Whole30 In Review

Oops.  I wrote most of this post within a few days of completing the Whole30, but didn't take the time to finish it until now (a little over 3 weeks post W30).  So, here it is:

Done.

No more Whole30...just life after.  What do I do now?

First, let me tell you how I feel.  In one word: bittersweet.

Oh, and if you have been considering doing a Whole30, I highly recommend it! What are you waiting for?

I really love the way I am feel when I am in the smooth-sailing, cruising along, this is easy-peasy portion of the Whole 30.  Let me give you a list of some of the health benefits I have experienced:

• clear skin
• increased energy
• better sleep (less sweaty nights?)
• headaches nearly gone
• decreased moodiness
• no more bloating
• increased digestive performance (that's the nice way of saying 'good poop')
• decreased anxiety (this one is questionable)
• confidence (I think this ties closely with energy)
• mind feels more clear
• learning to listen to my body

What I don't love about the W30 is saying no to foods that I enjoy to eat, taste, and experience. 

We finished our official Whole30 a couple weeks ago, and immediately jumped on an airplane to visit family in Denver.  Initially, Jason intended to go to Denver for the Great American Beer Festival.  It turns out tickets were impossible to come by, so instead we attended one all-day event visiting Oskar Blues and their various venues ranging from a hop farm, to bike fabrication shop to brewery tour (and that wasn't all!).  We had lots of fun, but it also meant beer plus non-W30 compliant foods.  While we ate pretty good for the remainder of the weekend, I continued being lax about choices and definitely enjoyed some wine and beer with the family.  I should also mention that I came down with a head cold, so it is difficult to know what symptoms were a result of sickness versus food.

So, what were my symptoms?  Like I said, hard to say since I wasn't feeling my best to begin with...and we were in Denver where you instantly feel dried out (no amount of chapstick was adequate).  I was dehydrated, not sleeping well, and had a mild headache.  I did notice that I was a bit more gassy than I was a few days previous (and that, I'm sure is not attributable to the head cold!).  A few days later, after eating some dairy and bean products, I definitely felt some uncomfortable, hmm...let's call it 'gut action'... other than that, the most noticeable difference is the lethargy I feel.  I can tell my energy levels are much higher when I eat W30.  Little bumps on my arm that disappeared during W30 have since returned, and overall my skin just isn't looking quite as healthy as it did a month ago.  I haven't done a proper reintroduction like I intended, so I haven't taken the time to learn which of the foods I should eliminate from my life entirely.  I think that will be another adventure for another day. 

While this adventure has helped me to further identify how much control food has over my life, it has not fixed my relationship with food.  It has only been a few weeks, and I feel vulnerable.... the walls of the little cave where I shoved my sugar dragon are starting to crumble.  One small jolt to the foundation and I might find myself diving head first into a tub of ice cream.  Right now, I'm going to try to focus on finding balance in my life.  Allowing myself small indulgences can be okay, I just can't allow the sugar dragon to let loose in those moments, I need to keep it safely confined so that it withers away...and maybe, someday the dragon will be no more.

I think, finding balance is key.  And, locking up the dragon is not for the feint of heart.

Elephants Tomato Orange Soup

Sometimes, you want something warm and tasty.  Sometimes, you want soup.  Perhaps, most of the time you don't like soup.  That's me.  Most of the time, I'm not a fan of soup.  I'll pass.  Most of the time, I never quite feel satisfied with soup.  You go through the whole labor of soup, and it takes me forever to slurp it down...and then, still hungry.

But this soup...this soup is worth the effort.  It does not contain any protein, so this soup is best served as a side or with a nice salad.  I was thinking the savory flavor of bacon might compliment this well, but I have yet to try.  A couple of months ago, I ate this soup along with a simple baked chicken breast.  And, I have modified this soup to be Paleo/Whole30 compliant.

Anyways, here it is.

Elephants Tomato Orange Soup
recipe adapted from the blog of Elephants Delicatessen

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup clarified butter or coconut oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup coconut milk

Directions

• In a saucepan, melt coconut oil or butter; add onion and sauté until translucent.
• Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, baking soda and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered about 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.
• Puree in a food processor or blender (I used an immersion blender and left some chunks for texture; if you want it smooth you can also strain your soup here).
• Return to saucepan and stir in orange juice and water. (You could use a full cup of orange juice here and omit the water; I wanted to dilute the sweetness of mine a bit).
• Add the coconut milk and adjust seasonings if necessary (I added an extra splash of coconut milk to make the soup a little thicker and creamier). You can drizzle coconut milk from your measuring cup or can for a decorative look.

Enjoy!