The Whole 30 program-- a retropective (Part 2)

So last time we checked in on the Whole 30 I was on Day 7. I was exhausted and grumpy and was constantly entertaining thoughts of quitting. My friend Amy made a simple observation-- I wasn't eating enough.

Day 8
I eat a much larger breakfast. Though I don't love eating a ton of eggs first thing in the morning (or at any time that they're not covered in hollendaise) I feel much better all day. By the evening I am smiling and Andrew is wondering what happened to the crank he'd been living with for a week.

Day 9
I want to worship at Amy's feet, I'm so much happier! The rules say you should eat 1-2 palm-sized portions of protein at every meal. I'd been eating 1 or less. By upping my protein, my whole experience has turned around.

Day 10
TIGER BLOOD. I feel amazing. Energetic, happy, and generally healthy and awesome. But I have my first real craving-- sugar! I eat dinner with a friend and order halibut. I'm too embarrassed to ask for it without the sauce, which I suspect contains sugar. Though I try to wipe it off, I end up eating a little of the concoction. It must have set something off in my system, because I leave the restaurant obsessed with the idea of ice cream or a cupcake. I have tea instead.

Day 11
Usually when I go out for a meal I partake in a glass (or two, or three) of wine. Since last night I stuck to water, I feel pretty awesome the next morning. Off to yoga I go. The oddest thing happens-- I'm streaming sweat, and a some makes its way onto my lip. As I taste it (gross, sorry) I notice it's sweet. Sweet sweat! Now that's an unexpected side effect!

Day 12
Andrew and I spend the day looking at wedding venues. It's long and exhausting. We stop for lunch, and the waitress brings a warm basket of popovers to us. I ask Andrew if he wants one. He does, he really, really does. But he says no, and I ask the waitress to take them away. I'm getting bolder about making special requests, though at this place it's easy-- no cheese on my egg scramble. Easy. But I wish there'd been something other than eggs I could have ordered. Over. Them.

But we finish our venue tour, go to the store and I spend the late afternoon and evening cooking one yummy, compliant dish after another. I make pesto, paleo mayo, trays and trays of roasted vegetables. Andrew is amazed at my energy and so am I.

Day 13
Ah, this is the day that I hatched a plan... 12 challenges over 12 months. I was full of "tiger blood" and felt invincible. Ah, to go back to that time...