Living Whole

I've shared a lot about Whole30, over the past 6 months because it's something that helped to revolutionize my family's health. I'm anti-diet/supplement/shakes after years of them not working (and rightfully so) and this program was the first to teach me about my body- what fuels it, what slows it down, what makes it feel like crap, etc.  I didn't want to spend my life relying on a supplement for energy in the morning or a shake to refuel my body post workout. It's expensive and it's not sustainable. Do you know what is NOT expensive and what IS sustainable? Eating real food and educating yourself about the types of food you should eat to optimize your health.

I get it. Some people want a "quick fix"--- they want to lose pounds/inches in 21/24/31 days. Yes, Whole30 WILL help you do those things. Since my first round in January I have lost 23 lbs and 17 inches. I have energy I never knew I could have, and that's saying a lot coming from someone with a child under the age of 1. My skin is clear. My health problems are under control without the help of medicine. I conquered a major sugar addiction. BUT. I haven't been on Whole30 this entire time. The program taught me how to treat myself right... And it didn't cost me anything more than my normal grocery bill and a little time to learn about the program. 

Let me add this... It's not all about the numbers on the scale. I'm still learning this. Case in point: I have been wearing my pre pregnancy clothes for about a month now... But I just hit that weight this past week. I weighed a couple pounds more, but I lost inches. I weighed a couple pounds more, but in reality I was thinner (healthier, happier,etc) than pre pregnancy.  Yes, it's nice to see those numbers on the scale. It's an ego boost or whatever. But that number does you no good if your health is crap. The last time I saw the current number on the scale I was consuming a diet of chemically laden crap, I was exhausted, and I was depriving my body of nutrients. If I had to pick between those two versions of myself... I sure wouldn't pick the latter. 

Make an investment in your health. Take the time to learn about how to take care of yourself... You're worth it.

For more info about Whole30, check this out:

http://whole30.com/2015/05/whole30-learning-tool/

Don't buy into the lie.

I had to write this post. I had to. I love my friends and family, but anytime I see a post on Facebook that promotes weight loss programs, shakes, supplements, etc it honestly breaks my hearts. I am not going to list any specific brands because I still want to be respectful.  But listen to me. Listen to me closely.

YOU DO NOT NEED THOSE THINGS.

You don't need them to lose weight. You don't need them to gain energy. In fact, what you are creating for yourself is a need to rely on supplements, most of which have questionable ingredients, to obtain results that are not sustainable. I just read today about a woman who lost all of her baby weight and gained energy using a certain weight loss supplement. I literally laughed out loud because... I did the same thing. I lost all of my baby weight in 9 months, I have a ton of energy, I am in decent shape. Except. EXCEPT. I did it in a way that creates healthy habits and sustainable weight loss. I eat real food. I limit my sugar. I work out. No shakes. No energy drinks. No supplements of any kind. REAL, WHOLE, HEALTHY FOODS. 

Those things, they are a quick fix. You deserve better than a quick fix! You need to take the time to invest in your health. Yes, that means taking the time to prepare healthy meals and work out and research and investigate what you are putting into your body. Don't you think you're worth it?? I know you are. And I am sitting here so fired up because I want what's best for the people I love. I want you to experience success in your health like I did. 

Look up the ingredients in your shake, energy drinks, etc. I can tell you for SURE that one very popular energy drink contains sucralose. An artificial sweetener. A chemically altered artificial sweetener that actually works AGAINST weight loss. Another popular drink has other chemically altered ingredients and is not clinically proven to do anything. 

So wait a minute. You're trying to lose weight, get healthy... And you are consuming garbage? Doesn't make sense to me. Even if you're just trying to lose weight and you're not thinking about your health, those numbers on the scale don't mean a thing in the grand scheme if you are sick and unhealthy. 

Please, please, PLEASE do not resort to those things. It's a waste of your time and money. Invest in your health. Be mindful of what you're eating. Move your body. Do it the right way...your body deserves it. 

Now what?

Day 45! Woohooo! I have to say that 45 days went by so fast. So what does this mean now? Well, I need to follow the reintroduction plan which looks like this:

Day1: Evaluate legumes, while keeping the rest of your diet Whole30 compliant. 

Day 4: Evaluate non-gluten grains*, while keeping the rest of your diet Whole30 compliant. 

Day 7: Evaluate dairy, while keeping the rest of your diet Whole30 compliant. 

Day 10: Evaluate gluten-containing grains*, while keeping the rest of your diet Whole30 compliant.  (I am actually skipping this because I already know that I have a gluten sensitivity.)

If I'm being honest, I'm a little nervous about reintro. I love how I feel right now and the thought of jeopardizing that bugs me. But it must be done in order to identify other possible sensitivities. After reintro, my plan is to eat as close tho Whole30/Paleo as possible. I will, unless I have a sensitivity, include oatmeal and some natural sweeteners, but I will be very conscious of added sugars and ingredients that aren't optimal. 

I am still enjoying the same benefits (awesome sleep, more energy, better relationship with food, etc.) as I did on Day 30. I am down 2 pant sizes and 15 lbs. Hubby is down 12 lbs. and 2 belt notches. He has decided he wants to do 60 days, so he is continuing the program. 

I am so glad we did this. It has been life changing and I'm so happy that we took the opportunity to get our health in check. I'm proud to say #iamwhole30!!

Day 1 to Day 45

And here is my hubby! Left picture was at Thanksgiving and right picture is after 45 days of Whole30.

Recipe roundup

Hey everyone! Tomorrow is Day 45 for me (update on that later) and I wanted to share some of the recipes we have enjoyed. Most of the are dinner recipes, but there are a few breakfast, lunch, and snack ideas also. Many of these we made multiple times.... Check 'em out!

Breakfast casserole

http://www.plaidandpaleo.com/2013/11/paleo-sausage-and-sweet-potato.html

Blueberry kale omelette (sounds weird but it's sooooo good!)

http://stupideasypaleo.com/2013/02/16/blueberry-kale-omelette/

Sloppy Joes

http://paleonewbie.com/paleo-sweet-potato-sloppy-joes-recipe/

Homemade Larabars 

http://mywholefoodlife.com/2013/02/11/coconut-cream-larabars/

Egg cups

http://cenegenics-az.com/baked-ham-egg-cups-nom-nom-paleo/

Egg roll in a bowl

http://www.mostlyhomemademom.com/2014/07/eggroll-in-bowl.html

Sweet potato fideo soup

http://www.inspiralized.com/2014/01/27/mexican-sweet-potato-fideo-soup-with-avocado/

Spinach cilantro meatballs

http://www.savorylotus.com/spinach-cilantro-meatballs-grain-free/

The bomb chili

http://poorpaleo.com/the-bomb-paleo-chili/

Herbed chicken 

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-16973/roast-chicken-thighs-with-garlic-lemon-herbs.html

Avocado chicken salad

http://foodpinsnow.com/?p=773

Roasted carrots

http://foodjj.com/roasted-carrots/

Buffalo chicken casserole 

http://paleoleap.com/sweet-potato-buffalo-chicken-casserole/

Sweet potato, chicken, and kale stew 

http://www.multiplydelicious.com/thefood/2013/03/slow-cooker-chicken-sweet-potato-and-kale-stew/

Monkey salad

http://taylorrmade.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/whole-30-again/

And finally, here is a recipe for a carrot soup I kind of just threw together. I boiled some carrots until soft, drained them, added some chicken broth and brought it to a simmer... I cheated and threw in steamed butternut squash (from a bag 😁) and the blended it all up with about a tablespoon each of turmeric, ginger, garlic, Rosemary and dash of salt and pepper. Voila!

Enjoy!

Day 30 (and we're not done yet!)

Today is Day 30! 

When we first decided to do this program, I had no idea how life changing it would be. Sure, the whole point of the program is to make changes to your life and your health, but I never imagined it would be like this. Here are some of the main issues I had to face during the past 30 days.

1. I had a HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE sweet tooth. Probably borderline sugar addiction. The amount of sugar I was consuming was unreal. Sure, my meals were healthy and "clean" but what's the point if I am just going to wreck my body with sugar. It occurred to me that it had become a habit for me to just grab a sweet treat and eat it because it was there. We were at a church luncheon and as I walked by the dessert table, out of habit, I started to reach for a cookie. Of course I realized what I was doing and stopped myself, but that was a real wake up call. 

2. I enabled my husband's bad habits. If there is food-extra food, junk food, etc.- I would always ask him if he wanted to eat it. Or I'd bring the junk home for him!! I had to apologize to him because I realized I wasn't supporting or encouraging healthy choices. I'm so glad that we did this together because it really opened our eyes to not only our own bad habits, but how we fed into each other's habits as well. That ends now. 

3. I was exhausted. Physically and mentally. I looked tired, my hair and skin were dull, and I had no energy at the end of the day. As a new mom, that doesn't work for me. I need the energy to keep up with the baby and to take care of myself so that I can be the best version of myself for my family.

I had more things to conquer than I realized. The program is intended to change the way we think about food, our habits/cravings, and the emotional relationships we have with food and our bodies. 

And let me tell you.... It has succeeded.

Here is what I got out of it:

-Self Control. There's nothing like battling the sugar dragon while being surrounded by desserts. But I did it.  I learned that I'm stronger than I thought and that I can say no to foods that will not nourish me. I learned that there is absolutely nothing wrong with saying no and that I can be satisfied with that choice.

- Breaking the chains of emotional eating. My grandmother passed away while we were completing Whole30. I was able to find other, healthier ways to cope that did not involve food. 

-A desire to eat clean, healthy, nourishing foods.

-NO desire to eat junk.

-I don't feel bloated, my skin is clear, and my hair is healthy.

-ENERGY! Without coffee! 

-I feel rested. I am sleeping better, which also helps with keeping my energy levels up.

-A regulated metabolism.

-To me this is the least important, but I lost 12lbs and dropped one pants size.

So what now? Well, as I mentioned earlier, my husband feels like he didn't get the results he expected because of how poorly he ate beforehand...so we are extending it by 15 days. Whole45? Whole yes! We will also be working on our reintroduction plan. There are a few foods we eliminated that will not be making their way back into our diets and we also have to see how our bodies react to different foods as they are reintroduced.

I highly recommend checking Whole30 out. Or at least reading the book It Starts With Food. I promise your life will be changed! 

Week 4: Dealing with emotions + what's on the menu

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. I believe it. Today is day 21 of Whole30 and I feel like we are in a pretty good groove. Shopping, meal prep, and cooking are all part of the norm and somehow we have managed to be successful with all of this despite busy schedules and a lot of chaos around here. 

I went back and forth about if I wanted to share details about the circumstances of this past week, but I've been pretty open and honest up to this point, so I figured why not? Whole30 is a comprehensive program focused on healing and resetting your body. Part of that is dealing with unhealthy cravings and habits. Well, I have had to face those unhealthy habits head on this week. I'm an emotional eater. Always have been. It's gotten me into a lot of trouble. If I'm sad, I'll look to find the nearest bowl of ice cream, cookie, cupcake...whatever. This week my beautiful Gram went to be with Jesus. She fought long and hard to beat cancer. As I spent the last few days with her at hospice, I was surrounded by cookies and cupcakes. Boy, did I want to stuff my face with those. But I resisted. I remembered why I was doing what I was doing, the promise I made to myself to complete Whole30. I didn't touch a single food that was off plan. I drank my La Croix and I walked the hallways. Even when she finally passed, I resisted the urge to eat my feelings. Instead, I did yoga. I may have cried my way through every pose, but it kept me away from the food. This was a huge step for me. Not only did it show me that I could do it, that I had the self control, but that I can find other ways to deal with my pain and sadness in the future. 

On a lighter note, tomorrow starts week 4 for us. We are both feeling much better- more energy, weight loss, clear skin. I am seriously amazed at how healing this has been. All from eating real food! No counting calories, no supplements, just real food. WHOLE foods. 

 

Day 1 to Day 20 progress 

We haven't really gotten bored with food yet because we have tried so many new recipes. Here is what's on the menu this week: 

Spinach cilantro meatballs

http://www.savorylotus.com/spinach-cilantro-meatballs-grain-free/

Roast chicken with garlic, lemon, and herbs

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-16973/roast-chicken-thighs-with-garlic-lemon-herbs.html

Paleo Chili

http://poorpaleo.com/the-bomb-paleo-chili/

Roasted carrots

http://pinterest.com/pin/62417144811587304/

Ok, I am off to meal prep! I'm looking forward to sharing more of our progress as we reach the end of 30 days. Stay tuned! 

Half way there!

Here we are, wrapping up Week 2 of Whole30 and almost halfway finished (well, sorta. More on that later.)

As much as I have moaned and groaned about prepping or grumbled about constantly cooking, I am actually starting to enjoy it. Sundays have become our family shopping day and it's nice to go out together and pick foods that we enjoy as well as new foods that we want to try. Biweekly trips to Trader Joe's have been crucial for stocking up on staples (cans of coconut milk for $.99... Whaaaaat??!!!) I only wish we had one closer to us. Today we actually made it to Whole Foods and found some compliant bacon. Do you know how hard it is to find bacon without sugar? Very!

We are really starting to physically feel the effects of the program. More energy, clear skin, less bloat. My husband said he has noticed a huge difference in his skin and I noticed my face isn't as puffy. 

As we were talking about how well Whole30 is working, my husband said that he wants to extend it 15 days. He feels like, because he ate so poorly beforehand, that it's taking his body longer to reset. It's much easier to complete the program with support, so I am going to join him. We both foresee some pretty big changes to our diets when we are finished and have already discussed what we will not be reintroducing. 

On a side note, it was much easier for me to blog about this when I had snow days! I'm hoping to get a few more posts in before we finish. 

Bring it, Week 3!

Days 2-3: "The Hangover"

According to the Whole30 timeline, days 2 and 3 are referred to as "the hangover." Headaches. Fatigue. Malaise. Sounds fun, huh?  Basically, your body is working through all of the crap in your body. 

"And it is definitely true that the amount of suck you experience in this phase is directly proportional to the amount of crap you consumed before you began the program." (See more at: http://whole30.com/2013/01/whole30-timeline/#sthash.tp03xBvH.dpuf)

Yesterday wasn't too bad for me. A little bit of a sugar craving, but I did well. Today? That was a different story. First of all, I was up most of the night with my little girl. So I started the day already tired and cranky. Add to that "the hangover" and I was not feeling awesome. On top of that, we had a snow day and I reealllly had to use some self control so that I wouldn't mindlessly snack. I was tired, cranky, and bored. But I did resisted. I drank water, relaxed, and kept making good choices. I stuck to it and I feel pretty good right now. I even got a workout in! 

My hubby on the other hand...he is struggling. That quote up there? It's true. I came into this program with a diet that was already healthy and balanced, minus a bit of a sweet tooth. Not him. So this is really hard for him ( I totally busted him trying to cheat yesterday. I gently reminded him why we are doing this and he is back on track.) He is a trooper though and I can't wait to see how he feels once the "suckage" part of this wears off. When it's hard for both of us, we just have to remember we are doing this to heal our bodies. 

Here are a couple of our meals from today: spinach and avocado wrapped with turkey with a citrus vinaigrette and a tomato and basil salad for lunch and "zoodles" with meatballs for dinner. 

Keep an eye out for my next post... If we survive! Days 4-5 are known as "kill all the things." 😳

Whole30: Day 1 and some recipes

We are wrapping up day one and so far, we are feeling okay. Hubby said he is really craving some sugar but other than that we have really enjoyed our meals and have felt satisfied with them. Our dinner was so simple and we are using the leftovers for lunch and dinner tomorrow.

I know it's not the prettiest picture, but dinner was simple turkey breast with spaghetti squash. I threw about 4lbs of split turkey breast with skin removed into the crockpot with 1/2 cup of veggie broth, pepper, rosemary, and parsley. Turned it on high for 6 hrs and it was done. We had plenty to eat, plus some leftovers which we are using in our salads tomorrow. The spaghetti squash was easy, too. I just split it in half and microwaved it in a shallow glass dish with about an inch of water in the bottom for 9 minutes. I mixed some ghee and Penzey's Sunny Paris into it and it was DELICIOUS.

Since I don't have to prep breakfast or lunch for tomorrow, I got started on dinner. I deviated a little from my menu, but it worked out well- very easy! All I did was brown some ground turkey in my Dutch oven, add some chopped zucchini, carrots, leftover spaghetti squash, and seasonings then cover with tomato sauce and let simmer. It smells delicious! 

And now.... The dishes are calling my name. 😝

'Twas the night before Whole30

Whew! What a day! I have spent the last few hours getting everything prepped for us to start Whole30 tomorrow. It's a lot of work- meal planning, shopping, cooking, etc. But I know it's worth it. It seems that, with a good plan, most of the work will be at the beginning of the week. I'm excited to do this! What I really like about Whole30 is that it's not a diet. It's not about weight loss. It's about restoring and healing your body.  One of my favorite passages from the book:

 We only have one body... Gotta take care of it! 

Yesterday I did most of our shopping. We hit up the West Side Market and scored a ton of fresh, organic veggies for a great price.  Check out this bag of spinach I got for $5!

So, today I prepped breakfast, lunch, and dinner for both of us for the next two days. Some of our meals later this week rely on leftovers, which is a time saver. This is the current state of our refrigerator.

And here is our very first Whole30 meal!

I'm not quite sure what my "schedule" for blogging will be quite yet, but my goal is to post at least once a week. I'm going share our progress, as well as some yummy recipes. Stay tuned!