Jessie’s Whole 30 Journey Day by Day!
Can you imagine a month with no carbs, cheese or wine? I didn’t think I could either! That’s part of the reason why I wanted to go for the Whole30 Challenge. It’s not a diet and it is NOT about weight loss….Read more and see my Day by Day picture gallery!
Here are the rules that I’ve been following:
No sugar: that includes fake sugars, syrups, honey, agave etc. none. You CAN eat fruit in moderation
No Alcohol: and that means wine 🙁
No Grains: Even whole grains! so no pasta, bread etc and that does include quinoa or barley too.
No Dairy: Lord help me, NO CHEESE OR ICE CREAM!!!!
No Legumes or Soy: No beans, chickpeas, peanuts etc. No Tofu, edamame, or any type of soy
No carrageenan, MSG or sulfites- probably for the best
No weighing yourself or taking your measurements until the end of the program. (only if you want to)
and you can’t recreate your favorite baked goods with approved ingredients.
You can eat veggies, spices, oils, meats (I only eat seafood), eggs, nuts and seeds. It’s all whole foods.
Below is a day by day glimpse of my experience:
Day 0: We were judging the Food Truck Face Off at Delaware Park. I did not hold back. Yes, Chris and I shamelessly went for pizza afterwards. I did do the grocery shopping! I bought tons of veggies, Ghee butter (no dairy butter), avocado oil and some other approved things to have around the house. I went home and emptied all of the wine from my house. It did not go to waste. I drank it and enjoyed it very much. I also cooked breakfast for the next day since I can’t cook on the week day mornings. I made an egg frittata with spinach tomato and onions. Weighing in at 134. The doubt kicked in that night. I am seriously wondering if this is something I can do! Am I too busy? Do I have enough willpower? Will I make it the full thirty days? Am I strong enough? I guess we will find out.
Day 1: Getting Started
For breakfast, I brought some of the egg frittata with me to work and left some for Chris. It was good! When I got home, I opened the fridge and there was nothing but veggies. I was SO HUNGRY. I broiled fish that would last me through the week. I ate some mango, two tomatoes, a small piece of fish, and a handful of olives. I felt full but still hungry at the same time! So weird. For dinner, I made a veggie Shakshuka and I cooked it in a slow cooker. It was canned tomatoes, roasted peppers, all sorts of delicious spices, and egg. It was pretty good but by the end of the day I felt tired and still hungry.
Day 2:
For breakfast I had a left over dinner and a hard boiled egg. By the time I finished work I was hungry and grumpy. I got home and ate a salad with fish, a handful of nuts, and some mango. Again, I felt full but still hungry! I also felt foggy and tired. My body felt weak but I pushed through a 30 minutes spin class and a yoga class. For dinner I made a stir fry with zucchini noodles, portobello mushrooms and other approved ingredients. It surprisingly filled us up. I could have eaten more but I stopped myself because I didn’t want to feel excessively full. I had a hard time sleeping that night but I’m hoping the irritability and fatigue will start to subside.
Day 3:
I have not been sleeping well, but I felt surprisingly good! I woke up tired but hey, it’s 3:30 am. I didn’t feel as cranky though. I made sure to bring a lot of food to work because we’re at work the times that most people have breakfast and lunch. I brought a hard boiled egg, a small piece of fish, an avocado, and an orange. I also brought a handful of cashews. When I left work, I wasn’t terribly hungry. I took a quick nap. Usually when I nap, I can sleep all day. I power napped for the first time for twenty minutes. Then I hopped on the bike for a 30 minute spin class. I fatigued faster than I normally do. Then it was time for me to teach my Wednesday night class. I was in a really good mood but I did get dizzy during the class. I felt fine when it was over. I went on to the grocery store to get some things for dinner. I made chili lime roasted sweet potatoes, veggie cauliflower rice, and a salad. It was really good! My stomach was feeling bloated and cramped up afterwards. Overall, day 3 wasn’t bad. A lot of people I spoke to said they get really bad headaches and flu like symptoms during the first 7-10 days, but so far I have no experienced that.
Day 4:
Pretty uneventful! Not much to report. I felt the same as I did before I started this. I think I’m lucky because most people experience a “crash” that can includes headaches, irritability, and even flu like symptoms. For breakfast I brought leftover dinner and it made me really full! For lunch I had a little bit of fruit. Got home from a remote around 7 and for breakfast I made some roasted broccoli and portabello mushrooms. I have noticed that I am a little bit more dehydrated than usual so I need to focus on drinking more water. Overall, I’m not going to lie. I’ve been enjoying trying new recipes and cooking. We will see how the first weekend goes.
Day 5, 6 and 7 AKA Weekend 1:
Weekends are tough. We love to go out on Friday and Saturday nights for drinks and dinners. Friday I was happy to stay in. We were both tired so I made dinner. By the way, dinner on Friday night was a disaster. I found a recipe for meatless buffalo burgers using cauliflower. Chris described it as inedible so we just ate salad.
I was feeling discouraged and tired on Saturday. I wanted to quit but Chris convinced me to keep going. He told me it looked like I lost weight but I didn’t believe him. I broke a rule! I got on the scale and I couldn’t believe it! I lost four pounds! Not that it’s about weight loss but it was encouraging. This is also the third day in a row I skipped a work out but I didn’t want to beat myself up. I made cauliflower gnocchi from Trader Joe’s and it was good! I was proud of myself for not quitting on my first Saturday night.
Sunday morning I went for a 5 mile hill repeat run. It was slow and my legs felt like jello but I got it done. By the time it was dinner time, I did not feel like cooking. We went to El Diablo and I got a a salad with all veggies and no dressing! It wasn’t terrible. Surprisingly, I wasn’t that upset about missing a burrito.
By the way for breakfast Friday and Saturday, I made a spinach and tomato egg frittata and breakfast potatoes cooked in avocado oil with onion, pepper, and mushrooms. Huge hit in my house.
Day 8:
I was feeling pretty good on Monday. Not as tired as I usually am at 4 am. More alert at work. I chopped up some tomato and cucumber and added fish and avocado oil to it for lunch. I had dried fruit and nuts for breakfast. We had a lunch meeting at a restaurant. I didn’t eat because I did not feel like being annoying to the waitress asking about ingredients in their food. Someone next to me was eating french fries and I was surprisingly indifferent. I worked out. Still feeling fatigued in my workouts. I was exhausted by the end of the day, so for dinner I just made grilled asparagus and cauliflower rice. We both agreed we kind of just wanted real food but it’s worth it to keep going!
Day 9:
I feel happier! I mean it. I’m in a much better mood and I feel more alert. Still fatiguing in workouts but still feeling like I can push through. For breakfast I had the same thing as the day before. I was so busy, I didn’t eat until dinner at 8:30 pm! I didn’t feel like I was that hungry either. I was hungry but not hangry! For dinner, I was inspired by El Diablo. I cooked mushrooms in clarified butter and vegan ranch (Whole30 compliant). I chopped up some pineapple and added pico de gallo and a jalapeno. I added cabbage, kale, romaine lettuce, guacamole and the mushrooms and I had an El Diablo inspired salad. Chris and I loved it!
Day 10:
I am starting to feel a difference in how my clothes fit! Pants aren’t as tight and it looks like my waist is a little bit smaller. I’m feeling much more confident. I still feel tired when I wake up but I find it much easier to get through the day. After work, I used to nap and during a nap, I would be dead to the world for at least three hours. Now, after 20-30 minutes, I wake up pretty refreshed and ready to move on with my day. I feel happier and less irritable. For breakfast, I ate left over dinner. For lunch when I got home, I had some fruit and nuts and a can of anchovies. (Don’t judge me, I’m Italian and they’re delicious!) I did a 20 minute bike ride right before teaching my 5 pm barre class and I’m starting to feel stronger. For dinner, I made zoodle (zucchini noodle) stir fry with veggies. Instead of soy sauce, I used sesame oil, coconut amino, and rice vinegar.
Day 11:
We had our remote broadcast at ChristianaCare for their #hitmewithyourflushot campaign. I woke up with a pretty bad headache and I couldn’t bring food with me because there was not a fridge for me to store food in during the morning show. Someone was eating a muffin next to me and It looked REALLY GOOD! Off limits. I know. I left some kale chips and a hard boiled egg in the car. I snacked on that after the broadcast. During the afternoon, I felt pretty tired. When I got home, I ate some fruit and nuts which kept me pretty full. I broiled some salmon and scallops for a salad I made to eat for dinner. I took a long nap and went to yoga and felt better. Chris was on a business trip for the night so I ate some salad with fish for dinner and I felt a lot better. I can honestly say that I don’t miss a lot of things. A few weeks ago, hungry felt different. I would get irritable and frustrated. Now it’s just hunger and it feels so much more manageable.
Day 12,13, and 14 AKA WEEKEND 2:
The weekend was frustrating! Chris got home early on Friday and it would have been the perfect time to go to happy hour and just unwind. We resisted and I just made dinner and we stayed home. On Saturday morning, I had to get up early for an event. I resisted a cupcake, a bag of pretzels, a soft pretzel and a bag of cheesy popcorn at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk/Run. I was proud of myself and just ate when I got home. Chris tried to convince me later that day, that I should just take Saturday off and go out to eat and enjoy myself. It was so tempting. I’m so glad I stayed with it. On Sunday we had a birthday party and I resisted even more cupcakes! We almost called it quits and went for pizza but I’m so glad we kept going. I made things like eggs, salads, fish and cauliflower gnocchi. I’ll admit, the food is getting boring but it’s worth sticking out. It’s not that I miss the food, I miss being able to go out. I feel chained to my kitchen but we will make it through the 30 days.
Day 15:
It’s not as frustrating on the week days. I feel a lot better and I enjoy eating healthier. I have noticed that I physically can’t stay awake past 9 pm which is a blessing and I curse. I’m getting better more consistent sleep but I can’t stay up late. I had left over dinner for breakfast, had some salmon and fruit for lunch and for dinner I had some veggies. Halfway there!
Day 16:
As I was reading the book and reading what other people were experiencing through the program, I heard the term ‘tiger-blood’ a lot. It’s when the ‘switch’ flips and your energy is through the roof and you kicked the cravings and your work outs are stronger than ever. I have not experienced this yet! I feel a little bit more energized but more tired this week than last week. I do love the fact that I am forced to eat more veggies and protein because bread and sugar are not an option.
Day 17:
Feeling the same as yesterday. In fact, I fell asleep for a power nap and woke up two hours later. It was glorious! Hopefully I will feel my ‘tiger-blood’ soon. IF I don’t, I’m pouring myself a glass of wine. 🙂 (Just kidding, at this point it is worth sticking with the 30 days.)
Day 18:
Still feeling exhausted for some reason! Skipped a work out which is rare for me, but I am listening to my body and resting as needed. Hopefully I will feel better next week.
Day 19 20 and 21 AKA WEEKEND 3:
Ahhhh! Weekend number 3. Friday, Chris was out of town which makes it easier to resist the urge to go out to dinner and have drinks. I did a 30 minute high intensity interval training spin class and went to yoga. I was still feeling fatigued. I just had a hard boiled egg for dinner and fell asleep early. Saturday morning, we slept until 10 o clock. (Chris got home in the middle of the night from a business trip.) I went for a four mile run and we made dinner reservations at Terrain. I checked the menu and there were a few approved items. I ordered their Salmon dish and made sure there was no added sugar or dairy in the ingredients. I considered grabbing a bottle of wine (It’s BYOB) but I was so proud of myself when I decided against it. I had tea instead. Sunday was hard. It was a rainy day. I just wanted a chocolate chip peanut butter muffin but I resisted and followed all the rules! Made zoodles with approved pesto for dinner and just like that… three full weeks completed.
Day 22:
Always easier to resist the temptations on a week day! I brought a salad to work and had some salmon and fruit when I got home. I had an event that night with Randy Fenoli for the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition. Everyone was having cocktails and I wanted one so badly. I was proud of myself for resisting. I also resisted the cheese and cracker and all of the other wonderful food they had there. Got home around 9:30 and just had a scrambled egg with some guacamole. One more week until the last day!!! I know you’re not supposed to weigh yourself during the challenge but I’m 10 lbs down!
Day 23:
I was exhausted today after working late the night before and getting up for the morning show. After work I made my way home and napped for a few hours. It was the perfect rainy nap day. Usually when I have a day like that I feel irritable and groggy. I was tired but in a good mood. I also noticed that my skin looked fresher than it would on a morning after a long night. Looking at pictures from the night before, I noticed that I looked thinner than previous photos from before the challenge started. Overall, I am starting to feel good about the results.
Day 24:
Still noticing that my cardio workouts are not what they used to be. I still push through them but they are much more difficult and I am not producing the same output that I did before the challenge started. I am taking the modifications that I need but I find it very frustrating.
Day 25:
I am feeling so excited that I made it this far! Less than one week until I can go to happy hour with my friends! Overall, my skin is clearer, my mood is better, I’m down a few pounds, but I’m still feeling tired. When I feel hungry, I don’t feel as depleted and grumpy. I don’t have craving as much.
Day 26 28 and 28 AKA WEEKEND 4:
This weekend was the most challenging. I wanted to quit so many times because we had family in town to celebrate a birthday. I’m so happy I didn’t because I am so close!!! Friday, we had everyone at my future mother-in-law’s house including our old friend Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza. I stuck with salad with no cheese or dressing and said no to wine. BORING! Saturday morning we went to Ihop for breakfast and I ordered an egg white omelet with veggies but I really wanted pancakes. I had to make sure it was not made with milk or butter. I felt like such a burden asking the server about that. We were supposed to go out for dinner, but luckily everyone was too tired by 6:30. We did take out instead and I just had some Salmon. It came with a side of pasta and after a ton contemplation, I didn’t. On Sunday, I was really over it. I was so close to getting breakfast from Pure Bread Deli with everyone else but I resisted. It poured all morning on Sunday but cleared up to be a beautiful afternoon. I wanted to go out for drinks and appetizers with Chris but he encouraged me to keep going and I’m so glad I stuck with the program. For dinner, he had leftover pizza and I just had salad.
Day 29:
Mondays are always easier than the weekend. I had salad for breakfast at work, eggs for lunch and some zucchini noodles for dinner. I went for a long run and the craziest thing happened! I was crossing the street and the coast was clear. As I was running, I had a gut feeling to get into the grass. I’m running in the grass and a car veered off the road and into the shoulder right where I would have been running. Luckily, I was safe. Could you imagine if I went 29 days without wine or cheese leading up to my demise? Live your life and don’t deprive yourself. One more day….
Day 30:
Such a relief that it’s the last day. I can’t believe I made it. I don’t miss any foods to be honest. It will be nice to have a piece of Halloween candy. It will be nice to be less strict and go out to eat. It will be nice to have wine. To be perfectly honest, the results were underwhelming. I still feel tired during the day and I haven’t lost much weight. My workout suffered a little bit but it’s good to know I’m eating healthier. I definitely kicked cravings and I love that my diet is so clean and fresh. I’m hoping to continue some of these new habits but I’m looking forward to enjoying myself in moderation.
All in all, I dropped about ten pounds.
Takeaways
- I am so proud of my will power. I wanted to quit during the weekend but I’m glad I didn’t.
- I really don’t miss any foods. I do miss going out to eat and not having to check every single thing I eat for ingredients that are not approved.
- I love that I HAD to eat fruits and vegetables. I feel like my brain is retrained to crave healthy foods instead of bread, dairy, and sugar.
- It is possible! If I can do it, you can do it. It takes diligence and planning but it’s not hard.
- You make time for what you want. Nobody has time! I get it. We are all busy, but you truly carve out time for what you want. When I first started the challenge, I was afraid that I wouldn’t have time to cook or plan. I was afraid I would be too tired to continue this. I thought to myself, if I can spend time scrolling through instagram and twitter, I can spend time cooking and meal planning.
- A lot of people get big results from this particular program. They feel their ‘tiger blood’ which means energy is through the roof, work outs are powerful, and they’re in a better mood. I feel almost the same. I dropped a few pounds and my skin is clearer. At the same time, in the beginning of the experiment, I did not experience a ‘carb crash’, which is headaches and flu like symptoms from eliminating things I was used to eating.
- We saved money because we didn’t dine out or get drinks but I also spent a ton of money on groceries. I didn’t throw anything away. We used everything we bought.
