Some feedback and challenges from Megan, CrossFit South Arlington‘s coach extraordinaire and program leader for this double-length Whole30:
I just wanted to take a moment to follow up with you regarding all of your homework assignments, eating, etc. through this program so far.
I just spent some time looking through all of your logs and info. Your assignments are good to go. Thanks for taking the time to think and work through those.
As for your food, you are actually looking really good! It seems that you have been very diligent about cooking at home and trying to optimize the ingredients you are using.
Ultimately, I have two challenges for you for the remainder of the program:
- I want you to create a written out night time routine with a bedtime and all. Think about how you want your night to look and what activities make you sleepy vs. wake you up. Think about what time you need to be laying in bed in order to fall asleep. I then want you to share that routine with the group / on your blog. Once you do this, I want you to put that routine into action at least 2 days this week. I want you to increase the number of times you do it in a week for each week here on out. So, 2x this week, 3x next week, 4x the week after, etc. I personally think that one of the worst habits you have – and something that is probably affecting you more than you know – is your sleep habit. This will be the biggest focus for you in terms of optimization. How much can you change this.
- I want to see you introduce a larger quantity of vegetables. Right now, your plates are overwhelmingly dominated by your protein source. I have no problem with you eating more protein if you are hungry and need to eat it to satiated. I do still want your veggies to outweigh the protein regardless.
I think Megan may be underestimating my veggie consumption. With the vast majority of the skillet meals I prepare, I’d estimate it’s about 2/3 veggies to 1/3 meat. I’m up for the challenge, though, and there’s no question I usually fall short on the veggies at lunch.
Last night is the worst night of sleep I’ve had since I began this program, thanks in no small part to a freelance project that kept me up into the wee hours of the morning — but I could have finished it earlier with better budgeting of my time earlier in the evening and over the weekend. At any rate, I’m hoping that putting a little more deliberate planning into winding down each evening can help me get to bed at a more consistently early time.
Here are my food photos for day 28:
Tuesday, Feb. 11
I woke up at 10:25 a.m. (after heading to bed at 5:05 a.m.).
Breakfast: 11:10 a.m. | 1 pork chop, 1/2 gigantic carrot, 1/6 bunch broccoli, 1/2 red onion, 4 cloves garlic, 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, herbs & spices
Lunch: 2:45 p.m. | 7 oz. turkey bologna, .18 oz. wasabi SeaSnax seaweed, 5,000 IU Vitamin D capsule, Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc caplet
Dinner: 9:35 p.m. | Rotisserie chicken, Bubbies fermented sauerkraut
