Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Whole 30 - Fail

Yum
A couple weeks ago, my husband and I decided to try and do the Whole30.  I have other friends, and bloggers who have done it. And, we have some friends that are currently doing it, reaching day 30 tomorrow! 

We gave it a try. We failed. I would have kept you all in suspense a little longer about how we did, but anyone following my instagram, and facebook has probably seen the birthday cake we had yesterday and knew that was not Whole 30 approved! 

What is Whole30? Eating only real "whole" foods for 30 days. Meats, fruits, veggies, eggs, seafood, and good fats. No foods with added sugar. No dairy. No grains. No legumes.  If you want to see the complete list of what to eat, or not eat, check out the rules.

I made it to Day 8.  While we were not successful, some good did come of it. Since moving to a lower carb diet, I have apparently become very dependent on dairy. And, I live in Wisconsin.. we eat dairy, it's what we do! But, I am going to put some attention to how much dairy we really do consume. 

Next is that with Truckin' Mans job, the food he takes with him needs to be portable and cold. This means a lot of sandwiches. He does get tired of all the bread he consumes, so we found some new things to send with him. And, some other idea's that we are still going to test out while in his off season.

Label reading! I thought I was pretty good at reading labels, but when I found that I couldn't eat a lot of the sausages and bacon we normally eat because of the added sugar, I was shocked! Honestly, I had never read the ingredients on bacon before. I mean, come on, it's bacon! So, note to self... Read all labels!

Would I try doing it again? Yes, but I want to try it when our garden is producing. It would be more fun, and interesting. Plus with my husband working more hours, it would be easier for me to eat a more strict menu.

If you would like to read about some who have successfully done Whole30, my friend Stacie  at Sincerely Stacie was successful. Stacie even did this with holiday foods around! Brown Eyed Baker was one of the first blogs where I read about this plan.

Have you tried Whole30?

In closing, here is some cuteness for you :)




28 comments:

  1. Thanks for the mention. Yes I survived Whole30 during November. I'd like to do it again but it is time-consuming and I need things to slow down a bit. I'm hoping during July or August. I at least can do it on a partial basis during the week when it works for me time wise and then I feel better about what I'm eating.

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  2. No sugar, no cake or sweets are easy for me, but No dairy. No grains. No legumes...that's going to be hard...so definitely not for me.

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  3. p.s I understand no dairy, no grain, but why no legumes (that's my favourite!!)???

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    1. Angie, In some people they can lead to "gut" issues, with possibly many other issues.
      Here is a more detailed explanation: http://www.easypaleo.com/whats-wrong-with-legumes/

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  4. Lasting 8 days is pretty impressive to me! I don't think I could more than a few days without a handful of the things on the "naughty" list!

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    1. Sonali ~ Thank you! I bet you would be successful at the plan, IF you were interested in it!

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  5. Sounds rough. I think programs like this are good inasmuch as they get you to be mindful about what you eat. But trying to remain on a program when you have to work and make and pack lunches is almost impossible. I couldn't even imagine a healthy lunch without garbanzo beans or rice. It doesn't sound like this program would work for vegetarians. Yes, it is always easier to eat healthy in the summer. We live on beets and spinach in the summer.

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    1. Yes, in the end it has just made us more mindful. I gave up pop and candy bars when I started THM years ago, so really sugar wasn't an issue for me. Dairy was my downfall. So, just going to be more aware of how much we consume and keep a better quality of dairy around is the goal.

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  6. Maybe just try to eliminate the processed sugar for a month. The little bits in sausage, etc really don't add up to much. But the big thing to try to eliminate is desserts, cookies, soda, candy, etc. We still eat desserts once in a while but I swap out the sugar for maple syrup or mashed bananas, etc. The best thing to wean yourself off of sugar is Gwyneth Paltrows recipe for spelt cookies. They are amazing and really help us when we have a sugar craving.

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  7. I would have a hard time too, but would be much more successful if I didn't have to keep my hubby happy! Those guys of ours! ;-)

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  8. there's no point in me even attempting this diet--i wouldn't make it one day! i think you did great to pass a week, and i'm sure you're right--it'd be easier with lots of fresh produce on hand. but for me...i'll take cake. :)

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  9. I'm amazed that you made it today eight, that's a huge accomplishment in my opinion. I've done a ton of research on the whole 30 and it's tough, yes I'm sure people have great success but it's hard and I really think you need to be in the right mindset, have Strict discipline and be completely dedicated which is why I have never attempted it. I think you need to really have meal planning and prep nailed to ensure success. I can see why your hubby would have a hard time driving his big rig and eating a salad at the same time ;-) Plus, there's cheese and I love cheese too much to ever give it up! I feel like oh I could eat eggs, but how could eat eggs without the cheese? I love roasted veggies… With a sprinkle of feta or Parmesan! I think the fact that you're paying more attention to labels, portion control and just that you're thinking about the things you put in your body is a huge success! I'm also glad to hear a brutally honest account of it because sometimes I think people have the tendency to talk about how great it is when it's not always the case! Good job my friend!

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    1. Thanks, Jess!
      I thought about not sharing the failure, but thought that it might be useful for some. And the reality of how no dairy really can be draining!

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  10. Hi,
    I am so happy you shared this with me. I just read Jessica's comment. She is right, wow, I think I would struggle too. I will be interested if you try again. I will be really interested in what you find works for you.
    Thank YOU for the tips regarding reading labels.
    Carla

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    1. I will certainly let you know if I do try again.
      I have decided for now, I am just improving our diet based on what I learned about our habits.

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  11. Well atleast you gave it a try. I'm afraid that I just wouldn't be able to handle it so I'm not even going to attempt it. I like eating too much to be so limited as to what I can or can't eat.

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  12. Hi Kris, I have read and heard so much about this food lifestyle. But what has kept me from following this I'm a little ashamed to say is my addiction to sugar. Good for you for making it to day 8.

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    1. Sugar. Dairy Carbs. We all have that one addiction (or more)!

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  13. I've heard a lot about it and am actually half way through reading the book. But there is always an excuse not to begin, a weekend away, a birthday, a vacation coming up. I'm good with excuses.
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. Lol! There is always a reason! I am still glad we tried it, even though it was a short run. We are still using what we learned about our eating habits to make some better choices!

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  14. Hi Kris! I'm not very familiar with the whole 30 diet. Every new year I tell myself I'm going to do more clean eating in the year to come, cutting out processed food or fast food, etc. But I, too, have to be more mindful of carbs. It's hard when you love bread and pasta so much! Kudos to you for trying this. And those pooches.....sooooo sweet! That's really a great picture of them! :)

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    1. Thanks, Anne! It is hard! We have really eliminated fast food from our lives, unless we are traveling. Then, convenience wins. But, that is the thing so many times, convenience... and carbs!
      They are great pooches... And they know it :)

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  15. I'm learning to read labels - but they are so small I have to take my reading glasses when shopping... sigh. Cheers from Carole's Chatter

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  16. Nope, Whole30 isn't for me. I don't eat a lot of meat, so I'd waste away without my legumes and cheese! But I do eat "whole" foods - no packages for me. And I eat organic everything. I'm not about to give up my homemade baked goods, but I develop recipes with reduced sugar and I limit my portions. Nope, Whole30 is not going to work for me!

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  17. I'm making this a separate comment so that you can delete it if you like. I didn't want to be tacky and put a link in my comment. But here's my take on it - http://www.delightfulrepast.com/2016/09/sugar-toxin-or-treat.html - we all have to find a balance we can live with. I don't think of your go at Whole30 as a "failure," more of a learning experience!

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    1. The more time that passes, I am seeing it as a learning experience. And, I know that I will NOT try it again! My sister said the same as you, not being a meat eater, she would really waste away.

      Thank you for sharing your link, I will head over and check it out. I am leaving it here, as I want anyone else interested in finding a healthy balance to be able to read your thoughts :)

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