I'll keep this first post short and sweet. As a change from our last 'in gym' challenge, when we had our own rules and point system, we'll be following the rules as posted by Whole 9 - http://whole9life.com/2011/10/whole-30-v5/
... Here’s what NOT to eat during the duration of your Whole30 program. Omitting all of these foods and beverages will help you regain your healthy metabolism, reduce systemic inflammation, and help you discover how these foods are truly impacting your health, fitness and quality of life.
- Do not consume added sugar of any kind, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, stevia, etc. Read your labels (and your Success Guide FAQ), because companies sneak sugar into products in ways you might not recognize.
- Do not eat processed foods. This includes protein shakes, pre-packaged snacks or meals, protein bars, milk substitutes, etc.
- Do not consume alcohol, in any form. (And it should go without saying, but no tobacco products of any sort, either.)
- Do not eat grains. This includes (but is not limited to) wheat, rye, barley, millet, oats, corn, rice, sprouted grains and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains like quinoa. Yes, we said corn… for the purposes of this program, corn is a grain! This also includes all the ways we add wheat, corn and rice into our foods in the form of bran, germ, starch and so on. Again, read your labels.
- Do not eat legumes. This includes beans of all kinds (black, kidney, lima, etc.), peas, lentils, and peanuts. No peanut butter, either. This also includes all forms of soy – soy sauce, miso, tofu, tempeh, edamame, tamari and all the ways we sneak soy into foods (like lecithin).
- Do not eat dairy. This includes cow, goat or sheep’s milk products such as cream, cheese (hard or soft), kefir, yogurt (even Greek), and sour cream… (NEW!) with the exception of clarified butter or ghee. (See below for details.)
Do not eat white potatoes. They are carbohydrate/calorie-dense and nutrient poor, and you’ve got an excellent, nutrient-dense option in sweet potatoes or yams. (refer to your Success Guide FAQ for details).
- Most importantly… do not try to shove your old, unhealthy diet into a shiny new Whole30 mold. This means no "Paleo-fying" desserts or junk food – no Paleo pancakes, Paleo pizza, Paleo fudge or Paleo ice cream. Don’t try to replicate junk food during your Whole30 program! That misses the point of the program entirely.
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One more to add to the above - if you have to ask if it's paleo, it probably isn't.
I don't want you to be a slave to the scale. If you'd like, weigh yourself today (or tomorrow AM) and take some basic measurements - bust/chest, hips, thighs - then hide the scale and measurements until November 23rd, when the challenge ends at 11:59pm. Another thing I'd like you to do is try on a pair of jeans or a top that might be a little snug. Get see how they fit, then put them back in the drawer until the end of the challenge.
Now the above might list a bunch of negative things about eating paleo, but there's a lot of GOOD things you can still eat.
Check out the FAQ section on Robb Wolf's website. He has a lot of great links and guides to get you started.
I'll be keeping this blog up to date as we go along, but go back and read the previous posts and check out the video of my paleo fridge/kitchen. Things have changed slightly since I first filmed that, but I still keep it pretty well stocked with protein and fresh veggies and healthy fats.
So keep your meals that simple - a protein, veggie, and a healthy fat - try to keep your daily life simple and low stress, get at least 8 hrs of sleep each night, and stay hydrated. There is a link to some recipes on this blog, so check those out if you need ideas. I'll update that with new recipes I've tried, and send me what you've made (and approve) and I'll include your recipes as well. We're in this together, so let's use each other for support.
8 comments:
Paige-
Generally, I like eating my fats separately from my veg/protein. That's just my way of handling my cravings for what I used to binge on (ice cream, etc.). Now when I eat fats I feel as they're treats.
For that reason, my go-to fats often include the following:
-Full-fat coconut milk. I open the can, stir and un-lump it (Jen, I actually heat the can on the gas burner to dissolve the lumps too!), then put it back in the fridge to chill it. Then I pour a bit into a bowl, add frozen unsweetened blueberries. Mmmm. Whatever you do, don't buy reduced fat coconut milk, especially the 99-cent cans from Trader Joe's. Those are vile. Note: Coconut milk was definitely an acquired taste for me. I loathed the stuff at first but now I love it. I usually buy Thai Kitchen or Whole Foods brand.
-Butter. I eat unsalted butter straight off the knife. For this challenge, I'm trying to restrict myself to butter with breakfast only. (Full confession - salted butter is a binge food for me. I ate one entire package - the equivalent of two sticks - of salted Kerrygold on Sunday and justified it by telling myself I'd done the Tough Mudder. Geez.) I know butter is a no-no according to the Whole 30 5.0 protocol, but clarified butter and ghee are allowed. Drizzle some over steamed broccoli.
-Avocado. I used to loathe avocados. I couldn't understand why they were considered fruit and thought they should not even be considered food. After a month or so eating paleo, though, I lost my taste for sweet things and avocado suddenly started tasting good. I had to squeeze lemon juice and sprinkle salt on them at first but now I eat them straight. One a day most days.
-Coconut oil. I cook my egg whites (yes, Jen, I'm still doing that!) or red meat in coconut oil, but like I said, I like my fats separate. So I also melt it down, add some peppermint extract, pour the mixture into extra-tiny ice cube trays designed for mini-fridges (about a half-tablespoon each, 60 calories). I freeze them, take out one a time and just gnaw away at them. Tastes so much better that way than soft and straight out of the jar. I've thought about trying it with almond extract or vanilla extract too, but haven't done so. I always get the virgin coocnut oil for that coconutty flavor, and I do have brand preferences as well.
-Coconut flakes. I finally broke my bad snacking habit but sometimes when I want something to just nibble on, I go for those (3.39 a bag from Whole Foods): http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Do-Organic-Unsweetend-Coconut/dp/B000F4D5IU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319546387&sr=8-1 10 grams of fat per serving.
-Peel-open 100-calorie packs of Wholly Guacamole. Used to think guacamole looked like stuff you'd find on the floor underneath your refrigerator, but now had to stop buying the stuff because I was eating all six mini-packs in the box in a couple of days....
-EVOO. I don't use that much of it - mainly on salads, or drizzled on steamed broccoli with lemon juice, or mixed with balsamic vinegar to make roasted brussels sprouts. It's not a fat I can eat separately, and I simply don't count it as a fat.
Paige, you could also bring hard-boiled eggs to work, if you like them. They're a terrific combo of fat and protein. One large egg has papproximately 77 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 6 grams of protein.
Whatever you do, be sure to include protein in what you're eating. A veggie salad with EVOO or avocado or macadamia oil isn't going to fill you up either.
If you don't need your fat separate to feel satisfied, go for fattier cuts of meat. I'm going to send Jen the recipe for what has proved to be my absolute favorite pork recipe so far. It's so fatty that when I put leftovers in Pyrex and stick 'em in the fridge, the whole thing looks white and gluey. And it's one of the most satisfying meals I've ever had - no separate fat needed!
You also said no nuts at work. Does that include nuts in any form, such as almond butter?
Thanks Myra, that's all really helpful. I will definitely give some of those a try. Glad to hear that some were acquired tastes for you... hopefully I will get there :) Looking forward to trying the pork recipe. Jen- we need another potluck :) Yes, the rule at owrk includes any form--butters, oils, etc (I work in child care and it's because of allergies).
I made the bbq sauce from Jen's list last night and baked some chicken in it--I haven't tasted it yet, but last night my apt smelled AMAZING!
OK, so I've tried twice to write posts and they both didn't work. So here we go.
- I'm doing OK. And you can avert your eyes now, because I only have one observation and it's kinda gros. I can't stop coughing/hacking. I don't know whether it's due to the weather or the diet, but my mucous production is seriously out of control.
- Which led to yesterday being a bad day. I slept teribly (up all night coughing), had a terrible workout, then couldn't handle a shoebox of baklava within arm's reach for 8 hours a day. So Jen, tell me what I need to do about that. And no, I didn't eat my body weight in baklava, just a piece.
- I'm probably eating more fruit than I should (3 pieces a day), so I need to do a better job of cutting them up and eating 1/2 serving at a time. But I constantly have a terrible taste in my mouth (see above explainer), and something tart really takes the edge off that. I'm also nervous that I have ridiculously terrible breath.
- Myra, I may need an explainer for how I'm supposed to use that coconut cream concentrate. I tried a dollop in my coffee, and it was so bad I almost spit it all over my computer screen. The flavor/smell is great, but it comes out all chalky.
- My plan is to re-read the Whole30 book this weekend. I know that given a week of experience, I'll pick up on more of the details and specifics than I did before.
- I've done pretty well this week with cooking simple recipes (egg scrambles for breakfast, smoked salmon and veggies for lunch, steak and veggies for dinner), but I seriously need to expand my recipe portfolio before I get bored.
- Speaking of smoked salmon, I DO have a smoker, and I AM pretty darn good at smoking things. So if you have something you want smoked (chicken, salmon, guinea pig), I'm happy to provide the grill space and hickory wood if you'll provide the flesh. I really hope I'm not missing something paleo by smoking food, because I effing love my Oklahoma BBQ. Especially pork ribs and beef brisket, when I have the 7-10 hours it takes to smoke them. No sauce, of course. A whole (3 lb) filet of wild salmon at Eastern Market goes for about $50, but will last you all week. Farm-raised is half the price.
- I tried making my own mayo (I use it as a spread on top of salmon to keep it from drying out during smoking), but it came out terribly. Could use anyone's advice/recipe on that front.
- In the meantime, I second Paige's notion for a potluck. Would be good to see what other people are doing.
- Am never going to be able to look at Myra again without having the mental image of her unwrapping and eating a stick of butter like peeling and eating a banana. Thanks for that, Myra. I hope we never make eye contact when I have a weight suspended over my head, because I might drop it.
Cheerio!
- I thought your observation was regarding the other end, but I digress. I read that molds are high in the region, so that could be part of your mucous problem.
- Keep the baklava away. Get it out of the room. Somehow. You didn't fall face first into the tasty treat; you chose to have a piece.** It's like saying someone 'fell off the wagon' by eating X - a decision was made to eat it, it did not walk into your belly. If it's not around you probably wouldn't have had it, so somehow keep it away.
- Fruit is nature's candy. I could mockingly paraphrase a commercial and say 'sugar is sugar', but you're replacing your Jellybean habit (or Slurpees) or another 'bad' habit with apples/fruit. I love apples this time of year, but try to limit myself to 2-3 a week and sometimes a little applesauce post workout. When I was eating more, I found I was hungry again soon afterwards. Take a look at the Seasonal Produce Guide on the Whole9 website when choosing fruits and veggies, and try to stick with the bold items. Fruit isn't bad, but it should be limited.
- If you're concerned about bad breath, brush your teeth (and tongue) during the day and especially after you eat. Stay hydrated.
++ Minimum amount of water you should be drinking is half your bodyweight in ounces. Weigh 200 lbs? Drink 100oz of water.
- Check the bottom of this link for a few recipes - http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/coconut_cream_concentrate.htm I think you need to mix it with a little water before using it as a creamer. If it's still bad, use regular full fat coconut milk from a can. I'm not a coffee drinker and can't give the best advice here.
- How long does it take to smoke items? Check that BBQ sauce. If there's sugar, no bueno. I'll have to dig up a few recipes I've seen on the world wide web that were used for smoking brisket and other items if you're intersted. They are paleo.
- Pot luck might be do able, but the weekend I have free is November 19 - right before the end of the challenge and the weekend before Thanksgiving. Definitely would like to try it, and could aim for a week day (Thursday?) if possible.
- Mayo recipes - I'm not a huge mayo fan and havn't tried any of the paleo versions, but check out recipes on Mark's Daily Apple, Health Bent, and The Foodee Project (all links on the blog). I have a handful of paleo cookbooks and check those out for ideas. Did you follow a recipe or just wing it?
I'm working on another blog post that I hope to have up before the weekend to cover first week feelngs/frustrations and make sure you make it through the weekend.
**PS - how delicious was the baklava?
Jen, can we do overhead squats as part of our Halloween squats? I might dress up as a stick of Kerrygold.
Geez. Part of our Halloween workout, not squats.
I would like to see Brandon dressed as a unicorn overhead squat Myra dressed as a stick of Kerrygold butter. Oh, if a mythical creature were to exist!
I'm growing increasingly concerned about the public nature of this blog. Maybe we should just switch to an internal email if "Brandon" and "unicorn" keep getting mentioned in the same sentence. Conversely, I did just discuss my Phlegm Problem in public.
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