why? WHY? why would someone put themselves through that, you wonder? i mean, because really, what's a life without cheese? and bread?
well, ever since i've entered my 30s, i've noticed an increase of fatigue and sluggishness... basically all the time. and i'm just not willing to accept that i'm going to be tired for the rest of my life! i've also noticed that simply counting calories was no longer keeping the pounds away. so i felt ready to do something radical. something i never thought i was capable of. it was time to "heal" my gut and change my relationship with food and figure out how to make the most of this body i've been given.
i won't lie to you. it was not easy. i work full-time. i am also a wife and mother. it is HARD to make a meal from scratch every day when i get home at 5:30. it kind of sucks to watch your family eat macaroni and cheese while you eat kale salad. but the more you do it, the easier and more natural it will become. and eventually, you'll start feeling so good that all of the extra work doesn't seem so daunting.
here's another important note: i wasn't hungry all the time. i was so afraid that all of the foods i was cutting out would leave me with no options and that i would feel hungry and irritable forever. but that just wasn't the case. i ate plenty. and i ate well. i found some amazing recipes, ate my fill every day, and still lost weight. it was incredible.
so why i am posting about this now? well, mostly for my own benefit. i'm preparing to start another whole30 on monday, so i need to get myself mentally prepared. also, i'm going to post my food diary from my previous whole30 as a quick reference for me and hopefully a good resource to those of you who are interested in taking the plunge.
looking over this food log, i spot a few mistakes that i made last time. namely, too much snacking on almonds and larabars. snacks are not forbidden on whole30, but they aren't strongly encouraged either. i think i fell into a habit of eating a snack in the afternoon just because that's what i always do. so i'm going to work on that this time around.
before i post my food log, you're probably interested i knowing how whole30 affected me. after i got through the "withdrawal period," which included headaches and fatigue for 3-4 days, i felt AMAZING. i can't even describe it. my gut and insides just felt light as a feather. my energy level shot up. i started to enjoy the flavor of healthy, non-processed foods. my skin and complexion started GLOWING. i lost 10 pounds. it was such an incredible experience. and even though it was a ton of extra work (i felt like i lived in the kitchen!), it was entirely worth it.
my next go-round with this starts on monday, january 11. who is brave enough to join me? :-)
BETH'S WHOLE30 FOOD DIARY
DAY 1
2 hard cooked eggs, russet and sweet potato hash
Kale salad with the citrus vinaigrette from this recipe
Apple and almonds
Chipotle chicken sweet potato skins (no cheese)
DAY 2
2 hard cooked eggs, russet and sweet potato hash
Leftover chipotle chicken sweet potato skins
Grilled chicken with mushroom cream sauce and roasted broccoli
Banana "ice cream"
DAY 3
2 hard cooked eggs, russet and sweet potato hash
Larabar
Leftover grilled chicken with mushroom cream sauce and roasted broccoli
Banana "ice cream"
Leftover chipotle chicken sweet potato skins
DAY 4
Banana, apple, and almond butter
Longhorn Steakhouse garden greens salad with sirloin and oil & vinegar
Almonds
Pulled pork, green beans, and oven roasted potato crisps
DAY 5
Homemade sausage, mashed sweet potatoes, and strawberries
Kale salad with citrus vinaigrette
Almonds
Leftover pulled pork, roasted broccoli, and tangerine
DAY 6
Omelette with onions, mushrooms, and kale
Leftover pulled pork, mashed sweet potato, and sugar snap peas
Larabar
Sicilian roasted chicken, baked potato, and carrots
DAY 7
Homemade sausage, hard cooked eggs, and strawberries
Leftover pulled pork, mashed sweet potato, and sugar snap peas
Almonds and dates
Oven baked salmon patties, green beans, and pomegranate seeds
DAY 8
Homemade sausage and mashed sweet potatoes
Leftover salmon patties and grapes
Almonds and dates
Spaghetti squash with meat sauce, roasted broccoli, and pomegranate seeds
DAY 9
Homemade sausage, apple, almond butter
Leftover spaghetti squash with meat sauce and grapes
Almonds and dates
Aidell's chicken & apple sausage and kale salad with citrus vinaigrette (this is one of the only whole30-compliant pre-packaged meats that i found in our grocery store.)
DAY 10
Breakfast meatloaf, fried egg, and tomato
Leftover spaghetti squash with meat sauce
Apple with almond butter
Chicken sausage with mashed sweet potatoes
DAY 11
Breakfast meatloaf and diced tomato
Leftover salmon patties and peppers
Almonds
Kale salad with citrus vinaigrette
DAY 12
Breakfast meatloaf and diced tomato
Kale salad with citrus vinaigrette
Larabar
Breakfast sausage and mashed sweet potatoes
DAY 13
Blueberry "tortilla" (not great... don't make this.) :-)
Kale salad with oil and vinegar
Apple
Paleo meatloaf, green beans, and banana "ice cream"
DAY 14
Apple and almonds
Roasted turkey, tomatoes, pickles, and Larabar (a weird meal because i was at a funeral lunch)
Chicken sausage and mashed sweet potatoes with sautéed onions
DAY 15
Scrambled eggs with sautéed onions and 1/2 apple with almond butter
Leftover chicken sausage with kale salad
Almonds and dates
Sweet potato and kale hash with fried egg and banana "ice cream"
DAY 16
Breakfast meatloaf and tomatoes
Leftover sweet potato and kale hash with fried egg
Almonds, dates, and apple
Grilled chicken with mushroom cream sauce and roasted broccoli
DAY 17
Breakfast meatloaf and tomatoes
Leftover grilled chicken with mushroom cream sauce and roasted broccoli
Apple and almond butter
Chicken sausage with spaghetti squash hash browns
DAY 18
Spaghetti squash hash browns and fried egg
Kale salad with oil and vinegar
Spaghetti squash and paleo meatballs with organic tomato sauce
Pomegranate seeds
DAY 19
Scrambled eggs with organic salsa
Leftover spaghetti squash and paleo meatballs with organic tomato sauce
Paleo Mediterranean steak, roasted potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, and banana "ice cream"
DAY 20
Scrambled eggs with organic salsa
Leftover paleo Mediterranean steak, roasted potatoes, and roasted Brussels sprouts
Almonds
Claire's chili on hash browns and grapes (the picture does no justice to this recipe. this is our new favorite way to prepare chili!)
DAY 21
Fried eggs with organic salsa and half an apple with almond butter
Leftover Claire's chili on hash browns and grapes
Larabar
Asian meatballs and green beans
DAY 22
Fried eggs with organic salsa and half an apple with almond butter
Leftover Claire's chili on hash browns and grapes
Roasted pumpkin seeds
Pork carnitas with pineapple guacamole over sweet potato hash browns
DAY 23
Mushroom and onion omelette with organic salsa
Leftover Claire's chili on hash browns
Apple and almond butter
Leftover pork carnitas with pineapple guacamole over sweet potato hash browns
DAY 24
Scrambled eggs, hash browns, and organic salsa
Kale salad with oil and vinegar
Larabar
Paleo acorn squash
DAY 25
Scrambled eggs, hash browns, and organic salsa
Leftover paleo acorn squash and grapes
Turkey taco meat (using homemade taco seasoning) over sweet potato hash browns
DAY 26
Fried eggs and sweet potato hash browns with organic salsa
Leftover paleo acorn squash and grapes
Buffalo chicken casserole and roasted Brussels sprouts (NOT GOOD. i can't even find the recipe now, but it doesn't matter because i would never recommend this to anyone.) :-)
Banana "ice cream"
DAY 27
Fried eggs with organic salsa and 1/2 apple with almond butter
Leftover taco meat over sweet potato hash browns
Larabar
Salted mocha burger, green beans, and banana "ice cream" (our new FAVORITE burger recipe. sooooooo good!!)
DAY 28
Scotch egg and 1/2 apple with almond butter
Leftover buffalo chicken casserole
Larabar
Hamburger soup
DAY 29
Scotch egg with sweet potato hash
Leftover hamburger soup
Apple with almond butter
Omelette with onions and peppers and sweet potato hash
DAY 30
Scotch egg and 1/2 apple with almond butter
Leftover hamburger soup
Apple with almond butter
Spaghetti squash with meat sauce and roasted broccoli
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