The Whole 30 Wrap-Up Week III
Week three has seen some more positive improvements. Belly bloating has been reduced, and I feel like even some fat has been burned off my tummy (my problem area where weight collects first). I wake up feeling a little less fuzzy and tired. My sinuses have even begun to dry up a little bit! I worked a wedding on Day 17 and had a serious cheat because I wasn't fully prepared with appropriate snacks and energy for the entire day. I definitely regret that mini cupcake - it was DAMN delicious but maybe not totally worth cheating on the whole 30 for. The Whole 30 suggests you restart the plan after every slip or cheat, or else it's not a true "re-set." I honestly want this Whole 30 to be done with before Halloween, and even though I did cheat (a few times), I am choosing to ignore this rule and keep going. My health is basically alright compared to the many people who suffer from disease or chronic symptoms, so I don't feel the need to re-start the program if I have a slight slip during one day. Please make this choice for yourself.
<< DAY 15>> Woke up early enough to get in breakfast. Not eating three meals a day is almost impossible on this plan - I need to eat! Smoothies aren't intended to be a staple during the Whole 30, but I made one at home so I could control the ingredients. I picked up a new nut mix that's pretty great, and there's no peanuts to pick out. I rarely shop at Safeway, but I was on a tighter budget this week so I made do. I was stoked to find a trail mix without peanuts - it contains hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, dried cranberries and cherries, and crystallized ginger, which I pick out. Next week I'll try to make my own mix from the bulk buns.
Breakfast: unsweetened Jasmine black tea, smoothie (fresh berries, spinach, and almond milk)
Lunch: mixed nuts & dried fruit, banana and almond butter
Dinner: leftover chicken primavera
Dessert/Snacks: apple & nuts
<< DAY 16 >> Overslept a bit and ran errands on an empty stomach - not a good idea. I didn't get "breakfast" until around 11a.m. and was desperate, so don't think I'm too gross! I was invited to a fancy restaurant for dinner, so I had to kind of pick and choose what I ate, but I stayed on plan. I've been feeling bad about how many plastic bottles of mineral water I went through, so I stopped buying them and dug the old SodaStream out of the garage. I ordered two replacement bottles for it and some doTerra essential oils and make my own now. Happy to not be feeling so sluggish like during week 2.
Breakfast/Lunch: Subway tuna salad; banana and mixed nuts
Dinner: bacon-wrapped prawns, ahi tuna bites, artichoke
Snacks: banana and mixed nuts
<< DAY 17 >> Bad cheat day. I got up early to work a long wedding nearby. My boyfriend was kind enough to make me breakfast while I got ready. There is generally only one break for dinner late in the day, so I usually bring kind bars and fruit to cram in my mouth if there's a free minute. I didn't prepare, and ended up getting a Coke to keep my energy up before the day was half over. I feel bad saying it, but it was delicious and totally helped revive me. The second cheat was part of a bundtini, a mini bundt cupcake with frosting. It was okay, but I could tell how artificial the flavoring was and how much processed sugar was in it. It was a good reminder for when I'm off the challenge - only make the occasional compromise if it's REALLY WORTH IT. Bundtinis are close.
Breakfast: bacon and two eggs
Lunch: Coca-Cola
Dinner: poached salmon, potatoes, steamed veggies, salad, fruit, bundtini
<< DAY 18 >> As always after a wedding day, I slept until the afternoon and woke up exhausted and sore. Mostly stayed on the couch, except for an excursion to the diner at some point. Stayed on plan, just didn't eat enough. Even after the sugary cheats yesterday, I am starting to feel a difference in my hunger pangs - they are losing some if their emotional charge. My mood and ability to focus can be seriously affected by hunger, which is one of the reasons I am doing the Whole 30 Round 2. When I get hungry now, it doesn't feel so much like an earth-shattering, desperate, all-consuming problem. I'm simply...hungry.
Breakfast: bacon, eggs, hash browns, and a fresh fruit bowl
Snacks: apple, banana, mixed nuts
<< DAY 19>> I was still pretty tired from work and slept in late again. Made a simple chicken soup with the remnants from the chicken primavera. I ought to make more soups - I often think of them as being unfilling - or way too sloshy in my belly afterward - but I really enjoyed this simple broth and veggie soup. It tasted and felt clean, nutritious and delish. I even had some leftover soup for breakfast later (it's not as bad as it sounds). The Whole 30 isn't primarily about weight loss, especially for me, but I admit that the flat belly I gained after the first round last year was a huge plus. But I'd rather have enough energy throughout the day, even if it means a less significant reduction in belly fat.
Lunch: banana & almond butter, mixed nuts
Dinner: chicken soup with zucchini, sweet potato, and asparagus
<< DAY 20 >> Back to the regular grind - I feel so much better when I eat at least three full meals a day. I'm kicking myself over all those days where I skipped a meal or ate nuts & fruit instead of making a complete plate of food. It's a lot of work to cook and prepare so much fresh food, but it really is worth it. My mood is more stable and the belly bloat has all but gone away! I'm feeling pretty darn good, even though I still want a piece of pizza pretty badly...
Breakfast: mixed berry smoothie
Lunch: veggie burger on lettuce bun (from Betty Burger)
Dinner: rotisserie chicken and baked cauliflower, carrots and broccoli
Snacks: banana & nuts
<< DAY 21 >> Much like yesterday: I feel pretty good! I borrowed the R2D2 lunch bag I bought for my boyfriend and packed a lunch for the first time in a while. My Swell bottle has been keeping my homemade mineral water nice and cold and portable. I went out to dinner with a friend and then to a show after. I haven't been feeling up to much these past few weeks, so it was nice to go out and feel normal. I got home around midnight and wanted another snack, but I just drank some water and went to be instead. I did eat fries with my burger, which is a sort of grey area in the whole 30 - yes it's vegetables cooked in oil, but no it's not particularly healthy...
Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs and strawberries
Lunch: green salad, banana, nuts
Dinner: bunless hamburger w/whole 30-approved aioli & fries