Whole30: Day 9

Being back home is the bomb dot com. Being in control of my own food intake feels like the biggest blessing after having to ask awkward questions while ordering in a restaurant. Antagonizing over a menu and then picking the least exciting (but potentially most nutritious) meal at dinner is not my favorite activity.

After seriously sleeping in and witnessing the first snow of the season, I got creative with breakfast. Again, the darn cans of emergency tuna that I had on backup got the best of me, so I ate one of those with a measly fried egg that I made. I must say — my egg frying technique has improved tenfold. But egg + tuna + hot sauce is not delicious. So I resolved to make the most of the day and plan out food for the next several days.

Taking what I already knew about overbuying groceries for my first week, as well as taking into account how to build a perfect paleo Whole30 plate, I wrote down the following meal plan for the next few days:

Monday

• breakfast: ground turkey + spaghetti squash + tomato sauce
• lunch: soup + tuna/salad
• dinner: chicken + veggies

Tuesday

• breakfast: eggs + veggies + avocado
• lunch: chicken + veggies + avocado
• dinner: salmon + veggies + nuts

Wednesday

• breakfast: soup + red pepper slices + avocado
• lunch: chicken + veggies + avocado
• dinner: eggs + whatever else is left over

Since “breakfast” today was late, and I was very un-hungry for most of the day, my only other meal was a big bowl of delish at Chipotle. (Don’t judge me. There’s one in the same shopping center as Trader Joe’s, where I bought all my groceries for the week, and Michael’s, where I bought a sh*t-ton of beautiful Christmas stuff.)

When I got home from the grocery run of the century, I began a several-hours-long cooking adventure.

This is a roasted chicken. Oh, my, God.  It’s delicious. (Before on the left, after on the right.) I rubbed olive oil on it, threw on some salt and pepper, threw in a couple slices of lemon, and roasted it at 425* F for 1.5 hours. AMAZING!

Here’s some of that fabulous tomato sauce (sans celery – it was so expensive at Trader Joe’s!) It’s still delicious, served hot off the stovetop or the day after for breakfast:

Please excuse the low quality photo. The fire alarm was probably going off when I took this. (That happens way too often with a hot oven and a small apartment.)

Not pictured here: spaghetti squash (yessss), and perfectly ground turkey (mmmm). Overall, this was a huge success and I’m excited to prepare more food later.

Special note: The Whole30 gives me confidence. Today I experienced a surge of confidence in the way that I look, even though not much has changed. When you take care of yourself, your self image improves. When you treat your body like it is something worth cherishing, you begin to believe that it is. So, I took a picture to document how good I was feeling yesterday:

Additional note: I HAD MY FIRST NONSCALE VICTORY!!!! This dress, which I originally bought to wear in my Masters degree recital, fits better now than it ever has before. I can’t believe it! And because I was feeling so good about myself, I decided to try it on. WHO KNEW???

Overall, this was another great day on the Whole30. So long, single digit days!!

Whole30: Day 8 (on the road!)

Today was a travel day. This morning my mom and I made the most of the breakfast buffet at our hotel. I was able to get a balanced breakfast together without risking the addition of potentially non-compliant and tempting breakfast sausage or bacon. A significant personal observation is that I went to a buffet and made smart choices and didn’t even think twice about the second or third plate I usually would have gotten, filled with questionable food.

Here’s how I put my plate together:
– Protein: salmon and a couple tablespoons of hard-boiled eggs – Vegetables: breakfast potatoes, cucumbers, fresh salsa, and fruit (pineapple and some dried banana)
– Fat: capers!

I’m actually writing this on the plane back to Rochester now. It wasn’t lunchtime in the last airport, and I wasn’t hungry, so I hunted for Whole30 snacks that could get me through this flight. I found some dried mango (only ingredient: mango!) and a really great pack of dried almonds (only ingredient: almonds!). It took some time and some hunting to find nuts sans sunflower or other oil, but it worked! And I know that it’s easy to go overboard with fruit while traveling, but…yeah, that’s the reality of flying. Unfortunately, fresh vegetables are not available everywhere.

I’ll update later with potential lunch/dinner decisions. What I’m a bit concerned about is the fact that I basically have no food at home, so making breakfast will be a bit of a challenge tomorrow morning. The plan is to get spaghetti squash and make some more ground turkey/tomato food.

I did stay awake on the planes with some good reads and watery American Airlines coffee!

Glamour Magazine rocks. Watery coffee does the job.

…(Updated later, from Rochester)

Okay, so the funny thing about the Whole30 is that not only do I no longer have cravings for potato chips, Dunkin Donuts, queso, and Ramen, but I don’t really have any cravings at all at this point. I don’t crave salty things, and I don’t ever really feel hungry. So, when I was in the airport, I found the only thing I could be sure was totally compliant: sashimi. God, it hurts to pay $16 for six pieces of raw fish..but eating healthy comes at a price. I finished reading Life of Pi (aw yeah) during this day of travel. Eating raw fish complemented that book quite well.

Airport life: mobile phone charger, book about man who eats raw fish, plastic bag that my raw fish came in, and then my raw fish. Nom nom.

Once I got back to to Rochester, I realized that the only food I’d eaten all day was nuts, dried fruit, raw fish, and that massive breakfast. But I still wasn’t hungry. I know that one of the rules of the Whole30 is that we should eat three well-rounded meals each day, so eventually I made some roasted potatoes, and ate them with a can of tuna and some black olives. It was not the most satisfying meal that has ever been consumed, but it worked. And it met the basic plate-building guidelines of the program.

Another day done. Bam!

Whole30: Day 7 (on the road!)

As I write this entry, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity I just had to travel, pay homage to the life of an incredible woman, spend time with my amazing mom, and still focus on my health. I had no idea that I’d be able to make smart food choices, avoid snacking, and follow the rules of the Whole30 while being in an unusual and oftentimes sad environment. I never thought I’d go to a funeral and not want or need a drink or two that night. I never thought I could easily share dinner with someone who was having chips and salsa (in Texas, of all places!) without eating that food by the handful as well. I’m grateful for the realization that I can make smart choices and follow strict choices when I thought I had no control over my food intake just a week ago.

My breakfast on Day 7 was in the Doubletree Hilton hotel where my mom and I stayed. I went heavy on the protein here: two eggs, several slices of ham, and breakfast potatoes. Veggies weren’t an option here (only gobs of fruit), so I asked for some of their fresh salsa and plopped it on top. It was a delicious, albeit really heavy breakfast, and kept me full until about 2:30 in the afternoon.

For lunch we had Chipotle. I had the salad with carnitas, lettuce, all three salsas (YES), and guac. Have I mentioned how grateful I am that Chipotle has Whole30 compliant options??

Non-food-related note: I also believe that puppy love helps you get through anything. Today, I got to meet my dear friend’s pup Gatsby, and I think he helped me stay strong and make good choices, even while I could smell a pumpkin spice latte and its tempting deliciousness…

Our late dinner was…well, incredible. My mom treated me to a steak with roasted potatoes and other seasonal vegetables. I think that this picture will keep me drooling for weeks to come. Hopefully I can recreate something similar to this when I get home.

So, I made it through an entire week of Whole30. Surviving airplane travel, the Land of Tex Mex, and a pretty emotional situation without cheese, chocolate, or wine feels like a great accomplishment. On the same note, though, I’m very surprised by my ability to glaze over tempting food like that. Fried calamari would have been nice, but I was still satisfied without it. I really believe that this food regimen will change the relationship with food permanently if I stay committed and remember how easy it really is to say no.

Whole30: Days 5 and 6 (on the road!)

Whole30: Day 5

Keeping up with the Whole30 while traveling is extremely difficult. I didn’t realize how limiting food options can be when you’re trying to be healthy and don’t have a kitchen to prepare your own food. Especially when it comes to asking what kind of oils and spices food is prepared with — it is extremely awkward to ask someone at an omelette station if they are using olive oil. And sometimes you just have no control over what kind of ingredients are used to prepare food where you are eating, so you just have to eat raw food. Awkward. Yesterday I ate up the last of my spinach frittata for breakfast with some leftover carrots and a handful of cashews. I keep forgetting that canned tuna is an option for protein, so for lunch I went out and got some yellowfin tuna and pink tuna sashimi. The funny thing about ordering that was that it came on a bed of rice noodles with pickled ginger and wasabi on the side…which it doesn’t appear you can eat while on the Whole30. So, I removed the sashimi, paired it with veggies that I prepared for lunch, and ate a handful of nuts. Surprisingly, this lunch kept me full for a few hours.

Sitting in the airport to fly from Rochester to Dallas was Whole30 HELL. Wow. I didn’t realize how much I enjoy letting myself go in an airport because, “We’re trapped! We’re past security! THERE ARE NO OTHER FOOD OPTIONS AND I’M TOTALLY GOING TO GET SUPER HUNGRY ON THIS PLANE!!!” I sat and stared down a McDonalds while waiting for my flight. A Subway was to my right. A Brioche Dorée was next to the McDonald’s. People were getting huge drinks left and right (oh God, I want a root beer!) and the smell of greasy fries was so tempting.

Just before I boarded the plane, I grabbed a spinach salad with tomatoes, kalamata olives, and cucumbers with tuna on top. It was super unsatisfying. They gave me a little side of olive oil, but there was no lemon or salt or pepper to add. I was planning on saving this for the plane, until I realized how offensive the smell of tuna would be for everyone around me. So, I scarfed it down before boarding the plane.

During my changeover in Charlotte, NC, I grabbed a fruit cup and ate it slowly while waiting to board my next flight. This was a good way to end my eating for the day. Overall, nothing I ate yesterday felt delicious or truly satisfying, but I guess that’s the risk you take when you have to simultaneously empty your fridge and avoid all prepared food available to you in an airport. The other piece of this is that items like a knife, small veggies, or a can opener, wouldn’t be good to bring in my carry-on baggage, and since this is just a quick trip, I didn’t have any checked baggage. I guess next time I should prepare for the airplane and staying somewhere afterward with hard-boiled eggs and olives…although there’s no fridge in my hotel so neither of those things would be good for a while after I pack them.

Whole 30: Day 6

I’m combining yesterday and today because I don’t have a ton of time to be writing while I’m here. This morning I had an omelette with mushrooms, tomato and spinach (basically the spinach frittata) with some melon, pineapple, and grapes for breakfast, and then lunch was a salad with grilled chicken (again, just tomatoes and some other assorted vegetables.) I’m getting really tired of chicken and veggies, and I want something more satisfying.

I don’t know. I’m in a bit of a slump because everywhere I look there are cookies (this is a Doubletree, so you get a free, warm chocolate chip cookie when you check in), or bread/intense meat/burgers/fried food (this is Texas, after all) or Tex Mex and margaritas (literally my favorite food). I want a meal that tastes naughty but is not cheating. At the same time, I have zero cravings right now. I remember food that used to sound really appealing – chips, etc. – but the part of me that wants that is my brain, not my body. I think that the connectivity that I want to feel with food right now has nothing to do with whether or not I feel energized or full. I miss the comfort of what I used to eat and the sort of adrenaline rush (too much?) that comes with not knowing what your next meal will be. I want someone else to come and cook something I’ve never had before that includes an exotic combination of flavors + wine + chocolate + toffee + salsa/queso.

Alright. Done complaining. 🙂

Yesterday’s lunch – noodles and such were removed from sashimi prior to consumption. 🙂

 

Whole30: Day 4

I’m writing this a day late. I’m heading to Dallas today for the next three days and spent a lot of time packing last night.

Yesterday I had a lot of the same food I’d been eating for the previous few days, so I’m looking forward to trying some new recipes next week. The spinach frittata has so far been one of the easiest recipes to make and continue eating, and the sweet potato soup was good for three meals! Here’s what I had:

• Breakfast: spinach frittata, red pepper, sunflower seeds
• Lunch: chicken breast, green beans, cabbage salad, cashews
• Dinner: spinach frittata, sweet potato soup, roasted cauliflower, roasted carrots

I’m really trying to keep in mind the proportions laid out by the Whole30 in this PDF called Meal Planning:

Practice good mealtime habits. Eat meals at the table in a relaxed fashion. Do not allow distractions like TV, phone or email while you are eating. Chew slowly and thoroughly, don’t gulp. Take the time to enjoy the delicious, healthy food you have prepared!

Eat three meals a day, starting with a good breakfast. Base each meal around 1-2 palm-sized protein sources. Fill the rest of your plate with vegetables. Occasionally add a serving of fruit. Add fat in the following recommendations per meal:

• All oils and cooking fats (olive oil, animal fats, etc.): 1-2 thumb-sized portions
• All butters (ghee, coconut butter, nut butters, etc.): 1-2 thumb-sized portions
• Coconut (shredded or flaked): 1-2 open (heaping) handfuls
• Olives: 1-2 open (heaping) handfuls
• Nuts and seeds: Up to one closed handful
• Avocado: 1/2 – 1 avocado
• Coconut milk: between 1/4 and 1/2 of one (14 oz.) can

Make each meal large enough to satisfy you until the next meal – don’t snack, if you can help it. Stop eating a few hours before bed.

The rest of that PDF is extremely helpful, and talks about what and how to eat pre-workout and post-workout. All of the Whole30 PDFs are available for download on their website here, and are great guides for anyone doing the Whole30 or just looking to eat better! I carry them around with me in my purse so that I have something to reference. You can bet they’ll be my guide during my trip to Dallas for the next few days.

One of the most personally impressive parts of this challenge so far (only 1/6 of the way in, ha!) is that I am starting to just eat three meals per day. I’m not tempted to eat anything after I’ve had dinner. And most of the time I’m not super hungry by the time dinner rolls around, so I think what my body wants is to front-load with larger meals at breakfast and lunch and then reign it in a bit for dinner. This completely goes against my concept of what a day of eating looks like. I know that in Europe, lunch is the main meal of the day and supper is always scaled back, and I’m starting to think that I may want to eat that way as well.

Yesterday my workout was sub-par in the morning. I did ab work and some upper body stuff, but my energy level was really low. I’m looking forward to my body getting it together and learning how to fuel workouts again. The positive side of working out yesterday was that I got to be awake before the sun, and enjoyed the good feeling that comes with sticking to your commitment to work out in the morning.

Headed home to shower and ride the bus to work, circa 7 AM!

One exciting update is that I’m helping plan some of the Thanksgiving menu at a friend’s house this year, and she’s totally cool with me bringing the veggies (planning on roasted carrots, mashed cauliflower, and green beans) and I’ll bring some seared chicken so that I can have protein, too! She’s being super flexible with the menu and I’m really grateful. It feels like a big milestone to be thinking about Thanksgiving and sticking to my guns for this holiday. By the time Christmas rolls around, I’ll have a much better relationship with food than I did last year, and I can make healthy decisions about what to eat and when! Hooray.

I may not write every day for the next couple of days, as I’ll be traveling and heading to a funeral for one of my favorite people. The next few days are about being reflective, appreciative, and grateful. (But also about sticking to this my commitment to myself to be healthier and stronger!) Cheers.

Whole30: Goals

This summer, my boyfriend left the country for three weeks. “Now is the time,” I told myself. “He won’t be around to see your medicine cabinet…go for it!”

So I bought Hydroxycut. Not for the first time, either. A couple years ago I was going through a dark time, and I focused on losing weight and trying to get my body to look a certain way in order to feel better. Running is what ultimately helped me get healthy and confident, but I always (silently) credited Hydroxycut for helping me drop the initial pounds very quickly. I basically didn’t eat because it took my energy away, and when I did eat I made breakfast smoothies, or focused on spinach, rice, and chicken. It was okay. I got by. I was moody and high on caffeine half the time, but I got by. When I started having intense stomach pain two weeks into it, I stopped. This wasn’t worth any of the (many) health risks I’d read about online.

This past summer, I needed to jumpstart the weight loss again. I needed something from the outside to work its way in. I needed something to take over my body, get rid of my desire to eat, and show me that I could look thin and sexy(!) because I really did not feel like I had the willpower or self control to do it on my own. So I bought Hydroxycut again. Well..that worked, for about two days. I thought I was seeing an improvement in my reflection. Perhaps I was less bloated. Perhaps I was high on the caffeine that comes in those pills and imagined the results (highly likely). The pills didn’t work that time, and I was incredibly ashamed.

I kept running and kept eating a ton of food. Relentlessly eating. 11 PM – time for a snack. No time to get groceries? It’s Ramen and Netflix binge time. Every day was an occasion to be celebrated with some sort of victorious food consumption. All the running did nothing to get rid of my gut, and while I was initially happy about my photos crossing the finish line, and I felt great in the outfit I chose that day, I hated the way my body looked. My inner dialogue was less, “Wow, you ran another half!” and was more, “Are my arms really that big? My thighs are huge! So many chins! Wow I need to get it together! I looked so much better a year ago!!” But even that negative self talk couldn’t get me to stop. Putting. Food. In. My. Mouth.

Crossing the finish line at the MVP Rochester Half Marathon, 9/20/2015.

What finally inspired me to change my habits was 1) accidentally discovering Whole30 on Instagram and 2) being jealous of all of the fit people around me for looking like they are in control. I really don’t like to carry around anger, and one of my biggest pet peeves is blaming other people for my problems (i.e., I don’t want to change in the locker room with my friends because those girls are so skinny and it’s so easy for them!, or, I’m so pissed at so-and-so for losing weight faster than me! But I’m a runner!) Please. Being a runner doesn’t give you the magic capability of losing weight and having a flat tummy if you don’t put in the work required to actually have those things.

So when I finally committed to the Whole30, I had to think about long- and short-term goals for myself, and how they should be both mental and physical finish lines that I’m looking to cross. Here’s what I hope to accomplish by the end of my Whole30:

• I want my normal face back. The non-puffy, smiling one, that is in proportion with my eyeballs. Please.
• I will learn to eat when I am hungry, and to cease eating once I am full.
• I will disassociate being cold with needing warm food-like products (ahem, Ramen.)
• I will disassociate being at the computer with needing to snack on something.
• I will continue to run and train for the Winter Warrior Half Marathon, and I will be proud of the body I’ve created when I’m done.
• I want to lose weight (duh) by working on on lessening what I not-so-fondly refer to as the “doughnut ring of fat” that surrounds my tummy, hips, and thighs.
• I want sleek, smooth, strong arms.
• I want to be able to have a balanced, healthy diet post-Whole30 that will support an active lifestyle.
• I want treats to be treats, not daily excuses for eating. (Treats: going out to dinner or lunch, coffee dates, any sweet baked goods or ice cream, going to a bar.) These are things that should be saved for special occasions, not daily happenings. My friends and family are cool enough to hang out with sans exorbitant amounts of unhealthy food. We can have conversation while I don’t eat poutine.
• I will be smart when I go home for Christmas, since all of the amazing temptations will be around at that point. I can eat sugary things sparingly, but I need to fill my diet with nutrition!

Goals: set. Whole30: go mode.

Whole30: Day 3

Today there were a few trends:

• Awesome mental clarity, right off the bat. When I wake up, I’m up. No coffee, cold water, or other creative methods to get me out of bed.
• I was extremely bloated for the whole day. I do believe that my body doesn’t understand that it can burn healthy fat, instead of sugar, so it’s just holding onto this fat while it figures its $&!^ out.
• My face already looks a little less puffy. Just a little. 🙂
• I have had energy from the time I woke up until bed. No coffee after 12 PM, and two cups of tea. A kombucha around 2 PM helped with digestion a bit.

Whole30: Day 2

Wow, I felt clear when I woke up this morning! After just a couple of days without sugar or additives, waking up from sleep is so nice sans foggy brain, stuffy nose, and general malaise. I wonder if this will keep up tomorrow when I have to wake up in the dark and go for a run. Speaking of which, I should probably figure out what I’m eating before my run tomorrow.

After sleeping in until 10:30 (hehe) I ate avocado, grapes, and the last of my leftover spinach frittata. I still can’t get over how colorful all of my meals are when I’m following the Whole30 guidelines.

I then spent most of the day cooking, based on the supplies that I gathered on Day 0 last week. I made some sweet potato soup, perfectly roasted potatoes (which have been my snack throughout the day, oops), and cabbage salad. I’m still incredibly slow at cooking for myself, because I’m not used to navigating the kitchen.

I had a really late lunch/dinner around 4:30. I put on the some of yesterday’s perfectly roasted chicken as well as the guac-type salad I made last night, plus some of the potatoes, roasted red pepper sauce, and veggies. I’m amazed at how full I am after not eating a whole lot today.

Oh, and this morning, I discovered the glory that is Thai Kitchen coconut milk. I can’t even handle how delicious the fat is. I scraped some off of the top to put in my breakfast tea this morning, and it felt like eating straight up butter. SO GOOD. So far, I haven’t experimented with clarified butter or ghee yet – I’ve just been using olive oil as my fat. But after trying this new type of fat, I’m tempted to explore more.

Note: I have not consumed coffee today. And I’m still wide awake. In fact, I’m worried about falling asleep tonight, because I haven’t been active at all. I’m using cooking and eating well as an excuse to not go out and be tempted by beautiful, sugary, creamy, warm, winter foods everywhere. I’m heading out now and hope to be as strong and satisfied in the real world as I have been sheltered in my apartment all day. Later tonight, I’ll plan out breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next three days.

Another note: I am extremely bloated. It’s kind of gross. I feel huge and like a whale. But I’m energetic. So..yeah?

Last note: I’ve been dreaming about food almost every night. Writing this blog in the evenings and thinking about food so much every day really has my focus on food. Which, I guess, is a good thing, but I also just want to sleep without thinking about this stuff. Hopefully in the next few days this will become more routine, I’ll be less tempted by sugary delicious-looking things, and I won’t plot out my Day 31 dinner (boursin cheese, eggnog, and wine are all involved.)

Whole30: Day 1

Today was officially the start of my Whole30, since I messed up yesterday by accidentally eating an additive. I have to say that I woke up horribly cranky. My boyfriend and I had agreed to run 6 miles together today (I’m running the Winter Warrior here in Rochester on January 9, and don’t want to miss any long runs) but I was extremely annoyed when contemplating getting out of bed. I had a mix of no appetite and a big appetite, and all I wanted was to explore all sorts of food and cheese and creamy fall goodness all day. This, however, was not an option.

I felt immediately better once I finally started eating (surprise, surprise). Breakfast was leftover spaghetti squash, tomato sauce, and ground turkey covered in a fried egg:

After that, we were on to The Run. Honestly, it wasn’t that bad. Since this was the second day for me without sugar (ahem) I figured it would feel horrible. But, I have a lot on my mind these days, so I zoned out a lot. Plus, it was quite cold outside. So, half the time I forgot I was running, and the other half of the time I was thinking about my pesky right ankle that I sprained a year ago. When the run was over, I recovered with a super long, hot shower (yaaass) and the most delicious apple I have ever eaten.

After that, we were off to Chipotle. Thank GOD carnitas is back on the menu. I had the only Whole30 compliant meal you can get at Chipotle: Romaine lettuce, carnitas, all three salsas, and guacamole. Across the table from me, my boyfriend had the salad I used to order..and while it was painful to see the beautiful sour cream and cheese smothered all over that thing, it was a better feeling to know I was committed to getting these results.

I even stopped and had some black coffee after that. The warmth and fun of having coffee on a cold Saturday afternoon was not missed by the lack of cream and nutmeg in my drink.

When I came home, I wasn’t really feeling hungry at all. I made the pan-seared chicken breast and some improvised guac (because I was lazy and I knew the avocados were about to be too ripe), and then paired that all with some roasted red pepper sauce.

So, dinner was a success. Then I attended a great concert. But I got really cranky again when the reception was filled with an amazing spread of cookies, chocolates, and other beautiful things from Hart’s Local Grocer. I died inside a little. I picked a bunch of grapes off the table and tried not to be jealous of everyone around me. I failed at the whole no-jealousy thing.

What I’m learning is that nothing feels like a celebration or adventure without the food I usually associate with celebrations and adventures. It’s Saturday night, and we’re going to watch a movie, and I have nothing sugary or Ramen-y to eat. What is this? I’m quite grumpy. My warm ginger tea is nice, but it’s not a cupcake covered in homemade Nutella cream cheese frosting. What am I even doing? Can I even do 29 more days of this?

Yes, yes. I can. Tomorrow’s a new day.

Whole 30: Day 1, er, 0

I woke up today later than I had hoped, because I stayed up so late last night preparing food for Day 1 of the Whole30 Challenge. I cut myself some frittata for breakfast, grabbed grapes, almonds and green beans for my snacks, made a cup of black coffee, and headed to work. I felt good for the first few hours, but got really hungry soon enough. I ate all of my grapes and then headed out to lunch with a co-worker.

We went to a Mediterranean restaurant, and it was fairly easy to get a Whole30 compliant dish: a spinach salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and grilled shrimp. I asked for a side of olive oil and a lemon, so I could make my own dressing. Although my coworker had delicious-looking falafel balls and pita and creamy dressing, I resisted and stuck to my guns. So far, so good!

I had to throw back some emergency coffee halfway through the day and eat the second piece of spinach frittata that I brought with me to keep the energy going. I was very sleepy, fuzzy, and had a mild headache by 2 PM that lasted until I ate dinner. Before 5:30, I also snacked on some of those green beans.

I got home pretty sleepy but feeling alright. I followed the Whole30 suggestion of making spaghetti squash with homemade tomato sauce and perfect ground turkey for dinner, and threw some broccoli drizzled in olive oil and lemon on the side. It was a delicious, satisfying, wonderful meal and I felt amazing about my first day on the Whole30!

The darkness came when I opened up the coconut cream that I was holding in the fridge to make ranch, threw it in with all the homemade mayo from the day before, and then I taste-tested some of it. I looked at the can of coconut milk again – there’s no way it can be this good without any rule-breaking! – and found that indeed, this did break the rules. This stupid coconut milk had the secret additive potassium metabisulfite in it, which is against the rules. I even double-checked on the forum, and a moderator told me that I had to start over because potassium metabisulfite is “out.”

I’m writing this summary at the end of the day, and tempted as I am to break more rules since today “doesn’t count,” I’m going to continue to go sugar-free. After all, the idea is to be healthy, reset my body, and make it through this thing with as little pain as possible, right? Drinking a beer because today doesn’t count would defeat the purpose of trying to change my food habits. What’s one more day added to the total? That’s one more day of committing to my promise to myself to be healthier.

Observation: There is more color in my diet than I have ever seen before. Look at my dinner – it’s beautiful! I look forward to the pleasure of seeing all these colors in different combinations over the next 30 days.