That Time I Went Whole 30: Days 15-21

We are moving right along! We are officially in the final stretch of our January Whole 30.

As per usual, stream of consciousness-style musings for your enjoyment:

Day 15 (Wednesday)
-Halfway there, baby!

-I am here to bring the guilt and admit that I committed a Whole 30 cardinal sin: I got on the scale yesterday. The lure of it, sitting there at the gym, was too strong to ignore. And guess what? I was NOT disappointed. The last time I weighed myself was last August and I've lost 15 pounds since. Certainly, I am not giving Whole 30 all the glory and credit for that, but I am appreciative of this step forward in the progress I am making in taking care of my health. I am feeling better, top to bottom, and to see a tangible reflection of it just confirms the fact and this is right and a good foundation to continue my progress.

-Today was the first day I threw together meals based simply on what was left in the fridge this morning and I am not excited about it. I hard boiled two eggs, but the rest was leftovers pieced into somewhat balanced meals and packed to go to work. I am missing enough fat today, though, and I worry the hunger at 3 PM might creep up on me. Looks like I'll be throwing down in the kitchen tonight to prepare for the rest of the week.

Day 16 (Thursday)
-I just planned my last full week of meals for the Whole 30 (days 21-27). Next meal plan/shopping trip I take will only consist of the last four days plus maybe also the entire bakery section of the grocery store. Just kidding. Maybe.

-In the meantime, I packed hard boiled eggs, radishes, and guacamole for breakfast this morning because I can't bring myself to cook anything else beyond dinner after work. Hoping on Sunday I can bang out some serious prep for next week.

-Oh, look. A lunch meeting at the office, and they ordered pizza. Fan-freaking-tastic.

-Only spent $150 at the grocery store today, but I am so preoccupied with food and the food that we CAN eat that I forgot things like paper towels and toilet paper. And cleaning stuff. Basically anything that is not food, so tack on another $25-$30 to make up for that.

-Not exactly Whole 30-related, but I am really bumming hard about how much less I am able to lift in the gym since my unintentional five-month hiatus. I've had Mike Matthews' book, Thinner Leaner Stronger, downloaded onto my Kindle for the last eight months or so, so I'm looking forward to digging into that and start consistently putting work in at the gym in February.

Day 17 (Friday)
-I have become acutely aware that I need another link removed from my watch. Non-scale victory success!

-I've been filling in my coworkers on my progress throughout the Whole 30, and one of them commented on my lunch today: "I see you've been sticking with this, but I'm wondering for how much longer because you SEEM to be enjoying it, but I can almost hear you screaming internally." Well then. Challenge accepted.

-Someone else at work asked how much weight I've lost since it's apparently noticeable. Another non-scale victory!

-I am taking the girls bowling tonight. Resisting temptation by packing a snack and eating it right before I leave work so I can withstand the pressure of gross bowling alley pizza until I get home to my safe space and beloved tupperware full of compliant foods.

Day 18 (Saturday)
-Today I have cooked three impressive meals. There are so many dishes its exhausting.

-I find it easier to make sure I am getting all my meals in on weekdays. There's just something about packing breakfast and lunch and timing my meals to break up the monotony of the work day that makes it so much easier. Weekends are much harder for me because they are anything BUT monotonous. I didn't eat anything until 2:30 PM today and by the end of preparing lunch I swear the kitchen was starting to tilt sideways. Lesson learned.

-Homemade mayo and ranch dressing happened again today. I have a new respect for mayonnaise--I'm usually totally grossed out by it, but I can use it in so many different ways! AND IT'S SO EASY TO MAKE YOU GUYS.

-I made couscous for the girls to go with dinner tonight and didn't even miss it that much.

Day 19 (Sunday)
-I am supposed to be in the thick of "Tiger Blood," but I spent the majority of my day on the couch, buried under blankets, reading. Maybe it was the rain earlier in the day, maybe it was the fact that it felt like it was -19 degrees outside, but I felt blah and unmotivated until about 4 PM when I finally peeled myself from the couch and decided to be a productive human being.

-I had so much energy last Friday. Is this the equivalent to peaking in high school? TOO SOON.

-Bleeding in the kitchen is happening a lot less frequently now compared to the first week, thanks to my improving knife skills. #ninja

-Feeling extra appreciative for this Whole 30 round because I am creating meals I never in a million years would have attempted before. Last night I made roasted lamb chops. Lamb, in my family, was a once-a-year thing that was reserved only for holidays or special occasions. Making it on a random Sunday felt special. I dig it. Also, Peyton said it was delicious. And then 10 minutes later she told me it was disgusting so I don't know what to believe.

Day 20 (Monday)
-One of my project managers and fellow beer snobs brought me the fruit of his Boston travels (a can of Green IPA from Tree House Brewing Company, HEART EYES) over the weekend with strict instructions that it is for AFTER Whole 30. It now is residing in my refrigerator, waiting for its big moment.

-Walt and I take turns sending each other photos of beautiful, compliant meals we make at home while the other person is sitting at work eating prepped food from sad (but still beloved) tupperware. We are both very pleased with ourselves. Also we are that annoying couple now, aren't we? Whatever. I'm not sorry.

-We have our first non-Whole 30 meal planned...which will actually be on Day 32. We are carrying out this little experiment an extra day so we can enjoy burgers and beers together next Friday when Walt gets done work.

Day 21 (Tuesday)
-Apples are delicious. Who knew?

-I can't believe our Whole 30 will be done by the end of next week. Time went so slowly at first and now I can only assume my body has depleted itself completely of sugar and time is moving as it is supposed to again.

-A giant zit appeared on my face. I made it three weeks with beautiful, glowy Whole 30 skin and I get strapped with a giant cyst on my face in the final lap. Lame.

-I went to the gym at 8:30 last night and again at 5:30 this morning. Tiger blood, is that you?

-The question that keeps getting floated is whether or not I am transitioning everyone to a healthy diet of Hungry Man TV dinners when this is all said and done with. The lack of clean-up and dish-washing seem very appealing.

Go back:
Prep
Day 1
Day 2
Days 3-7
Day 8-14