Whole30 Journey - Day 7

Day 7!

Seriously you guys this day was crazy!  I don't even know where the time went, but I accomplished a lot!

I woke up around 6:30.... naturally I'm hungry but damn it I can't eat because I have to get my labs done.  Oh bother! (It snowed overnight!!)  I start to get ready, get the pups and cat fed, put D's lunch together and in his bag.  I'm starting to run behind because I need to run an errand for work and doing it before the bank opens  (they use the loading dock to park!!) so I can unload and get to my appointment.  I debated about having eggs but don't want to overdo it.  I remembered I have complaint mini beef sticks.  So I grab 2 of those, scoop out a whole small avocado and some pea pods, throw on the sea salt, put a lid on it and run out the door.

I did my work errands, went to get my labs and quickly dove into my breakfast.  SO was not enough but I wanted to get to the gym which was the time I wanted to get there, 9am.  

I stopped at Starbucks for a coffee on my way to get lunch at 7Greens.  No worries about it being busy there since they would just be opening when I got there.

I wanted to try something new.  The blake bowl is just so good, but I got the Yoga Girl and got rid of the quinoa, tofu sauce and miso.  I added chorizo and avocado.  It had kale, spinach, carrot, roasted beets, roasted brussel sprouts and I want to say I am missing something else!

I got home with my goods but realized I really needed to take care of all the snow on the driveway and sidewalk.  I put my bag in the kitchen and brought the pups out with me.  I started the snow thrower and was done in 15 minutes.  My hip was hurting, so I probably shouldn't have done it but it had to get done.

What's in the bag?!!?

It wasn't as filling as I hoped, not much protein but it was super tasty!  Loved it.  About 2 hours later I was eating a few strips of bacon.  I started to meal prep as I snacked on my bacon.  It took me a couple hours but they really did fly by.  Before I knew it it was time to finish up what I needed to have dinner ready just in time for D to get home.

I know dinner doesn't look like much but it really was good.  D wasn't a fan but he ate it anyway.  He had broccoli instead of brussels.  The recipe from Melissa Joulwan, of course.  I am following her Whole30 plan from a few years ago.  This one is Taj Mahal Chicken.  It makes 2 to 4 serving - easily 3 good size servings.  D is into how many calories everything is so I plugged the recipe into myfitnesspal and for 3 servings it was 381 calories.  Not too bad at all.

I've been feeling really good following this plan.  I also signed up for Meal Planner and Stupid Easy Paleo for when Whole30/Sugar Detox is over.  I'll still follow the same guidelines anyway.  I don't feel deprived at all so why not?!

Until tomorrow!  I've been on the computer too much this evening.

Whole30 Journey - Day 6

Happy Sunday and Day 6 of the Whole30/Sugar Detox Journey

It was my typical workday.  Yoga when I get up with the Big Dawg Jack!

I decided to go downstairs to practice.  Jack did his usual "burger flip" on the couch.  Love that dog, he can be so super quirky!  When I finished I wasn't hungry so I decided to just have coffee with collagen to start off my day.  It typically happens where I get to work and I'm hungry, fingers crossed I can hold out.

I ended up with a Lara Bar.  I'm glad I took it with me, not the best but it is Whole30 emergency food right.  Ugh!

For lunch which was around 10:30 I revisited my tuna avocado salad from last week.  Sir Kensington's mayo, a can of tuna, just under a half a avocado, some red onion and a roma tomato.  I also had a piece of bacon.

Once I got home I had a tablespoon of coconut manna before taking the dogs for a quick walk.  It's still pretty cold and the dogs didn't want to be out.  They kept lifting their paws.  I had a little prep work to do for work and then D said he was ready for dinner.

Tonight's dinner was a burger topped with bacon, a fried egg and salsa verde.  The veggies I sautéed are tomato, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, kale and arugula.  I added some salsa to that as well.  It was simple and I think it could've used something more.  If I had meal prepped when I got home the veggies would have been different.  That's ok.  Tomorrow afternoon I will meal prep.

I have to fast tonight from 9pm to 9am, since I have blood work in the morning.  I hate fasting.  I'll be up early with D and won't be able to have coffee, nothing!  I know I will be fine and debating on what to eat after since I have errands to run and the gym to go to.  I guess I'll figure it out tomorrow.  I don't have much else, so until tomorrow!  I should have a lot more to post.

Whole30 Journey - Day 5

Hello Saturday and Day 5 for me!

Going to be a pretty great day today!  I was up at my usual time for a day off on the weekend (7:30).  I got the beasties feed and headed out to get coffee.  D doesn't have cream at home so that's why I typically go out for it.  It was a Dunkin' kinda morning.  It's still super cold out and I didn't feel like going to multiple places today.  Plain black decaf for me (added collagen, sea salt and cinnamon).  Not the best quality but I'll probably get more coffee later.

I got home and the dogs were going nuts for 2 reasons.  Usually they get a sour cream doughnut when I go BUT they were also cleaning up after the cat, since she got sick!  Ugh!  So I had to clean that up before I got to my breakfast.  

I think I under did the amount of food though.  2 slices of sugar free bacon, and leftover vegetables that consisted of red pepper, onions, green beans and wilted down spinach and arugula.  I figured the fat that everything was cooked in would fill me up, but I'm thinking no!  I have a video of it cooking up if you head over to Instagram to see it here.

I headed out to the gym and grocery shopping at Trader Joe's which is conveniently in the same stripmall.  Can't get any easier than that!  I debated several times on picking up a salad there to make it easier but figured I was buying or had everything on hand that I would have spent on one.  So here is what I did when I got home.

I had some leftover ground turkey from D's lunches this week.  So I combined that with the remaining onion, cauliflower and arugula.  I scrambled up an egg for some extra protein.  A little hot sauce on top and an easy Whole30 lunch was ready.

I really didn't do much else after lunch, at least nothing good to talk about (laundry).  

We were suppose to go to dinner with D's family but that was canceled at the last minute.  I had cancelled our previous reservations at Kona Grill but was lucky enough to get another.  It's typically so full we can never get in.  Tonight we were lucky and got in no problem, even with the reservation.

I think I did quite well for eating out on Whole30/Sugar detox.  I got the blackened maki-mahi with green beans and asparagus.  It also came with a grape avocado salsa.  I removed the grapes so it really ended up being guacamole.  

We had a few errands to run after dinner and it's so cold here that I just couldn't keep warm!  We stopped for coffee just before we got home.  It kinda helped but not enough.  I really need to go look for my electric blanket but that would require getting out from underneath my current blanket.  I do need to get ready for work tomorrow so I need to accomplish a few things.

Overall I'm feeling really good.  I'm not hungry in between meals and I have increased my vegetable consumption.  This way of eating is nothing new, but the focus to get back to the roots of good eating can be started at any point.  I said to my mom the other day when I asked her how her eating was going she made the excuse of all the treats in the house.  I said to freeze them, because they are not bad, but she can have some every now and then and not worry about a bunch of them going to waste. I said eating well doesn't have to begin on a magical day in the future.  It just needs to begin with your next bite of food.  Simple right?!  Yes!  

Until tomorrow!

  

SaveSaveSaveSave

Whole30 Journey - Day 4

Ah Friday, a work day and Day 4 of Whole30/Sugar Detox.  Why both?  Because I don't really follow one in particular, I like a mix of both worlds.  And really, aren't they just the same with a few minor tweaks?!  Some say Lara bars are good, others say they are not.  I did get a couple even though I find that they have too many carbs for me and they are made with nuts.  For emergency hunger situations I figured 1 every now and then is ok.  Days in a row and I face break outs!

So my day began as usual for a workday.  I get up early (4:30am) and immediately jump into 30 minutes of yoga.  The big dawg is always there by my side.  If I stay upstairs he is good and doesn't bump into me.  Today I started upstairs and then came downstairs to finish (he had to go outside) and he just kept running into me.  Oh that big dawg!  I just love him!

Breakfast on this 4th day was the last of my chorizo sausage (insert sad face!), some sriracha brussel sprouts (put smile back on face!), arugula and red pepper all sautéed up together and my swiss water processed decaf from Allegro (with cinnamon).  So much flavor and just so good!

I cleaned up everything, the fur babies were all taken care of and D was going to drive me to work since it was like negative 18 degrees this morning and walking wouldn't be the best!  Though I would walk home since the temperature would be better.

I was having a busy day at work and took the last of my chocolate chili for lunch.  As I was finishing I forgot to document it!  Haha, how else would you know what I had?!  Like I said I was busy and just all over the place (nothing new there).  I didn't even warm it up.  I was taking bites between doing all the things so it kinda got to room temperature which was perfect.

After getting home and taking everyone out, picking up the slight disaster in the living room and feeding them I ate a few bites of coconut manna and did a little more yoga to wind down.  Day 4 of Yoga with Adriene was on the floor and I was having a hard time just sitting/laying there, so I ended the video early.  I should have made myself just do it, I should get credit for doing 90%!  I was also getting hungry and needed to get my dinner going.  D was going to the gym after work so I prepared mine, I didn't want to wait 2 hours.

I broiled some salmon and topped it off with half a avocado and a drizzle of salsa verde.  I had leftover white sweet potato, green beans and asparagus, all of which I placed in the broiler as well and just added salt when finished.  I love simple meals.  It's even better when you prep ahead and can easily throw it together in under 10 minutes!  It was a good amount of vegetables that I hope will keep me satiated for the night (think I will be!).

I don't know if people complain about being hungry while doing a "detox" or not.  I know that I haven't been.... well unless I'm just totally being out of my mind and under eating which for sure has happened.  Probably a lot more in the past than now, another time to go into that!

Until Day 5!

Whole30 Journey - Day 3

Day 3!  Woot!

Early yes, but I don't feel different, but then this isn't anything extreme to me!  If anything I am just more prepared than I have been previously!

I went to bed really late and still got up around 7:30.  I had some coffee first in a fun mug I got when I was at Universal Florida.

About an hour later I decided to have some breakfast.  I was going to the gym later since I had to wait to hear from a service guy and when he was coming.  I also decided to get some other things done while waiting around.  Multi-tasking at it's best!

Breakfast skillet bowl!  Leftover chicken thighs sautéed with collard greens, arugula, red peppers, and caramelized onions.  I decided to hold off on the chorizo sausage till dinner tonight and re-create the Blake Bowl at 7Greens.  It's seriously so good and at some point I will go back and maybe try something else! Yeah right!

Lunch was a revisit to Melissa Joulwan's Chocolate Chili.  I wasn't really hungry but figured it was best to eat something since I just lifted heavy.  The good thing is I have enough for lunch tomorrow while I'm at work.

I finished off a few other things and decided it was a good idea to do some yoga to stretch out.  It was day 3 of Yoga with Adriene's True.  It was all about stretching today, so totally perfect!

I was super excited for dinner, I wanted to re-create 7Greens Blake Bowl, but I made a few changes.  Spinach and arugula as the base then on top is a scrambled egg (1), chorizo (1 link), roasted white sweet potato (used 1/2 of a large), avocado (1/2) and salsa verde.  It was seriously so good!  While I was getting it together and making D's dinner (pancakes) I had a few bites of coconut manna.  I tend to get pretty hungry all of a sudden and need to have something.  Apparently I just can't wait!

So now I am relaxing, drinking roasted dandelion tea and getting ready for work tomorrow.  Meals are already planned and prepped so nothing more I need to do now.

Until tomorrow for Day 4!

Whole30 Journey - Day 2

OMG!  I woke up with major hunger pangs!  Ok, I exaggerate but seriously I typically wake up hungry.  D can go hours and not eat.  I just can't and I refuse to!  I think about food a lot and I find it weird when keto or low carb people say they just don't think about their next meal because they are full.  WHAT?!?  I go from I'm full, still full, I'm ok to where is the food I need to eat now.  I can also tell when I need to get soon or the hangry will come out.

I played in bed for a moment and thought about what I was going to whip up for myself after I fed the cat and dogs.  The cat is like me, feed me now, right now.  Wait, that's every cat when I think about it!  I made a pot of coffee (decaf, swiss water processed) from Whole Foods 365 brand.  Side note on Whole Foods, I love them.  They have everything I need, the prices are great and bonus that they are a mile from the store.  But let's get back to what I had for breakfast.

I took my steamed broccoli and just warmed that (I over cooked it the other day!) and sautéed kale and a cabbage/carrot/kale mix from Whole Foods in some coconut oil.  I added chorizo sausage close to the end of cooking so it could warm up.  Salt and pepper and that's it!  So easy, but ya know.... I find myself a little hungry still.

After breakfast it was time for yoga.  Day 2 of Yoga with Adriene's Truth.  It was a good practice and just what I needed to get ready for the gym.  Then I got ready headed to the gym - quad and chest was the focus today.  After that was Whole Foods for some staples.

I was certainly ready for lunch when I got home.  Luckily, it was already done, all I had to do was reheat it and top it with avocado!

Chocolate Chili from Melissa Joulwan.  There is a theme going forward with this Whole30!  She makes it super easy.  Not having to put much thought into your meals everyday is just what I need.  The only thing I did different was use the Instant Pot instead of the slow cooker.

Dinner was a take on Twice Baked Sweet Potato from Paleo Running Momma.  I made a few slight changes due to some allergies.  I omitted the nutritional yeast, used horseradish mustard and I had removed the skins from the potato and mashed everything.  I scaled the recipe down to only make 2 servings.  D had white sweet potato and I had a japanese purple potato.  It was totally delish and something I will make again.  I think with that potato I had a ton of carbs and feel full where I know I won't feel like I need a snack later.  That always a good thing!

After a busy morning and afternoon I have the kitchen cleaned up and the big dawg sleeping next to me.  Time for some relaxation!

Until tomorrow, day 3!

SaveSave

Whole30 Journey - Day 1

I know that it's January 2nd and most people started with their Whole30 on the 1st.  To be honest, I really started it the day after Christmas with a few tweaks here and there.  I mean I did drink some Moscato on New Years Eve, oh and a hot chocolate with peppermint mocha kahlua.  I was feeling some brain fog and just not feeling 100% like I was.  I certainly didn't go crazy during the holiday's and eat a bunch of junk!  I may have had a few drinks of almond milk eggnog here and there.  Overall, I stuck to my usual diet.  I think the week before Christmas was just a little too much.  My bestie was starting her next round of Whole30 today and I thought it would be great to do it with her.

I like to keep things simple.  As simple as possible!  Breakfast comes early.  On days I work (today) it's at 5am.  I like an easy meal, one skillet, so I had a chorizo sausage (only 7 ingredients!) sautéed (coconut oil) with cauliflower and kale.  Black coffee with cinnamon.

Lunch at work I wanted something that was going to be easy (see my theme?) and something I hadn't had in a while.  In walk my can of tuna and a packet of mayo (Sir Kensington's).  I mixed it with a diced roma tomato, red onion, salt/pepper and half an avocado.  It was fabulous!

Once I got home from dinner I had a couple bites of coconut manna.  I didn't think I would be able to wait the 2 hours till dinner.  Dinner was Pad Thai from Melissa Joulwan.  The Sunshine Sauce used on this makes you not even miss peanuts!  I subbed out red pepper for the onion since D isn't a fan.  I put a small amount of zucchini noodles with it and about a half a head of broccoli.  What makes this even better was the prep I did yesterday.  I cooked up the chicken thighs and made the sunshine sauce along with a few other things.  So dinner really was ready in 15 minutes.  No excuse to order out now and why would you want to with this dinner?!

I have to say that I eat a lot of food and can tend to eat lighter during the day and put the feed bag on at night.  Yes, I was still hungry and went back into the refrigerator for another chicken thigh.  

I'm keeping with my training schedule, which means what?  Strength 3 times per week and 4 times per week yoga.  I have noticed an increase in strength and I hope it continues.

Until tomorrow!