Whole30 Day 1 & 2

Here is some of what I ate on Day 1 of my Whole30.

I ate a lot!  Apples, almonds, sugar snap peas, a yam, green tea, boiled eggs, steamed asparagus, delicata squash, sautéed kale with pepper, onion, & garlic.  More green tea.  Melon, banana.

I noticed a couple of things:

1) I was heavy on the fruit.  Cuz I am heavy on SWEETS!  So I'm glad to have recognized that early in the month and start adding more veggies immediately.

2) I depend on food to manage my emotions - in a not-healthful way.  Now all my comfort foods (and addictions - goodbye cigarettes, goodbye gum) are stripped away leaving me alone with how I feel.  Sometimes I feel great, so there's that.  Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, alone, not-quite-good-enough, sad, grieving, pissed off, bored... and these are the times when having a handy helping of ______________ (insert comfort food) would seem to make a difference.  Instead I get to sit with my feelings - through a work day, or doing chores at home, or putting Little N to bed, or in those few hours alone while I have childcare.

What to do with all of these feelings?  Write about them.  Move them - dance, jog, walk, yoga.  Illustrate them - paint, collage, doodle.  Talk about them - call or email a friend.

Here I am on Day 2 (today!)

Ooooh, so dramatic!  But really it's just that I'm under an umbrella in a classic Seattle grey rainy morning waiting for the bus.  And sort of feeling under the weather as well.  In fact, I nearly went home "sick."

I felt lousy this morning.  Exhausted and achey all over my entire body.  As if I'd done some kind of cross-fit power lifting workout the likes of which I have no plans to ever do.  I've been sipping on green tea non-stop but it seems to lack the punch of my usual 4-6 (I know, I KNOW) cups of coffee with milk.  I broke down and hit up the local food co-op for some unsweetened coconut milk and dumped some into a hot cup of coffee.  Not Awesome.  But better than black coffee or no coffee at all.  I am awake again!  I can think again!  My body does not ache any more.

Here's what I'm noticing:

1) I am WAY addicted to coffee.  I'm not sure what I want to do about that right now.  I expect that I'll try to cut back; 4-6 cups does seem excessive, especially since I'm also taking Adderall twice a day which is another stimulant.

2) Moving my body helps everything.  Today I walked to and from and appointment just over a mile from where I work.  Walking there, with my "sick" aching body was slow and difficult but it also worked out some of the stiffness.  The walk back was much smoother and a little quicker pace.  So I have some movement goals for this month: Walk to the office from a far bus stop 5 mornings/week (1.2 miles), jog/walk at lunch 5 days a week (2 miles), practice yoga 3 mornings per week (30 minutes).

The first week is supposed to be the hardest.  Most exhausting, achey, craving week of the 30 days.  If I can keep noticing what's working and what's not along the way, I think I've got a chance at making it the entire month.  Up for tonight - more cooking - protein and produce.