Is anyone doing The Whole Thirty?

Gillby1

I started yesterday, and am in serious need of some moral support to keep me from going off the rails!

Also, if you've already done it, how did you find the results, and have you stuck with it? Do you have any good ideas for meals?

For anyone who is interested, here's some more info: http://whole9life.com/2012/01/whole-30-v2012/ Put simply, you avoid added sugars, alcohol, dairy, grains, legumes, MSG and Sulphates. You eat lots of meat, veg, some fruit, eggs (although I am avoiding these as they give me instant IBS problems), seafood, good fats and nuts and seeds.

I am not overweight - actually the opposite - and have suffered from IBS and IC (Interstitial Cystitis) for some time. I have been aiming for a paleo/low carb diet and am already feeling better, but I really notice the difference in my energy and mood when I eat too much sugar, and I am also wondering if cutting out dairy might help with the IC. So, I started yesterday, and here is my food diary:

Monday
Breakfast - Half an avocado, whole chicken thigh with skin, lots of berries
Lunch - Sweet potato and chorizo chilli, nectarine
Dinner - Salmon, loads of stir-fry veg

Tuesday
Breakfast - Whole chicken thigh, saut!ed spinach, berries
Lunch - Saut!ed spinach cooked with pancetta (really delicious!) plus half avocado
Dinner - Pork and beef burger, onion, sweet potato chips, half avocado
Snack - Nakd Apple Crunch Bar

I have no idea what we're going to have tomorrow, but breakfast is likely to involve lots of nuts and berries, and i'm going to try coconut milk as I really miss milk in my tea/coffee.

Anyone with me?!

Gilly

notanewuser

Surely all the dried fruit in the apple crunch thing counts as sugar??

flissh

ok I'm with you. I need a kick start.

flissh

I'm starting today as my day 1. I'm sad that dairy is not included as I yesterday I bought a large tub of live natural yoghurt.:sad: And I'm really going to miss milk in tea and coffee.

I'm going to have chicken and veg for breakfast. It's left over from last night. Just plain roast chicken and boiled spring greens and boiled carrots. Will be weird for brekkie but it's in the fridge. I would usually have porridge, but as oats are not allowed i'm giving that a miss.

Before my 'left overs' feast I'm going to get on the scales. Interesting that they say only weigh at the beginning and end.

Gillby1

notanewuser wrote: »

Surely all the dried fruit in the apple crunch thing counts as sugar??

Notanewuser - according to the whole 30 website, you can eat nuts and fruits, and they encourage eating dates to beat sugar cravings. These bars are made from nuts, dates and apple juice, which are fine. However, I have just realised that the soya protein in the bar is NOT allowed, so thanks for making me re-check the ingredients! It's a good thing I only had two bites...

Gillby1

Hi Flissh,

Glad I'm not on my own! It's day three, and I've started the day with some almonds, berries and avocado. I do really miss cereal and milk, especially since that's what my two little boys are eating (I'll work on converting them later!), but I genuinely do feel really well today, and more energetic and awake than usual. I'm not hungry at all. Let's see if I still feel that way this afternoon!

What are you having for lunch? I'm thinking turkey kebabs, since we've got turkey in the freezer, so am off to Tesco & farm shop for veg and inspiration.

I'm just having a cup of coffee with coconut 'cream' (i.e. the thick bit from the top of the canned coconut milk - cheap at home bargains if anyone is interested!), and it's much nicer than I expected, as long as you stir before every mouthful...

Will update later!

Gilly

flissh

I had roast lamb and veg. I'm very lucky where I work as there is always a good choice of food.
Probably going to have stir fry tonight. So far so good, but am really missing a cuppa!!!

Gillby1

I ended up having grilled Thai-ish turkey kebabs with almond nut butter satay, and I tried cauliflower 'rice' for the first time ever. I'm amazed to say I thought it was really nice! So nice, in fact, that I had it with my Thai chicken curry for dinner, too! I just used the food processor to blitz the raw cauli to approximately rice sized bits, then fried in a little coconut oil (but could use olive oil etc...) and added a little salt, paprika and chilli powder.

Other than that, I've been snacking on fruit and drinking lots of water. I still feel more relaxed and energetic than usual, but would kill for a cup of tea and a bar of chocolate, despite knowing it would stop me from sleeping well and sabotage the eating plan!

However, day three is almost done and i'm staying strong. Have just cooked up lots of chicken portions to use for breakfast/lunch/snacks for the next couple of days, which should make things easy for a day or two!

Just_a_Girl_2

I've done whole30 in the past a couple of times. I used to make my own "cereal" using mixed nuts, berries, shredded coconut & almond milk.

I blogged some of my favourite dishes, hope you find them helpful

http://www.jagsfitnessblog.com/2011/03/23/what-ive-been-eating/

flissh

I'm halfway through day 2 and it's still going ok.
Breakfast scrambled eggs & cherry toms
Lunch vegetable chilli & salad
Snack cooked chicken
Drinks black tea coffee & lemon tea.
Going to have beef stir fry for dinner
I had a blinder of a headache last night but it did go with a couple of paracetamol. Other than that not noticed any probs.

How you doing Gilly?

Gillby1

Thanks Just a Girl. The cereal looks great, and thanks for the meal ideas as i'm off to the shops tomorrow to stock up on stuff....

Did you fell any different at the end of the whole 30? More energy, sleeping better, etc...?

Flissh, you're doing really well! Did you eat fairly healthily anyway, or is this a real change for you?

Day 4

Breakfast: Homemade 'sausages' (pork mice and herbs in sausage shape to fool the kids!) with mushrooms and spinach. Berries.
Lunch: Chicken thigh plus huge salad with olives and sun-dried tomatoes.
Dinner: Lamb steak, grilled asparagus, chicken leg. More berries and nuts.
Snack: Banana

I felt fine this morning, but am going to have to increase my portion sizes as feeling hungry all afternoon and now have another huge chocolate craving. I keep thinking about all of the lovely things I want to eat, and it's worse than yesterday!! Am going to have another coconut milk coffee to see if that helps. Pretty irritable today, but still fairly energetic (thank goodness, as I had a full day at work plus my two boys to feed, bath and wrestle in to bed!).

Am planning to eat lots of seafood tomorrow, so off to look for some fish stew recipes.

Gilly