Our Whole30 Journey – Day One
While we won’t be posting every day, both mom and I want to share our perspectives on this journey. So here is Our Whole30 Journey – Day One…
Debra’s Thoughts… (Did I mention my mom’s name is Debra?)
Welcome to my Whole30 adventure! As an almost 65 year-old Nana with multiple health issues, I am working toward a better quality of life. I have high hopes that The Whole30 will help me on this journey. I’m happy to be starting here in Florida, where every type of grocery, big box and specialty store is just a short drive away. I live in a very rural part of North Carolina… It is a beautiful tourist area but not so much for food shopping. Finding Whole30 compliant foods will be an extended scavenger hunt for me when I head back home.
I’ve been eating fairly close to The Whole30 food plan since I arrived two weeks ago because that’s how Hunter and her family eat. The first week certainly was a wake up call – sugar, carb, and dairy withdrawal. All the things I loved to eat. I felt tired and crappy for part of the week then began to feel better. The food plan is not hard to follow and I assure you, there is plenty of food. However, Friday night I decided to have a “Last Hurrah.” Blueberry muffins were calling my name somethin’ fierce. So I indulged in the muffins (and had some cheese as well). The next day was horrible, like a bad hangover! My advice is “Don’t even consider it!”. I am still waiting for my sleep cycle to improve and energy levels to go up. I guess I’m a sloth right now.
Thank heavens Hunter cooked ahead, so breakfast today was no big deal. I’m cooking the roast chicken for supper. For a southern cook, I’m learning a whole new way to prepare food. No fried chicken or biscuits and gravy. 🙁 However, I’m keeping my eyes on the prize – lessening health issues, improved immunity, and a more active lifestyle. The journey begins…
Hunter’s Ramblings…
I feel like I was either cooking or in a grocery store all weekend. Getting ready for The Whole30 is no joke. And it can be a hit to the pocketbook! (Tangent – Does anyone use the word pocketbook anymore?) Especially if the staples in your kitchen aren’t the same as The Whole30 staples… And I never had coconut flour or sugar-free prosciutto in my house prior to trying this. I had to stock up this weekend on many of the things I am used to having around, too. But never fear… now I have gallon or so of coconut oil, the world’s largest bottle of olive oil (I love mayonnaise), and four giant jars of almond butter. (I have an almond butter problem, and having a stockpile makes me happy.)
But seriously… those of you who stuck with this journey through the first wave of grocery shopping, I applaud you and want to reassure you. It will not be that expensive every week. At least, it doesn’t have to be… If you want to eat filet mignon each week, that’s on you. I intentionally put some of my favorite recipes on the first meal plan. I feel that it is important for you to see how yummy this way of eating can be! We can and will make it simpler in future weeks. Plus, you won’t have to buy bottles of cooking oil, weird flour, and hard-to-find salad dressings each week! In the long run, I do spend more on groceries now than I did before my first Whole30 experience. But I eat out much less, so it is pretty much a wash for us. I have found that one reason I eat out less is that I don’t like the food served at many of the establishments I used to frequent. My taste buds changed once I got used to eating real, whole foods that I cook myself. I’ll be interested in hearing your experiences as we go through these 30 days and what changes you might find!
We made it through Day 1, though. A big shout out to my mom, who has impressive thawing skills that saved dinner. (I somehow got the refrigerator and freezer confused when putting away the chicken… Oops.) And our salmon cakes just came out of the oven for lunch tomorrow… So I just have to make some ranch dressing to go with them, and I can call it a night!
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