Day 25 of the Whole30! I'm less than a week from the end - I can't believe it! At this point, I'm pretty much on autopilot. Sleep is good, belly is good, face is clearing up a bit, and I feel pretty satisfied. My food choices are starting to get pretty predictable but it doesn't really bother me. I know eventually I'll probably want to add some different recipes but this is not the week for that!
These two weeks of school are technically the "end" of my semester. Then I will have a week of spring break and start our Integration course/studying for boards & preparing for clinical rotations. This week I've already had two exams - a midterm for Aging & a final for Behavioral Medicine. Today I have a group exam for OPP (my DO doctor class). Then its study, study, study. Tuesday - written exam. Wednesday - practical. Thursday- simulation lab. Friday - Intro to Clinical Medicine final & Aging final. WHEW.
So yeah. That's why I'm continuing to keep things simple nutritionally. I see a lot of salsa chicken and salads in my future :) Lots of veggies w/ guacamole or fruit with almond butter. Easy peasy!
Meals
Breakfast is getting pretty random these days - eggs, strawberries, and leftover chicken salad.
One of my favorite creations - fried egg with a potato hash & slice of proscuitto.
Weekends mean I get to have a bacon treat! (I found a Whole30 compliant brand at Whole Foods - no added sugar!)
Dinner made by my hubby - dry rubbed ribeye with roasted potatoes and a shaved asparagus salad (I had more because it was so good!)
Another random creation - sautéed shrimp with onions, mushrooms, potatoes.
Positive Updates
Overall, I feel great about the Whole30 and the lifestyle in general. I definitely see using the "Paleo/Primal" method as a "framework" for my life. After the challenge, I don't plan to follow this strictly (and I'm probably not following it strictly anyway with all the potatoes and fruit I eat!) but I think 80/20 would be a great approach for where I am right now.
Challenges
The biggest challenge that I didn't even anticipate was the start of Lent. My husband and I are both Catholic so we are supposed to abstain from meat on certain days + Fridays during Lent. I wouldn't say meat is a big part of my diet (and it's not supposed to be for people who follow Paleo - it's still mostly about plants & healthy fats) but it's a big enough part that I felt a lot hungrier on Ash Wednesday & last Friday.
Lent just adds another layer of complexity to this journey. It's not a huge challenge since I can eat fish - though I don't care for it that much - but it does make meal prepping tricky.
On-the-go hunger is hard to deal with. I try to always have an emergency snack with me if I have to run errands or go to a doctors appointment but sometimes you just have to eat some compliant baby food...
Study time has also been a challenge. I like to mix up my study locations and since the Whole30, I've been avoiding my favorite Starbucks and Panera locations because I just didn't know what I could find that was compliant and I didn't want to tempt myself.
Panera doesn't have very many options but I did utilize the "Hidden Menu" last weekend by ordering the Turkey Power Bowl with no pesto (boo, I love pesto) - it's turkey breast, spinach, red pepper, and egg whites. BLAHHHH. It got me through the study session but the smells of fresher baked bread where enticing.
I think bread and butter are the two things I "miss" the most. Like I have daydreams about sourdough toast with my eggs. Other than that though, I really don't have any specific food cravings which is a HUGE win! I feel very content with my meals and really don't feel deprived 90% of the time.
Like I said last week, I probably lean on nut butters and fruits a little more than Whole30 people would like but thats literally my go to snack to feel full and satisfied. I also don't think I could've done this program is white potatoes had not been added as an approved item. They really helped settle my stomach when I was having belly pains and also add a nice flavor/texture to a lot of my meals. I have come to really enjoy sweet potatoes as well though :) Gotta have my starch!
What's next?
--Update you on Crossfit, physical therapy, and running.
--Share some of my favorite recipes with you (be patient with me...school takes priority)
--Finish strong! March 2nd is in sight!
--Get shorts and summer ready!
I'm so excited to share with you all my results from Whole30 and all the things I've learned!
Stay tuned :)
Are you ready for spring? What are you most excited for?
LOL wouldn't have thought to use baby food as an on the go snack!
ReplyDeleteI'm ready to start planting in my garden again!