As I mentioned in my last post I’m doing a weird, strange, strict program called the Whole30. I can not eat any gluten, dairy, legumes, grains, soy or sugar for 30 days! I forgot about soy in my post yesterday. How could I forget about that when it’s in almost everything you buy!!
The main reason I’m doing this nutritional reset is because of my autoimmune disease. I’m hoping and praying with everything in me, that it will help heal my Lupus. If the Lord doesn’t heal me, then this is my only shot! So you better believe I have high hopes, and I’m going to be very critical and careful examining this program. I’ve been doing this since Dec. 12th. so maybe my jumpstart can encourage others to give it a try for the month of January!
Let’s get started….
I was actually eager and scared to start Whole30. Since I can no longer eat gluten, I have become very dependent on beans and rice. Cheese makes an appearance at every one of my meals! I hate salads and my definition of a vegetable is in the French fried form, Pomme frites! So this basically leaves me with nothing to eat, or so I thought. I wanted to start right away in Nov., but my friend, Brooke, wanted to start the Monday after her birthday, so we had a date and I’m so glad we waited because it gave me time to read, research, shop and prepare to start.
Day 1: We stayed up gorging on bacon cheese fries and chocolate, oh and let’s not forget Pepsi! I had my deep fryer going after midnight and we celebrated our last day of “real” food for a month. I even took a picture of my cheesy covered plate and sighed a sad little sigh thinking I’m gonna miss my beloved fries.
I woke up the next morning semi-late and felt horrible and miserable. My stomach was in bad shape and I quickly regretted my late night binge! If you can have a food hangover, then I had one!
After a few hours I made a chicken salad with baby carrots, cucumber slices, 5 olives, some cauliflower, 1 hard-boiled egg, and Tessamae’s Ranch (one of the few Whole30 approved Salad dressings at the supermarket). I felt great after eating, full but not bloated. I went on about my day and had a snack, then Chicken Fajitas for dinner with Pico de Gallo. My favorite fajita recipe is naturally Whole30 approved, recipe coming soon! I finished the day out with a sweet potato with coconut oil sprinkled with cinnamon, 3 olives and a piece of cauliflower. Overall a great day! I was hungry around 10pm. I should’ve eaten a carb with dinner since I was used to a lot of starchy carbs.
Day 2: Brunch- I fixed scrambled eggs with green onions and mushrooms. I also chopped up some Whole30 approved Aidells chicken and Apple sausage. I had a leftover baked potato and sautéed it in ghee (clarified butter). Pico de Gallo and 1 bananas. This was a VERY fulfilling and satisfying meal. It kept me full till dinner.
Dinner: I fixed a big roast in the pressure cooker along with potatoes and carrots, a salad with Tessamae’s Ranch, and 10 olives.
I noticed when I was praying at church that I didn’t have my usual arthritic pains and aches in my hands. Could this be Whole30 related?? I’m very excited to find out!
I came home and felt a little nauseous, so I decided to eat a sweet potato with coconut oil and cinnamon with walnuts in the side. I probably should’ve just drunk some water instead. I felt kinda tired, but I’m always tired so nothing abnormal. NO cravings, headaches, nothing, another great day, PTL!!
Day 3: Breakfast- I had leftovers from Day 2 in addition to 8 olives and some coconut aminos drizzled on top of my eggs. It’s a substitute for soy. Very tasty! This was an awesome meal and quick! The twins had a well baby check up today and I was SO worried beforehand about eating. I knew I was gonna be away from home and wasn’t sure how long it would take since their pediatrician is out-of-town. I packed an approved LaraBar in my purse just in case. I came home to vegetable beef soup waiting in my Crock-Pot. I had a big bowl of that sprinkled with nutritional yeast (tastes kinda like cheese but is packed full of B vitamins!), along with a salad with Tessamae’s Ranch, cauliflower and 2 hard-boiled eggs. Very fulfilling!
Since I had a very late lunch I just fixed breakfast for dinner again. Scrambled eggs with green onions, 1/2 an Aidells sausage, baked potato sautéed in ghee, pico de Gallo, salad with Tessamae’s Ranch. This was a very satisfying meal! Later on that night I had a hankering for something sweet so I fixed Sunshine Salad (recipe coming soon). So NO real cravings, NO headaches, NO aches and pains. I’m feeling very thankful right now.
DAY 4: Brunch- I had Leftover vegetable beef soup sprinkled with nutritional yeast on top, salad with Tessamae’s Ranch, cauliflower, and 5 olives.
Dinner: Rotisserie style chicken (pressure cooker), seasoned roasted Potato wedges, carrot salad, salad with Tessamae’s Ranch.
Little chef 4 had a cold a few days and I think I caught his cold. I started feeling bad after church. Congestion and feet and legs aching.
Snack: breakfast food leftovers, minus the sausage.
Day 5: I had a very rough night, I hurt and aches all night with whatever sickness I caught from my son. Now LittleChef1 is sick too. It’s officially an illness and not something Whole30 related.
Brunch: scrambled eggs with green onions drizzled with coconut aminos, leftover baked potato sautéed in ghee, pico de Gallo, 1/4 Aidells sausage. 30 minutes later I had a small bowl of unsweetened applesauce.
I still feel bad, but not hurting as much as in the middle of the night. Of course both babies were up multiple times too. I need something warm and comforting so I fix sweet potato soup. I have that for a snack along with walnuts on the side.
Dinner: Chicken Fajitas requested again by LittleChef1, Mexican rice made out of fixed cauliflower, avocado creme sauce, and pico de Gallo. Amazing meal!! Very fulfilling! NO cravings at all, NO headaches. This little cold has left my body hurting, legs, feet and throat, not fun!
Day 6: Had a very rough night with the babies, both were up and down all night! I can handle one baby up and down, but two is much harder! I had 4 kids before the twins and thought I knew everything about babies, well I know now that I knew a lot about SINGLE baby’s, not babies!! Anyway…
Brunch: Scrambled eggs with green onions, leftover fajitas, avocado sauce, salad with Tessamae’s Ranch, 5 olives.
I’m still feeling bad, I kinda forced myself to eat the eggs, but I am full.
Dinner: Chili sprinkled with nutritional yeast with 1/2 sweet potato added in l, salad with Tessamae’s Ranch. *This weird concoction came about because I had baked sweet potatoes cooling on a cookie sheet next to the pot of simmering chili. It turned out to be very tasty!
Snack: Leftover cauliflower Mexican rice, salad with Tessamae’s Ranch, 1 hard boiled egg, 1/2 sweet potato with coconut oil and cinnamon.
I finally got around to taking measurements, better late than never!
*I hadn’t mentioned it, but the kids were doing Whole30 with me also. The little kids lasted about 2-3 days, and LittleChef2 lasted 6 days! So this was the end of the road for him. He weighed himself and lost 6 lbs! He needed to lose a few pounds so that is good. Now it’s down to me and LittleChef1!
Day 7: I’m still feeling a little bit sick, now LittleChef3 is sick too, along with LittleChef1. Thankfully the twins have been spared and LittleChef4 is over it. I wasn’t that hungry so for Breakfast I had a bowl of leftover sweet potato soup, 1/8 cup walnuts, and 1 hard-boiled egg.
Lunch: Leftover cauliflower Mexican rice, salad with Tessamae’s Ranch, 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1/2 sweet potato with coconut oil and cinnamon.
Dinner: Garlic Thyme Chicken Thighs (Crock-Pot), seasoned roasted potato wedges, salad with Tessamae’s Ranch, Green beans and mushrooms sautéed in ghee.
Oh my goodness did this meal ever hit the spot!! It was delicious!! LittleChef1 loved it also and voted the green beans with mushrooms the best green beans he’s ever had in his life! I have to agree! I’m really loving ghee right now…
Snack: Sunshine Salad
Weekly Impression: I started this week out doubtful, intrigued, scared, nervous, excited, apprehensive and I ended it on a very positive note! Even though a little cold showed up, I am thrilled with my progress on Whole30, absolutely amazed! I have more energy now than I ever did guzzling 5-6 cans of pop a day! I no longer have severe sugar crashes, no ups and downs. I eat like a pig and I never feel deprived or hungry! If you notice from my pictures I basically eat the same things over and over. What can I say, I am a creature of habit, as most humans are 🙂 I began Whole30 hating salads and eggs. Now they’re a staple in my diet. No more exhaustion, no more excruciating aches and pains. Do you know what it feels like to get a horrible cramp in your leg? Imagine that aching in various parts of your body, that’s what my aches felt like during a flare. Who has a charlie horse on the outside of their ear? I used to! Not fun! No more arthritis in my hands, wrist or hip. I feel like a new person, I’m SO grateful, thank you Jesus!!
Stay tuned for Week 2….
