From December 19 – 31, I am documenting my nearly Whole 30 compliant (Hence the title, “A Very Paleo Holiday”) adventure through the holiday season. You’re going to hear from me each day on how much sleep I got, what I did, what I ate, how I’m feeling, and anything else I feel like throwing into the daily recap. Why am I easing into the Whole 30 program? First and foremost – I have never been busier. I’m rocking three jobs plus an intense training calendar and need to find a nutritional balance that will keep me moving through the cold and flu season. That being said, I am not confident that I will have time to do the prep work necessary to have food ready to go at all times. Right now, I rely on things like Muscle Milk and LaraBars that aren’t necessarily supported by the Whole 30 creed. Secondly, I am ready for a nutritional reset, but know myself well enough to know that there are certain holiday traditions I simply am not willing to forego. Some of these traditions include Whole 30 compliant things like prime rib, while others include no-no’s such as hot buttered rum and chocolate ganache. With that in mind, I have come up with some ground rules for the remainder of the month:
1. December 23 (Seahawks v. 49s at home), December 25 (Christmas Day), and January 1 (New Year’s Day) are days of indulgence. On these days, I can sneak in chocolate, wine and whiskey but still need to avoid gluten, dairy and excessive added sugar.
2. No processed foods whatsoever.
3. For the next two weeks, 2 out of 3 meals will likely come from El Gaucho. I am only to have the following things there: tuna tartare, pancetta wrapped prawns, bread-less steak sandwiches with tomatoes and sauce on the side, and one apple per shift. I will bring one Muscle Milk to work each night to help me through.
4. Black coffee or tea only before 4:00pm to avoid disrupting my sleep.
5. Remain Whole 30 compliant on all fronts not listed in points 1-4.
Here we go…
Sleep
5 hours – Ignored common sense after work last night and hit Toulouse Petit with some college friends (PLC – Poor Life Choice). I’m tired today.
Activity
CrossFit – Press 3×5 at 30 kg., followed by a partner workout of 250 m rows and 20 medicine ball (8 lb.) sit-ups. Worked open to close at El Gaucho for a grand total of 9 hours on my feet and running.
Food
Breakfast: leftover frittata and banana
Lunch: Mom’s birthday lunch, which consisted of fajitas, minus beans and rice and tortillas (add guacamole) at Peso’s.
Dinner: Gaucho combination of Muscle Milk, steak sandwich (no bread, no fries, no sauce, no butter, no salt, sub tomatoes), and an apple
Mood
Here’s the thing: I have worked every day since December 3rd. That’s 16 days straight… and there is not much of an end in sight. I’m tired. I’m cranky. I’m bloated. I desperately need a vacation. But I’m feeling physically strong – I’m excited to be training again and looking forward to improving my health over the next two months. Although I’m intimidated by this holiday Whole 30, I’m looking forward to cleaning up my diet into something that will fuel my sport. Focusing on the positive helps me appreciate anything that is negative.
Motivate
