My Whole30 Journal Part 2

OK, so this is a bit late following up on my first post.  It's also a bit (a lot) long.

Day 7:  Black coffee, eggs and chorizo, slice of leftover frittata, herbal tea, handful of cashews, banana, eggs and chorizo on a bed of baby spinach, blueberries, pulled pork, cabbage slaw, green beans, herbal tea.

I forgot to mention: On day six I did 6 sets of 10 strict pushups without having to go to my knees.  The last time I tried to do strict pushups (a couple weeks before this challenge) I could only do 5 strict pushups without going to my knees.  Five.  Not five sets.  Five pushups.  I did SIXTY pushups on day 6 of my challenge.  I don't know if its all in my head or this food is already making a difference.  But I feel strong and I like it!

Today I feel good.  No bloating, but I'm tired.  Probably still reeling from withdrawal from sugar.

Day 8: Black tea, 1/2 sweet potato, baked apple, 3 eggs with baby spinach, banana, cashews, pulled pork with green beans and 1/2 sweet potato, Lara bar, more pulled pork with cauliflower and broccoli.

Day 9: Black coffee, 2 eggs with baby spinach and a small sweet potato, apple, herbal tea, Lara bar, Thai curry soup with chicken, some bites of chicken thigh, Thai curry soup with chicken and butternut squash, bite of salmon frittata

 (Thai Curry Chicken Soup)

I weighed myself at work today.  I never weigh myself.  I don't struggle with weight so I just don't ever weigh.  But I thought I'd document, out of curiosity, any change in weight I might experience over this 30 days.  So on day 9 I (a 38 year old, 5 foot 11 inch, blonde, un-coordinated, non-athletic, skinny chic) weighed 152 lbs.

Day 10: Coffee, 1/2 grapefruit, salmon frittata, apple, Lara bar, Thai curry chicken soup with butternut squash, tea, chicken thigh with sweet potato, 1chicken sausage with sauerkraut, carrot and cucumber slaw, olives, 1/4 sweet potato.

 (Apple Chicken Sausage with sauerkraut)

 

(Carrot and cucumber slaw)

Day 11: Bacon, salmon frittata, coffee, apple, left over roasted chicken thigh, carrot and cucumber slaw, butternut squash, Lara bar, blueberries and cashews, Chipotle salad, apple with sweet potato.

My husband stopped at Chipotle for dinner on the way home and picked me up a salad.  Chipotle is the only place I can go out to eat right now and know I'm eating something clean.

Day 12:  Coffee, salmon frittata, apple with sweet potato, chicken sausage sauerkraut, butternut squash, Lara bar, tea, blueberries, Caldo with chorizo and pulled pork.

 (10 scrambled eggs with beef chorizo)

Day 13:  Coffee, applesauce, eggs with chorizo and spinach, Caldo, blueberries, Lara bar, a handful of the Paleo Kit granola, chorizo and eggs.


I found out after eating a handful of the Paleo Kit granola my husband ordered that it has honey in it!  Bummer!  It's totally delicious.  I'm not craving chocolate cake anymore, I'm craving this Paleo Kit!  It's the first thing I'm going to eat (besides my coffee with honey in it) when I finish this challenge.

Day 14:  Coffee, chorizo, eggs, spinach, unsweetened applesauce, Caldo, apple, blueberries, Lara bar, olives, applesauce, pulled pork and salad.

Day 15:  Coffee, chorizo, eggs, spinach, applesauce, Lara bar, Caldo, Chicken/Shrimp with veggies and mushroom broth from Hayashi grill.

As soon as I ate a bite of this, which I ordered specifically because I figured it would be sugar/grain free, I knew I'd been duped!  My tongue started to tingle.  I had a headache, diarrhea and hyperactive bowels that was making sounds like a washing machine by the time we got home.  UGH!  NOT WORTH IT!  Note to self: read labels, don't go out to eat, start your own clean food restaurant someday.

(This is probably what I ate on day 16 for dinner since I don't see it written down anywhere else. Pulled pork, sweet potato and salad)

Day 16:  I didn't write it down!  I was starting to get into the swing of what I'm eating at this point and two days past and I realized I hadn't written down what I ate.  I could remember the previous day, but not the day before that.  It was probably very similar to day 17's meals... I just don't remember at this point.

(This was a lifesaver for me.  When I really wanted the texture of smooth and sweet this did the trick!)

Day 17:  Eggs, shredded pork, spinach, coffee, Lara bar, apple, shredded pork, 1/2 sweet potato, cabbage slaw, applesauce, chicken and sweet potato/beet chips (Sweets and Beets), coconut milk banana ice cream.

Planning and preparation is a must.  I'm realizing what I buy and prep on Sunday only lasts thru Wednesday

(Sweet potato pancake fail!)

Day 18:  Tea, banana, zucchini, apple, sweet potato pancake (a recipe fail!), bacon, coffee, 1/2 grapefruit, pulled pork, cabbage slaw, avocado, tea, 1 1/2 organic grass-fed beef hot dog, broccoli, sweet potato, Lara bar, Sweets and Beets with homemade salsa.

Eating like this is expensive.  In two weeks we've spent about $450 on food.  Gulp.  I know.  So basically my job is so I can buy healthy food for the family.  Hmm.  I've got to work on making this more budget friendly.  Things like Lara bars, Sweets and Beets, organic grass-fed beef hot dogs, bacon and ground beef are going to have to go.  I'll give thanks and bless the industrial food beef and eat it.  

 (Sweet Potato casserole from failed sweet potato pancake batter. Redeemed, but not my favorite.)

Day 19:  Tea, sweet potato casserole with pork, Lara bar, cabbage salad with sweet potato casserole and pulled pork, 1/2 pink grapefruit, Lara bar, frittata with chorizo.

 (Tuna Salad with avocado and homemade paleo mayo)

 (Paleo Mayo: recipe here)

 (*Secret* Ingredient Spaghetti sauce and spaghetti squash)

Day 20:  Tea, frittata, tuna salad with avocado (made with homemade paleo mayo), veggie chips, applesauce, Lara bar, homemade spaghetti sauce with spaghetti squash.

I made paleo may today:  YUM!  Expensive to make, but if used only with tuna once a week I think its worth it!  The veggie chips are from the same people that make the Sweets and Beets and are just plain goodness.  I discovered a trick to giving the homemade spaghetti sauce the little bit of sweet it needs to not taste like plain tomato sauce with herbs.  The secret is unsweetened applesauce.  I know it sounds weird but it does the trick and thickens up the sauce too.  Tastes delish!

(Thai curry shrimp soup)

 

 (The coconut milk and curry paste I used)

Day 21:  Tea, coffee, bacon, frittata, applesauce, Lara bar, apple, Mediterranean veggie chips, spaghetti sauce on spinach, Thai curry shrimp soup.

I discovered the Mediterranean veggie chips have sugar in them.  Head slap!  I should know by now: If it has flavor and it comes in a wrapper, READ THE LABEL!  I just assumed cause it was made by the Sweets and Beets people it was good.  The Sweets and Beets are good, and the plain veggie chips, but not the Mediterranean flavor.  I'm experimenting with curry.  I didn't think I would like it, but I do! The soup was delish.  (By the way, I'll post all my recipes in separate posts so look for them later if you'd like).

(Pineapple coconut milk ice cream)

Day 22: Tea, coffee, bacon, 2 eggs, spinach, applesauce, Lara bar, apple, Sweets and Beets, Thai curry shrimp soup, pineapple coconut milk ice cream (YUM!)

Day 23:  Tea, coffee, chorizo and eggs with yellow squash and spinach, veggie chips, Thai curry shrimp and chicken soup, Lara bar, strawberries, Lara bar, eggs and chorizo.

Day 24:  Tea, applesauce, chorizo and zucchini, soup, pulled pork, apple, Lara bar, pulled pork, salad, sweet potato, tea.

 (Chicken sausage sweet potato and apple breakfast hash)

 

(Slow cooker green curry chicken on spinach)

Day 25: Tea, coffee, breakfast hash (chicken sausage/apple/sweet potato, YUM!), Lara bar, green Thai curry slow cooker chicken thighs on spinach, jerky and coconut with strawberries (Steve's Original), green Thai chicken with salad, strawberries, pineapple, balsamic vinegar and olive oil, applesauce.

(Frittata with pulled pork and chorizo)

Day 26:  Applesauce, coffee, frittata with pulled pork and chorizo, breakfast hash, olives Lara bar, Beets and Sweets, Paradise bakery salad with no dressing, tea, Sweets and Beets.

Day 27:  Coffee, tea, frittata, applesauce, ground chicken and veggie stir fry, apple, veggie chips, tea, organic grass-fed hot dog, frittata

 (Breakfast skillet: chorizo, apple, and sweet potato with nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon)

Day 28:  Coffee, tea, eggs, chorizo, breakfast skillet (chorizo, apple and sweet potato), ground chicken/veggie stir fry, strawberries, Beets and Sweets, tea, chorizo, ground chicken/veggie stir fry, applesauce.

(Day 28 dinner: Leftover chorizo, Left over ground chicken/veggie stir fry with cabbage leaves to roll it up in.)

Day 29: Coffee, tea, chorizo and eggs, apple, 1/2 Lara bar, frittata, salted chocolate banana pudding, chorizo and eggs.

 

 (Salted Chocolate Banana Pudding)

Information violation:  I have had 2 periods this month!  I don't know if it's my diet or 16 months shy of being 40. Good news:  my salted chocolate banana pudding is as medicinally healing to me as a Dove chocolate bar at this frayed-nerve menstrual cramp state I'm in. 

Day 30:  Coffee, tea, 2 eggs, spinach, applesauce, strawberries, eggs, chorizo, sweet potato, spinach, sweet potato chips, salad with grilled chicken and fruit, 2 eggs and avocado.

It's done! I can live without sugar or grains and feel great!  Despite my terrible cramps and the few mishaps along with way because I didn't read labels or went out to dinner expecting clean food, I feel like a million bucks!  Normally, this time of month would involve a very swollen painful belly.  The pain is still there, but it's not swollen and there's not the sound of a washing machine on meth coming from my mid-section!  I am looking forward to sweetening my coffee tomorrow with honey, but I don't think this lifestyle change is something I'm willing to totally give up.  I wish everyone would do this.  I'd better our economy would improve, our need for advanced medical care would decrease, and we'd all be in a better mood.  We might even have more clean, not-overly priced, places to go out to eat!  Maybe I'll have a Something Real restaurant in my hometown one of these days.  I can dream.