Whole30 Day 14...Tiger Blood

 

"Days 16-27: Tiger Blood. Goodbye cravings, hello Tiger Blood! This must be what everyone is talking about. You’ve hit the downhill slope of your Whole30 and life is beautiful. Your energy is through the roof, you’ve kicked the cravings, you’re experimenting with new, delicious food, and you’ve finally got the time to notice that your clothes fit better, your workouts are stronger, and you are generally more awesome."         - See more at: http://whole30.com/2014/04/tiger-blood/#sthash.vwF8Jm9w.dpuf

I got tiger blood on day 10 this round. I woke up at 6:30 am without an alarm and spent all day Saturday cleaning my kitchen. I believe I cleaned areas in my kitchen that haven't been cleaned in the decade I've lived in my house and probably weren't cleaned by the previous home owner either!! I cleaned out my spice cabinet, organized it and refilled spices in my spice rack. I even went to the store to buy organizers for my cabinets! I know...crazy, right?!?

I figured that I need to put all of this energy to good use by working out a little harder. Both Monday and Tuesday this week I hit the gym at 6 am to get a workout in before work. I've been working out everyday during this whole30 in hopes that I would get even better results, but my workouts have been at home and have been centered more around physical therapy than sculpting, so it was nice to get back in to the gym. Today it is icy out so I'm planning on doing some arm and shoulder exercises with the dumbbells I have at home and doing some yoga/Pilates exercises for core strength.

Last night I tried something new for dinner as part of a challenge that was issued by several of the Paleo bloggers. I made NomNomPaleo's Spicy Tuna Cakes and served them with oven zucchini fries and my paleo ranch dressing. Making oven fries out of veggies is a great way to get your kids to try new veggies because they are in a familiar french fry shape and they are finger foods that are great for dipping.

Whole30/Paleo Oven Zucchini Fries

Makes 2-3 servings. Recipe can be easily doubled. 1 zucchini cut in to fry like pieces 2 eggs ½ cup almond flour 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp Italian seasoning ½ tsp salt 1 tsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush the olive oil on a large baking sheet and set aside. Mix almond flour, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt in a large bowl and set aside. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Dip the zucchini pieces in the egg and toss in the flour mixture. Place on the baking sheet. Repeat until all of the zucchini pieces are coated and on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes and then flip each fry. Bake for 10 additional minutes.

Whole30 Results and...the rest of the story

The results are in!! I applied for a new job at the beginning of this process and because of everything listed above, I had the confidence to go through the interview process. Yesterday, on my last whole30 day, I was told I got the job which is a huge promotion. I will be leaving the position I've had for 9 years! Oh and I guess I should also mention I lost 15 lbs, 3.5 inches from my stomach, 3 inches from my chest, 2 inches from my hips, and an inch from each thigh!!! All of those numbers are just icing on the cake!

Here is my whole story...

In 2004 I was having horrible mood swings and I just didn't feel good. That year I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and started on medications. That started a 12 year battle with medications to control my sleep, medications for my mood, medications to counteract the side effects of other medications. I gained 100 lbs which I was told was a side effect of all the medications. The doctors had to keep switching my medications because nothing seemed to really work.

Things changed when we brought a puppy into our home and my allergies got out of control and to diagnose it my ENT ordered a full gambit of allergy tests. Other than the dog, we found out I had a huge reaction to yeast and mold. My allergist recommended that I go on a yeast free diet. I went home and immediately started researching what kind of diet that entailed, but also the symptoms of a yeast allergy. I noticed that there are a number of psychological symptoms to anaphylactic shock. I started thinking about the times when I felt the worse with depression and anxiety and realized that those were the times I was eating what was the worst for a yeast allergy- fast food and preservatives. I immediately started to clean up my diet. Luckily my psychiatrist was very open minded and willing listen to my theory that I wasn't bipolar, just having an extreme allergic reaction and the reason we couldn't find a medication to help me was because we were trying psychiatric drugs on a physical problem. He tapered me off of my medication and I continued cleaning up my diet. 

In March of this year I was official dismissed as a patient of the UNC Neurosciences Clinic and have been medication free for almost 2 years. I have struggled though when it came to sticking to eating clean. I started paying attention to the mood swings I would have and think about how they were caused by slipping in to old habits. That is why I chose to do the Whole30 program. I needed something to give me the kick in the butt that I needed to do what is right for me, not just for 30 days, but to be the first 30 days of the rest of my life.

I can't help but think about all the years that I have wasted by not trying to eat clean when I first started having problems, but I won't think about it too hard. At 33, I have a long life ahead of me and this 30 day period wad just the start!!!

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 day 28- Party time!!!

Whew! What a day!!! Had a most fabulous time at the BBQ for my family. I got tons of compliments on my Whole30 compliant food. Because I've been doing a lot of advance prep work on the weekends during this program, I was able to use this new found talent to have everything prepped and ready so I could still enjoy the party. I highly recommend bacon wrapped sweet potatoes as an appetizer for any occasion.

I admit I did look longingly at the cupcakes my sister brought for dessert. I took one and put it in a tupperware container in my freezer to eat after I introduce gluten back. A friend of the family left a few bottles of beer that he had brought for us to try, so I would be able to try it once I'm done with my Whole30. I feel so great with what I've been eating though that I am not looking forward to the negative effects that a beer will have on my body now that I have cleaned what I put in it. I also have a severe yeast allergy which amplifies the negative effects.

I'm looking forward to taking my after pictures, especially since I was constantly pulling up my jeans today. A smaller size is definitely a victory!

Today's recap:

Breakfast:
Scrambled eggs
Sweet potato hash
Blueberries

Lunch:
Chicken salad on a bed of spinach

Dinner:
Hors d'oeuvres:
Bacon wrapped sweet potatoes
Veggies w/ homemade ranch dip

Main Course:
Broccoli salad
Ribs with Cherry BBQ sauce
Deviled eggs

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 day 27- in the home stretch!

I am finally sleeping better!!! It took more than 20 days for me to have that non-scale victory, but it has finally come. I have the fitbit flex on my wrist and have been using it to track my sleep. Previously I would have 12 times or so a night of 7.5 hours of sleep that I would be restless, but the past 4 nights I have only been restless 1-2 times. That leaves me feeling fabulous in the morning with extra energy. I am putting that energy to use this week too with having a BBQ at my house tomorrow for 12 people and I'm serving a ton of whole30 compliant food....ribs with cherry bbq sauce (I'll have regular sauce too just in case), deviled eggs, broccoli salad, cut veggies with paleo ranch dip, compliant hot dogs, bacon wrapped sweet potato bites....I can't wait!!!

Unexpectedly I have become a foodie! I have always loved food, but I feel that now I have stripped all the sugar and the other crud from what I am making, I have gained a greater appreciation of the natural flavors! I have added a recipe section to my blog that I am going to start posting my recipes on and am very excited about having pins of my recipes as opposed to me looking at other people's pins.

Day 26 recap:

I made chicken salad yesterday morning intending on it being for
lunch, but it looked so good I decided to make a breakfast of it! I then had an equally fabulous lunch with 2 hamburgers topped with Tessemae's ketchup, half of a sweet potato topped with cinnamon, and a salad of spinach, strawberries, blueberries, avocado, and sprinkled with balsamic vinegar. Dinner was beef stew made by my dad who again was excited that he made it without using flour or cornstarch to thicken it so that I could have it.

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 day 22 and more revelations

Friday was a rough day where it seemed like everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. I missed lunch and really felt the repercussions by 3 that afternoon. It was a firm reminder that I am no good at helping other people solve their problems if I don't take the time I need for myself and that includes fueling my body. I guess that is why the book was so insistent about us taking the time to sit down and eat at a table. Taking that time not only helps you slow your eating pace down, but also gives you a great stress break. I'm so glad I've figured that out.

I also bought my first Lara bars on Friday. I will definitely be saving them for my backpacking trip because they seem a little like Paleo crack! So yummy and addictive!

A mug of chicken bone broth w/ breakfast

Right now I am planning a menu for a party I'm having next Saturday to celebrate my son and my mom's birthdays as well as my mom's retirement. I will be doing a bulk of the cooking myself and everything that I'm making is going to be Whole30 compliant. I figured that would be my best defense against the cakes that I'm ordering for dessert. I am planning on making a compliant lemon custard with raspberries so I can have something too. Fingers crossed!!

I had my first cup of chicken bone broth with breakfast. It took me a couple sips to get used to the

idea, but then I decided that it was great! I have a hard time eating first thing in the morning still. I'm hungry, but just don't feel like eating (if that makes sense). I'm going to start sipping on a cup of bone broth first thing in the morning to see how that might help.

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 day 20: not weird to bring your own

Wow...day 20. This is such an amazing journey, but not without complications. My son and I typically have dinner at my parents' house during the week. They have been out of town most of this process and last night was our first night having dinner at their house. I called before going over there to ask my dad was he fixed and he told me it wasn't compliant. I quickly threw together a plate of food from what I had fixed in the fridge and took it with me. It wasn't weird and no one minded that I brought my own because I have been upfront with everyone about what I am doing and what it means to me. I did get questions and comments early in this journey about why I am doing this and why is it so restrictive. People had their doubts about my commitment, but I have to say now that I am on day 20, they see my commitment and they are seeing the changes in my mood and appearance.

Day 19 recap:
Breakfast:
Scrambled eggs with prochiutto
Sweet potato hash
Cucumber

Lunch:
Baked sweet potato
Steamed cauliflower w/ EVO
Chicken with cherry bbq sauce

Dinner:
Pork chop with cherry bbq sauce
Cucumber
Sweet potato hash

I'm going to be making bone broth tonight for the first time and I'm very excited. The name turned me off, but yesterday I finally read up on bone broth and its amazing health properties.  Here is an interesting article from Weston Price about it.

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 day ?: who cares!!

Good Morning!!! I have reached the point that I am so happy with how good I feel I don't even care what day of my Whole30 that I am on! So, according to my calendar it is day 19. My son said that he can tell I am enjoying this so much that he thinks I will just not stop after 30 days. I will go through the re-introduction period though just to help me figure out what my body doesn't work well with, but I can definitely see me staying pretty compliant to the program.

Slept great last night despite an increased amount of joint pain (not sure why: weather? nightshades?). My dad was released from the hospital last night. He had a really really bad infection in his mouth and they think they have it under control. I feel like I have handled my stress a lot better this week, perhaps because of regulated blood sugar.

Made another batch of nomnompaleo's cherry bbq sauce last night. My son and I love this sauce!! We have had it on steak and chicken and my son asked if I could put it on ribs this weekend. It is simple to make and sooo very tasty!

I work from home and my team is having a meeting today and they wanted to have a breakfast potluck. I elected to not go to the office and will be calling in from home so I will not be tempted. I do have to go to the office next week for two days for round 2 of the interview process for a fabulous new job. Luckily we have big refrigerators and microwaves at work so I can bring everything I need to eat right.

Day 18 recap:

Breakfast:
Deviled eggs
Cucumbers
Sweet potato hash

Lunch:
Roasted chicken
Roasted cauliflower
Collard greens

Dinner:
Chicken legs w/ cherry bbq sauce
Deviled eggs
Steamed broccoli
1/2 Sweet potato with cinnamon

Whole30 day 17: Learning more and seeing more benefits

While I have noticed a ton of benefits so far for this 30 days, I seem to be having more arthritis pain than usual. Several people on the forum for the Whole30 have mentioned eliminating nightshades. I had never even heard the term nightshades before, but I started reading. Nightshades are part of a species of plants that are commonly used in my diet on a daily basis. They include tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes among many others. Many spices also fall in this family, like paprika. Nightshades seem to cause more inflammation in the body. Since I have started the Whole30 program, I have been eating so many more of these veggies and spices and it could possibly be the reason I am having more pain. I am now looking at eliminating nightshades and/or doing the autoimmune version of the Whole30 in the future.

Outside of my painful joints, I am noticing so many wonderful benefits. My skin is so clear and even toned that I haven't needed to wear foundation for a week. I love that my already minimal makeup has been cut back even more. I also have noticed that my nails are stronger. When I went shopping over the weekend I was trying on clothes in regular stores, not just stores with plus sizes and that felt amazing! I am dying to take my measurements, but I can hold off another 13 days!

When I started the Whole30 I was hungry all the time and really had to play with my portions to feel satiated. Now, I am noticing the size of my portions is leveling off and I am starting to leave some on my plate at the end of the meal. I love that not only am I eating the right foods, I no longer feel the need to eat all of the food on my plate.

Here is my day 16 recap:

Breakfast:
Deviled eggs
Broccoli slaw salad







Lunch:
Pork chop w/ strawberry avacado salad
Roasted cauliflower
Collard greens

Yup, ate dinner sitting in the car!

Dinner:
Roasted chicken
Steamed broccoli
Sweet potato
w/ ghee
and cinnamon


Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 day 12: #NonScaleVictory

I can't believe this is day 12 for me of my first Whole30. I find sticking to this plan very easy now that I have worked out the kinks. I haven't snacked too much and am able to adhere to the regular 3 meal template. Last night I took my son to a pizza party through our church. I brought my own meal of sweet potato hash, steamed broccoli, and a chicken apple sausage. The pizza still smelled sooooo good! I have an allergy to yeast though and I just tried to focus on how horrible the pain was in my stomach following the last time I ate pizza. Worked like a charm!

When I got home and was getting ready for bed I went to remove my makeup and realized that I didn't even put any on! My skin is so clear and even toned just from changing my diet that I didn't realize I had not even put makeup on. Just another #nonscalevictory !!!

Saturday is my son's 12th birthday and instead of going on his Boy Scout fishing trip he said he would rather spend more time with me. I know it is going to take some extra planning on my part to make sure I have meals or can get meals when we are out doing things. We are going to the lake to do some kayaking and also planning on doing some shopping. I'll figure it out though!

Day 11 recap:

Breakfast:
Deviled eggs
Sweet potato hash
Blueberries

Lunch:
Tuna salad with olive oil mayo and relish on a bed of lettuce and spinich leaves.

Dinner:
referenced above

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 day 11 and feeling stronger

I was down for the last few days because I haven't been walking as much. Where I work they encourage us to get 10,000 steps a day on our Fitbits (roughly 4.5 miles). For the past few days I have been short on my goal each day, but then it dawned on my last night that while my quantity is down my quality is up!! Saturday I got my steps while pushing a lawn mower (something I had not done in over 15 years!) and even yesterday while I didn't do distance, I climbed 10 flights of stairs (w/ a knee that needs replacing I often struggle with the 3 steps into my house). I definitely view my increased activity level as a #nonscalevictory !!!!

I have to admit that I had a huge temptation last night though. I took my son to see a musical at a theater in a nearby town. In the lobby they sell hot cinnamon sugar roasted almonds. I love them! I bought some for my son and when he handed them to me to hold while he went to the restroom, I looked longingly at the bag. I heard a little voice in my head say "just one. no one will know." I didn't though, because while no one else would know if I had one or not, I would know! I would know and I cannot do that to myself. I love that mentally I have been strong enough in my willpower to resist temptations.

Here is my recap of my food yesterday:

Breakfast:
Deviled eggs (3 whole eggs worth)
Sweet potato hash
a handful of blueberries

Lunch:
Steak with cherry bbq sauce
Grilled veggie kabobs
Sweet potato hash
Dinner:
Spaghetti sauce with smoked chorizo sausage, peppers, onions, and broccoli slaw served on zoodles (julianed zucchini)


Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah