After traveling all over the world this past year, my health got way off track. I started to incorporate some healthy choices in December – adding in salads and running, but it just wasn’t cutting it. So, like many others this January, I decided to jump head first into the #JanuaryWhole30 program. This isn’t my first rodeo with Whole30, but it is the first time I am in the proper mindset to stick to it.
For me, the biggest hurdle in sticking to Whole30 is committing to changing my behavior. I started Whole30 many times before only to give up and fail a day or two later, returning to the comforting, familiar arms of white rice, pasta, and wine. This time, instead of sabotaging myself, I got mentally prepared. I finished reading Jocko Willink’s book, Discipline = Freedom the same day I began the Whole30 program, and by keeping discipline in the forefront of my mind, I feel more committed to staying the course.
In discussing nutrition, Jocko denounces the 80-20 idea of eating (80% healthy, 20% junk) in favor of a 100% healthy eating plan (that may slip to 99%). This is the method that works best for me. When I let myself have a little dark chocolate or a little pizza, the entire program goes out the window. So, staying committed 100% means that I do not allow myself any chance of falling down the slippery slope.
Once I was mentally prepared, implementing the Whole30 became (relatively) easy. The keys I employed to help me complete this week are:
Eat enough.
I turn to carbs so frequently because they are the easiest to grab when I’m feeling hungry (and lazy). Usually, I will fast or graze until I am starving midday, and then, to stave off low blood sugar, I grab crackers, chips, baguettes, or rolls. This is a terrible strategy, but it is the one I relied on for years to get me through the day. To keep the carb-cravings at bay on the Whole30, I increase the volume of food I eat in a day. It has been an adjustment from times in the past when I failed on the Whole30, and I notice that this is one reason I am able to stay on track this go-round.
Eat your greens in every meal.
Whole30 allows me to pack in nutrient-dense foods with every meal. Greens just straight up make me feel good both physically and mentally. Green leafy vegetables contain a compound (sulfoquinovose) which feeds beneficial gut bacteria that protect the gut. Plus, people who eat 1-2 servings of green leafy vegetables per day have cognitive ability similar to being 11 years younger. Greens add bulk to a meal – meaning that your plate is full, and thus, you feel fuller.
Drown yourself in the Kool-Aid.
Listening to Terry Crews on the Tim Ferriss podcast (HIGHLY recommend this podcast – Terry Crews is incredibly motivational), Terry said that he always has a self-help audio book or podcast playing in the background when he showers or commutes. So, this week, I’ve been listening non-stop to paleo-focused podcasts. Education does not equal behavioral change, but hearing about the benefits of eating whole foods sure does help keep me on track. My favorites include: Paleo Bites with Diane Sanfilipo and Liz Wolfe. Liz and Diane are quirky and knowledgeable, and, as two female hosts, they talk about issues I am interested in, like: skincare, women’s hormones, hair, and nails. Also, I have been listening Mark Sisson’s Primal Blueprint Podcast and Robb Wolf’s The Paleo Solution Podcast, two of the “founding fathers” of the paleo movement.
The True Value of Leftovers.
I hate admitting how many years I refused to eat leftovers. I would half-heartedly try to re-purpose them, only to still throw away most of my leftover food. This is because we, as humans, crave variety. In order to finish a two-gallon sundae, Man v. Food host Adam Richman had to order a plate of french fries toward the end of his challenge. When eating the same food for a couple of meals in a row, you only eat until you feel satiated. Not only is this waste-conscious and cost-effective, but it also helps me to eat only until I feel full and no more.
Stay the course even if you slip-up.
After going running on Day 5, I felt dizzy and faint. In a desperate measure to raise my blood sugar, I got some “healthy junk food” – Lara Bars and Terra Chips. The Terra Chips, with a “hint of lemon” have sugar, but I was too famished to read the label (plus it was in Italian), and I did not see this before eating several handfuls of chips. Upon my discovery, I threw out the chips. I felt discouraged but did not despair. Stay the Course. Stay the Course.
Meals during Whole30 Days 1-7
Day 1:
Lunch: Avocado, blackberries, pistachios, prosciutto, and green olives
Dinner: Bulk sausage, spinach, squash, apple, seeds
Day 2:
Lunch: 1 can tuna in olive oil, butter lettuce, homemade paleo Dijon mayo, squirt of lemon, red onion
Dinner: Cottage pie with cauliflower mash, spinach salad.
Day 3:
Lunch: Tuna over lettuce with Dijon Mayo
Dinner: Burgers with sweet potato “bun,” avocado, and large spinach salad
Snack: Golden Coconut Milk
Day 4:
Lunch: Cottage Pie with a large green salad
Dinner: Brussels sprouts, kale, and pancetta fritatta, with a pear on the side
Snack: Golden Milk
Day 5:
Lunch: Lara bar, Tuna and Salmon sashimi, Terra chips
Dinner: Garlicky Rapini, Lemon chicken, with crispy shallots and garlic confit
Day 6:
Lunch: Cottage Pie with Large green salad and Garlicky Rapini
Dinner: Taco Bowls over Spinach with lemon vinaigrette, squash, avocado, cilantro, and pepitas
Day 7:
Breakfast: Coconut chia seed pudding with blackberries and raspberries
Lunch: Leftover lemony chicken with garlic confit over spinach with red wine vinaigrette
Dinner: Favorite Vegetable Soup with fennel and sausage
Looking Forward
I will keep you guys posted on my meal plans and my results over the next two weeks of the Whole30. Have you ever done the Whole30? Did you stick to the plan? What did you think of your results?
travelingdomestic 