Whole30- LAST DAY!!!

Finally! Today is my last official day! I am excited and saddened at the same time. I really am not interested in reintroducing some things to my diet, but I know I need to do the reintroduction just so I know what the effects are of certain foods I may eat (or may not be able to avoid). So...I will do the introduction but then I am going to go back to how I'm eating. I am planning on staying paleo and mostly whole30 from now on. I'm going to work for a 90/10 balance.

I am starting to feel like myself after being sooo sick for the first few days this week. Yesterday I went walking for the first time after three days of barely moving. I managed to get 6 miles done without feeling too bad, although I am a little dehydrated still.

Stay tuned for before and after pics, measurements, and weights.

Yesterday's recap:

Breakfast:
Scrambled eggs
Bacon
Steamed broccoli

Lunch:
Chicken soup

Dinner:
Tuna salad w/ olive oil mayo and
fresh spinach leaves

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 2 days left and things I will keep doing

Tomorrow will be the last day of my Whole30 and I really don't want it to end. I have developed so many good habits that I look forward to keeping them! I started using a hashtag on instagram when I began this journey that was #first30daysoftherestofmylife and I am seeing more and more how true that is. The Whole30 isn't a diet, but a lifestyle. If you haven't read it check out Melissa's blog post about that just yesterday!

Here are just a few of my healthy habits I plan to continue:

1. Making my own olive oil mayo...because it is just good!
2. Having coconut milk in my morning tea or coffee.
3. Shopping around the outside of the grocery store. I love going to the grocery store and seeing that everything in my basket is fresh and nothing pre-packaged.
4. Trying new recipes and new foods and sharing them with everyone. I have tried almost 20 new recipes in the last 30 days. I'm excited about new cooking styles and new recipes that have opened a whole new world of food that I not only love but is good for me as well!
5. Shopping local. I have really stepped up in this area. I have become an advocate for local farmers and realize their value in our world, our community, and on my wallet!! Buying fresh from the local farmers market supports them and often saves me money on organic produce.
6. To stop being a slave to the scale. This is a big one for me. For the last two years I would weigh myself everyday looking for validation in numbers. Now that I have broken that habit I don't plan on starting back again.

Yesterday's recap isn't very much since I am still feeling a bit under the weather and had no appetite:
Breakfast: 2 deviled eggs and steamed broccoli
Lunch: Baby back ribs with cherry bbq sauce
Dinner: Pork roast and cauliflower

Whole30 day 18 and dealing with stress

I'm having a lot of stress right now but am staying compliant. My dad had to go into the hospital yesterday which was an unexpected curve ball, that led me to trying to throw together dinner for myself and my son at the last minute and eating dinner almost two hours late. I ate so quickly I don't think I tasted my Asian meatballs (nomnompaleo) and cauliflower rice. Then because I ate quickly, I ate too much for the first time in 18 days and felt miserably full instead of just satisfied. I am learning that no matter what you have going on, you need to find a way to stick to an eating schedule. If you are used to eating dinner at 5, not eating till 7, does not help you deal with stress better! Next time I find myself in that situation I'll try to snack on a handful of nuts or cucumber slices while I'm cooking.


Making sure I have food on hand for a Whole30 quick fix meal is essential to my survival during times of stress. I'm aware now, that in the past when I have had nights like last night, it was so easy to head to the local Mexican restaurant or to pick up Chinese take out. Eating unhealthy, preservative laden foods that I am allergic too will not help my body or mind deal better!!  I have a yeast allergy and preservatives are a big no no. When I got stressed out in the past I turned to unhealthy choices that would cause me to gain 5-10 lbs and feel depressed. It has taken the Whole30 program for me to see how bad my coping skills are. In just a few weeks I am feeling more confident in my ability to cope.


Day 17 recap:

Breakfast:
Deviled eggs
Cucumbers

Lunch:
Salad with roasted chicken, cucumbers, peppers, avocado, and home made balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Dinner:
Asian meatballs
Cauliflower rice


Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 day 11 and feeling stronger

I was down for the last few days because I haven't been walking as much. Where I work they encourage us to get 10,000 steps a day on our Fitbits (roughly 4.5 miles). For the past few days I have been short on my goal each day, but then it dawned on my last night that while my quantity is down my quality is up!! Saturday I got my steps while pushing a lawn mower (something I had not done in over 15 years!) and even yesterday while I didn't do distance, I climbed 10 flights of stairs (w/ a knee that needs replacing I often struggle with the 3 steps into my house). I definitely view my increased activity level as a #nonscalevictory !!!!

I have to admit that I had a huge temptation last night though. I took my son to see a musical at a theater in a nearby town. In the lobby they sell hot cinnamon sugar roasted almonds. I love them! I bought some for my son and when he handed them to me to hold while he went to the restroom, I looked longingly at the bag. I heard a little voice in my head say "just one. no one will know." I didn't though, because while no one else would know if I had one or not, I would know! I would know and I cannot do that to myself. I love that mentally I have been strong enough in my willpower to resist temptations.

Here is my recap of my food yesterday:

Breakfast:
Deviled eggs (3 whole eggs worth)
Sweet potato hash
a handful of blueberries

Lunch:
Steak with cherry bbq sauce
Grilled veggie kabobs
Sweet potato hash
Dinner:
Spaghetti sauce with smoked chorizo sausage, peppers, onions, and broccoli slaw served on zoodles (julianed zucchini)


Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah