Whole30 - Review

So, we've been off the Whole30 program officially for a few weeks now.

Here are some definite highlights of our experience:

-We feel awesome.
-We are sleeping better, falling asleep more quickly and waking up happier.
-I have had significantly less 'tummy issues,' as I like to call it.
-We've lost weight. Nothing major, but we weren't trying to lose weight. It just happens.
-We have forged some really good friends and strengthened friendships through this process.
-We tried new things! I cooked things I never thought I would and Ethan tried foods he never thought he would like. And we liked everything!
-We've tried new combinations of foods and vegetables that we love.
-Sugar and soy are in EVERYTHING! It was shocking when we started reading labels more closely. I'm so sad that we ate so much junk before, when we thought we ate healthy.
-I don't miss dairy. At all. And if you know me, you know this is a big deal.
-Ethan and I have spent a lot more time in the kitchen, however, we've had a lot more time to chat while we cook and clean the kitchen.
-I got a lot better at meal planning.
-We broke our habit with eating out and eating sugar.

A few downsides:
-I had to cook all. the. time. Seriously, I felt like I was in the kitchen the whole 30 days. However, Ethan was in there with me, so it wasn't too bad. Although I view this as a bit of a downside, I felt quite proud of all the work put in and all the meals I made. **This is from the standpoint of working a full time job outside the home. It was quite a long day to get up early to cook, then cook for an hour or so after I got home from work. At first I felt like all I ever did was cook, chop veggies, make meal plans, etc. It was totally worth it, though.
-It was slightly more expensive. We were buying organic as much as possible and lot of really high quality meat. Although we were spending about $20-30 more per week, we cannot remember not eating every single thing we bought. So, at least it wasn't getting wasted.

I read the book that accompanies the program (It Starts With Food). If you decide to do Whole30, I highly recommend reading the book. The writers and creators of the program give you all the science behind the program and it was fascinating. I felt encouraged and challenged.

Overall, it was an amazing experience! We don't feel like we were missed out on anything. If you do it, have the attitude of this is a challenge that YOU CAN DO, not a 30 day deprivation of all the things you love. If you are considering, I HIGHLY recommend it. Also, I would love to chat with you and encourage you in your Whole30 journey!

Day 30 - Whole30

Day 30 - November 11, 2014

Breakfast - scrambled eggs with onion, spinach, and breakfast sausage, blueberries, coffee
Snack - cashews
Lunch - leftover sausage and veggies
Snack -
Dinner - Chipotle Meatballs with caramelized onions and strawberry compote  (i didn't make meatballs, but just cooked the meatball ingredients all together in a pan. we prefer it that way) Make this ASAP! :)

I feel a little weird that we're off Whole30. I've made a list of things I want to share about our experience, but I'm still working on that post. I can tell you, it's incredible and if you are on the fence about doing it, just jump on over!

Day 29 - Whole30

Day 29 - November 10, 2014

Breakfast - scrambled eggs with onion, spinach, and breakfast sausage crumbled in, blueberries, coffee
Snack - cashews and a piping hot cup of mint tea
Lunch - leftover stove-top carnitas
Snack -
Dinner - I forgot to defrost meat for dinner, so we had some sausage browned in a skillet with baked sweet potato chunks and sauteed onion, zucchini, brussel sprouts and garlic. It turned out to be delicious!

I can't believe we are almost done! I am still working on a post about the perks and downsides of Whole30. I think I'll put it up on day 31. :)

Day 28 - Whole30

Day 28 - November 9, 2014

Breakfast - the usual
Snack - cashews
Lunch - leftover Autumn Grilled Chicken Salad
Snack - nothing
Dinner - Stovetop Pork Carnitas (Ethan's favorite and our first repeated meal)

Day 27 - Whole30

Day 27 - November 8, 2014

Breakfast - the usual :)
Snack - cashews
Lunch - Autumn Grilled Chicken Salad
Snack - cashews
Dinner - Chicken Cobb Salad from Panera, with no cheese, Balsamic vinaigrette on the side, and no roll

For snacks, we are barely eating anything. Usually it's because our tummies give a little rumble so we eat a small handful to satisfy it. But we aren't usually starving between meals anymore.

And that Autumn Grilled Chicken Salad. Oh. My. It was the best thing we've eaten so far!

Day 26 - Whole30

Day 26 - November 7, 2014

Breakfast - 3 scrambled eggs with onion and spinach, sweet potato hash browns and coffee. Ethan had leftover breakfast casserole from yesterday.
Snack - cashews
Lunch - Meyer Lemon Prosciutto Chicken
Snack -
Dinner - left overs

Day 25 - Whole30

Day 25 - November 6, 2015

Breakfast - casserole (i made it with bacon instead of sausage because that's what i had on hand. it was delicious, but a bit soggy and greasy. probably is MUCH better with sausage. tasted great though!)
Snack - cashews
Lunch - Fridge cleanout! (Stir fry or barbacoa)
Snack - cashews again
Dinner - Fridge cleanout! (Stir fry or barbacoa)

I've been reflecting on my Whole30 experience the past few days and creating a list of things I'd like to share and some encouragement for those who want to try it. it's really not as daunting as you think!

Day 24 - Whole30

Day 24 - November 5, 2014

Breakfast - The Usual
Snack - almonds
Lunch - leftover stir fry
Snack - cashews
Dinner - beef barbacoa left over

I can't believe we are almost done. It's crazy! We have really enjoyed this process and feel so good!

Day 23 - Whole30

Day 23 - November 4, 2014

Breakfast - the usual
Snack - banana
Lunch - leftovers
Snack - cashews
Dinner - beef barbacoa with sauteed veggies <---whoa .="" delicious.="" p="" this="" was="">

Day 22 - Whole30

Day 22 - November 3, 2014

Breakfast - the usual
Snack - almonds
Lunch - Asian broccoli stir fry (soooooo goooooood)
Snack - pistachios
Dinner - Chicken Divan, which tasted like a delicious yellow curry...yum!

Still going strong!

Day 21 - Whole30

Day 21 - November 2, 2014

Breakfast - the usual
Snack - almonds
Lunch - leftovers (carne asada, chicken satay, veggies)
Snack - larabar
Dinner - salads from Panera with no cheese, balsamic vinegar dressing, no rolls. Amazing!

Today was tough because I was the cake cutter at a wedding. I don't even usually like cake, but there was something about standing there with it smelling so good that made me want a piece so badly. So I had a bit of a lara bar and that really was nice. We didn't want to cook after getting home from the wedding, so we picked up salads at Panera and it was absolutely delicious! It was our first time to eat out on Whole30. We are happy we made it!

Also, my tummy is feeling really good! Maybe I've healed my gut all the way! We will see...

Day 20 - Whole30

Day 20 - November 1, 2014

Breakfast - back to our usual - eggs with spinach and onion, bacon, and fruit, coffee
Snack - some kind of nut
Lunch - leftover chicken satay and veg
Snack - nuts and a date roll (a date rolled in unsweetened coconut flakes with an almond - yum!)
Dinner - ribeye steak, purple sweet potatoes, roasted veg (parsnips, carrots, and baby brussels), and zucchini fries with blooming onion sauce <--the best="" p="">
Today's food was amazing all around. People call this a diet and it makes me laugh...who eats this good on a diet!?!? It's really about discipline and it's been surprisingly easy as we go. 

Day 19 - Whole30

Day 19 - October 31, 2014

Breakfast - breakfast quiche
Snack - some kind of nut
Lunch - leftover carne asada, veggies, and guacamole
Snack - nuts
Dinner - chicken satay with sunshine sauce (basically the most delicious combo of sunbutter, coconut milk and spices **drool**), sauteed zucchini, baby brussel sprouts, onion, peppers and sweet potatoes

This dinner is one of our favorites so far. Seems simple, but it's so full of flavor that it's ridiculous. I've noticed my tummy is feeling more settled today than usual. Adjusting??

Day 18 - Whole30

Day 18 - October 30, 2014

Breakfast - breakfast quiche
Snack - some kind of nut
Lunch - leftover soup
Snack - nuts
Dinner - carne asada with sautéed zucchini, squash, onions, and peppers, guacamole

Mom is in town so we cooked lots of yummy food! Again, still feeling good! I've had a rumbly tummy pretty much since we began, but I'm getting used to it. It doesn't hurt or anything, I can just tell my body is still adjusting and healing.

Day 17 - Whole30

Day 17 - October 29, 2014

Breakfast - sausage and crispy kale quiche with sweet potato crust, coffee, pineapple
Snack - almonds
Lunch - leftovers
Snack - pecans
Dinner - leftover soup

Still feeling good. Everything feels normal!

Day 16 - Whole30

Day 16 - October 28, 2014

Breakfast - eggs with spinach and onions, bacon, blackberries, coffee
Snack - almonds
Lunch - tuna with sauteed brussel sprouts (Ethan had leftovers)
Snack - pistachios
Dinner - spicy Italian sausage and sweet potato soup (delicious!)

Things just feel normal now. We have a bit more energy and we definitely feel like we think clearer. We both feel like our clothes are fitting differently now, but we haven't weighed ourselves. We've really enjoyed this process and doing it with our friends has made it more fun!

Day 15 - Whole30

Day 15 - October 27, 2014

Breakfast - eggs with onion and spinach, bacon, blackberries, coffee
Snack - almonds
Lunch - leftover cracklin chicken and veggies
Snack -
Dinner - Spaghetti (squash) and meat sauce

Days 13 & 14 - Whole30

Day 13 - October 25, 2014

Breakfast - eggs, onion, kale, sweet potato hash browns, homemade ketchup, coffee
Snack - banana
Lunch - broccoli and onion frittata, decaf coffee
Snack - pistachios
Dinner - cracklin' chicken with sauteed veggies, water

Still feeling good and happy!

Day 14 - October 26, 2014

Breakfast - eggs, onion, spinach, bacon, blackberries, coffee
Snack - banana
Lunch - broccoli and onion frittata, decaf coffee
Snack - pistachios
Dinner - cracklin' chicken with sauteed veggies, water

The things I've noticed really isn't about how we feel, but about how much effort we are putting into preparing our meals. We are cooking more than usual, cleaning more dishes than usual, and I feel a lot more aware of constantly needing to be cooking or preparing or defrosting or chopping something. It's slightly exhausting for me, working full time and having many commitments in the evenings. However, Ethan has been super helpful. He always cleans up while I'm cooking so after meals, we don't have many dishes to wash. He helps me chop and he almost always makes breakfast by himself. If he weren't doing this with me, I probably wouldn't be motivated to continue at all. Thankful!

Day 12 - Whole30

Day 12 - October 24, 2014

Breakfast - eggs (3 since we didn't have bacon) with kale and onion, pineapple, coffee
Snack - banana (half)
Lunch - leftovers - fridge clean out!
Snack - cashews
Dinner - leftover bacon avocado sliders - Yay!

Froday was a good day again. Ewe have energy, we are feeling good, we feel encouraged and ready to keep going. 

Day 11 - Whole30

Day 11 - October 23, 2014

Breakfast - eggs with onion, avocado, pineapple, bacon, coffee
Snack - almonds
Lunch - leftover coconut shrimp
Snack - cashews
Dinner - bacon burger sliders (on sweet potatoes) with sauteed kale, onion, and bell pepper

This has been our favorite dinner so far. It was so delicious that we can hardly wait for leftovers!

We are still feeling good. We have more energy, are sleeping better, are more alert

Day 10 - Whole30

Day 10 - October 22, 2014

Breakfast - eggs with spinach and onion, bacon, sweet potato hash browns, blackberries, coffee
Snack - banana (slightly upset stomach)
Lunch - tuna, spinach, carrots, guacamole, half an apple (Ethan had leftovers)
Snack - cashews
Dinner - coconut shrimp with sauteed veggies and a mango/pineapple/pepper puree for dipping

Today we are both having some allergy issues. My stomach is still adjusting to all the new amounts of food and such we're eating, but overall, we feel great!

Day 9 - Whole 30

Day 9 - October 21, 2014

Breakfast - eggs with spinach and onion, bacon, sweet potato hash browns, blackberries, coffee
Snack - almonds
Lunch - leftover sweet potatoes stuff with chicken and spinach
Snack -
Dinner - Sausage (applegate sugar free/pederson's sugar free - 2 flavors to try), sauteed veggies (zucchini, onion, spinach)

Yesterday we were really tired and sluggish, but as I mentioned, I don't think it was from Whole30. Today we both woke up alert and ready to go (which for me is a miracle!). So far we are feeling good today!

Day 8 - Whole30

Day 8 - October 20, 2014

Breakfast - eggs with kale and onions (again!), bacon, coffee
Snack - almonds
Lunch - leftover bacon wrapped chicken (with shredded unsweetened coconut), carrots and spinach
Snack - cashews
Dinner - Sweet potatoes stuffed with chicken and spinach

Last night we both slept terribly, thanks to a really super sad movie, and my allergies are going haywire today, so I haven't been feeling my best. Yesterday we both felt so good and energetic. Today is a different story, but I don't think it's the fault of our Whole30 program. Oh well. Tomorrow is a new day!

Days 6-7 - Whole30

Day 6 - October 18, 2014

Breakfast - eggs with kale and onions, bacon, black coffee

Snack - a few almonds 

Lunch - pork chili

Snack -

Dinner - pork carnitas with sautéed veggies and pineapple

Today Ethan and I both felt less tired and cranky. We feel like we are about to hit the upswing of this process. We have found we are snacking less as our bodies are learning to use the good food to keep us full longer. We have also both noticed that we are drinking a lot more water, not because we were told to, but because we are thirsty and we are just reaching for it. I don't know if that's a Whole30 thing or something random, but we like it. 

Day 7 - October 19, 2014

Breakfast - same old same 

Snack - almonds 

Lunch - leftover carnitas 

Snack - cashews

Dinner - bacon wrapped chicken with sautéed veggies 

We made it 7 days!! We both felt awesome on day 7. We are encouraged!

Day 5 - Whole30

Day 5 - October 17, 2014

Breakfast - scrambled eggs with kale and onions, bacon, half a banana, black coffee
Snack - almonds
Lunch - spaghetti squash bake (leftover)
Snack - cashews and hot tea
Dinner - eggs and bacon with avocado, salsa and sweet potatoes
Snack - olives 

Today has been the worst so far. My tummy is bothering me and I am so tired, my desk at work was looking like the most comfortable bed ever and all I wanted to do was go home and sleep all day. However, this phase will pass and surely we will be feeling great!

Day 4 - Whole 30

Day 4 - October 16, 2014

Breakfast - scrambled eggs with kale and onion, bacon, black coffee
Snack - Almonds
Lunch - tuna with salsa, bell pepper, carrot, olives, sweet potato, and pineapple, water

Snack - apple with almond butter, hot tea
Dinner - spaghetti squash bake (without the cheese) *I forgot to take a picture because I was starving and we needed to head to a picnic after, so we just ate. It was delicious.
Snack - larabar and decaf coffee

Today has been a tough day. I have been so tired and a little cranky. My tummy is all kinds of rumbling. Ethan is so tired and grumpy too. But, from what we have read, this is all normal and means our bodies are doing their thing to rid itself of the bad stuff we've fed it over the years.

Also, my copy of It Starts With Food came in today and I have already started reading and enjoying it. Hoping to push through all this successfully and come out feeling great! It sure does help to have a good support system doing this Whole30 challenge with me!

Day 3 - Whole 30

Day 3 - October 15, 2014

Breakfast - scrambled eggs with kale and onions, bacon, black coffee

Snack - banana, almonds, water
Lunch - tuna, veggies, water (Ethan had leftover taco salad)
Snack - macadamia nuts
Dinner - pork pumpkin chili, avocado, water
Snack - sweet potatoes and pecans

I was really tired today, but other than that, feeling good and still happy we're doing this!

Day 2 - Whole 30

Day 2 - October 14, 2014

Breakfast - scrambled eggs with kale and onions, bacon, strawberries, black coffee

Snack - macadamia nuts, green tea
Lunch - sausage, raw veggies (zucchini, bell peppers, carrot, olives), water
Snack - pistachios
Dinner - pork pumpkin chili, avocado, water

Snack - apple w/ almond butter

Day 2 was just as delicious! I was craving something sweet by the evening, but pushed through. We can do this! 

Day 1 - Whole 30

Day 1 - October 13, 2014

Breakfast - scrambled eggs with kale and onion, strawberries on the side, black coffee
Snack - almonds with honeycrisp apple, water
Lunch - sausage cooked in cast iron skillet, sauteed zucchini and onions, water
Snack - green tea
Dinner - Mexican salad (seasoned ground beef over kale, onions, tomatoes, olives, avocado, guacamole, and salsa) **This was exceptionally delicious.

Wish I would have taken pictures of my food because it was so good! Everything was delicious and extremely filling.

Apparently day 1 is the easiest. We shall see!

Whole30

Whole30.

It's something I've wanted to do for about a year and a half, but I never pulled the trigger. But being home from Germany (I need to post an update since we've been home a while) and eating the food here again, I realized that we needed a restart. And that's exactly what Whole30 claims to be.

I was chatting with a friend and I asked her randomly if she ever thought about doing the Whole30 Challenge and she had. We decided right then to do it together, starting today! We took the weekend to clean out our cabinets and fridge, to make a good grocery list, and to restock on all Whole30 compliant foods.

I am so excited about this! If you don't know what Whole30 is and you care to read up on it, click here. If you don't want to read about it, I'll say this: it's basically a strict Paleo style diet for 30 days to "nutritionally reset" your body. When I was reading through all the things I couldn't eat, I was thinking this would be hard. But then I read the list of things I CAN eat and realized, this is going to be both delicious and doable!

I've rallied some friends together and we are going to keep each other encouraged during these 30 days. We will share recipes and meal plans and tips and tricks. We will pat each other on the back and give high fives and hugs.

I don't expect anyone to read these blog posts about our Whole30 journey, but I wanted a place to share my experience that wasn't Facebook.

Have a lovely day and enjoy some whole foods!

Jewish Memorial

I tried for weeks to find the right words to use to express how somber this site was. I didn't expect to be so moved by it. This is the memorial in Goettingen for all the Jewish citizens who were forced out during WWII era. The memorial is built where the original town synagogue was burned down.

Last Bit from Around Town

Thought I'd share some pictures from our last few days.

The square downtown and the Altes Rathaus. One of my favorite locations. It was such a pretty day this day.

When PhD students graduate, they parade around town in make-shift wagons. It is hilarious. This is one of them.

I never ever got tired of the Schillerwiese, the park near our apartment. Evening talks here were my favorite.

Locals enjoying the beautiful weather and scenery in the Schillerwiese. The building in the back is the top of the Goethe Institut.

A sunset we saw on one of our last walks through town. The night was so lovely, that we just walked and talked for nearly 3 hours!

The Deutches Theater. I love the landscaping in the middle of the roundabout.

The library at University of Goettingen. 

A statue we passed on our walk to church each week. These two are a part of the Goettingen Seven, I believe.

Church. 

Our walk to and from church was mostly on the old city wall. It was so lovely.

These are some pretty houses I liked. I passed these a lot on our walks around town.

Last German Eis. Man, it was delicious.

There is an Academic Publisher in town. This is one of their locations. They print a lot of academic theology books in German.

Where Goethe lived in Goettingen.

Where Benjamin Franklin lived in Goettingen.

This is the statue in the center of town, appropriately named the Navel.

Sadly, my favorite aisle at the grocery store. So much Haribo!

My view from the kitchen. 

On our last walk through old downtown Goettingen. We were on our way to Cron & Lanz for dessert and coffee, so we were happy.

I loved this street. We walked it daily, as it was the main road from our apartment to the center of town and the grocery store. It just looks so quintessentially German with the half-timbered houses. 

Pretty view from inside Cron & Lanz.

Our final dessert choices from Cron & Lanz. We were not disappointed.

Planetenweg (Planet Path)

I'm a little fuzzy on the details, but in 2003 Goettingen put a Planet Path in their town. It is all to scale in the city starting near the train station and going all the way into the forest. It is done to scale in length and in size of the planets. (Here's the link to the webpage if you're a geek like me: http://www.planetarium-goettingen.de/Planetenweg/) My goal this summer was to find all the plaques and take a picture with them. Success!

You can barely see the Mercury representation in the middle of the clear plexiglas, it's so tiny.

Jupiter. Forgot to take a picture with the front of it.

Pluto was too small for a representation, but it did have a plaque! We had to hike up quite a ways to find this one.