Whole30, Day 12

Okay, so here I am nearly 2 weeks into Whole30. I’m only half way through reading ‘It Starts With Food’, the guidebook, which is more than a guide book. I am very highly impressed with that book. Over the past two years I have read my share of anti-infamatory-type foods books, and this is by far the best when it comes to explaining food-related hormones. We’re not talking about female, moody, boo-hoo hormones, we are talking about the ones that are in charge of your nutrient intake and regulating… well, everything in your body when you eat anything. They explain it in very easily understood terms, and I couldn’t help but think how amazing it would be if this was a high-school text book. What would the American people look like in the next generation if it was taught these read food-facts in school?

Anyhoo, on to my results thus far…

If you’ve ever looked into paleo eating or Whole30, you’ll know that I am eating meat, egg, veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds. I am eating well. Never need to go hungry, as there is no counting calories. Never lacking flavor, as this is a HIGH fat diet (healthy fats). Take that, food pyramid. The one thing I miss most is chocolate, as absolutely no sugar outside of fruit is allowed.

How do I feel? More energetic. That’s a bit anti-climactic though, as I am by nature a very lazy person. When I feel energetic on a miserably grey icy winter day, I normally put in one of my Turbo-Jam work-out DVDs. I LOVE those work-outs. But my DVD player isn’t working. So… I feel like i have the energy to do a work-out, but don’t. Sad, I know. I need determination enough to just use the player in the livingroom, and warn my family members to stay away for 45 minutes.

No Bloating. What a beautiful feeling. I know dairy makes me bloat, but I’d been eating bits of it here and there for months, and it was getting out of hand. When you bloat every day, it’s because your body is trying to protect itself from something it thinks shouldn’t be there. If you keep on eating that irritant, it gives up trying to get rid of it, and stores it in a safe place – fat cells. So yeah, being stupid and eating things you shouldn’t makes you fat. Hello, spare tire.

No guilt. I keep telling people this one, over and over. Do you know what percentage of my life I’ve spent feeling guilty over what I just ate? Wondering WHY I just did that, when I knew I shouldn’t? Letting the idea of purging run through my mind? I never did that, but I understand those who do, and have so much sympathy for them. Learning WHY this happens to us is a huge step in overcoming it. Read It Starts With Food, it’s all in there. So it was like a bolt of lightening when it occurred to me that I’ve gone nearly two weeks without eating a SINGLE thing that made me feel guilty. What freedom!

Food Revelations:

Sunbutter. No legumes= no peanutbutter. I like almond butter, but it is NOT a substitute for PB. It just isn’t. I finally tried making sunbutter, and ooooooo, baby, it’s good. It’s close. I’m eating it on my apple slices and by the spoon-full. I could live without peanut butter as long as I have a jar of sunbutter.

Caramelized Coconut Chips: For when you need a crunchy something while watching a TV show. SO easy to make, and so good. I never would have thought of cinnamon and salt together, but it’s so good.

Cauliflower Rice Pilaf: Ummm, I was the picky eater of my family. PB&J and macaroni& cheese were the foods of choice when I was but a young thing. At one point, I wouldn’t even eat spaghetti with sauce on it. Just noodles with hamburger, butter and parmesan. I have come FAR, but there are still many vegetables I just do not enjoy eating. I keep trying though. I’ve seen cauliflower ‘rice’ dishes for a while now, and this was the first I tried, as it is quite heavily seasoned, I figured it would cover the taste of the cauliflower better. And honestly… there is no cauliflower flavor. At all. And I’m fussy. It’s SO good, and really very like eating a rice-based dish. As a result, I ate half a head of cauliflower in one sitting. My inner child is horrified at me.