Whole30 day 3
Day 3 was a fun and challenging day for a few reasons - I went into work for a few hours for day two of the top speed test that I wrote about yesterday (these tests are fun, so it didn't feel like work on a Saturday!), and it was also the first long workout day on this Whole30 cycle. Normally I use standard sports nutrition, mostly Powerbar gels, when I do my longer workouts. For today's long bike ride, I had to get a little more creative....
I started the day with another piece of breakfast quiche, half an avocado, and since I knew I would be having a late lunch I also added in some sweet potato hash. To make the hash, I simply threw sweet potato shreds, collard greens, onions, and mushrooms in a skillet with coconut oil and cooked until the vegetables were soft and the sweet potato shreds were beginning to brown.
After getting home from work, I needed to have a quick lunch so that I could get on the bike as soon as possible. We each had a sweet potato with coconut oil, half a chicken breast, and some salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing.
Now came the part where creativity was necessary. Using my food processor, I made a Whole30 gel substitute to use during the long bike ride. I threw in two bananas, 3/4 cup of coconut flakes, 1 small baked sweet potato, and some cinnamon and pureed until smooth, adding water while blending to achieve a consistency similar to a sports gel. This gel didn't come out as smooth as the packaged sports gels, but this was expected since the standard gels are just a blend of sugar. I'll keep working to perfect a gel recipe as the Whole30 goes on!
I put the mixture into gel flasks to use during the ride, using about 4 oz every 45 minutes. I also have an electrolyte add for my water that is Whole30 approved made by a company called Elete. Since there are no sports drinks without added sugar or artificial sweeteners, this is a great alternative for electrolyte supplementation during and after exercise (coconut water that has no added sugar is also good).
Almost three hours and plenty of sweat later I was more than ready for dinner. We had mashed sweet potatoes, grass-fed tenderloin with balsamic mushrooms and onions, and steamed Brussels sprouts. The Brussels sprouts were easy, just a steamfresh bag placed into the microwave. The steaks were seasoned with salt and pepper and grilled, and topped with the mushrooms and onions. I sauteed the mushrooms and onons in a pan with olive oil over medium high heat until the onions caramelized, then turned the heat to low and added ~4 T balsamic vinegar.
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 T coconut oil
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
Instructions
1) Wash the sweet potatoes and poke a few holes in them
2) Microwave for ~15 minutes or until soft, turning them halfway (can also use oven baked sweet potatoes)
3) Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning as desired to taste.
Day 3 summary: Still feeling like I'm on an energy rollercoaster, but I didn't get a headache like I did on day 2. According to the day to day guide to the Whole30, days 2-3 are considered the hangover phase, which I have been feeling to some extent and what likely contributed to yesterday's headache. Hopefully after today I'll be through the hangover phase and begin to have a more consistent energy level! I'll also have the challenge of fueling a long run, so I'll get to exercise some more creativity :)
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