Whole 30: Week 3 Reflections

There has not been as big a change between Week 2 and Week 3 as there had from the first two weeks.  The only noticeable change is that I have not had any acne flare ups since I started the program.

 I have been pretty faithful to the 3 a day meals unless I ride big; then I include some food during the ride as well as a post work out recovery meal.  And I must confess that my "breakfast" usually lasts about 60-75 minutes.  I have always been a "grazer" and I thought that going to a set number of meals would be difficult.  But after increasing my fat intake, I now stay "full" for a longer period of time.

Ride food ...  coconut date rolls ( look very similar to litter coated cat turds).

I did pay dearly last week as I was feeling good enough for 2 big days.  The first was a 5 hour gravel grinder.  I at least made it 2 1/2 hours before bonking.  The following day I experimented with true suffering as I chose to pre-ride The Snake on my SS, 1 gear harder than I normally use.  What the hell was I thinking?  Must have been a lack of glucose in the brain!  Needless to say I didn't make it 90 minutes before I bonked really hard!  And then my fork decided to "die" on the infamous rocky ridge section.  I ended up walking sections that normally would be easy to ride.  Talk about being humbled!

And ... two days later, I caught a cold.  What I learned from this is that the Whole 30 plan not only halved the duration of my cold, but also the severity of it as well.  That virus left me in 3 days, tail tucked and high tailing it to find some easier prey!

Now that I am about finished, I have been trying to figure out how to train and race with the least amount of non-Whole 30 approved foods added back.  I know I will NOT add back seed oils, legumes, grains,and pseudo grains save for rice, if I can tolerate it, i.e. no Buddha belly and sluggishness.  I am hoping dairy will agree with me, but if not, than I will be o.k. with that.  I would rather feel great forever on a slightly limited diet than to have that momentary "feel good" feeling after a bite of cheese or ice cream.

I am thinking that I will be able to substiute potatoes (both sweet and white) for rice.  (Now what am I gonna do with the 10 boxes of Chocolate Chex that I bought 2 months ago at a ridiculously low price!?!)  Oh, Carly ......

Day 1 of reintroduction will be Christmas day.  I have chosen sugar as my first.  I have got a GREAT recipe for Paleo pecan pie!