The Whole 30 – Week 3
Week 3 is complete! The week started out rough when I was hit with a cold for the first time in over a year. I was actually pretty disappointed by that since all of the whole foods are supposed to boost your immune system, but colds happen. Also, full disclosure – I had 6 cough drops. I tried to avoid them by using tea to soothe my throat instead, but I was not about to shuffle to the kitchen every time I woke up throughout the night to make tea. They were necessary. And there is no way I’m starting the 30 days over because of 6 cough drops, so it is what it is. I also took communion on Sunday, because Jesus trumps the Whole 30.
I’m not really craving food as much anymore. I think about “forbidden” foods often, but not from a place of desperation. One of the great joys in my life is trying new & fun food that I haven’t had before and I miss that piece. I went to Chipotle with a friend one night and it didn’t bother me at all to stick to the compliant food (FYI – the only compliant foods there are lettuce, carnitas, guacamole, and salsa), but when I went to see Holli’s band play and the restaurant offered housemade bread pudding with chocolate chips and butter rum caramel? I wanted to try that. But it’s only 30 days. The fun food will still be there in another week or so.
Also, this has been the week of all the apples. I love them right now and they sound good when nothing else does and I was so much happier this week eating an apple mid-morning or mid-afternoon (or sometimes both).
Day 15
Breakfast : Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole
Snack : Apple Pie Lara Bar (not nearly as good as the Cashew Cookie kind)
Lunch : Greek Meatballs, carrots, and roasted cauliflower (though I didn’t eat most of this since I started feeling sick around lunchtime)
Dinner : An orange and about 70 gallons of hot tea. Okay, more like 5 mugs.
Mood : Sick. Very sore throat. Zapped energy.
Sleep : Awake 7 times last night.
Cravings : Cough drops. Seriously.
Day 16
Breakfast : Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole
Snack : Apple
Lunch : Chicken and baby carrots
Snack : Apple and almond butter
Dinner : Orange and cashews
Mood : Still sick and energy-less.
Sleep : Not good, but mostly due to the sore throat. I gave in and had a cough drop about 2am and was able to fall asleep, but I woke up 17 times between 2am and 5:45am.
IT Band : I almost didn’t run today, but I couldn’t not, so…I ran hill repeats. And once again, no pain at all.
Day 17
Breakfast : Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole
Snack : Apple
Lunch : Chicken, roasted cauliflower, and baby carrots
Dinner : Hamburger with avocado and bell peppers
Mood : So much better! I have my appetite back and I think the cold is almost gone, which makes me happy, happy, happy!
Sleep : Remind me never to take a decongestant before bed. Ever. I was wide awake from midnight to 2am. I took a melatonin at 1am to try to zonk myself out again.
Day 18
Breakfast : Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole
Snack : Apple
Lunch : Hamburger w/ avocado and bell peppers
Dinner : Hamburger w/ roasted red potatoes and blackberries
Mood : Cheery! A little hard to wake up this morning after the NyQuil coma, but it was a fantastic day. I got some sweet texts from friends, had an awesome training session with Boots, and got to see my favorite 10-year-old star in his school play.
Sleep : Such a good night of sleep! Granted, it may have been due to the NyQuil that I took, but it was so nice to be zonked out for most of the night, only waking up twice.
IT Band : Another 2-mile run in the books. 10:15/mile pace. Not even a hint of pain. Woohoo! And it’s getting light earlier, which makes it way less creepy to run at 5am.
Day 19
Breakfast : Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole and coffee with coconut milk
Lunch : Hamburger with bell peppers and baby carrots
Dinner : Chipotle! Lettuce, guacamole, carnitas, salsa.
Mood : So flipping happy! It could be from the coffee, the clouds, the fact that I’m feeling so much better, that it’s Friday, that I got some quality time in with Jacque, or all of the above, but whatever the reason, today I would just like to skip around with a goofy grin on my face.
Sleep : Only woke up twice and actually feeling fairly rested today! Happy day all around.
Day 20
Breakfast : Scrambled egg, bacon, sauteed red potatoes/onions/bell pepper
Dinner : Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Pad Thai and grapes
Mood : Grinning from ear to ear – excited to have finished my long run, napped, $5 running shorts sale at Old Navy plus an extra discount “just because,” saw a shadow interpreted performance of Beauty & the Beast, and was able to see Holli’s band play. Fabulous day, beginning to end.
Sleep : I was out late last night, so it was a short-ish night, but I only woke up twice! And then I took a 2 hour nap after my long rung, which was so lovely.
IT Band : I ran 5.5 miles today. At 3.25 miles, I felt the tightness start and was so afraid the pain was going to kick back in at any moment…but it didn’t! By 3.4 miles, the tightness was gone and it felt fine the rest of the run! I spent a little bit of extra time stretching, foam rolling, and icing it afterward, but I think it’s good to go!
Day 21
Breakfast : Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole, bacon, apple w/ almond butter
Lunch : Leftover Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Pad Thai and sugar snap peas
Dinner : Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Chicken Burger w/avocado, roasted broccoli, sauteed red potatoes/onions/bell pepper, and grilled zucchini
Mood : Cozy. It’s a rare cloudy day here and I was thrilled to be able to spend the afternoon at home and pull out my sweatpants one last time before the summer heat wave.
Sleep : Awake 4 times last night.
Also (because I made my first comment before reading the whole post): I love the attitude you’ve taken here with “the snacks will always be there later.” That’s a mantra I’ve started using with myself as well in regards to sweets and snacks. It’s not like I don’t have them, but they’re there later if I do want them. I don’t have to get myself worked up into some kind of FOMO over a donut that’s served six days a week at my local donut shop. LOL. For instance!! 😉 😉 But yeah, that’s a healthy attitude to take toward food. And if, when you tell yourself that, it works — as in, sates the craving — then you know you didn’t really need that donut (for example) right now. Because, as we’ve said, it’ll always be there later! 🙂
It’s been great to see you on a healthy eating path Becky and to see you explore what that looks like for you. I can see how you’re evolving as a woman and really growing into yourself and who you really are. Sending you so much love. So glad to be friends with you! 🙂
It’s so funny how everybody approaches food differently. Some people need the black and white rules (no candy in the house EVER), but I am the person that if you tell me a certain food is forbidden, that’s all I want to eat! On the Whole 30, I was craving fast food and junk food that I haven’t eaten in years, because when I have the freedom to choose from anything, I tend to make good choices and eat junk in moderation. So happy to hear you have a similar mindset!
Thank you so much for your words of encouragement, Addie! I’m so thankful for your friendship, too!
This line wins the internet: “Jesus trumps the Whole 30.” 🙂 🙂 🙂
HA! I’ve always wanted to win the internet! And I totally stand by the sentiment. 😉
Yay, you’re on your last week now, I’m gonna have to try that sweet potato casserole, it looks delicious! You have a Trader Joe’s don’t you? They have a curry simmer sauce that is so good, I had it with chicken thighs and cilantro/lime cauliflower “rice”, it would be good on anything though! No worries on the cough drops, you gotta do what you gotta do – but now you know how much sugar is added to cough drops, that was eye opening for me, not like I eat a bag of those every day, but I thought it was a fun fact 😛
YES! Trader Joe’s was my Whole 30 BFF! I saw that sauce, but didn’t end up buying it! I actually bought a few other sauces from Trader Joe’s (like their tomatillo sauce) that I meant to use, but just didn’t.
Ooh I’m intrigued by that spaghetti squash pad thai! I’ve been loving these posts…even though I’m not doing the Whole 30 it’s been giving me some great ideas for lunch! Like the hamburger with avocado and bell peppers? Yeah…that’s all I can think about now.
Hi Stephanie! I must admit, I was a little disappointed in the pad thai! The spaghetti squash makes it a bit watery and I would cook the vegetables differently (a little too mushy for my taste). I loved the shrimp, the flavors, and the little bit of spice though! And I’m so glad you’re liking the Whole 30 posts! It’s definitely causing me to think harder about what to eat to add variety and the burger/avocado/bell peppers has been one of my favorite meals!
I’m surprised Chipotle didn’t meet most of the whole 30 requirements! But if it was a limited selection, at least it included carnitas. That makes everything better! (Our chipotles currently do not have carnitas due to sourcing issues. I am sad. 🙁 )
Chipotle is *close* to meeting the requirements, but all of their meats (and even their fajita veggies!) have soy, which is forbidden. I’m so sorry your Chipotles don’t have carnitas! Normally I get either the chicken or the steak, but the carnitas was delicious. And it was SO nice to have compliant restaurant food that I didn’t have to cook!