Just 3 More Days?

Hard to believe but (since today's over), I only have 3 more days of my whole30. Sometimes it feels like it's been an eternity, but others I can't believe it's already almost over. While I won't be whole30 24/7 after this, I will definitely be taking all I learned about food and my body in general and keeping them in mind, applying the basic principals to the every day. I'll still be eating the same for about 90% of the time, sometimes more, sometimes less.

Emotionally, this is a hard week for me. It's approaching the one year anniversary of mom's passing and I see and hear things everywhere that remind me of her. Thankfully, I have great family and friends who are supportive and who are helping me stay strong through this. This is especially important as I have learned I am a partly emotional eater, and the sadness makes me want to eat very non-compliant foods.

Fitness wise, I am doing pretty well. Thursday I went to CrossFit and did well. It felt good, and once this couch to 5k is over, I think it's something I can do every day now. I could do it every morning now, but I'm not really a morning person, and I don't think there's anything that can really turn me into one. Here was Thursday's WOD:

7 Minute AMRAP
3.6.9.12….
-Clean and Jerk (135/95)
-TTB

**Go up by 3 reps each round until time is called.**

Then

3x5 Push Press (climbing)

I managed to do through 9 reps, and then 5 more on the clean and jerks. And I got up to 60 lbs on the push press Not bad for a newbie. 

Today, I did intervals again of run 1 min, walk 1 min. We did this for 1.75 miles. I have been taking it easy to prevent any further ankle injury. I have been taking it easy as not to further injure my ankle, but it felt great today. Just a tiny bit sore, but no pain. And cardiovascularly (not sure if that's really a word but I like it), I felt amazing. I know I can go for longer runs, as long as my ankle can take it. I'm looking forward to Wednesday's run. I might try the 2 min on 1 min off interval and see how that goes. 

Tomorrow I meet again with the woman who helped me get going down the right path. I haven't trained with her in a little over a month, but I'm excited to have a session where I can pick her brain and get advice on how to keep pushing and keep up this momentum. I'll write all about it tomorrow. :)

2/3 Complete

This weekend was kind of rough because I am starting to get to the food boredom part of the Whole30. And I tend to run out of foods on Friday/Saturday, so that adds to the problem. My boss refers to me without food for too long as "Hangry" but I haven't truly felt aggravated by hunger in a week or so. I am looking for new things to explore. I have been having the occasional cup of coffee (black) so I made coconut milk to try in it. It was alright, but I'm more excited to try the almond milk I made today in it.

I was discussing balance on a facebook post and how I manage to stay focused. I neglected to mention it helps that I have realistic, attainable goals in stages. Also, I should have referred back to hitting that "wall" that I did a while back that finally made me snap out of it and focus and be able to do this. I have come so far, but feel as I learn more that I still have so far to go. What's that Socrates saying; "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing"

Three months ago I never would have guessed that I would have made it 20 days with only good food. But here I am, going strong, and excited that I will do it. It hasn't been easy at all and I understand why some people quit when they're so close. It's that denial of the few things I want that I can't have occasionally (think good, grassfed cheeseburger...mmmm) that pushes you to that point. BUT, like the book says, IT'S ONLY 30 DAYS. And now it's only 10. :)

I feel the clothes hanging off of me, and I'm fitting into shirts and pants that I haven't in over a year, so I am anxious to see the inches I've lost. And the weight to an extent, but I don't expect a significant difference there since I am still building muscles. Speaking of exercise...

Monday I did 1.5 miles doing intervals of run a minute walk a minute. My ankle did pretty well, though it's not 100% and we'll see how it goes tomorrow. I was at work pretty late tonight (7 hours between lunch and dinner and I made it!) so I skipped the CrossFit to go home, eat, make more veggies and to rest. I'll go Thursday, and then run again on Friday.

Lunch is packed for tomorrow and ankle is done icing. Ibuprofen is kicking in, time to go to sleep (yes that's right, I'm a light weight and even advil can make me sleepy).

Over Halfway Done!

I have made it through day 16 of my Whole30! I am feeling awesome. I ate lunch around 11:30, and I wasn't really even hungry yet when I ate a pre-workout snack at 5. I am awaking more easily, and have consistent energy levels all day. I feel more productive and focused (which I'm sure I've said before, but this is a pretty amazing feeling). I am ready for sleep around the time I need to get to bed, and I am sleeping better. 

I've been wearing inserts in tennis shoes for the past two days, and my ankle is feeling better and better. I purchased some new inserts for my running shoes and will take it easy/rest until Monday, when it's back to running. Slowly, of course. Today I made it to CrossFit and got a good workout in. I'm starting to get to where if I don't do some kind of activity at least every other day, I feel bad, like I need to get moving. I'm off to bed soon, so here's what I endured today, and finished in 8:38 (with modification from the original WOD for me):

"Mr. Perfect"

20 Push Ups

2 Power Cleans

16 Push Ups

4 Power Cleans

12 Push Ups

6 Power Cleans

8 Push Ups

8 Power Cleans

4 Push Ups

10 Power Cleans

I'm So Not a Runner

Monday started the couch to 5k. I made it half a mile jogging before I had to stop to allow my cardiovascular system to catch up. My legs and all were fine. Woke up Tuesday morning with my ankles slightly sore, right more so than my left (All my previous issues were with my left). Went to CrossFit, and took it easy on the jump roping, cause I still felt the ankle soreness.

Tuesday's CrossFit:
25 Thrusters (25 lbs for me!)
25 Toes to Bar (Knee Ups for me)
25 Box Jumps (Step Ups for me)
25 Toes to Bar
25 Thrusters
Rest
Max double unders in 2 min, x 3 attempts with 1 min rest between (this is where I took it easy)

Today I awoke and the left one felt completely normal, and the right one was still a bit sore. We did 2 minute on 1 minute off intervals running today. I made it through 3 2-minute intervals before I had to walk because my right ankle was killing me. My left was a tad sore, but not unbearable.

So now I'm sitting and icing my right ankle. The left one feels completely normal now, but I can't do a one-legged calf raise on the right one without pain. Good news is, I can do it and I still have my range of motion. But I know the pain is a bad sign. Friday I'm meeting with the running coach to re-evaluate my shoes and get new inserts. I need to do my PT exercises/stretches with both ankles since my left is now stronger than my right, go figure.

This is also day 14 of my Whole30 and at this point I'm feeling pretty awesome! Full of energy and able to focus better throughout the day. I still can't quite get into the habit of becoming a morning person, but I also think this has to do with all the working out I'm doing later at night. I'm kinda "endorphin high" until 9:30 or 10, so I don't fall asleep early enough. I need about 9 hours of sleep to rest and recover with all the activity I'm doing, so sleeping 11-4:30 isn't going to cut it. I'm slowly backing up sleepy time, though. I was out cold by 9:30 last night, and should be pretty close to that tonight. But, my clothes are getting looser by the day, and I'm curious to see my measurements on the first.

The home-made lara bars I made this weekend turned out pretty good. Not just to me, but also to my boyfriend, as evidenced by (fellow nurses will get that one) the rapid rate at which they are disappearing. I learned some tips for next time and will try them again, but I don't know that I can beat the price when you consider the time and cost to produce versus buying them (I saved maybe 30 cents a bar after 1.5 hours of making them). Well, it's time to take some Aleve for this ankle and go to sleep.

Day 11

Woke up early and made it to CrossFit Friday morning. I've been feeling pretty good all weekend. This is going to be a little brief since my genius self sliced my finger and I'm having a hard time typing. But, food is prepped for the week. Let the insanity ensue.

1/4 Done

My quads/hamstrings/buns are killing me from Tuesday's workout, so I skipped today for more rest and will return to CrossFit tomorrow morning. Day 8 of the whole 30 is done and I'm feeling better and better. I'm making it between meals without being hungry, and not craving coworkers' fatty meals. I stayed up too late last night on the phone, and this morning I woke right up to the alarm without hitting snooze. Though I'm starting to feel tired and will call it an early night, I made it feeling awake and alert all day. According to the Whole30 timeline http://whole9life.com/2012/06/the-whole30-timeline/ I will continue feeling this energy, but also cravings for the next week or so. Once I get to day 16, I should be pretty in the clear. So I'll take note of strange cravings I have and hopefully 8 days or less until the next phase, where I am supposed to go and enjoy it. :)

1/6th of the Way

The past few days, mainly day 3 and the first part of day 4, were spent feeling super lethargic. I was in bed for 8-9 hours a nigh, but tossed and turned. I felt slightly irritable.This apparently is normal, and would have lasted longer had I not previously cut a substantial amount of grains/dairy out of my diet. I did notice less in between meal cravings.

I managed to make it to my Saturday CrossFit on day 3. After that, I really didn't feel like doing anything. That WOD was a partner workout for time. Luckily, my partner was patient, and I didn't slow him down too bad. Basically, we split these reps:
1000m Row, (500m each)
400 Double unders (I did 200 singles)
300 HR Push ups (Yeah...I did 40 from my knees)
150 KBS, 70/53 (yes I did 75!)
100 Pull ups (I did my 50!)

Thankfully today, day 5, I did pretty well. I ate breakfast around 8 (I found some new breakfast ideas I can't wait to try out), then I was hungry around 10:30 and ate a few almonds. At 12 I ate lunch, and then I was not hungry until around 5:30. I had a few things to take care of when I got home so I actually didn't wind up eating until around 7, but I made it without wanting to murder anyone! 

Tomorrow evening I go back to CrossFit (I thought about going today, but my arms are still soooo sore...). I have already prepared meals for most of the week. I'm starting to feel a little tired now, so I'm hoping I'll fall asleep fast and sleep well. I keep telling myself this is only 30 days (now 24!), and it'll be over before I know it. This has helped, especially when my coworker decides to eat his lunch at his desk and all I can smell is that deliciously fatty fast food cheeseburger that I can't have.