A Whole Lot of Vitamin C and Ice Cream : A Whole30 Diary

I have just gotten over a terrible head cold turned sinus infection that I've been fighting for the last couple of weeks, which in turn, made the Whole30 torturous during week two! Meal planning was on the fly, nothing sounded good, and when I was hungry, I wanted pizza, non-compliant soup, and toast.

I'm not going to break down the week for you like I did in my first Whole30 post. Being sick made me tired and I was not keeping up with a detailed food diary each day. It was Craig's birthday week so we had a couple of birthday outings, but for the most part, I ate a LOT of fruit (all in the name of Vitamin C!), plain guacamole or sweet potato mash here and there, drank a lot of Tazo hot tea, and had a few Apple Pie Lara Bars. Nothing sounded good at all and I was having too much drainage to actually feel hungry. It was definitely not a balanced Whole30 week at all, but I am still extremely proud of myself that I didn't cave!

I took a trip to Trader Joe's on Monday morning (stocking up on those plantain chips), but my main reason for heading out that way was to pick up one of Craig's birthday treats! My husband LOVES macarons and has always been picky to find and eat the best ones! We are slightly limited in finding fresh and amazing macarons here in the city, but I found Luluboo Macarons through a Google and Yelp search! Yelp offered a little bit of back history on Rachel and her business of Luluboo Macarons. She had visited France a few years ago and fell in love with the sweet and delicate treats! After returning to the states, she spent two years perfecting her own macarons before opening up her business so I knew they must be good! I ordered a box of 12 for Craig and couldn't wait to give them to him! Needless to say, he loved them and we'll definitely be repeat customers!

After running my errands, I decided to make his birthday "cake" ahead of time. He loves Dairy Queen ice cream cakes (who doesn't?!), but unfortunately, they don't make mini cakes, and I was not about to buy a huge cake if I couldn't eat any of it! That looming monster of goodness in my freezer--are you kidding me? So instead, I found a fun and easy recipe on Pinterest and proceeded to make the cutest mini ice cream cakes. You need a half gallon of ice cream (whatever flavor you like!), an 8 oz. container of Cool Whip, one package of Oreos, and a mini cheesecake pan (like this one)!

As promised to my Whole30 rebels, the full recipe for the ice cream cake(s) can be found here.

After such a tempting, sugary afternoon, we had tilapia and steamed, lightly salted broccoli for dinner that night. Glamorous, right?

Tuesday was Craig's actual birthday, and after much research to find a restaurant that could cater to my restrictions, I had finally decided to make reservations at Houston's on the Plaza! We loved the candlelit atmosphere! The menu was full of items that sounded SO good (they are known for their spinach artichoke dip), but I was already determined to choose the rotisserie chicken (sans the apricot glaze) with a side of broccoli instead of couscous. It was literally half of a rotisserie chicken! I felt better knowing that I was getting a lot of protein since my week wasn't starting off so great. As I've said before, it can be extremely frustrating to eat out during the Whole30, and some choose to ask their server a multitude of questions, but I am not too picky about organic or grass fed meat. I choose the menu item that is the most compliant, substituting a few things if I must, and that's that.

  When we got home, I removed two of the mini ice cream cakes from their molds, drizzled them with Hershey's dark chocolate syrup, dressed them up with sprinkles, and a stuck a candle in one of them! They looked so good! Craig loved them and has been eating them every night after dinner. I make sure to decorate them for him each time too! Guys, we are huge Masterchef fans so we like to practice and show off our "plating skills" from time to time, haha! I made him save me one, and once I'm done with this Whole30, I'll be sure to take a picture of my very own ice cream cake and post it!

Like I said, meal planning was so haphazard for week two and that alone felt like failing. Meal preparation is such a huge part of the Whole30! I was getting frustrated at not finding organic fryers to make my own rotisserie chicken, our stove was acting wonky so I wasn't using it and couldn't make hard-boiled eggs, and aside from making fried eggs, I felt at a loss for protein. Eggs, eggs, eggs. Blah. I was so frustrated at one point that I went ahead and bought a rotisserie chicken at Price Chopper while doing some on the fly grocery shopping! I checked the ingredients and it seemed better than the Costco rotisserie chickens, but it still wasn't up to the Whole30 standard. I ate a small amount of it until I finally found organic fryers at Costco towards the very end of the week!  
 My frustrations didn't end with the lack of protein. I had planned to make fish tacos one night and it actually sounded so good and I was excited! Ever since we had them in Vegas, it's one of my favorite dinner items to make and we love them! It's usually such a quick meal to put together, but being on the Whole30, I had to find an alternative to our normal store bought tortillas and make more homemade mayo for the coleslaw. I quickly found a compliant recipe for the tortillas and started to make the mayo. I had already made it during my first week of the Whole30 and my first attempt was a success! Unfortunately, I wasn't so lucky my second time around. Or my third. Or my fourth. I tried making that mayo THREE times and each time it separated on me! I got so frustrated and had to scratch the whole dinner because it was taking too long! Believe me, our store bought tortillas and my jar of normal mayonnaise were screaming at me from the fridge! I could've easily whipped out both items and been done with dinner in half the time! I considered caving, but I didn't. I won't lie. I kinda pouted. Craig was not at a loss for food, but I felt like I was! Again, due to my lack of meal planning, I didn't have much to work with, but I had to eat something! I was about to become a magician with my one ripe banana and my trusty eggs. Thank goodness I found a compliant recipe for almond flour banana pancakes (found here). They are a good idea for something to make in a pinch, but honestly, my heart wasn't in it that night---and I was still sad about those non-existent fish tacos.

To finish out such a crazy week, Craig's Christmas (New Year?) party was held downtown that Saturday night. Normally, I'm excited to see what kind of food is catered to these kinds of events, but I was right in assuming I probably wouldn't be able to eat any of it. Hello, water---and lots and lots of noise. Perfect for my head cold. At least I had a hot date!

I am currently in week four, but dang, that head cold did me in good. Not only did I have a crazy week two, but I obviously lagged behind on getting these diary posts up on time! I promise to have week three posted later this week---trust me, it was WAY better! I even got to make those amazing fish tacos, thank the LORD. Be sure to check back in a few days!

A Whole Lot of NO : A Whole30 Diary

Alright, let's get this started. I thought I'd document my Whole 30 journey simply because I've appreciated reading blogs and posts of those who have documented their own journeys and everything has been beneficial to read! I am currently holding strong in week 3, but I will list below my food prep for each week and meal plan for each day---and trust me, I'd love a donut while I type this. If you want to skip ahead, scroll down for my side notes about my first full week and more information about why I agreed to this crazy adventure called the Whole30!


FOOD PREP

Pork Shoulder 
(Bought at Costco, cooked in the crock pot, left plain and shredded for the week)

Bacon
(One pack of Coleman's uncured, nitrate-free pork [bought at Costco] cooked and stored for the week)

Mayo

(Recipe found here--pour the oil in very slowly)

Celery and Cucumbers
(Washed and cut for the week)

Sweet Potatoes
(One bag bought at Aldi, each one baked, then mashed. I added a tablespoon of ghee [clarified butter] and a whole lot of cinnamon!)


WEEK ONE
(Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner in order by bullet points)


Day 1

• Fried egg, plain guacamole (avocado, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper), and bacon

• Plantains and blackberries

• Homemade Chipotle bowl

(Romaine lettuce, avocado oil, shredded pork, Trader Joe's salsa verde, Chipotle's hot salsa, avocado slices, and original Tabasco)

Day 2

• Blackberries, plain guacamole with plantains, and a spoonful of almond butter

• Tuna with celery and homemade mayo, green grapes, and a kiwi

• Shredded pork, mashed sweet potatoes, and green beans

Day 3

• One kiwi with bacon

• Tuna with celery and homemade mayo and green grapes

• Plain guacamole and plantains

• Shredded pork, mashed sweet potatoes, and green beans

Day 4

• Fried egg and plain guacamole with bacon pieces

• Tuna with celery and homemade mayo

• Blackberries and cucumbers

• Homemade Chipotle bowl

Day 5

• Blackberries, a banana (with almond butter), scrambled eggs, and bacon

• Black coffee

• Dinner at The Mixx

(Romaine, spinach, steak, carrots, cucumber, roasted sweet potatoes, and avocado.
I used olive oil and apple cider vinegar as my dressing.)


Day 6

• Blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, pineapple 

(Just so you know, I was at a VERY cute baby shower and would have much rather had a few --5-- of the mini cups of chocolate milk with straws and mini powdered donuts attached. Adorable and tempting.)

• MudPie Bakery

(Coffee with coconut milk and more than a sprinkle of cinnamon)

• Homemade Chipotle Bowls

Day 7

• Tuna with homemade mayo and Whole30 compliant Ranch Dip (recipe here) with celery sticks

• Dinner at Seasons 52 for Craig's birthday week!

(Skirt steak, seasoned crushed potatoes, and asparagus--all prepared with olive oil)

SIDE NOTES

I'm pretty proud of my meal planning, but because I couldn't get my hands on an organic fryer chicken, I decided that shredded pork would be the easiest option (given our work schedules) for the time being. I will definitely be incorporating more lean meat and more vegetables into every meal for week 2! And guys, seriously, if you love mayo as much as I do, you really need to make that homemade mayo recipe! It's a life saver! You can go to Chipotle during the Whole30, but for me, it's not the same if I can't have sour cream and cheese so I simply stay away--BUT, their hot salsa is compliant so I made sure to have two small containers on hand for the week. I have also been loving plantain chips from Trader Joe's! They are a major Whole30 staple for someone like me who can't have toast or crackers with her plain guacamole! And, if you love spicing up your food (and your guacamole like me), try using original Tabasco (it's compliant!). On everything.

 FAILS THAT WEREN'T EPIC.

The Whole30 creators would love for everyone to start over after realizing an unintentional or intentional slip up during their challenge, but they also understand that not everyone will do so. The reason they would love for you to start over is because they want the commitment factor to this mindset to hold strong and for your mind and body to be extremely intentional 100% of the time without allowances. I get it, and I completely agree to no cheat days and not trying to maintain old habits with "refurbished" food. But have it be known that if I accidentally (and without thinking) pop a piece of sugary gum into my mouth, I am not going to start over. Are you kidding? I'm stinkin' proud of myself for even starting this Whole30 in the first place! Now, if I knowingly eat a piece of chocolate cake, then yes, I will start over. I promise.

My not so epic fails are listed below:

 I discovered halfway through the week that the bacon I was using has brown sugar listed as one of the ingredients, but has no "grams" of sugar listed in the nutrition facts. I know I should've paid more attention to the list of ingredients themselves (nutrition facts mean nothing), but it has been the healthiest and most accessible bacon I've ever come across. I debated to continue using it and limit my intake, but I've put it away to use after my Whole30. Sad.

In researching bakery options for our coffee date, I came across MudPie (a vegan bakery) and loved that they made their own coconut milk in house--(um, they also make amazing gluten free cupcakes, but that's besides the point)! I know I can use coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk and spices to doctor up my coffee at home, but I'd rather not. I'll just drink it black if I have to (see Day 5). However, my husband and I LOVE to frequent coffee shops and play games. I knew this month long commitment meant that I would have to forego the pastries and coffee with milk and cream, but I planned ahead, researched my options, and ordered a cappuccino with coconut milk. Prior to going, I had researched how to make your own coconut milk and assumed that Mudpie followed recipes that I had seen on google (simply unsweetened coconut and water). I assumed so much that I forgot to ask before ordering and discovered a half-downed cappuccino later that they make their milk with sugar! Silly vegans. So long, coconut cappuccino!

My last "uh-oh" was at Seasons52. You have to be so careful when going out during the Whole30! To me, it's absolutely ridiculous and doesn't even seem worth it to spend that kind of money unless you need to be out for a special occasion. I ordered off of their dairy free menu, and like I stated above, everything was cooked with olive oil. You'll find that I'm not entirely strict with the Whole30 rules when it comes to asking about every single detail when eating out so I didn't care if the skirt steak was grassfed or not. I'm wasn't about to annoy the waiter. However, when my meal came out, the plain steak I thought I ordered was covered in some kind of sauce that was not mentioned on the menu. So I scraped off the sauce from most of the meat and ate what I could. Again, I was not going to start over. My mindset was still secure and I've been making the best choices I can!

WHY?

This Whole30 plan is a little crazy. No sugar, no dairy, no legumes (beans, etc.), no grains. Oh friends, it's exhausting to think of explaining it further so head on over and read more about it here. You will find rules, but a network of support, resources, and articles to get you started!

 I truly NEVER wanted to do a Whole30. I have a few friends that have taken the challenge from time to time, but it always sounded awful to me. To give up sugar and DAIRY (along with everything else) would never ever work for me--despite the great health and energy benefits. Most people cringe at the the thought of no sugar, and yes, I definitely miss my sugary treats--pastries at the coffee shops, a bowl of ice cream, cookies, etc.! But I'm realizing that any "real" food that I may crave isn't necessarily jam packed with sugar--but DAIRY. Milk and cream, cheese, yogurt, and sour cream. I'm telling you, this is hard!

So why am I taking the challenge?

Well, I decided those benefits might actually be worth it. I've felt sluggish over the past year, but especially over the holidays, I started to really feel it from all the holiday treats. It was then that I noticed a post from a friend on Instagram doing a holiday detox, which essentially, was 15 days of clean eating from the Whole30 plan. I thought, hey! I can try to do 15 days. I realized that I had always looked at the Whole30 in it's entirety and it always seemed incredibly overwhelming and intimidating. I would immediately shut down the idea of trying and say no. BUT. If I could scale it back and just focus on 15 days (for now), then the next 15 days later, I could make this work. Incremental thinking. ;) As you can see, I scaled it back even further and I'm celebrating one week at a time. I truly want to prove to myself that I can do this. There have been so many times that I've said "I'll eat better this week" or "I'll exercise next week" and it has never happened. I'm all talk. This will prove to my mind, body, and soul that I CAN create a healthier me.

All in all, I feel tired, but no more than usual. Being tired is to be expected at the beginning of this challenge! Cravings are also normal--I have had multiple cravings for pizza, Chipotle, and cheesecake, and yes, I would LOVE a donut. I get my sweet tooth from my dad and I don't believe it will ever go away--and I'm ok with that! However, I'm starting to realize that it can be tamed. I'm looking forward to continuing a mindset of learning to say no more often and having a better awareness of what and how much I should be putting into my body.

I'm a little behind with sharing my progress, but be sure to check back in a few days for a recap on week 2! I was (and still am) sick with a head cold and was in no way well prepared for the week! Let's just say I wanted pizza every day. :)

For the Whole30 rebels, I'll even include a recipe for an ice cream cake I made for Craig's birthday!
(I made him save me a piece...)