As I was looking for inspiration, I came across several blogs that did a day by day run down of their experience on Whole30 and I found it incredibly helpful.  So I thought I would do the same in a slightly condensed weekly version.  I’m sorry if this is a really long post, so I won’t be offended if you don’t care what I’m eating every day and just want to skip to the bottom.

Day 1

I had done all the planning I could, but nothing prepares you really for that first day when you have to get up, prep your food for the. entire. day. and get yourself to work on time.  So while I managed to put together a decent salad for lunch, breakfast ended up being a hard-boiled egg and an apple.  I managed to make it through the snacking hour with a clementine and several walks around the office, but knew I had to bulk up my meals if I was going to make it 30 days.

Dinner that first night was technically very tasty.  But the balsamic chicken, which has been a long-standing favorite in my kitchen, just didn’t satisfy my hunger.  I spent the rest of the evening craving sugar in the form of bread, cake, ice cream, and OH MY GOD THERE IS SO MUCH EASTER CANDY IN MY HOUSE.  It was pretty rough, so I decided to just go to bed and hope that I didn’t dream about peanut butter eggs.

Day 2

Tuesdays are my work from home days, so I didn’t have to pack up my kitchen.  That was the only upside.  The rest of the day was pretty shit-tastic.  I pulled out some smoked salmon, cold asparagus, and cherry tomatoes to start the day but ended up just staring at my plate for nearly an hour.  When I did finally start eating, it was pretty slow since I just wasn’t feeling very hungry.  But after my skimpy breakfast the day before, I knew I needed to get it down or I’d be starving come lunch time.

Lunch was a bit of a debacle.  I had planned on making salmon salad, but my attempt at making mayo was a big fail.  So, I ended up eating a stalk of celery with almond butter and raisins, then an apple a bit later.  Needless to say, I was ready to stab someone by 3 o’clock.  Even with a mid-afternoon snack of some pistachios.  Fortunately, I had thrown a beef roast and carrots in the crock pot that morning, so I just ate my dinner early.  Then about an hour later, I ate half an avocado because I was still hungry.

Then the nausea began.  I retired to bed shortly after returning from Allison’s dance class with my beloved heating pad, hoping what I imagined was a little carb flu would go away by morning.  It did but I had a restless night, waking up at regular intervals.  And I was SO THIRSTY.  But when my alarm went off at 7:15, I was feeling much better.  Plus the chapped lips that have been plaguing me all winter were dramatically improved!  Things appear to be looking up.

Day 3

I was a little worried about starting off day 3 with just an apple and some almond butter, but it turned out to be pretty satisfying and I didn’t even feel the need for a morning snack.  Lunch was beef roast and carrot leftovers, plus a small salad.  It was good, but it didn’t keep me from reaching for the almonds mid-afternoon.  I know I used to instinctively snack at work, sometimes out of legitimate hunger, but also sometimes out of boredom or routine.  I have been making a concerted effort to postpone snacking until I am sure that I’m really hungry.  So, taking a walk around the office or drinking a glass of water before grabbing a snack has really helped me focus on what my body wants.

Dinner was grilled pork tenderloin, steamed broccoli, and baked sweet potato with coconut oil, cinnamon, and chopped walnuts.  And HALLELUJAH!  It was the first time I had felt satiated since starting the Whole30!  That sweet potato was so good.  So perhaps I’m missing some carbs.  But I went to bed that night tired, but full.

Day 4

I had baked off a few extra sweet potatoes the night before and decided to try making a quick hot breakfast.  I mashed up one potato with an egg and attempted to make a sweet potato pancake.  It didn’t exactly turn out as I had hoped, but it was still good.  I mean, how can you screw up sweet potato?  And I tossed in a couple dried cranberries for a little treat.  I thought it would be weird to eat broccoli for breakfast, but it wasn’t that bad.  It wasn’t that great either, but that’s okay.  And since I had the pan out, I threw in an egg for protein.  Overall, a well-rounded breakfast.

I ventured out into the big bad world for the first time for lunch with some co-workers.  We went to Cracker Barrel and I was surprised that there were actually a couple safe options.  They offered a grilled fish with three sides, but I wasn’t quite as sure on safe side dish choices, so I went with a roasted turkey salad.  I avoided the fried sweet potato straws and deviled eggs, assuming they were prepared with canola/vegetable oil or conventional mayo, but otherwise was very satisfied.  At least for a while.  I ended up snacking a lot in the afternoon with a banana and almond butter and again with some smoked salmon.

But for the second night in a row, dinner was AMAZING.  I made grilled fish tacos.  This is a meal I make often, but subbed the tortilla for a butter lettuce leaf and used cauliflower to make Mexican “rice.”  Matt was leery, but I liked it even though it was more like couscous than rice.

And after dinner I felt so energized!  I got a bunch of things done around the house (even mopping the floor) and went to bed tired but happy.  And hopeful it would last.  Sadly, not so much…

Day 5

Friday was a bit hectic for a few reasons.  We were having people over for dinner that evening and I was running around trying to get last-minute tasks done before leaving for work so I grabbed half a sweet potato and a hard boiled egg and called it breakfast.  I relished some fish taco leftovers at lunch and managed to avoid snacking all day.

Then all hell broke loose.  Shortly after I got home from work, Matt interrupted my peeling of sweet potatoes with a concerned look on his face.  Denver had a nice sized gash on his side that very obviously needed stitches.  So I scrambled to find a place that could sew him up before we were limited to the 24 hour emergency vet.  I was very lucky that Banfield (where we used to take him) was open til 7 and able to get him in right away.  So I left my guests with instructions to cook their own dinner and hoped to be back soon.  The poor pup had to be sedated and shaved, so he was still drunk on “Michael Jackson drugs” (vet’s words, not mine) when I picked him up.  And with all the people in the house, Denver just. didn’t. want. to. lay. down.  So I gave him a pain-killer and closed him in our room to force him to rest.  He slept off the anesthesia for a bit then escaped to be with the people and I spent a lot of time trying to keep him from bumping his stitches into things.  Such a clumsy dog.  But he is doing better and the wound is healing.

I managed to eat a hamburger patty and a few sweet potato fries during all of this but I was a little too exhausted/stressed to really care about eating.  But then later I had another hamburger patty and some blackberries.

Day 6

Saturday I had plans with my Whole30 buddy to attend an all day gardening seminar that started at 8:30.  I really don’t do well getting up in the morning, so I was running late, as usual.  I managed to scarf down an apple with almond butter before heading out the door but grabbed some hard-boiled eggs assuming I would be hungry before our lunch break.  And I was.  But Julie had some almonds, so I grabbed a small handful of those instead and saved my eggs for lunch.  We ordered salads at the cafe and was thankful for them since my choice didn’t include any protein.

I did grab a few pieces of smoked salmon in the afternoon before running errands because I anticipated a later dinner.  We decided to just eat up some leftovers that evening and I had pork tenderloin, asparagus, and of course, sweet potato.  I was still craving something else and finished up with some blackberries.  I also snuck in some almonds before bed because I have an awful time falling asleep with an empty stomach.

Day 7

Yesterday was not a great day for a variety of reasons.  Maybe it was the cranky child that refuses to poop.  Maybe it was the temptation at the baby shower.  Maybe it was just not getting to spend the gorgeous day outside.  Whatever it was, I was pretty unenthusiastic all day.  I ate fried eggs and blackberries for breakfast.  Beef roast and carrot leftovers for lunch.  Some fruit salad at the shower and a banana and almonds after.

Then we went grocery shopping.  First to a local health food market, then Aldi.  We did score some bacon at the market, but I was very disappointed in the lack of options available, even in this venue.  And the only thing that got me through Aldi was that I had my list and stayed focused on what I needed.

We did have a wonderful dinner of ginger lime shrimp and green beans, but otherwise the day was just really blah.

Week 1 Wrap Up

Okay, yeah, that was really long.  I don’t even want to reread it!  But the first week is supposedly the hardest and if anyone can glean support from this post, I’d be pleased. 

It honestly wasn’t as bad as I anticipated, even though there were some rough cravings.  (I could’ve really used a glass of wine Friday night.)  Having a detailed meal plan was HUGE.  I doubt I would’ve succeeded without it.  Here’s hoping week 2 is even better!

You just read Whole30 {Week 1} on Dear Mommy Brain! Join the conversation and leave a comment!

And we made some really amazing meals last week.  The pork tenderloin was FANTASTIC.  And I will make the ginger lime shrimp regularly now that I have a reasonably priced, good quality shrimp source (Costco).  The pulled pork got bumped to this week simply because we had too much food already in the fridge to add more.  I’ll need to be mindful of scheduling leftover nights or freezing surplus or we are going to have a food waste catastrophe on our hands.

I was elated to find some smoked bacon from my favorite pig farmer that DIDN’T HAVE SUGAR!  I’m hoping it’s as good as the regular stuff, because that bacon ruined me on all other bacons and I’ve been searching for it for over a year.  I’m also planning trips to the fabulous Volpi deli and G&W Sausage for some different protein options.  St. Louis really does have some wonderful local food products.

You just read Meal Plan Monday {Whole30} 4/8 on Dear Mommy Brain! Join the conversation and leave a comment!

Of course, meal planning will be key to my success on this diet, so here is the week in food – breakfast, lunch, dinner, and food prep.*  (Subject to change if I need to add additional calories.)

*I used The Nourishing Home’s meal plan template but made a few changes.

You just read Meal Plan Monday {Whole30} 4/1 on Dear Mommy Brain! Join the conversation and leave a comment!

This is my last Dr Pepper. At least for the next month, but hopefully for good.

You see, I'm doing this crazy diet called Whole30 starting Monday. That means no sugar, no grains, no legumes, no soy, and no dairy for a whole 30 days. An entire month without cheese? Pray for me.

Ya'll know I’m not into fads, but I hear so many people saying that Whole30 CHANGED THEIR LIVES and I’m at the point where I’d do anything (even give up cheese) to feel that good. Because the near constant fatigue most likely caused by one of my adoring autoimmune diseases is threatening to push me over the edge.

So I’m using Whole30 as sort of an elimination diet to see if I can identify any foods that are throwing fuel on the fatigue fire. Then after the 30 days, I will slowly reintroduce the suspect foods and cross my fingers it’s not dairy. Because life without ice cream would be sad.

The diet is based around a strict Paleo lifestyle, eating healthy meats, loads of vibrant veggies, and good for you fats. I’m currently working on my meal plans/shopping lists to ensure that I’m prepared with easy meals that won’t have me desperately crying into the fridge because I. can’t. eat. anything.

But I’m hoping for more than just better health after this month. I want to prove to myself that I am CAPABLE of doing something daring. Being strong and not giving up.

I realize how ridiculous that may sound to many people. I’m restricting myself to gorgeous, healthy food for 30 days. How could that be difficult?

But even for someone like me that spends hours in the kitchen every week making food from scratch, this will be difficult. So please wish me luck as I attempt to make mayonnaise again for the first time since that debacle in college. I still have nightmares about that.

And once this month is over, I hope to have a new relationship with food. One where I don’t rely on sweets and carbs for comfort.

Yes, this will be hard. But it can’t be worse than living on a clear liquid diet through a Crohn’s attack. And nothing but good things can come from this.

You just read Whole30 on Dear Mommy Brain! Join the conversation and leave a comment!

I still haven’t made your baby book.

The most recent photos of you on the wall are from your first birthday.  And last week, you were 4 years old.

I may not be very good at preserving memories, but I like to think I am damn good at making them.

Blanket forts, nature walks, and movie nights with pop-pop popcorn.  Play-doh and finger paint.  Snuggles and stories at bedtime every night.

And hopefully these things will flood your memories 30 years from now.  Along with all the hugs, kisses, I love yous and affirmations that you are smart, strong, and beautiful, capable of achieving anything.

I am so proud of the little girl you are becoming and very much look forward to the woman you will someday be.

I love you, sweet girl.  Happy (belated) birthday.

You just read Four on Dear Mommy Brain! Join the conversation and leave a comment!

I honestly didn’t know how to answer.  No, my 3/4s of a college degree didn’t involve any studies in writing, but I was okay at it in high school.  You know, 15 years ago.

At that moment I had actually forgotten about this little blog. 

But certainly I can’t call myself a writer from the occasional blurb that I throw up here. 

Right?

Because meal plans and recipe postings aren’t real writing.

And more often than not, I’m talking to myself and those 15 spammers that can’t stop leaving comments on a post from 3 years ago.

However, more and more, I’ve missed this space.  And it makes me sad to think about how neglected it has been over the last year.  Even if it is only half-assed meal plans.

To make matters worse, in a month I have to decide if I want to continue to host this site and pay another $100+ for my words to hang out on the Internet in the hopes that someone will some day stumble upon them looking for “chicken boobs.”

But the alternative seems even worse.  To see those words drift away without a trace.

I’ve given so much of myself to this blog, with very little return of investment.  But it feels like I would be losing a part of myself to let it go.

But am I really a writer?

You just read Am I a writer? on Dear Mommy Brain! Join the conversation and leave a comment!

Monday ~ Bean and Cheese Quesadillas

Tuesday ~ Crockpot Lentil Veggie Stew (from several weeks ago that still hasn’t been made)

Wednesday ~ Ham and Cheese Omelets

Thursday ~ Pasta e Fagioli (I’m hoping this recipe will be close to the soup I had in Venice that still haunts my dreams)

Friday ~ Parmesan Tilapia, Rice, Peas

Saturday ~ Braised Short Ribs, Cheese Polenta, Carrots

Sunday ~ Ham Bone Soup

You just read Meal Plan Monday ~ 2/4 on Dear Mommy Brain! Join the conversation and leave a comment!

I’m no Freud, but I suspect it has something to do with some deep seeded need to be DIFFERENT and AWESOME and ultimately kill myself fighting a battle against conformity that is unwinnable. 

And I’m finding that after 33 years of waging a war against an idea, I’m exhausted. 

I haven’t totally given up and started reading books about vampires, but I have bought riding boots and I *may* be wearing them with skinny jeans.  It’s all a result of this new thing I’ve been trying called Lowering My Expectations.  It’s part of the reason why I haven’t been blogging.  And definitely why this recent Christmas was the best in my adult life.

So I’m embracing the cliché of New Years Resolutions and making a list of things that I want to do for me.  And I’m not even going to worry about them being organized into a “theme” like I’ve done in the past.  (Deep breath)

1.  Give up my daily Dr Pepper ~ I’m all about All Things in Moderation, but the Dr Pepper habit is out of control and it’s time to give it up.

2.  Quit smoking – for realz ~ This is quite possibly the worst thing I could do for my health and my body made that loud and clear shortly after Christmas.

3.  Think before I speak ~ It dawned on me last week that some (read: many) of the words coming out of my mouth lately have not been entirely positive.  So I’m wearing a rubber band on my wrist and every time I complain (or snark) (or gossip), I move it to the other wrist as recognition that that is undesirable behavior. 

4.  Send loved ones birthday cards ~ The Internet is great and all but I’d like to send close family and friends birthday cards this year.  Like real, paper, handwritten birthday cards - with a stamp on them.

5.  Stop competing ~ This is a big one because somehow life became all about who can do it all and make it look the easiest.  I’ve recognized that this is not a competition I can (or want to) win and I’m tired of feeling bad about it so I’m not playing anymore.

Last year I spent a lot of time thinking about what I want for myself in the future.  I realized it’s actually pretty simple.  I want to be happy, healthy, and giving.  And even if I don’t execute these resolutions 100%, I know that my life will be better for trying.  So, no pressure, no deadlines, just me trying to better myself.

You just read Embracing the Cliché on Dear Mommy Brain! Join the conversation and leave a comment!

As an added bonus, now I have tons of beans and enchilada sauce in the freezer as well as leftover peanut sauce which Allison mowed down Friday night.  Confusingly, she’s been telling me that she doesn’t want to eat it again.  Sigh – three year olds.

Monday ~ Design your own pasta

Tuesday ~ Omelets, Toast

Wednesday ~ Leftovers

Thursday ~ Chicken Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Swiss Chard

Friday ~ Bean and Cheese Quesadillas

Saturday ~ Sweet ‘n Spicy Baked Ham, Corn Pudding,

Sunday ~ TBD pending plans

I also have every intention of getting around to making chicken stock and salad dressing this week.  Because I just had to eat Kraft Creamy French on my salad today and it may have tested my gag reflex.  Once you’ve gone homemade, it’s hard to go back.

You just read Meal Plan Monday ~ 1/21 on Dear Mommy Brain! Join the conversation and leave a comment!

Monday ~ Acorn Squash, Rice

Tuesday ~ Enchiladas, Refried Beans, Mexican Rice

Wednesday ~ Beef Stew revamped, Egg Noodles

Thursday ~ Veggie Lentil Stew, Quinoa

Friday ~ Peanut Noodles (this will be a first recipe attempt but my kid wants peanut butter in anything (pb&j yogurt, anyone?), so I think even if it’s okay, she’ll be thrilled)

Saturday ~ Gyros

Sunday ~ Loaded Baked Potatoes

You just read Meal Plan Monday ~ 1/14 on Dear Mommy Brain! Join the conversation and leave a comment!