Hey there, friends!
Here is the second update on how things are going for me on the sugar detox and Whole30. Overall I would say things are going great! There were much more ups and downs this week than last week, but the sugar cravings are decreasing. I was still traveling days 8-12 and am happy to report I stayed on track despite not being in my own element. I'm happy to be back home and using my own kitchen and pantry to prepare some super delicious meals that fit into my plan, but a lot of these meals are super random! I mainly wanted to share them to let you know that it is possible to stay on track with your goals even while traveling, but sometimes you might be eating a salad with hot dogs and saurkraut if that's all that's left in the fridge. And that's totally cool! Random lunches that nourish you are always winners.
Also, not necessarily Whole30 or sugar detox related other than the intense effect it has had on my attitude, I am currently struggling with an unknown hand pain issue that has made it very difficult for me to do every day tasks like dress myself or cut up vegetables. I am hoping to get more answers on that this week, but in the meantime I have modified my activity level to do some lower body exercises at home and go on some walks outside rather than heading to an orange theory workout (which generally requires lots of hand use). If you know me, you know I HATE sitting still so being restricted on my ability to move as I please has elevated my stress level, which would normally lead me to seek comfort in food. However, knowing I am on the Whole30 and sugar detox I have to find another outlet to ease that stress. I hope that this encourages you all to keep going, even when random health issues pop up and to not seek comfort in food (especially sugar!). Almost halfway there guys! We've got this.
HOW I'M FEELING
Day 8 - I had a major energy low this afternoon. I picked up some more stuff from trader joe's to try to keep meals interesting though. Hoping this low energy thing doesn't continue because it's hard to get anything done when you're exhausted! I managed to make it to an orange theory class and felt like I got a good workout in.
Day 9 - I went for a long walk because I wasn’t really feeling the gym. It's only noon and I am so tired. I felt super snacky and sleepy all afternoon. Tried to move around a lot, but I ended up grabbing an afternoon cold brew coffee to keep myself awake. I know managing caffeine is not necessarily apart of the sugar detox or whole 30, but I definitely don’t want to cut off some unhealthy food relationships only to create others, so I am trying to stay in tune with any potential increased caffeine dependency.
Day 10 - This is the day that most people quit so I am really trying to set myself up for success today. I pulled my groin muscle yesterday so I’m feeling super bummed about not being able to workout like I normally would. I did a modified weight workout for like 30 minutes to at least get a sweat in, but i was bummed that I couldn’t do what I normally do. I felt like I had good energy all morning, but the afternoon was an energy rollercoaster and I ended up getting coffee in the afternoon again. Partially because I love having iced coffee on the beach and partially because I so needed caffeine. Making the choice to eat a whole30 compliant meal is becoming easier for me most of the time. (Although I totally wanted some of my nephew’s pizza tonight once I smelled it.) Randomly my hands have suddenly started hurting to the point of not being able to pick things up. I don’t know if this is related to my Whole30 or sugar detox in any way, but it is freaking me out. I took some ibuprofen, iced them, and am hoping to sleep it off.
Day 11 - My hands are still hurting really badly. My anxiety level is at like a 7 because of it. I’ll be the first to admit that I might be a little hypochondriac-ish, but this is reaaaally freaking me out. This is the second most likely day that people quite so I am trying to keep my head in the game. I feel like I’m thinking about food less and less, but that could be mostly because I’m thinking about my hands potentially having to be cut off. (I always assume the worst!) Good news though, the groin injury has resolved itself completely and I am no longer walking like a duck.
Day 12 - I ended up flying home early from Tampa to go to the doctor and get my hand situation figured out because I couldn’t use my right hand at all. I didn’t hardly think about food, but manage to keep things compliant with a bunless turkey burger and fruit at the airport. Turns out my hands really needed the medical attention to manage the insane swelling, redness and pain. The cause is undetermined, but they’re thinking an allergy or an autoimmune disorder. I’m getting lab work done this week to get more answers. Praying it was kind of a fluke because an autoimmune disease would be awful. A reminder that even when life happens, it’s still possible to stay on track with your goals and not use food as comfort. There were multiple times in the evening that I really wanted to use food as comfort, but managed to withstand those cravings. And I feel super good about that! It was eye opening to see how easy it would have been to convince myself to reach for a candy bar or bowl of ice cream had I not been committed to the whole30 reset and sugar detox. The emotional attachment I have with food was very evident in those moments.
Day 13 - Still having hand pains and feeling super bummed about it. All I want to do is go to an orange theory class and get a good sweat in, but I can’t zip up my coat much less get on a rower or do a push up. I’m going to do some modified lower body things tonight to try to stay in a rhythm. The meds that I am on now have really left me without an appetite, but I’m making sure I eat and keep things compliant. I ended up having an evening snack of stewed apples with chia seeds and almond butter and it was so tasty. Crawling into bed feeling satisfied by my choices today not to mention the accomplishment of getting a gallery wall hung without my husband and I killing each other. I haven’t had any of the junk food dreams that I’ve been warned about, but there are two more potential days for that to occur. The doctor prescribed me some steroids, which can make you super bloated and I am really feeling that today. Knowing that it’s the meds and not my food choices is keeping me continuing on but gosh this feeling suck especially when I know all the food choices I made were good!
Day 14 - Being home has been so nice! It's been great to have my own coffee, collagen, ghee, and creamer in the morning. I am very attached to my morning routine and it's been so nice to find my way back into it after being gone. Even while I am away from home though I always stick to routine during the time I am gone, even if it is different than the one I have when I am home. It keeps me grounded and eases the transition between traveling and being home. Today I had a constant energy level. My hands are still hurting, but I have been able to do most things for myself today with the exception of cutting up some of the vegetables we used for breakfast. My sugar cravings are under control which is a very welcomed change from my normal daily life. Josiah and I are going on a date to the movies, which will be a fun reward for making it almost halfway through the sugar detox and whole30.
WHAT I'M EATING
bacon + scrambled eggs + spicy guac from Trader Joe's
golden butternut squash soup with toasted squash seeds (recipe coming soon!)
Apples and almond butter
Spring greens with primal kitchen ranch + taco meat + plantain chips (compliant ingredients, but not necessarily in the spirit of Whole30, but you do you) + guac from Trader Joe's
roasted sweet potatoes + bacon + sunny eggs
buffalo chicken + spaghetti squash + spring greens with ranch
Applegate grass fed hot dog + sauerkraut + spring greens + tahini + sweet potatoes
Sausage + scrambled eggs + sundried tomatoes
Jimmy Johns turkey unwich with lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and mayo (which I would have to guess is not whole30 compliant, but I'm not 100% perfect and mayo is hella good so I don't super much care!) + bare cinnamon banana chips (picked these up at target before we picked up our Jimmy John's order)
chicken, green peppers, bacon, and spinach omelet with Hot sauce and avocado. This might be one of the most delicious, random dinners I have ever had!
airport lunch of bunless turkey burger with sundries tomato aoli and avocado with fresh fruit
Korean bibimbap (a mix of raw and fermented veggies with beef) no rice. This is one of Josiah and I's favorite cheap date night meals! It's like $10 for a gigantic bowl of delicious veggies and meat. It's typically served over a bed of rice, but we opted to go without. The restaurant is called En Hakkore in Chicago and I will probably go there until the day I die. I will also happily sport at "I <3 Bibimbap" t-shirt if I ever find one.
First lunch back home! Swai fish with a mustard glaze + cabbage with tahini sauce
blueberry balsamic glazed salmon, kale salad (lemon juice + olive oil + salt) , and roasted garlic potatoes
pork belly + green pepper hash with sunny side up eggs. Trader Joe's sells pre-cooked pork belly that is whole30 complaint and it is changing my life!
Trader joe’s Turkey burger with sautéed peppers, mushrooms, and onions on a bed of lettuce with tahini sauce. One of the more random lunches from this week.
A bunless burger with bacon, tomato, onion, and an amazing garlic aoli from a little place in our neighborhood. They were so accommodating and made eating out and pursuing goals feel attainable!
