Whole30 Experience

WHY:

I really, really, really wanted to do the Whole30 program. I totally drank the kool-aid after reading It Starts With Food, but I couldn't shake the nerves that I'd cheat and give in, because, well, it's a super strict program!

I eat pretty "healthy" 80-90% of the time.  Hubby and I pay attention to our diets and our lifestyle, but you guys...I loooove whole wheat pasta and Italian bread and CHOCOLATE...ohhhhh, sweet chocolate.  So while I'm relatively "healthy", the book showed me that there may be a number of underlying things going on in my body that I don't even know about.  I wanted to hit the reset button for myself.  I wanted to rid myself of the annoying cravings for something sweet that hit me after lunch and dinner, every.single.day. I wanted to be the best and most healthy version of myself {especially after learning that I've been living with some major thyroid and adrenal issues.} We only get one body in our lifetime, so I should treat it well.

And since there is no time like the present, I wanted to started immediately after I finished the book and bought all the approved foods.  Also, I really wanted to get my 30 days in before November 28th, otherwise I'd be in for one awful Thanksgiving! ;)

Here goes nothing!

DAY 1: October 21

Eating three meals without snacking is the goal on the plan.  That is crazy backwards from the way I normally eat...which is a smaller breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner {sometimes followed by something sweet, of course}.  

Besides being apprehensive, day one started out just fine.  I'm not usually very hungry in the AM {which I learned in the book could be a possible red flag that something is off}, but I always make sure I eat breakfast, no matter what.  Even though I wasn't hungry, I made a sizable breakfast so it'd last me until lunch. I was able to force it all down, and eating that much protein, veggie and fat in the morning worked...I wasn't hungry until after my "normal" lunch time.  I ate my lunch, but wasn't very satisfied by it, so after a few hours I was hungryyyyy.  And I worked a little late, delaying my dinner, which made me hangry.  Yup, I said hangry. It was obvious to me that I'd need to add some more protein/fat to my lunches to keep me satisfied until dinner...that or I'd have to get an approved snack to tide me over meal #3 of the day.  My dinner was super yummy and filling, but shocker...I still felt the compulsion to eat after it.  I found myself wanting to snack or munch on something...presumably sweet.  I knew this would happen.  So I had a handful of cashews and told myself to toughen up.  Around that same time, a headache also set in.  Lovely.

Breakfast - 3 scrambled eggs with diced yellow and orange bell peppers {equivalent to half of a large pepper}, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper

Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener...gross, but I choked it down

Lunch - 2 cups organic mixed greens with diced yellow and orange bell peppers {equivalent to half of a large pepper}, 1 organic tomato and grilled chicken breast, with a Whole30 approved Italian/olive oil dressing; 1 plum

Dinner - Petite sirloin with organic steamed cauliflower {approx. 2 cups} and 1 sliced organic tomato, drizzled in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper; small handful of whole roasted and unsalted cashews

DAY 2: October 22

I woke up feeling the same as any other morning, although I did have some weird dreams that I ate un-approved foods and cheated on the plan.  Thankfully, it was only a dream {or should I say nightmare}. I struggled to eat my entire breakfast again...and I left some on my plate.  It's tough to put so much food in my belly that early in the day!!  I did notice I started to get hungry earlier than when I ate my entire breakfast the day before.  Lunch was a little more satisfying, but I felt hungry just two hours later.  I don't know if it was real hunger or cravings, but after an hour of thinking about it, I caved and had a handful of almonds.  They helped a bit, but not much.  The headache from the prior night returned, but this time it was mid-afternoon. Dinner was delish and satisfying...for about 30 minutes, and then I started thinking about eating sweets.  Holy moly, I got myself into some bad habits!  For the second night in a row, I grabbed a handful of cashews and told myself to suck it up.  It semi-worked, although my headache remained until I went to bed.

Breakfast - 3 scrambled eggs with diced yellow and orange bell peppers {equivalent to half of a large pepper}, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper

Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener {still gross second time around}

Lunch - 1 grilled chicken breast, left over steamed cauliflower from the night before {about 1 1/2 cups} and half of a sweet potato; 1 plum

Dinner - About 1/3 lb. of ground turkey meat cooked in olive oil, seasoned with taco seasoning; over 2 cups of organic baby greens, diced red and green organic peppers {equal to about half of a large pepper, 1 sliced organic tomato and 1/4 cup sliced black olives; small handful of whole roasted and unsalted cashews

DAY 3: October 23

My morning started much like the days before...except no weird dreams during the night!  I couldn't quite get my whole breakfast down again, but I was quite satisfied until lunch rolled around.  Lunch was yummy, and my hunger/cravings that normally hit mid-afternoon didn't hit as early or strongly as they did the previous days.  When they did hit, I had some snacks and they held me over until dinner.  Dinner was also pretty satisfying...I was even full from it, but goodness gracious, all I could think about before, during and after dinner was eating a huge soft-baked chocolate chip cookie.  Clearly, that would be a MAJOR no-no, so instead, I had a kiwi and a handful of macadamia nuts after my dinner.  The typical headache I'd feel in the afternoon and evening wasn't as bad as the previous days.  It'd come and go, barely affecting me at all.

Breakfast - 3 scrambled eggs with diced yellow and orange bell peppers {equivalent to half of a large pepper}, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper

Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener {third time is NOT the charm....still gross with no sweetener}

Lunch - Leftovers from last night's dinner...about 1/3 lb. of ground turkey meat cooked in olive oil, seasoned with taco seasoning; over 2 cups of organic baby greens, diced red and green organic peppers {equal to about half of a large pepper, 1 sliced organic tomato and 1/4 cup sliced black olives; 1 kiwi
Afternoon Snack - 1 plum and handful of unsalted macadamia nuts

Dinner - Salmon fillet {not sure what size...between 6 and 8 oz. maybe?} baked with ghee, sea salt, pepper and paprika; roasted broccoli florets drizzled in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika
After dinner - 1 kiwi and small handful of whole roasted and unsalted cashews

DAY 4: October 24

I woke up feeling a little less groggy than usual.  I didn't finish my entire breakfast {I'm sensing a pattern here haha}, but I ate almosttt the whole thing.  My lunch was boringggg, but I tried to focus on the health benefits of the meal, not how exciting it was.  I snacked in the afternoon when I got hungry, and that held me over until dinner.  I wasn't starving when dinner rolled around, just hungry...so dinner went well filling me up.  Like all my other nights though, a little while after dinner, I had the urge to eat again, so I had a kiwi.  So. Friggin. Yummy.  My biggest win of day four....NO HEADACHE!!  Woohooo!

Breakfast - 3 scrambled eggs with diced red and green bell peppers {equivalent to half of a large pepper}, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper

Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener {still not a fan of unsweetened tea}
Lunch - Grilled chicken breast, leftover roasted broccoli, handful of macadamia nuts
Afternoon snack - 1 plum
Dinner - Eye round steak seasoned with sea salt and pepper, steamed organic cauliflower and 1 organic tomato, both drizzled with olive oil, seasoned with sea salt, pepper and garlic powder
After dinner - 1 kiwi

DAY 5: October 25
Same story, different day ;).  Up in the AM not feeling too different from the other days, and can't finish my entire breakfast, again.  I fit as much as I could into my tummy, and decided it was a good day to take on a challenge.  Every Friday, I usually have a lunch date with hubby at my favorite pizza place, and I decided we should keep to our date.  I resisted the pizza and ordered a grilled chicken salad with olive oil and vinegar.  It was very filling and I'm proud of myself that I didn't cheat.  Unfortunately, while at work, I was surrounded by candy all. day. long.  We had an annual Halloween parade for kids, so there was candy at everyone's desks, including a candy station 5 feet from mine.  I stayed strong, and ate a plum for an afternoon snack. Dinner was yummy, and I escaped the day without a headache.

Breakfast - 3 scrambled eggs with diced red and green bell peppers {equivalent to half of a large pepper}, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper

Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener {still icky with no sweetener}
Lunch - Grilled chicken salad with olive oil and vinegar
Afternoon snack - 1 plum
Dinner - My own version of a deconstructed stuffed pepper...ground turkey meat in olive oil, with onion and garlic powder, organic tomato sauce, chopped up green and red peppers all simmered together...it was delish!!
After dinner - 1 grapefruit

DAY 6: October 26

I'm not going to lie, I was nervous how the eating would go on the weekend.  I tend to eat more relaxed on the weekends, and this program is the exact opposite of that.  On Saturday I started waking up on my own around 6 something.  This is new, and something I'm definitely not used to.  Although my body kept waking up, I couldn't force myself out of my comfy bed.  I stayed in bed pretty late, and didn't get up until almost 9. Then I was bad and didn't eat my breakfast right away.  I ended up eating at 10 something...therefore I called it "brunch".  I had my usual and managed to eat the whole meal.  Eating so late threw my lunch off, so around 3 in the afternoon, I had some light snacks to hold me over until dinner.  I did not feel like cooking for dinner AT ALL.  This is a problem when eating on Whole30, so I decided to order out with hubby.  I got an approved meal, and I'm very happy I did it.  It was a nice change of pace.  Again, no headaches for me!!

Brunch - 3 scrambled eggs with diced red and green bell peppers {equivalent to half of a large pepper}, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper
Afternoon snack - 1 organic tomato in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper, and a generous handful of cashews
Dinner - Broiled seafood duo (salmon fillet and scallops) in olive oil, with steamed broccoli and a sweet potato
After dinner - 1 grapefruit

DAY 7: October 27

Like the day before, I started waking up around 6 something in the morning.  I didn't stay in bed as late as the day before, so I was up around 8.  I broke the rules about eating breakfast right away, and decided to go grocery shopping with hubby to get it out of the way.  We got home and I ate my usual breakfast mid-morning...so for the second day in a row, I had brunch.  On Saturday, I had pretty good energy and tackled a few to-do list items, but today....not so much.  I felt like I couldn't move off of the couch.  I know in the program's timeline, they said this happens on day 6 and 7, but I wasn't sure it'd happen to me.  My "kill all things" phase occurred the same time as the "hangover"...aka the times I had my headaches, and I didn't really want to kill things...more like, just punch them in the face.  So when this sluggish day happened, I was a little surprised, but totally okay with vegging out watching football all day.  Like the day before, I just had a small snack mid-afternoon since I ate "brunch" so late.  And like all the days before, dinner was fine and I capped it off with a kiwi.

The one difference I'm noticing is that it takes less to fill me up now.  In the beginning of the program, I had to eat a ton to be satisfied.  No longer is that the case.  I'm thinking my stomach might be shrinking a bit since I no longer stuff it past it's limits with pasta and other yummy-but-not-good-for-you foods.  Maybe my real hunger signals are starting to figure a few things out too.  I definitely don't overeat any of my meals on this program...something I would do almost nightly if there was pasta thrown into the mix.  Hmmmmm....

Brunch - 3 scrambled eggs with diced red and green bell peppers {equivalent to half of a large pepper}, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper
Afternoon snack - a generous handful of cashews
Dinner - Eye round steak seasoned with sea salt and pepper, steamed broccoli and 1 organic tomato drizzled in olive oil, sea salt and pepper
After dinner - 1 kiwi

DAY 8: October 28

My waking up around 6 something continued into this AM.  I am hoping to get used to this, because I'd love to turn myself into an early riser.  I fall asleep easier, but staying asleep is still tough for me.  I awake throughout the night more often than not.  I made a slightly smaller breakfast (one less egg) this morning since I never get all 3 down.  It seemed to work well, and I made it to lunch without any major hunger.  I feel like my body has settled into this new routine of eating...and knows what to expect.  It's nothing exciting to eat, but it's nothing harmful either.  I try and focus on that latter point.  My pants have also started to fit differently.  That's a fun fact.

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs with diced red and green bell peppers, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper

Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener {bleh}
Lunch - Grilled chicken breast, leftover steamed broccoli, 1 organic tomato in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper
Afternoon snack - 1 plum and handful of cashews
Dinner - Ground turkey meat cooked in olive oil, seasoned with taco seasonings; over organic baby spinach, diced red, orange and yellow organic peppers, 1 chopped organic tomato and sliced black olives
After dinner - 2 kiwis

DAY 9: October 29

I started waking a little before my alarm again.  I wasn't too hungry (less than usual) this morning...possibly because I was a little distracted by a morning doctor visit we had to drive to CT for.  I made my usual breakfast, with two eggs instead of three again, and didn't finish it all.  I could tell I didn't eat enough breakfast because I was hungry before lunch rolled around.  On second thought, maybe today was just a hungry day because I ate a filling lunch, and was hungry not too long after it.  My snacks that usually satisfy, didn't work too well...and even after a filling dinner, I was feeling a bit hungry too.  Some days, you just want to eat. all. things. I guess. ;)  Also, I would have given my left arm...okay, maybe not arm, rather my beloved gold dipped furniture...for a soft-baked chocolate chip cookie or chocolate cupcake with vanilla icing last night.  Siiiiiiiiiiigggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs with diced red and green bell peppers, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper

Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener {bleh}
Lunch - Leftovers from last night's dinner...ground turkey meat cooked in olive oil, seasoned with taco seasoning, over organic baby greens, diced red, orange and yellow organic peppers, 1 sliced organic tomato and sliced black olives; 1 kiwi
Afternoon Snack - Handful of unsalted macadamia nuts
Dinner - Eye round steak seasoned with sea salt and pepper, steamed string beans and 1 organic tomato drizzled in olive oil, sea salt and pepper
After dinner - Handful of cashews and 1 kiwi

DAY 10: October 30

Yet another morning where I woke before my alarm went off.  When I got out of bed, I didn't feel as groggy as other mornings.  Breakfast...lunch and dinner went off the same as any other day, except I was definitely craving some sweets again...especially post-dinner.  I blame it on all the candy surrounding me.  It's everywhere I look.  Luckily, we aren't going to be home for Halloween, so we don't have any in our own house...but at work...yea, I can't take 5 steps without seeing something chocolate-y.  The worst...someone I walk by at least 10 times a day has a huge bowl of Reese's peanut butter cups on her desk.  They are one of my favorites.  Wahhhhhhhhh!

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs with diced red, orange and yellow bell peppers, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper

Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener {tried a new brand of tea, and it's growing on me...I don't gag as much drinking it}
Lunch - Grilled chicken breast and green beans leftover from the previous night's dinner, 1 grapefruit
Afternoon snack - handful of cashews
Dinner - Salmon fillet and roasted cauliflower
After dinner - Apple with cinnamon sprinkled on it

FYI - I keep forgetting to take pictures of my meals lately...whoooops!

1/3 Of The Way There!!

The end of day 10 meant I'm 1/3 of the way through this process!  When I thought about starting this program, I thought there would be NO WAY I could resist certain sweets and foods.  I thought I'd surely fail within the first couple days, but here I am.....no cheats and 11 days in.

Taking on this program certainly isn't an easy task, but in all honesty, it hasn't been crazy hard either.  I thought my cravings would be the toughest part, but so far, I've been able to get through those by venting to hubby and other supportive people...or just eating something that's "approved".  After all, the program doesn't restrict how much you eat, but WHAT you eat.  I've realized if I put myself in the right state of mind, then I can make it through the cravings.  I remind myself that I'm not doing this to deprive myself...rather to heal my body.  I want to give it a break from any abuse it's gotten, and restore it's proper function.  Rather than harping on what I canNOT eat, I think about the beneficial foods I can eat.  I change my focus from the craving to finding new recipes or foods to try...even a hot cup of tea or taking on some sort of task is enough to distract me from the nagging pull of unapproved foods.

Since the cravings haven't been too difficult {yet....I know this can change, eeek!}, I'd have to say the hardest part was meal planning.  Having 3 solid meals a day, with go-to snacks, that are all approved....well, that was super overwhelming for me, especially before I even started the program.  To solve that, I did a large shopping trip and purchased a bunch of "approved" items off of the shopping list they provide. Good meats, fish, veggies, fruits, nuts, eggs and oils all went into my cart.  If I could freeze certain things, they went in the freezer to stay good....and then I just dove in head first.

I knew eggs were my go-to breakfast.  I also knew I liked peppers...so I started buy cutting up a bunch of them.  I'd wrap them in a paper towel and place them into a zip lock baggie.  Every day I need breakfast, I go into my pepper stash, and dump some out into the pan.  Then I wrap the peppers up in a FRESH paper towel and back into the baggie they go.  I learned this trick from my mom, and it keeps the cut-up peppers nice and fresh for quite a few days.

For my lunches, my and hubby have gotten into the habit of grilling a bunch of chicken on Sunday night. Then I always have a good protein source for my lunch, and I can supplement that with a salad or leftover veggies from the previous night's dinner.  Also, another fab time saver is to make a ton of dinner.  Hubby usually eats what I eat for dinner, although I add a rice or couscous side for him, and then I put the leftovers into containers for my lunch.  That way, all I have to do is grab the container, some fruit, some nuts...and head out the door to work.  I love it!

I haven't noticed any of the "magic" they talk about in the book, but I'm also not at that point in the program yet.  Just because I haven't seen any of this "magic" doesn't mean I haven't had some awesome results though.  So far, I'm down 4-5 lbs, and my pants fit so. much. better.  I also don't have a crazy bloated feeling after every meal anymore.  It's amazing to lose the bloated 24-7 feeling.  I'm falling asleep quicker and I wake up earlier, without my alarm clock.  My energy has been a little "eh", but I hear that happens in the beginning because your body is changing from being a carb-for-energy fuel system, to burning fat for energy. Hopefully my energy levels rebound soon because I have a lengthy to-do list for our house! ;)

Any questions...just ask! :)

DAY 11: October 31

Such a rough day in terms of temptations.  Candy everywhere, and our plans for the night involved eating with my hubby's family...on the menu?  Pizza and wine.  Plus, a big plate of brownies sitting in front of my face all dinner long.  Thank gosh I thought ahead and brought leftover salmon and roasted cauliflower with me.  I heated it up and started eating before the pizza arrived, which also helped too.  Thankfully...I escaped Halloween without indulging, and I lived to see another Whole30 day.

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs with diced red, orange and yellow bell peppers, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper

Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener {new brand of tea isn't as bad...still don't love it though}
Lunch - Cobb salad...romaine lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, hard-boiled egg, bacon crumbles and grilled chicken with vinegar and olive oil dressing
Afternoon snack - 1 grapefruit and handful of cashews
Dinner - Salmon fillet and roasted cauliflower

 FYI - I totally forgot to take a picture of my dinner...whoooops!

DAY 12: November 1

No more waking way before my alarm, but waking up isn't as awful as it used to be for me pre-Whole30.  I call that a win.  Breakfast is business as usual, along with lunch and dinner.  Nothing too major to report.

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs with diced red and orange bell peppers, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper

Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener {still eh, but more tolerable}
Lunch - Grilled chicken salad with olive oil and vinegar
Afternoon snack - 1 grapefruit and handful of cashews
Dinner - My "deconstructed" stuffed pepper recipe again...ground turkey, organic tomato sauce, seasonings, and diced orange and red peppers
After dinner - Apple with cinnamon

DAY 13: November 2

This is a day I was dreading for a while....not because of what I was doing, but because I knew it would be full of temptations, and lots of special ordering my food.  And I hate being a pain in the behind while ordering things!  But since I was so excited about the actual activities, I let the other stuff just fall away.  I was able to eat some compliant meals, and still had a blast.  Although a glass of wine and some dessert would have been a cherry on top of my night. ;)

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs with diced red and orange bell peppers, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper

Lunch - Grilled chicken salad with olive oil and vinegar
Dinner - Broiled scallops and roasted asparagus {they mistakenly put my scallops on the plate with rice...it smelled SO good, but I stayed strong and didn't eat any of it....yay me!}

DAY 14: November 3

When I woke up, I noticed I slept well through the night.  I usually do my fair share of waking up throughout the night, but I can't really remember doing any of that from the night before.  That is a MAJOR win in my book, but unfortunately, that's about as far as my wins went for the day.  Day 14 was a huge struggle.  It felt like I couldn't control any of my cravings and nothing compliant would satisfy my hunger.  I read the updated timeline for Whole30, and I was dead on for this "stage" of things.  Sunday sucked.

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs with diced red and orange bell peppers, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper

Lunch - Leftover stuffed pepper dinner from Friday
Afternoon snack - 1 apple with cinnamon and organic almond butter
Dinner - Broiled seafood duo (salmon fillet and scallops), with a baked sweet potato and steamed broccoli...I couldn't even eat the scallops, they tasted awful compared to the amazing ones I had the night before!!

DAY 15: November 4

I slept well through the night, waking up maybe one or two times, but not for a long enough time to complain about.  Thankfully, I'm not waking up before my alarm goes off anymore, but getting up is less of a struggle than it used to be.  My pants did not fit at all this AM...which is an awesome surprise, but had me scrambling through my closet for a little bit.  My energy seems to have rebounded, and I'm hoping my cravings aren't as intense tonight.  I don't want to deal with another night like Sunday...it was a doozy.

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs with diced red and orange bell peppers, cooked in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper
Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener

Lunch - Arugula salad with grilled chicken, portobello mushrooms, red peppers and olive oil/vinegar
Afternoon snack - 1 grapefruit
Dinner - Steak and steamed green beans seasoned with garlic powder and paprika
After dinner - Apple with cinnamon

DAY 16: November 5

I feel like getting through the halfway mark really improved the severity of any cravings.  I wake easier, I fall asleep more quickly.  My energy is better.  My mood is better.  Things are definitely good.

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs cooked in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper, and 1 organic tomato drizzled in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper
Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener
Lunch - Cobb salad...romaine lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, hard-boiled egg, bacon crumbles and grilled chicken with vinegar and olive oil dressing
Afternoon snack - grapefruit and handful of cashews
Dinner - Ground turkey meat cooked in olive oil, seasoned with taco seasonings; over organic baby spinach, diced red, orange and yellow organic peppers, 1 chopped organic tomato and sliced black olives

DAY 17-19: November 6-8

I took the next three days off of work.  I used the time to re-stencil our hallway...and take care of a few other things that have been on my mind.  I was so busy that cravings or anything of the sort weren't even a thought in my mind.  My hunger during "eating" times was the only thing that made me think of food.

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs cooked in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper, and 1 organic tomato drizzled in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper
Lunch - Left over taco salad (ground turkey meat cooked in olive oil, seasoned with taco seasonings; over organic baby spinach, diced red, orange and yellow organic peppers, 1 chopped organic tomato and sliced black olives)
Afternoon snack - apple with cinnamon
Dinner - Broiled salmon filet with steamed broccoli and sweet potato fries

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs cooked in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper, and 1 organic tomato drizzled in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper
Lunch - Left over taco salad (ground turkey meat cooked in olive oil, seasoned with taco seasonings; over organic baby spinach, diced red, orange and yellow organic peppers, 1 chopped organic tomato and sliced black olives)
Afternoon snack - apple with cinnamon
Dinner - My "deconstructed" stuffed pepper recipe...ground turkey, organic tomato sauce, seasonings, and diced orange, red, green and yellow bell peppers

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs cooked in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper, and 1 organic tomato drizzled in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper
Lunch - Grilled chicken salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing
Dinner - Arugula salad with grilled chicken, portobello mushrooms, red peppers and olive oil/vinegar
After dinner - Apple with cinnamon

DAY 20: November 9

Today was interesting.  I attended a beautiful baby shower for a friend...so I knew I had to bring my willpower A-game to resist all the delicious food that'd be surrounding me.  I was thankful that the event occurred on my 20th day into the program.  That meant my cravings weren't as strong and I just kept telling myself "I'm 2/3 of the way through, do not stumble now."  I was very happy for the omelet bar and fresh fruit because they enabled me to put together a perfectly compliant meal...but boy did the mimosas, bagels and cupcakes look oh-so-good!  Needless to say, I survived the day! ;) On to the last 10 days...

Breakfast - NOTHING...I totally failed here, but I was having some issues picking out an outfit and getting my hair done and getting out the door on time.  Looking acceptable was more important than filling my belly this AM.  This was not a smart thing to do, but hey, $#*@ happens, right?
Lunch - Omelet with red peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes, and assorted fresh fruit (pineapple, blueberries, red grapes, melon)
Afternoon snack - scoop of almond butter
Dinner - Broiled salmon filet with sweet potato fries and steamed broccoli
**Totally forgot to take pictures all day!  I was too busy taking pictures of the breath-taking shower I was attending...whoooops!**

DAY 21: November 10

Day 21 was another good day, except that I was pretty hungry.  I couldn't satisfy an empty feeling until I ate entirely too many cashews.  They were salted and delish.  I know now that I reallyyyyy need to watch how much I eat of them.  It's one of those snacky foods they warn you about.  I didn't have a problem with my portions of nuts on this program until I recently found a new brand of organic salted cashews.  Oh. My. They are SO good.

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs cooked in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper, and 1 organic tomato drizzled in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper
Lunch - Leftover "stuffed peppers" from Thursday's dinner
Snack - a couple handfuls of cashews (totally ate too many, but I couldn't help it)
Dinner - Steak with roasted cauliflower (drizzled in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika
After dinner - Apple with cinnamon

DAY 22: November 11

I'm still feeling great.  My energy is up, cravings are either non-existent or easily satisfied by something "on plan."  Really can't complain...except for the fact that my work pants don't fit, and I can't afford go to buy new ones. :(  Considering that's the only downside I'm facing, I'll take it! ;)

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs cooked in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper, and 1 organic tomato drizzled in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper
Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener
Lunch - Cobb salad...romaine lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, hard-boiled egg, bacon crumbles and grilled chicken with vinegar and olive oil dressing and a handful of cashews
Afternoon snack - grapefruit
Dinner - 2 small turkey burgers and roasted broccoli seasoned with sea salt, pepper, garlic and paprika
After dinner - Apple with cinnamon

DAY 23: November 12

The wonderfulness continues.... :)

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs with organic mushrooms and baby spinach cooked in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper
Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener
Lunch - Grilled chicken salad with olive oil and vinegar
Afternoon snack - grapefruit
Dinner - Taco Tuesdayyyyy!  Ground turkey meat cooked in olive oil, seasoned with taco seasonings; over organic baby spinach, diced orange and yellow peppers, diced tomato and sliced black olives
After dinner - Apple with cinnamon

DAY 24: November 13

I'm still feeling great and can't complain at all.  The only weird cravings I have are buffalo chicken dip and cauliflower pizza...which happen after browsing through Pinterest.  Let me just say, Pinterest is NOT a friend for someone who is watching what they eat.  It's filled with ooey, gooey desserts and cheesy goodness.  Stay away people!  Just close the app or web browser. ;)

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs with organic baby spinach cooked in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper
Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener
Lunch - Left over taco salad (ground turkey meat cooked in olive oil, seasoned with taco seasonings; over organic baby spinach, diced orange and yellow peppers, chopped tomato and sliced black olives)
Afternoon snack - one grapefruit, cashews
Dinner - Grilled chicken and roasted cauliflower (drizzled in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika)
After dinner - Apple with cinnamon

DAY 25: November 14

Still going strong...

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs cooked in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, sea salt and pepper
Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener
Lunch - Left over taco salad (ground turkey meat cooked in olive oil, seasoned with taco seasonings; over organic baby spinach, diced orange and yellow peppers, chopped tomato and sliced black olives)
Afternoon snack - one grapefruit, two spoonfuls of almond butter
Dinner - My "deconstructed" stuffed pepper recipe again...ground turkey, organic tomato sauce, seasonings, and diced orange and red peppers
After dinner - Apple with cinnamon

DAY 26: November 15

Still rolling along...wishing I could STOP going on Pinterest.  It is a dessert-avoider's nightmare!!!!

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs cooked in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, sea salt and pepper
Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener
Lunch - Grilled chicken salad with olive oil and vinegar
Dinner - Broiled salmon filet with steamed broccoli and sweet potato fries
After dinner - apple with cinnamon

DAYS 27 & 28: November 16 & 17

Had a crazy busy and productive weekend taking care of a lot of cleaning and to-do list type things around the house.  When my days are packed full, I often forget I'm even eating on a "plan".  I just fall into the routine I've established, and if I get a little hungry when it's not meal time, a small handful of cashews or bite of organic almond butter satisfies my belly and I'm on with my day.

One random thing I noticed is that when I'm going all day, non-stop, I usually have very painful feet after a few hours.  By the end of the night, they are sometimes unbearable.  That wasn't the case for me this weekend, and I'm curious if it has something to do with my diet change.  Hmmmmm....

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs cooked in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, sea salt and pepper
Lunch - Leftover "deconstructed" stuffed pepper recipe...ground turkey, organic tomato sauce, seasonings, and diced red and green organic bell peppers; spoonful of almond butter
Snack - Handful of dry roasted, salted, organic cashews
Dinner - Turkey burger, hard-boiled eggs and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, sea salt and pepper
After dinner - Apple with cinnamon

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs cooked in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, sea salt and pepper
Lunch - Leftover "deconstructed" stuffed pepper recipe...ground turkey, organic tomato sauce, seasonings, and diced red and green organic bell peppers; spoonful of almond butter
Snack - Handful of dry roasted, salted, organic cashews
Dinner - Grass fed steak with roasted cauliflower
After dinner - Apple with cinnamon

DAY 29: November 18

How are there only two days left?!?!

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs cooked in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper, and organic tomatoes drizzled in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper
Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener
Lunch - Cobb salad...romaine lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, hard-boiled egg, bacon crumbles and grilled chicken with vinegar and olive oil dressing and a handful of cashews
Snack - Grapefruit
Dinner - My "deconstructed" stuffed pepper recipe...ground turkey, organic tomato sauce, seasonings, and diced red and green bell peppers
After dinner - Apple with cinnamon

DAY 30: November 19

Cannot believe it's the final day.  I'm not ready for this experience to end.

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs cooked in olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and pepper, and organic tomatoes drizzled in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper
Mid-morning - Organic green tea, with no sweetener
Lunch - Leftover "deconstructed" stuffed pepper recipe...ground turkey, organic tomato sauce, seasonings, and diced red and green bell peppers
Snack - 1 kiwi
Dinner - Salmon fillet baked with ghee, sea salt, pepper and paprika; roasted cauliflower drizzled in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika
After dinner - Apple with cinnamon

Any questions about my experience?!  Just ask...I'm happy to answer! :)