Whole30 - Day 36: Alcohol and Dairy Reintro (Not together)

I have begun my reintroduction process after my 30 days of Whole30 and I started off by celebrating with two adult beverages: one tequila and one vodka (potato-based).  I made sure to have a lot of water with the drinks and had also eaten before.  I found that I had a lot of trouble going to sleep that night and also woke up three different times during the night (which hadn't happened the entire 30 days of my diet!)  The next morning I woke up SUPER sluggish with a hint of a headache, too!  All day I was not running at my best... not necessarily a hangover, but not anything like my focused energy I have had for a few weeks.  The outcome:

Effect of Alcohol on Matt:

1. Trouble Getting Sleep
2. Trouble Staying Asleep
3. Sluggish for most of the next day
4. Slight headache next day

Today, to celebrate our founding fathers, I decided to reintroduce dairy.  There is absolutely no connection to G. Wash and A. Link and dairy, but whatever.  So far I have consumed fat-free plain yogurt with strawberries, banana, and chia seeds and also a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese.  I have had not noticeable negative side effects so far, but will keep evaluating throughout the day.  I'm thinking of having some cheese later!  I'll keep ya updated!

So far so good!

Whole30 - Day33: I DID IT!!!!!!

WOW!  30 days has come and gone!  Technically, I did a Whole32, before breaking my diet when I rewarded myself with an adult beverage (well, two).  But before getting into that, I wanted to reflect on what this last 30 (32) days has done for me.

First of all, pants that did not fit anymore in November now fit me with room to give!  I have not weighed myself yet, but I’m sure I’ve lost at least 2 to 5 pounds.  Aside from the scale, here is a list of items I’ve experienced or feel upon my completion of the 30 days:

1.      Improved attention span, memory, focus, production, and performance at work.

2.      I sleep even more soundly than before (which is crazy since I always slept sound).  I have hardly any trouble falling asleep when it’s time for bed, and even though I still like to hit the snooze button a few times, I wake up really refreshed and ready to tackle the day.

3.      Overall, my energy levels are more consistently high during the day, with no slumps.

4.      I no longer feel like I have to eat every two hours and feel energetic between all meals.

5.      Exercise-wise, I feel stronger than I have in a few years and have hit a few personal bests on different workouts.

6.      My skin is more smooth and clearer.  One thing to note: I still break out with a few deep blemishes if I consume too many nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans… etc).  This I knew before, but this made it more apparent to me.

7.      My clothes fit better, I have a flatter stomach, and I feel more confident about my appearance.

8.      I have less acid reflux/heartburn than before, even though I didn’t have much to start.

9.      I feel a little more patient.

10.  Overall, I feel I have a much healthier relationship with food

·         Fewer sugar cravings

·         In control of my food

·         Practice mindful eating

·         Listen to my body when eating so I don’t overeat

·         I can identify cravings vs hunger

·         I’m not afraid of dietary fat

Although, these are probably just the start of the small victories I’ve had over the 30 days, there have been a few things that haven’t been as great.  Here are some that come to mind:

1.      My caffeine intake has increased.

2.      My stomach has felt unsettled for about 50% of the time I’ve been on this diet.  This may be because of my increase in protein while not increasing my fiber.  I typically take a fiber supplement but couldn’t during the Whole30 as it is made from corn.  Bloating, some stomach pain, and less regularity have all been symptoms I’ve been feeling.  Additionally, I’ve had my typical migraine frequency… however, this may tell me that it probably isn’t food related.

3.      Finally, there have been a few instances (4 times over the diet) where I have felt a sudden depression which is NOT normal for me at all.  The feeling last for a few hours and then clears away.  When this has happened, all the energy gets knocked out of me and I don’t want to do anything.  This makes me more empathetic towards people that deal with clinical depression and I can see how intense it can be (if even just for a few times).  This is definitely a chemical response my body is having and it scared me.  I will have to think a little more about this going forward.

Now I am starting the process of "Reintroduction" and have already started by adding alcohol to my diet (as a celebration)!  Last night I had potato-based vodka and also tequila (blue agave).  I did feel relaxed quickly after the first drink and made sure to drink a lot of water along with my drinks.  I will discuss the effects of it in tomorrow's post!

Whole30 - Day #26: Maintaining

Wow! Only four more days to go!

I would have to say that I have started to get used to this diet.  I have found options to eat in case of time crunches (RXBars... amazing), but I know that I have to make my own food all the time, or else.  Food that I didn't normally look forward to eating, now I enjoy more.  I also know that I have overdone my nut intake (no snickering!) as my skin has broken out a bit.  I have stopped eating all nuts that are not part of a RXBar or as an ingredient.

My caffeine intake has increased, for sure, as it tends to kill any cravings I have and keeps me focused.  Probably will have to start limiting that, too, eventually... but for now BRING IT ON!  COFFEE!!!

This weekend will be my last fully compliant Whole30 weekend and will give me time to plan and schedule my reintroduction which starts next week.  I plan to start my reintroduction one day later so I can match up with Bill's schedule... so Technically, I will be doing the Whole31!  Next Thursday is the big day and I can already picture that vodka martini or paloma (without added sugar) as I pat myself on the back for getting through this!  Until then, bring on the challenge!

Whole30 - Day #23: One week left!!!

Wow!  Only one week to go till I have completed my Whole30 Diet journey!  I am looking forward to completing this experience but know that I have more work to do once it's done.  The whole 'reintroduction' will take ~10 days, minimum, to get through and I really want to do that right to see if I can truly figure out how my body reacts to certain items I consume.  Hopefully, I can be very detailed in my blog entries as I go through this process.

Now a sidebar - spaghetti squash is AMAZING!!!  I have had it a few times before but never really appreciated it until this last weekend when I made slow cooker meatballs and sauce and needed to have 'pasta', as well!  It takes the same time or less to prepare than pasta and is considerably more healthy for you!  Just slice the squash, carefully, in half length-wise, scoop out the inside seeds and strings, place cut side down in a glass baking dish with ~1 inch of water, and microwave for 12-15 minutes until a fork can pierce the skin easily.  Then carefully take the dish out from the microwave (use oven mitts) and let cool a few minutes.  The squash will be incredibly hot so use forks/tongs to flip the squash over and onto working surface.  Next, take a knife and cut around the perimeter of the skin and the fluff the squash into strings with a fork to get your pasta.  Enjoy with whatever sauce you'd like! Enjoy!

During this last week, I will focus on sticking to the Whole30 rules and avoid snacking as much as possible.  Physically, I feel really good and know this diet is changing my body in great ways.  Yesterday I completed a workout challenge in a personal best time: 100 push-ups, 100 incline pull-ups, 100 situps, 100 squats all in a time of 11:42.16!  It was the most I've physically pushed myself in a very, very long time and it felt great!  Additionally, I'm now wearing pants that haven't fit in the last 8 months.  Overall, great progress!

Whole30 - Day #19: Cruising on Through!

The days seem to be cruising past me now!  I can feel that my relationship with food has definitely taken started to reset to where it was when I was in grad school.  I can now easily look at some sweet or snack and not think twice about wanting to shove it down my gullet!  I know some of this is knowing that it is ‘off-limits’ right now, but some of it is actually no longer craving it or knowing I’m not at all hungry.  This is how I used to feel with food but over the last 4 to 5 years, I have gotten careless about my diet, and as a result, ate anytime there was food or treats around.  This, in turn, led to me weighing the most I ever have and feeling sluggish and also probably to having a sensitive stomach.

I am now only 11 days away from completing most of this food journey (10 days reintroduction required), and I’m considering continuing a lot of the Whole30 rules for longer.  I like that it makes me read labels closer and think about what I consume.  I sleep EXTREMELY well and I feel very focused throughout the day.  My stomach, still a little sensitive, is feeling better.  My pants are looser… which means I’m probably getting better gas mileage on my work commute, too! (It’s the small things…)

One note about this diet… if I hadn’t been so vocal about going through this journey or knowing others on it, I probably would have quit after the first week.  If you are thinking of doing this… TELL EVERYONE!  Find someone to do it with you!  That way, on days you feel like you cannot do it anymore, you feel a responsibility to continue because you told everyone about it and they ask you how it’s going!  This is probably a good rule for any major challenge you are trying!

Feel free to contact me if you want to know more about the challenge and want tips.  It isn’t that hard and I am hopeful that this will be one of the best choices I’ve made for my own health in a very long time.

Happy Friday, Everyone!

Whole30 - Day#16: Over the Hump!

I didn't feel like posting for days 11-15 as nothing significant happened... however, now that I'm passed the halfway mark, I notice that a few things HAVE changed.  The good things first:

1. I am now sleeping more sound.  For me, that is crazy as I already was a good sleeper.
2. I do feel more focused during the daytime, so I guess I have more energy.
3. I think I have lost some weight all over but I cannot tell.
4. I am no longer super hungry.  Sometimes I do not feel like eating at lunch.  I have never been super hungry at breakfast time but I have been forcing myself to eat breakfasts on the way into work. By the time I get home from work, however, I am definitely hungry but get fuller quicker than before I started this diet.
5. I have saved $$ by not eating out or drinking.
6. My hair is looking good... not a reflection of the diet, per say, but it's longer than I've had it in a while and I love the waviness!

Now the not-so-good things:

1. I MISS DRINKING and eating out.  I realize that I like having a drink after a hard day at work and the social aspect of eating out in a restaurant... not necessarily the food, which I find interesting.
2. I am beginning to hate having to make and worry about preparing every single meal.  It is exhausting!
3. Even though I sleep more soundly and seem to have more focus/energy, I find that I have a hard time staying up past 10PM or rising before 7AM.
4. My stomach does seem to be ok, but still uneasy sometimes... probably from the increased intake of vegetables.

As I continue the last half of the program, I look forward to slowly introducing item back and seeing how my body reacts.  I hope that this program does reset my view of food and that I don't eat just because there is food available: that the donuts that are at meetings seem more of a splurge than a necessity!  Over the last few years or more, I've noticed a gradual increase in my food intake with a decrease in activity which I do not like.  I hope that this gives me energy and will to change this pattern and be more healthy!  Here's to hoping!

Whole30 - Days #9 and #10: Starting to feel over it...

Day #9 came and went without much of a hitch!  I actually really didn’t feel hungry all day until about 5:30PM.  I had my standard egg casserole/banana for breakfast but when it came time for lunch, I half-heartedly picked at my salad with roasted chicken.  I finished maybe half of it before giving up and eating any remaining chicken in it.

I had a regular amount of energy throughout the day and decided to make a Whole30 Approved Buddha Bowl (that’s a thing, right?):

·         Riced Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes

·         Pork Carnitas

·         Chopped Romaine Lettuce

·         Salsa

It was GREAT!

 Day #10 is going OK.  Feeling not terribly hungry for anything I can eat and starting to have small cravings here and there.  My energy is a little lower today than usual but it may be because of the weather.  They say the Days 10 and 11 can be the hardest and when you are most likely to quit the program because the novelty of the diet is over and you still aren’t reaping any of the benefits.  I am going to charge forward knowing that I’ve saved some money on not eating out all the time and that I’m doing something good for myself.  I hope I can get through today and tomorrow!