Whole30 Follow-Up
While on the Whole 30, we were not allowed to eat dairy products, grains (not even pseudo-ones), legumes, alcohol, or added sugar. The first time Keith & I visited the grocery store came as a bit of a shocker. It seems EVERYTHING has some form of sugar added to it, especially: milk, yogurt, bbq sauce, salad dressings, and all things “fat-free”. However, subsequent trips have gotten much easier by staying on the perimeter of the store; do not even tempt yourself with the products in the middle aisles. Confession: we should buy stock in the chicken they sell at Costco; that, along with eggs, onions, garlic, & herbs are pantry must-haves!
The biggest adjustment for me was setting aside time to assemble a menu of meals for the week. After I made those decisions, food preparation involved cutting up vegetables along with a protein, and then throwing them on the stove or in the oven. I must say, I did not cut myself while meal prepping, but I could not wash sharp objects without letting them slice a finger! And speaking of dishes, currently, my biggest sense of accomplishment is having them washed before going to bed.
My expectations were surpassed with our frequency of eating out. During the 30 days, we went out a total of one time; that’s right, ONCE. We had family in town and after working on business tasks, my appetite set in pretty hard. This meal was the hardest couple hours of the whole month; every dish in the restaurant smelled delicious! I ordered a salad and was pleasantly surprised with how much I like balsamic vinegar and the feeling of victory for choosing to stick with the program!
Overall, I am impressed with how well The Whole30 Program went for us. I do not mean to downplay the effort and time we put into our diets, but the return on our investment was so far over and above that. Something I unintentionally gained from this, is an obsession with mixed nuts. I was upset to find out that the nut mix we had contains peanut oil and was a no-go during the program, so we made our own instead. I was excited to see that my new craving was not all bad for me, even though it might not be completely 'in line' with the preferences of the program. According to Science Daily, ‘nut consumption is associated with a decreased risk of certain types of cancer’.* Who does not want to hear that?!
Below, I have listed a few of Keith and my favorite recipes, along with a handful of our non-scale victories. Also, I have linked The Whole30 Program website and also places you can buy the The Whole30 book or It Starts With Food, which contains the details of the science upon which the program is based. I could blab for much longer about the ins and outs of what we have experienced throughout the last 30 days, but I will refrain. My hope is that you have caught some of the excitement I have displayed because of the new diet that will enhance my daily life and my ability to give 100% to my patients!
Favorite Recipes
Chicken Fried Cauliflower Rice
Shepherd’s Pie
Pulled Pork Carnitas
Chicken Hash (for breakfast)
Everything spaghetti squash & zoodles!
Non-Scale Victories
Less Bloating
Clothes Fitting Better
Handle Stress Better
No More Snooze Button
Energy Levels Are Higher
New Cooking Skills & Recipes
…plus many more!
*https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150616114247.htm
