Whole30

It’s been over a year since I quit drinking cola and stopped having sugar in my morning coffee.  Since starting Whole30 for the first time, I have let go of my unhealthy eating habits and have focused on eating fresh produce and meats, limiting  grains, processed foods, vegetable oil, etc, etc.  Let’s just say, I’m all about eating healthy, fresh foods.

The benefits of my new eating include

• improved sleep
• clearer skin
• clear eyes
• sciatic pain – gone
• heartburn – gone
• tension headaches – gone
• migraine headaches – reduced to only 1 per month
• increased energy
• sugar cravings – gone
• foggy afternoon feeling – gone
• 33lbs – gone
• still excited about Whole30

Any and every chance I get to talk about Whole30, I do.  Some people have noticed the weight loss and have asked me how I did it.  First reactions are often, “I couldn’t do that.” or “That sounds hard.”  It’s challenging, but it’s also very simple.  I motivated myself by reading Whole30 testimonials.  Those wonderful accounts combined with my rock bottom of not fitting into my “big” jeans launched me into one of the best changes I’ve ever made.  For me, it’s not hard, but it takes commitment.

I haven’t written off all non-Whole30 foods completely.  I love sushi and great pizza is even better than it was before.  The distinction now, is that crappy food is no longer edible.  I once tried Hershey’s milk chocolate Kiss after being on Whole30 for more than 45 days (first round) and I knew I would not eat milk chocolate again.  Not worth it.

 

 

Life in Transition

I have had an incredible year plus. There have been stressful, sad and trying moments mixed in with joyful ones.  My overall journey has been a fortunate and happy one.

It wasn’t until I was talking with my sister and a friend about my intention to write my experiences into my blog, that I realized how much I have to write!  And how lucky I am, how utterly amazing each experience has been.  I’ve been detail-focused in each project, I didn’t realize the distance I’ve come.  Now, it’s time to take a some time to sit, reflect and share.

Do I consider myself done with these?  Not at all.  I’ve only begun.

• Whole30
• 42 Acts of Giving Kindness
• The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
• Going Minimal

Whole30, Day 03: Craving Something Sweet

I had a light breakfast with a couple of slices of roasted acorn squash left over from last night.  I wasn’t feeling very hungry in the morning and I had to get ready for early work meetings.

Later in the day, I started getting a mild headache, but lunch got rid of it.

In the afternoon, I was having a craving for something sweet.  I was surprised by it, but not diverted.  I drank a glass of water and snacked on a handful of cashews.  The sugar craving went away easily.

Hash browns and chicken salad (ground chicken, red leaf lettuce with tomato, cilantro and lemon juice).

Lemon, garlic, red pepper chicken breast with green beans and riced cauliflower.

Whole30, Day 02: No News is Good News

Things went smoothly today.  No cravings, no fatigue, no sugar withdrawal symptoms, no foggy head or headaches.  Just feeling good.  I did notice that my mood went up about 5 or 6 notches.  I enjoyed breaks with the kids and I am pretty sure I was shrieking with laughter while blowing bubbles with my 2 year old.  My legs are sore from yesterday’s yard work.  Otherwise, I’m doing great.

Super simple breakfast of kale and eggs with red chile.

I had leftover chicken and veggies (from yesterday) for lunch.  For dinner, I had leftover salmon and oven roasted sweet potatoes and acorn squash.  It’s looking like I did buy more groceries than necessary.  I’ll take this into account when I shop for next week.

Leftovers for tomorrow.

Whole30, Day 01: Black Coffee

I am now officially on the Whole30 program.  It is the first day I had coffee with absolutely no sugar.  I’d been putting less and less sugar since Wednesday so that I wouldn’t have to go cold turkey at the start of the program.  I’m very glad I did wean off sugar, because feel great.  We spent the whole day working in the backyard.  The weather was cloudy and cool.  The kids loved having time outside while Matt and I worked and worked.

Today, I noticed a real improvement after cutting out sugar and grains (and dairy).  I was able to work roughly 5 hours in the yard, until my legs and feet ached.  Usually, I get a debilitating headache before any other part of my body feels exertion.  I also noticed that I wasn’t chasing my hunger today.  I feel like my appetite is adjusting to the no grain meals.

Egg scramble for breakfast with zucchini, potato and red chile sauce (red chile and garlic).

Chicken stir-fry for lunch with broccoli, snow peas, onions, carrots and celery.

Lemon, garlic and Dijon mustard baked salmon with steamed asparagus and sauteed potatoes and onions.

Whole30, Day -01: Ahhhh

Saturday was a great day for me.  I was still chasing hunger with food.  I was struggling to make meals that would be within the guidelines of the Whole30 and give me enough energy to make it the next meal.  I kept having to eat a banana to have enough energy between work and fixing dinner.  A shopping trip was in order.  Here was my shopping list:

• red leaf lettuce
• celery
• onions
• green beans
• broccoli
• zucchini
• spaghetti squash
• acorn squash
• potatoes
• sweet potatoes
• tomatoes
• apples
• pears
• bananas
• lemons
• limes
• pecans (wow, this is expensive)
• cashews
• chicken
• beef
• fish
• eggs
• red chile
• Tazo Earl Grey (heavenly)

The fridge was packed when we got everything put away.  It’s nice to have plenty of choices and I think after this week, I will have better idea for what I will need.  I’m assuming we bought more food than I need.  We’ll see.

We worked in the back yard most of the day and although it was warm outside, I did really well.  I started to get a migraine in the afternoon, so I rested in bed for a about an hour, expecting to take one of my migraine shots.  No shot necessary!  Rest was enough to get rid of the headache.  I think it was the changes I’ve already made to my eating that made the difference.  I was really grateful that all I had to do was take a nap!

Whole30, Day -02: Thirst

One thing I already do right with my health is drink lots of water.  Unsweetened, unflavored, just plain water.  So, I didn’t expect how outrageously thirsty I was going to feel on Day 3 without sugar (without my daily cup of cranberry juice).  I wanted so much to empty an entire gallon of juice into my mouth.  I wanted to shower in it.  It’s hard to argue with the self-destructive little voice that says, “You’re not even on the Whole30 yet, one little sip or two won’t hurt.”  Instead, I crushed a couple of fresh strawberries into a cup, added ice and water for a refreshing drink.  It had just a hint of fruit, but it was enough to get me through the craving.

My head still felt foggy until well into the evening.  I was relieved that the work week was over and I didn’t have to try pushing through my tasks feel tired and fuzzy headed.

Whole30, Day -03: Sugar Withdrawal

It startled me that these first two days were about reminding myself to not eat whatever passes through my hands.  Example, if I am going to get a cup of Cheerios for Aurora, do not take a tithe for myself.  I didn’t realize how hard it was to remember that I am not eating treats and grain snacks anymore.

I spent most of the day working fatigued and foggy headed.  By the afternoon, I was shaking and I had to eat half a banana just to make dinner.  I expected all of this, because this is the point where I usually get back on sugar when I’ve tried to cut back in the past.  I had planned to work on less sensitive tasks on work, knowing I’d be going through withdrawals.  I knew it was just a matter of time to get through this phase.  This was also the day, I researched the Whole30 program.  My sister and my mom did the program after a friend of ours (and her husband) completed the program.  They each had good experiences with it.  I knew a little about it, but not the specifics until I read up on the very simple rules: http://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/  My eating plan was very close to the program, so I thought I’d take on the extra challenge and go official…after I got through this sugar separation.

Whole30, Day -04: Goodbye Soda!

Four days before (that’s a negative 04 in the title) starting the Whole30 program, I decided to improve my diet.  I cut the sugar in my coffee by half and I avoided soda (worst habit).  By the end of the day, I was feeling hungry and worn out.  The house was not well stocked for no grain meals, so Matt and I to take the kids out for dinner and grocery shopping afterwards.  Overall, things went smoothly.  My body had not yet realized that we were preparing to kick sugar to the curb and I didn’t know I was going to start the Whole30 within a few days.

 

Not My Favorite Week

This week, a high school classmate of mine passed away unexpectedly.  I grew up in a small town, so it’s a given that classmates will all know each other.  In fact, most of the people will have grown up together and know each other very well. 

It took a couple of days for the shock to wear off.  I’d tried putting it out of my mind, but those first two nights, I dreamed about our class and about his passing.  The feelings of loss and sadness surfaced when my classmates started organizing something for the family and making plans to attend the funeral.  One of his close friends (also a classmate) is going to be a pallbearer and I think that was the image that finally made me breakdown and cry.  It just isn’t how it’s supposed to be.

I remember us all as we were in high school, young, spirited and with decades of life ahead of us.  It makes sense that someone dying at age 40 (my age) will make me think of my own mortality and then the mortality of my loved ones.  But even more than that, I’m just sad that he is gone.  It doesn’t seem right anyway you think about it.

I have some guilt wrapped around not going to the funeral.  I feel an obligation to the people with whom I shared my childhood.  I don’t want to behave as if it doesn’t matter to me.  It matters very much.  We were a class of 20-some kids and for all this time our magic circle existed and now that absolute perfection that we had and never fully appreciated is absolutely gone. 

I did something that maybe I shouldn’t have done.  I pulled out an old yearbook and I looked for his picture.