Whole30 - review of week 1

Saturday:

I got through a whole week of Whole30! No grains, dairy, sugar, alcohol or legumes.

Alcohol was easy, I don't drink very often and when I do it makes me very sleepy so I wouldn't cry if I had to give it up forever. Legumes have always upset my stomach and I was actually told by a doctor years ago to avoid them. I eat podded legumes like snow peas (which are ok on Whole30 because they are mostly pod) and I do have peanuts and peanut butter (not while I'm on Whole30). I've had to give up satay for the time being.

Giving up grains was a bit harder, but I have never been a "carb addict" like my husband so it hasn't been too bad. I can be satisfied with meat and veges, but if I don't serve high-carb foods with dinner both my husband and daughter will be cruising for toast or something afterwards.

Dairy and sugar have been the hardest. I want my sweet white tea! I didn't think I was addicted to sugar either, I don't eat lollies much and many things other people think are nice (like sugary drinks or commercial yoghurt) taste disgustingly sweet to me. But still, I love chocolate, and sugar in my tea. I've almost given up caffeine altogether this week, black tea is nasty. I've found myself craving a bit of sweetness after meals sometimes. At least I can still have fruit! Dairy is hard to give up too, I love cheese and milk and butter and cream and even plain yoghurt with fruit mixed in.

Where can I do better? I've been snacking a bit between meals, approved foods, but the thing is I'm not actually hungry. The meals are very filling. I'm just in the habit of grazing all day. So I need to curb that a bit.

Also my exercise has been very gentle this week because I've been feeling a bit yuck from detoxing. Time to ramp that up.

I feel that I haven't been getting enough carbs. This is not supposed to be a low-carb diet, but I just can't stand the carby vegetables (pumpkin, squash, sweet potato) that are allowed. I've tried, I really have. I have decided to take the controversial step of reintroducing some white potato. I pondered this long and hard, I am worried that it is a slippery slope to meddle with the formula. BUT on the Whole9 website they give reasons why you can't eat all the other things they ban, then for white potato they say "This is a bit arbitrary..." so I feel that they are not as strongly opposed to it anyway. I think they just think it's fattening? Not much info on the website and I'm still waiting for the book from the library. Other paleo sites seem to say you can eat white potato "only if you are skinny".

I know from experience that low-carb makes me miserable and also unpleasant to live with, my body just doesn't like it. And low-carb isn't the intention of the Whole30. So there, I've talked myself into it.