Pages

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Whole 30...the home stretch...let's talk the P word...and ice cream cravings!

Eleven more days of Whole 30 and I'm feeling good!  I've 20 days into it now.  I had only one bad headache and that was on day 2.  I had a minor scratchy last week though and slight chest congestion, but both dissipated without turning into a cold.  I did cheat some and took Airborne and Emergen-C a couple of times to combat what I thought was the start of a cold.  I'm wondering if what I was feeling was a result of Whole30 ridding my body of unneeded stuff.  Sort of like the headache could have been from food withdrawal.  Another benefit is that I'm sleeping through the night and wake up rested.  

Ok...now for the other issue...the P word.  Not a subject that's easy to discuss as an adult.  As a kid, talking about poo is easy.  And, I've learned from reading other posts that I prefer reading the blogs that refer to it as poo rather than poop....so poo it is.  It has taken all these 20 days for me to get back to a normal, um...ah...well, let's say, consistency.  I'm sure others have had this happen too, as I've googled and read some blogs.  Most point to the increased fiber or more fat, but honestly, I'm eating the same quantity of fiber and fat as before Whole30.  The only difference in my eating is what I've cut out.  Our dinners were and still are lots of vegetables with a side of meat-type protein.  So, I don't believe it's the fiber.  I think it's the minimal amount of starch or maybe it was my body ridding itself of unneeded stuff.  Or...maybe the starch was the glue in the poo.  

Last night I was really craving my nightly ice cream when my husband arrived at the couch with my ice cream.  I have a small container of chocolate ice cream that is all mine.  I would take it out nightly and have just enough, screw the top back on and return it to the freezer.  He and my step son knows that is is mine.  Well, it's been sitting there waiting for me until last night when it made it's way into my husband hands.  I just gave him a look.  He said, "it's going to go bad if it's not eaten."  So, he ate the rest of my yummy chocolate ice cream.  Whaaaaaaah! That got me searching the web for an ice cream alternative.  Something with coconut milk and I found one!!  I'm making it tonight since it called for frozen bananas.  It's just a cup frozen banana, coconut milk and some spices.  I'm going to add some pecans too.  Can't wait for some ice cream tonight!  


Monday, January 21, 2013

Whole 30 Day 10 -- first recipe I didn't like...at all.

Today is day 10 and I woke up with the same hip pain that I thought was gone after the 2nd day of of this journey. 

Yesterday's breakfast was organic, non-nitrate Italian sausage with 2 eggs...yummy! My husband opted for his cereal and after I sat down with my dish, he said, "Hey, that's cheating!  That looks good!"  I gave him a taste.  This morning, he said yes when I offered to cook him some.  Any yes, he enjoyed it.  

Back to yesterday...
Lunch was rushed, and was an Apple with a homemade spread that I made in my Magic Bullet.  I threw in some almonds, sesame seeds and coconut.    

Dinner was a beef stew.  I had to put in some sort of white, so I asked Siri to search the web about turnips and Whole 30 and read that it was a vegetable that was approved in a few blogs.  My stew had beef, turnips, carrots, onions and garlic.  It was yummy!  My husband loved it too.

While the stew was cooking in the pressure cooker, I made a breakfast dish that I'd found at the start of my journey, Whole30 Pumpkin Breakfast Pudding.  The ingredients were coconut milk, can of mashed pumpkin, banana, cinnamon and salt; baked at 350 after being sprinkled with almond meal and coconut oil mixture.  One word....yuk!  I tried to like it, I really did!  I even sprinkled some raw coconut on it for some flavor, but that didn't help.

I bought the pumpkin at Whole Foods in two smaller cans of the same type of pumpkin.  Strangely, one can was packed and dryer while the other was slushy and wet. I used them both anyway since they smelled okay.  Later, after having a cup of the pudding, I had sharp stomach pains.  This morning, said pudding went down the garbage disposal.  First, because of the yuk factor and secondly, because it may have been the cause of my stomach distress.  

Aside of the stomach issues at bedtime, I woke up with hip and lower back pain.  Turnips?  Not sure.  We are having the leftovers for lunch today, so we'll see how it goes tomorrow. Maybe the pains were referred stomach distress pain.  

 


Thursday, January 17, 2013

Whole 30-Day 7

This morning's hash was really good! For lunch I had some roasted turkey on my salad. For dinner, pizza was ordered. I made myself a personal sized spaghetti squash with olive oil, garlic and tomatoes. My personal sized squash left me hungry so I heated up a little hash for desert. I didn't even smell the pizza! There was no longing for even a bite. I do sort of crave the Chocolate covered almonds that are in a container on our table. I have very strong willpower though. Anyone remember the Beverly Hills Diet? The book had a picture of a pineapple on the cover. It had you eating only one food a day. One day you ate pineapple, for every meal. It was crazy! This one it so much easier to tolerate.

So.....
I haven't had a headache since day three. My stomach is better too. I've been sleeping through the night without waking up like I normally do. My back pain has lessened too. I'm not sure how or if its because of Whole 30, but time will tell.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Plantain Mash with Bacon!


This morning, breakfast was really good, but the walnuts took too long to settle in my stomach.  I felt sick to my stomach for a couple hours. I think the walnuts were way too rich for me.  I bought some pecans to try next time.  In the meantime, I found another recipe for breakfast -- Plantain Mash with BaconI used coconut milk rather than heavy cream used 2 Plantains and one regular banana.  I found the recipe on another Whole 30 blog. 


I cooked it up tonight, while my husband made pork tenderloin. I took a taste of the mush before storing it in the refrigerator and can't wait to have some in the morning!

Dinner was yummy too! Pork tenderloin, broccoli and a yam. My husband cooked my pork tenderloin separate since white wine is in the recipe.  

 

Week 1 - Whole30 Breakfast blues

Yesterday was day four and I'm doing good so far. I think I had less back pain last night too! Stomach was good too. But, I am so over eggs every morning! I found a recipe for "oatmeal" and it's yummy! I put the other half banana and some blueberries in top with a splash of coconut milk. I also used walnuts since I had those on hand. Need to buy pecans.

Check it out if you miss your morning cereal.

Primal Hot Cereal
Ingredients:

1/2 cup almonds, whole or slivered
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 banana
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk, plus more to taste

Directions:

Pulse all ingredients in a food processor or blender until desired consistency is reached. Depending on your preference, the hot cereal can be smooth or chunky.

Warm the cereal in the microwave or on the stove until hot. Add fresh berries and more almond or coconut milk to taste.

I'm eating it now ..... Yum!

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Whole30 Day 3 Morning..

Today is day 3.  I woke up with a killer headache.  Luckily I had the unflavored Goodies.  I took that along with my espresso.  Tasted yucky! 

Yesterday's breakfast was 2 eggs and veggies.  I'm thinking I need to figure out another breakfast, as I don't want to have eggs every day.  I need to read the recipes in the book to figure another easy meal to prepare or one that I can do up in advance.  For lunch, I grilled a piece of chicken with some more veggies.  Dinner was the same.  My husband and stepson had 5 Guys' burgers and fries.  I took a long whiff and then made my own dinner.  I'd just come back from shopping spree at Whole Foods with lots of veggies and some chicken thighs.

Before shopping, I thought I was going to have a challenge or an opportunity to practice saying no to a meal that looked very interesting.  I am a member of Virginia Coast Chorus which is a Sweet Adaline chorus and we have a new song that a team of us are choreographing.  I was early to last night's meeting and my host was making a meal.  As she was cooking the bacon on the stove top grill the yummy bacon smell floated through the kitchen.  We talked as she sliced up Granny Smith apples and toasted 7 grain bread.  She spread a bit of mayonnaise on the toast and sliced up what looked like blue cheese and placed the slices on top of the mayo.  She then squirted a little pesto on top (I think it was pesto) and spread that around.  She layered the bacon on top of the cheese, the apples on the other side of the bread, closed up the sandwich, pressed it down and sliced it in two.  To my relief, she brought one of the sandwiches to her husband and took a bite of the other.  What I mean by relief is that it would have been a challenge for me to not at least taste it.  I know that I wouldn't have though.  I was already preparing myself. 

I bought Coconut water thinking it's the same as coconut milk.  It's not.  The milk is coconut mixed with the coconut water.  I drank a small bottle of the water driving home from Whole Foods last night and also bought a larger bottle.  I also bought carrot juice.  Now I'm reading not to drink either!  I'm thinking a small glass is okay since there is no added sugar.  I'm learning as I go.  

This morning's breakfast was more of the same.  I diced up half of a small yam and cooked it up with a little olive oil and ghee.  Then I added 2 eggs (again with the eggs).  The ghee gave it a buttery taste. 

I'm planning on baking all the chicken thighs and then freezing them for lunches.  I'm thinking if I take one out at night, by morning it will be thawed out enough so that by lunch I'll be able to add it to my salad or warm it up some and eat it with a side of veggies. 

I still need to read more of the book to understand the rules more. 

How I'm feeling...

Not much different so far.  I didn't have any stomach distress of any form yesterday, but I did wake up with that headache this morning.  I've had days like this while not on the Whole 30, though. 


Till next time....
Cathy
  

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Why Am I doing the Whole30?

So, what's this Whole30 thing all about?  Well, it's about feeling good for me. At least I hope so.  I've had stomach issues most of my adult life.  In my 20s, I had an upper GI and was told there wasn't really anything they can see was wrong.  I remember the doctor saying something like spastic colon.  Back then, there wasn't anything to be done about that.  In my 40s, I complained to my Internist and she gave me Irritable Bowel medicine.  Funny, I just Googled Spastic Colon.  It's the old name for Irritable Bowel Syndrome!  I took the medicine back then, but it really didn't do anything to help.  And if you are wondering, at 50 I did the dreaded colonoscopy visit.  I think I even blogged about it.  

So, here I am at 55 and most days after eating my lunch, I have stomach issues that last into the evening. Bloating, pain and sometimes constipation.  Also, I get headaches and lower back and hip pain. So...

I was flipping through FaceBook posts on my phone the other night and one of my friends posted to the Whole30 site.  I was curious and clicked on their page.  It peaked my interest.   The list of ailments that food allergies can cause is long.  

I figured, what do I have to lose?  Most of what they suggust, I do already.  I'll be giving up some foods I eat regularly and it may be a challenge since my husband is not doing this with me (although he's supportive).  I bought the Kindle version of their book, It Starts With Food.

And, here I go...I started the my 30 days yesterday morning.  This is day 2. 

This link here gives a lot of needed information.  I probably didn't really need to buy the book, but wanted to have it on my Kindle to take with me as reference.

Basically the list of what I'm giving up for 30 days is short.  I eat mostly healthy now, but there are some items I eat that are on the don't eat list.  After the 30 days I can introduce foods and see how my body reacts to each.  

Here's the short list of what I need to not eat...I know that there's more, but these are the ones that affect me.  I know that corn is on the grain list, but I'm not sure if corn on the cob is banned.  Will need to keep reading my book!

Sugar...in any form, even artificial.  This also means anything made with sugar....cookies, etc.  Can't do that handful of chocolate covered Almonds!  Or my evening ice cream...sigh!
Dairy, even yogurt  (although, without being sweet, it's not very tasty)  
Grains, even gluten free
White Potatoes (includes red, yukon, russet, fingerlings...etc)  Yams/Sweet potatoes are okay though.
Legumes, even soy in any form and peanuts are in this list.  Snap and green beans are okay though.   
Alcohol of any type.  There goes my glass of wine!  

Yay! I can continue to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Need to buy some Clarified Butter.  Shopping at Whole Foods later today to fill up my pantry and refrigerator.  

Some people are using this method to loose weight.  I'm thin enough and hoping only for pain relief.  

More to come...
Cathy