If you're just joining me, I've already posted my Week #1, Week #2, and Week #3 daily journals while completing my first Whole30. I'm starting to reap some of the benefits, and the end is so close I can taste it! (Is that chocolate I taste? haha)
DAY #22:
I'm kind of tired today, maybe because I only had a little coffee with my breakfast this morning. I made egg, sausage, and pepper "muffins" (see photo with recipe in my previous post) last night so I could easily reheat them in the microwave each morning. It makes getting ready in the morning easier, but I do find it doesn't keep me quite as full as sausage & eggs does. You'll need to eat at least 2-3 or add a piece of fruit or something with it to hold you over until lunch. As I mentioned in a previous post, I also started cooking my sausages at the beginning of the week so they are easy to reheat in the morning as well. I'm trying to decide what breakfast after the Whole30 will be like. That change alone has been one of my favorite benefits of the program. I no longer grab a quick muffin or piece of toast as I'm running out the door; instead, I sit down with my breakfast and cup of coffee and start my day off right! (It helps that I have increased energy levels in the morning so getting out of bed is easy!).
Tonight's supper was the best recipe thus far. I will add this to my regular rotation of meals for sure! I made Romesco Garlic Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles. The sauce takes some time to prepare, so I made that last night when I had more time to let it simmer and then just reheated it on my stovetop while my zucchini noodles (zoodles) were steaming. The garlicky, nutty flavor in the sauce was the perfect addition to the shrimp and zoodles. Honestly, if you don't make any other Whole30 recipe, at least try this one. You won't be disappointed.
DAY #23:
I had a headache for most of the morning today, but it went away as I was eating my lunch so I'm not sure what that was about. Supper tonight was Cilantro Lime Chicken, mashed cauliflower, and asparagus with olive oil, garlic powder and salt/pepper. My recipe for the chicken was one I had made prior to Whole30, and didn't need much for modifications. I make mine with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and it can be made in the crockpot, which I love! This is one of my go-to meals for freezing. I buy enough ingredients for several meals and then just pour them into gallon ziplock bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Then, when I'm ready to make them again, I just throw it all into the crockpot on low while I'm at work. Ta da! Supper in no time at all!
I've been enjoying almonds for snacks and fruit when I want something sweet. I never thought I'd be able to truly appreciate the natural sweetness in fruit! A cup of hot tea at night helps me to unwind and keeps me from wanting to graze after supper (the hardest time for most people is between supper and bedtime).
DAY #24:
I woke up with some digestive issues again. Hopefully it's just my body's way of processing food differently. I ate way too much for supper- leftover roasted chicken, sweet potato, grapes, and a hard-boiled egg, and I was way too full when finished. I do eat very quickly and I'm trying to work on chewing my food slowly and savoring every bite. I still have a lot of energy and feel good. Clear mind = happy me.
DAY #25:
Today was parent-teacher conference day so 12 1/2 hours was spent at work. They had chocolate chip cookies available, and many teachers ordered in tacos for supper. I brought leftovers and survived without the cookies. I am starting to surprise myself with the willpower I've found! However, after the whole30 I won't be able to blame the program for why I can't eat certain foods. I better work on a plan.
DAY #26:
I finally went out after work for drinks and watched my co-workers have some beers while sipping on my lemon water. It actually wasn't too hard, except that I knew I only had four days left so if I hadn't read the book and forums thoroughly and prepared myself for this day, I most likely would've thought "I'm close enough to 30" and given in. I'm so glad I didn't.
We went to a friend's house for game night and there were delicious-looking cupcakes and peanut butter treats. Very tempting. Sparkling water is becoming more and more tasty to me, and I'll bet pop will taste too sweet after my Whole30. I still have slight digestive issues but I feel amazing and I'm so happy!
DAY #27:
I'm ready to be done. I'm tired of having to plan meals so thoroughly and spend so much money on groceries each week. I want to skip right to the reintroduction phase so I can see what foods are my problem foods!
DAY #28:
I'm really starting to enjoy cooking for my family! I was always a baker at heart, but now my time in the kitchen is mostly spent on preparing homemade, great food for my family and that is exciting. I bought another pork shoulder (buying in bulk allows me to spend only about $1.75/lb vs. $2-$3/lb) and ground my own sausage. I found a recipe online for spices to add, and this is what I've been making into sausage patties for breakfast each morning. I make a bunch of patties and then freeze them in ziplock bags. Then, I just pull a bag out on the weekend and put it in the fridge to make throughout the week. This time, I kept some of the pork shoulder and made a rub. I added the rub to the piece of meat and it's sitting in my fridge to throw into the crockpot tomorrow morning so we can have pulled pork for supper. Tonight's supper? Basil Porkchops, roasted vegetables, and diced russet potatoes with herbs similar to a dry ranch seasoning mix.
Today I also felt confident enough to get my back of sweets and non-compliant foods back from my parents' house. I'm spending some quality time deciding what I want to do with my life after whole30.
DAY #29:
I'm almost there! I can feel the benefits of the Whole30- my skin is clear, my energy is high, and my dress pants are starting to hang off my body. Although I didn't go into this program to necessarily lose weight, I do think I lost a few pounds and for sure a dress pants size.
DAY #30:
I made it! I did it! I went 30 days straight with no gluten, soy, dairy, alcohol, or refined sugar. No slips, no cheats, and no special occasions. I will follow up with all of my "takeaways" in my next post. I'm ready for #lifeafterwhole30!
God's Blessings,
A Good Food Fanatic
No comments:
Post a Comment