The blog has moved!

Check out the new site!

http://wholisticallyhollyblog.wordpress.com/

Healthy Shopping at Aldi

One of my favorite places to shop has always been Aldi. Not only do they have a variety of healthy options, their prices can't be beat. If that wasn't good enough, they recently made the news with their move to remove pesticides, artificial ingredients, synthetic colors, MSG, and partially hydrogenated oils (you can read more about all of the great changes they have made here.) If you've never shopped there, here are some things you need to know:

BAGS
You do need to bring your own bags and pack your own groceries. You can also buy reusable bags from the store. This is a deterrent for most people but it's a small inconvenience for the amount of $$ you'll save. When you check out, your cashier will load your groceries into a cart which you will take to the counters across from checkout  to pack your bags. You can also pick up boxes to load your groceries into as you shop.

CARTS
Bring a quarter for a shopping cart. Aldi saves money money by using a deposit system for carts- simply put the quarter in the slot, unhook it, and shop away! When you're done shopping bring the cart back, hook it up again, and get your quarter back!

PAYMENT
Cash, EBT, debit, and credit are accepted. Aldi does not accept coupons but you really don't need them!


READING LABELS
It is important to read labels at Aldi. There are a variety of  healthy options but there are also plenty of items that have some not so great ingredients. There are also lots of fresh items, both conventional and organic. We eat mostly paleo so there are some foods that maybe aren't 100% paleo but still better options (health wise and financially)so we buy them anyway. Our goal is to buy as much fresh food as we possibly can. If we have to buy anything processed, we try to buy foods with no added sugar and minimal ingredients. There are certain additives that we also avoid after studying and doing some research. Ultimately it's up to you to decide what ingredients or items you want to avoid.

A lot of Aldi  gluten-free options have fairly clean ingredients. If you are trying to eat healthier or looking for a better treat they have some great options.

The SimplyNature line is created without many artificial ingredients and preservatives and most of them are organic or non-gmo verified. Some of the items have some added sugar, which we prefer to avoid, but again it's up to you decide if those foods fit your needs or not.

You can read more about their specialty food offerings at www.aldi.us

SPECIAL BUYS
Keep an eye out for clearance prices (red tag) and "Special Buy” products that are available while supplies last. Aldi also carries special non food items, such as fitness and health items depending on the season, so keep an eye on the ads!

________________________________________________________________________________


Now for the fun part. I've attached a list of healthy foods that you should be buying from Aldi if you aren't buying them already. Is this the be all, end all list? No, certainly not! They truly have a great selection of food. These are just some of the foods that we buy on a regular basis and incorporate into our meal plans.

I've talked to many people who are afraid to give Aldi a try. I get it... it's not a normal grocery store. BUT Aldi has some great things going for them so if you haven't tried shopping there yet, you really should give it a go. Make your grocery list and then give yourself some time to walk through the store and check things out (you can even take the list I made with you) I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the food you find and the money you save!

Whole30 Success: Allison's Story

Two years ago, I was looking for some answers. I made a lot of changes to my diet but there were still some health hurdles that I just couldn't manage to leap. I came across the Whole30 program and decided to give it a try. If you've been following my blog or social media long enough, you already know that it changed my life and gave me freedom that I have never had in my health and eating habits. I've shared a lot about my success and I decided that I wanted to use my blog as a platform to share the success of others as well. With that I being said, I am proud to feature the first Whole30 success post.  I am honored that the first story I get to share belongs to my dear friend Allison. Allison and I have been great friends for years and we've often struggled with many of the same issues when it comes to food so it has been a privilege to share this journey with her.  She is one the strongest and bravest women I know and I hope you are just as inspired by her story as I am. 

Before and after Whole30!

Why did you decide to try Whole30?

​ 

​Honestly?  I had just ended a 3-year relationship, and I was alone, drinking too much, and extremely depressed.  I wanted to start over so badly - I wanted to start my life over in every aspect, and take control of what I could.  The first stop?  My diet.  I could control my diet.  I was living alone, cooking for myself, so could make whatever I wanted and experiment with new recipes and flavors.  (and honestly, any food "experiment/fails" would only be eaten/choked down by me and no one else)  By nature, I am a perfectionist and constantly challenging myself.  Prior to Whole30 Day 1, I felt like I had no control over anything, and I was so disappointed with how I felt on a daily basis.  More seriously, my endometriosis had begun to, quite literally, take over my life.  The flare-ups...I can't even begin to describe:  the bloating, the pain (all over my body), the fatigue, the anger, the sadness, the anxiety, the depression, the isolation.  Constantly.  Two prior laparoscopies had worked for a short time.  Pain meds?  No thanks.  What could I do?  Welp - all the books say:  Change your diet.  Cut out sugar.  Stop eating carbs.  Stay away from additives.  Why not give this Whole30 a shot? 

Post laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis

An endometriosis flare up

How did you plan and prepare for it? 

​I memorized the website, and printed out the allowed and "forbidden" foods list.  I downloaded the Whole30 book to my Kindle.  I - begrudgingly - threw out all the noncompliant foods and beverages (perhaps I drank all the remaining alcohol in my house - no, I am not proud of this). Lastly - I told my family and close friends about it, with hopes 

they would 

​support my 30-day stint and not try to persuade me to take "cheat days" during my experience. ​

 

Summarize your overall experience. 

How do I begin to summarize my experience?? It started out as a challenge and as a, "You don't think I can do it?? Yeah, well, let me show you!...!!" and then it turned into a, "Ok, this is actually kind of fun..." and it finally became, "That was one of the best experiences of my life, and I am so proud of myself."  It was a mental and physical challenge.  It was emotional.  There came a time, around Day 25, where I realized how AMAZING I felt.  How amazing I felt without wine and beer.  How amazing I felt taking charge of my body, learning to say no, and having an incredible amount of energy, self-worth, and self-confidence. Summarize it?  It was life-changing.  No exaggeration. ​

What was the easiest part? The hardest part?

​Easiest: Cooking for just myself, allowing myself to experience recipes - both fails and successes.  

Hardest: Tuning out the "little voice" when I had a bad day and all I wanted was a glass of wine.  

Favorite meal?

Allison's favorite meal!

​My very last meal, Day 30: I made a really simple, fresh salad of grilled chicken (marinated in olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, minced garlic), grilled peaches, blueberries, toasted almonds, red peppers, romaine.  Balsamic ginger-lime vinaigrette.  Although it was super simple, I had a total "reflection, super proud, overwhelmed, clarity" moment as I ate it.  Oh, and it was really pretty, too.  ;) A close second?  PRE brand sirloin with "cheesy" zoodles (holla, nutritional yeast!) and steamed green beans almondine.  

​

Did you try any new foods?

​Zoodles, ghee, nutritional yeast, coconut milk (from the can, obvi), and coconut aminos ​

How did you feel when you were done?

​Bittersweet.  I was so elated and so incredibly proud of myself...but a little sad. I had a moment where I thought, "Oh.  It's all over...?  Really?"  The feeling of, okay, 

well,

​ I can eat whatever I want to now...so...yeah, I'm still going to have a LaCroix mocktail instead of a beer.  It almost felt like I made a new, cool friend while I was away on vacation, but  now I get to go back to my not-as-new, old friends...​there was a sense of familiarity, but also a sense of disappointment.  Oh, hey, good news: I can go back to Whole30 again whenever I want!  

Fastest 5k!

What were your results?

I dropped 13 lbs and inches all over (I can't remember exactly how many, but it was impressive).  I ran my fastest 5k.  I felt really confident and excited to wear shorts and sundresses.  I was complimented by girls I went to grad school with, who I hadn't seen in  a year or so.  I heard, "Wow, you look really good!  What have you been doing??" from coworkers and family members. I learned how to say no to alcohol, even in moments of stress.  I learned new recipes and cooking styles.  I experimented with new ingredients.  ​Oh - and - NOT ONE SINGLE ENDOMETRIOSIS SYMPTOM. Not one.  Not one cramp, no bloating, no aches, no flare-ups.  I was essentially endometriosis-free for the first time since I was diagnosed. 

What does life post whole30 look like? 

​While I probably have indulged a little too hard, I still am acutely aware of checking labels and thinking, "Is there sugar in this? Look at how many ingredients and preservatives there are in this carton of 'healthy' almond milk!"  Whether or not I act on it, I always look at recipes and think, "I wonder how I could make this Whole30 compliant?" It's become habit.  It truly has become a habit.  ​Oh, and now, coconut milk is the only thing I put in my coffee. Gone are the days of nasty coffee creamers. Coconut milk is bae. I constantly have a Tupperware 

container

​ of coconut milk in my refrigerator.  I use it in everything.  Literally everything. ​

Is there anything new/different you learned or discovered from this experience? 

​I can say no to cravings.  No one needs cheese.  No one needs beer to feel better.  Eating healthy and whole is a lot of fun, especially if you take a staple recipe and modify it so its 100% compliant and just as delicious.  Oh, and no hangovers!  Any decision I made, bad or good, was under the influence of - wait for it- my own volition, and not alcohol.  

What would your advice be to other people who want to try Whole30?

​Set a start date.  You really can't just jump in.  It requires a kitchen 

clean

​-out, pining over things you "can't have for 30 days." ​

​

Mental prep is a real thing.  If you know Thanksgiving is coming up, or your 30th birthday, or some other "big event," you'll probably want to consider moving the start date back.  You don't want to resent this plan - you want to welcome it and embrace it. 

​It pays to have a "partner in crime" who will support you and do it with you.  It's easy to do it alone if you have willpower, but it's really fun to compare recipes with someone else.   ​

Yes, there is a "hangover" detox phase at the beginning.  You will feel like crap. Your body is trying to undo all the bad things you've done to it the last 25 years.  That little "let's eat all the bad things and drink all the booze before Day 1" WILL come back to bite you.  I promise.  ;) 

Eggs are your new bff. 

You will go out to eat a lot less.  A lot, a lot less.  Unless you study the menu beforehand, it is difficult to assure that the restaurant will accommodate any special requests. ​With that said, you'll cook at home a lot more, and you'll begin to appreciate and enjoy your own cooking. 

​You'll realize, while it's a lot of work, eating at home can actually be a lot more fun than going out. ​

​There are people who honestly believe they have to have dairy.  They will say, "Psssh.  No this, no that, no alcohol...What *can* you eat??" and they will somehow become food bullies.  There will be people who truly don't get it.  At first, you'll probably reply, "I'm doing Whole30," in a sheepish, almost embarrassed tone.  But towards  the end, you'll reply, "What can I eat?  Rather, what can't I eat?"  and you will have an arsenal of ridiculously delicious recipes, to share with them, and you will be able to show off your new, healthy, glowing body. 

                                      

                                                        Feeling happy and healthy thanks to Whole30 with NO endo symptoms.

                                                                                                                                                                                     

Weekly Meal Plan- January 2017

I like to share our meal plans every once in a while as a way to give people ideas for the week or see new recipes. Here are the recipes for what we are having this week!



Chicken app chicken apple sausage medley
http://cavemamas.com/aidells-chicken-apple-sausage-medley/

Buffalo chicken and broccoli bowls
http://www.foxandbriar.com/buffalo-chicken-and-broccoli-bowls/

Salt and vinegar wings 
http://www.casadecrews.com/2014/02/salt-and-vinegar-chicken-wings-for-sundaysupper.html

Shepherd's Pie
http://therealfoodrds.com/shepherds-pie/

Egg roll in a bowl
https://rumblytumbly.com/2015/05/30/paleo-whole-30-egg-roll-in-a-bowl/amp/

Fajitas
http://laughingspatula.com/sheet-pan-fajitas/

Enjoy!

New year, New Name, Same Me!

I have been thinking about "rebranding" for some time now.  When I first started this blog,  it was to share about the journey I was on to become healthier. That included smoothies at the time, so I often shared recipes. While I love smoothies, let's be honest... I don't really blog about them  anymore. What I DO blog about is eating real, whole foods and treating ourselves well. I spend a lot of time sharing about how focusing on nourishing our minds, bodies, and spirits can lead to a life of abundant wellness. With that being said, I will now be publishing under "Wholistically Holly." I feel like it better embodies who I am and the journey I'm on.

Since I'm actually writing a post, I will also add that it is my goal to be more active in social media with this blog. I always have things I want to share, but as a busy working mom, I don't always have time to write a blog post. Does that mean I'm done blogging? No way! I love writing and sharing here. I just feel like I have so much more to share and social media allows me to do that quickly.

So that's about it for now! Hope you enjoy the new changes : )

A slave to numbers no more

I've been on a journey for the past year and a half to ditch the scale. I've spent the better part of the last decade counting points, counting calories, counting pounds, counting ounces. It's a little bit ridiculous, if you really think about it, to spend so much time counting these numbers when they really don't mean much. Sure, you can count your 1200 calories or whatever for the day but if the calories are nutritionally empty, at the end of the day all you've done is consume 1200 calories of crap. You haven't eaten anything that provides energy to your body. You haven't nourished your body. Even if you eat a certain amount of calories in "junk" and try to burn them off, you can't burn off the effects that food has on your body. It's really not as simple as burning off the extra calories consumed. Even when it comes to weight, I learned from my own personal experience that the number on the scale means SQUAT. After I had my daughter, I was 5lbs away from my pre pregnancy weight, which also happened to be one of my lowest weights ever. But I was actually SMALLER than I was before I got pregnant. That's right. I weighed 5lbs more but I actually lost more inches because I was strength training. That was a real eye opener for me.

The first time the idea of ditching the scale occurred to me was after my first round of Whole30. However, all I could think about the entire time was, "what do I weigh?" I continued to struggle and I attempted to overcome my obsession with the scale with another round of Whole30. It was around this time that I felt and looked my best. It was a time that I could pinpoint as the version of myself that I liked best. After the birth of my second child, I struggled again. I felt like I had to hit a certain number by a certain time and it was frustrating and depressing. Around this time, my scale broke. Our bathroom flooded and it was waterlogged and stopped working. I took that as a sign to kick that obsession for good so I threw away my scale and never looked back.

I've said it before and I'll say it again--- there is SO much freedom in not relying on any number to determine where I'm at in terms of my health and wellness. I know how to eat and move to get my body to its best version. I thought about that version of myself that I mentioned above and that was my inspiration. That version of myself of myself is who I've been working to be lately. I want to have the strength and energy of that version. The picture on the left is my "best" me. I look at it and see strength and drive and passion. The picture on the right was just a few days ago. I've been looking at pictures of myself for the past few month, looking for that version, and this was the first picture I've seen with a glimpse of that version. I can see that sparkle of determination. I feel like I am finally getting back into my groove and it is the most amazing feeling.

When I look at both of these pictures, there is one thing I DON'T see--- numbers on a scale. I honestly don't even know what I weigh right now or what I weighed in the first picture. But I see strong arms and strong legs and the face of someone who just killed their workout and that's just enough to help push me forward to keep reaching my goals.

Sample dinner meal plan

I'm loving our dinner meal plan for the week, so I gathered up the recipes to share with you! These are some of our favorite dinners and they are all Whole30 friendly! Check out the links below for the recipes. 

http://www.ancestral-nutrition.com/turkey-pot-pie-soup/

Use ghee instead of butter here to make it Whole30 compliant 

http://www.foxandbriar.com/buffalo-chicken-and-broccoli-bowls/

Spiralize some zucchini and sauté them in olive oil to serve with these or use spaghetti squash. http://www.noshtastic.com/oven-baked-italian-meatballs-with-marinara-sauce/

http://cavemamas.com/aidells-chicken-apple-sausage-medley/

Serve this with a veggie of your choice... we eat it with broccoli or green beans. http://www.oatmealwithafork.com/2012/09/14/3-ingredient-apple-juice-chicken/

https://www.grassfedgirl.com/low-carb-hamburger-casserole-recipe/