Day 21: I Scream You Scream We All Scream For Ice Cream, But I'm Having Steak #Whole30

August 30, 2015

This week's 3rd flavor at The Creme Stop is my favorite: peanut butter.  Ice cream commercials are all over the TV.  I'm hot, grumpy, nervous, worried, and stressed and I WANT ICE CREAM.  But I settled for tomatoes, cucumbers, and diced steak dressed with O&V.   It wasn't what I wanted, but it was good and filling.

Today at church, my friend, Heidi, complimented my appearance.  Then my mom raved over the fact that it is obvious that I have lost weight.  While I'm not having that burst of energy I was counting on, I am finding it isn't as hard to get out of bed in the morning, and it is harder to stay asleep while napping.  Now, if only my skin would clear up.

I know this is worth it.  I know I'll be proud of myself when I make it to day 30.  Everyday is a struggle, I won't lie.  Every day I try to find a reason to throw in the towel.  But I'm glad I didn't.  It will be worth it in the end.

Days 19 and 20: Isn't It Over Yet? #Whole30

August 29, 2015

Weekends on Whole30 are the worst!   I want the normal weekend foods:  pizza, chips, ice cream, Breakfast burritos, donuts.  Instead, I ate cashews for breakfast because once again I didn't feel like cooking.  I had a chicken chopped salad at Subway for lunch. It was good, but it needed cheese and pickles.  Plus Ranch dressing instead of oil and vinegar would have rocked.  Dinner was beef, cabbage and potatoes dressed with garlic, oil, and vinegar.  It was good, but would have been better with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray instead of O&V.

I feel good about myself for eating whole foods.  But I'm really bored.  Ten more days + the reintroduction faze is a long time.  Better than 30, but still.

The hardest part of this is eating healthy during this stressful time in my life.  My brother and dad's health issues, money concerns, leaving a job I've been at 12 years and starting a totally new career, as well as my own health issues makes me want to stress eat big time.  But I guess if I can stick to it in times of stress, I can do it anytime. That's a good feeling.

Days 15, 16, 17, and 18: Down Hill Slope #Whole30

August 27, 2015

I'm over half way there now. I hasn't been easy, but I'm glad I've stuck with it.  Still no changes, except in my weight, though.  I can tell I've lost some...not sure how much since I'm not allowed to weigh myself.  But my skin still isn't clear and I'm still tired a lot.  Of course, in all fairness, with the stress of my dad being in the hospital and needing his aortic valve replaced, maybe my fatigue is worse then it would be otherwise.

I'll tell you....with all the problems this week it was really hard to stick with the plan.  Especially since I was taken to lunch 4 times, by my wonderful friends, to celebrate my new job.  I got salads each time and all were delicious.  And staying on plan made it taste even better (no guilty aftertaste).  Then, my co-workers had a snack day at work for my friend, Margie's birthday and my farewell.  It stretched over 2 days. It was hard, but I didn't eat anything. 

So 12 more days, then I can slowly start reintroducing food to see how it effects me.  It will be so nice to just have some cheese on my salad.  Seriously...it's the little things....

Day 14: Sixteen More Days????!!!!! #Whole30

August 23, 2015

I'm just not feeling this right now.  My skin isn't clearing up.  I'm not getting a burst of energy.  I think I might have lost weight but since I'm not permitted to weigh myself, who knows.  I'm so ready for this to be over.  I honestly thought I would wake up one day and feel terrific.  It just hasn't happened yet.  And with all the stress in my life right now, I don't know if I'd recognize it if it did happen.

I really want to quit.   Really really really badly. If I hadn't told people I was doing this and if it weren't for this blog, I would.   It just doesn't seem worth it right now.  Maybe when it is over, I'll feel differently.  But right now I'm having a big ole pity party.  I hope I can do 16 more days of this.  Not looking forward to it, though.

Days 12 & 13: Can I Give Up Yet? #Whole30

August 22, 2015




Unfortunately, the last few days have gone back to being rough.  I don't know if it is the plan, itself, or the stress level in my life.  But I am not happy with this plan at all today.

I know I have too much on my plate (pardon the pun) right now.  Starting a new job on 9/1, my son starting college 8/24, my husband needs hearing aids to the tune of $4500+, the heating element went out in our dryer, Paul's truck needs a new rocker panel, trying to decide on insurance plans, my brother's ongoing health issues, etc etc.  Then, yesterday, I got a call at work that my dad fell and was going to the ER.  Well, he was admitted for observation, which has now extended to a stay until at least Monday, when they can do a nuclear stress test.  They think he has angina, but might need to have a heart cath, stents, or bypass surgery. Dad is terrified.  Mom was to have knee replacement surgery 9/11, but I believe that is going to be put on hold.  So I'm upset and stressed and just want to eat something.  Yeah..I know..its not all about me...but I can't help how I feel.

Going home from the hospital last night, Paul had me drive him to Dunkin Donuts for coffee. He proceeded to eat 2 chocolate iced donuts in front of me.  If that isn't grounds for divorce, I don't know what is!!!

The last thing I want to focus on right now is eating healthy.  But I stuck to the plan today, in spite of my desire to quit.  I only had time for a banana for breakfast, but I got a chicken chopped salad with oil and vinegar at Subway for lunch.  After coming home from the hospital, tonight, I made Paul and Jonathan pulled pork barbeque sandwiches and macaroni and cheese.  I saluted tomatoes, zucchini and mushrooms in olive oil and garlic and poured it over scrambled eggs.  I still want pizza.

So, I hope tomorrow will bring a better attitude.  Cause right now I really want to say screw it and give up.  :(

Days 9, 10, and 11: Bored But Better #Whole30

August 20, 2015

Fortunately, the last 3 days haven't been as rough.   Honestly, I'm still bored with my lack of choices, but I have been so busy that I really haven't cared whether I eat or not.  And that is a major first.  However, I'm not certain if it is just because I've been so busy or if this is Whole 30 at its best.  I guess we shall see.

I accepted a new job offer on Monday.  It is very exciting and I wanted desperately to go out to eat to celebrate.  I really wanted to quit Whole 30 and just start over again in a couple of weeks.  But I didn't and I'm so proud of myself.  My dear friend, Sue, took me out for lunch today and, again, I wanted so badly to go off plan. But I got a grilled chicken salad with oil/vinegar on the side, and it was delicious.  The taste of victory over my desires was even better.  

It will be a challenge to stay on track over the next week as several of my co-workers want to take me out to eat before I leave.  But I'll stick to the plan.  My health is more important then my stomach.  Hey, maybe that should be my new mantra.  I'll get it printed up on some T-shirts.  ;)

Day 8: I Think I Can, I Think I Can....But Do I Want To? #Whole30

August 17, 2015

Today, I really wanted to give up.  Well....not give up...postpone.  I wanted to chuck it for now and start again in October.  Maybe, November.  But I didn't.  I stayed on track.  It wasn't easy because I am so sick of chicken right now I could cry--and I just made up a big batch of chicken.  Fortunately, I'm doing a beef roast in the Crockpot on Wednesday, so that will change things up again. I believe I'll boil some shrimp this week, as well.

I THINK my pants were loser today.  I'm not 100% certain, but I think they were a little baggy around the belly.  I certainly hope so. If I can't have bread, I'd darn well better have lost some weight!

I keep having to remind myself why I'm doing this.  I want to be healthy.  I want to feel good about myself. Yes, eating something off plan would be delicious for a minute, but I would feel like a failure afterwards.  I just isn't worth it.  I can do this.  I think I can.  No, I KNOW I CAN.

Day 7: I've Got A Bad Attitude! #Whole30

August 16, 2015

I don't know if I'm in a bad mood because it is hot or because I'm getting irritated with the crap going on in my life or because I'm feeling deprived of eating like a normal person.  Maybe all three.  I'm feeling angry and antsy and annoyed.  All I want is a big piece of chocolate cake, a McDonald's unsweetened iced tea with 7 Splenda, a bag of Hartley's chips, and a white pizza with spinach and tomatoes. And ice cream.  A honking big-hineyed bowl of ice cream.  But I settled for chicken saluted in olive oil and garlic, with Brussel sprouts and mushrooms cooked in chicken stock.  It was very good, but certainly not what I wanted.

I can't believe I have 23 left before I can even attempt to add anything back into my diet.  I know I can do this but it would be so easy to say "screw it" and give up.  I won't.  I can't.  I need to do this for my health.  I need to do it for my self-confidence.  I know 23 more days is just speck compared to the rest of my life (hopefully), but I'm really struggling today.

It seems like everything on Facebook and every commercial on TV is for a food I can't have. No wonder America is full of fat, unhealthy people.  All we are surrounded by 24/7 is junk food.  Amazingly delicious, highly unnutritious junk food.  It is ridiculous.  Not to mention everything we do revolves around food.....weddings, funerals, church services, shopping trips, travel, work functions....you name it...food is involved. And it is rarely a fruit and vegetable tray.

Sigh....such is life.  I guess it is time to put on my big girl panties and deal with it.  As Scarlet O'Hara would say, "Tomorrow is another day". 

Days 5 and 6: This Sucks! But Not Really...... #Whole30

August 15, 2015





The last 2 days have been tough.  Not because I was starving or because I was craving anything terribly, but because of feeling so restricted.  

Yesterday, I had a horrible day at work. I just wanted to grab some chocolate or chips, anything, to emotionally eat away my anger and frustration.  But I couldn't.  In fact, there isn't 1 single thing in the vending machines I can eat.  I guess that is a good thing.  And I'm proud of my staying true to the plan.  But it was hard.

This morning, I woke up and just wanted to get going.  Every Saturday, I run to Walmart, about 20 minutes away, to get groceries.  I just wanted to get there and get back.  Unfortunately, I was out of fruit and nuts, and all cooked protein, so I couldn't just grab something and go. So after pouting a few minutes, I got up and made myself some scrabbled eggs with tomatoes and mushrooms.  And you know what?  It was wonderful.  I'm so glad I took the time to make it.  And my son was thrilled to get a cooked breakfast for a change, sans the tomatoes and mushrooms.

Afterwards, I ran all over town taking care of errands, then ran to Lewistown.  Once again, I was unable to find almond butter without added sugar (I really need to make a point of stopping at some of the other shops my friends told me might carry it), but I was able to find where they keep raw nuts.  They don't have a large variety of nuts without added peanut oil. But I was able to find macadamia nuts, pecans, and almonds that were the only ingredient listed on the packaging.

Then came my big disappointment.  Tuna.  I have been eating tuna since day one.  It is cheap, versatile and filling.  The ingredients listed are tuna, water, salt and vegetable broth.  Unfortunately, I never noticed the warning "contains soy" on it before.  I'm not supposed to have soy.  I'm guessing it comes from the vegetable broth....which could contain corn, as well, now that I think about it.   Oh dear.  I looked at almost every brand of tuna that they carry and all listed the same thing.  Vegetable broth and soy.  Fortunately, a friend reassured me that the soy might actually be listed on the package because the tuna is processed in a plant that processes other items that contain soy, though it didn't say "may".  My mom suggested rinsing the tuna before using it from now on, just to rinse off/dilute any added ingredients.  I just can't quite using it, because it is one of the few things I can truly afford in bulk. So I'm hoping that it won't cause me not to get the full results and benefits of the plan.

Grocery shopping was difficult.  I keep seeing all these foods that I just felt I "had" to have.  Pizza, bread, chips, wraps, yogurt, pudding...the list goes on.  Plus the bread baking at Subway was killing me.  But I persevered.  I stayed the course.  I didn't buy myself anything off plan.

When I got home, I still wasn't hungry.  So later in the day, I finally ate a banana, some blueberries, and some macadamia nuts.  I love this combination.   For supper, I poached some whiting fish and sprinkled it with my favorite--garlic salt.  Yes, I have a problem.  I need to branch out and try some new seasonings.  I did try something new, though.  I have yet to clarify my butter and I wanted a sweet potato.  So I sliced it and saluted it lightly in olive oil.  Then I spread it out on a plate, covered it in plastic wrap, and microwaved it for 5 minutes.  It was perfect!  I didn't need to put anything on it.  I only managed to eat 1/2 my supper, since I had a late lunch, so I'll save the rest for breakfast tomorrow.

I will say, when I can't mindlessly eat anything I desire, I find I'm not hungry all the time.   So I guess the terrible hunger I experienced pre-Whole30 was really in my head.  Well...in all fairness, I might truly have been hungry because all the empty carbs I was feasting on weren't keeping me full.  The protein I'm eating now really does fill me up faster and sticks with me longer.

So while it sucks that I can't have what I want, when I want, and how I want it, I know what I am doing is good for me, mind and body.  So it is worth it.

Day 4: #Whole30

August 13, 2015

It is Day 4 and I'm feeling fine.  Not sure if it is because I'm eating healthy and staying on track or because I had the day off work. Maybe a combination of both.  But my caffeine headache has yet to make an appearance today, which is awesome.

I had an appointment this morning and because I'm eating so many more fruits, nuts and vegetables lately, which is causing certain....ummm...issues, I decided it was in my best interest to stick with 2 small bananas for breakfast.  I know I know. I'm supposed to have proteins, but I was nervous about my appointment, so my stomach just wasn't up for eggs.  And because of the "issue", I didn't think nuts were a good choice until after the meeting.  So bananas it was.  Surprisingly, they kept me full.

I finally ate something more substantial for lunch around 1:00 p.m.  I got a chicken chopped salad at Subway:  grilled chicken, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes and cucumbers.  When I got home, I added sliced almonds and oil/vinegar dressing.  Yum.  It wasn't until after I got home that I realized that I failed to ask how the grilled chicken was prepared.  It looks like it was just grilled chicken without any added oil, so hopefully that was the case.

I did have another small banana later in the day.  I really have to find something that I can have handy and ready when I need something small and quick.  Pre-Whole30, I would have reached for yogurt or string cheese.  Not being able to have dairy is a challenge.  Maybe I'll hard boil some eggs to keep on hand for a snack attack.

Not sure what I'll have for supper tonight.  Last night I did steak tips and cooked cabbage, but I'm really not in the mood for that again tonight.  Maybe I'll just make a salad with the leftover steak tips.  I'll have to think about it.  The nice thing about having salad for supper is that I can pack one for my lunch the next day at the same time.

So I must say, at this point, I'm doing ok.  I really want to get on the scales, but that is a "no no" so I'll "weight" and see.  Lol.  Anxious to see what tomorrow brings.  Hopefully I'll feel even better!

Day 3: #Whole 30

August 12, 2015

It is Day 3 and I'm still hanging in there. Still having caffeine withdraw, so I'm headachy, but this too shall pass.  I'm not used to drinking only water, so my sleep is being interrupted.  A LOT.  I know, TMI.  But honesty is important when keeping a health log, right?

So far, I'm ok with what I am eating.  I miss bread and convenience foods, but I'm not having MAJOR cravings. YET.  I know that is just around the corner.  Prepping food ahead of time helps.  Being able to just come home and throw my dinner in the microwave is keeping me on track and preventing me from having a "just screw it" attitude.  I still have to cook for my family, but my own meal is just minutes away.  I'm actually not as hungry as I was pre-Whole30.  All that protein and healthy fat is doing its job, I guess. :)

So,I'm feeling confident I can get through the next 27 days.  I was more restricted right after my gastric bypass surgery and survived.  Of course, I wasn't hungry then.  But I can do this.  I can.  I will.

Day # 2 #Whole30

August 11, 2015

So, it is Day 2 of The Whole 30.  How 

does anyone survive without caffeine?

Seriously....I'm exhausted and I have a

headache from caffeine withdraw.  I knew it was coming, but so soon?

Yikes!  What will Day 3 feel like?   Otherwise, I'm doing ok.  I haven't wanted to kill anyone, yet, so that is good.  I did think about wrestling one of my coworkers for her Hershey Miniatures, but I resisted temptation. Deciding what to eat for breakfast is the hardest.  I don't feel like eggs everyday, which limits my choices, greatly.  Today, I ate some grilled chicken pieces, macadamia nuts, and blueberries.  My friend,  Susan, gave me some home grown cherry tomatoes that were wonderful, which I ate at break.  Lunch was cooked cabbage with chicken and a banana.  Supper was a salad made of 

tuna, spinach, blueberries, almonds, tomatoes, cucumbers and oil & vinegar. 

Finding Whole30 compliant foods isn't as easy as I thought it would be.  Everything has additives that aren't permissible.  And finding nuts, etc, that contain nothing but the nut itself is expensive.  It is a shame that healthy, wholesome food costs an arm and leg, but junk that pollutes our body is readily affordable and easy to access.

I know this is going to get harder. I also know it will be worth it.  So I will just keep on keeping on.

The Whole30: Here I Come, Ready Or Not!!! #whole30

August 10, 2015







From the time I was little, I have had an issue with food.  I want to eat....ALL. THE. TIME.  I love the way food tastes, smells, and looks.  I love the way food feels in my mouth.  I love everything about it....except what it does to my health.  I am overweight, have rosacea, am chronically fatigued, and never feel well.  Food controls my life.  I live to eat when I should eat to live.  Frankly, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.

I have sleep apnea and Hashimoto's, to which I have been attributing my general malaise for years.  However, my doctors disagree, claiming that my symptoms aren't due to either of these ailments. They claim my health issues are being optimally treated.  So why do I feel so badly?

In a desperate search for relief, I brought my quest for an answer to Facebook. I questioned whether going gluten free would help my skin, my fatigue, and my stomach ailments. I was offered a lot of different opinions, but the one that intrigued me the most was from a friend, Erica, who mentioned  she was starting The Whole30.  So I logged onto Whole30.com to check out the program. And while I was intimated, I was very impressed with the results.

The basic premise is that for 30 days you eat only protein, vegetables, healthy fats, and some fruit.  No legumes (including peanuts), gluten, grains, soy, dairy, sugar, artificial sweetener, or alcohol. You are encouraged to use healthy fats likes coconut oil, olive oil, nuts, seeds, olives, and avocados. You can use clarified butter or ghee.  No beans are permitted except green beans, sugar snap peas, and snow peas.   Focusing on protein, vegetables, and healthy fats, while avoiding food in the other categories allows your body to heal from chronic inflammation and other ailments.  It is also purported to increase energy, sound sleep, and reduce cravings. After the 30 days, you gradually reintroduce the other foods into your diet and see how they affect you.  If your go back to feeling sickly or sluggish after reintroducing a certain food, then you know it is best to avoid or limit that food in the future.

At first, I thought "NO WAY!  I can't give up bread for 30 days!".  Then I realized that in terms of a lifetime, 30 days is nothing. Is it worth giving up 30 days of uncontrolled eating for possibly figuring out what is causing my issues? Heck yeah!

So I purchased the two books above, stocked up on Whole30 compliant foods, and started the program today.  I miss my iced tea with Splenda the most, so far.  And bread. I really miss bread. I have been a little headachy from caffeine withdraw.  I understand it is going to get worse before it gets better, but it will be so worth it if it breaks my dependency on artificial sweetener, curbs my cravings, eliminate inflammation, alleviates my fatigue, clears up my skin, and gives me energy.  I'm so excited to see what the next 30 days holds.

Wish me luck!