The website states that this diet is a life changer and I believe them. But the proof is in the off limits pudding so let me start.
Morning-black coffee
I am fortunate to be able to buy fresh roasted, organic and fair trade coffee that I grind myself at the co-op. We have a roasting company locally that adds flavors to the beans and I was pleased today to find that those flavors are really there-I can actually taste them! The cream and the maple syrup that I added every morning disguised the flavors so I always wondered what the big deal was. I do miss the wake up shot of intense sugar (it takes very little maple syrup to sweeten coffee) and cream but there you have it.
Breakfast: purple sweet potato hash and nettles, sorrel and chive omlete
The sweet potato hash was a simple dish as was the omlete. Our chives are just now taking off and the sorrel is just appearing as is the nettles so I didn't have a lot of it to add.
Lunch: Salad (cucumber, celery), one boiled egg, guacamole
Dinner: Creamy tomato chicken soup-similar to this
And I did have a snack- Monkey Salad
Difficulties- I'm still learning the ropes-I spent all day wanting a banana and thought it was off limits then found the above recipe and double checked my information. Bananas help to make me feel full. I'll talk more about fruit-its allowed but its also allowed unders certain conditions-i.e. having it with a good protein not as a snack.
Ease: The diet allows for alot of great vegetables and spices. I love variety in vegetables so this is a big plus for me. Portions are not an issue but I will say that eating alot more is important to take up the space bread has had in my usual diet.
The diet is not a huge challenge once the information is absorbed-that is actually the part that is hard. A great thing that came up on the Whole 30 forum is that canned coconut milk (if there are no added ingredients) can be diluted to make a coconut milk similar to the one that is bought in milk cartons and can be used in coffee.
I also found out today that dates are just fine-but again, with the snack issue being discouraged I can't see where it would fit in exactly just now. I was a grazer so I do have some leeway according to the rules-it can take time to harness that habit into 3 decent sized meals a day. I nearly made it today but I could tell that I didn't have nearly enough calories in me. I need to work on that.
Personal tip-when the going gets tough-go do something to take your mind off of it. I went out and planted lily bulbs and began a redesign of my outdoor seating area. That kept my mind off of food.
I was told by my doctor that the first 2 weeks are likely to make me feel pretty sick as I withdraw from some of the foods thought to be bothering my body. I don't know if I am feeling it already or not-I do have an upset stomach today.
I do want a chocolate. Or cereal.
Are you allowed to eat fat? Good fats like olive oil, ghee and lard. When coming off carbs and sugar, they say to replace it with healthy fat, because it fills the void and stops the cravings. It's also good for building neural connections around the body. Its somewhat of a myth that fat is bad for you, because unlike carbs, the body recognises when its satiated with fat and stops the cravings. To eat more fat will create the feeling of sickness than the satiation. Carbs constantly require top-ups on the other hand, to feel satiated, and sickness is felt if you don't keep eating them.
ReplyDeleteWhich is something you are no doubt feeling. I know what you're going through. I've done the change over lots of times. What fails for me are hypo's because of my diabetes. If I have a low blood sugar, my body craves sugar and carbs and eating them saves my life, but I'm back on the bandwagon of having to purge my system of these addictive substances. I would be full-on Paleo otherwise. I get into a good swing, then I have a hypo and I'm craving what I know isn't good for me any more. Such is life, lol.
I'm busy trying to plant some vegetables at the moment, so I can eat more of the good stuff! Anyway, good luck and it sounds like you've got some good meals planned to eat. You'll feel wonderful in a few weeks!
I bet our ancestors fell off the bandwagon when they came across honey or maple sap or a particularly luscious fruit. And then got on with life much like you do. You can only do your best but I am sorry you have to go through that.
DeleteI can have fats. The struggle for me is the 3 meals a day part. I am not supposed to snack and its that time that I feel unsatisified. My old way was to eat small meals but often I didn't bother to make anything healthy to eat so I would eat chocolate or pastry or something like that. My point is that this is the part that is hardest for me-not to have the leaway to eat fats as a snack but I might have to bend the rules a little here until my body gets used to things.
I am definitely feeling the sugar withdrawals-very cranky mood today!
I hope you vegetables are successful this year. Well be over to check it out soon.
What's the theory behind only having 3 meals a day? Does it give the gut a chance to rest between digestion? I figure it must be something important to recommend it in the diet. Are you allowed to go back to eating more regular meals after the 30 days? Because its not actually natural only to eat 3 meals a day, it all depends on our level of activity. Sometimes we can eat less than 3 meals a day if we're not doing much, but other times its better to eat more regular meals to stop the bloodsugar from dropping too low.
DeleteNot trying to diss the diet, just wondering why the 3 meals per day x 30 days is required. On the plus side, its only for a month. That can go really quickly sometimes! I agree with what you said in your recent post, about keeping your hands busy. I wonder if you can sell those rings you carve?
I'm learning about this diet as I go so I had to look up the theory behind the 3 meals a day. I think that I had simplified it in my mind but here goes-it has to do with keeping hormones in what they refer to as a "healthy rhythm." I don't have the book so I am piecing things together. I beleive that this means that you eat enough at each meal that your nutritional needs are met and that your body responds by remaining stable in its processes as a result.
DeleteBut I also read that its not a rule so much as a recommendation and that its okay to have more than 3 meals a day-6 small ones, 3 large and 3 small, or what have you.
My problem with any of this is that this is a lot of preparing as a I defined a snack in the old days as a carrots. Or a chocoate or some other single food item but the program defines it as a meal, i.e. a protein and a vegetable.
Yesterday, I had 2 meals and it was very filling until bedtime when I decided that I needed some nuts because I felt hungry. This has to do with rebuilding my gut I believe as I have been experiencing slow digestion since Garry was in the hospital so its a little tough for me right now to eat a lot.