Tag: Healthy

Three Quarters 30 Try 2 – Day 1

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What is the Three Quarters 30?   It’s the version of Whole 30 that I am making up for myself because I am a vegetarian.  Whole 30 actually recommends (last I checked, which admittedly was awhile ago) that you eat meat during your 30 days, which isn’t going to happen.  This is part of the reason I gave up on my previous Whole 30 attempt.  Well that and I just wasn’t that into it.  I hated my job and thus needed wine at night.   

Well, I still hate my job, but I’m really in it for the 30 day haul this time because I found The Whole 30 Shopping List for Vegetarians and Vegans.  What the what?   Have they changed their tune or what?  The big difference appears to be the allowance of lentils, tofu, tempeh and some beans.  That is all I was asking for.  We all need our protein.  Now if they could start to look past chickpeas as well, we’d be in business, but hey, it’s only 30 days.  

So what are my goals for Three Quarters 30?   I know Whole 30 is about eliminating food that causes inflammation.  Honestly, if all the foods you can’t have on Whole 30 cause inflammation, my body has been on fire it’s entire life.  I do want to be healthier and detox from some excesses over the holiday.  Removing grains and sugar for awhile seems like a good approach.  The lack of alcohol will be the hardest part, but (sigh) is probably good for me, as well.  So my goals are to see how I feel after, maybe have better skin and if I lose weight, well I’d love that, too.  

So how was my first day?   Keep in mind, I hadn’t really planned out the menu.  It’s been 0 degrees here and I wasn’t going shopping.  For the first week at least, I have to make due with what I have at home.  

I made a smoothy with banana, blueberries, spinach and almond milk (no carrageenan!) .   Later I discovered banana wasn’t on the list.  Whoops.  Since I make them for the week and freeze them, there will be a banana every day this week.  Oh well.

Lunch was a vegetarian chili I made with diced tomatos, bell peppers, black beans (not sure if they are among the beans allowed, but I’m going with it), onion, cumin and then i threw a little bit of corn in because it was here.  Whoops corn isn’t on the list, either.   

Dinner was stir fry broccoli, red peppers, onion, celery, snap peas, watercress and tempeh.   

Snacks were almonds and an apple.   

I drank tea with dinner rather than wine.   I turned down chocolates that were passed around at work.  

And I’m still here to tell the tale!   Also, I was bizarrely not hungry all the time.  Weird.   Yes, it wasn’t perfect according to the list, but much healthier than I have been eating, especially over the holidays, so a win.  

The Three Quarters 30

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Recently a friend completed the Whole 30 program  and raved about it. 

You can change your whole life in 30 days by “letting go of bad habits, guilt, anxiety around food”. 

Change my whole life in 30 days?   Weeeee… sign me up.   But wait, by doing what now?   

Did you know: 

Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat – even the “healthy” stuff. So how do you know if (and how) these foods are affecting you?

– Whole 30 website

Yes, the Whole 30 programs asks you to eliminate the following from you diet for 30 days:

  • Grains (note:  this includes rice, lentils and quinoa!)
  • Sugar
  • Legumes
  • Dairy
  • Alcohol

Is changing your whole life really worth that?    I’m was not so sure…

Then I went to Ireland, land of fish and chips, amazing soda bread and Guiness for a week.  I returned feeling like the Michelin Man who could no longer fit into his clothes.   Just a grain, yeast and hops filled bleeeeeecccchhhhh….    Something had to change.   So I thought I’d give Whole 30 a try. 

When I reviewed the above restrictions, I saw basically what was left were fruits, vegetables, some nuts and meat.   Since I am a nearly vegan (well, I am a vegan who on occasions falls off the cheese bandwagon or maybe the cheese bandwagon falls on me, thus I must eat my way free. Something like that), this seemed nearly impossible and possibly not healthy.   I researched and found a whole section of the Whole 30 site on Vegetariana/Vegans .  Read it for yourself, but their position boils down to you should eat some animal based protein.  I’m not going to do that, so I’ll be creating my own Whole 30, the Three Quarters 30, which entails:  

  • Limiting Grains – no traditional grain (bread, pasta).  Limited rice, lentils and quinoa (gotta have it, yo)
  • Sugar
  • Legumes:  limited edamame and organic tofu (as suggested), limited chickpeas and other beans.   I need them! 
  • Dairy
  • Alcohol   (gah!)

I know the Three Quarters 30 won’t do what the Whole 30 promises, but it will certainly be good for me, so watch me go.