big paws, stopping whatever he's doing when you start to raise your voice is a must). Yep, all good qualities, if you ask me.
Of course, since I had just brought him home, I didn't have a lot of time to spend with him, so I stayed home from CF (even though I was really looking forward to the WOD). It also left me a little perplexed when planning dinner. In swoops Justin the dinner maker! Saving us from a doomed dinner by grabbing steaks and sweet potatoes. He's one heck of a husband :)
Breakfast:
Same old, nuked eggs with additives
Half a banana
Lunch:
Green beans
Chicken/turkey sausage
Dinner:
Delicious Steak
Fantastic Sweet Potato
*Meals taste wonderfully when you don't have to make them yourself!
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Whole30: Day 22
Well, the lesson I learned today... I think I am not ready to say goodbye to things like mac'n'cheese. They are still, even after this experience, too special :) I haven't yet rid myself of that need to eat 'like a normal person'. It may take eating mostly Paleo, and possibly a few more Whole30's before I get to that point.
In the meantime, I weighed myself this morning (Day 23 in actuality) and I weighed 135.6!!!
That's 9.2lbs in 22 days. I'm pretty stoked. I'm excited to keep going and learning more about Paleo and making recipes. I'm thrilled at the idea that I can know exactly what's in everything I eat. I don't have to put my health in someone else's hands.
So food today (and sorry for the lack of pictures, food is just fuel, no need to glorify it lol):
Breakfast:
Nuked scrambled eggs with tomatoes and spinach
Clementine
Lunch:
Leftover meatloaf
Green beans
A dried apricot for good measure
WOD was pretty arm intense last night, but not a bad workout. I felt good the entire time, although still struggling with dry mouth/throat (from my knee medicine, I've finally figured out).
Dinner:
Salmon filet
Spinach salad with red bell pepper
Sauteed Squash
In the meantime, I weighed myself this morning (Day 23 in actuality) and I weighed 135.6!!!
That's 9.2lbs in 22 days. I'm pretty stoked. I'm excited to keep going and learning more about Paleo and making recipes. I'm thrilled at the idea that I can know exactly what's in everything I eat. I don't have to put my health in someone else's hands.
So food today (and sorry for the lack of pictures, food is just fuel, no need to glorify it lol):
Breakfast:
Nuked scrambled eggs with tomatoes and spinach
Clementine
Lunch:
Leftover meatloaf
Green beans
A dried apricot for good measure
WOD was pretty arm intense last night, but not a bad workout. I felt good the entire time, although still struggling with dry mouth/throat (from my knee medicine, I've finally figured out).
Dinner:
Salmon filet
Spinach salad with red bell pepper
Sauteed Squash
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Whole30: Day 21
Blarg. Hate this diet. Ready to be done. Let's just go to Sonic!
These are the things you think when you forget to thaw out the meat for dinner. Dinner doesn't happen until almost 9pm, and you're 9 hours away from your last meal. And you're mad. And you're hungry.
And IF THIS MEATLOAF DOESN'T COOK ITSELF IN 10 MINUTES, I'M GOING TO EAT SOMETHING I SHOULDN'T!
Yeah, we're glad it's Day 21, but we were hoping it was more like Day 29.
I'm going to have to make a more concerted effort to make sure everything is prepped before I start to get really hungry.
Breakfast:
Egg scramble
Clementine
Lunch:
Applegate beef hot dog
Spinach salad with tomatoes
Dinner:
Meatloaf
Sauteed Green beans
Roasted carrots
These are the things you think when you forget to thaw out the meat for dinner. Dinner doesn't happen until almost 9pm, and you're 9 hours away from your last meal. And you're mad. And you're hungry.
And IF THIS MEATLOAF DOESN'T COOK ITSELF IN 10 MINUTES, I'M GOING TO EAT SOMETHING I SHOULDN'T!
Yeah, we're glad it's Day 21, but we were hoping it was more like Day 29.
I'm going to have to make a more concerted effort to make sure everything is prepped before I start to get really hungry.
Breakfast:
Egg scramble
Clementine
Lunch:
Applegate beef hot dog
Spinach salad with tomatoes
Dinner:
Meatloaf
Sauteed Green beans
Roasted carrots
Whole30: Day 20
Well, we're that much closer to being done with our Whole30. Things are going well, and while we're definitely ready to be done so we can have something different (different flavor, texture, etc), we're also looking ahead to how we will eat in the future.
My goal would be to continue to eat this way during the week and on weekends, but Justin and I have both decided to regain our social lives, we need to allow ourselves at least two meals out on the weekends. We miss people!
I like the way I feel and the results I see too much to go back to noshing on bread and cheese all the time, but I will add in hints of dairy now and then. Or if I want to make a special dessert. Those kinds of things. I really do miss cooking the way I'd like to. What was bad before the diet: I hated to cook. Now, it's become a habit, and I'd rather cook.
I will, however, not rejoin the Coke drinkers of the world. I've found I have absolutely no need for it. Or sweet tea. Or orange juice. Water is just fine. Really. I had a friend growing up who would refuse to drink water (I think we were 8). Hanging out at her house, she would only drink sweet tea, soda, or capri suns. One time I asked her why she wouldn't just want water, and she told me - flat out - that she was allergic to water. Even at 8, my brain knew better. Our bodies are made up of so much water. That's absurd. And I told her so.
I wasn't very good at keeping friends :)
My food rundown...
Breakfast:
Scrambled eggs with red bell pepper
Half a banana
Lunch:
Crockpot remnants
Dinner:
Naked juice (not Whole30)
Chicken thigh cooked in coconut oil
Sauteed spinach and cherry tomatoes
The WOD today was a tough 17 minute long EMOM but not to be outdone, we followed it up with a sprint of 21-15-9 of single arm sumo dead lift high pulls (21 for each arm) and pushups where we had to lift our hands off the floor. My back is going to be screaming...
My goal would be to continue to eat this way during the week and on weekends, but Justin and I have both decided to regain our social lives, we need to allow ourselves at least two meals out on the weekends. We miss people!
I like the way I feel and the results I see too much to go back to noshing on bread and cheese all the time, but I will add in hints of dairy now and then. Or if I want to make a special dessert. Those kinds of things. I really do miss cooking the way I'd like to. What was bad before the diet: I hated to cook. Now, it's become a habit, and I'd rather cook.
I will, however, not rejoin the Coke drinkers of the world. I've found I have absolutely no need for it. Or sweet tea. Or orange juice. Water is just fine. Really. I had a friend growing up who would refuse to drink water (I think we were 8). Hanging out at her house, she would only drink sweet tea, soda, or capri suns. One time I asked her why she wouldn't just want water, and she told me - flat out - that she was allergic to water. Even at 8, my brain knew better. Our bodies are made up of so much water. That's absurd. And I told her so.
I wasn't very good at keeping friends :)
My food rundown...
Breakfast:
Scrambled eggs with red bell pepper
Half a banana
Lunch:
Crockpot remnants
Dinner:
Naked juice (not Whole30)
Chicken thigh cooked in coconut oil
Sauteed spinach and cherry tomatoes
The WOD today was a tough 17 minute long EMOM but not to be outdone, we followed it up with a sprint of 21-15-9 of single arm sumo dead lift high pulls (21 for each arm) and pushups where we had to lift our hands off the floor. My back is going to be screaming...
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Whole30: Day 19
Well, 19 days down. 11 more to go.
I'm really excited about getting to cook with more ingredients once the Whole30 is over. I would be for the most part ok with eating Paleo after this, but I just want to be able to stretch my cooking 'wings'. It feels pretty cramped here in this little Whole30 box. I think the next time I do the Whole30, I'll be able to make more interesting meals, but for now I've been trying to make typical meals in a better way.
Chicken fauxjitas. Spaghetti squash and meatballs. Fish tacos without the taco. So far everything has been great. No real complaints with the actual food. Like tonight's roast... it was great!
I did a slow cooker pot roast with venison neck (really tender after 5 hours). I threw in some onion, carrot, celery, and some spices, etc etc. It was awesome, surprisingly, because 1) I've never made a roast, 2) I've never made one in a slow cooker, and 3) neck roast is typically very tough and stringy.
Things should go pretty smoothly this week food wise. I'll do some more shopping and menu planning tomorrow. I'm thinking about doing some salmon cakes. They look delicious (nom nom's blog). But by the end of the week, things may get a little bumpy. We've remained rather reclusive during this endeavor. It's honestly been the easiest way to eat so restrictively. This weekend, though, we have some big things on the agenda: one birthday party Friday evening, and then Paint the Town Red on Saturday night. Obviously we'll just have to eat first and drink water the rest of the time. It won't be too entirely pleasant, that's for sure.
Although, on the bright side, there are some Paleo options once we do get done with our Whole30. Some wines are considered Paleo, as well as some hard ciders (gluten free ones). To make me feel even worse, we went to TJMaxx on Friday night, and Justin bought me stemless wine glasses. SERIOUSLY?? Why do I need these now?!
Sheesh.
Ok who gives a hoot really? What did I eat today? Well, it was a lazy cooking day for me.
Breakfast:
Rest of the spaghetti leftovers
Bacon
Lunch:
Chicken fauxjitas from last night
Some guacamole
Dinner:
Venison roast with onions, carrots, celery
On a bed of Spaghetti squash
Justin went to the WOD today. Lots of running and knee jarring stuff. All of it sounds like fun, but my knee just needs to rest (and it kills me).
I'm really excited about getting to cook with more ingredients once the Whole30 is over. I would be for the most part ok with eating Paleo after this, but I just want to be able to stretch my cooking 'wings'. It feels pretty cramped here in this little Whole30 box. I think the next time I do the Whole30, I'll be able to make more interesting meals, but for now I've been trying to make typical meals in a better way.
Chicken fauxjitas. Spaghetti squash and meatballs. Fish tacos without the taco. So far everything has been great. No real complaints with the actual food. Like tonight's roast... it was great!
I did a slow cooker pot roast with venison neck (really tender after 5 hours). I threw in some onion, carrot, celery, and some spices, etc etc. It was awesome, surprisingly, because 1) I've never made a roast, 2) I've never made one in a slow cooker, and 3) neck roast is typically very tough and stringy.
Things should go pretty smoothly this week food wise. I'll do some more shopping and menu planning tomorrow. I'm thinking about doing some salmon cakes. They look delicious (nom nom's blog). But by the end of the week, things may get a little bumpy. We've remained rather reclusive during this endeavor. It's honestly been the easiest way to eat so restrictively. This weekend, though, we have some big things on the agenda: one birthday party Friday evening, and then Paint the Town Red on Saturday night. Obviously we'll just have to eat first and drink water the rest of the time. It won't be too entirely pleasant, that's for sure.
Although, on the bright side, there are some Paleo options once we do get done with our Whole30. Some wines are considered Paleo, as well as some hard ciders (gluten free ones). To make me feel even worse, we went to TJMaxx on Friday night, and Justin bought me stemless wine glasses. SERIOUSLY?? Why do I need these now?!
Sheesh.
Ok who gives a hoot really? What did I eat today? Well, it was a lazy cooking day for me.
Breakfast:
Rest of the spaghetti leftovers
Bacon
Lunch:
Chicken fauxjitas from last night
Some guacamole
Dinner:
Venison roast with onions, carrots, celery
On a bed of Spaghetti squash
Justin went to the WOD today. Lots of running and knee jarring stuff. All of it sounds like fun, but my knee just needs to rest (and it kills me).
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Whole30: Day 18
Wow. 12 days left in this Whole30 business.
Wine.
Chocolate.
Ice cream.
I've even started a Pinterest board - "Things I'll Eat After My Whole30".
Do you know how great thinking about all of these things is?
Awful.
Honestly, I'm doing myself no favors by focusing on the things I can't have now that I think I should get to have when I'm 'finished'. Justin and I have spent the last few days thinking what our big first 'meal' will be off of Whole30. Chili's? Olive Garden? Margaritas & Mexican? It's kind of like we're sabotaging ourselves. We should focus more on how we'll continue to eat well and fuel our bodies in natural and healthier ways.
Yeah yeah yeah... ICE CREAM!
Today's meals:
Breakfast:
Sweet potato hash
Bacon (meat candy! I used to absolutely hate bacon. Get the uncured kind. It's delicious)
Reheated meatball from last night
Pear
Team WOD @ Crossfit today, and I felt fairly well fueled.
Lunch: (the devil made me do it)
BURGER LIFE! Our first (and probably only) eating out excursion on Whole30... and I didn't feel to awesome about it, although it was tasty.
Turkey patty with spring mix salad, olives, roasted tomatoes, grilled pineapple, sauteed mushrooms and onions. It was awesome.
* For whatever reason, lunch made me sleepy. I wasted away the afternoon, and into the evening, even though I was getting hungry again, I was struggling to decide what to make. It was like eating out once had sucked the creative life out of me. So after an hour of reading through NomNomPaleo's blog, I felt re-engergized and ready to cook.
Dinner:
Chicken fauxjitas with onions and red and green bell peppers
Homemade guacamole
Wine.
Chocolate.
Ice cream.
I've even started a Pinterest board - "Things I'll Eat After My Whole30".
Do you know how great thinking about all of these things is?
Awful.
Honestly, I'm doing myself no favors by focusing on the things I can't have now that I think I should get to have when I'm 'finished'. Justin and I have spent the last few days thinking what our big first 'meal' will be off of Whole30. Chili's? Olive Garden? Margaritas & Mexican? It's kind of like we're sabotaging ourselves. We should focus more on how we'll continue to eat well and fuel our bodies in natural and healthier ways.
Yeah yeah yeah... ICE CREAM!
Today's meals:
Breakfast:
Sweet potato hash
Bacon (meat candy! I used to absolutely hate bacon. Get the uncured kind. It's delicious)
Reheated meatball from last night
Pear
Team WOD @ Crossfit today, and I felt fairly well fueled.
Lunch: (the devil made me do it)
BURGER LIFE! Our first (and probably only) eating out excursion on Whole30... and I didn't feel to awesome about it, although it was tasty.
Turkey patty with spring mix salad, olives, roasted tomatoes, grilled pineapple, sauteed mushrooms and onions. It was awesome.
* For whatever reason, lunch made me sleepy. I wasted away the afternoon, and into the evening, even though I was getting hungry again, I was struggling to decide what to make. It was like eating out once had sucked the creative life out of me. So after an hour of reading through NomNomPaleo's blog, I felt re-engergized and ready to cook.
Dinner:
Chicken fauxjitas with onions and red and green bell peppers
Homemade guacamole
Note to self, buy more bacon.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Whole30: Day 17
Spaghetti squash is the COOLEST thing EVER.
It's true.
All of these Paleo folks are saying spaghetti squash this, spaghetti squash that. I thought it must just be squash they use some particular unknown and fancy kitchen tool with to obtain these results.
Nope.
Spaghetti squash is named because that's exactly what it is. I followed NomnomPaleo's advice: first I cut my squash in half (ok, Justin cut it; no easy feat).
Then I took one half, put it in a casserole dish, slathered some melted ghee on the inside, and placed it face down in the dish. I covered it with a lid, leaving a gap for steam to escape. 10 minutes in the microwave, and it was done. I waited a bit for it to cool enough to handle, grabbed my fork, and went to town! Literally, it just shreds like spaghetti. You just pull down the sides and then scoop it out.
Nuts, right?
And it makes an absolute ton. In a separate set of dishes my little kitchen elves will spend cleaning and scrubbing later, I also made some tomato sauce (whole tomatoes, onions, garlic, italian spices, mushrooms, and organic tomato paste) and some meatballs.
The end result:
It's true.
All of these Paleo folks are saying spaghetti squash this, spaghetti squash that. I thought it must just be squash they use some particular unknown and fancy kitchen tool with to obtain these results.
Nope.
Spaghetti squash is named because that's exactly what it is. I followed NomnomPaleo's advice: first I cut my squash in half (ok, Justin cut it; no easy feat).
Then I took one half, put it in a casserole dish, slathered some melted ghee on the inside, and placed it face down in the dish. I covered it with a lid, leaving a gap for steam to escape. 10 minutes in the microwave, and it was done. I waited a bit for it to cool enough to handle, grabbed my fork, and went to town! Literally, it just shreds like spaghetti. You just pull down the sides and then scoop it out.
Nuts, right?
And it makes an absolute ton. In a separate set of dishes my little kitchen elves will spend cleaning and scrubbing later, I also made some tomato sauce (whole tomatoes, onions, garlic, italian spices, mushrooms, and organic tomato paste) and some meatballs.
The end result:
Yep. I'm stinkin' full. Justin is incredibly full. We're both so full, neither of us is reaching for the fruit bowl (which has been an after dinner tradition throughout our Whole30). There's something to be said about eating enough vegetables during a meal.
On another awesome note, I weighed 136 today, and to top that, I fit into a pair of shorts that I haven't worn since we went to Wakarusa in 2011. Of course, then I weighed more like 132. So what's different now? Crossfit has allowed my body to reshape itself and gain more muscle, so my 136 right now looks much more like 130 of my old body. I also tried on my bridesmaid dress that I wore for Jacqueline's wedding last September, when we had just started Crossfit. It was a size 8, and I barely squeezed into it then (it was really embarrassing). Today, it was very loose!
So what else did I eat today? Obviously I enjoyed my dinner!
Breakfast:
Nuked egg scramble with Applegate chicken sausage and pico de gallo
Orange
Lunch:
Applegate hot dog
Bed of spinach
Guacamole
Pear
(I don't want to, but I should put this in here... Something from lunch made me sick - not sure what - but I was ill for the rest of the afternoon)
Dinner:
Spaghetti squash with tomato sauce and meatballs
It's an off day for Crossfit, but man, something tells me if I had eaten spaghetti squash before a workout, I wouldn't feel wimpy AT ALL!
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Whole30: Day 16
Spankin' it!
That's how I'm treating this thing :)
Things were starting to look a little meager in the fridge department this morning, so I had to make a mental note to do some grocery shopping this afternoon. Still feeling pretty good about the food choices, but I can tell when I need more of something (like veggies).
So after work, I hopped over to Ozark Natural Food Store and stocked up on some tasty Applegate Farm products... nom nom nom. I purchased some chicken/turkey sausage and some of their beef hot dogs (delish!). I also on a whim got some bacon. I have Saturday plans... mwah hah hah.
Grocery bill? Almost $50 (the meat plus some other odds and ends)
Then later, I went to Harp's for the rest of the groceries. I came home with tons of produce, plus chicken thighs, chicken breast (2 sets), and 2lbs ground beef (2 sets). They were having a big sale, pick 5 for $25, and it was quite the bargain!
(wow, am I my mother's child?)
Wanna see my fridge?
So what did I eat today?
Breakfast:
Nuked scrambled eggs with pico de gallo
Orange
Lunch:
Wuh wuh...
Leftovers from last night, but without the spinach salad part. Not so amazing.
Apple
Dinner:
(fabulosity)
Applegate Farms hot dog
Sauteed Squash
Stuffed Mushrooms (mushroom stems + cauliflower + ghee)
My very own guacamole (1 avocado + pico de gallo + lime)
I'm really stinking full and really stinking happy. I still have my slip moments. On the way home from Harp's I instinctively wanted to run through Sonic and grab a Coke for the ride home... Usually not something I do as a habit, but my brain wasn't thinking clearly.
That's how I'm treating this thing :)
Things were starting to look a little meager in the fridge department this morning, so I had to make a mental note to do some grocery shopping this afternoon. Still feeling pretty good about the food choices, but I can tell when I need more of something (like veggies).
So after work, I hopped over to Ozark Natural Food Store and stocked up on some tasty Applegate Farm products... nom nom nom. I purchased some chicken/turkey sausage and some of their beef hot dogs (delish!). I also on a whim got some bacon. I have Saturday plans... mwah hah hah.
Grocery bill? Almost $50 (the meat plus some other odds and ends)
Then later, I went to Harp's for the rest of the groceries. I came home with tons of produce, plus chicken thighs, chicken breast (2 sets), and 2lbs ground beef (2 sets). They were having a big sale, pick 5 for $25, and it was quite the bargain!
(wow, am I my mother's child?)
Wanna see my fridge?
It's all full of yummy nom noms now!
So what did I eat today?
Breakfast:
Nuked scrambled eggs with pico de gallo
Orange
Lunch:
Wuh wuh...
Leftovers from last night, but without the spinach salad part. Not so amazing.
Apple
Dinner:
(fabulosity)
Applegate Farms hot dog
Sauteed Squash
Stuffed Mushrooms (mushroom stems + cauliflower + ghee)
My very own guacamole (1 avocado + pico de gallo + lime)
I'm really stinking full and really stinking happy. I still have my slip moments. On the way home from Harp's I instinctively wanted to run through Sonic and grab a Coke for the ride home... Usually not something I do as a habit, but my brain wasn't thinking clearly.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Whole30: Day 15
Finally up to speed!
Speaking of speed, my mind is really clicking along! I feel great all day, as long as I give myself enough to eat. Like this morning, I didn't really eat enough, and by 10:30 my stomach was rumbling (first time it's done that in 15 days). I was really tired this morning (I had a cracked out dream that left me a little sleepy), so I didn't feel like cooking. That being said, I still went ahead and made Justin a nukable scramble, with 3 eggs and my fresh pico de gallo, and cooked it up before he ran out the door (since I didn't have a lid lol).
I can really tell a difference in my body - my pants that I had to buy to fit my size 10 behind (good lord, I remember the day when I considered my 4's my fat pants... shudder) are fitting loosely now, not just in the tummy area, but the rear and thighs as well. My shirts are fitting a little less snuggly too. And I've also dropped about a lb a day for the last 3 days. I weighed myself this morning, and I was at 138.2!
Honestly, I haven't been under 140 since last summer, and I've really struggled with that fact. I actually gained 5 lbs when we started doing Crossfit (although it was all muscle, it still psyched me out).
Besides the weight, my face is still very clear and in my mind radiant. I don't feel as gross after workouts. I just in general have a better mood and outlook.
Check out the difference in my face just from last fall to today (Yes, I take frequent pictures of myself at work. No clue why, but apparently it comes in handy). My teeth are actually brighter too (less red wine).
Justin however is really the one that shows the changes the best. As they say, looking good is 10% gym and 90% diet. Well, he broke his arm in early November, and so many of the Crossfit workout moves were off limits to him. That meant he had to substitute, and more often than not those substitutions were some kind of ab movement. Needless to say, you could tell his midsection was firming up, but I had no clue just how nicely until we started the Whole30. He's lost probably 8 lbs, and his abs are RIPPED!
I may post a picture later. It's pretty amazing. I'd hate to show pre-post photos and have people say, oh wow! Whole30 gives you great abs! Because no, no it doesn't. Working out hard every day and doing 80 GHD situps and flytraps a day gives you great abs. Eating the way we are on the Whole30 just helped to 'unveil' them :)
So, Breakfast:
Egg scramble
half a banana
Lunch:
Chicken Drumstick
Steamed broccoli, carrots, cauliflower
Snack:
Sliced meat
Almonds
Went to our WOD at 6:30... I was gassed almost immediately. I'm still not having the kinds of feelings during workouts that I want to, that I was used to. I miss feel powerful during a workout. Today's WOD Part I was an EMOM of 5 front squats and then 10 bar facing burpees. After the 5 front squats, my heart was already racing. Fast forward to minute 6, and I was seeing black spots in front of my eyes. I finished but just barely.
WOD Part II was even more brutal... 100 air squats, 100 push presses (I only did the bar... only heh), and 100 Double Unders (or in my case 200 singles). It took me 16 minutes... Far too long, if you ask me. I was shaking the whole drive home.
And of course, cooking dinner meant I needed to clean the kitchen. Damn I never knew putting away dishes could hurt so bad. I had to eat two dried apricots just to be able to cook.
Dinner:
Good god, dinner...
Tilapia filet
Huge spinach salad
Topped with Shrimp/almonds/onions/roasted red peppers
I'm finally happy and back on the sofa with my puppies. Time to ice the knee and get to bed.
Speaking of speed, my mind is really clicking along! I feel great all day, as long as I give myself enough to eat. Like this morning, I didn't really eat enough, and by 10:30 my stomach was rumbling (first time it's done that in 15 days). I was really tired this morning (I had a cracked out dream that left me a little sleepy), so I didn't feel like cooking. That being said, I still went ahead and made Justin a nukable scramble, with 3 eggs and my fresh pico de gallo, and cooked it up before he ran out the door (since I didn't have a lid lol).
I can really tell a difference in my body - my pants that I had to buy to fit my size 10 behind (good lord, I remember the day when I considered my 4's my fat pants... shudder) are fitting loosely now, not just in the tummy area, but the rear and thighs as well. My shirts are fitting a little less snuggly too. And I've also dropped about a lb a day for the last 3 days. I weighed myself this morning, and I was at 138.2!
Honestly, I haven't been under 140 since last summer, and I've really struggled with that fact. I actually gained 5 lbs when we started doing Crossfit (although it was all muscle, it still psyched me out).
Besides the weight, my face is still very clear and in my mind radiant. I don't feel as gross after workouts. I just in general have a better mood and outlook.
Check out the difference in my face just from last fall to today (Yes, I take frequent pictures of myself at work. No clue why, but apparently it comes in handy). My teeth are actually brighter too (less red wine).
Justin however is really the one that shows the changes the best. As they say, looking good is 10% gym and 90% diet. Well, he broke his arm in early November, and so many of the Crossfit workout moves were off limits to him. That meant he had to substitute, and more often than not those substitutions were some kind of ab movement. Needless to say, you could tell his midsection was firming up, but I had no clue just how nicely until we started the Whole30. He's lost probably 8 lbs, and his abs are RIPPED!
I may post a picture later. It's pretty amazing. I'd hate to show pre-post photos and have people say, oh wow! Whole30 gives you great abs! Because no, no it doesn't. Working out hard every day and doing 80 GHD situps and flytraps a day gives you great abs. Eating the way we are on the Whole30 just helped to 'unveil' them :)
So, Breakfast:
Egg scramble
half a banana
Lunch:
Chicken Drumstick
Steamed broccoli, carrots, cauliflower
Snack:
Sliced meat
Almonds
Went to our WOD at 6:30... I was gassed almost immediately. I'm still not having the kinds of feelings during workouts that I want to, that I was used to. I miss feel powerful during a workout. Today's WOD Part I was an EMOM of 5 front squats and then 10 bar facing burpees. After the 5 front squats, my heart was already racing. Fast forward to minute 6, and I was seeing black spots in front of my eyes. I finished but just barely.
WOD Part II was even more brutal... 100 air squats, 100 push presses (I only did the bar... only heh), and 100 Double Unders (or in my case 200 singles). It took me 16 minutes... Far too long, if you ask me. I was shaking the whole drive home.
And of course, cooking dinner meant I needed to clean the kitchen. Damn I never knew putting away dishes could hurt so bad. I had to eat two dried apricots just to be able to cook.
Dinner:
Good god, dinner...
Tilapia filet
Huge spinach salad
Topped with Shrimp/almonds/onions/roasted red peppers
I'm finally happy and back on the sofa with my puppies. Time to ice the knee and get to bed.
Whole30: Day 14
Still stuck on recap!
Tuesday was Day 14. Still feeling great. I came home, pumped about getting some rescue stuff done, and then I had a quick snack, and we went to Crossfit. I forgot my knee brace, and of course, I tweaked it again. Still causing me some twinges today...
Breakfast:
(on the run)
Slices of meat
Orange
Justin - I sent Justin to work with a tupperware of uncooked eggs (yolks/whites) and topped with spinach. He nuked it in the microwave (only needs about 1 minute 30 seconds), and the eggs cook completely! Voila, no fuss for me.
Lunch:
Leftover chicken n dumplings (but the chicken was mostly gone, so I added some leftover pork for protein)
Apple
Dinner:
Chicken drumsticks cajun style
Steamed veggies (broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower)
This has been a very unexciting food week for me. I will really need to revamp and recharge my meal plan for next week.
Tuesday was Day 14. Still feeling great. I came home, pumped about getting some rescue stuff done, and then I had a quick snack, and we went to Crossfit. I forgot my knee brace, and of course, I tweaked it again. Still causing me some twinges today...
Breakfast:
(on the run)
Slices of meat
Orange
Justin - I sent Justin to work with a tupperware of uncooked eggs (yolks/whites) and topped with spinach. He nuked it in the microwave (only needs about 1 minute 30 seconds), and the eggs cook completely! Voila, no fuss for me.
Lunch:
Leftover chicken n dumplings (but the chicken was mostly gone, so I added some leftover pork for protein)
Apple
Dinner:
Chicken drumsticks cajun style
Steamed veggies (broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower)
This has been a very unexciting food week for me. I will really need to revamp and recharge my meal plan for next week.
Whole30: Day 13
RECAP!
Ok, so it's already really Day 15 for me, so that means I need to recap the last few days.
Monday was Day 13. Woot woot!
Breakfast:
Scrambled eggs
banana
(not enough veggies)
Lunch:
Pork tenderloin
Asparagus
Dinner:
Chicken n' dumplings (without the dumplings)
Veggies included tons of carrots, celery, and onions
Yum! It's my favorite comfort food.
Ok, so it's already really Day 15 for me, so that means I need to recap the last few days.
Monday was Day 13. Woot woot!
Breakfast:
Scrambled eggs
banana
(not enough veggies)
Lunch:
Pork tenderloin
Asparagus
Dinner:
Chicken n' dumplings (without the dumplings)
Veggies included tons of carrots, celery, and onions
Yum! It's my favorite comfort food.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Whole30: Day 12
Who said it was supposed to get easier?!
Get them over here right now.
I'm going to beat them.
The cravings for both of us reared their ugly heads today. We had a huge breakfast, but Justin was still gassed at this workout. We had a delicious and satisfying lunch, but walking through Walmart almost killed us. We had the most perfect dinner, but all we wanted was to drag ourselves to the nearest Sonic for ice cream.
What's that all about?!
Today (shhh, writing on Day13), I've stabilized. Perhaps my palate is just getting too used to whatever I'm feeding it. I figured maybe I needed to spice things up, so I bought some pico de gallo (freshly made, nothing unPaleo). Hopefully it will be the thing that helps.
Breakfast:
Frittata with red bell peppers and mushrooms
Half a hamburger patty
Clementine
Lunch:
Spice rubbed ribs
Steamed carrots and broccoli
Get them over here right now.
I'm going to beat them.
The cravings for both of us reared their ugly heads today. We had a huge breakfast, but Justin was still gassed at this workout. We had a delicious and satisfying lunch, but walking through Walmart almost killed us. We had the most perfect dinner, but all we wanted was to drag ourselves to the nearest Sonic for ice cream.
What's that all about?!
Today (shhh, writing on Day13), I've stabilized. Perhaps my palate is just getting too used to whatever I'm feeding it. I figured maybe I needed to spice things up, so I bought some pico de gallo (freshly made, nothing unPaleo). Hopefully it will be the thing that helps.
Breakfast:
Frittata with red bell peppers and mushrooms
Half a hamburger patty
Clementine
Lunch:
Spice rubbed ribs
Steamed carrots and broccoli
Dinner:
Pork tenderloin with apricots
Carmelized onions and mushrooms
Roasted asparagus
As Justin mentioned, in the midst of the throws of cravings,
"We're eating great food. Why are we craving all that stupid stuff?"
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Whole30: Day 11
Just another day eating Whole30...
I think the limitations are starting to become the norm, so now it's not so much as wanting to eat the other things (although, I have to be honest... Friday night all I wanted was a pizza and some wine) as it is, what's new that I can try to make. I've been really in a rut with my veggie recipes, so now is the time to start trying new ones.
Really, I should have experimented this weekend, because during the work week, I'm going to be completely swamped and tired and not ready to cook for two hours only to have it blow up in my hungry face.
That being said, we're so close to being halfway through with this month of 'dieting'. At this point, I no longer feel like it's a diet. I feel like I'm just eating food the way it should be. I stare at the fast food commercials and think, why have we been brainwashed into thinking that that's what food should really be? In my opinion, things like a hamburger with sauteed mushrooms and onions topped with cheese should really not come from a fast food joint like Mickey D's. Just thinking about how long ago the food was actually made to the point where it reaches the plate... eeesh. Something gourmet like that should be had in a local restaurant, with good quality and locally produced/raised/farmed ingredients.
I was reading on Yahoo the other day an article which listed out the worst fast food items, and there again I noticed another part of our brainwashing... It only listed things like fat, calories, and sodium. Is that really how we should be measuring what we eat? Right now, I'm eating as much as I want, I don't add much salt to the foods I cook, and I'm not concerned with calories or fat.
And you know what? I've lost 5 pounds. In 12 days.
Yes, yes, the Whole30 gods are mad at me. I weighed myself. Oh well. I needed motivation, and at this point the scale is the only thing going for me. And to those who poo poo weighing yourself with the Whole30 (and it not being about weight, but about how you feel), I really have focused on how I have felt - with my energy levels and my sleeping patterns and much more. But most who start the Whole30, I've found, are also already living a mostly Paleo lifestyle. They've already lost weight that way, so they may not have as much to lose by doing the Whole30. Justin and I on the other hand have just since January 2nd cut out any kind of fast food or dining out, all alcoholic beverages, all grains, all dairy, and all cokes. So of course there will be significant weight loss (I'd like to get back under 130, but realistically, if I made it to 135 by the end of the 30 days I would be pleased).
So yes, here are my stats:
Starting Weight: 144.8lbs (yikes! My highest was last summer at 148, before we started CF)
Current Weight: 139.6lbs (a difference of I believe 5.2lbs)
I also took measurements and photos, but I'll save that for the final post.
The biggest question would be, am I going to continue to eat this way after 30 days? And my answer? I believe so. Not as all encompassing, but yes, I'd like to think I will continue to cook most of my meals at home and stay away from sodas. I think in order to save my sanity and be social, however, I will eat 'typically' at events. Of course, this could change and I may literally be eating my words on February 1st, but who's to say?
So, now that I'm done ranting, what the heck did I eat?
Breakfast:
Frittata with bell peppers, onions, and chopped pork loin from the other day
Clementine
Lunch:
Hamburger patties (with shredded carrot mixed in)
Sweet potato fries
Dinner:
Leftover chicken strips from Friday night
Celery sticks (tried it with almond butter, still can't get the hang of the stuff)
Apple slices
I don't feel starved. I don't feel like I'm eating rabbit food. I don't feel angry or grumpy anymore. Food is fuel pretty much. I still want it to taste good (the sweet potato fries were not my best), but in the end, I want to know what's in it before it goes into my body.
Oh yeah, and the WOD was a monster yesterday morning. (team wod with my fave partner Madison - she's a 9th grader and she whoops my but at just about everything)
8 min AMRAP
12 toes to bar
Down and back burpee broad jumps
3 min rest
10 hanging power cleans
10 front squats
10 bar facing burpees
3 min rest
8 min Running relays
Needless to say, I was gassed pretty early on, and I also was having to drink a lot of water in between each to keep going. One thing I've noticed is I'm having a hard time staying hydrated. I drink water all day long, but it just hasn't seemed to be enough to keep my throat from getting too dry.
I think the limitations are starting to become the norm, so now it's not so much as wanting to eat the other things (although, I have to be honest... Friday night all I wanted was a pizza and some wine) as it is, what's new that I can try to make. I've been really in a rut with my veggie recipes, so now is the time to start trying new ones.
Really, I should have experimented this weekend, because during the work week, I'm going to be completely swamped and tired and not ready to cook for two hours only to have it blow up in my hungry face.
That being said, we're so close to being halfway through with this month of 'dieting'. At this point, I no longer feel like it's a diet. I feel like I'm just eating food the way it should be. I stare at the fast food commercials and think, why have we been brainwashed into thinking that that's what food should really be? In my opinion, things like a hamburger with sauteed mushrooms and onions topped with cheese should really not come from a fast food joint like Mickey D's. Just thinking about how long ago the food was actually made to the point where it reaches the plate... eeesh. Something gourmet like that should be had in a local restaurant, with good quality and locally produced/raised/farmed ingredients.
I was reading on Yahoo the other day an article which listed out the worst fast food items, and there again I noticed another part of our brainwashing... It only listed things like fat, calories, and sodium. Is that really how we should be measuring what we eat? Right now, I'm eating as much as I want, I don't add much salt to the foods I cook, and I'm not concerned with calories or fat.
And you know what? I've lost 5 pounds. In 12 days.
Yes, yes, the Whole30 gods are mad at me. I weighed myself. Oh well. I needed motivation, and at this point the scale is the only thing going for me. And to those who poo poo weighing yourself with the Whole30 (and it not being about weight, but about how you feel), I really have focused on how I have felt - with my energy levels and my sleeping patterns and much more. But most who start the Whole30, I've found, are also already living a mostly Paleo lifestyle. They've already lost weight that way, so they may not have as much to lose by doing the Whole30. Justin and I on the other hand have just since January 2nd cut out any kind of fast food or dining out, all alcoholic beverages, all grains, all dairy, and all cokes. So of course there will be significant weight loss (I'd like to get back under 130, but realistically, if I made it to 135 by the end of the 30 days I would be pleased).
So yes, here are my stats:
Starting Weight: 144.8lbs (yikes! My highest was last summer at 148, before we started CF)
Current Weight: 139.6lbs (a difference of I believe 5.2lbs)
I also took measurements and photos, but I'll save that for the final post.
The biggest question would be, am I going to continue to eat this way after 30 days? And my answer? I believe so. Not as all encompassing, but yes, I'd like to think I will continue to cook most of my meals at home and stay away from sodas. I think in order to save my sanity and be social, however, I will eat 'typically' at events. Of course, this could change and I may literally be eating my words on February 1st, but who's to say?
So, now that I'm done ranting, what the heck did I eat?
Breakfast:
Frittata with bell peppers, onions, and chopped pork loin from the other day
Clementine
Lunch:
Hamburger patties (with shredded carrot mixed in)
Sweet potato fries
Dinner:
Leftover chicken strips from Friday night
Celery sticks (tried it with almond butter, still can't get the hang of the stuff)
Apple slices
I don't feel starved. I don't feel like I'm eating rabbit food. I don't feel angry or grumpy anymore. Food is fuel pretty much. I still want it to taste good (the sweet potato fries were not my best), but in the end, I want to know what's in it before it goes into my body.
Oh yeah, and the WOD was a monster yesterday morning. (team wod with my fave partner Madison - she's a 9th grader and she whoops my but at just about everything)
8 min AMRAP
12 toes to bar
Down and back burpee broad jumps
3 min rest
10 hanging power cleans
10 front squats
10 bar facing burpees
3 min rest
8 min Running relays
Needless to say, I was gassed pretty early on, and I also was having to drink a lot of water in between each to keep going. One thing I've noticed is I'm having a hard time staying hydrated. I drink water all day long, but it just hasn't seemed to be enough to keep my throat from getting too dry.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Whole30: Day 10
Ok, so I'm finally caught up to the right day. Today, 1/11/13 is Day 10. I really didn't think I would ever make it out of the single digits.
Still feeling good, still enjoying the food. Dinner prep is really not difficult or painful or whatnot. I've found that if I keep some go to things pre cut/diced in the fridge for easy access it reallllly helps too. For example, I diced an onion and put it in tupperware and put it in the fridge. Another one has diced green bell pepper. It especially makes breakfast a quick grab and toss into the pan without any prep.
Tonight's dinner was really fast, because I purchased thinly sliced chicken breast, so I cut them against the 'grain' into thin strips (Justin wanted 'fried chicken'). This was really good. I seasoned with garlic, onion and black pepper. I cooked them in coconut oil, which made them taste really yummy. Then I put some of the diced onion in a skillet, with olive oil, and added mushrooms and spinach and cooked it down.
Finally I started up a pan of olive oil and dumped in some slices of squash. I'm a big fan of my grandmother's fried squash/fried eggplant (these are battered), but boy, this was just as good if not better.
I'm finding that the meals are really getting much more satisfying than they were last week (when I was getting the fully tummy signal but my brain was like, "where the heck is the good stuff like mashed potatoes and cheesy bread?"). I no longer get that feeling :)
Don't get me wrong. It's Friday night and going out to dinner sounds awesome. A bottle of wine? Lemme at it! But no... we must abstain. But again, we're building better habits and better bodies (and better minds).
So the food rundown of the day:
Breakfast:
Scrambled eggs with onions and green bell peppers (I had the cheese twinge today... Frittatas from now on)
Clementine
Lunch:
Skinny mini pork chops
Baby Carrots
Black olives
Nectarine (I like to finish with something sweet and crunchy to 'clean' my teeth since I can't have breath mints)
Dinner:
Chicken strips
Spinach and mushroom sauteed
Yellow squash sauteed
Still feeling good, still enjoying the food. Dinner prep is really not difficult or painful or whatnot. I've found that if I keep some go to things pre cut/diced in the fridge for easy access it reallllly helps too. For example, I diced an onion and put it in tupperware and put it in the fridge. Another one has diced green bell pepper. It especially makes breakfast a quick grab and toss into the pan without any prep.
Tonight's dinner was really fast, because I purchased thinly sliced chicken breast, so I cut them against the 'grain' into thin strips (Justin wanted 'fried chicken'). This was really good. I seasoned with garlic, onion and black pepper. I cooked them in coconut oil, which made them taste really yummy. Then I put some of the diced onion in a skillet, with olive oil, and added mushrooms and spinach and cooked it down.
Finally I started up a pan of olive oil and dumped in some slices of squash. I'm a big fan of my grandmother's fried squash/fried eggplant (these are battered), but boy, this was just as good if not better.
I'm finding that the meals are really getting much more satisfying than they were last week (when I was getting the fully tummy signal but my brain was like, "where the heck is the good stuff like mashed potatoes and cheesy bread?"). I no longer get that feeling :)
Don't get me wrong. It's Friday night and going out to dinner sounds awesome. A bottle of wine? Lemme at it! But no... we must abstain. But again, we're building better habits and better bodies (and better minds).
So the food rundown of the day:
Breakfast:
Scrambled eggs with onions and green bell peppers (I had the cheese twinge today... Frittatas from now on)
Clementine
Lunch:
Skinny mini pork chops
Baby Carrots
Black olives
Nectarine (I like to finish with something sweet and crunchy to 'clean' my teeth since I can't have breath mints)
Dinner:
Chicken strips
Spinach and mushroom sauteed
Yellow squash sauteed
Our WOD today... Helen: 13:29 (my time) Scaled. Wore my new knee brace... It 'sorta' works.
Whole30: Day 9
Still no eggs. Who is to blame? Me.
So I grabbed some sliced meat to nosh on, along with a Clementine (who really needs OJ in the morning? Make your body do a little of the work, c'mon...)
It was not a fantastic lunch day for me, because I had been too lazy to cook in bulk last night, so I was scrambling for lunch today. This is where clear containers come in real handy in the fridge. You can see exactly what you have, so I grabbed a bunch of things that were within reach and piled them into a tupperware with a chicken breast (I had ingeniously cooked 3 extra after making chicken fauxjitas on Monday night).
Still going strong, but still feeling temptations from time to time. I think the best thing throughout the entire Whole30 that's made it easier for me to not be tempted is eating by myself. I've not been going to the teacher's lounge like I normally do. I know, it's rather unsocial of me, but I get a little time to meditate, eat my food without worrying about smelling other delicious things or really having to explain myself or my new habits.
Don't get me wrong. I've told (read: complained) to just about anyone that will listen. But I don't mention it unless someone else brings up food.
Like yesterday, when we had a surprise teacher meeting after school at 3:15. These are the worst. Everyone is struggling and would rather go home or do something they constitute as more productive. And of course, our administration has to ply us with big bowls of candy on each table, and mini fridges full of Cokes. So of course, everyone passes them all around and grabs handful of candy and pops their cokes, and they ask why I don't want any... And I tell them, straight faced...
Ladies, I've become a Cavewoman.
Honestly, laughter is the only way to keep them from judging my non-dairy or grain diet, as both have been so driven into our skulls as being necessary for a healthy life.
But really, I feel great. I don't have spikes or drops of energy anymore (and it's only Day 9). I don't yawn at work all the time. I never feel sleepy anymore or have the urge to nap at my desk. I felt full of energy when we did our WOD on Monday... Not to mention, I'm losing weight, and my face is the clearest it's probably ever been (not to mention my forehead wrinkles that were starting to come up have receded).
I have been lacking the last few days in the veggie department, so I went to the store to beef that up. Here's what I came back with:
Grapes
Nectarines
Eggs (2 dozen)
Bell Peppers
Mushrooms
Snap Peas
Broccoli
And MEAT (cuz those are veggies, right?)
Drumsticks
Rack of ribs
Hamburger
Pork tenderloin
I know I say I'm doing the Whole30, but a big part of it is buying sustainable things. They consider the best meats to be grass fed, raised local, etc, which is awesome, but this diet sucked enough in the beginning, so Thank You Very Much, Dallas and Melissa, but I Shall Be Lazy. At least for my first Whole30. Maybe next year I'll be able to prepare more and find some local options. As it is, this is what I'm sticking with. Now, processed things like the chicken/turkey sausage I ate last week were the good stuff - Applegate Farms.
My meal menu:
Breakfast:
A clementine and some sliced meat
Lunch:
Chicken breast
Pile-o-spinach
Baby carrots
Black Olives
Snack:
Apple, a handful of almonds
Dinner:
Two skinny mini pork chops
Nuked sweet potato
Sauteed Kale (*Note to self, no more Kale until I figure out how in the heck to cook it)
So I grabbed some sliced meat to nosh on, along with a Clementine (who really needs OJ in the morning? Make your body do a little of the work, c'mon...)
It was not a fantastic lunch day for me, because I had been too lazy to cook in bulk last night, so I was scrambling for lunch today. This is where clear containers come in real handy in the fridge. You can see exactly what you have, so I grabbed a bunch of things that were within reach and piled them into a tupperware with a chicken breast (I had ingeniously cooked 3 extra after making chicken fauxjitas on Monday night).
Still going strong, but still feeling temptations from time to time. I think the best thing throughout the entire Whole30 that's made it easier for me to not be tempted is eating by myself. I've not been going to the teacher's lounge like I normally do. I know, it's rather unsocial of me, but I get a little time to meditate, eat my food without worrying about smelling other delicious things or really having to explain myself or my new habits.
Don't get me wrong. I've told (read: complained) to just about anyone that will listen. But I don't mention it unless someone else brings up food.
Like yesterday, when we had a surprise teacher meeting after school at 3:15. These are the worst. Everyone is struggling and would rather go home or do something they constitute as more productive. And of course, our administration has to ply us with big bowls of candy on each table, and mini fridges full of Cokes. So of course, everyone passes them all around and grabs handful of candy and pops their cokes, and they ask why I don't want any... And I tell them, straight faced...
Ladies, I've become a Cavewoman.
Honestly, laughter is the only way to keep them from judging my non-dairy or grain diet, as both have been so driven into our skulls as being necessary for a healthy life.
But really, I feel great. I don't have spikes or drops of energy anymore (and it's only Day 9). I don't yawn at work all the time. I never feel sleepy anymore or have the urge to nap at my desk. I felt full of energy when we did our WOD on Monday... Not to mention, I'm losing weight, and my face is the clearest it's probably ever been (not to mention my forehead wrinkles that were starting to come up have receded).
I have been lacking the last few days in the veggie department, so I went to the store to beef that up. Here's what I came back with:
Grapes
Nectarines
Eggs (2 dozen)
Bell Peppers
Mushrooms
Snap Peas
Broccoli
And MEAT (cuz those are veggies, right?)
Drumsticks
Rack of ribs
Hamburger
Pork tenderloin
I know I say I'm doing the Whole30, but a big part of it is buying sustainable things. They consider the best meats to be grass fed, raised local, etc, which is awesome, but this diet sucked enough in the beginning, so Thank You Very Much, Dallas and Melissa, but I Shall Be Lazy. At least for my first Whole30. Maybe next year I'll be able to prepare more and find some local options. As it is, this is what I'm sticking with. Now, processed things like the chicken/turkey sausage I ate last week were the good stuff - Applegate Farms.
My meal menu:
Breakfast:
A clementine and some sliced meat
Lunch:
Chicken breast
Pile-o-spinach
Baby carrots
Black Olives
Snack:
Apple, a handful of almonds
Dinner:
Two skinny mini pork chops
Nuked sweet potato
Sauteed Kale (*Note to self, no more Kale until I figure out how in the heck to cook it)
So there's a picture of my dinner.
And here's what I heard in my head as I sat down to eat...
"LAY OFF ME, I'M STARVING!!!"
Whole30: Day 8
Forgot to buy eggs... again. My fridge is getting slim, and I've not been motivated or had time in the morning to fix breakfast, so two clementines on the way out the door had to suffice (which is bad news bears if you ask me or any other Whole30'er). Why? Because there was no sustaining protein.
Which meant...
I was craving by midmorning. Good thing I had a snack of almonds and dried apricots. I try not to eat more than one dried apricot at a time because I know they're full of sugars, so I stuck with a handful of almonds. Lunch was a repeat from dinner (and totally delicious, no dressing required, because the olive oil had blended so well with the flavors from the roasted red peppers and the onions).
I felt much better after that, and then of course, I came home, did my normal thing, and then, still not feeling motivated to 'cook' with Justin gone, I snacked on a piece of chicken breast. Later, the hunger bug bit me, so it was back to the kitchen to whip up the quickest thing I could think of, the 'fish tacos' that I made on Saturday, I believe.
So my meal rundown...
Breakfast:
Two Clementines (highly unadvised)
Lunch:
Spinach salad topped with shrimp, roasted red peppers, onions, and almonds (all sauteed in OO)
Snack:
Chicken breast
Dinner:
One fish filet topped with a big 'salad' of shredded carrots and shredded cabbage, with my mayo sauce
(Think Paleo make your own Mayo plus dill, paprika, and lime juice)
Which meant...
I was craving by midmorning. Good thing I had a snack of almonds and dried apricots. I try not to eat more than one dried apricot at a time because I know they're full of sugars, so I stuck with a handful of almonds. Lunch was a repeat from dinner (and totally delicious, no dressing required, because the olive oil had blended so well with the flavors from the roasted red peppers and the onions).
I felt much better after that, and then of course, I came home, did my normal thing, and then, still not feeling motivated to 'cook' with Justin gone, I snacked on a piece of chicken breast. Later, the hunger bug bit me, so it was back to the kitchen to whip up the quickest thing I could think of, the 'fish tacos' that I made on Saturday, I believe.
So my meal rundown...
Breakfast:
Two Clementines (highly unadvised)
Lunch:
Spinach salad topped with shrimp, roasted red peppers, onions, and almonds (all sauteed in OO)
Snack:
Chicken breast
Dinner:
One fish filet topped with a big 'salad' of shredded carrots and shredded cabbage, with my mayo sauce
(Think Paleo make your own Mayo plus dill, paprika, and lime juice)
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Whole30: Day 7
Today was bliss....
By far, the best day of the diet. I felt invigorated (even if it was hard to get out of bed), and I stayed that way all throughout the day. Even after lunch, no familiar 'brown outs', no need for a nap, no yawning. Just a plateau of energy. It was amazing!
And my meals weren't even that fantastic today either...
Breakfast:
Frittata
A banana
Lunch:
Chicken breast
Raw Baby Carrots
Clementine
Snack:
Some Almonds
Dried Apricot
(My snack cravings have become very few and far between)
Dinner:
Shrimp and Spinach Salad
Pretty isn't it?
Cut up some red onion, and add it to a hot skillet with olive oil. Then add sliced almonds and red roasted bell peppers. Mix some balsamic vinegar with some light olive oil. Toss in your shrimp to the pan (I add a little paprika for flavor). Once all is cooked, top a bed of spinach with the mixture, and then drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette over the top.
By far, the best day of the diet. I felt invigorated (even if it was hard to get out of bed), and I stayed that way all throughout the day. Even after lunch, no familiar 'brown outs', no need for a nap, no yawning. Just a plateau of energy. It was amazing!
And my meals weren't even that fantastic today either...
Breakfast:
Frittata
A banana
Lunch:
Chicken breast
Raw Baby Carrots
Clementine
Snack:
Some Almonds
Dried Apricot
(My snack cravings have become very few and far between)
Dinner:
Shrimp and Spinach Salad
Pretty isn't it?
Cut up some red onion, and add it to a hot skillet with olive oil. Then add sliced almonds and red roasted bell peppers. Mix some balsamic vinegar with some light olive oil. Toss in your shrimp to the pan (I add a little paprika for flavor). Once all is cooked, top a bed of spinach with the mixture, and then drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette over the top.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Whole30: Day 6
Life will go on...
That's kind of been the mood today. Yesterday = doom and gloom. Today = sun peaking around the clouds. I still have stormy moments, like right after CF tonight, on the drive home, really hungry, just thinking of having to go to the store, and then prep, and then cook, and then FINALLY getting to eat.
Taco Bell just sounded sooooo much better.
The snackings have become fewer and more far between. Just two almonds, a dried apricot, and a Clementine (which is a record for me... I've been a munch a holic these last 5 days). Today was my first day back at work, and I was so worried I was really going to miss my lunch time Coke (yes, the sugar and such, but also just having something easy and handheld... I'm a basket case I know). Once I ate a good part of my lunch, the Coke craving subsided completely though. It was amazing!
Here was my meal run down for the day (and sorry for the limited photos, things are getting hectic):
Breakfast:
Anyone wanna guess?
Frittata with spinach, onion, and bell peppers
Half a banana
*Yes, another frittata. But honestly, they're so easy to make and they feel like a more substantial meal then doing scrambled eggs. That, and I have less of a stigma with frittatas (I didn't eat them pre-Whole30, unlike scrambled eggs, which I felt had to have cheese on top).
Lunch:
(Repeat from dinner)
Meatloaf
Green beans/carrots/mushroom stirfry
Dinner:
Chicken Fajitas with green peppers and onions
An apple
*there was supposed to be butter lettuce to wrap it all in, but Walmart was out. Either way, it was delicious, and I didn't need a huge portion to make me feel full.
That's kind of been the mood today. Yesterday = doom and gloom. Today = sun peaking around the clouds. I still have stormy moments, like right after CF tonight, on the drive home, really hungry, just thinking of having to go to the store, and then prep, and then cook, and then FINALLY getting to eat.
Taco Bell just sounded sooooo much better.
The snackings have become fewer and more far between. Just two almonds, a dried apricot, and a Clementine (which is a record for me... I've been a munch a holic these last 5 days). Today was my first day back at work, and I was so worried I was really going to miss my lunch time Coke (yes, the sugar and such, but also just having something easy and handheld... I'm a basket case I know). Once I ate a good part of my lunch, the Coke craving subsided completely though. It was amazing!
Here was my meal run down for the day (and sorry for the limited photos, things are getting hectic):
Breakfast:
Anyone wanna guess?
Frittata with spinach, onion, and bell peppers
Half a banana
*Yes, another frittata. But honestly, they're so easy to make and they feel like a more substantial meal then doing scrambled eggs. That, and I have less of a stigma with frittatas (I didn't eat them pre-Whole30, unlike scrambled eggs, which I felt had to have cheese on top).
Lunch:
(Repeat from dinner)
Meatloaf
Green beans/carrots/mushroom stirfry
Dinner:
Chicken Fajitas with green peppers and onions
An apple
*there was supposed to be butter lettuce to wrap it all in, but Walmart was out. Either way, it was delicious, and I didn't need a huge portion to make me feel full.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Whole30: Day 5
I'm hitting the wall. I'm getting pretty depressed by the limitations of this diet. I feel like I can't leave my house without being not only tempted, but also feeling horrible surges of guilt because now that I've gotten into this diet and read the research, I know just how bad those tempting things are. They're not 'real'.
I wish I could go back and decide to take the blue pill instead...
(Yes, that was a Matrix reference)
Breakfast Day 5:
Ham slices
An orange
Some olives
Lunch Day 5:
SHOULD HAVE BEEN A DELICIOUS ROASTED PEPPER SOUP (Paleo Fail)
But instead -
Turkey sausage
Baby carrots
Almonds
Dinner Day 5:
(Probably the most normal meal so far)
Meatloaf
Green beans with carrots and mushrooms
No pictures tonight. I'm still really tired, and now I just feel really depressed and stifled (and dammit I want a coke).
I wish I could go back and decide to take the blue pill instead...
(Yes, that was a Matrix reference)
Breakfast Day 5:
Ham slices
An orange
Some olives
Lunch Day 5:
SHOULD HAVE BEEN A DELICIOUS ROASTED PEPPER SOUP (Paleo Fail)
But instead -
Turkey sausage
Baby carrots
Almonds
Dinner Day 5:
(Probably the most normal meal so far)
Meatloaf
Green beans with carrots and mushrooms
No pictures tonight. I'm still really tired, and now I just feel really depressed and stifled (and dammit I want a coke).
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Whole30: Day 4 cont.
So I had to get out of the dang house to stop thinking about food. I stupidly suggested we go to Sam's and pick up some more detergent... Mistake.
We left Sam's with a bag of Cutie's, a bag of almonds, a big bag of spinach, a bag of brussel sprouts, and detergent. Sigh. I passed the baked goods section and almost had a conniption fit.
So, in a second attempt to get my mind off of food, we decided to go to Ozark Natural Food Store... We really weren't thinking straight.
It's a neat store, and I've really enjoyed actually reading labels and seeing just exactly the abundance of food options that are out there (most not Paleo sadly). But we made some great finds (much better than when I was shopping there by myself and starving).
We bought:
Dried apricots
Mustard
Balsamic Vinegar
Ghee (sweet baby Jesus!)
Portobella mushrooms
And some Naked Coconut Waters
We left Sam's with a bag of Cutie's, a bag of almonds, a big bag of spinach, a bag of brussel sprouts, and detergent. Sigh. I passed the baked goods section and almost had a conniption fit.
So, in a second attempt to get my mind off of food, we decided to go to Ozark Natural Food Store... We really weren't thinking straight.
It's a neat store, and I've really enjoyed actually reading labels and seeing just exactly the abundance of food options that are out there (most not Paleo sadly). But we made some great finds (much better than when I was shopping there by myself and starving).
We bought:
Dried apricots
Mustard
Balsamic Vinegar
Ghee (sweet baby Jesus!)
Portobella mushrooms
And some Naked Coconut Waters
I've also found that if I keep everything I can use out on my counter, it makes me a lot more effective and less likely to crave things. I've not emptied out my pantry, because I feel like I'll never want to totally quit baking or making battered and fried yummy things, but it keeps me from having to look at those DARN CRACKERS! I'm full and happy with dinner, so I'm not currently needing a cracker, but who knows how I'll feel tomorrow. Here is a picture of my counter of usefulness.
Dinner wasn't as pretty when cooked today, so I'll just show you my prep station.
Day 4 Dinner:
Hamburger patties
Portobella Mushrooms
Roasted brussel sprouts
Whole30: Day 4
Today has been the worst by far... we came home to a house filled with the perfume of natural gas... Our brand new stove that had been installed by amazing technicians was leaking the fumes all throughout the house. Awesome. That meant that last night at 10:30pm when we rolled in, we had to call the gas company (waking up the poor people) and having them come out. The gas company found the leak and cut it off, so by midnight, we were able to go back inside and FINALLY go to bed.
Fast forward to this morning at 8:30am, we finally get out of the bed (exhausted), and the actual plumbing company comes back out to fix the leak. That meant we had to wait until almost 11am to finally eat breakfast.
Justin had gone to CF, and I honestly have no idea how he made it out alive. I was starving and shaking (and kind of woozy) from lack of food, so once the plumber left, I whipped together a frantic frittata (with some awesome Applegate chicken/turkey sausage). It filled my belly, but my mind still wanted more (and not more of the same).
So today is the worst so far. I've spent the whole day feeling like I should either be napping or eating (despite being full). And to top it all off, I dread going back to work on Monday, because I honestly don't know how I will last like this all day and not fall on my face... I'm really hoping I get an upswing in energy soon. Remember, I've had no caffiene whatsoever since Tuesday...
So our meals, keeping in mind that these are Justin's plates :) Mine were cleaned before he could sneak a photo...
And if I'm being honest... Before breakfast, while Justin was at CF I had:
sliced ham
honey crisp apple
spoonful of almond butter
Breakfast Day 4:
Frittata with onions, mushrooms, red bell peppers, and chicken/turkey sausage
Clementine :)
Snack:
Half a banana
Lunch (late) Day 4:
Fish tacos (without the taco) - I cooked up some tilapia filets with minimal seasoning in olive oil, then I topped the filets with a salad of crunchy cabbage and shredded carrot, with a spicy sauce I made with homemade mayo, dill, lime juice, and a touch of cayenne. It certainly hit the spot. I should have included another veggie dish, but well, I was hungry right then and there.
Dinner Day 4:
TBD
Fast forward to this morning at 8:30am, we finally get out of the bed (exhausted), and the actual plumbing company comes back out to fix the leak. That meant we had to wait until almost 11am to finally eat breakfast.
Justin had gone to CF, and I honestly have no idea how he made it out alive. I was starving and shaking (and kind of woozy) from lack of food, so once the plumber left, I whipped together a frantic frittata (with some awesome Applegate chicken/turkey sausage). It filled my belly, but my mind still wanted more (and not more of the same).
So today is the worst so far. I've spent the whole day feeling like I should either be napping or eating (despite being full). And to top it all off, I dread going back to work on Monday, because I honestly don't know how I will last like this all day and not fall on my face... I'm really hoping I get an upswing in energy soon. Remember, I've had no caffiene whatsoever since Tuesday...
So our meals, keeping in mind that these are Justin's plates :) Mine were cleaned before he could sneak a photo...
And if I'm being honest... Before breakfast, while Justin was at CF I had:
sliced ham
honey crisp apple
spoonful of almond butter
Breakfast Day 4:
Frittata with onions, mushrooms, red bell peppers, and chicken/turkey sausage
Clementine :)
Snack:
Half a banana
Lunch (late) Day 4:
Fish tacos (without the taco) - I cooked up some tilapia filets with minimal seasoning in olive oil, then I topped the filets with a salad of crunchy cabbage and shredded carrot, with a spicy sauce I made with homemade mayo, dill, lime juice, and a touch of cayenne. It certainly hit the spot. I should have included another veggie dish, but well, I was hungry right then and there.
Dinner Day 4:
TBD
Friday, January 4, 2013
Whole30: Day 3
Well, I'm really only mostly through Day 3, and I'm still surviving somehow. I made a rather tasty breakfast for myself around 9, did some rescue work, and then around 11 showered and snagged another piece of my breakfast before heading out the door to try out Pilates class (my sister has been begging me to go for the last 2 years, so I finally figured I'd cave and try it out). It was a lot of fun, and really a great workout, but afterwards, I could tell I'd need to eat again soon.
The biggest thing standing in the way of me and my food was the errands I needed to run. So I headed to the book store to purchase a copy of "It Starts with Food" by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. 20 minutes there, and they don't have any copies in store. Sigh... Then I hopped over to the mall to return all of my last minute frantic New Years Eve purchases that I didn't wear. That was another hour.
Then I decided I really needed (yes, needed) some almond butter - never had it, assuming it's paleo, and going to grab some because I'm famished. I knew Ozark Natural Foods would be the easiest place to find what I needed, so I picked up a nice jar for $8. The only ingredient? Almonds. Can't get any better than that, Paleo gods.
I also picked up a bundle of kale, a bag of honey crisp apples (I could smell them all the way across the store... thinking of make apple cinnamon chips with them), some chicken/turkey sausage (with surprisingly very few ingredients - I was tickled) for $7, some bananas, and (drum roll) a Naked Coconut Water. I was shaking by the time I finished shopping so I knew I needed something, anything quick. The last (and first) time I had tried the coconut water was on a shopping trip with Kempto. She had let me try a sip, but blegh! It was like soggy dirt water to my taste buds. Now, only 3 days in with no sugars in my diet other than fruit, it tasted like HEAVEN. I'll have to see where I can purchase a whole case of the stuff.
On to my meals...
Breakfast Day 3:
Egg Frittata with sauteed mushrooms, onions, spinach, and red bell peppers (and my spice mix)
Breakfast was an easy affair. And delicious, did I mention that? So good, in fact, that I ate some more before my workout, and then, I finished off the rest for lunch. Lunch... it was a pretty sad mishmash of anything I could grab quickly. Word to the wise, don't wait til you're starving to try and eat well. Doesn't work.
Lunch Day 3:
Ham
Honey Crisp Apple
1 Heaping Spoonful of Almond Butter
And the rest of the yummy frittata
Oh... and a banana. Whoops.
Like I said, don't wait til you're starving... It's not pretty.
Dinner Day 3:
Steak
Spinach salad with strawberries and walnuts
Steamed veggies
Sweet potato
(this was Justin's plate, btw; I had half of that steak size, and just a few bites of sweet potato after dinner to quell my cookie craving)
We're heading to my parents' house for dinner, so this will be our first meal eaten that I haven't been able to fully prepare in my kitchen where I know exactly what's going into it. Shaking in my boots here. May need to call my mom just to tell her not to marinate our steaks. (edit: Mom left them with just seasoning. Dad walked in, slathered them in A1, and took them to the grill - me, wailing and gnashing of teeth; Dad, unapologetic) lol
The biggest thing standing in the way of me and my food was the errands I needed to run. So I headed to the book store to purchase a copy of "It Starts with Food" by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. 20 minutes there, and they don't have any copies in store. Sigh... Then I hopped over to the mall to return all of my last minute frantic New Years Eve purchases that I didn't wear. That was another hour.
Then I decided I really needed (yes, needed) some almond butter - never had it, assuming it's paleo, and going to grab some because I'm famished. I knew Ozark Natural Foods would be the easiest place to find what I needed, so I picked up a nice jar for $8. The only ingredient? Almonds. Can't get any better than that, Paleo gods.
I also picked up a bundle of kale, a bag of honey crisp apples (I could smell them all the way across the store... thinking of make apple cinnamon chips with them), some chicken/turkey sausage (with surprisingly very few ingredients - I was tickled) for $7, some bananas, and (drum roll) a Naked Coconut Water. I was shaking by the time I finished shopping so I knew I needed something, anything quick. The last (and first) time I had tried the coconut water was on a shopping trip with Kempto. She had let me try a sip, but blegh! It was like soggy dirt water to my taste buds. Now, only 3 days in with no sugars in my diet other than fruit, it tasted like HEAVEN. I'll have to see where I can purchase a whole case of the stuff.
On to my meals...
Breakfast Day 3:
Egg Frittata with sauteed mushrooms, onions, spinach, and red bell peppers (and my spice mix)
Breakfast was an easy affair. And delicious, did I mention that? So good, in fact, that I ate some more before my workout, and then, I finished off the rest for lunch. Lunch... it was a pretty sad mishmash of anything I could grab quickly. Word to the wise, don't wait til you're starving to try and eat well. Doesn't work.
Lunch Day 3:
Ham
Honey Crisp Apple
1 Heaping Spoonful of Almond Butter
And the rest of the yummy frittata
Oh... and a banana. Whoops.
Like I said, don't wait til you're starving... It's not pretty.
Dinner Day 3:
Steak
Spinach salad with strawberries and walnuts
Steamed veggies
Sweet potato
(this was Justin's plate, btw; I had half of that steak size, and just a few bites of sweet potato after dinner to quell my cookie craving)
We're heading to my parents' house for dinner, so this will be our first meal eaten that I haven't been able to fully prepare in my kitchen where I know exactly what's going into it. Shaking in my boots here. May need to call my mom just to tell her not to marinate our steaks. (edit: Mom left them with just seasoning. Dad walked in, slathered them in A1, and took them to the grill - me, wailing and gnashing of teeth; Dad, unapologetic) lol
Whole30: Day 2
See? I told you I was playing catch up... Oooooh, ketchup sounds really good right now...
As you can see, I'm not thinking with my stomach. My stomach is totally full of good food, but all my brain wants is garbage. They say around Days 5-6 you start to get really sleepy because your body is so tired from learning how to process ACTUAL food that you want to sleep. A lot. Well, that hit me early, because on Day 2, I found myself so lethargic that I took a 3 HOUR nap... and still slept fully through the night.
So what did I eat today?
Still no Coke. I could kill for a Coke, or some chocolate. But what's funnier, I'm really in the mood for crackers... I have them in my pantry and they're haunting me. I'd throw them out, but I think they'll still be good in 28 days. And that, my friends, is the real reason to eat Paleo. If it lasts that long, just think of all of the preservatives needed to keep it looking and tasting 'fresh'. Eeeeeek. Run away!
Okay, so remember the mayo I made yesterday? I made it into chicken salad before I went to bed last night. And because I highly doubt relish is Paleo, I had to trick my body by adding something else that was sweet. I'm thanking myself heartily for the purchase of grapes... They've been my real savior this first week.
I chopped up 4 leftover chicken breasts, two stalks of celery, and then about 20 grapes, and added it all together with some of the mayo. It turned out great! So great, in fact, that instead of standing outside in the cold to make breakfast, I noshed on that :)
Breakfast Day 2:
Chicken salad
Sliced red bell peppers
As you can see, I'm not thinking with my stomach. My stomach is totally full of good food, but all my brain wants is garbage. They say around Days 5-6 you start to get really sleepy because your body is so tired from learning how to process ACTUAL food that you want to sleep. A lot. Well, that hit me early, because on Day 2, I found myself so lethargic that I took a 3 HOUR nap... and still slept fully through the night.
So what did I eat today?
Still no Coke. I could kill for a Coke, or some chocolate. But what's funnier, I'm really in the mood for crackers... I have them in my pantry and they're haunting me. I'd throw them out, but I think they'll still be good in 28 days. And that, my friends, is the real reason to eat Paleo. If it lasts that long, just think of all of the preservatives needed to keep it looking and tasting 'fresh'. Eeeeeek. Run away!
Okay, so remember the mayo I made yesterday? I made it into chicken salad before I went to bed last night. And because I highly doubt relish is Paleo, I had to trick my body by adding something else that was sweet. I'm thanking myself heartily for the purchase of grapes... They've been my real savior this first week.
I chopped up 4 leftover chicken breasts, two stalks of celery, and then about 20 grapes, and added it all together with some of the mayo. It turned out great! So great, in fact, that instead of standing outside in the cold to make breakfast, I noshed on that :)
Breakfast Day 2:
Chicken salad
Sliced red bell peppers
Lunch Day 2:
Sliced ham (yes, from the holiday... so not Paleo, but I'm not going to let it go bad)
Baby Carrots with my own ranch-esque dipping sauce I made from the mayo
Black Olives
I'm sure I snuck an orange in here somewhere, and probably a few grapes (eating too much fruit still, I think, but I don't have any almonds to snack on... mmmm almond butter....)
Dinner Day 2:
My own version of fish and chips :)
Sauteed Tilapia
Roasted Sweet Potato (fries)
Spinach salad with scallions and tomatoes, covered in an olive oil dressing I made in about .2 seconds
I'm still trying to be very stoic about my cooking/eating decisions, but it's definitely difficult. It would be so easy just to grab a glass of milk (although I'm not hankering for one) or pop a Coke, or snag one of the many pieces of chocolate that Justin's parents left us after Christmas (grumble). I seem to be hitting a major tummy slump around 12-2pm every day, where I really just need a Coke or something, anything. Like this gnawing 'hunger pains'. Don't get me wrong, I'm eating a ton of food, but my stomach just hasn't told my brain that yet. However, I still haven't really had that awful caffiene withdrawal headache. Justin had it on Day 1. I'm used to having at least 1 Coke a day, so this 30 days without it is the most terrifying.
Whole30: Day 1
Okay, so Justin and I have been doing this whole Crossfit business for the past - oh, say - six months? It's really made a nice change in working out for us. You work out with a huge class of people, and they blare the music, and everyone gets pumped up. If you're any kind of competitive, it's a major boost to outdo your neighbor as well. All of the workouts can be scaled, so it doesn't matter if you're weeny (like me) or strong. It's great training for 5k's and marathons, without having to log so much running time. In a nutshell, we love it: www.crossfit540.com
This new year, many of our box (read: gym) buddies have decided to kick up their diet regimens and start on a Whole30 quest. What is Whole30? http://whole9life.com/category/whole-30/ Read all about it :)
Most of them were already eating things that were mostly Paleo (what is this freakin' foreign language she's speaking?!)... http://thepaleodiet.com/
So starting off the year with the Whole30 seemed like a natural transition for them. Justin and I decided to go along for the ride. Let's just say, we were not prepared for the bumps to come! Whole30 (and Paleo) makes you really dig down and think about what you're eating, what's in it, and how to prepare it. It involves lots of grocery shopping, and lots of prep and cooking everything yourself. For 30 days. For me, that's bone chillingly frightening.
Things You Can't Consume:
Sugar
Alcohol
Grains
Beans
Dairy
You also can't eat anything heavily processed, etc. It's pretty intense, ladies and gentlemen...
I'm actually already starting Day 3 as I write this, but I'm going to play a little catch up, and show what I've been eating. I haven't bought the book yet (only going off of blogs and guidelines), so there may be things in there that aren't strictly Paleo, but I'm trying, right?
First off, here's my grocery shopping I did for the week. Total just squeaking in under $100 -
The potato chips and nestle morsels obviously were not part of the purchase, and are simply hanging out on the counter because I never made them into cookies...
Breakfast Day 1:
(Keep in mind, I have no stove at the moment, so everything is cooked outside - frigid - on a grill)
Scrambled eggs
Spinach and mushroom sauteed
Lunch Day 1:
Sliced Turkey breast
Carrots & Sliced Red Bell Pepper
An orange
Dinner Day 1:
Roast chicken thigh
Roasted carrots
Mashed Cauliflower
And because I had a lot of left over chicken (I anticipated this), earlier in the day, I also made my own homemade mayo, which I could use for chicken salad (you'll see soon enough) or for my own unique dipping sauces. It's more white than the picture makes it out to be.
This new year, many of our box (read: gym) buddies have decided to kick up their diet regimens and start on a Whole30 quest. What is Whole30? http://whole9life.com/category/whole-30/ Read all about it :)
Most of them were already eating things that were mostly Paleo (what is this freakin' foreign language she's speaking?!)... http://thepaleodiet.com/
So starting off the year with the Whole30 seemed like a natural transition for them. Justin and I decided to go along for the ride. Let's just say, we were not prepared for the bumps to come! Whole30 (and Paleo) makes you really dig down and think about what you're eating, what's in it, and how to prepare it. It involves lots of grocery shopping, and lots of prep and cooking everything yourself. For 30 days. For me, that's bone chillingly frightening.
Things You Can't Consume:
Sugar
Alcohol
Grains
Beans
Dairy
You also can't eat anything heavily processed, etc. It's pretty intense, ladies and gentlemen...
I'm actually already starting Day 3 as I write this, but I'm going to play a little catch up, and show what I've been eating. I haven't bought the book yet (only going off of blogs and guidelines), so there may be things in there that aren't strictly Paleo, but I'm trying, right?
First off, here's my grocery shopping I did for the week. Total just squeaking in under $100 -
The potato chips and nestle morsels obviously were not part of the purchase, and are simply hanging out on the counter because I never made them into cookies...
Breakfast Day 1:
(Keep in mind, I have no stove at the moment, so everything is cooked outside - frigid - on a grill)
Scrambled eggs
Spinach and mushroom sauteed
Lunch Day 1:
Sliced Turkey breast
Carrots & Sliced Red Bell Pepper
An orange
Dinner Day 1:
Roast chicken thigh
Roasted carrots
Mashed Cauliflower
And because I had a lot of left over chicken (I anticipated this), earlier in the day, I also made my own homemade mayo, which I could use for chicken salad (you'll see soon enough) or for my own unique dipping sauces. It's more white than the picture makes it out to be.
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