Day 21ish

I have to say 21ish, because I fell off the full compliance wagon last Friday night.  On both nights of the weekend, I enjoyed some red wine.  It was, indeed, just as good as I remembered! 

Despite our lack of perfection, I'm pleased.  Like, REALLY pleased.  I feel good.  I've lost some weight (that wasn't the goal, and yes, I've broken the rules by stepping on the scale-- but I'll take it!).  Running is slowly but surely improving.  The hubs has lost some pounds (he broke the rules too); and we've completed 20+ days of REALLY healthy eating (I'm looking at the big picture here, folks). 

I would've made a bigger effort at complete compliance; but as I mentioned earlier, I am headed to Arizona this weekend for a girls weekend.  I will, admittedly, enjoy being responsibility and food restriction free! 

It's also worth mentioning that I met a friend for lunch on Monday at our favorite Indian buffet.  I skipped the rice and naan, but didn't ask for ingredient lists of the curry type dishes available.  I'm certain there was dairy involved.  I also couldn't pass up the pokoras... undoubtedly coated in something derived from grain.  And, I'm pretty sure it caused me problems.  Nothing unbearable, but I definitely had some abdominal discomfort in the evening.  Could be coincidence.  Who knows?

Anyhoozal... here's a pic from a fun (and compliant, less the wine) dinner with friends on Saturday.  It was oh so good to re-introduce ourselves to the grill!

Mmmmmmeat.

 



HEY-O! I made MAYO!

Day 15

I attempted another run two days ago.  It sucked.  I did personal training yesterday, I felt strong.  But, I'm tired of sucky runs.  Word on the street (or in the Whole 9 forum) is that it will get better... and I need to eat more sweet potatoes.  That seems impossible, but I'll get 'er done.  I did make some sweet potato chips yesterday that were damn tasty.  Hopefully I can get more made soon and start downing them like a crazy woman.

Speaking of a crazy woman, you're currently reading the writing of one.  The search for a family dog took a very unfortunate turn this week.  We were all set, but for a home visit. Lovely young woman (looked to be no more than 22 years old) came to scope out our digs.  She acted as if everything was status quo, then proceeded to give us a failing grade.  Reason:  disorganization.  Yep... my house is not fit for a dog.  We do live a disheveled lifestyle, I cannot deny.  But, we thought we had the place looking pretty presentable.  I could go on and on and on about this.  All that matters though, is I feel like a complete failure.  A failure for having a shitty house and a failure for setting my kids up for such disappointment.  They've had more than their fair share of shit to deal with in recent years.  I thought a dog would be therapeutic; but ultimately the whole situation led to ultimate despair for them.  

And, it's snowing.  And snowing.  And snowing.  It's cold.  It's April.  I am in a complete and total funk.  I know beer and pizza won't help.  But DAMN I want some beer and pizza (and a box of kleenex please).

Good Morning Day 11

I think it's safe to say that fewer posts can be taken as a sign that things are going better.  Our family ended up going out for both breakfast and lunch yesterday.  I was pleased.  My only issue was that we didn't end up eating breakfast until nearly 9am.  That's too damn late for me.  I guess I should've had a banana or something right when I got up.  I hate to start with sugar though, even if it's fruit.  I'm currently hard boiling some eggs.  I don't love them, but they'll be a good go-to option when I need some quick protein.

I am struggling with hunger in the evening. My meal times typically fall at about 7am, 11:30ish, and about 5pm for the evening meal.  While I'm doing a decent job at getting to bed by 10, that stretch between the end of dinner and going to bed is long.  I think I'm supposed to be done eating something like two hours before going to bed, so perhaps I need to start downing one of those hard boiled eggs at 7 or 8.  I feel like the hunger is legitimate; and I nearly always wake up sometime between midnight and two (usually I go to the bathroom and get right back to sleep, but I'm growing weary of the interruption in my zzzzz's).  I can't help but think my hunger might have something to do with why I'm waking so early in the night.  Of course, returning to more consistent exercise would likely help with the sleep.  Of course, it will probably make me more hungry.  MY LIFE IS SO HARD!!!!  :-)

I still really, really miss beer.  We had chili for dinner last night, and I would've loved to have washed it down with a nice Boulevard unfiltered wheat.  Doing without is definitely a good exercise for me. Without going into detail, I will just say that our family has been through what I would call an above average amount of turmoil in recent years (mainly pertaining to the incarceration of a close family member).  Family stress levels have been high.  Additionally, we have two great kids... but let's face it, parenthood ain't stress free.  Throw in the fact that we've both dealt with some anxiety and depression, and it's more than safe to say that we've self-medicated with alcohol more in recent years than one should.  Do I think we're chemically dependent?  No.  Do I think we're entrenched in some bad habits?  Yes. 

All that being said, now is the time I will confess that I will not be doing a whole30.  On day 21 I'm flying to Phoenix to meet up with my childhood bestie Kelly and her sister.  I haven't seen Kelly since I got married 14+ years ago.  That to me is adequate reason to break this 'fast.'  I may re-start upon my return home and go for 30 straight, but I may not.  Chris is determined to go straight through, so I may just be done when he is.  I can tell you now, though, that no matter when I'm 'done,' I will never be DONE.  I will not be strictly paleo, but I do intend to maintain, for the most part, this way of eating.

Too Crazy for Color TV

Outta control Sat nite here. Chris working, kids playing wii, me making ghee.# of minutes til I can have a beer?#TooMany #whole30

— anneholt (@anneholt) April 13, 2013

Good Morning Day 9

Yesterday, in a word, sucked.  I woke up to dumping snow, I forgot to put a filter in the coffee pot, which resulted in a waterfall of java all over the counter, and I was still in a pretty foul mood from Wednesday evening's craptastic chicken dinner.  That was just the morning. 

Other highlights from the day:

meeting foster dogs (yes, we are getting a dog; the fence has been installed...now we search for a pooch)... one of which we really, really loved; but she shed a LOT in our short time together, setting off Elise's allergies with a vengeance.  The right dog will come, but the experience kind of sucked.

 
Getting nailed with an outrageously high bill from the IRS (start your own company...it'll be fun...NOT!!)
 
Our recycling bin, filled to overflowing, did not get emptied yesterday. Getting it down to the curb was a complete bee-atch of a task through the heavy wet snow that covered our driveway.  I got it down, and cleared a path between the street and the can.  Unbeknownst to me, city plows came through afterward and left a trail of nastiness, so our friendly recycling man decided not to empty it, I guess.  It would not be a big deal, but they only come every two weeks.  Did I mention it's overflowing???
 
A realization that it's coming time to make some difficult decisions concerning the hubs's business... not that the sky is falling, but it's possible we're coming to a crossroad, and we are crap, crap, crappity, crappy decision makers
 
After all this fun, we ended up at Good Day Cafe for dinner.  It's the home of one of my pre-whole30 faves...huevos rancheros, complete with forbidden beans, tortillas, and cheese.  We picked the place due to location, and I thought the menu would be fairly easy to navigate.  It wasn't impossible, but the problem was I probably should've eaten an hour earlier.  I was starving, Elise was being super crabby and difficult, and I just wanted my huevos rancheros and a beer, for cryin' out loud.   I ultimately ordered a fried egg sandwich, and didn't eat the bread.  It normally comes with potatoes (delicious potatoes, I might add), but the waiter said we could do roasted veggies.  Score.  I was already feeling very high maintenance, which I HATE, so I refused to go into the whole 'what oil is everything cooked in' routine.  So, there could've been some butter or canola oil involved.  I don't give a shit.  I still ate way healthier than I previously would've. 

 

Am I the queen of first world problems or what?????

 

To have gotten through the day and evening without falling off the wagon was ultimately pretty empowering, but the obstacles seemed pretty insurmountable there for awhile.  Chris and I both admitted (maybe that's not the right word), that part of the appeal of taking this on was that we both kind of enjoy a challenge (proof:  we have kids, we've run marathons, we're getting a dog).  We both had 'is this particular challenge worth it' moments yesterday. 

 

One of the upsides of all of this is that we've rediscovered tea.  After I got over my initial pissed offed-ness that so many brands have stevia or barley malt in them and found some compliant options, it's become a great evening wind-down.  The kids wanted to join in, so we've been having family tea time every evening at 8, and it's become one of my favorite parts of the day.  While we do frequently enjoy dinner together as a family, it does often become a harried event and less quality time than I'd like.  Tea time provides another opportunity for us to sit around the table and check in with one another.  I don't care who ya are... that's a good thing. 

 

I'll quit now while I'm on a positive note.  Below is a picture of this morning's breakfast.  Looks familiar, no??

• 

Day 7--What I'm Missing

I'm one meal away from having week 1 in the books.  As of today, I don't miss dairy, sugar, grain or all the other stuff too terribly much.  I do, however, miss going out to eat.  Today is a day when, before I started this craziness, I'd have declared it a go out to dinner night.  I've been cleaning and organizing like a mad woman today.  I'm tired, and I don't want to make dinner (I've been cooking A LOT). 

So, I looked into some local menus.  Ultimately, though, I decided it's more trouble than it's worth.  Ultimately, this is a good thing, but I'd really like someone else to cook for me tonight. 

It's not that there are no good dining out options, but most of the places we'd hit with the kids are not ideal for the way we're eating now.  Chicken, eggplant, and leftover carrot-parsnip puree it is.

Day 6--Time Flies when You're Havin' Fun

Well, ok... that title's pretty much horse sh**.  But, we've made it to day six.  Chris has taken the kids to piano and the evening meal is almost ready for them. 

Recent observations:
This way of eating ain't cheap.  I'd post what I've spent on groceries, but it'd probably make you faint.  Some of it is just start up expense (pantry staples, coconut oil, mustard w/out sugar, and a small stock of meat).  Hopefully the expense will level out next week.

Planning to eat leftovers for lunch is great, unless what you make sucked the first time around.  It double sucks when you have to eat it leftover.  But... this food's too dang expensive to waste, so sometimes ya gotta choke down a nasty a** turkey patty.

Cravings are fewer and mood is better.  As in DRASTICALLY better.  Thank you sweet Jesus.  Chris and I nearly killed each other on Sunday.

Things aren't rosy all over, but I have moments here and there when I think I genuinely just feel better than I have in a long time.  Could be that it's all in my head.  I don't have a problem with that. 

Prep and planning are essential.

If you think you have enough eggs, sweet potatoes and avocados to last you awhile, you're most likely WRONG.

Exercising is getting easier, I think.  I haven't had a chance to try another run, but cycling was ok today.  Ok, but not great (which is a vast improvement over Saturday).

I do not care for steamed vegetables.  I like them sautéed, or roasted, or sometimes raw; but steamed broccoli makes me gag.  Big time.  I bought some of those frozen steam in bag things to have in a pinch.  I'd rather go hungry.

Today's meals:
1- eggs with lotsa spinach, 1/2 avocado
2- leftover chicken leg and some of the Mexican beef I made yesterday (I kind of botched that, but it's kinda ok for lunch.  Leftover broccoli and cuke/tomato salad
Afternoon snack-handful of almonds
3-Roasted pork shoulder, carrot parsnip puree, and roasted broccoli

I also got another good sized batch of sweet taters roasted and ready.

Here's the what to expect.  I was, indeed, a little tired today.

Days 6-7: I just want a nap…

Okay, so its day 6 and you made it through the last phase without smiting anyone. The thing is, today you don’t feel like you could smite anyone if your life depended on it! It’s 10 am and all you can think about is crawling under your desk for a catnap. As the day drags on, the surface of your desk is morphing, from hard wooden surface to snuggly warm pillow, right before your eyes. You hit the gym, but only halfheartedly, unable to face the barbell with any kind of conviction. You crawl into bed at 8 p.m. only to drag yourself out eleven hours later feeling no more rested than you did the night before.
So what’s the deal?! Isn’t eating like this supposed to increase energy levels? Yes…in the long run. Right now, you’re body is learning that it can’t rely on all those easy access energy sources it used to know and love. Gone are the days of cinnamon crunch muffins and Frappuccinos. Now your body is learning to efficiently burn fat and protein as its fuel sources, and that takes more effort – and some time. If you can hold out just a bit longer, you’ll definitely reap the benefits. (Besides, you could probably use a day off from the gym anyway, right?)

Day 5

Not perfect, but oh sooooo much better than yesterday.  I did have some gnawing hunger around 3:30 in the afternoon, but a handful of almonds left me satisfied.  Same story at about 8pm. 

Today marked my first trip to Whole Foods.  The whole concept of going for grass fed, pastured, organic meat is new to me.  And expensive.  I don't mind paying more for a better product, but if I f*** something up, that's a heck of a lot of do-re-mi down the drain.  Additionally, I couldn't get 'coconut aminos' or the paleo fish sauce.  They were out of the aminos, and I don't think they carry the fish sauce.  I was kinda pissed.  Good think I didn't go there yesterday, because that would've likely pushed me right over the edge. 

We enjoyed this chicken recipe, using chicken legs.  Unfortunately the recipe called for both of those items.  I left them out and hoped for the best.  I liked 'em a lot, and think I'll actually be excited to eat the leftovers tomorrow.

Today's lunch was the God awful turkey patties leftover from yesterday, along with sweet potatoes and leftover steamed broccoli.  Leftover broccoli sucks.  The sweet potatoes were the only thing going for the midday meal.

Breakfast was the good 'ol egg scramble.  I look forward to mixing that up a bit.

All in all, a good day!

Currently putting the odds of the #whole30 ending my marriage at about 55%.Apparently our marital bliss hinges on biscuits & beer. #crabby
— anneholt (@anneholt) April 7, 2013

It be gettin' ugly up in here.  Cracker Barrel debrief tomorrow.  Kids have post-sleepover hangover, adults have grain withdrawal.

Midday 4

For better or for worse, I managed to get lunch pretty much 'done' before leaving for church.  I had ground turkey that I made into patties (with a little grated shallot and garlic, chile powder, and cumin).  I also roasted quite a bit of sweet potato.  So, all I did when we got home was cook the patties, steam some broccoli (I ate more than what's pictured--didn't think about snapping a pic until I'd started eating) in the microwave, and heat up the sweet taters.

A good effort, except for that I really didn't love the turkey burger.  If I'm going to make them again, I need to add more to flavor it; and I would likely prefer ground chicken.  I've never been crazy about turkey.  There are some good recipes out there, but I was in a time crunch.  I'll be looking for better options.

Things I'm noticing:
We're sure as heck going through a lot of veg (yeah!).
I still crave stuff I shouldn't eat, but it's getting a little better.
I cook.  A lot.
My kitchen is often a complete disaster area
I'm tired of scraping dried, cooked egg off of my cast iron skillet.  (I re-seasoned it today, so maybe it will be better.  It also might just be time to invest in a decent non-stick skillet.  I've never had one.).
I struggle with hunger v. craving.  Running yesterday made it worse, I think.

The Dawn of Day 4

After recovering from my lousy run, and taking a nice nap, and eating an early dinner from Chipotle (Salad, carnitas, guacamole, pico de gallo); my family had the opportunity to attend a Timberwolves game with a lot of the kids and some of the parents from Jerod's recently retired basketball team.  In a suite.  With free beer.  OY! 

	anneholt @anneholt I'm at at a #mntimberwolves game with access to free beer that I cannot drink. Damn #whole30.   08:01 PM - 06 Apr 13

This was one of those situations that's hard simply because of old (bad) habits.  I'm pretty sure I haven't been to a sporting event without having a beer since I turned 21.  This is one portion of the plan I hope to maintain when my 30 days are up.  Not only will I be healthier, but my bank account will be healthier too.  $7+ dollar beers will hopefully henceforth be the exception, and not the rule. 

This morning I woke up famished (not unusual for me).  I enjoyed my egg/spinach scramble along with a side of sweet potatoes that I simply grated up and sautéed in a little coconut oil.  It was not my favorite form of sweet potato, but prep was quick.  A good thing considering my hunger level. 

Today will consist of some challenges.  The treat table at church, I don't have a definite plan for lunch (I guess I best be getting on that), and we are scheduled to celebrate my dad's birthday at Crackerbarrel.  There are plenty of comments I could make, but I'll just say I plan to eat something before and have a salad. 

I'll close with some interesting notes from the Whole30 timeline. 

Days 2-3: The Hangover.

The alarm rings on day 2 and you pop out of bed expecting the same kind of Charlie Sheen winning feeling you had yesterday. Instead, you get the other side of Charlie…you know – the pounding-head-cross-eyed-can’t-see-straight side. You know you didn’t down a fifth of tequila in your sleep, so what the heck happened?!
Remember the pre Whole30 bender you went on? Pizza, cookies, Jim Beam, jelly beans (oh, the jelly beans)? Yeah. This is when it comes back to bite you in the butt. (And the head.)  And it is definitely true that the amount of suck you experience in this phase is directly proportional to the amount of crap you consumed before you began the program.  Especially if you consumed it consistently. This phase is especially hard for the habitual Diet Coke (and Diet Dr. Pepper here in my part of the world) drinkers. You know who you are.
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. Relax, drink a lot of water, and keep making good choices. And do your best to earn the sympathy and support from friends and family, because…

Days 4-5: Kill ALL the things!

Day 4 dawns and you tentatively step out of bed, expecting to feel like you took a strike from Thor’s hammer in the temple. Instead, your head is surprisingly clear. Your limbs all feel functional. This could be a good day! You walk into the kitchen and as you’re greeted by the smiling face of your significant other you are suddenly overcome…with the desire to punch them in the face for smiling this early in the morning.  Congratulations! You’ve made it to day 4.
Now, I have no clue why this phase happens, or why it happens here (and not on, say, day 14).* I just know that it happens. Often. Even experienced Whole30ers (myself included) go through this phase.  Every nerve is lit, temperance is non-existent and the only solution to the problem seems to be to Kill All of the Things.
This phase, too, will pass.  Beg your spouse, children, parents, co-workers, for patience and forgiveness – as nicely as you can (and no, “shut up and leave me alone!” does not count as nice). Take a deep breath and eat some sweet potatoes. I promise, you’ll feel better soon.
*It’s probably because your brain is never very happy when you tell it that it CAN’T have something, and take it out of it’s habitual and accustomed comfort zone. An unhappy brain is a stressed brain, an anxious brain, a fearful brain. No to mention your hormones are desperately trying to keep up with your new food choices, your gut is trying to heal, you’ve had a headache for the last three days, and you REALLY MISS YOUR DIET COKE. So yeah, maybe we do know why this is happening now…

Middle of day 3-- A Steep Learning Curve

This morning I completed my first run while on the program.  This would mark the first time ever in my relatively long running career that I've headed out for a run without having a big, nummy bowl of GRAIN (usually oatmeal).  I've got some things to figure out.

Today's breakfast was essentially a repeat of yesterday's, but with more spinach.  I undoubtedly need to get more fruit and veg in with meal 1, but I was wary to take in too much before a somewhat long run. 

In my crazier days, I have run under a lot of less than ideal situations (hung over, poor meal decisions prior, snow, rain, blah, blah, blah).  All that being said, today was one of my top five worst runs.  EVER.

The energy just wasn't there.  The first couple of miles were fine, but after that it was pure drudgery.  Googling whole30 and running revealed that it's a somewhat common problem.  There are definitely things I could have done differently.  Perhaps a whole mess of sweet potatoes yesterday would've been a good idea.  Or some fruit with breakfast.  I don't know.  All I know is that today sucked, and I hate it when running sucks.

Post run banana and coffee, followed by lunch at home (leftover hamburger patty, leftover Brussels sprouts, leftover cuke/tomato salad, and roasted butternut squash) has left me feeling much better; but crappy runs are hard for me to overcome. 

On top of this whole crazy change in eating habits, I hadn't run in over a week.  As if I needed another strike against this run!  Additionally, my eating habits prior to three days ago were vacation caliber bad. 

So... I will run more this week.  I will eat some different things before next week's attempt at longish mileage, and I will see how it goes.  I will keep on keepin' on. 

Day Two-- In the Books

I am currently sitting in my recliner watching my boys play video games and doing a little bit more on the meal planning front.  The rest of my food today:

Meal 2
hamburger patty with some sautéed onions and jalapenos stuffed inside
a whole lot of Brussels sprouts with a little diced pancetta (probably contraband), sautéed in coconut oil.  The inspiration for this came from today's trip to Trader Joe's (yesterday's grocery run was quick and inadequate)


Meal 3
Ribeye steak
broccoli roasted in ghee (that I made myself... who knew I could make ghee... it's dietary change AND self discovery!!)
cucumber and tomato salad

In an email exchange with Chris late in the morning, I did mention that the 'damn diet was giving me a headache.'  And it was.  Not a bad headache, but I definitely felt off.  Some ibuprofen and lunch helped tremendously.  I also mentioned in an email exchange with my friend Tiff that I'd like 'a bowl of oatmeal cooked in beer.'  Clearly grain addiction is an issue for me.  This is not news to me, but today definitely brought that fact home.

Chris also had a headache at one point in the day.  He also had to go to a gathering where the other attendees were enjoying beer and buffalo wings.  Two of his all time faves.  But... he made it!

Granted, I was a little heavy handed with the red meat; which I blame on being ill prepared.  I think I'm ready to be a little more balanced on that front now. 

We are both marking a notch in the win column for today.  It wasn't KILLER HARD, but it wasn't easy either.  Glad it's behind us!

I Knew it Was a Bad Idea

Yeah. I knew starting this blog was dumb, but I did it anyway.  And, in predictable fashion, it has ended up like my other two blogs.  Completely neglected. For the most part, it's likely to retain that status. 

Today, though, I'm posting so that it will be in writing that the hubs and I have started the Whole30.  This link isn't the official web site, but I like the description.  It's essentially a very strict paleo diet. 

I have historically pretty much made fun of the paleo freaks (and usually their five fingered running gear). Somehow, though, I ended up with the book 'It All Starts With Food' on my kindle.  First it was just the free sample.  What I read there made a lot of sense and I was intrigued; and I ended up buying the book.  I have now read nearly all of it.  I skimmed some sections, as there was an awful lot of detail, and I really just wanted to get down to what I should and should not be eating. 

I have never, in my mind, had a weight issue.  I have, however, known for a long time that I needed to be eating better.  Long distance running has let me get away with some bad habits that should have been ditched long ago. I've also known that the amount of fatigue I feel I a typical day, even after a good night's sleep, is not normal.  Combine the info in this paragraph with the logical stuff I read in the book, and I've decided to take the plunge. 

As an added bonus, the hubs has decided to come along.  In the past year, he's put on about 40 pounds.  Hip surgery last summer, combined with what I believe can accurately be described as depression over having to take a long hiatus from running have led to a lot of less than stellar eating habits.  Of course, he's my husband and I love him despite his shape and size; but it doesn't take a psychologist to see that he's been unhappy.  Unhappy about not running, unhappy about putting on weight, and relatively stressed out over changes in his career (which have been good, but change is stressful!). He tried the weight watchers point thing earlier this year and had some success, but ultimately could not sustain the tracking. 

He's a silly guy. Always joking.  But upon seeing this picture taken on our recent spring break trip he said, "Oh my God, my belly." 

So, here we are.  We just returned from our trip yesterday.  My plan was to start the Whole30 on Monday, but he convinced me there was no good reason to wait. I thought our planned trip to Pizzaria Lola on Sunday to celebrate my dad's birthday was plenty good reason to wait, but knew he was right. 

We had to be at the airport fairly early for our flight home, which meant we ate breakfast at the airport. YIKES.  Ultimately we ended up at TGIFriday's.  Double YIKES.  But, they did have omelets on the menu.  Chris ordered the veggie and I ordered the ham and bacon.  I later learned that ham and bacon aren't exactly approved, due to the processing.  Oops!  But, I promised myself I wouldn't get too bogged down in the details. 

Upon arriving home I went to the grocery store and stocked up on veggies, eggs, and meat.  For lunch we had rotisserie chicken, steamed green beans, and a spinach salad.  Dinner was chipotle chicken stuffed sweet potatoes with a side of roasted Brussels sprouts. I'm guessing the chipotles might be a little less than whole30 kosher, but again, I refuse to get bogged down with details (though I promise not to eat any more ham or bacon).  Dinner was GOOD! 

I am having to convince Chris that he's not hungry after meals.  He gets it, but habits are hard to break.  As of day 2 (early on), he's kept complaints to a minimum.  I'll take that as a victory. 

He left early this morning to get downtown and run, which meant he was on his own for breakfast.  His plan was to track down another veggie omelet.  Starting early threw my planning for a bit of a loop. I hope to come up with some portable options for such mornings.

My breakfast consisted of four scrambled eggs with spinach, onion, and jalapeno.  Very, very weird to not be eating oatmeal!

 

Crappy photo.  This ain't no pioneer woman blog ;-)