time for another whole30?

grass-fed beef, sauteed mushrooms with onions & garlic, fresh salad with lemon & olive oil---no sacrifice

I had not really planned on starting the new year with a Whole30 commitment. It's not like my diet is much different on a daily basis anyway. I still eat 99% clean in any given week, 100% in most. My only food indiscretion during the holidays was one piece of home-made divinity from my sister-in-law, Tara. BUT I have occasionally been having a glass of wine, sometimes two or three, and that's simply not working for me. I guess I really like or need the structure, though there really is little, and the sense of accountability that goes with saying I'm going to do something and following through.

While I don't necessarily plan to start this on January 1st or 2nd, it will most likely be the first week or two. We have a Las Vegas trip planned over the holiday weekend mid-month. It's for a CTA conference, and I'll have less control over food choices, so I've considered putting the Whole30 off. Problem is there's always something. New Year's Eve this week-end, Valentine's Day and my birthday (yay!) in February, Saint Patrick's Day in March, Easter in April---we do a HUGE Easter party. Every month has a reason not to commit. So what the hell? It may as well be January. And probably another 30 sometime in February with Carrie, Ginger Lemon Girl.

The thing about the Whole30 is that while it may be considered a strict plan, even rigid by some, it involves no sacrifice. Seriously, I don't see the sacrifice. I see wonderful food without the chemicals and GMOs and plastics or processed junk. Actually now, I'm starting to view this as an on-going, intermittent routine that could very simply keep me on track and feeling good. I do like the sound of that.

whole30 afterthoughts

They said it would change my life; who knew they meant it?

I finished my first Whole30 on November 6 of this year. I experienced no cravings, though that may be a result of making relatively few changes in my diet, and really only mild bathroom scale withdrawal, though if you've read my posts, it may sound more than mild.

Because of the minor changes this program required of me, I didn't expect miracles. I mean some people are giving up sugar and dairy as they start the Whole30. Neither has been a big part of my life. In fact I have not had a taste of cheese, cream, butter or any other dairy product for well over a year. So I wasn't looking for magic; I was looking for improvement. I'm still not 100% sure of what I got, but I am completely sure it has changed my life.

Since November 6, I've been using my scale almost regularly. I think it's fun. I don't think it's meaningful. I've also had wine on a few occasions, though I absolutely refuse to drink so-so wine anymore. I'm also not sure yet what to think of the wine thing. It is not likely to become regular again. I have not added a single other food back into my diet. I've given myself permission to do that. I've reviewed the suggestions for how to do so in the Success Guide. I just haven't felt any desire to do so.

I am writing this two days after Thanksgiving, and I must add that our family Thanksgiving dinner is huge. It's also my favorite meal to help prepare. I tried to give myself permission to sample any dishes that are not off my plate for life due to allergies and such. I made the stuffing completely gluten-free, though not grain-free. I just didn't want to eat it. I didn't want the mashed potatoes. I was not remotely tempted by bread. Even pies and whipped cream did not appeal to me. I did wish for a moment that I'd been able to make a "Paleo-fied" almond flour tart or pie as I'd planned. (Had to pass on that because my oven is being temperamental at the moment.) It felt a bit odd. For dessert, by choice, I ate some beautiful hearts of celery that Kristen had included in our traditional relish tray.

I no longer ever even consider eating out, unless by unavoidable necessity, but it doesn't feel like I'm giving up a thing. Seriously, it's no sacrifice at all. I never, I mean absolutely never, buy anything prepared whether frozen, canned, or fresh. Yes, it takes a little time, but really very little. I work full-time and do all the cooking here, and I do not live in the kitchen. Some of you know me better than others, but either way, the simple fact that I blog about my relationship with food is a pretty clear indication that we're tight, food and I. I've been somewhat of a foodie since birth. I still am. But what has changed for me in the most seemingly subtle way is that even more than before, I now think of only fresh, natural,  unprocessed products of field and farm as food.

Thanks again, Whole9, I'm seriously impressed.

the whole30, continued



While I am absolutely thrilled with completing my thirty days of the Whole30, I'm also not completely where I want to be health-wise. With this primary goal in mind, I'm sticking with the program, most parts of the program---yeah, I'm using my bathroom scale, for awhile. I'll let my body dictate how long.

Reading the information about transitioning after the Whole30, I became well aware that much of the testing and reintroduction of different foods is something I won't need to do. I have no intention of adding them into my diet. Before I started this, I didn't eat grains, dairy products, sugar, or legumes. Occasional natural sweetners, like actual stevia leaves from the herb garden, were just that, occasional. I am not a fan of sweet foods. Even wine is not of much interest to me these days. Though I have not ruled out having a glass of really good wine on special occasions, I don't see it becoming a regular part of my routine. I will probably add back a few of the "Paleo" versions of fun foods, like biscuits and such made of almond flour. These I rarely ate anyway, probably less than once a month, so I don't see that as much of an issue.
 Possibly, I may take a slightly more relaxed attitude toward some food, but I rather doubt it. I'm still narrowing the scope of foods I trust and shifting my emphasis even more from gourmet to impeccably fed and responsibly farmed. If I'm going to obsess, may it be in the direction of health for my family, the planet, and me. Right now and along similar lines,  I'm also obsessing about buying locally, which seems virtually impossible at the moment. More about that to come, most definitely.

My next posts will focus on holiday foods and advance preparation. I am a gravy fanatic, have finally mastered early preparation of most dishes for our absurdly massive Thanksgiving dinner, and look forward to sharing ideas. Since we serve traditionalists, vegetarians, and Paleo sorts at our house, this will include a variety of dishes I don't eat and rarely write about, but the emphasis will remain centered on Paleo, I hope.

the whole30, day thirty

Yep, I'm feeling rather proud of myself today. Though I still have the annoying sinus issue, I am much more focused on my completion of The Whole30.

That said, I'm really not sure what, if any, changes I'm inclined to make, right now anyway. I like the results, so far, and I want more. I will, most likely, welcome back my bathroom scale. While I have experienced no food cravings in this 30 days, I have missed the scale. I may have mentioned that once or twice. I don't quite know how I'll react if my weight hasn't changed, though weight was not my motivator in undertaking this. I would guess that it's dropped by the way my clothes fit and what I see in the mirror, but that's not always the case. As we all know, muscle weighs more than fat, and I sure hope it's fat I'm losing and not muscle. We shall see.

On a somewhat lighter note, I've often, maybe way too often, mentioned that, like GK and Coco, I am a creature of habit. I like to call them rituals, but semantics is not in my favor here. So today, my Day 30 of the Whole30, I am somehow making my own coffee. That is not the way it works here. I cook, he cleans and grinds beans to make coffee every morning and brings me two cups of strong, black coffee. That is the plan, the routine, the ritual. This is seriously wrong, yet here I am, impatiently waiting for the brewing to be done, cream in his cup, nothing in mine, so that I can take him coffee. This is an anomaly; it is most definitely not the beginning of a new ritual.

Breakfast, a few hours after the coffee, was quick and none too exciting. Mine was small, one scrambled egg and a leftover pork chop, a pretty dry, flavorless, though not overcooked specimen. I'm thinking of calling it quits with pork for awhile. It is just so hard to find any with flavor or enough fat to make it palatable. I buy only meats that at least claim to be raised humanely on small or smallish farms. I avoid factory farmed meats and grocery stores, and it still is barely edible. I should mention that live in central California; those of you in other parts of the world may have very different sources and experiences. I'm thinking of sticking to ruminants, a little bit of poultry, and responsibly caught wild fish.

I will not be wrapping up my experience with the Whole30 today. As I transition out of this, if I actually do transition out of it, I'll do my best to pull the different aspects of my personal experience together here. I've learned a lot more than I'd expected, and I'm a lot less anxious to move on than I'd thought I'd be at this point. Next time I post, I will have completed these 30 days. Guess I'll be taking it one day at a time for awhile.

Since we all have different takes on this and reactions to it, it would be wonderful if anyone who's doing this or something similar would add your thoughts and experiences, as well. Thanks.

the whole30, day twenty-nine

Years ago in a series of self-actualization trainings, again and again, I heard something like "Expectations are the seeds of dissatisfaction." I am paraphrasing, but that was the message. I think about that from time to time, and today I'm obsessing over it.

Today, Day 29 of my 30 days on the Whole30, does not fit my expectations. I didn't have a clear mental picture, of course, but I can promise you I did not for a single minute think I would be on day 3 of a killer sinus infection, complete with splitting headache, swollen face, and sleepless nights. Not for one single second did I picture this. I'm considering this a healing crisis; I do hope I'm right. Healing or not, I don't like it, and I am definitely dissatisfied at the moment. What I'd like instead is a warm glow of contentment and that sense of pride and honor that comes with completing a meaningful task. Any idea where I could order that?

Until this passes (oh! please let that be immediate!) there will be no thoughts of celebrating a completion. My plan right now is to tighten this up instead. Writing that, I almost had to laugh. What do I tighten? I prepare everything, I mean EVERYTHING, I eat. With the glaring exception of my bacon fiasco, I am not using anything processed. Virtually everything in my house is organic. I'm waiting to check out the clarified butter rule until next time around because I know I have some issues with dairy. (I did put several packs of pastured butter in my freezer to be ready, since it's seasonal.) My meat, beef and lamb, is grass-fed even though that wasn't a requirement here. Maybe I'll cut out eggs entirely; I've already cut way back. I'm almost at a loss. I am not at a dead-end, though. So many things feel so much better with the Whole30, and I will not give up. I'm wondering though, will Monday be Day 31 or Day 1 all over again?

Still, I'm left thinking about that training and my expectations. Somehow I can't quite put my finger on what I want to take from all of this right now. Maybe it's the headache. Maybe it's the sleeplessness. Maybe it's our weather with highs about 15 degrees less than the lows of two days ago.

Yet in the back of my mind I know, today is Day 29 and headache and sinus infection will soon be history (or so I hope.)

the whole30, day twenty-five

That pesky scale is still taunting me. The food is pretty easy. Avoiding sugar is a snap. Even wine isn't particularly appealing. But I really, really, really want to step on my bathroom scale. I admit it. I'm a scale addict, not because it's meaningful. Oddly, I guess, I find it fun. Believe me, it would be in a closet somewhere if GK didn't use it once or twice a day.

I do suppose I'm pretty lucky, though, if that's my only temptation. This has been an unusally crazy few weeks for me completely unrelated to the Whole30. If I were going to be tempted to diverge from this program, this stress would have done it. After today, I have 5 days to go. I'm thrilled, thrilled, thrilled. I may not change my eating habits, but I'm likely to reacquaint myself with that scale.

Being a creature of habit and a lover of routines, I again started the day with bacon and eggs at my desk at work. I find it amusing that my coworkers think of my eating requirements as restrive and limiting. To some degree, there's some truth to be found in that, but mostly what's restricted is serious junk and toxic matter. I eat really good food. I don't eat doughnuts or pizza or badly prepared cupcakes or jello and cool whip molds. I'll take steak or salmon or bacon and eggs any day.  I've found a locally produced bacon, through Abundant Harvest Organics that's uncured and neither overly smoky or sweet. I am in love, yet again. The pastured eggs came from them, too. If you live in central or southern California, check this out.

As for the rest of the day, I'm sitting at my desk daydreaming about braising. I may very well be weird, but this certainly does not consitute evidence. What could be more perfect this time of year than braising? I would love more ideas if anyone wants to share braising recipes, even though I could be 130 before I try all that I now have. It helps keep my mind off that scale.