Day 5

Even though my little Lady only let me have one chunk of fours hours of sleep and some 20 minutes to an hour here and there throughout the night, I woke feeling really mentally rested. I feel very clear. My eyes still feel a bit tired, but my body feels great. No lower back discomfort. No headache. I wasn't anticipating feeling good this early in the program. From what I've read days 1-7 are tough and my body would still be adjusting at this time.

Breakfast: 3 hard-boiled eggs, tomato basil salad in olive oil, and melon

Lunch: Chicken breast, kalamatta olives, carrots & peppers with ranch for dipping

Snack: Handful of toasted coconut with slivered almonds. This 2 hours after my lunch...I might have confused this with thirst, or I didn't have enough protein.

Dinner: Broccoli and cabbage slaw salad with chicken, mushrooms, cucumber, peppers, lettuce, snap peas, toasted almonds, and a creamy Asian vinaigrette.It was humungous. Couldn't finish it. Not sure if its because I was full or because I was tired of chewing raw veg for what seemed like forever....

I need to start planning next weeks menu. This week worked out pretty good so far. I have strayed from my original plan but I knew that would happen anyway. Having it all mapped out gave me a great jumping off point and made it so I have plenty of compliant food on hand. Where as if I hadn't planned I would have probably given up by now.

9:30 and I am ready to hit the hay. Till tomorrow

Day 2

Note to self: Get bigger kitchen.

Prep is, for the most part, done. Thankfully. The whole house is running on little sleep. Poor Lil woke up screaming after 40 minutes into her afternoon nap because she was so damn tired and couldn't fall back to sleep. It took a good hour for her to stop crying and make her way back to slumber. I napped with her till my sleeping arm woke me up. It was needed. That headache from yesterday morning stayed with me through the night. You know the kind that makes it so you can't even lay down and sleep even though that is the very thing your body needs most? The kind that throbs to the point of making get out of bed to stand under a hot shower? This family took advantage of the rainy day and took our mandatory rainy labor day naps.

Other than the crap headache which I don't think had anything to do with Whole30 and everything to do with the one glass of wine, little water, sugar, and lack of sleep from the night BEFORE starting my Whole30 that did it, I really feel quite good. I have been putting the recommended amounts of protein/fats and eating till I'm full which, so far, has been carrying me over nicely to the next meal. No snack cravings last night. 

On to todays food:

Lil and I had a quiet little breakfast together while her Daddy slept. I ate some reheated green pepper and onion frittata (which I overcooked, bleck...) topped with avocado and salsa and a side of melon. 

Lunch consisted of a ginormous grilled chicken salad with lots of veg, raw cashews, and balsamic vinegar and olive oil to dress.

Around 4:30 I had a handful of toasted coconut and slivered almonds simple because I wanted to. I wasn't hungry, but it smelled so damn good toasting in the pan, how could I not?

Dinner was delicious Pad Thai from Well Fed. Oh. My. Goodness. Sunshine sauce is going to get me through the next 28 days no problem. I was stuffed and couldn't finish my portion, but there was no room in the fridge for leftovers, so Derek gladly ate what I couldn't.

I should prep lunch and breakfast for tomorrow, but I'm zonked and still need to get little Miss to fall asleep. There is always the morning.

Day 1

Weight: 233

Measurements

Under Bust - 40"

Waist - 40.75"

Belly Button - 47.75"

Upper Arm -  16.6"

Thigh - 30"

Calf - 19"

Neck - 14.5"

Yep. There I am in all my glory. Definitely have some work to do...

Our little Lady did not sleep well last night which means that Mama did not sleep well last night. I also woke up feeling very dehydrated, a tension headache, and pain in my lower back and calves. How comical to wake up on the first day of my Whole30 and feel this crappy...

Also comical, the in-laws are up from VT and the whole family thought it would be great to go to IHOP for breakfast. I spent some time last night thinking about what I would have that would be Whole30 compliant and toying with not eating anything, but came to the decision that as long as this is one of the few times I go out to eat this month that I am okay with whatever oil they cook my batter and dairy free omelet in.

Lunch was well.... kind of non-existent. Although I had a snack of an apple and some sunbutter around 1:30. Note for next Whole30: Do the food shopping the day before starting. Because of running around, a tired baby and a riduliclous headache, I didn't get to start prep until four in the afternoon... 

We had Well Fed's Chocolate Chili for Dinner made with some grass-fed beef I got at the farmers market yesterday. I spooned mine over some baby spinach and cooked zucchini. It was really quite good. Loads of flavor. I also had a hard-boiled egg about 15 minutes before we sat down for dinner (I was REALLY hungry).

Overall the day went well. Granted it is only 6pm, but so far so good. I have a feeling I'll be hitting the hay after picking up the kitchen a bit. I'll have to continue meal prep tomorrow. Thankfully it is a holiday....

Think Lil will let me sleep tonight?

Here's the plan....

Mmmmmmm..... Coffee ice cream with chocolate chunks. Savoring every. Single. Bite.......

Finished my pre-prep for my first week of my Whole30. I'm starting this Sunday 9/1. Thirty whole days of whole, unprocessed, real food. So here I am devouring one of my last bowls of ice cream knowing it will reek havoc on my digestive system, but enjoying it all the same.

It's a bit strange. As soon as I set the date for my Whole30 my good eating habits of avoiding dairy and limiting grains went right down the tube. What happened? Maybe my subconscious is justifying this crap eating knowing I'll "make up for it" in the next month or so....maybe that's a load of bull as well.

credit

Well Fed was a God sent when it came to planning for this experience. I couldn't quite figure out how I was going to swing cooking all this food when Derek is the one who normally makes dinner while I put the babe down to sleep. Melissa's idea of banging out a ton of prep work on one day and making Hot Plates (simple easy dishes that can be thrown together like bam) for most of my dinners and lunches has lightened any mental stress that I have been carrying. I am so siked to try the Chocolate Chili and the Pad Thai from Well Fed this week. Between Melissa's cookbook, It Starts With Food, and the Whole30 Forum, I am ready to tackle this beast. No excuses. Just purely awesome positive attitude coming at this full force.

Here is the meal plan:

 

and the corresponding grocery list: 

Thankfully I have a stock-pile of frozen protein in the deep freeze to burn through first. No, it's not grass-feed. But I know I won't have the financial luxury of purchasing high-end proteins for all of Whole30. Money is tight as it is.... Hoping to save some dough and do a little shopping at Trader Joe's , then make my way over to Whole Foods. Sadly my order from Penzey's won't arrive till Tuesday because of labor day and my procrastination of ordering, but I'll plan those dishes that need some spice love that I don't have on hand, later in the week.

I'll be measuring and weighing on Sunday morning as well as taking my before photos. Ah, I cannot wait.