Whole30 Chronicles: Day 1

When I decided to try out the Whole30 I scoured the internet for meal plans, tips, and anecdotes from other Whole30 eaters.  I was almost overwhelmed by the food ideas available.  Thank you, Pinterest!  That made shopping and meal planning even easier. However, the posts I really devoured were the stories, both successes and tribulations, shared by others.  I decided to document my experience both as accountability for me and in the hope that this might help someone else, whether it be an internet stranger or someone I know and love.

I began my Whole30 journey on Sunday, January 3, the day before returning to work after a 10 day break.  This gave me time to have a few drinks on New Years Eve and enjoy the hummus and gluten free pizza I had in the fridge/freezer.  Then I still had January 1 to recover (and drink the leftover champagne) and January 2 to shop and prep.  Beginning on Sunday rather than Monday would hopefully make the transition from staycation to work life and a healthier way of eating a little less jarring.  I'll try to post updates every day.

What I ate:

Meal 1: Banana and almond butter.  Coffee with almond milk  I know this lacks protein and veggies, which are the most important parts of the meal map. However, I ate this meal about an hour before I was going running, and I cannot stomach protein or veggies before a run.  I ran 3 miles and felt good.  Not my fastest or strongest, but I didn't feel like dying.  When I ate my breakfast, I planned to run at least 5 miles, hence the carb-heavy meal.  I got distracted by taking pictures of my cats and only had time for 3 miles.

Meal 2:  3 eggs scrambled with 1 serving of leftover ham (no sugar of course), lots of baby spinach, about 1/2 cup of sweet potato, and 1/3 of an avocado.  About 14 oz of blood orange kombucha.  I was starving before eating, which makes sense considering my light breakfast and late morning workout.  

 Meal 3:  about 6 oz broiled salmon topped with an olive oil-based chimichurri (Recipe from Jan/Feb issue of Eating Well--I HIGHLY RECOMMEND), steamed broccoli, 1/2 cup mashed red potatoes prepared with bacon fat and horseradish.  I would have skipped the potatoes, but I was hangry and it was Day 1.  Baby steps.

After dinner: cup of Natural Calm (1/2 tsp), cup of Lemon Ginger herbal tea

Thoughts:
Overall, day 1 was a success!  I didn't have any cravings or unusually strong hunger, even through a Costco trip.  Saying no to non-Whole30 compliant samples was no issue at all.  I was very hungry before I ate each meal, but stayed satisfied for hours after eating. I admit my almond milk is not homemade, but according to the ingredients list it is compliant.  I may phase out using almond milk in coffee this week because I am afraid that almond milk from a carton is not in the spirit of the Whole30. I will also try to avoid meals without protein, even before a workout.  Maybe sweet potato would be a better choice than fruit if I need carbs before a run. 

Thanks for reading!  I'd love to hear from you if you are on a Whole30 journey.  And if I don't post for a day or two, please poke me to see if I am still on track!