And sadly I'm not kidding. One of the weirdest things that happen when you Whole30 it up is you dream. About food. Especially about food you shouldn't eat. And I don't know if it's the same for other people but in my dreams I'm always keenly aware that I'm on Whole30, and whatever I ate just screwed up my journey, and now I have to start all over again, and I panic and I regret and then...
I wake up.
And take a deep breath and am soooo relieved I didn't actually drink all that wine or eat that muffin or lick the beater after someone made a cake (all real dreams I've had).
So yeah, if you're planning on doing Whole30, maybe keep a dream journal going as well. It's a trip.
Monday, January 16, 2017
Sunday, January 15, 2017
When no one has time for you, make time for yourself
With the sun still down and a number of life events knocking me about a bit, it can be hard to continue to make good choices for myself. Part of me wants to just give in, let go, ignore the progress I've made and spiral back into the hole I've managed to claw myself part-way out of. I don't know why my brain takes that route, but it does, and I've succumbed to it more than a few times. Which is why right now I am so appreciative of Whole30 and its entire setup. That it's a challenge, and a commitment, and a way to prove to myself that I am actually in control.
I often debate whether or not to include thoughts like this in my blog, or anything 'out to the public', because it's not the image I want people to see. But I also think it's important for people to understand that even when life's not super great, and things aren't going how you'd hoped, or in fact are just downright shitty, you still have to be in your own corner, even if you're the only one.
That being said, I want to tell you about my Saturday. Don't worry, sad part's over, this is the good stuff. Saturday was Family Fun Day at the elementary, put on by Iḷisaġvik College, which included a fun run (in the school hallways), health check stations, massages (yeah Heidi!!), and loads of healthy, natural snacks. It was so awesome to be a part of something that was so inclusive, even to my very restrictive diet. Plus I learned a lot about the natural sugars in fruits and veggies, that raw sprouts and carrots with a little olive oil and salt is DIVINE, and my blood sugar level is square in the awesome range. Hurrah!
It was a ton of fun and so good to see families having fun, kids running around snacking on green-topped carrots they got to 'pick', and talking with informative people who were so excited to share their knowledge with us.
Saturday evening was pretty much the opposite, however, with wine and cheesecake and brownies and chips all at the ready. I managed to navigate around it all, having brought some La Croix and compliant snacks with me, as well as a homemade taco seasoning so I could at least partake in one group eating event. I think that's really what's hardest about this whole thing, not feeling included, which is why Saturday morning was such a glory. But I made it through, and didn't even steal a slice of cake to freeze for later. Go me.
And finally, my garden is growing! Can't wait for it to be harvestable!! Looking forward to some fresh chives and basil!!
I often debate whether or not to include thoughts like this in my blog, or anything 'out to the public', because it's not the image I want people to see. But I also think it's important for people to understand that even when life's not super great, and things aren't going how you'd hoped, or in fact are just downright shitty, you still have to be in your own corner, even if you're the only one.
That being said, I want to tell you about my Saturday. Don't worry, sad part's over, this is the good stuff. Saturday was Family Fun Day at the elementary, put on by Iḷisaġvik College, which included a fun run (in the school hallways), health check stations, massages (yeah Heidi!!), and loads of healthy, natural snacks. It was so awesome to be a part of something that was so inclusive, even to my very restrictive diet. Plus I learned a lot about the natural sugars in fruits and veggies, that raw sprouts and carrots with a little olive oil and salt is DIVINE, and my blood sugar level is square in the awesome range. Hurrah!
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| We used juice and light to determine the order of most to least sugar content |
Saturday evening was pretty much the opposite, however, with wine and cheesecake and brownies and chips all at the ready. I managed to navigate around it all, having brought some La Croix and compliant snacks with me, as well as a homemade taco seasoning so I could at least partake in one group eating event. I think that's really what's hardest about this whole thing, not feeling included, which is why Saturday morning was such a glory. But I made it through, and didn't even steal a slice of cake to freeze for later. Go me.
And finally, my garden is growing! Can't wait for it to be harvestable!! Looking forward to some fresh chives and basil!!
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| Finally curly parsley woke up and joined the party |
Monday, January 9, 2017
Today I am a Star - a gaseous ball of rage
I think the second week tends to be the toughest. The newness is wearing off, food fatigue is setting in, and you're struggling with some pretty rough symptoms as your body gets accustomed to digesting and running off of your new meal plan. It's so so SO worth it, but it still sucks in the meantime.
Tomorrow I'll try my hand at Shrimp and Cauliflower Fried Rice, sans the peas and using coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. It'll probably be my most adventurous meal yet, but I'm excited for it!
Luckily I have had some super delicious foods and awesome friends to help along the way. My dear friend invited me over to dinner last night and asked what I could eat and couldn't eat, and we ended up with an awesome taco salad sans tortillas or chips and with a homemade taco seasoning for the chicken and salsa and guacamole for dressing.
I also finished off the last of my leftovers from last week's batch cooking, so it's time to bust out some new eats! Tonight I invited another friend over to experience a taste of Whole30, and I don't believe she was disappointed. Dinner was steak with a side of garlic mashed cauliflower, and my house is still smokey from the searing but it was so tasty!
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| Trying to show all my tabs and bookmarks |
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| Since I forgot to take a pic of my plate, here's the next best thing |
Tomorrow I'll try my hand at Shrimp and Cauliflower Fried Rice, sans the peas and using coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. It'll probably be my most adventurous meal yet, but I'm excited for it!
Saturday, January 7, 2017
Oh no it got serious...
So some of the problems I face on Whole 30 are surprisingly not related to off-plan cravings or temptations to cheat. It's the deep-ingrained desire to just eat. Eat cause you're happy, eat cause you're sad, eat cause you CAN. Even though my food choices right now are by far the healthiest I've ever made, the fact still remains that eating is still something I struggle with.
That being said, this round, as I try out new recipes, I'd also like to do a lot more introspection. Go into the psychological aspect of Whole30. Really change my relationship with food. This probably means I need to nix the dried fruit and nuts that are my snack crutch, and just focus on eating when I'm truly hungry, and then stopping when I'm truly satiated.
The challenging part will be taking this with me past Whole 30 and into my daily life. We live in a society obsessed with food and eating. Nearly every gathering I go to has a spread, people like to go out for dinner, and there's often a pressure, good intentioned as it may be, to indulge. And for some of us there's a very fine line between what makes life worth living and what makes life hard to live with. And I'm realizing I'm going to have to tread that line more often than not for the rest of my life if I want to live it to the fullest.
Does this mean I'll never indulge ever again? Guh, of course not. It just means I have to be mindful of my indulgence and immediately get back on track. Which is pretty much what this Whole 30 is all about.
That being said, this round, as I try out new recipes, I'd also like to do a lot more introspection. Go into the psychological aspect of Whole30. Really change my relationship with food. This probably means I need to nix the dried fruit and nuts that are my snack crutch, and just focus on eating when I'm truly hungry, and then stopping when I'm truly satiated.
The challenging part will be taking this with me past Whole 30 and into my daily life. We live in a society obsessed with food and eating. Nearly every gathering I go to has a spread, people like to go out for dinner, and there's often a pressure, good intentioned as it may be, to indulge. And for some of us there's a very fine line between what makes life worth living and what makes life hard to live with. And I'm realizing I'm going to have to tread that line more often than not for the rest of my life if I want to live it to the fullest.
Does this mean I'll never indulge ever again? Guh, of course not. It just means I have to be mindful of my indulgence and immediately get back on track. Which is pretty much what this Whole 30 is all about.
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Surprise Snow Day = Food Prep Day!!
After being kept awake all night by howling winds, a shaking house, and a cat that tricked me into feeding him at 1:30 am, I was gifted with the greatest phone call of all - SNOW DAY!
I did the only natural thing to do - chuck off my work pants and slither back into bed. I still had a bit of a sugar deprivation headache and figured the additional rest would be beneficial. And I was right. But I also knew that time is a precious commodity, and after reading for about an hour I got up and cooked.
And cooked.
And then I cooked a bit more.
And now i'm set for a good few days with, you guessed it, salmon cakes (seriously, so good!), semi-soft boiled eggs for a fast breakfast or quick snack, and Egg Roll in a Bowl, which looks a mess but tastes delish:
I did the only natural thing to do - chuck off my work pants and slither back into bed. I still had a bit of a sugar deprivation headache and figured the additional rest would be beneficial. And I was right. But I also knew that time is a precious commodity, and after reading for about an hour I got up and cooked.
And cooked.
And then I cooked a bit more.
And now i'm set for a good few days with, you guessed it, salmon cakes (seriously, so good!), semi-soft boiled eggs for a fast breakfast or quick snack, and Egg Roll in a Bowl, which looks a mess but tastes delish:
And even with all this, I'm still excited to plan out and make my next few meals, including playing around with sauce creation to make flavors pop. I think a big part of what I like about all this is how from scratch everything is. I thought I would hate it, but it really makes me feel competent and like a hearty peasant girl (but with a food processor and immersion blender). So resourceful!
I'm gonna take this lying down...
Thank god I know the benefits are worth the price of the startup, cause Day 3 suuuuuuuucks. Tired and headachey, this is my body on sugar deprivation. I'm soldiering through by drinking lots of water, eating some sweet potato shepard's pie, and ignoring anything that might vex me. The pain is piercing and intense, but I know I'll feel better on the other side.
In some (more) uncool news, the tote I shipped up before Christmas still hasn't made it to Barrow. Or someone in the PO got wind I was packing food and made off with it. But really, I hope it gets here soon. I can't remember exactly what I packed but I know it was all helpful towards the Whole 30 cause.
And speaking of helpful, this lil beauty DID show up! I set up my new aerogarden yesterday and am excited to reap the benefits of some fresh herbs and greens soon! Really, it makes cooking and just straight up existing so much better.
I'll share progress as it happens!
In some (more) uncool news, the tote I shipped up before Christmas still hasn't made it to Barrow. Or someone in the PO got wind I was packing food and made off with it. But really, I hope it gets here soon. I can't remember exactly what I packed but I know it was all helpful towards the Whole 30 cause.
And speaking of helpful, this lil beauty DID show up! I set up my new aerogarden yesterday and am excited to reap the benefits of some fresh herbs and greens soon! Really, it makes cooking and just straight up existing so much better.
I'll share progress as it happens!
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Back for more, eh? Whole 30 Round #2
Not gonna lie, I am super excited to do another round of Whole 30. Whereas last June I was feeling intense anxiety about staying on plan and making it through 30 days, this time I know what's ahead, and the end result is me looking good and feeling great, and I am stoked to get back to that (and hopefully keep it going this time).
Round #2 holds some new challenges that weren't present in June, such as living in a village and working, so I'll be dealing with limited resources and limited time, as well as traveling to other villages with the possibility of getting stuck for days. Clearly planning is key here.
I've already hit a minor snag, as the tote I shipped up with a lot of my supplies just before Christmas still isn't here, but I should be able to persevere until it arrives. I've got plenty on hand that's compliant and more than enough to make some stellar meals. Plus while our store's selection isn't extensive by any means, it does generally have fresh produce and meats, you just have to be ready to pay $$.
Right now I'm on day 2, and scheduled to finish on the 31st, but my intention is to go as long as I can, and preferably up until the big tech conference mid February. My light at the end of the tunnel will be getting to take my new license photo with hopefully clearer skin, brighter eyes, and a slimmer face~
Also this time around I want to share more of what I'm eating, so here's a link to one of my all time favorites, the No Fuss Salmon Cakes. They are transportable, amazing with homemade mayo (which on its own is omg so good), phenomenal with eggs, and solid as a grab-and-go meal. Probably the thing I make the most both in and out of Whole 30, cause they're just that good.
Round #2 holds some new challenges that weren't present in June, such as living in a village and working, so I'll be dealing with limited resources and limited time, as well as traveling to other villages with the possibility of getting stuck for days. Clearly planning is key here.
I've already hit a minor snag, as the tote I shipped up with a lot of my supplies just before Christmas still isn't here, but I should be able to persevere until it arrives. I've got plenty on hand that's compliant and more than enough to make some stellar meals. Plus while our store's selection isn't extensive by any means, it does generally have fresh produce and meats, you just have to be ready to pay $$.
Right now I'm on day 2, and scheduled to finish on the 31st, but my intention is to go as long as I can, and preferably up until the big tech conference mid February. My light at the end of the tunnel will be getting to take my new license photo with hopefully clearer skin, brighter eyes, and a slimmer face~
Also this time around I want to share more of what I'm eating, so here's a link to one of my all time favorites, the No Fuss Salmon Cakes. They are transportable, amazing with homemade mayo (which on its own is omg so good), phenomenal with eggs, and solid as a grab-and-go meal. Probably the thing I make the most both in and out of Whole 30, cause they're just that good.
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