My Real Life Journey Through Whole30 (the first 2 weeks)

 Everyone is doing Whole30. I honestly did not know this until I decided to do it. I had heard about Whole30 a few years ago and thought it sounded crazy. But, after suffering from almost daily headaches for 3 years, I decided I had had enough a few months ago and started researching the cause behind them. I began to wonder if something in my diet was contributing to my chronic headaches. So, I went on to Amazon to see if there was a Whole30 book and realized that their new book was being released that day. I then started seeing Whole30 EVERYWHERE. I didn’t realize it was such a craze, I honestly decided to do it solve my headache issues. I also have had some pretty bad seasonal allergies and hoped to solve those issues as well.  After about a month of planning, shopping and mentally gearing up, I started Whole30 about 2 weeks ago. Just in case you have no idea what I’m talking about, Whole30 is a 30 day elimination diet where you only eat certain foods. After 30 days, you slowly add foods back in and see if any symptoms reappear. A lot of people do it to lose weight and have much success. It’s not necessarily meant to be a diet that you do forever, I think it would be pretty hard to sustain. The foods you can’t eat are:Sugar (this includes honey, agave or any other “healthy” sugars)
Legumes (no beans, peanuts, soy)
Grains (no wheat, rice, quinoa, corn etc)
Dairy
Alcohol

I decided that I would log my meals each day and how I felt. This is my honest experience so far with everything I have eat each day. Hopefully you gain some knowledge and inspiration if you are considering Whole30.  (Most of these recipes are from the Whole30 book, so I don’t really have any links to share with you!)

WHOLE 30 LOG

 

 

 

 

Breakfast: 1 cup sauteed spinach with 2 fried eggs. ½ avocado. Black coffee

Lunch: Carnitas burrito bowl from Chipotle (just carnitas, lettuce, guac and salsa…that is the only WHOLE30 friendly thing you can order there)

Dinner: Chimicurri steak kabobs, roasted red potatoes and cabbage slaw

I don’t have much of an appetite because I have a cold. I didn’t feel deprived at all and the kabobs were SOOO yummy. I was expecting the first day to be really hard, but it didn’t feel like I was eating any differently except for a bigger breakfast than usual.

Breakfast: 1 Fried egg, ½ avocado, ½ banana with almond butter. Black coffee

Lunch: Tuna salad with homemade mayo on a bed of lettuce

Dinner: Classic chili

Snack: homemade larabar and some raw veggies (party that night)

Again, I was expecting today to be super hard. It really didn’t feel like I was doing anything different…but tonight was hard. I was at a clothing swap with tons of sweet treats..not to mention I had to make a dessert and couldn’t eat any of it. I resisted temptation and had a homemade larabar in my bag. I did have a pretty bad headache before bed. I also still have my cold and don’t have a huge appetite.

Breakfast: 1 hard boiled egg, ½ banana with almond butter, ½ avocado

Snack: Coconut latte (black coffee blended with coconut milk)

Lunch: tuna salad on lettuce, other half of banana with more almond butter

Snack: almonds and dried apricots

Dinner: Chicken Apple sausage, roasted potatoes and brussel sprouts, and some pineapple

I still don’t have a big appetite. I’m not sure if it’s because of my cold or just the new diet, but regardless I think it’s why this is easier than I thought it would be. I realized that I need to be eating more, so I decided to have a larger dinner. I had a HUGE amount of potatoes and brussel sprouts and ate all of them. I am feeling great. I haven’t had any headaches and my allergies seem to be a little better. I’m also trying to drink more water.

Day 4:

Breakfast: 3 slices of Whole 30 approved bacon, ½ avocado and banana with almond butter

Lunch: A bowl of leftover chili and a green salad with Tessemae’s dressing and a small can of Grapefruit Perrier

Dinner: Applegate chicken apple sausage in a lettuce “bun”, sweet potato fries and cabbage slaw

Snack: Olives

Felt good again today. No headaches whatsoever, still have some mild seasonal allergies but they seem to be getting better. Again, I  keep waiting for a really hard day, but so far this has been easy. I am starting to think I’m doing something wrong because it shouldn’t be this easy.

Day 5:

Breakfast: Homemade Larabar

Lunch: Leftover chili with chicken sausage in a lettuce bun (whole 30 chili dog). banana with almond butter

Dinner: Chicken stir fry with lots of veggies and sunshine sauce, cauliflower fried rice

Snack: Pineapple

Once again, I’m feeling great. My breakfast was small because I had to rush to a Dr’s appointment and didn’t plan well. I was very hungry later in the day because of this. I’m feeling less and less of a need to snack at night and I really haven’t had terrible sugar cravings. I’m just still so shocked that I have been feeling this well and have had minimal cravings. Still no headaches, but some itchy eyes today. 

Day 6:

Breakfast: Whole30 bacon, 1 hard boiled egg and sweet potato hash

Snack: Banana with almond butter

Lunch: Tuna salad on lettuce

Dinner: Taco salad (ground beef, lettuce, guac, veggies salsa) fruit

Snack: Pickles and olives

Today was harder. I had a headache this morning and pretty bad seasonal allergies.

Day 7:

Breakfast: 1 hard boiled egg, sweet potato hash

Lunch: Tuna on lettuce

Dinner: Grilled steak, roasted potatoes and balsamic roasted brussel sprouts and zucchini

I was at some graduation parties with amazing food that I couldn’t eat and I felt hungry all day. I had a different dinner plan, but I felt like I wanted to “treat” myself so we grilled steaks and veggies. They were amazing.

Day 8:

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with guacamole and fruit

Lunch: Grilled Chicken salad with spinach, lettuce, veggies and balsamic dressing

Dinner: Whole30 chili dog (sausage in a lettuce bun with chili and mustard), Fruit

Snack: Veggies and guacamole

Another hard day. I was once again around lots of yummy food that I couldn’t eat. I also had to make brownies for a get together which made me crave some! I feel like I’m always hungry and It’s difficult just to grab something to eat since most options aren’t Whole30 friendly.

Day 9:

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with guacamole, tomato slices

Lunch: Grilled chicken salad (same as previous day)

Dinner: Spaghetti squash with meat marinara sauce and a strawberry spinach salad

Today seemed easier since I was home and wasn’t around food temptations. I find that as long as I’m home, it really hasn’t been that hard. I also feel great with no headaches and no allergies. The spaghetti squash with meat sauce was super yummy. I ate a ton of it and didn’t feel overstuffed since it was squash instead of pasta.

Day 10:

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, ½ banana with almond butter

Lunch: BLT (bacon, Tomato, mayo in a lettuce leaf) ½ banana with almond butter

Dinner: Walnut crusted pork loin, roasted potatoes & sauteed spinach

Day 11:

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, ½ banana with almond butter

Lunch: Spaghetti squash with marinara and sausage

Dinner: Homemade salmon patty on lettuce with tomato, mustard and mayo, fruit

Day 12:

Breakfast: Larabar

Lunch: Salmon patty on romaine lettuce

Dinner: Leftover pork loin with roasted potatoes and zucchini

I was in a rush and only had a larabar for breakfast. Still feeling great with no headaches and minimal seasonal allergies. I also have to confess something. I ate a non-Whole30 compliant bratswurst. I was out somewhere at a get together and it was the only thing I could eat along with some fruit. I figured there was probably only trace amounts of sugar in it. I then was still starving and had my second dinner (the one logged) at 9:00 that night. Not the best food day!

Day 13:

Breakfast: Larabar

Lunch: Salmon patty on romaine lettuce, ½ banana with almond butter

Dinner: Cauliflower crust pizza with bacon, onions and peppers, fruit salad

In a rush again and had a larabar, I can tell a difference when I eat a smaller breakfast. This diet is becoming more normal to me and I instinctively know what to eat and don’t have to think about it all the time. I am cooking a lot, but I always cook every meal so it’s not that difficult for me. I can see how this would be really challenging for someone working full time or who isn’t used to cooking a lot. The cauliflower pizza was weird, but I liked it. I love not ever regretting what I eat.

Day 14:

Breakfast: Banana with almond butter

Lunch: Leftover cauliflower crust pizza

Dinner: Steak salad with creamy cilantro dressing, roasted potatoes

Day 15:

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with leftover steak

Lunch: Salmon patty, banana with almond butter

Dinner: Grilled pork chops, salad, fruit

Snack: Pistachios

The pork chops were from a barbecue i was at. I’m not sure if they were Whole30 friendly, but I felt like it would be super rude to ask, so I just went with it. I felt fine afterwards with no headaches, so hopefully there was nothing too terrible in them!

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, banana with almond butter

Lunch: Salmon patty, nectarine

Dinner: Pulled pork and salad

Snack: Pistachios

I had a bit of a headache today but I think it was due to stress and hormones. Other than that, still feeling great. Again, I was around lots of desserts and yummy food at a Memorial Day gathering. (Why did I think May would be an easy month to do this??). But it’s getting easier just to walk past that food and not think about it. I was hungry after dinner because there were only 2 things (the 2 things I brought) to the Memorial day gathering that I could eat. I ate some pistachios later and I’m kind of addicted to them.