Yesterday was day 15 of Whole30. If you are unfamiliar with the program, you can read more here.
The quick gist is, no grains, no beans, no rice, no dairy, no sugar of any kind, no artificial sugar, no alcohol. It's sort of like Paleo but there are a few differences. There are other guidelines worked into it too like no (or minimal) snacking, no "cheats," and no weighing yourself for 30 days.
We decided to try it without much research. Basically, I had seen a lot of folks (both real life friends and social media friends) talk about it and I was interested. Last pregnancy, I had gestational diabetes (which usually presents around 28 weeks) and controlled it easily by monitoring what sorts of food I ate (basically a low carb diet). I figured this would just be a bit stricter GD diet AND there was a chance that the clean eating would help prevent GD this time around (I'll let you know if that turns out to be true).
Overall, I wanted a reason to feel motivated in the kitchen again. I wanted to refocus our meal prep and stop defaulting to the same (less healthy) meals. I'm not trying to lose weight (I'm pregnant) but Paul said he wouldn't mind dropping a few pounds.
So that's the introduction.
How are we doing 15 days in?
I'd say like a 7 on a scale of 1-10. Dinners are a 10. We are eating more veggies and finding some really fun recipes. The photos at the top of this post are of some dinners these past few weeks. Clockwise from top right : coconut chicken (we are using almond flour) and broccoli sauteed with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, salad with a homemade olive oil and vinegar dressing with steak, Trader Joe's turkey burger (no bun) with mustard, tomato, avocado, caramelized onions and mushrooms & sweet potato fries, sweet potato "nachos" similar to this.
Breakfasts are a 5. Taste wise, I'm so over eggs. I want to wake up and eat oatmeal. Energy wise though, eggs just can't be beat. I am consistently making it until 11:30 before I am hungry again - something I am not sure I have ever said in my life. I'm eating scrambled eggs with avocado and some meat (usually leftover from the night before) and fruit. It's filling but getting boring.
Lunches are fine. Generally, we just eat leftovers (Paul brings them to work and I eat them here).
In the beginning I was snacking a ton. Mostly on fruit, nut butters and Larabars. Now though (actually just in the past few days) I am finding those snacks less necessary. It appears I am adjusting to the new routine. Increasing my weight gradually is important while pregnant though, so I am monitoring that and making sure to get enough food (and obviously, eating whenever I'm hungry).
I feel great energy wise. No headaches, no hunger, no physical cravings, no afternoon crashes. All good news. I am struggling to drink enough water though (just need to commit to it). I've done some reading and while veggies are more fibrous than whole grains, they take a lot more water to process through your system. Good to know. Working on it.
One of the big pros of the program is supposed to be better sleep and a clearer mind. I was getting decent sleep and felt "clear headed" before starting though so I can't say that's improved.
Paul says he feels pretty much the same physically, but better mentally about the choices we are making. So there's that. We also learned Ellerie loves cooked broccoli! So that was a bizarre and unexpected side effect.
In sum: not a lot to report. It's an intense way of eating, but it's 30 days. 30 days. You can do anything for 30 days. If you want a jump start, it could be a great fit. Hopefully I'll have a more exciting update when we complete the program on August 5!
this post is not sponsored or affiliated in anyway. just sharing an update. be sure to check with your doctor before starting a new food routine!
+
Fun episode of ELISE GETS CRAFTY this week! I'm chatting with Erin of Cotton and Flax about creative burnout. Subscribe through iTunes or stream here.
