Friday 28 September 2012

WHOLE30: DAYS 1-4 (& CHEESE)



I thought that I'd post my Whole30 progress every few days, so as not to bombard you with "hey, this is what I ate" posts everyday. But for now, and before I get to the bit about my obsession with love for cheese...hey, this is what I ate:

Breakfast/Lunch
Sweet Potato Hash with Green Peppers & Egg*
(or substitute the egg for some lean ground beef/pork, preferably grass-fed)
scrambled eggs with peppers
salad with chicken & balsamic/olive oil

Dinner
baked pollock with lemon & herbs
roasted chicken
Braised Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes & Olives

Snacks
fruit (banana, dried apricots, apple)
raw cashews

Sides & Veggies
roasted cauliflower
steamed veggies
olives
avocado
Guacamole
Roasted Asparagus with Lemon

As for my overall experience:

I'm paying a lot more attention to when I'm actually hungry versus when I have a craving (although, it's all still very much a work in progress).

All week, I've had the refrigerator stocked with tons of fresh vegetables and protein sources (chicken, ground pork, white fish, eggs). And when a craving hits, instead of reaching for chocolate, it's half of a banana and a small handful of cashews. Sure, my healthier snack choices are due in part to the fact that since starting the Whole30, processed foods aren't even an option. But also, I'm not even craving the type of sugar that is contained in a bar of chocolate (how much you want to bet I just jinxed myself?). I'm craving a natural sweetness - in this case, fruit.

So, whether it's because the nutrients and foods that I'm consuming throughout the day are setting me up for healthy-stable-blood-sugar success later in the evening, or my overall perspective and relationship with food has already started to shift, it looks like I've started to see some changes even within the first few days of my Whole30.

I'll let you know when I start craving the bad stuff (sugar). Hopefully then I won't be tempted to eat the entire tub of ice cream, but just a scoop or two.

Speaking of ice cream, the kids I nanny eat the frozen treat everyday after school, and while it's one of my favourite desserts (out of all desserts, ever), I don't really miss it. That said, I'm only on Day 4 of the Whole30 and on the day before I started the program, I lost my Froyo virginity to a big bowl of chocolate and vanilla.

Oh, and then there's my cheese dilemma. I absolutely love cheese. And, so do kids. When you're making an effort to boost your kid's protein and calcium intake (or when you just want your kids to eat their vegetables), cheese is usually a good way to go. Whether as part of their after-school snack or dinner, my kiddies (as I often refer to them) eat cheese, and lots of it. They eat cheese on bagels, crackers, pasta, tortillas, salad...and then when I get home from work? Cheese. R usually eats really healthy, but he indulged the other night with some poutine, a deliciously salty, soggy mess of potatoes smothered in...cheese.

Sugar, ice cream, cheese or not, the journey continues.


*new recipe added! see also previous post

image via viva terra


DISCLAIMER: I am not a nutritionist, physician, or any kind of health professional. Everything that you find on my blog is based on my own knowledge and opinion. If you require specific health and fitness advice, please seek a qualified health professional.

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