Day 20 - Still So Much to Learn!

THIS JUST IN!
So, I am the type to start something without fully reading (or reading period) the directions.  For the Whole30, I stayed true to form.  So, on day 19 (yesterday), I was reading Chapter 16 & 17 (of 20 chapters) of ISWF.  Understanding why the meal template is what it is provided a great deal of insight that would have been very useful from the beginning.  The one quote that has been stuck in my mind since is, " Feel free to add more to our recommended quantities, but never less."  (page 195, ISWF, discussing fat intake)  It is now a goal to finish the book by the end-of-day (EOD) Friday.

I approached this as a diet, or cleanse and until last night had missed a key point, to lose weight on this program, it is NOT about eating less, it is about eating real food that sustains your body and allows it to function as it is designed.  The dieter in me looked at the fat portions per meal and thought, well that's good if I need something for cooking, but not as  an actual part of the meal plan.  Now that I look back, I can see that between the meals where there was little to no fat is where I have struggled the most.  It is where my energy levels are up and down, my moods low and my hunger/cravings were the highest.  Note in ISWF, hunger and cravings are different, but at the beginning of this whole thing I couldn't trust my body to know the difference.  Yesterday, I knew I was HUNGRY.

Today I have modified my food planning to include fats at every meal and I have decided not to worry about it!  I have also decided that I am going to stop logging my food in MyFitnessPal.  This tool does still have a purpose I could use - track workouts & water - but the messages about calories, etc. were causing me to question my meal plan.  I will figure a way to track water and exercise elsewhere, to eliminate the negative pressure to eat differently.

ASK BEFORE YOU WORRY!
Chatting with my hubby yesterday, I voiced my concerns about the end of this and how easy it will be to slip into 'easy, old habits' versus trying to continue to build up the new ones.  He agreed.  So then I mentioned how worried I was that I couldn't keep this up on my own when he goes back to pizza, pasta, rice, sandwiches, etc.  It was so nice to hear (amazing actually) that he isn't planning to revert back to old, but that he would like some options available to him.  He is planning to reintroduce and watch for any indication that a food area might be best avoided.  But, he also wants to eat some of his favorites, at least some time!  This whole conversation made my day!

FOOD
I don't have an actual log at this point.  But I now know that Sunflower Nut Butter is a food that I can easily overindulge on.  Yes, I know it fits the fat category, it is why I went to it last night, but I don't think eating it by the spoonful is exactly healthy!  I think I need to limit this to drizzled on celery. 

I also will be searching for ways to prepare sweet potatoes.  And finally, I need to learn how to store the different kinds of fruits and vegitables we are eating.  I don't think thrown into the refridgerator in the plasic bag from the grocery store is the best method to keep them fresh.  I was just told that tomatoes actually do better at room temperature vs. the refridgerator.  I have never heard of such a thing! 

Boy oh boy, I do still have a lot to learn!