Interlude: What to do now?

I needed a place to get all my thoughts down as I'm nearing the end of this.

Here's what I have gotten out of the Whole 30:
1. Hopefully at least some weight loss- will edit this post with exact numbers tomorrow after I weigh myself.
2. Feeling better in my body- You know that feeling when you eat too much crap and you feel fat and terrible right after? Like I did on my birthday night? I havent had that at all in the last 30 days and thats pretty awesome.
3. Feeling confident- I feel pretty proud that I've stuck to this for 30 whole days. A month! I never thought I could do it. I thought the cravings would overtake me, or I'd be too hungry, or I wouldn't be able to survive unsweetened coffee or no cheese. But guess what- I DID! I feel like I can do anything now and certainly have no more excuses to myself.
4. Awareness of my cravings and control over them. I am more keenly aware of why I eat when I do (am I actually hungry or just bored/stressed/sad/happy etc) and also when and what I crave. I have learned that if I just ignore my cravings, stay distracted, or drink some water/tea, or even eat something healthy (like a banana with almond butter) the craving will eventually fade and I will get over it. I *never* have once regretted not giving into a craving. That should be saying something!
5. A reset for eating healthy foods as a lifestyle. I was at a good place before my pregnancy and then fell off the rails. This has set me back up with a good framework to continue mostly eating healthy.


Here's what I plan to change on Day 31:
1. I am going to add a select few foods back into my regular, every day diet that aren't allowed on the whole 30. These include
* quinoa
* greek yogurt
* peanut butter/PB2 (i do like almond butter and will continue to eat it, but its expensive!!)
* breakfast shakes- made with protein powder, spirulina, flaxseed meal, almond milk, frozen bananas
* feta cheese (sparingly)
* gluten free ezekiel bread (sparingly)
* maple syrup & honey (sparingly as sweeteners)
* salad dressings that may have some honey or a small amount of sugar in them while still trying to choose wisely

I'm hoping to continue to avoid processed foods, most dairy, most gluten/grains, and refined sugar.

2. I do plan to make and partake of desserts, being careful not to USE them to feed cravings or make them a routine after dinner thing. Instead, just making them as small treats for the family occasionally. However, these desserts will be paleo/gluten free usually and not include refined sugars. There are so many good dessert recipes that are paleo and "healthier", I don't think this will be a problem!

3. While my taste for unsweetened coffee has definitely improved, its still not a great experience. I'm going to try to add either a little bit of the nestle natural bliss creamer to my coffee (instead of practically 1/2 cup like I used to) or a bit of maple syrup to make it more tolerable. I'll continue using nutpods, coconut milk or almond milk for creamer.

5. I am not going to beat myself up for eating desserts or foods socially and sparingly. These episodes will NOT be part of my regular diet, but I will allow myself to have things I don't usually eat for a special occasion. For example, at my brother's wedding I am definitely partaking in the cake/donuts/etc that will be there! Hopefully I can continue to use moderation and savor these treats instead of mindlessly throwing them back. And continue to consciously choose which of these items is worth eating.

AND....if I feel like I'm slipping off the rails again, or to be an accountability parter for someone else, I will go back on the whole 30 in a heartbeat. I know people usually do multiple rounds of this, and I'm definitely not opposed. I now know I can do it!

Day 29

I can't believe after tomorrow I will have made it 30 days! I think I am achieving what I wanted to out of this, mainly that it doesn't feel that hard anymore (minus the prep work) and I feel good and not hungry. My cravings feel in control for the most part. I've been thinking so much about how I want to live when this is over. I am filled with both excitement and nervousness! I don't want to undo the last 30 days. I hope I've lost at least a little weight. I will weigh myself tomorrow morning!! Eek!

For breakfast this morning I had scrambled eggs. I am so excited to be able to expand my breakfast repetoire soon!

Lunch was a mish-mash as I was at the park. I had some plantain chips with guacamole and some more strawberry/cucumber salad. Then I came home and had leftover chicken tikka masala.

Dinner was our old faithful recipe, turkey chili.

Day 28

Day 28! Wow! I do feel like I'm feeling more relaxed as far as the rules go, not breaking them necessarily...but more with SWYPO potential foods and plantain chips. Eek!

Breakfast today was at work at the hospital, so I got 3 boiled eggs and ate them cut in half with salt. I also had coffee and brought nutpods with me so I could drink it!

For lunch I had leftover zoodles and chicken soup with some avocado.

Dinner was a chicken burger from trader joes which was much better than the turkey burgers! And bigger, so I only needed one. I put some dijon mustard on it.

Of course that left me hungry so I had some leftover strawberry/cucumber salad from yesterday and then a banana with almond butter.

2 days to go!

Day 27

Today was Mothers Day! I got to sleep in and didn't have breakfast until noon! Jay made me some scrambled eggs and I also had a banana with almond butter.


I went to Trader Joes in the afternoon and found a potential problem food for me...plantain chips! Oh my goodness they are good. While they are approved, they are definitely going to be a "food without breaks" for me, as I ate the whole bag. Oops! Definitely satisfies my chips craving, but I probably shouldn't be giving in to that anyways! I'll still eat these, but try to moderate a bit better!


Dinner was the delicious chicken tikka masala over cauliflower rice. I also made the strawberry/cucumber/almond/lime/balsamic salad that I made early on in the whole 30.


On to night call....hoping for sleep/not snacking! Haha.

Day 26

Today was a busy day, we were out and about for most of it. LOTS of temptations today which was tough but I resisted!

Jim made me a nice breakfast of scrambled eggs and sauteed tomatoes with avocado. Yum!

Lunch was at church, where everyone had delicious looking pizza. I brought myself a jar salad.

Then we went out for ICE CREAM with my in laws. Seriously! I brought a banana and almond butter so that I wasn't too sad.

For dinner, we were out with friends and they ordered from Panera and Chipotle. What I got was a burrito bowl from chipotle with lettuce, chicken, mild salsa and guacamole. I read online that *technically* the chicken is not compliant because they cook it in soybean oil. But I made the executive decision of who the F cares because that is not a "cheat" in my mind at all. If I was really cheating, I would have been knee deep in Panera mac & cheese and chips by then. I actually stopped at the grocery store and bought some cauliflower rice to add to it. Besides the fact that it smelled up the entire house (it was fresh, not frozen), it was very good and satisfying!

My friends then proceeded to make s'mores which was also pretty tempting. BUT, instead I had a lara bar.

Can't believe I made it through today. Good thing my stubbornness and persistence > desire to cheat!

Day 25

Today was another work day. I had 2 boiled eggs (the last ones! I cannot bring myself to make anymore right now. I am tired of boiled eggs!) cut in half and sprinkled with salt.

Lunch was a jar salad and an apple pie lara bar.

Dinner was a citrus/lime chicken soup with zoodles topped with avocado. It was actually really good and the zoodles were yummy and so easy to do with my spiralizer!! It felt like there was spaghetti in the soup.


I woke up this morning feeling the "tiger blood" a little bit that they talk about. I feel pretty good. I'm getting nervous about ending it and what kinds of foods I want to incorporate, to check my weight, and to go forward, but I am super excited that I've almost made it all the way through!

Day 24

Today I had scrambled eggs for breakfast.

Lunch was two turkey burgers with avocado and dijon mustard. These turkey burgers from Trader Joes are edible but not very good, I must admit. Haha!


Dinner was turkey chili, the go-to staple at this point! A winner meal that all 4 of us like! Pretty rare in this household!

OH MAN. I may have made a SWYPO  "dessert" but I don't really care. This is why?
1) Its day 24 and after these 30 days I fully plan to incorporate healthier versions of desserts into my life
2) All the ingredients were whole 30 approved. No sugar, no chocolate, no honey, no maple syrup, no fake sweeteners at all.
3) I didn't make it in a desperate urge to satisfy a sweet tooth. I was actually just curious what it would taste like after seeing the recipe and needed something new and exciting to eat after feeling like I was in a rut.

So here's what I made. Sautéed 2 apples in coconut oil, sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg and topped with a spread of mixed coconut milk and almond butter. It was AMAZING. Jay didn't like it. I think maybe I did like it quite a bit because it was really the first sweet thing besides natural fruit I've had in the past 24 days, so the natural sweetness really shone through and it tasted like a decadent dessert treat. I may have eaten it all myself. Whoops.


Definitely going to keep that one in the recipe drawer!

Day 23

I feel like I keep saying "Another long day at work" but it certainly was. Haha. Breakfast was 2 boiled eggs cut in half and sprinkled with salt (more tolerable than mashed with avocado these days for some reason). Those were the last 2 boiled eggs. Will have to make some more to finish this out then I think I need a break from them for a while. Haha.

Lunch was a jar salad.

Larabar snack around 3pm.

Apple/almond butter at 5pm.

Dinner when I got home was leftover curry chicken/cauliflower rice followed by a handful of cashews.

I've been thinking a lot about what to do when this is over- only 4 days away! Hard to believe I made it. I'm going to need a solid game plan after this so I don't undo everything that has been done!

Day 22

Today I knew I was going to be going on a zoo outing with some friends, so I needed to plan well.

I took the effort and make a hearty breakfast hash of sweet potatoes, onions, chicken sausage, eggs and avocado.


We were at the zoo at lunchtime and I didn't bring any meal items. However, I did eat an Rx bar that kept me fairly satisfied until we got home. I got McDonalds for the kids on the way home and the smell of fries was definitely tempting! I had some apple slices and resisted....

When I got home, I got so busy that I didn't have a chance to eat anything except a handful of cashews.

Dinner was chicken lemon curry in the instant pot over cauliflower rice and roasted carrots with salt, paprika and cumin.


I finished off the raspberries after dinner. Yum!

Day 21

Another long day at work. I definitely had a moment this morning of "I CANNOT EAT ANOTHER BOILED EGG." I had my usual boiled egg + avocado breakfast and was so sick of it I couldn't even finish. I really need to come up with some better ideas for breakfasts to survive this thing!!

Lunch was a jar salad.

Dinner was leftover spaghetti squash/cashew sauce/broccoli.

I had an apple w/almond butter and a banana at some point during the day too, and I think an Rx bar.

Defintiely in the "this is getting boring" stage they talk about! Funny...the timeline says this happens at EXACTLY day 21. Ha! See below...

(Interlude) Day 21: I am so over this.

You’ve solidly settled into week three of the program at this point. Your clothes fit better; your skin is clearer; your inner awesomeness is shining through. But despite the many benefits you’re seeing, you went to bed last night dreading the thought of breakfast. You weren’t much more excited about it this morning, either. Come to think of it, you’re not thrilled with any of your meal options right now.  In fact, if Iron Chef Bobby Flay were to walk into your kitchen right now and offer to cook you any Whole30 compliant meal you wanted, you’re not even sure you could think of one. Just about anything sounds like more fun than sitting down to a big plate of Whole30 grub.  You’re loving the way your body is responding to the program, but you’re just not sure if you can make it through 9 more days. And if you see even one more egg, you are going to scream.

Somewhere in the third week of the program, serious food boredom sets in. For some folks, it gets so overwhelming that they lose their appetite altogether for a few days. Don’t let the food fatigue overtake you – plan ahead! Get to work in week two and hunt down some new recipes to keep the fire burning! Find inspiration from our Whole30 Recipes Instagram Feed, cruise the Whole30 Pinterest boards, or pick up a new cookbook. Find some exotic produce in the grocery store, try some exotic recipes – do whatever you can to get over this little speed bump. Being bored and hungry is just a recipe for disaster, and this, too, shall pass.

Day 20

Wow, 2/3 of the way done! Being on day 20 feels like such an accomplishment. As I drove to work this morning, I felt proud. I drove by Dunkin Donuts and felt FREE that I am no longer depending on eating breakfasts there that always end up making me feel awful afterwards and taking all my money! I feel like I'm on a different path-where I am recognizing that I don't *need* food to feel happy or satisfied psychologically. I am still experiencing cravings and grumpiness when I can't partake in group desserts, longing for a buttery grilled cheese sandwich and chocolate pie with cool whip topping. Mmmmmm. BUT, I know that I feel better when I mainly avoid those things in so many different ways-physically, emotionally, psychologically. I feel so much more confidence knowing that I have the power and the ability to say NO to things. I have not regretted it once!


I am starting to mull over what to do when I'm done in 10 days. I really like Jen Hatmaker's take on it- to do 80/20. Basically stick to the rules, but if there is some goat cheese in a salad, or butter on something, or if I want to have a grilled cheese, splash of sweetened creamer in my coffee or cookie once in a while, I'm not going to kill myself over it. But I think realizing that I never regret saying no to those things is really going to help me do it more often. At least I hope, that's why I wanted to do this in the first place!


Anyways, breakfast today was boiled eggs at work cut in half. Lunch was leftover cashew sauce + roasted broccoli + spaghetti squash. YUM!





For dinner we had taco night at church. That was so easy for me to adjust-I brought some cauliflower rice with me and then topped it with ground turkey, lettuce, tomato and guac. I definitely was eyeing the chips and cheese but it was still good without.


After dinner, 3 of us families went out for ice cream. The true test!! I was actually fine and only envied the ice creams for a moment. In the future, I can see myself having a tiny bowl or a couple bites of Jay's, but probably not a whole ice cream. Today though, nada. I ate an apple pie lara bar instead!

Day 19

Today I slept in because I had to work overnight so didn't wake up til 11am. So my breakfast was around noon and was 4 scrambled eggs (thanks Jay for making them! It was nice to not have to cook something for once this month!)

Lunch was basically skipped because dinner was my next meal. I made a recipe from Jen Hatmaker's site. Remember, she is one of my favorite authors/bloggers and just finished the whole 30. I love her write up about the end and her experience with it. I relate so much! Here it is: http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2017/05/04/whole30-a-lazy-girls-tale

Anyways, the recipe was basically chicken, broccoli alfredo but the sauce was made from blended up cashews, lemon juice, coconut milk, garlic and nutmeg. You were supposed to add veggie stock but I forgot. Oops! Haha. It was insanely good sauce!!!! Better than alfredo in my opinion!

I put it over broccoli which I had roasted in the oven and the ground turkey that I prepared the other day. I meant to put it all on top of the extra spaghetti squash that I made the other day but also forgot to do that. Haha! It was so good that I forgot to snap a picture until I was almost done.

I have leftover sauce so I'm definitely going to have it with the spaghetti squash for lunch tomorrow! Maybe I'll throw some more broccoli in there too. I will definitely be saving this recipe for the future, you can add chicken or whatever to it too, I just used what I had!

I went to work again armed with snacks in anticipation of being up all night. Luckily, I wasnt! But I did eat a banana with almond butter and a larabar before I went to sleep.

Day 18

Ahhh...cinco de mayo. Everyone talking about tacos and margaritas. Slight pangs of longing but I survived!

Another work day. Breakfast was boiled eggs cut in half.

Lunch was a salad. These ones are MUCH better...yum!!


Dinner was leftover spaghetti squash/chicken/sundried tomato dish from yesterday.


For some reason I really struggled tonight after dinner being hungry and being a little bit grumpy about not being able to have dessert. I ended up having a banana with almond butter and then a larabar later. It sufficed enough I guess!

Day 17

After the last 2 days had me in various states of panic due to not having prepared food ready, I realized I couldn't let that continue. Today was a major "prep" day for the coming week. Hoping future Kara will thank today Kara for the hard work I put in.

I boiled a dozen eggs. I cooked a pound of ground turkey. I cooked and shredded a whole pack of chicken breasts. I cooked a whole spaghetti squash and shredded it. I made 4 jar salads that I'm hoping will taste better than last week's!






















One secret weapon this week was ordering whole-30 approved condiments from amazon. I should have done it in the beginning, but thought I could make everything from scratch. After a majorly failed dressing attempt, I gave in and just ordered some (primal kitchen brand). Ranch and greek dressing and chipotle lime mayo which is WOW. AMAZINGLY GOOD. I mixed some of that with the shredded chicken and threw it in my salads for the week along with diced pears, diced beets, ranch, almond slices and lettuce.



Breakfast today was scrambled eggs, straight up. I made 5 but my kids ate most of it (after saying they didn't want any, the usual), so I probably ended up eating 2.

Lunch I was at a friend's house, and they got Panera (ugh! their mac and cheese! bread! cookies!) while I dutifully brought the last of the cauliflower + pepper soup. I added some ground turkey and avocado to it as well hoping to make it a little more filling. It worked! I also had an apple with almond butter there.

Dinner was spaghetti squash + shredded chicken + sun dried tomatoes + basil + egg/coconut milk mixture to hold it together. Not bad! I'm the only one who ate it, as Jay had plans and the kids went to bed because it took so long! Oops. I'm actually eating it now while I write this post. ha!



I will likely "treat myself" to some fruit or a larabar tonight. We'll see where the night takes me. Haha!

Day 16

As long as I plan well, work days aren't very hard except for when people bring in goodies that are temptations.

Today for breakfast I panicked-as I said yesterday, I don't have any boiled eggs made so I was faced with 10 minutes til I had to left and nothing to eat quickly! Eeek! Normally in this situation I would just make a quick stop to Dunkies. Medium caramel swirl iced coffee (or french vanilla with cream and 2 sugars melted) with either a veggie egg white flatbread (my "healthy choice") or an egg and cheese on cinnamon raisin bagel with hash browns (my "unhealthy choice"). Not today! I grabbed the dirty pan, scrubbed it quick, and whipped up a few scrambled eggs and basically inhaled them while doing my makeup. Ha! A little extra effort maybe, but I got it done!

Lunch was leftover chili. So good and satisfying! I ate a ton of fruit too, that we had brought home from the shower leftover.

When I got home, dinner was more cauliflower + red pepper soup. There was so much leftover!

I struggled with after dinner dessert cravings and feeling hungry after the soup. I got a little grumpy and hangry. I hate that feeling. What I wanted? Nachos and ice cream. What I had? I ended up having a banana with almond butter and felt slightly better. Evenings are definitely the hardest. I wonder if someday these cravings will actually go away! Cheese + desserts. ARRGHHH.

I will say, I am definitely tolerating coffee more. Hopeful for that change of taste!

Day 15

Today was a little bit of a lull in prepared foods which I noticed bigtime. No boiled eggs! I ended up making a scramble of eggs + leftover chopped onion and diced potatoes from yesterday. It was good except I didn't cook the onion long enough. Lesson learned. Coffee + nutpods, blah blah blah. You know the drill. Sometimes for snacks I have larabars, rx bars or apple/banana with almond butter. I'm gonna start leaving that out now because I can't remember and its redundant. Ha.



Lunch was leftover cauliflower + red pepper soup from last night with avocado on top. I remembered to take a pic of it this time!



Dinner was the favorite sweet potato + ground turkey chili. I remembered to double it so I'd have some to bring to work tomorrow!

Its surreal to be half way through! I'm feeling good. I am hoping the energy and better sleep part kicks in soon. Although maybe its because I have a full time job, 3 kids and one of them doesnt sleep through the night. Hmmm...

Day 14

I woke up this morning at work, but luckily planned ahead and brought leftover hash from yesterday, plus 2 eggs + avocado and cold brew for breakfast.

For lunch I had my last tuna jar salad. Ready to make new ones that I hopefully like better!!

For snacks I had a small bag of baby carrots with guacamole and a banana with almond butter.

Dinner was a roasted red pepper and cauliflower soup in the instant pot. I added diced avocado to the top. It was really good, but I may add ground turkey to it in the future for some filling protein.

I treated myself to a lemon lara bar for "dessert" before bed.

No pictures! Guess I was busy....oops!

I keep thinking today about how crazy the psychological hold is that food has over people. Its unreal. When you think hard about it, food should be fuel-thats it. It should be like filling the car with gas. I'm hungry-so I should eat food thats good for my body. Why is it that food has the power to make us happy, sad, excited, or any other EMOTION? Why do we give it that power??

I long for a day when it doesn't have that power over me. Tomorrow will be the halfway point and I'm pretty proud of how far I've come but there's still a long way to go.