Day Zero / Day One

Today is Day 1 of the Whole30 journey

I spent a few hours last week coming up with meal plans and shopping lists for 3 weeks worth of this, so I hope that I don't break down after they're up. Honestly, I'd really like to go for longer than 30 days but this is just a shot to see how I feel and what differences it makes.

Those of you who don't know what Whole30 is should check out http://whole9life.com/category/whole-30/ which is the original resource. I didn't buy the book, but I am using as many of their online resources as possible, including their forums. Support is always good!
In addition, these cookbooks are going to be invaluable to me in the coming weeks:

• Paleo Comfort Foods
• Well Fed (oh hey look they have a sequel coming out!!!)
• Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook
• The Keto Cookbook (this one is great for snack and lunch ideas - VERY specific with nutrients)
• Paleo Diet Cookbook (by one of the original Paleo founders, Loren Cordain)

I've been eating Paleo (plus Dairy, in the Robb Wolf / Mark Sisson fashion) for about 2 years now, though I keep sneaking bits of the candy from my boss' desk now and again. I'll have a bite of bread or a crouton, even though I know I shouldn't. Overall I lost about 20 pounds but it took forever. I'm not happy with that result and want to lose the rest of the weight. This is the first step in getting there. The good thing is that since I haven't really been eating a lot of sugar or carbs in general, I really hope that cravings won't be too bad.

Most of my issue is I eat too frequently and I eat too much. Don't ever teach your kids to clean their plate, folks; it sets up a bad precedent in their mind. All too often I'm staring at a plate still half full and I finish it even though I'm absolutely stuffed by the end.

This will be one whole month without grains of any sort, NO DAIRY (which will be the hardest part because I love my lattes), and whole home-cooked meals. No eating out for lunch, no cheating, no ifs ands, or buts. My first real test will be Fridays: our ritual is to go to the bar, go to dinner with our friends, hang out. Eating out will be tough. I think I'll have to stick to salads and grilled entrees if anything. I will do my best.

Overall though, I plan to home-cook almost every meal for the next 30+ days! We prepared partially by purchasing a chest freezer and a half cow, which we split with our friends. We had some rib-eyes for dinner last night and they were delicious. I'm really looking forward to cooking with the beef since its local and pastured. Grass fed beef is really good for you and we're hoping it will be good to us. I sort of wish I could have met the cow before it was butchered, but I'll do my best to say thank you by cooking it into delicious dishes!

Today's Menu:

Breakfast

2 hard boiled eggs and uncured bacon

Black Coffee

Lunch

Cucumber sticks and tuna salad (canned tuna, egg, mayo, salt, pepper)

Clementine Orange

Dinner

Spaghetti Squash Pesto (from Paleo Comfort Foods) and Grilled Chicken Breasts