paragraphs: Come Travel with Me (Come Travel With Me)
Tatteredleaf ([personal profile] paragraphs) wrote2013-09-28 09:16 pm

Because I feel like crap... Whole 30 & Me aka The Never-ending Quest to Feel Better, Be Healthier

So, my sister and I have decided to do this program called Whole 30. This is paleo-rooted, she found it first on Reddit, and after reading in depth about it, I decided this would definitely be a good thing to do. I am sick of the pain in my foot, I am tired of being tired, I am worn out by the deep moods that I can't/won't talk to anyone about, etc. etc. etc. Reading about the way what we eat can (and does) affect how we feel, well, makes sense. I've not felt myself lately. At all. Sure sure during work I am awesome, super-power Cee, but outside of work? I am not feeling at all tiptop. A lot of things have been bothering me lately, things I can't change (such as growing older, for instance, my kids being gone, not being needed like I used to be and I am SO a person who likes being needed). I feel very closed in and unknown. But other things I know I can change. But how? How? How how how???? Well the first and easiest way is making a lifestyle change - and I basically have done this in the past and was very successful so yeah. It is time.

I feel out of control. I hate that. I can't do it anymore, not if I can change things and maybe put an end to some of the stuff what needs letting go. Recently, I've seen my daughter strip all the crap out of her life and she has lost over 35 pounds. I am stunned and so happy and amazed. She did it by eating completely whole foods, no grains, though she is vegan (a vegan who eats eggs). She is amazing. I am so proud of her, so glad she has found what she needs to feel better about herself, etc. Well I can't be Vegan but Whole 30 I can do. :)



So what is Whole 30? It is 30 days of eating clean. That is no sugar, no starches (except sweet taters), no legumes, no white potatoes, no flour, no artificial sweeteners, no dairy... And most importantly, I suspect (for me), no grains. No bread. No pasta, etc.

This is the website, which explains it better: Whole 30

So this is what I am eating now, for the next 30 days!

Vegetables (except corn), all meats (bacon, etc. must be nitrate free), nuts, vegetables, coconut oil, butter in the form of ghee (making it tomorrow!). Coconut milk is a big part of it too... Can have coffee, tea, no sweetener though. Fruit, wonderful fruit! Important emphasis on good fats, and a high percentage of that. EDIT: AND OLIVE OIL! All the olives! Nom nom nom.

This girl does NOT believe in low fat. At all. Lies, ALL LIES.

To prepare for this I got a box, put in it all those things that were not refrigerated, and threw away the rest. Everything. ALL of it. EVERYTHING BAD AND HURTFUL is GONE.

So anyway! Today was the first day and I figure what I should do is write about what I am doing, how I'm feeling, etc. We'll see how it goes. I started the day by weighing (meep - need to lose 15 or even 20) and measuring (double-meep), and put my scale and the tape measure away for the next month. Then I made myself some tea, and drank it without sweetener.

Breakfast: 3 eggs cooked with ghee (ever tried ghee? it is another name for clarified butter - clarification removes the dairy for the most part) and spinach. Really filling whereas eating 2 eggs cooked with nothing leaves me starving.

Lunch: No nitrate hot dog. This sucker was HUGE!!! LOL. It looked like a big.... never mind. Frozen grapes, and a small salad.

I was out of coffee and nothing will do for coffee during this except for Avoca Coffee, a local roaster. So I went and got two bags of their best and ordered a coffee black and plain. At home I can put coconut cream in it (get a can of coconut milk from the Asian foods section, not the lite or low fat, (remember I do not believe in low fat) and put it in the fridge. The cream will rise to the top and can be scooped into the coffee. I can't wait to try it tomorrow!

Snack because Dinner was taking FOREVER: a handful of salt-free nuts

Dinner: lime chicken and a sweet potato (um, was supposed to have green stuff but I was so FULL). The chicken was marinated in a combo of lime, lime zest, cilantro and coconut oil. SO GOOD!!!! The sweet tater had butter on it (plain butter is not supposed to be eaten but I need to make the ghee - you make it with unsalted, high quality butter). This was a garnet sweet potato but I do prefer regular ones.

I have no idea how many calories and I am not caring. Am feeling good, not hungry at all. Today was easy but it was the first day. Even drinking tea and coffee without sweetener was okay. Oh and no sodas either BUT there is a marvelous brand of seltzer water that is flavor without sweeteners - grapefruit, plain and my favorite, coconut flavor!

Oh and technically one is supposed to eat three meals a day. Nothing inbetween. I do like that because those who say 'eat every 2-3 hours'? No can do, not with my work. And I am fine with that.

So let's see if this helps. Let's see if I feel better without all the crap, the grains, the processed foods, etc. Let's see if the stabs of agonizing pain stop, I sleep without needing Tylenol PM, if my mood lightens, I feel like getting out and being with people (which I don't right now, honestly...not good company imo), etc. etc. etc.

Tomorrow if it isn't raining, going to hook up the sled dogs and go for a spin around the neighborhood, and also try to pick up a geocache or two while we are out. Looking forward to that.

Until tomorrow... I srsly plan to right every night how the day went, what I ate, etc., but short posts. Definitely short posts.

[identity profile] spiderine.livejournal.com 2013-09-29 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
No olive oil? Canola oil?

[identity profile] paragraphs.livejournal.com 2013-09-29 02:48 am (UTC)(link)
OH YES!! I forgot . OLIVE OIL!!! Not canola I think? I am not sure but I don't use it anyway. But yes! OLIVE OIL!! OLIVES! MMMM!!!

[identity profile] spiderine.livejournal.com 2013-09-29 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
Oh thank gods. :) I couldn't imagine life without olive oil.

[identity profile] paragraphs.livejournal.com 2013-09-29 02:51 am (UTC)(link)
Me either! I am loving coconut oil too.
used_songs: (Spock livin' the wild life)

[personal profile] used_songs 2013-09-29 12:44 pm (UTC)(link)
This sounds delicious. And very healthy. I never thought about coconut milk/cream in coffee. I may have to try that. I've gotten very lax about eating well and now I'm thinking I may need to take a page from your book here!

I hope you feel better soon. It seems like we rarely talk, and I didn't realize you were slogging through right now. I think you're right that making a decisive, positive change can change a lot of other things including one's mental/emotional outlook.

[identity profile] paragraphs.livejournal.com 2013-09-30 12:51 am (UTC)(link)
Yes! It is amazing! You can absolutely do this too as a vegetarian! My daughter has always known that dairy was her enemy (since she was born) but until she gave it up and knocked the grains out that seemed to be bothering her too, she always struggled with how she felt.

I am terrible about keeping things to myself. It is habit (which sadly came from a spouse who never listened to me). Nick and my daughter are the two who hear all the real woes. Today was an excellent day though! I am about to write today's post! Today was awesome! ANd gorgeous outside which really helped lots. :)

[identity profile] sartorias.livejournal.com 2013-09-29 01:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Good luck! I too now have to modify my diet. Not so easy!

[identity profile] paragraphs.livejournal.com 2013-09-30 12:52 am (UTC)(link)
Do what I did - throw/donate all the bad stuff away and start over. :) This was day two and I have survived so far and actually have not found it hard at all. But work is tomorrow... Fortunately, work is not a bad environment at all. Hopefully no one has a birthday this month. :)

[identity profile] alba17.livejournal.com 2013-09-29 02:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Good luck! I've been feeling the need to do something similar. I think I'm going to try Mark Bittman's VB6 approach, which is eating vegan before 6 and you eat whatever you want for dinner. I think any diet that cuts out carbs will help you lose weight and cutting out processed foods is always good. One good thing about living alone is you can completely control what food is in the house. I mean, you don't have to cater to anyone else's needs or tastes and possibly have dangerous foods around.

[identity profile] paragraphs.livejournal.com 2013-09-30 12:54 am (UTC)(link)
This! I did keep the PB&J, ketchup and chocolate syrup for the boy but I have almond butter, I can make my own ketchup and I never touched the chocolate anyway, so yes. Yes!

There are so many blogs and websites out there with wonderful recipes I hardly know what to cook next. :)

Do it! October is the perfect month to make changes.

[identity profile] caninepawprints.livejournal.com 2013-10-03 10:41 pm (UTC)(link)
This sounds so interesting, and a LOT like the Paleo Diet. I'm not very good with custom diets. :(