Next Steps

I'm four days from finishing my first Whole 30.  While my diet has definitely been more consistent that my blogging habits, I'm thinking about continuing on for another week, two weeks or maybe another 30 days. 

I've stuck very closely to the plan.  I haven't drunk any alcohol.  I did start again with coffee about 10 days ago (one black coffee a day is permitted - I just felt removing it would help my sleep issues).  I had one day picking at granola bar crumbs (a failed attempt at making them myself, with lots of my favorite things which are not Whole 30 compliant) and I've had some hemp protein powder. I've had Lara Bars, which are compliant but sugar is still sugar, so I should really have kept away from them. 

Benefits or changes so far:

• Energy levels have increased and a more consistent
• Sleep! Deeper sleep and longer blocks of sleep.  Still get woken up by noise or Charlie coming into my room but a huge improvement over
• Skin - my rashes have gone!  My skin feels great and looks all glowy - in a good way.  People have commented that I look "amazing", which is gratifying

The "Ahhhh not so much" list

• Weight loss
• Stopping all my stress eating (yes, I'm sure these two bullet points are related!)

Between nuts and fruits, and lately Lara bars, I think I'm eating too much.  There have been afternoons when I'm stressed because of work and end up pick, pick, picking at any food I have in the house. It's all been compliant but there's no stopping me when I'm like that. 

So I need to figure that out and beat it.  I also need to start to eat in a slow, quiet environment.  Not in front of the laptop, television, iphone, magazine, newspaper. 

Plus I have a killer work and travel schedule for the next 6 weeks.  It will definitely be more difficult to be compliant, but it would also be very easy to spiral into caffeine/alchohol/crap food just to fake-fuel my way through and end up not sleeping and not working out. 

So given that my personality type does seem to more "abstainer" rather than moderator, maybe I'll just keep going.  I'll sleep on it. 

The First Week:

The first week was interesting.  I didn't really have a issue with the food I was eating or even any serious food cravings.  I ate plenty of protein and vegetables in various combinations and enjoyed it.  I had some fruit - perfect nectarines, some strawberries and shared a couple of apples with Charlie.  They were from NZ which blows the eat local goal, but I really wanted one!  Sweet potatoes have been a life saver.  I'm snacking on a lot of nuts, carrots and baby tomatoes.  I think I'm eating too much between meals.

By Day 7, I'm hoping to have turned a corner - I'm definitely sleeping better, although my sleeping habits still need some work (i.e. go to bed earlier and stop looking at electronic devices!) but that's gratifying to start to feel like sleep is restorative and if  I have woken up at night (generally because Charlie or an animal comes into my room), I fall back to sleep very easily.  I've been having herbal sleep teas at night and I think they help. 

I'm not feeling any weight loss yet though, and still tired over the weekend.  A very lazy Sunday with Charlie and I was still having headaches.  I was extremely irritated to find sugar as an ingredient in a can of tomatoes I'd just poured into a casserole I was making.  I gave that to the guys and reheated some leftovers - but I was mad.  Have to read labels FIRST!!!

So my goals for this week:

1. Stay on track (travelling two days at end of week)
2. Watch portion size
3. Eat a few less nuts
4. Go to bed without laptop/phone
5. Try not to snack (it affect leptin!)

 Things I want to keep an eye on are my chapped lips, my neck rash and tummy growlings.

 

 

Day One

Today is Day 1 on my Whole 30 journey. At the start of the year, I started following a paleo/primal style of eating. I felt pretty good, my skin was clear and I was sleeping better. I was however still eating a LOT of dark chocolate and drinking quite a bit of red wine! I started to fall off the program in May during a trip to Chicago with cup cakes and corn chips (I don't discrimate between sweet and salty!).
I haven't really got back to basics since then and the Whole 30 is my attempt to do that - to put a little reset button in my life - particularly after a really fun summer. The socializing has taken it's toll. Added to that I've been travelling and enjoying the benefits of good restaurants and good bread. And wine! Always the wine : )
So what do I hope to achieve:

1. Better sleep
2. Lose some weight
3. Get rid of the weird rash on my neck (or at least figure out if it's diet related - it might be caused by kitty)
4. Have this uncomfortable tummy pain go away for good 
5. Figure out (at the end) if there are actually foods that make me feel like crap or I'm sensitive too

Today is probably going to be tough.  I'm tired, a little stressed and missing my coffee already.  I'll probably snack more than recommended and drink tea all day - but I figure I'm easing in.  Will be very strict with the dietary components though!

This was breakfast - kale, three eggs and some homemade Guacamole. 

then a quick snack when I realized I had a lunchtime meeting:

And actual lunch around 2pm:



Dinner was more chicken and vegies, snacks were some grapes, almonds and the rest of the salmon.  I ate a lot yesterday afternoon.   I was tired and couldn't focus, but slept really well.  Onto Day 2!!!