I’m sure we’re not the only ones, but Greg and I began a Whole30 on January 1. If you’ve never heard of it before, I recommend you visit their website to learn more, or read the book, It Starts with Food. When it comes down to it, it’s kind of like paleo. No added sugars, dairy, beans/legumes, grains, rice, quinoa. You focus on putting good things into your body. Lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, and eggs. You read lots of labels. I won’t belabor this… go read up on it. Basically, you become a super model with washboard abs and perfect hair and winged liner after you complete the challenge.
Anyway, I read the book for the first time over a year ago, but I was still nursing Caroline and nervous how it would affect my moods and hunger and yadda yadda yadda. I wasn’t mentally prepared to do this until now. Greg hopped on board with me and we started the new year with a change.
Some initial thoughts from this week is that it’s not as hard as I thought it would be. It takes planning, but I have always been a really good meal planner. Ask me to organize something else and I may fail, but ask me to meal plan and I am the bomb. The only thing that we’re getting used to is it’s more meat than we usually eat. I want to incorporate more vegetables next week, for sure.
I thought I would miss my creamer in my coffee, but canned coconut milk (full fat) is delicious. I thought I would miss carbs, but I am actually okay. I didn’t have any day where I was like “AHHHHH I HATE THIS.”
I haven’t felt hungry.
I think spending a lot of time researching, reading, and mentally preparing myself before jumping in has helped. Greg and I also usually eat pretty clean during the week (except definitely not during the last month or two), so this big of a change wasn’t super shocking.
I started taking pictures of all my meals. This was for me to reference and I thought it would be fun to post. I know I find these kinds of posts super helpful and interesting, so maybe it will help one of you.
I would also love some feedback, any suggestions for meals, and please let me know if there’s any recipes or go-to stuff you loved for Whole30/paleo!
Let’s get to the meals…
Day 1
Breakfast: Hard boiled egg, blueberries, coffee with coconut milk
Lunch: Tuna salad (canned tuna, avocado, dill, garlic powder, salt and pepper) over a spinach salad
Dinner: Chicken tortilla soup made in the crock pot, based on Kristy’s recipe (minus the corn, cheese tortilla chips, etc.)
Day 2
Breakfast: Chia seed pudding with cinnamon and blueberries, eggs with salsa, coffee
Lunch: Leftover chicken tortilla soup, baby carrots with homemade baba ganoush, blueberries
Dinner: Taco night – ground sirloin seasoned with cumin, chili powder and garlic, guacamole, tomatoes atop a romaine leaf
Day 3
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with onion and bell pepper, topped with avocado and salsa, chia seed pudding with cinnamon and blueberries, coffee
Lunch: Homemade smoked ribs with cauliflower mash (I made it with ghee and olive oil), spinach salad, grapes
Dinner: Dinner out (didn’t get a picture) – grilled chicken salad, homemade french fries split with Greg (not 100% Whole30 approved, but hey, it wasn’t McDonalds?)
Day 4
Breakfast: Hard boiled egg, banana with almond butter, chia seed pudding with cinnamon and blueberries
Lunch: Spinach salad with an entire avocado
Dinner: Homemade smoked turkey breast, sausage, green beans, roasted potatoes
Day 5
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, strawberries, chia seed pudding, coffee with coconut milk
Lunch: Tuna salad atop a spinach salad
Dinner: Spaghetti squash with a tomato meat sauce and sprinkled with olives
Day 6
Breakfast: Sausage, hard boiled egg, strawberries, chia seed pudding with cinnamon and raspberries, coffee with coconut milk
Lunch: Leftover spaghetti squash
Dinner: Homemade smoked pork tenderloin, cauliflower mash, roasted sweet potatoes, broccoli
Day 7
Breakfast: Hard boiled egg, smoothie with coconut milk, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and ice, coffee w/ coconut milk
Lunch: Tuna salad w/ avocado atop a spinach salad (literally like the one above, but I forgot to take a picture)
Dinner: “Taco” night again with a side of guacamole and plantain chips
Snacks / Other Staples
- I didn’t snack very much, but when I did it was usually fruit, nuts, baby carrots with baba ganoush, or a Larabar in the mid afternoon. I usually eat lunch pretty early, around 11:30, so something in the afternoon is needed to tide me over.
- As far as staples, I have been using a lot of canned coconut milk. I always drink sparkling water instead of soda, but it’s worth mentioning because it’s Whole30 approved. I buy the HEB brand, but LaCroix is also great. Eggs are definitely a staple. I also made a baba ganoush mentioned above and it was super yummy (instead of cumin I used paprika, and added a little bit more garlic and lemon juice than the recipe suggests).
And that’s all, folks! Until next week!
Anne says
January 8, 2016 at 8:45 amSo what you’re saying is Greg got a smoker for Christmas? Great job, lovely!
Anna says
January 8, 2016 at 8:54 amI am doing a Whole30 right now for the second time, and the baba ganoush is a great idea! I miss hummus, so I’ll have to make this as a dip substitute. I agree about eggs being a staple – I eat them every day for breakfast, and sometimes for dinner too. I have found that if I roast up a bunch of vegetables in advance, they make great portions for lunches throughout the week. I’ll have them as a side or on top of a kale salad with some shredded chicken. It’s filling, easy to throw together and gets more veggies into your rotation.
Good luck this round! I completed a Whole30 back in October, and the results were fantastic – lost 12 lbs, clearer skin, no more bloat, more energy and less hunger.
Meg O. says
January 8, 2016 at 1:54 pmThe baba ganoush recipe I linked to is SO good! My husband doesn’t normally like baba ganoush but LOVES this recipe. I read your comment earlier about roasting veggies up beforehand and I went and roasted a bunch of sweet potatoes. Hoping to add those into my breakfasts! Good luck on the rest of your whole30!
Megan says
January 8, 2016 at 9:19 amTuna on top of spinach salad with hard boiled eggs and avocado is one of my faves!!! You make this look SO easy! I may have to try it!! I am a meal planner too and will have to incorporate some of your meals! Thanks for sharing!!
Meg O. says
January 8, 2016 at 1:53 pmYes, definitely give it a try! It’s much easier than I thought it would be, IF you plan!!!
Amy says
January 8, 2016 at 11:53 amI’m on day 7 over here on my fourth round of the Whole 30. Thanks for sharing, I need some recipe inspiration. I’ve posted a few links of some of my favs below 🙂
This is the bomb dot com – I made bone broth after and wish I had of used it more afterwards… so i might do this again next week and then make the soup you shared! http://nomnompaleo.com/post/4807547385/slow-cooker-roast-chicken-and-gravy
As far as I’m concerned I think making mayo is a Whole 30 requirement. The key is truly room temperature egg and lemon juice, and SLOWLY adding the olive oil. http://theclothesmakethegirl.blogspot.ca/2010/06/secret-to-homemade-mayo-patience.html?m=1 I love the mayo – I add it to lots of things… and will doctor it up with thai curry paste (red) or franks red hot sauce for dipping with sweet potatoes and such.
These were surprisingly delicious as both a side and a base for eggs http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/2012/08/zucchini-sweet-potato-latkes-2.html?spref=fb
Meg O. says
January 8, 2016 at 1:52 pmThank you so much for all the links, sweet friend!! Just pinned all of them! We are not big mayo lovers, but maybe it will be a nice addition for sauces. I’m so happy you love whole30!!!! And I’m so relieved I’m liking it much more than I thought I would.
Tracy says
January 8, 2016 at 1:19 pmMy now husband and I did the Whole 30 last May and continued to eat that way (ish) until our wedding in November. Granted I was spinning and lifting weights, but I lost something like 4 inches on my hips and bust. We are now doing the Whole 30 round two this month since the holidays had us feeling sluggish.
Nom Nom Paleo is my favorite. I LOVE her curry beef crockpot meal and pulled pork. Do not be afraid to have fat. Having a meat considered higher in fat does not fulfill your fat requirement per meal. I each 1/2 an avocado with breakfast and lunch. If I make a curry with coconut milk, that is my fat. I also enjoy a whole30 serving size of coconut flakes or olives for my fat. Their forum is amazing, I initally posted my weekly meals to make sure I was “doing it right”. 🙂
Oh and kombachu! I actually brew my own now. My mother has always had high bad cholesterol no matter what she did (hereditary). She started drinking her own brewed kombachu and it is down! I have always struggled with high BP, hereditary. I started brewing last June and at my appointment in October my bp was 119/78. It has never been like that!
I hope you took measurements before!
Meg O. says
January 8, 2016 at 1:47 pmThank you so much for your encouragement and ideas! Never thought of making my own kombucha. My husband is worried about blood pressure, since it’s normally high (hereditary) and we’ve been eating more meat. I will definitely pass along the kombucha thing to him!! I did take all of my measurements and even photos in my underwear (for my own reference, obviously, lol).
Tracy says
January 8, 2016 at 1:53 pmEmail me if you need website for kombachu, it is not hard at all! tpeloqui at gmail dot com
observantturtle says
January 9, 2016 at 9:06 amMy coworker is doing Whole 30 so I sent this over to her and she is elated that she can eat plantain chips! She’s still new to everything so you made her day.
chelsea jacobs says
January 10, 2016 at 5:50 pmI’ve read a lot about it, but I’ve never seen someone write out what their meals were…that’s so helpful to see!
Christine says
January 11, 2016 at 3:31 pmI did a Whole 30 in September 2014 and LOVED the way I felt. what brand of coconut milk do you use? Every one I find (almond milk too) has carrageenan in it which is a no-no on W30. Or some other sugar or preservative.
newlynewlyweds says
January 14, 2016 at 4:52 pmMy husband and I are doing the Whole30 as well! Sounds like it is going well for you and I couldn’t agree more with not feeling hungry! I’ve been shocked that I haven’t been craving bread, cheese or chocolate…yet! Ha! I have found a few great recipes- most are pictured on my instagram (@hollywoodholly)- let me know if you want me to email them to you!
– Prosciutto wrapped spinach stuffed chicken with Cauliflower Mash- SO yummy!
– Zoodles with pesto and grilled chicken
– Carintas (from the Whole 30 Book)
Making walnut crusted Pork Tenderloin tonight and Pad Thai this weekend!
Rachael P. says
January 11, 2019 at 10:49 pmWhat did you use for salad dressings?
Meg O. says
January 12, 2019 at 4:37 pmI usually made my own with oil and vinegar. Tessemae’s dressings are also Whole30 friendly if you would rather pick something up at the store! Their ranch is delicious!