Whole30 in September - anyone want to join?

[taxworries]

I'm starting Whole30 on 1 September if anyone else was thinking of doing it and wants a buddy to egg them on, share recipes and tips etc. Doing it mainly because i've been feeling a bit run down the past few months - need to sleep better, find more energy and losing 10lbs would be a bonus :)

[PhoenixJasmine]

Just checked with DP (cos we do it together..... everyone saw awwww) and I'm in too :)

It'll be good to talk to other UK people doing it so we can swap tips on W30 compliant bacon, sausages and deli meats (becomes a weird obsession when I do a W30, reading the backs of packets of ham!)

Once you get into it it's fairly simple, especially now potatoes are complaint (hello steak and homemade wedges; homemade shepherd's pie and sausage and mash!). My go-to quick weeknight meals tend to be fish or chicken with multiple veggies though; I recommend stocking up the freezer with as many types of frozen veg and fish as you can find, then there's always a dinner you can make in less than 30 mins.

I always initially miss alcohol and cheese, but get over it fairly fast. I'd recommend cutting down sugar for a few days before you go cold turkey if you've never gone sugar free before. It was a massive shock first time around.

[Smurfit]

I can recommend bulletproof coffee with an egg and coconut cream blended in as a breakfast alternative. I find I can't stomach food much in the mornings so this is a great way of getting something decent in. Sometimes I'll have a few slices of sweet potato fried in ghee for carbs.

I'm also trying to reduce my coffee at the moment so am using cacao and cinnamon instead. I promise the egg doesn't make it gross (it just needs to be blended properly, I use a stick blender).

[taxworries]

" I'd recommend cutting down sugar for a few days before you go cold turkey if you've never gone sugar free before."

Damn. I've just made a tub of butterscotch and salted pecan ice cream. Better wolf it extra fast so I can do low sugar on Tues/ wed in preparation for thurs!

[PhoenixJasmine]

Sweet potato hash browns, bacon & avocado is one of my favourite brekkies if I have a little time (grate the sweet potato in my food processor, mix with beaten egg/herbs/spices and fry up in patties).

Tesco do frozen avocado halves as well, they're not too bad at all and save you forgetting about the other half and it going manky in the fridge.

[AllCharlotte]

Sweet potatoe hash browns were probably the reason I didn't lose any weight.

I ate them everyday.

Part of the process to to change your relationship with food so you may still need to avoid things that are compliant.

I'm a carb addict so for me I need to avoid potatoes otherwise I just binge on them.

[PhoenixJasmine]

That's a really good point Charlotte, about knowing your own demons really.

Coyo coconut yogurts are W30 compliant as well, I have them with fruit & seeds for breakfast sometimes. Which might be SWYPO, probably is. To be strictly W30 you can use it as an ingredient but not as a staightforward yoghurt replacement, I guess.

[taxworries]

How are you all getting on in preparation for tomorrow? I've made a big shepherd's pie with sweet potato mash topping for the freezer but annoyingly put peas in, forgetting they are not allowed. Oh well, shall have to spit them out! (my frugal grandmother will be turning in her grave). Also did a huge squash soup. It's quite nice frying stuff in coconut oil. I've also looked up/pinned a lot of salad recipes for lunch.

Whole30 don't seem to explictly talk about carbs too much...but I get the idea we are not meant to overdo it on the potato sides etc, is that right? So if I did steak and greens are you meant to not really have a baked sweet potato/wedges as a side? I do want to lose some weight so prepared to try and cut some carbs out.

We always have people over at the weekends so i'm trying to think in advance about meals that we can all eat - so this weekend we have people staying and will do a slow cooker ham, with vegetables and they can have potatoes boulangere and I'll skip that. Then fresh fruit for dessert - they can have cream/ice cream and i'll have some with almond milk.

[HandbagHelper]

I am on day 12 and feel it when I eat too many potatoes. I am vegetarian and in the past couple of days found it harder than in the beginning as I am getting a bit bored of the same fruit and veg. I did a grocery shop tonight and hoping to change it up with different fruit and veg!

Any tips for staying on track are appreciated! Good luck to everyone starting on the first!

[Lowwoman]

Not bad, I've been checking/tweaking my usual dinner staples to make sure they're whole 30 allowed and was pleased to discover that tesco finest bacon is fine (I use a bit in bolognese etc).

Bit concerned about doing without milk in tea, other dairy I think I'll be ok with. I'm going to do a little shop today to keep me going for a couple of days and then a big online shop to stock up.

I need to remember not to add kidney beans to chilli though. Making soup is a good idea, I think I'll do that too.

[taxworries]

Yeah i'm concerned about milk in tea/coffee too as tried almond milk in coffee once and it wasn't very nice. Might try the coconut milk (Koko?)...

I haven't found bacon too bad, maybe we don't add so much stuff to it as the Americans do. But wanted to buy some ready sliced and cooked chicken breasts from M&S [lazy I know but until I get time on the weekend to cook chicken properly] and found they ALL had added sugar, even the plain ones. So annoying!

[taxworries]

Handbaghelper - presumably you can make curries for dinner? Was thinking some of my usual curry recipes would be pretty compliant with the coconut milk etc... I've seen recipes for cauliflower houmus etc to have with crudites.

[Fuckoffdailymailnobs]

Following.i tried this with my husband earlier in the year. I failed spectacularly (got a stomach bug) but he is thriving fully paleo. I want to try again.

[yumyumpoppycat]

Are you starting tomorrow tax? Sounds like you are preparing well. I found the same thing in M&S when I tried this - why so much sugar in cooked meat!! parma ham is usually compliant just pork leg and salt. I also prefer coconut milk in tea than almond milk.

[AllCharlotte]

Coconut cream in coffee is delicious but pretty calorific if you're trying to lose weight. I have bulletproof coffee for breakfast and then nothing else until lunchtime.

Whole30 isn't a low carb diet, more a diet reset, however if you want to lose weight I'd avoid too many carbs.

I found fruit teas very helpful as I do get fed up of water.

Also learning how to make your own mayonnaise will really help. It goes with so many things and adds interest to food.

I cook extra for dinner so I always have leftovers the next day. You cook so much that any little break is welcome.

[yumyumpoppycat]

Hope you dont mind me popping on again, I am toying with adding a w30 element into the diet I am following (BSD) so keeping an eye on this thread I am thinking w30 with legumes but less dates and fruit.

Anyway I have had a quick look and there are some vegetarian paleo meals in this recipe link (some not compliant) but particularly like the sound of almond meal falafel recipes I have also used daikon to make wraps before and it was a success.

[taxworries]

Bloody hell all I seen one doing is cooking. Tonight have made egg frittatas with lots of chopped up veg inside in my new non stick muffin tin :) sausages patties and about to grill some chicken and make a batch of salad dressing. Then should be set for a couple of days.

[MunchCrunch01]

Is caffeine banned? Reckon I can give up sugar but coffee and sugar together would be very hard

[HandbagHelper]

I think caffeine is ok. I really miss milk in my tea so much!

[Lowwoman]

Last hot chocolate before starting tomorrow. Tomorrow night it will be herbal tea!

[PhoenixJasmine]

Morning all, day 1!

I'm going bonkers because I'm certain I posted on here yesterday. Anyway. The last few days have been using up non-W30 foods, and last night at my father-out-law's house had a definitely non-W30 dinner of pork pie followed by ice cream! Aah.

The potato/carb issue; yes I lost more weight on the W30 I had less potato on. It depends on why you're doing it I guess and where you're coming from in terms of diet & habits. My main motivation is overall health and also as a way to make myself cut out the things I know trigger my IBS (gluten and lactose) so I can really see how much better I am without them, which further motivated me to stop succumbing to them usually! It's more like a diet reset for me although I did lose a fairly spectacular amount of weight on it first time around - probably a reflection of how poor my diet was beforehand!

So this morning I'm starting the day with some hot lemon water and about to do my yoga, breakfast will be egg based. I have the afternoon off (then working every day until next Friday) so will be doing prep - I plan to roast a chicken, hardboil some eggs, make mayo, and generally stock take/meal plan/shop and then prepare any veggies its sensible to prepare for the next few days.

[taxworries]

Morning. Mmmm pork pie!
I'm on my way to work and have the pork mince patties and mini frittatas for breakfast. Then a huge salad with rocket, salad leaves, avocado, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, peppers, chicken (had to make my own in the end), spring onion with an almond butter dressing. Tonight we've got shepherds pie with sw pot topping and I'll do some kale with garlic.
I feel reasonably prepared, the food looks really good, just a bit diff to what I am used to, especially the breakfast.

[Lowwoman]

Had two hard boiled eggs and a green smoothie made with coconut milk (the carton kind, not the cooking one). The smoothie had a handful of berries and a load of spinach, that's the only fruit I'm having today. Huge salad with some leftover cod for lunch and an omelette for dinner.

I've given up vaping today too, so far, that's the hardest!

[PhoenixJasmine]

Just lost my post

Anyway, this is a standard W30 breakfast for me - eggy breakfast bowl - I vary what greens and veggies I have and what goes in the eggs. This morning was mixed salad leaves, smoked ham, chives, dill, tumeric and black pepper in the eggs; tomatoes and red pepper for the veggies, and various seeds on top (I think it was pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and black onion).

Had that about 8ish and not peckish yet.

[HandbagHelper]

Looks yummy PhoenixJasmine

[TheOnlyPink]

I fell off the thread, sorry!
How are you all doing?

I'm going with the big social media whole30 starting on Monday. Just finished my food plan, will do a big cook up on Sunday. Have Melissa hartwig New book preordered for my kindle to arrive on day 30. Feeling very positive and prepared!