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).
Sunday, January 6, 2013
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.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
A Home for the Homeless
Now that title may be misleading at first. No, we don't get many hobos in this part of town. Maybe a few goat nappers from time to time, but thankfully, everyone in our neck of the woods seems to have a home, no matter how small or grandiose.
I'm a purchaser. A shopper. A picker. I find things I absolutely love, and I buy them, even if I have no clue where they would ever fit into my life or my home. It's my weakest link, or possibly my greatest talent (depending on who you ask). This means I have lots of 'things' sometimes with no actual home. They just come into the house, wander around, and find themselves an unobtrusive corner to live out their days, until I either remember them and find them a good place, or forget them until they're old and grey, upon which time I release them into the world (read: throw away or rehome).
You could call me a pack rat.
Anyhoo. I made a great trip to TJMaxx the other day. I purchased lots of fantastic things:
New Queen Size Quilt - $39.99
Two Matching Shams - $12.99 each
Two Tan Matching Pillows - $16.99 (on clearance)
One Rather Dashing Watercolor Pillow - $19.99
One Fetching Decorative Pillow - $16.99
Some unfortunate Not Potpourri - $3.99 for two
Another cylindrical glass vase - $3.99 (really if you want great vases, there's no where better to go than TJMaxx)
Picture below are the new homes everything has found. I also included a photo of Beau's brand new Sealy Posturpedic pet bed we got from Sam's Club last night... $29.99. He lurves it. Remember, I said "Beau's". Pepper typically refuses all dog beds. Her fat body prefers hard floor, for whatever reason.
I'm a purchaser. A shopper. A picker. I find things I absolutely love, and I buy them, even if I have no clue where they would ever fit into my life or my home. It's my weakest link, or possibly my greatest talent (depending on who you ask). This means I have lots of 'things' sometimes with no actual home. They just come into the house, wander around, and find themselves an unobtrusive corner to live out their days, until I either remember them and find them a good place, or forget them until they're old and grey, upon which time I release them into the world (read: throw away or rehome).
You could call me a pack rat.
Anyhoo. I made a great trip to TJMaxx the other day. I purchased lots of fantastic things:
New Queen Size Quilt - $39.99
Two Matching Shams - $12.99 each
Two Tan Matching Pillows - $16.99 (on clearance)
One Rather Dashing Watercolor Pillow - $19.99
One Fetching Decorative Pillow - $16.99
Some unfortunate Not Potpourri - $3.99 for two
Another cylindrical glass vase - $3.99 (really if you want great vases, there's no where better to go than TJMaxx)
Picture below are the new homes everything has found. I also included a photo of Beau's brand new Sealy Posturpedic pet bed we got from Sam's Club last night... $29.99. He lurves it. Remember, I said "Beau's". Pepper typically refuses all dog beds. Her fat body prefers hard floor, for whatever reason.
The new bedding:
The Pillows for our Summer Sofa:
The Fetching little Bird Pillow I think I'll put on the guest bed:
The Dog Bed in front of the Hearth:
And the little Ralph Lauren Lumbar Pillow I couldn't leave behind at TJMaxx last fall. It was $12.99. It has now, finally, found the most perfect home!
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