Hi folks!
I’m back in Los Angeles and getting into my old routine here. After finishing Whole30, I took 5 days off from any “eating plan” and started trying some of my old foods again. I didn’t exactly go about it in as scientific way as possible. I sampled cheese, bread, wine, oatmeal, chocolate, and even my old favorite breakfast sandwiches at Caribou Coffee. I took it slow at first, just having a few bites of this or that. I still haven’t tried milk and I’m afraid to. I was trying to be forgiving because I was on travel and without a kitchen, but towards the end of the 5 days, I have to admit that some of the meals were sitting like a brick in my stomach. And I hope this isn’t TMI, but for the first time in 30 days I was having gas again. Totally not a good sign.
So I did a run at Whole Foods today and got a mostly paleo menu picked out for the week. I say mostly because I am choosing not to be a maniac about it this month. Eating is such a hard thing. I’ve gone through periods in my life where I’ve lost weight simply by cutting down portion sizes (and still keeping my favorite foods). This is my preferred method of weight loss, but it didn’t address the emotional eating side of things, which is why I wanted to do Whole30. It is my goal over the next few months to turn this paleo plan into a more manageable lifestyle plan, while addressing (and quitting!) emotional eating completely in the process. Because, hell, I LOVE CHOCOLATE, and I don’t think there is any reason to be denied of that. I’ll be posting all my significant findings, of course! :)
The first order of business this morning was breakfast. Throughout this entire process I’ve tried to become a more intuitive eater. I walked into the grocery store to buy some fruit. I asked my body: “Body, what do you want this morning? Don’t you want some nice fruit and nutbutter?”
Body: “No, I want Kale!”
So I had kale. For breakfast. THERE ARE NO RULES!
I’m pretty sure my body needed the veg recharge.
I’ve also discovered that you can make your own nutbutters at Whole Foods. Did you know this? I’ve always shied away from the BULK section of grocery stores. I never really learned how to use the machines, and I guess I’ve just never really tried? But I got a little tutorial from someone this weekend and looky here, now I’m dishing out my own cashew butter! Fancy huh!
I picked up some detox salad from the salad bar:
I also treated myself to a fresh green juice. This would have been a big no-no on Whole30 (they don’t like juice because they feel it’s a meal replacement..or something). But I’m saying yes-yes to this. I watched the lady make it right in front of me. In went cucumbers, parsley, spinach, kale, and an apple. Very fresh!
And finally, after dinner, I allowed myself this chocolate maté tea that my friend gave me for christmas! I’ve been sooo curious to try it and it did not disappoint!
So that’s how it’s been so far, post-Whole30! I’m determined to customize the idea behind eating whole foods into something that is manageable and keeps me healthy and sane!
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
T minus 4 days until my descent into Whole Eating. Since I am El Cheap, I’m going to continue to use what I have, but incorporate whole foods. Any tips on how to get started?!?
yes! I need to write a full post on this. It helped me to plan meals for 5 days and have some “go to” foods ready. I had tea as my “OMG I need a snack” replacement, as well as olives and avocados. I would send the timeline (http://whole9life.com/2012/06/the-whole30-timeline/) to everyone you will be around and warn them that the sugar detox can be intense. Also I would put a system in place to keep you accountable (either daily blogging, getting 30 stones and putting 1 in a jar for every day you get through, or posting on facebook). The accountability is huge! Good luck and I’ll try to write a more thorough post in the next few days.
So YOU discovered the grind your own but butter machines at Whole Foods, eh?
butt butter? No, I’m not aware of those… ;-)
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the grind your own butter machines! Fantastic! Nuts are my ‘go-to’ snack and I love that these have no added sugars, oils, etc. It’s just 100% pure ground nuts! My hubby is into the whole juice thing. He really wants to get a juicer and go that route, but I’m not sold. I don’t like how people use it as a meal replacement for one thing. For another, I’m not sold that you are giving up all the fiber and nutrients from the bulk of the veg/fruit. I LOVE mate tea–that’s my ‘go-to’ in the morning instead of coffee. My hubby has even started to switch over and I think it helps him feel better too because sometimes coffee was too much for his stomach also.
I am curious about the juice! If I had money to throw around, I would buy one just to see what all the fuss is about. Some people really claim extreme health benefits from it!
I agree with you on the mate tea, I will definitely be trying more! (and maybe somewhere in the future try to cut down on coffee intake. I do 1 cup/day right now.)