Saturday, January 31, 2015

Day 29

I think it is safe to say that eating whole foods has not had much effect on the sinus problems each of us faces. While we are not using as much sinus medication as before, we all continue to suffer from stuffed sinuses. I have refrained from using my prescription nasal spray during these 30 days, but I believe I will start up again, as today has been very miserable for me.

It has been a struggle to cook. Because of the septic woes, I am trying to keep dishwashing to a bare minimum. It is hard from me to cook around dirty dishes piled on the counter. Then to catch all water in a dishpan or bucket (then toss outside in the grass---just like the old days!) is such a hassle. Still, we are sticking to the eating plan!

Normally when I am stressed out I would turn to snacking. But even with the furnace out and the septic broken, I am not digging through the cupboards looking for something to eat (mostly because there is nothing there!). I am not dreaming of sweets or baked goods or even chocolate. I don't let myself think that way, but I also don't have that longing either. So this is a big change for me as a result of eating whole foods.

Breakfast:
Hard-boiled Eggs and Bacon

Lunch:
Leftover Shepherd's Pie and Apple Crisp

Supper:
Pork Chops, Roasted Kubota Squash, and Green Beans
I had very thin pork chops that cook quickly in some olive oil. I followed instructions online for cooking the squash. I sliced it open, tossed the seeds, then sliced it. Now, Kubota squash have a very hard rind; I had to use my good knife and pound on it with my meat mallet in order to crack it open. I tossed the slices with coconut oil and salt, then roasted in the oven for half an hour, turning once. The squash was very dry and nearly uneatable. What a disappointment, for it is a very good-tasting squash. Well, I made only half the squash; this week I will try to cook it a completely different way!

Exercise: None

Friday, January 30, 2015

Day 28

Breakfast:
Eggs and Bacon

Lunch:
Asian Mandarin Chicken Salad and leftover Shepherd's Pie

Supper:
Leftover Simple Hamburger Soup and Apple Cherry Crisp

Exercise: Walk 2 miles

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Day 27

Breakfast:
Country Scrambled Eggs and Bacon
I just made up that name. I fried some potatoes with green onion and red pepper, then added eggs and scrambled. With avocado on top, it tasted good.

Lunch:
Asian Mandarin Chicken Salad
Made up that name, too. This was sooooo good. A couple of days ago I sautéed two chicken breasts, sliced thin, in coconut oil and coconut aminos (like soy sauce, without the soy). Today I used the meat in a salad: romaine lettuce, grated carrot, green onion, Satsuma oranges, chicken, and cashews. For dressing I mixed some olive oil, orange juice and zest, sesame oil, coconut aminos, mustard powder, garlic powder and salt. Just have to say it again, it was soooooooo good!

Supper:
Roasted Potatoes and Simple Hamburger Soup
Yep, another made up name. I fried hamburger and onions, then added carrots, celery, tomatoes, thinly sliced red cabbage, parsley, cumin. garlic powder, bone broth, water, and salt. I don't know if it tasted good, for I did not eat any. I am working on soothing my digestive tract with mint tea.

Exercise: Walk 1.5 miles, mostly hills.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Day 26

Breakfast:
Hard-boiled Eggs and Bacon

Lunch:
Shepherd's Pie and Applesauce
I sautéed onion, carrots, celery, cauliflower and red pepper in olive oil. Added some concentrated beef broth saved from the cooking of the beef roast. Let it simmer until the veggies softened. Then added a jar of green beans and the leftover beef roast. Mixed it well, added parsley, then topped with potatoes. I cooked Idaho's in their skins in boiling water, then peeled and mashed them with the rest of the beef broth and the onions that were cooked on the roast. Baked it for half an hour until hot.
It tasted good, but the mashed potatoes were not quite the same consistency as when made with milk and butter!

Supper:
Leftover Chicken Soup

Exercise: None.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Day 25

Only five days left! When we started, I thought this would be the longest month ever! And now it is almost finished. I must say that it is getting easier to come up with ideas for lunches. There is something to be said about limited healthy-choices-only ingredients.

Breakfast:
Scrambled Eggs

Lunch:
Chicken, Fried Potatoes, Green Beans, and Applesauce
For the chicken, I first butterflied it, then rubbed it with olive oil and salted and peppered it. Tossed it into the cast iron skillet. It cooked really fast. A friend says she uses the cast iron skillet because it makes the chicken taste like it has been on the grill. Today I could understand what she was talking about. The chicken cooked fast and was a bit dry. Next I want to try to brine it first.

Supper:
Leftover Chicken Soups

Exercise: Walk 2 miles

Monday, January 26, 2015

Day 24

Such a challenging day. Late this afternoon I discovered our septic system is not working properly. That makes me very stressed, and then I just want to nibble. Since we have no foods in the house outside of the Whole30 plan, I can only make "good" choices of foods to nibble. I could not eat supper, too upset, but I did nibble on some cashews and orange juice. I would have been better off with soup. 

If there had been chocolate or sugar in the house, I would have turned to that. But I don't crave it at all, just want to nibble. 

Breakfast:
Breakfast Casserole for the family
Since it was gone, I ate some leftover roasted sweet potatoes, beans, half an avocado and some cashews.

Lunch:
Pot Roast cooked with Potatoes, Carrots, Celery, and Applesauce
Daughter ate seconds of this great food! I, too, enjoyed this meal so much. I should have bought half a cow all the years I've been married. We are eating so well now, and I like having all kinds of cuts of beef in the freezer.

Supper:
Leftover Vegetable Beef Soup

Exercise: None

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Day 23

Sundays are always hard days to stay on track. We don't get home from church until 12:30, and that seems so late to start lunch. Plus, today I left at 12:50 and was gone the rest of the afternoon. So there was no formal lunch. I left husband and daughter to fend for themselves. Did not make for a happy daughter as she did not want to eat the one thing readily available for lunch: soup.

Breakfast:
Breakfast Casserole and Bacon

Lunch:
I had leftover Italian Beef Hash and Applesauce
The hash is now gone!!!

Supper:
Roasted Chicken Legs, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans

Exercise: None

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Day 22

I had coffee this morning! Last night I made almond milk and put a bit of vanilla powder in it. This morning I made a weak cup of Starbucks coffee and used the vanilla almond milk as cream. It was good. Not great, but I am used to sweet coffee. It was lovely to have coffee in the morning, better than drinking tea!

Breakfast:
COFFEE and Breakfast Casserole
For this dish, I used potatoes, bacon, sautéed red pepper and green onion, cooked broccoli, and beaten eggs. Without the addition of some milk, the eggs get really quite solid when they are baked.

Lunch:
Leftover Italian Beef Hash and Applesauce
Getting tired of the hash....it goes on and on and on....

Supper:
Daughter-friendly Chicken Soup
I made a very mild soup tonite. Chicken Breast, carrots, celery, cauliflower, potatoes, a small bit of onion and garlic, and lots of chicken broth. Yep, just what the daughter liked!

Exercise: 1.5 miles walk

Friday, January 23, 2015

Day 21

Breakfast:
Fried Eggs and Bacon

Lunch:
Broccoli, Roasted Potatoes, and Roasted Chicken Drumsticks based on a recipe from http://holisticallyengineered.com/
Mix 1 teaspoon each rosemary, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder and salt. I had seven drumsticks (skin on); first rub with some olive oil, then the spice mix. I lined the baking sheet with parchment,  put chicken legs (no touching each other) on parchment. Roast 400 degrees, 20 minutes, turn, then another 20 minutes.

This is one of the best chicken recipes I have ever made! Daughter ate them up, too, and she usually does not like dark meat!

Supper:
Uh-oh; home alone. Did not break the eating plan but did not eat balanced diet either.
Roasted Sweet Potato, handful of Cashews, Almonds, and Raisins. Juice glass of Orange Juice

Exercise: Nope

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Day 20

Today I was severely tempted to stop the Whole30 and go to Starbucks for a latte. I had a headache, and I was stressed from furnace woes. Dear daughter, who has been counting the days to the end of whole eating, strongly encouraged me to not give up! I did not break any Whole30 rules, but I did reach for allowed snack foods: almonds, cashews, and raisins. This is the first time I have given in to emotional eating; I am hoping day 21 goes better.

Breakfast:
Fried Eggs and Bacon

Lunch:
Leftover Italian Beef Hash
I am getting tired of this leftover, but there is still more left! I should freeze it...

Supper:
Leftover Vegetable Beef Soup

No Exercise today.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Day 19


I've got bone broth cooking in the slow cooker! I first roasted the bones for an hour in the oven, then into the crock pot with some onion, carrot, celery, and parsley. Fill it up with water and let the simmering do its magic. I will let it simmer for nearly 48 hours. Stay tuned....


Breakfast:
Poached Eggs and Bacon

Lunch:
Leftover Italian Beef Hash

Supper:
Loaded Chicken Vegetable Soup from http://sustainabledish.com/loaded-chicken-vegetable-soup/
I had leftover chicken from Sunday, so soup was in order. This is a very different chicken soup, so different that daughter could not eat it. I think it is the tablespoon of thyme that gave it an unexpected flavor. It has the usual celery and carrots, but then in a separate pan you cook bok choy with scallions and cilantro. It called for Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce as well, but I don't have that in the house...I could not eat it if I did. I put in a bit of cayenne instead. So you dish up a bowl of soup, then add some bok choy, then top with avocado. I liked it! I ended up dumping the bok choy into the leftover soup.

Exercise: Walked 2.4 miles

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Day 18

Breakfast:
Breakfast Casserole

Lunch:
Chicken, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Cauliflower, and Applesauce
I found a recipe for Chicken Saltimbocca, something I never heard of or eaten, but it looked good. Except it called for flour and wine. I really adjusted the recipe, so I can't call it Saltimbocca. I took 2 chicken breasts and cut them into five equal pieces (to ensure even cooking). I salted and peppered, then shook some dry sage on both sides. Wrapped each piece in prosciutto, then browned them in olive oil and ghee. Next I poured in some chicken broth, covered, and let cook until the chicken was done. Removed the chicken, added a bit more broth, then turned up the heat to reduce the broth. When it was reduced, I added a bit of lemon juice. I put the sauce on the chicken. It tasted really good!

Supper:
Vegetable Beef Soup


Exercise for the day: Walked 2.4 miles

Monday, January 19, 2015

Day 17

I bought a number of boxes of tea over the weekend. Tea is my hot substitute for coffee. I picked only herbal tea, and I did not look at the ingredients. I thought, "Tea is tea--just dried leaves and herbs, right?"

WRONG!

I brewed a cup of Celestial Seasonings True Blueberry Tea, and while waiting, I glanced at what mix of herbs were in this amazing-smelling cup of tea: Hibiscus, rosehips, orange peel, natural blueberry flavor with other natural flavors (soy lecithin), blackberry leaves, wild............SCREECH. Wait a minute, back up...it says soy lecithin. What??? There is soy in my tea? Why??

I looked it up online and learned that soy lecithin, a by-product of soybean processing, is "a soy-based emulsifier (used to keep ingredients from separating)" http://www.celestialseasonings.com/node/243 . I don't understand...I would think that tea leaves should be separating while  floating in a cup of hot water. Reading further, Bigelow tea says, "Soy lecithin helps disperse the flavoring into the tea while brewing to ensure consistent flavor throughout the whole cup." https://www.bigelowtea.com/Special-Pages/Customer-Service/FAQs/Tea-and-Herbal-Tea-Ingredients/Do-you-any-of-your-teas-contain-soy-lecithin  It seems that my other herbal teas brew just fine without this added ingredient.

The True Blueberry Tea was not so true, and it was thrown down the drain.

Breakfast:
Leftover Breakfast Casserole and Bacon

Lunch:
Beef with Snow Peas from http://thepioneerwoman.com/
Again, I made adaptations


Supper:
Leftover Vegetable Beef Soup


Sunday, January 18, 2015

Day 16



Breakfast:
Breakfast Casserole
I made up my own recipe for this.
In a 7x11 oiled baking dish, I layered:
3 cooked, cubed Idaho potatoes, sprinkled with salt
1 red pepper, sautéed first in a little olive oil
3 green onions, chopped, tossed with the peppers at the end of sautéing
1 cup chopped spinach leaves
3 pieces cooked bacon, chopped
Poured 10 beaten eggs over the layers and baked for 25 minutes at 375 degrees.

It is a delightful change from plain eggs; the potatoes made it hearty.

Lunch:
Oven-baked Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, Green Beans, Applesauce
I rubbed the chicken with ghee, then seasoned with Italian seasoning and salt. Put half an onion into the cavity and baked it in one of those turkey roasting bags. It was delicious and moist!

Supper:
Vegetable Beef Soup
Again, a throw-together recipe. I first cooked a soup bone for 3 hours. Strained the broth and chopped the meat. Return to the pan and added carrots, celery, potatoes, green beans (canned them myself this summer!), onion and a jar of tomatoes (again, canned by me this summer). Added 3 Tblsp of tomato sauce, salt and pepper, and dried parsley. Let it simmer until the veggies were done.

I loved this soup! It tastes a lot like a soup my mom used to make...with a .35c soup bone and Veg All! (Except now the soup bone cost more like $9!!!)

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Day 15

Half way already! I feel a bit discouraged, for I can't say I feel amazing, and my pants are not getting any looser. But that won't stop me. I am glad to be off of all sugar other than that in fruits.

Breakfast:
Poached Eggs

Lunch:
Italian Beef Hash with Mashed Cauliflower from http://paleoinpdx.com/
I did not mash the cauliflower; instead I steamed it lightly then threw it in with the hash. It was good!

Supper:
Leftovers

Friday, January 16, 2015

Day 14

I guess after 14 days, eating whole has become a way of life. I don't think of forbidden foods and I don't crave the things I thought I would crave. Today I am curious what would happen if I started sugar again. Will it be worth it? My sister-in-law has had no sugar in more than a year. She does use a bit of artificial sweetener now and then, but she relies on the sweetness of natural foods now. Will I be able to hold out for a whole year???

My digestion has settled down a bit from yesterday. I don't feel like cooking, so we have been eating yummy leftovers.

Breakfast:
Fried eggs

Lunch:
Leftover  Beef Stir Fry and Roasted Potatoes

Supper:
Leftover Asian Chicken Soup

I purchased satsumas today, and they are a delicious treat!

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Day 13

There are up days and there are down days. Today was a down day. My digestive tract is acting up, so I've been resting and eating very bland. I turned to the BRAT diet, eating a banana and some unsweetened applesauce but avoiding the rice and toast!

I really wanted to have some comfort food, like a Starbucks vanilla latte or maybe some chocolate--not that either of those are good for digestive ailments! I exercised great self-control when I went to the store to pick up some sticky notes for daughter. Avoided the candy aisle and Starbucks (which was right next door). 

One side effect of eating the Whole30 is a bad taste in my mouth. All. the. time. Even brushing my teeth and tongue does not help. I really miss peppermint gum.

Breakfast:
Poached Eggs

Lunch:
Roasted Potatoes and Beef with Snow Peas from http://thepioneerwoman.com/
Such a great recipe! I cut out the sherry, brown sugar, and corn starch. I substituted Coconut Aminos for the soy sauce, but I used only half the amount called for in the recipe. I added thinly sliced carrot and chopped garlic. The changes did not affect the taste at all. I could eat this every week, if I could afford to eat flank steak every week!

Supper:
Leftover Asian Chicken Soup


Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Day 12

Big revelation of the day: Eating whole food is EXPENSIVE!

I have a freezer half full with beef; I purchased part of a cow with three friends. I love having meat in the freezer, as it helps in meal planning. But I also like pork, so I went to the meat market up the road and bought some ground pork, a pork roast, and a couple of country ribs. I headed to another store for sugar-free bacon; only one store in the area sells it, and they charge  a hefty price for the stuff. I would think with less ingredients, it should cost less not more than regular bacon!

Eating meat three times a day is adding up. Perhaps eating whole foods is only for those who have a good income. I do prefer organic produce, so that ups the cost as well. It will be interesting to add up the grocery receipts at the end of the Whole30 plan. I'd like to know why "foods" with sugar and other unpronounceable ingredients are so cheap while the foods that are good for me are so costly?!!!

Breakfast:
Sausage and Broccoli Omelets
The sausage was made by me, just adding spices to ground pork. I sort of combined a couple of recipes, but I know I can do better.

Lunch:
Leftovers-lunch meals from the past couple of days

Supper:
Mulligatawny Soup from http://everydaypaleo.com
This is a very interesting soup. Hamburger, carrots, leek, parsnip, and apple, cooked in coconut oil, chicken stock and coconut milk with spices....a sort of curry blend that included a tablespoon of cinnamon. Daughter took one taste and turned away from the table. Husband and I ate it, not enthusiastically, but it was alright. I would not make this recipe again. (But we will eat the leftovers until gone.)

I'm looking forwards to the steak I pulled from the freezer for tomorrow's lunch! 

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Day 11

Breakfast:
Fried Eggs, Juice

Lunch:
Beef, Oven-roasted Sweet Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli and Carrots, Applesauce
The beef was beef stew meat. I know that it benefits from long cooking, but I just cooked it up in some bacon drippings with onion and garlic. Then I added some vegetable broth and let it simmer. When we were ready to eat, I removed the beef and strained the broth. I returned the broth to the pot, then turned up the heat so it would reduce. Poured that over the meat. It was tasty. But I purchased the meat from a new place, and I did not like it as much as other stew meat I've had.

Supper:
Leftover Hamburger Veggie Soup

Monday, January 12, 2015

Day 10

As daughter said today, we are one-third finished with 30 days. She is not enjoying the Whole30 very much. She misses carbohydrates. Every night at supper she wants to talk about what we will eat once the 30 days are up. Will we keep eating this way? Can we eat bread again? I don't know. We will visit those questions when we are nearing the end of 30 days.

Breakfast:
Fried Eggs
I've got to get more bacon or make some sausage. Fried eggs are not as filling if there is no meat.

Lunch:
Pork Chops, Stir-fry Veggies, applesauce
The stir fry contained cauliflower, shredded brussel sprouts, red pepper, zucchini, oregano, basil, in olive oil. It was really good; something made it have a sweet flavor--I think it was the brussel sprouts.

Supper:
Asian Chicken Soup from  http://paleosavvy.com/asian-chicken-soup-recipe/
This is a delicious soup, something different with lots of garlic and ginger root sautéed in sesame oil.

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Day 9

A different order to our day. We had soup for lunch and the larger meal for supper. Tonite I am still full at bedtime. I don't like having so much food in my stomach all evening long. Now I know that the switch to soup in the evenings is right for our family.

Daughter is struggling, for she does not feel full unless she has some carbohydrates. I roasted some potatoes for her tonite as she was so hungry. But she is a good sport, keeping with the eating plan.

I am wondering at this point if the craving for something sweet after a meal will ever go away. I did splurge a bit tonite, for I love applesauce with my meals. I cut up two Gala apples and cooked them until soft, then whizzed them in the mini food processor. Oh, it was so good and I thoroughly enjoyed it. (Husband ate half of it!)

As a family, we discussed how we were feeling after 9 days of eating Whole30. Husband reported his allergy/sinus problems went away for the first six days, but then came back in full force. Daughter observed that her sinus problems are worse. My sinuses are, for the most part, clear during the day, but in the night I get all stuffy again. In fact, the mucus is thicker than ever before.

We will stay the course!

Breakfast:
Eggs and Bacon

Lunch:
Leftover Hamburger Veggie Soup

Supper
Leftover Chuck Roast with Mashed Sweet and White Potatoes, cooked Carrots, and fresh no-sugar Applesauce.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Day 8

One week down, three weeks to go. This is getting easier, except I feel like all I do is cook or search for recipes. The food is really good! Husband said his belt is already needing smaller adjustment. Me? I can't tell any difference. Can't say I feel much different either. But I am glad to be off of sugar.

Breakfast:
Fried eggs and bacon

Lunch:
Leftovers

Supper:
Hamburger Vegetable Soup
This is one I made up. Browned hamburger with onion. Added chopped carrots, celery, cauliflower, potatoes, marjoram, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper. Covered with water and leftover chicken broth. Let it simmer a couple of hours. It tasted fine.   I wanted to make a soup without a tomato base or tomatoes in it.

Friday, January 9, 2015

Day 7

I miss my morning cup of coffee. I don't crave coffee. I just miss having a cup in the morning. Unfortunately I only like coffee if it is sweet and creamy. Sweet and cream is not allowed in these 30 days of whole foods. So I am drinking a hot cup of tea, but it does not have the same comfortable feeling as coffee. I simply enjoy one cup of coffee a day. Enjoy, not crave. (I like this new-found ability to recognize the difference between enjoying and craving!)

And I am still missing eating something sweet after lunch and supper. I don't like the taste in my mouth all day. I can brush my teeth, but it is not enough to keep the meaty taste out of my mouth. Normally I would chew minty gum and that takes care of the problem. But no gum either. I am trying to walk each day, but my mouth gets so dry. Gum helps with that as well.

Our food intake for the day:

Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs

Lunch
Tacos! Meat Seasoning recipe from http://www.2catsandchloe.com/
I cooked the meat following the seasoning recipe, and I added a chopped tomato at the end; it was delicious. (I used only a pinch of cayenne.) It was a little spicy, maybe from the smoked paprika as well? I mixed up a veggie guacamole: one carrot finely chopped, one minced green onion, one red pepper finely chopped, then added avocado mixture (2 mashed avocados, garlic powder, salt, and olive oil) and mixed well. I filled romaine lettuce leaves with the meat, topped with the guacamole. It was so yummy!

Dinner
Leftover Soups, take your pick (minestrone, chicken, or vegetable beef)
I was so glad for leftovers, as we got home just before seven, and I had no energy left to try to make something for scratch! But the soups are gone, and now I must make more.

We have survived the first week of Whole30! Hip Hip!

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Day 6

It was a leftover kind of day.

Breakfast
Fried egg with bacon and leftover apple crisp

Lunch
Leftover Chicken Cacciatore over Spaghetti Squash

Supper
Leftover soups with oven roasted potato wedges

I am thankful for leftovers on days that are too busy to cook!

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Day 5

We invited guests for supper tonite. What would I do about dessert? I found an awesome recipe for an apple crisp with no sugar and no butter. It is spectacular. I finally ate something dessert-like after a meal! Unfortunately it was so good that I wanted to keep on eating more and more.  I used restraint, reaching for a cup of peppermint tea instead. But it was not easy.

Breakfast:
Scrambled Eggs and Bacon
I use a bit of Ghee which is allowed during a Whole30 eating plan. But it does not work as well as straight up butter. The eggs stick a bit more and they get brown really quickly.

Lunch:
Chicken Cacciatore over Spaghetti Squash from http://deliciousprimalcooking.com
This is a super delicious dish! Chicken with tomatoes, mushrooms, red pepper, onion, and perfect spices. I was not sure how the squash would go, but it actually sweetened the dish. Yummy!

Supper:
Vegetable Beef Soup, recipe from my Betty Crocker Cookbook
Yes, I did scrape out the marrow from the bones and browned the meat in it. I think it adds great flavor, even though it kind of creeps me out a bit!I avoided the corn and peas that are usually added to the soup. Just put in more carrots, celery, and potatoes! 

Dessert:
Homemade Apple Crisp from http://www.ablossominglife.com
I am blown away with this delicious recipe! No sugar but the flavor was fabulous! I used Gala apples, and the crunchy topping included raisins, almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg, and coconut oil, ground in the food processor.

I was a bit stressed about having guests for supper, but the food was so tasty. I am encouraged that I could have people for supper again sometime.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Day 4

I have the munchies. But not for carrots or celery. Not for fruit, either. The Whole30 email today had a great suggestion:

The next time you get a hankering for something to eat (and are wondering if it’s just a craving), ask yourself, “Am I hungry enough to eat steamed fish and broccoli right now?” If the answer is no… you’re not really hungry, you’re just craving, so act accordingly. If the answer is yes, then you really are hungry!

It is good to recognize what is hunger and what is habit. In fact, I had to stop at the store for more bananas today. Usually when I stop to pick up just an item or two, I end up with ten or twelve items at the checkout. I realize that I always have to see if I am missing something on sale, or see something on the discount shelf. I usually end up coming home with foods that I normally would not buy or necessarily eat. But not today. I picked up the bananas and that was it. Now there still is not anything on my shelves to eat just because I might feel like eating (habit). A good lesson for me to learn.

On to food for the day.

Breakfast:
Hard Boiled Eggs and Sugar Free Bacon
The bacon was so good, nice and salty. With some tea, it was plenty for me for breakfast.

Lunch:
Chuck Roast, roasted potatoes (white and sweet), green beans
The roast was so good; I seared it first, then put in the oven for a few hours. Nice and moist. Daughter loved the white potatoes. All afternoon she snacked on the leftovers. I really missed eating applesauce with the roast.

Supper:
Leftover Minestrone
I added cabbage to it tonite; it was so good!

And today daughter and I took our first walk. We both felt ready for exercise. And now that I have started, I must keep it up every day!



Monday, January 5, 2015

Day 3

Both daughter and I are tired. It was hard to get up this morning, and it does not help that the day was dark and dreary. Here is what my daily email from Whole30 said...

You’re probably more tired and lethargic today. This is your body adapting to its new fuel source – fat – and transitioning out of your old “sugar-burner” days...This is normal, and will resolve quickly, as long as you do your part to help. Sleep lots. Take naps.

I am feeling better than I did on Sunday. My sinus is clearing up. Husband commented that his sinuses are clearing up as well. Is it because of the Whole30 or is it psychosomatic? Time will tell.

I did not eat such huge meals today, and I felt better. I got hungry a lot, as did daughter. Husband combatted his hunger by eating two bananas today (and he did not eat the brownies at work either!). Again, the hardest part of the day is not having something sweet at the end of a meal. Sigh.

Here is what we ate today!

Breakfast:
Scrambled Eggs.
So simple but so delicious.

Lunch:
Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry from http://paleoleap.com/
Tasty! First time to try coconut aminos; I did not miss the soy sauce at all.

Supper:
Leftover Chicken Soup

I pulled a roast from the freezer for tomorrow's lunch. I am looking forwards to that!



Sunday, January 4, 2015

Day 2

A rough day. I woke up with a terrible sinus headache. I was not in a good mood. Then I read that day 2 on the Whole30 is 'hangover day'. Apparently those M&Ms I ate on Friday, before starting the new eating plan, are giving me a hangover...

Many Whole30ers report headaches, fatigue, and general malaise during this part of the program. This, my friends, is completely normal. Your body is working its way through a whole host of junk it stored from the foods (or food-like-products) you used to eat. This process lasts a day for some folks, but for others it can take a few days longer.  http://whole30.com/2013/08/revised-timeline/#sthash.tJECNxOv.dpuf

I hope it does not take me a few days to get over this feeling of blah. I want to feel good tomorrow!

What did we eat today?

Breakfast:
Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole from http://www.fromthiskitchentable.com/
This is yummy, but it takes a bit of time for prepping. I would probably do half the amount of pork and more eggs next time.

Lunch:
Leftover Minestrone

Supper:
Chicken and Vegetable Soup from http://paleoleap.com
Oh, so good. Perfect on a day that I feel so yucky.

Today I learned realized that eating a big breakfast followed by a big lunch is too much food for me. I need to evaluate how much to eat, rather than eating a lot just because I might get hungry otherwise!

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Day 1 Recap

For Breakfast:
Spicy Green Skillet (without the spicy) from http://www.humblefoodie.com/
Eggs with sweet potatoes, onions, red pepper, and spinach. Yum. I especially liked the sweet potatoes in there!

For Lunch:
Pork Loin Chops with Cabbage and Carrots from http://www.wholelifeeating.com/
A bland dish but good comfort food. My pork chop was too large.

For Supper:
Paleo Minestrone Soup from http://hollywouldifshecould.net/
Really delish! I will make this again and again. I did not add the cabbage, since we had cabbage for lunch.  

I decided that lunch will be the big meal of the day, and I will try to make soup for supper each night. I need the energy for the afternoon but not in the evening. I don't care to go to bed with such a full stomach. Lunch filled me up and I was not very hungry by 6:30 p.m.

The hardest part of the day has been not eating something sweet after lunch and supper. I think it is going to get worse before it gets better!

Day 1

So far, so good. Doing the Whole30 is not about losing weight; it is about changing our lifestyle and eating patterns. Still, the plan encourages a weigh-in at the beginning, then avoid stepping on the scale again for 30 days. So, we weighed in this morning:
Me: 164.1 pounds
Husband: 214.4 pounds
Daughter: 121.8 pounds

I have also purged my kitchen of all foods that are not part of our 30-day eating plan (no sugar, no grain, no legumes, no dairy).

I was surprised at how much outdated foods I had in the cupboards! Out went old pastas, rancid nuts, rancid grains, rancid flour, and old jello and pudding mixes.    I also pulled all the unopened food that we will not be eating, such as canned soups, crackers, good pastas, etc; I have three plastic grocery bags full that will go to a needy family in our church.

There is not much left in the cupboards! (I should have taken before pictures...) The pantry is nearly bare!
 
On to the refrigerator. The door was full of sauces, kept because I might use them again some day. But they, too, were mostly outdated. I dumped them all into the sink and recycled the bottles. (I did keep a few no-no items, as I believe we may use them again after the 30 days.)
 
 And the main part of the fridge is filled with meats, eggs, veggies and fruit.
 
I really enjoyed tossing out so many foods that cluttered the cupboards, the refrigerator, and my life. I feel badly that I spent so much money on processed foods that we will not eat.
 
 
Going forwards I will purchase foods
purposely and not spontaneously.
 

I am learning that 'whole food' means 
unprocessed,
five-ingredients-or-less,
not long-life/shelf-stable
products.


Friday, January 2, 2015

My Goals and a Plan

I am 35 pounds overweight and I am terribly out of shape. For years I have wanted to change that, but without a plan and goals, I failed with every start. This year is different. I have specific goals and a plan to help achieve those goals.

THE GOAL:   Lose 35 pounds in 2015.
How? Learn to eat whole foods. (Beat the sugar addiction.)
           Exercise.

THE PLAN:
Regarding Whole Foods...
For 30 days my family and I will follow the Whole30 Program. http://whole30.com/
It is a very strict Paleo-type eating plan, eating meat and veggies. That's all. No bread, no sugar, no grains, no dairy, no legumes. It is a 30 day commitment; I find 30 days is doable.
I am curious to see what kind of effects such an eating plan will have on my body. I am hopeful that my sugar cravings will disappear. I am hopeful that eating clean will be the start of a life long habit. I have been printing out recipes and buying food.  
Start date: Saturday, January 3, 2015

Regarding Exercise...
Start it slow. I will walk 30 minutes six days a week for the month of January. In February I will set a new walking goal.
By June 1, I will be ready and able to hike Mt. Si. I've never done that...it is a serious workout, a 4 mile hike nearly straight up. Yikes.

Let the adventure begin!