Personally: Emotions and Whole30

In my earlier Whole30 stints, the biggest lesson was that cravings are under my responsibility and do not have to control me. It really doesn't help working surrounded by pastries and sandwiches whose fragrance permeates the cafe. Yet despite their perpetual presence, I have felt a lot less temptation and craving during this Whole60.

I think I am learning the place of emotions in my identity and my decisions during this time of abstinence. It is still in the early stages of understanding and consideration, but it's coming together. This winter has been very difficult emotionally, which brings it to the forefront of my attention. But one thing that I am understanding is that while my emotions are my responsibility, they do not control me and they are not my identity.

According to Whole30.com, the average person experiences a few days of crankiness, irritability and impatience within the first half of a Whole30, but I have been feeling all of these for the past 48 days. It is warned that (during these early days) someone might look at you with a cheery smile and a warm 'hello' and for no particular reason you will feel the urge to punch them in the face. I have not noticed this as much as I have recently.

I am quite certain that my nutrition and Whole30 is not the sole contributor to this problem. With some researching, I am certain that I need to see a nutritionist and discover what Autoimmune issue is underlying my continued digestive issues and tiredness. On top of this, I think that some seasonal depression and an unusual amount of personal stress have added to this irritability.

Last year I ended my first Whole30 right after Easter. This means that I have never done Whole30 during the depth of winter or for 60 days; but rather as spring was arriving to Montreal, with a hopefulness for the warmer weather and sunshine. Therefore, I have nothing with which I can compare my current emotional situation.

In the winter it is always a challenge to get enough exercise, sun, and fresh air. Lately I have noticed feeling tired and sleepy throughout the day, wanting to go to bed as the sun sets (at 5pm) as well as irritable and hopeless. This sadness has affected the social engagements, plans, and risks that I am willing to take. I have tried cutting down on my coffee intake and even go whole days without coffee. I have opened up the curtains in all of the windows in the apartment, and spent more time in prayer and writing my thoughts in a journal.

I have recognized stress stemming from a fear of being rejected for being different, and a desire to fit in and be like others. I think that this has surfaced in my Whole30s, but it is present in other areas of life such as being a Christian in Montreal, being over-weight in a society which places value on skinny, and being poor in a culture that worships the wealthy, stable, and independent. I have become defensive and passive-aggressive. I need to not fear rejection (what is the worst that could possibly happen?), be confident in living my life true to who I am, and remember my priorities! This stress as well as the stress of personal decisions, finances and responsibilities have made this situation even more complicated.

A popular recommendation to overcoming irritability and sleepiness while on Whole30 is to increase your carbohydrate intake through starchy vegetables and fruits. And while I think that this is probably helpful, what I really need to add is exercise. In just over a month, the Bixi bikes will start to populate the interior of Montreal. But until then, I need to find another way to get the endorphin pumping and the muscles stretching. Yoga/stretches and walking at a quick pace are my starting points. But I am excited to get outside of the city this weekend and I hope to enjoy the outdoors with some friends.

Through a good talk with my brother I was reminded that I am not my emotions, just as I am not my cravings. I can recognize an emotion or the feeling of anxiety, and pray for understanding. I think that to begin, the best thing is to remember Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your supplications (requests) before God. And the peace of God, which surpasses understanding will preserve your heart in Christ Jesus."

Once I have learned to recognize these emotions, and to seek God's peace in the moment, then I can look for the root and deal with the underlying issues, and choose how these emotions should affect my behavious, thoughts, and personality. Not all emotions are bad, even anger has a place in a healthy life, but I have to not be controlled by my anger.

How are you finding joy in the long winter? How do you manage your emotions in an healthy way? I'd love to hear your insights!

Whole 30 - Where to start?

I am always surprised when friends and acquaintances tell me that they've read my blog. I write in a different voice than I speak, and share more personally than I would with an acquaintance. It's not that I am ashamed of what I write, but it lacks the give-and-take of a new friendship and I feel like I need to catch up on what they've read. This weekend, a friend told me that she had read my blog so we took a minute to discuss the content of what she'd read. She tole me that she wanted to take her health more seriously. But she had no idea where to start, and lacked the experience to make up her own recipes.

So this post is a few suggestions for anyone who is considering eating more healthfully or to do a Whole30. She and I agreed that although she's working full-time and studying part-time, we're all busy. There is never a better time than NOW to put your health as a priority.

Let's assume that you don't have more than an hour every night to eat dinner and prepare for tomorrow's lunch and dinner, like my friend. What can you do?

Tips:

1. Batch cooking recipes that you like, and don't require a lot of attention. Slow cookers are really helpful!
2. Pick a day where you can prepare most of the recipes (a weekend!). Try to find the best way to maximize your time, and have your groceries ready.
3. Try to add variety with your meats, flavours, and raw foods on the side.
4. Think of your meals as #1, #2 and #3 to avoid getting into a rut.

Whole30 Guidelines:

• Build your Plate (PDF): palm size of protein, fill the rest of your plate with vegetables (especially leafy greens and fibrous vegetables), 1-2 servings of fruit per day, one or more fat source per meal (olives, avocado, nuts, oils and coconut). Add fermented foods like pickles, sauerkraut and kombucha as you like.
• No cheats, no slips, no excuses. Remember this is a marathon and not a sprint.
• Find a support network of friends and family who can help you make it through. I'd love to help :)

I've read from one blogger that for her first Whole30, she and her husband took it easy and just had roasted chicken breast, steamed vegetables and sliced avocado for all of their meals, for 30 days. I would have gone crazy! But I know people who do it and love it! No fuss :)

For me, if I eat the same thing for dinner 3 times in a row, I start to loose interest and will end up throwing out the wasted food. I have written a post that outlines one week's worth of meals for me - which maximizes my time without loosing variety in my meals. It explains how to prepare all of your meals in just one afternoon so that meals are ready for work through the week. You can find it here.

When I started doing Whole30, it was hard to find recipes which I could enjoy but didn't take hours to prepare. If you would like to find some simple recipes which could help you as you start to compile your own database, you can find some here. I have split them up by categories to help you navigate.

Don't loose heart as you persevere through the challenges towards better health! I am always learning more about myself and nutrition and realize some mistakes I made in my first round, and even just yesterday. This is an important journey, and you're worth it!!

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - Whole30 and Cravings

We all have cravings, and I think that most of us have some emotional attachment to food to varying degrees. But after my first 30 days without pastries, that was all that I could think of in my last hours! It doesn't help that I am a supervisor at a cafe where I have to close the pastry case every night, or set it up in the morning!

As I child I was rewarded and conditioned with foods. It was an attempt to maintain order with three kids in the house, and I can't judge the choices. But it's something which is being processed as I take into account what I am eating. If I'm tired, stressed, or frustrated I tend to eat something fattening without even being hungry. I eat my emotions. I think that mentally, this is my biggest challenge on Whole30.

This is why controlling which foods are in your house BEFORE you start, is very important in my experience. Don't leave the marshmallows in the cupboard; the chocolate chips and the brownies need to leave the house! I've actually given away non-compliant gluten-free flours and almond milk with additives so that I don't cut corners which aren't worth it!

I wish I could say that it's easy to start Whole30. Well actually starting IS EASY because it is a momentary CHOICE. You can choose right now to stop eating all of the sugary, nutritionally poor, processed foods that surround us every day. Some of my friends are pretty set-up and would only have to make some small changes to do a Whole30. But as for me, I love cheese, pastries, pizza and other unhealthy and non-compliant foods. I have a crazy emotional attachment to sweets, and the Holiday Season has just ended so there's great sales plus all of the gifts which I was given. So there's a purging step that I have had to go through.

But completing a Whole30 is not easy. It takes perseverance, vision, and creativity. I've had to learn to batch cook, meal prep, and buy strategically so that I don't spend my whole day cooking or my whole paycheck on alternative foods. I've also had to learn how to make a breakfast which I can pack and consume within in 15 minutes while starting work at 6am. And I've had to learn how to work on overcoming my cravings.

My lunch at work during Whole30

Here are some bullet-point thoughts on dealing with and exposing cravings. As I write them, I realize that awareness is a great first step, and I need to continue to mature in my ways of dealing with cravings.

1. As with other forms of temptation, I find prayer and worship to be preeminent. What is important in life? Will this thing going to actually change anything? If I never experience this one thing, will I die or lack joy? I've realized that temptations are empty lies, with no real long-lasting relief to be experienced. But they still pull at me.
2. My emotions can sometimes be ignored, but rather than avoiding the real issue I should dig deeper and deal with what's really bothering me. I am still learning to step back and process my feelings, and to make the hard changes to fix things within my control. But If I can come to the simple realizations like I'm just tired and I need to take a nap, it's a lot more healthy. Or maybe I'm just angry, I need to forgive that person - then I can grab a glass of water and buckle down for the ride. This list also helps to normalize the stages within a Whole30 - Whole30 Timeline.
3. The restrictions given by Whole30, mean that I cannot just eat whatever I feel like or what has been offered, and it takes away some of my favourites. Yes, it feels personal. So I try to find other foods to enjoy - a new recipe which is Whole30 compliant, a new cuisine with compliant dishes (mmm mmm... Persian food!), a new fruit or vegetable that I have never tried (props to LufaFarms.com), or rediscovering old favourites (like pistachios). I also have compiled a list of activities which make me happy and that I want to accomplish this winter - like painting, hiking, and writing letters to friends! Not to mention sharing my thoughts through this blog.



Food from my Lufa Farm basket this fall

4. No one else has my body, with my health issues and needs. I cannot depend on others to eat healthy for me, and I cannot eat everything anyone else is eating. But this is true of other things - and it helps to keep it all in perspective. I cannot climb Mount Everest like some athletes (heck Mont Royal is a challenge even on a good day!), I cannot sleep less than 8 hours and function - like some of my coworkers, and I cannot live with a cat without having an asthma attack, as much as I'd love to have a furry friend! This is my life and I need to take care of my body. 
5. Which leads me to my final thought.. I have to keep my motivation front and center: You only have one life to live, and one body - and you're worth it! The Bible teaches me that my body is the temple of the living God, made holy by his residence there, but also to be honoured as a gift from God and under my stewardship. I can worship God by making healthful choices! There may be aspects to my body which I cannot control, but Whole30 is a tool of which I DO HAVE CONTROL. So let's do this!

Somethings I can do immediately when I have a craving:

• Think about something else, sing a song or turn my attention away from food
• Grab a glass of water, sometimes I'm just dehydrated
• Pull out some nuts instead of focusing on what I can't have
• Focus on a project or email I need to write, to keep my mind busy.
• Make my meal if it's an appropriate time (they say if chicken breast and broccoli sounds fulfilling you're probably just actually hungry!)

So far, at the end of my Whole30s I've had some particular craving which I just had to have first. It was a different food each time, but the craving was all-consuming. It's funny to think that as I began my Whole60 last week, I didn't even worry about eating one last this or that food I was craving. It kind of just began and I didn't make a big deal of it. But as I approach the finish line, in my experience, there is going to be a list of things that I JUST NEED TO HAVE. Actually, I want to pray that God would continue to break down the lies that certain foods will make my life better, or that I need something.

What are some of your ways of dealing with cravings in a healthy way?