Whole30:Day 19

Good evening.  It's storming here, again, and I'm sure the kids will be down any minute.

Until then I'll tell you about my day.

First of all, I slept until 8:30.  The kids were occupied until then, but I guess they finally realized they were hungry.  I should have gotten up when Scott got up for work, but that bed is just too darn cozy and for some reason I still have not morphed into Tigger or gotten the Tiger Blood so infamous with the Whole30.  Feeling rested and waking without an alarm clock is probably what I wanted most out of the Whole30, but so far, I've only had a few mornings like that.

For breakfast I had the last of the frittata, fruit salad and hot lemon water.  I am a major creature of habit.

I did not have a morning snack.  Probably because I slept late and had a late breakfast.  Or maybe because my breakfast was larger than usual.  Or, possibly because I was busy with the kids while trying to clean the fridge.

How do refrigerators get so nasty?!  Dog hair?!  Is it just ours?!  I gave Foster all the expired stuff.  He mixed it all together and then tasted it for a quarter.  Funny kid.

Either way, for lunch I had my usual salad greens with tomato and avocado.  The protein was chicken salad.  I enjoyed the salad with unsweetened tea.

After lunch the kids and I went to my neighbor's to swim.  Thank you Scarlett!  Once home I had my signature smoothie for a snack.

Usually that smoothie holds me over until dinner, but today I was hungry.  Scott brought home his lunch leftovers, which included Public Deli salami.  I topped a piece of it with avocado before he asked if I was sure I could eat it.  Duh.  I looked at the ingredients and Dextrose was listed.

Since dextrose is a sugar it is not allowed on the Whole30, but an exception is made for table salt which contains dextrose.  And, you know me, if the authors of Whole30 can make an exception  for table salt, I can make an exception for salami.

We went back to Scarlett's house for dinner where she and I made a Thai curry dish.  The ingredients were coconut milk, green curry paste, onions, yellow bell pepper, cauliflower, pineapple and shrimp.

The recipe is from It Starts With Food and made enough for the two of us.  Everyone else had pizza.

Scarlett and I went on a long walk after dinner and I thanked a Mount Juliet police officer and a retired police officer for their service.

Mine and Scarlett's dads are both retired police officers and our hearts are breaking for those that were killed in Dallas last night.  We are praying for their families and for the families of the men killed in Minnesota and Louisiana.  May the truth of each case be determined soon so that we can all be set free from anger and judgement.  So that those who died can rest in peace and those that pulled the triggers can be held accountable or exonerated.

Lord have mercy.

Whole30:Day 18

What's happenin?!

Not much here.  Just wrapped up Day 18 of my Whole30 experiment or as my friend, Carrie, called it my "30 day thing".

Today the kids woke me up at 7:00 after a stormy night.  They both ended up in bed with me while Scott was banished to the couch and didn't get any sleep at all.

For breakfast I had frittata and hot lemon water.  My morning snack was half a cup of fruit salad and half a cup of regular coffee.  Look at me changing things up!

I cleaned out our art drawer today and Foster and I melted down all the broken crayons into cute little paw shaped tie dye crayons.

I also did some laundry and the P90x yoga DVD.  Man, I love that DVD!

Lunch was the same as yesterday, but I drank tea instead of coconut flavored sparkling water.  The tea is probably what kept me from dozing off during my nap today.  That or the four year old girl playing in bed right next to me.  She was up last night during the storm, but apparently not in need of a nap.  Little does she know she'll be going to bed early tonight!  Mwah-ah-ah.

For an afternoon snack I made my signature smoothie, which held me over 'til dinner. And for dinner I had leftover Boston pork butt and collard greens. Surprisingly I am not sick of either of those!

Once home from work I'll probably have a tablespoon of cashew butter and a sip of almond milk.

I would have expected a hormonal headache yesterday or today, but so far, knock on wood, I haven't gotten one!  And, my skin is still clearer than usual!

How was your Thursday?

Whole30:Day 17

Day 17?  What happened to Day 16?  I don't know.  I got behind due to the holiday, but I haven't fallen off the wagon!

Okay, so Day 16 was Tuesday, yesterday and it was literally more of the same.  The only difference was dinner.

Scott made an Asian one-dish meal of ground turkey, broccoli, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, coconut aminos and mandarin oranges.  It was a Whole30 recipe and it was delish!

Today, Wednesday, Day 17 has also been more of the same:
Breakfast = frittata and hot lemon water.
Snack = peach from The Peach Truck (Thank you Ashley!)
Lunch = salad greens with avocado, chicken salad and a coconut flavored sparkling water.
Snack = trail mix of almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins and coconut pieces (not flakes).
Snack = watermelon.
Dinner = leftover Boston pork butt (the butt that keeps on giving!), collard greens and unsweet tea.
Snack = cashew butter and almond milk.

I realize a couple things when I look over that list.  One, I am still snacking more than Whole30 recommends.  And, two, my snacks do not always contain at least two macronutrients.

What's a macronutrient, you ask.  It is either a carbohydrate, fat or protein.  Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals.

Whole30 recommends you combine at least two of the three macronutrients per snack and all three for a meal.  I do really well for meals, but my snacks usually lack.  What could I have combined with a peach or watermelon that is either a fat or a protein that I didn't eat at some other point in the day and is Whole30 compliant?

Foster, my seven year old son, and I spent the day together.  We went to Whole Paycheck, I mean Foods, and picked up some more Applegate Turkey Bologna (the only Whole30 compliant lunch meat there) and some bacon.  BAAAAACON!  It is Whole30 compliant and I can't wait to try it this weekend!

I just checked my calendar to make sure today was Day 17 because I have honest to goodness lost track!  This way of eating is becoming second nature.

This morning I hopped out of bed when the alarm went off and haven't stopped since.  Maybe this is the Tiger Blood everyone talks about.

My skin is still clearer than it usually is this time of month.  Maybe it's the lack of dairy and the natural hormones that it contains for calves.

I am less bloated than usual for this time of the month.  Maybe it's all the fruit and veggie fiber.

I don't know and I don't care and I ain't got no underwear.  Good night!

Whole30:Day 15

Happy Belated Fourth of July!  I don't know about you, but all the July 4th festivities wore me out.

There are a couple things I keep forgetting to address.  The first is that I started taking a probiotic on July 1st.  Typically I eat Greek yogurt and drink sweet acidophilus milk which both have probiotics in them.  With the Whole30 those are no-nos, but I was thinking maybe I needed some good bacteria in my stomach to help digest all these fruit and veggies.  And...I think I was right!  My stomach has felt better the past few days.

The second thing I keep forgetting to tell you is that pure vanilla extract is actually NOT Whole30 compliant.  Boo, hoo.  It wasn't listed in It Starts with Food as off limits, but it is in the Whole30.  The reason is because it contains alcohol and corn syrup.  That is one of the arbitrary rules I've previously referred to, because we both know people aren't chugging pure vanilla extract for a buzz or to satisfy a sugar craving!  That said, I do have almond extract and from what I can tell it only contains alcohol, no corn syrup, and is permitted(?).

Yesterday the kids let Scott and I sleep until 8:00!  What that really means is that our four year old slept until 8:00.  A win-win!

For breakfast I made paleo pancakes, but this time they weren't pumpkin.  This time they were eggs mixed with almond flour and almond extract and they were delicious!  No, they did not taste like "real" pancakes, but that wasn't what I was going for.  They tasted nutty and their consistency was hearty.

The recipe I used made four. I had two for breakfast with fruit salad, and two more with applesauce for my morning snack.

Now, I know what you're thinking, "There she goes again breaking the Whole30 Rules..."  But, as I've said before, I don't believe everything I read and since pancakes are not a "problem" for me, I do not have any reservations eating Whole30 compliant ingredients and preparing them healthfully.

There are other bloggers in the blogosphere who have written similar opinions and also didn't quit the Whole30 for taking a different approach than the book(s) recommend.  Whole30 is not the boss of me (us)!

For lunch I ate salad greens with tomato, avocado and pork.  For an afternoon snack I had my signature smoothie.

For dinner we went to my in-laws for a cookout.  I brought collard greens and zucchini chips and ate those with a burger topped with mustard, tomato and pickles.  No chips, fries, beans, buns, mayo or dessert for me.  And, surprisingly, I was okay.

My night cap was a spoonful of cashew butter and almond milk.  This is a "treat" I look forward to each evening after the kids have gone to bed.  Again, it's probably something the authors of Whole30 would recommend against, as they would say I may be developing an unhealthy relationship with food if I'm "looking forward to it" or "considering it a treat" or "finding comfort in it in any way". 

All I can say is that I believe food was created for us to eat and to enjoy and I am doing just that, while really thinking about whether or not I'm hungry, whether or not it's a healthy choice, and whether or not it's worth it considering my health and fitness goals.  Does that make sense?

In short, I'm just not one of those people who will ever drink the Kool-Aid.  I do my research and then decide what works best for me.  I do this and have done this in every area of my life from choosing colleges and careers, to planning a wedding or eloping, to having babies and raising them, to actively working on my health and fitness goals.

Despite the tone of this post, I am enjoying the Whole30 (or My Whole30).  My tummy is flatter and my skin is clearer.  I didn't have any trouble getting out of bed this morning despite the late night I had last night and the fact that I didn't sleep well.  And, frankly, I enjoy a challenge.  But, like Frank, I'll do it my way!

Whole30:Day 14

Sunday.  Sundaaaaaay (ala Al Roker).

It's July 3rd.  Also known as Day to Shoot Off Fireworks Even Though It's Not Yet the Fourth Which Means My Kids Will Be Up Late At Least Two Nights In a Row.

Today I pulled all the weeds.  Who's laughing now, Katie?  Who's laughing now?

But seriously, is there anything more gratifying that pulling weeds?  As much as I hate weeds, I sure do love pulling them.

Food was more of the same.  The only different thing I ate was stir fried broccoli made by my mother-in-law since I couldn't eat the broccoli casserole she made.  Poor me.

Honestly, it was a little bit of a struggle not to finish off the broccoli casserole as I was cleaning off the table.  There wasn't enough to save for later, but too much to toss.  I told my mother-in-law and she took one for the team and ate it!  That's love.

Just to recap, breakfast was pumpkin pancakes topped with blueberries.  Morning snack was a peach. Lunch was a garden salad topped with balsamic vinegar, beef roast with carrots and potatoes, and stir fried broccoli.  Afternoon snack was a pineapple and coconut milk smoothie, and dinner was leftover pork, sautéed veggies and greens.  Cashew butter and almond milk are my blogging buddies.

I've been eating on that Boston pork butt since Wednesday and it looks like I'll be eating it for lunch this week.  The variety of my diet has got to be killing you.

This evening I made fruit salad for the week.  Blueberries, strawberries, oranges, peaches and pears.  I also prepped raw carrots and celery for the week.

See how exciting life of Whole30 is?

Tomorrow is Day 15.  Also known as I'm Halfway There!

Whole30:Day 13

It's Sssssaturdaaaaay Niiiiiight!

But you and I both know I won't be up to watch SNL.  Zzzzzzzzz.

This morning the kids let me and Scott sleep until 7:00.  I actually woke up before 6:00 and thought about getting out of bed and having some quiet time, but then I thought again.

For breakfast I made paleo pumpkin "pancakes" and topped them with blueberries.  The recipe made five pancakes, but I only ate two.  That didn't hold me over long so I ate a peach.  That didn't hold me over long so I ate a slice of Applegate turkey bologna and a Claussen pickle.  That didn't hold me over long so I ate lunch.  Imagine that.

For lunch I ate salad greens with tomatoes, avocado and leftover pork.  Then I went to the grocery.  I was so excited to find this compliant sausage my friend, Kerry, told me about!

When I got home from the store I was starving and made myself this smoothie. It was delish!

Meanwhile back at the farm, I spent the better part of the day cooking greens.  My friend, Scarlett, gave them to me and I couldn't wait to eat 'em.  I diced and browned a hunk of side pork meat (which was too salty to eat on it's own) along with some garlic and then sauteed the greens until they were wilted.  Then I added pork broth (is that a thing?) that I've had in the freezer since March and let it simmer all day.  I have to say, I think I outdid myself.

Scott and I made turkey burgers and roasted vegetables for supper.  We used this recipe for the burgers and tossed diced summer squash, carrot, potato and onion with EVOO before roasting them for 30 minutes at 450 degrees and then topping them with fresh basil.  Again, delish.

As you know by now, I need a night cap, and cashew butter and almond milk hit the spot.

Speaking of night cap, while I was prepping dinner I felt a little sad about something and really wanted a glass of wine.  That is the first time since I started the Whole30 that I have felt an emotional trigger for a specific food or drink.  I was very surprised by it and not sure what to make of it.  What are your thoughts?  (I had a glass of unsweetened tea instead.)

Thanks for reading and feel free to comment if you'd like any of the recipes I mentioned but didn't link to.  I'm happy to share!

Whole30:Day 12

TGIF!  Am I right?

I am so glad the kids are in bed, kitchen is cleaned up and I can go to sleep in a little while! I'm beat.

This morning I nearly popped out of bed; a milestone for me!  The alarm went off at 6:30 and I immediately got going.  Didn't hit snooze and didn't lay there calculating how many minutes more I could stay there before I really HAD to get up.  I've been waiting for this day since I started the Whole30!

I had to go to VBS with the kids for Water Day so I didn't have time to make paleo pumpkin pancakes like I did last Friday and had planned to do.  Instead, I had two fried eggs and a serving of Banquet breakfast sausage links.

Now, here's where I have a confession to make - the sausage links were not Whole30 compliant.  They contain several no-no ingredients; sugar, dextrose and MSG.  (Although, I don't recall MSG being on the ingredient list of the box I had.)

These are the sausage links I ate every weekday morning before starting the Whole30 and I was hoping my son would eat the last serving of them. However, he decided that he doesn't like them and my daughter also no longer likes them.  Scott has no reason to eat them, as he's at work during the week and makes bacon on the weekends. (Bacon that I can't eat right now because it's cured with sugar! Womp, womp.) So, if I didn't eat them they were going to be thrown away and lemme tell ya somethin, this girl does not waste food!  No sirree.  There are people starving in Africa, right Dad?

I knew eggs alone wouldn't hold me over and that I had to have something more. But, I didn't have time to make anything else.  After thinking it through, I decided to eat the sausage and never buy it again.  

I don't consider this a deal breaker as I was not intending to cheat and I still have 18 days to go so that any setback those "no-no" ingredients may have caused should have time to work themselves out of my system.

My confession doesn't end there though, I also accidentally used PAM to spray the frying pan this morning.  Doh! As soon as I realized what I had done, I literally stopped, read the ingredients, and thought about what I should do.  What would you have done?

I decided to go ahead and fry the eggs.  I thought about wiping the pan out and using EVOO, but I am really trying to be thoughtful about this "diet" and not robotic.  I don't want to be obsessive or legalistic, as these are thought processes I have struggled with in the past (not necessarily with food, but with other life issues.)

In some ways my decisions to go rogue are helping me more than sticking to the Whole30 rules would be.  I'm typically people-pleasing, rule following, Type A, and anxiety ridden.  Facing decisions like the ones I faced this morning and taking time to think them through feels liberating. Not just because I'm breaking the rules, but because I'm using my ability to make decisions and not being controlled by "shoulds" or "what ifs".

In hindsight, I wish I had planned better for breakfast today.  I could have made paleo pancakes last night so that I'd have them ready for this morning (even though they're technically a "no-no" too).  I could have eaten an avocado or fruit with my eggs, or both!  At the time, I felt limited, but having had more time to think about it, I see where I could have made better choices.

Hopefully you understand why I'm not starting over even though the creators of Whole30 might suggest I should.

For morning snacks I ate an Apple Pie Larabar and what was left of the fruit salad.

A generous neighbor gave me a bunch of fresh food before leaving for vacation and with that I made this recipe, sans the cheese.  It was delicious, but I found myself craving crunch for lunch today.  That's the one thing I've missed most since starting the Whole30; tortilla chips, crackers, toasted bread...

My signature smoothie was a nice comfort after my failure of a morning and held me over until dinner which was leftover pork, a half an avocado, black olives and raspberries.  I had no appetite for veggies.

My stomach has been uncomfortable this afternoon.  So much so that I took some Gas-x to see if that would relieve the discomfort.  I don't know if it's all the veggies I ate for lunch or the trace amounts of sugar, dextrose, MSG and soy I consumed for breakfast.  What do you think?

To close the day I ate a spoonful of cashew butter and drank a little almond milk.  And now I can't wait to crawl into bed.  

So long Day 12.  I started out with a bang, muddled through, and now I'm looking forward to a good day tomorrow!  Ciao!