I’m sorry I’m so behind on these recap posts!! In an effort to catch up I am combining 1.5 weeks… Hope you don’t mind too much. My third week into the Whole 30 started off great. Feeling good, getting into a groove, trying some new recipes, and even experimented with dinner for breakfast… My son’s baptism was scheduled for Sunday and my father and sister were coming into town. I thought I was covered. I had planned to cook for everyone, but best laid plans didn’t happen. I slipped up.
I ended up “cheating”, I justified some wine with the fact that as a busy mom of two I rarely get out of the house for a fun evening, and then ate grains… And boy oh boy did my gut HATE me. The www.whole9life.com tells us that we should start over at day 1. So if you are doing a Whole30 and this happens, you probably should start over. I fully plan on doing another round of Whole30 immediately after this one, but I didn’t want to restart as I am sharing all 30 days of my journey here… So I took the day and started back where I left off. The reality is social settings are really hard.
If you end up slipping up, consciously or not it’s still a learning experience. Ask yourself: Why did I do this?
- If it was an honest mistake… move on! Mistakes happen, don’t beat yourself up.
- If you decided consciously to go off your plan instead of making yourself feel badly about it (which usually leads to more emotional eating choices) watch your body and listen to what it’s telling you.
For me I brushed myself off and moved on. I’m glad I did. I’m an emotional eater – starting over for me would have symbolized failure. I tend to eat crap when I feel like I’m failing… so instead of punishing myself I simply said “What’s done is done, I can’t undo it, but I can do better.” For me the Whole30 journey is about learning to make better choices. To stop relying on food as a crutch. It’s not about being perfect, at least not this time. One day I hope to be at a place where starting over won’t mean giving up to me, but since I’m not there yet I am simply pushing on. Remember – This is YOUR journey – no one can tell you how to do it!! Days 15-25:
Day 15:
- Breakfast: Kale, Spinach, Raspberry, Coconut Milk Smoothie. Mandarin Orange, Bacon
- Lunch: Salad, Avocado, Tomato, Cucumber, Carrot, Fruit Kabob, Sparkling Water.
- Dinner: Zucchini Noodles, Mushrooms, Garlic/Lemon Shrimp.
- Snack: Fruit Leather.
Day 16:
- Breakfast: Bacon, Apple, Almond Butter.
- Lunch: Chicken Breast, Avocado, Tomato, Olives, Olive Oil, 21 Seasoning Salute.
- Dinner: Turkey Burger, Tomato, Avocado, Caramelized Onion, and Roasted Butternut Squash.
Day 17:
Dinner got rave reviews from both hubs and kid. Hubs even said it was his favorite whole30 meal so far.
- Breakfast: Monkey Salad
- Lunch: Salad; Romaine, Tomatoes, Olives, Avocado, Hamburger (weird, but awesome), and a kick butt balsamic.
- Dinner: Handmade Balsamic/Olive marinade, Chicken, and Roasted Peppers, Broccoli, and Mushrooms.
Day 18:
Did the whole dinner for breakfast thing… I didn’t hate it as much as I thought I would.
- Breakfast: Spinach/Red Pepper Chicken Sausage, leftover roasted veggies.
- Lunch: Garlic Shrimp salad with Balsamic, heated leftover roasted veggies, and Olives on Romaine. The bomb!! So yummy!
- Dinner: @PaleOMG Brazilian Curry Chicken with Roasted Sweet Potato.
Day 19:
Today’s word of advice – BE PREPARED!! Got stuck at the mall longer than expected and ended up STARVING!
- Breakfast: Monkey Salad.
- Lunch: Picked up Sweet Greens Juice (no sugar added) and fruit at Starbucks. Came home and snacked on Guacamole, Carrots, and Plantain chips.
- Dinner: Served Family Style! Steak, Green Beans, Sweet Potatoes, and Mushrooms.
Day 20:
This was my cheat day… I ended up redoing it clean.
- Breakfast: Chicken Sausage and left over Sweet Potatoes.
- Lunch: (recycled photo … Phone died, I was too hungry to wait for charge. Turkey, Guac, Pico De Gallo, Carrots, Plantain Chips, (didn’t eat a mandarin).
- Dinner: Chipotle Pork Salad Bowl
Day 21:
This day had me wondering if I will always be addicted to bad food. If I’ll always crave the pizza at the buffet, or think cake will make me feel better… I get everything’s fine in moderation, but it’s the moderation I have problems with. Tough day, expected though due to only being two days from my cheats.
- Breakfast: Canadian Bacon, Cashews, Leftover Roast Veggies.
- Lunch: This was SO GOOD! Better than any burger/ fry combo!! 2 grass fed Beef patties, Yellow Green Beans, and Avocado, Tomato, Olive salad.
- Dinner: went to buffet with my sister, her last night in town. Not many choice… Salad, Turkey, Watermelon.
Day 22:
- Breakfast: Bacon and Apple with Almond Butter.
- Lunch: Chicken, Avocado, Tomato, Olives.
- Dinner : (not pictured, phone died) Chicken Breast, Roasted Veggies, Butternut Squash.
Day 23:
- Breakfast: Bacon, Mandarin Oranges, Cashews.
- Lunch: Chicken Hot Dog, Olives, Tomatoes, Avocados, and Sugar Snap Peas.
- Dinner: Chicken, sautéed with garlic, fajita seasoning, Mushrooms, and Fire Roasted Peppers. Searched with Roasted Zucchini, Broccoli, and Purple Sweet Potatoes .
Day 24:
- Breakfast: Monkey Salad.
- Lunch: Leftovers, Chicken Fajitas + Roasted Broccoli and Purple Sweet Potatoes.
- Dinner: Chicken Sausage, Yellow Peppers, Onions, and Salad (Romaine, Avocado, Olives, Cucumbers, and Olive Oil)
Day 25:
- Breakfast: On the go again! Larabar, Banana.
- Lunch: Leftover Chicken Sausage, Peppers, and Onions with Yellow Green Beans and Guac.
- Dinner: Pork Carnitas Salad. Sautéed Veggies (onions, peppers, and jalapeño) tomatoes, Romaine, and a big heap of Guac!!
This Weeks Meal Plan (Late…)
- Monday: Turkey Burgers
- Tuesday: Paleo Pepperss
- Wednesday: Balsamic Chicken with Roasted Veggies
- Thursday: Mustard Marinated Pork Chops (Hubs request)
- Friday: Leftovers
- Saturday: Build Your Own Burgers
- Sunday: Leftovers
If you are doing the Whole30 – How is it going?
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I am so inspired by your ability to stick with this diet. I don’t know that I could do it. Good for you for picking yourself right back up and moving forward. That’s a really big accomplishment!
I have never been good at sticking to a diet, you’re an inspiration! Your food looks so yummy; my mouth is salivating! Thanks for the motivation!
Ah, all these dishes look great – I’d love to try the garlic shrimp! Yum. Thanks for the inspiration to eat better!
It sounds like a yummy meal plan. I have trouble sticking to an eating plan but this one looks doable
Honest question: How do you do this when you’re nursing? My hubs sorta does paleo (if I cooked all his meals and slapped his hand every time someone brought doughnuts or pizza to work) he’d be paleo. But I get sooo hungry about an hour after eating one of these meals (and I eat a lot too!). Do you have certain foods that you incorporate into each meal that keep you full for a while?
The hardest part for me is thinking of new things to make but almost everything you had looks SO yummy AND fresh!
Thanks!! It’s been a journey this time through!! But I’m glad I stuck to it!
What a beautifully healthy month. Good for you!
So…I’m on day like 3 and dying…craving sweets…I’ve been good, really good! Started with giving up my delicious creamer with my coffee (That’s HUGE for me!) and cooked up a bunch of meals so we can be good. Cut up a ton of veggies for snacks, but I’m craving sweets, really bad, like I’m addicted to them (duh, huh?) I’m going to make almond butter right now and have it with an apple to see if that helps. Question…what’s monkey breakfast? That is a hard meal for me, I’ve been just making spinach green apple shakes. Looks like it is yummy and perhaps a bit of sweet that may make a good snack 🙂 Thanks for the motivation, found this on pinterest and like the meal ideas 🙂
What is Monkey Salad? It looks yummy!
Where did you find bacon without sugar? What brand is it?
Pederson`s brand at Sprouts or Whole Foods.
I did finally find sugar-free bacon over a year ago when I posted this. Not sure if it was Pederson brand, but I did buy it at Whole Foods. It cost around $7 for 7 slices of bacon and it was not tasty at all. Huge disappointment. But thank you, Linda, for taking the time to tell me.
Hi Jeanine,
I buy mine from US Wellness Meats. http://whole30.com/2012/03/whole30-approved-bacon-is-here/
Also apologies for missing your first comment. I must have missed the notification. I’m sorry you weren’t able to find something that worked.
Thanks, Emily. I totally understand missing comments. Happens to me all the time! I appreciate your taking the time to answer now. 🙂
Started Whole30 and slipped up as well. I didn’t get back on BUT your post has me motivated to hop back on. I really enjoyed Whole30 and look forward to making a menu this weekend and starting back Monday! Thank you for sharing
Yes, I would love to eat bacon that much. I have been searching for bacon with no sugar forever!
I totally found this on Pinterest…then through the link you sent me…I read like 1/2 of it a second time and it dawned on me that I read it this morning already 🙂
That is funny! Such a small world Laura! I’m sorry I didn’t make the connection sooner!
🙂 Question for you… Are you cooking JUST for you or is this what your whole family is eating? I’m having such a hard time with the whole idea of meal planning for a family on this way of thinking…
Thank you for the insight, doing our first whole30 and it’s a bit daunting! I did notice that you called ham Canadian Bacon, ham is ham, Canadian Bacon is pemeal bacon 😉 just thought I would offer that up since I’m Canadian !!! Thank you for posting!! Will need all the help we can get!
I happen to find a strict “clean” eating diet to be be overly restrictive and disordered. A lot of ppl use it to eat higher volumes instead of concentrating on hunger and satisfaction. If you’re always stretching out your stomach and denying yourself what you crave you’re not setting yourself up for long term success. I found I ultimately gained weight trying to eat a clean diet. But eating normally and just making reasonable and balanced choices while eating moderate portions=never a slip up bc its all part of the cycle. No expert but I am a very athletic, healthy woman of 29 that struggles to keep my BMI out of the underweight area. So if thin and strong is the goal…
i can’t tell you how happy I am to have found your blog! I am on day 4 of my 2nd W30, and to be honest, it’s been harder this time around! Much more of a mental battle this time, and it’s been hard! I love the meals you share on here; they’re simple enough for me to make, and they look delicious! Thank you so much for sharing your W30 journal!!!
I am about to start this Whole 30 next week. I am excited to see if I feel better and have more energy. Did you lose any weight during your 30 days?
A lot of this food isn’t exactly whole 30, if you are strictly sticking to the plan. Things like any lunch meat, almost all bacon, smoothies, and sausage (because it’s processed), are either frowned upon or not allowed at all. I came here for ideas but unfortunately I don’t think I will be using a lot of this.
Clearly you didn’t read my post, because I clearly explained my reasons for using some of the “frowned upon” items. “For me the Whole30 journey is about learning to make better choices. To stop relying on food as a crutch. It’s not about being perfect, at least not this time.” But that is okay. It’s much easier to be critical of someone else’s journey than it is to move on… Oh wait.
The chicken sausages have been approved by Whole30. The bacon I used was sugar free, and the smoothies were a time crunch thing. To each their own. Many people did find this helpful. I’m sorry you didn’t.
I am on day 16 of the Whole 30 diet. It has been easier than I thought. Thank you for posting your mess up and day and how you responded. I have had a few and have figured I will do the same thing, dust myself off and continue on. You blog gave me some good ideas for breakfast. I am so bored of eggs. I dread breakfast every morning but the Monkey Salad looks great!
Thank you Deana! Hope you are still doing well!
Erika – If you haven’t read/listened to the book, It Starts With Food – which explains the Whole30 plan, you may not understand that they very much focus of hunger and satisfaction – eating this type of elimination “diet” for 30-days promotes a reset of sorts so that your body has a healthy hormonal balance, among other things, so that you are able to hear a clear message from your body, which will tell you what to eat and what to avoid. It is not an all you can eat frenzy, nor is it specifically targeted at weight loss. Weight loss naturally happens for most people as a result of eating whole foods – if you are already doing that, weight loss wouldn’t be the result. However, this process is good for everyone! After the 30 days, your insides are balanced and you can slowly reintroduce foods (whole grains, beans, dairy, etc) and see how your body does/doesn’t react to them and ultimately determine what are good food options for your specific needs.
Hope that helps clear up the goals and purposes of Whole30 🙂