Whole30 day 28- Party time!!!

Whew! What a day!!! Had a most fabulous time at the BBQ for my family. I got tons of compliments on my Whole30 compliant food. Because I've been doing a lot of advance prep work on the weekends during this program, I was able to use this new found talent to have everything prepped and ready so I could still enjoy the party. I highly recommend bacon wrapped sweet potatoes as an appetizer for any occasion.

I admit I did look longingly at the cupcakes my sister brought for dessert. I took one and put it in a tupperware container in my freezer to eat after I introduce gluten back. A friend of the family left a few bottles of beer that he had brought for us to try, so I would be able to try it once I'm done with my Whole30. I feel so great with what I've been eating though that I am not looking forward to the negative effects that a beer will have on my body now that I have cleaned what I put in it. I also have a severe yeast allergy which amplifies the negative effects.

I'm looking forward to taking my after pictures, especially since I was constantly pulling up my jeans today. A smaller size is definitely a victory!

Today's recap:

Breakfast:
Scrambled eggs
Sweet potato hash
Blueberries

Lunch:
Chicken salad on a bed of spinach

Dinner:
Hors d'oeuvres:
Bacon wrapped sweet potatoes
Veggies w/ homemade ranch dip

Main Course:
Broccoli salad
Ribs with Cherry BBQ sauce
Deviled eggs

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 day 27- in the home stretch!

I am finally sleeping better!!! It took more than 20 days for me to have that non-scale victory, but it has finally come. I have the fitbit flex on my wrist and have been using it to track my sleep. Previously I would have 12 times or so a night of 7.5 hours of sleep that I would be restless, but the past 4 nights I have only been restless 1-2 times. That leaves me feeling fabulous in the morning with extra energy. I am putting that energy to use this week too with having a BBQ at my house tomorrow for 12 people and I'm serving a ton of whole30 compliant food....ribs with cherry bbq sauce (I'll have regular sauce too just in case), deviled eggs, broccoli salad, cut veggies with paleo ranch dip, compliant hot dogs, bacon wrapped sweet potato bites....I can't wait!!!

Unexpectedly I have become a foodie! I have always loved food, but I feel that now I have stripped all the sugar and the other crud from what I am making, I have gained a greater appreciation of the natural flavors! I have added a recipe section to my blog that I am going to start posting my recipes on and am very excited about having pins of my recipes as opposed to me looking at other people's pins.

Day 26 recap:

I made chicken salad yesterday morning intending on it being for
lunch, but it looked so good I decided to make a breakfast of it! I then had an equally fabulous lunch with 2 hamburgers topped with Tessemae's ketchup, half of a sweet potato topped with cinnamon, and a salad of spinach, strawberries, blueberries, avocado, and sprinkled with balsamic vinegar. Dinner was beef stew made by my dad who again was excited that he made it without using flour or cornstarch to thicken it so that I could have it.

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 day 26...more challenges I overcame!

I've been missing the last couple of days because I had to go into my office to work since I had to be onsite for some job interviews (I normally work from home full time). I really learned from some of the office eating mishap stories on the Whole30 forum and really made the effort the past two days to

Burgers, guacamole, spinach, apple and cashews

coconut shrimp, sweet potato, broccoli

make sure I had plenty of food with me and a couple compliant snacks (just in case). I made it through Tuesday without hiccups and even went out to eat for my mom's birthday that night. We went to Outback and since I went there on mother's day, I knew just what to order (steak grilled w/o seasoning, steamed broccoli, and a sweet potato plain). It was still yummy and nice to know that I can go out with my whole family and still stick to my healthy choices. They were advertising a new cocktail and I have to admit that the thought of alcohol makes me a little sick right now...and that is good. I actually have a yeast allergy and shouldn't have any alcohol, but before the Whole30, I would still indulge in a glass of wine or two on the weekend and wind up feeling horrible for days afterwards. I should hear about both of the new positions I interviewed for by the middle of next week. Hopefully it will be good news to celebrate along with the end of my whole30 (whole34 really).

Yesterday I was in too much of a hurry in the morning and didn't eat enough for breakfast. I only ate
about 2 eggs and half of the sweet potato hash...no other veggies. I paid for it and stayed hungry the rest of the day even after eating proper portions for lunch and dinner. That really cements for me that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day!!

The salad my dad prepared...so yummy!

My son and I often eat dinner with my parents on weeknights. I chose my whole30 start day purposely because they were going to be out of town for the first couple of weeks. They are back this week and each day I've called my dad to ask what he was making for dinner to see if I could eat any part of it and if I couldn't I brought my own. Yesterday my dad sent me a message through facebook
and was so excited that he was making a dinner I could have. He grilled chicken and we had grilled chicken salads with locally grown lettuce, strawberries, and blueberries. He also added walnuts and avocado. It was so great and felt so good to know that my dad was now thinking about the whole30. My mom has also expressed interest in reading the book and trying the whole30. I am so glad my family supports me and it definitely makes the process so much easier.

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 day 22 and more revelations

Friday was a rough day where it seemed like everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. I missed lunch and really felt the repercussions by 3 that afternoon. It was a firm reminder that I am no good at helping other people solve their problems if I don't take the time I need for myself and that includes fueling my body. I guess that is why the book was so insistent about us taking the time to sit down and eat at a table. Taking that time not only helps you slow your eating pace down, but also gives you a great stress break. I'm so glad I've figured that out.

I also bought my first Lara bars on Friday. I will definitely be saving them for my backpacking trip because they seem a little like Paleo crack! So yummy and addictive!

A mug of chicken bone broth w/ breakfast

Right now I am planning a menu for a party I'm having next Saturday to celebrate my son and my mom's birthdays as well as my mom's retirement. I will be doing a bulk of the cooking myself and everything that I'm making is going to be Whole30 compliant. I figured that would be my best defense against the cakes that I'm ordering for dessert. I am planning on making a compliant lemon custard with raspberries so I can have something too. Fingers crossed!!

I had my first cup of chicken bone broth with breakfast. It took me a couple sips to get used to the

idea, but then I decided that it was great! I have a hard time eating first thing in the morning still. I'm hungry, but just don't feel like eating (if that makes sense). I'm going to start sipping on a cup of bone broth first thing in the morning to see how that might help.

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 day 20: not weird to bring your own

Wow...day 20. This is such an amazing journey, but not without complications. My son and I typically have dinner at my parents' house during the week. They have been out of town most of this process and last night was our first night having dinner at their house. I called before going over there to ask my dad was he fixed and he told me it wasn't compliant. I quickly threw together a plate of food from what I had fixed in the fridge and took it with me. It wasn't weird and no one minded that I brought my own because I have been upfront with everyone about what I am doing and what it means to me. I did get questions and comments early in this journey about why I am doing this and why is it so restrictive. People had their doubts about my commitment, but I have to say now that I am on day 20, they see my commitment and they are seeing the changes in my mood and appearance.

Day 19 recap:
Breakfast:
Scrambled eggs with prochiutto
Sweet potato hash
Cucumber

Lunch:
Baked sweet potato
Steamed cauliflower w/ EVO
Chicken with cherry bbq sauce

Dinner:
Pork chop with cherry bbq sauce
Cucumber
Sweet potato hash

I'm going to be making bone broth tonight for the first time and I'm very excited. The name turned me off, but yesterday I finally read up on bone broth and its amazing health properties.  Here is an interesting article from Weston Price about it.

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 day ?: who cares!!

Good Morning!!! I have reached the point that I am so happy with how good I feel I don't even care what day of my Whole30 that I am on! So, according to my calendar it is day 19. My son said that he can tell I am enjoying this so much that he thinks I will just not stop after 30 days. I will go through the re-introduction period though just to help me figure out what my body doesn't work well with, but I can definitely see me staying pretty compliant to the program.

Slept great last night despite an increased amount of joint pain (not sure why: weather? nightshades?). My dad was released from the hospital last night. He had a really really bad infection in his mouth and they think they have it under control. I feel like I have handled my stress a lot better this week, perhaps because of regulated blood sugar.

Made another batch of nomnompaleo's cherry bbq sauce last night. My son and I love this sauce!! We have had it on steak and chicken and my son asked if I could put it on ribs this weekend. It is simple to make and sooo very tasty!

I work from home and my team is having a meeting today and they wanted to have a breakfast potluck. I elected to not go to the office and will be calling in from home so I will not be tempted. I do have to go to the office next week for two days for round 2 of the interview process for a fabulous new job. Luckily we have big refrigerators and microwaves at work so I can bring everything I need to eat right.

Day 18 recap:

Breakfast:
Deviled eggs
Cucumbers
Sweet potato hash

Lunch:
Roasted chicken
Roasted cauliflower
Collard greens

Dinner:
Chicken legs w/ cherry bbq sauce
Deviled eggs
Steamed broccoli
1/2 Sweet potato with cinnamon

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 17: Learning more and seeing more benefits

While I have noticed a ton of benefits so far for this 30 days, I seem to be having more arthritis pain than usual. Several people on the forum for the Whole30 have mentioned eliminating nightshades. I had never even heard the term nightshades before, but I started reading. Nightshades are part of a species of plants that are commonly used in my diet on a daily basis. They include tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes among many others. Many spices also fall in this family, like paprika. Nightshades seem to cause more inflammation in the body. Since I have started the Whole30 program, I have been eating so many more of these veggies and spices and it could possibly be the reason I am having more pain. I am now looking at eliminating nightshades and/or doing the autoimmune version of the Whole30 in the future.

Outside of my painful joints, I am noticing so many wonderful benefits. My skin is so clear and even toned that I haven't needed to wear foundation for a week. I love that my already minimal makeup has been cut back even more. I also have noticed that my nails are stronger. When I went shopping over the weekend I was trying on clothes in regular stores, not just stores with plus sizes and that felt amazing! I am dying to take my measurements, but I can hold off another 13 days!

When I started the Whole30 I was hungry all the time and really had to play with my portions to feel satiated. Now, I am noticing the size of my portions is leveling off and I am starting to leave some on my plate at the end of the meal. I love that not only am I eating the right foods, I no longer feel the need to eat all of the food on my plate.

Here is my day 16 recap:

Breakfast:
Deviled eggs
Broccoli slaw salad







Lunch:
Pork chop w/ strawberry avacado salad
Roasted cauliflower
Collard greens

Yup, ate dinner sitting in the car!

Dinner:
Roasted chicken
Steamed broccoli
Sweet potato
w/ ghee
and cinnamon


Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 day 16: Weekend recap and another eating out on Whole30 adventure!

Good morning! I finally discovered Tazo's Passion Iced Tea bags yesterday....sooo yummy!!!! It will

be a great sugar free drink for me to enjoy this summer! This was an eventful weekend for me. Saturday I celebrated my son's 12th birthday. We went to almost every sporting goods store within 3 counties of us and then had lunch at Chipotle. I found out by reading numerous other blogs that a salad with carniats at Chipotle was safe for Whole30. It was so yummy and nice to know that there is another restaurant that I can eat at and still make great food choices!

I had my parents over for dinner last night. Stuffed peppers, salad with home made balsamic vinaigrette dressing, and a dessert of berries topped with coconut cream and toasted coconut was all a big hit. Cooking such awesomely flavorful dishes are a great way to win your family over on the Whole30 adventure.

The highlights of my Whole30 food this weekend!

I took another set of pictures yesterday (day 15 for me) and am so amazed at the changes I see! I have decided to step up my activity level for the rest of the program. No...I am not becoming an admirable crossfitter...I'm just going to start adding in more strength and resistance training in to my daily routine of walking.

Have a great day folks!!

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30: Two weeks in words of wisdom

Things are going really well for me even though I am feeling a little under the weather on my 15th day of my first Whole30. I thought I would share the top 5 things that are helping me the most on this journey:

1. Bacon...Here is a link to the bacon that is whole 30 approved http://pedersonsfarms.com/product/uncured-no-sugar-hickory-smoked-bacon-natural-paleo-bacon/ ...if you use the search on the top of the page you can find some near you. We have 2 Whole Foods stores, both about 30 min from my house and only one of the two carries the sugar free kind. This bacon has been a savior for me during this process.

2. prep for an hour over the weekend. This morning I made a batch of mayo, boiled 9 eggs, made sweet potato hash, and browned a lb of ground turkey with taco seasonings, and cut up green peppers all in less than an hour. The turkey I can use on salads for taco salads. The boiled eggs are handing to have for breakfast (I make them in to deviled eggs) or to put in tuna or chicken salad. Prepping is a huge time saver and gives you quick fix options for the week.

3. When I do have time to cook, I make a little extra. Last night I grilled steaks for my son's birthday and while the grill was going I grilled some sweet potatoes and some chicken (that I will add some cherry bbq sauce to this week).

4. Every time I leave the house I take a bag of almonds or cashews, an apple, and a bottle of water for my purse.

5. Tea with lite coconut milk (I like the light one in tea because it cuts the bitterness but doesn't add coconut flavor). There are lots of different flavors of tea and it provides a great break from water.

Any time I start questioning what I am doing and if it is worth it I read the success stories on the Blog or in the Forum on Whole30.

Whole30 day 12: #NonScaleVictory

I can't believe this is day 12 for me of my first Whole30. I find sticking to this plan very easy now that I have worked out the kinks. I haven't snacked too much and am able to adhere to the regular 3 meal template. Last night I took my son to a pizza party through our church. I brought my own meal of sweet potato hash, steamed broccoli, and a chicken apple sausage. The pizza still smelled sooooo good! I have an allergy to yeast though and I just tried to focus on how horrible the pain was in my stomach following the last time I ate pizza. Worked like a charm!

When I got home and was getting ready for bed I went to remove my makeup and realized that I didn't even put any on! My skin is so clear and even toned just from changing my diet that I didn't realize I had not even put makeup on. Just another #nonscalevictory !!!

Saturday is my son's 12th birthday and instead of going on his Boy Scout fishing trip he said he would rather spend more time with me. I know it is going to take some extra planning on my part to make sure I have meals or can get meals when we are out doing things. We are going to the lake to do some kayaking and also planning on doing some shopping. I'll figure it out though!

Day 11 recap:

Breakfast:
Deviled eggs
Sweet potato hash
Blueberries

Lunch:
Tuna salad with olive oil mayo and relish on a bed of lettuce and spinich leaves.

Dinner:
referenced above

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

Whole30 Day 10

Good morning everyone! Day 10 for me. I didn't sleep well last night for the second night in a row. I am sure our crazy weather is to blame and my body just isn't used to sleeping with the warmer temperatures yet. Because it was a rough night, I got off to a slow start and am feeling like I am dragging a bit. I ate a good breakfast and am hoping I can get out of my funk soon. My son also wasn't feeling well this morning so I am hoping we aren't coming down with something. Anyway...I'll keep carrying on and maybe my lunch time walk will help perk me up :-)
Here is my recap of day 9:

Breakfast:
2 proschiutto egg muffins (w/ peppers and onions)

blue berries

Lunch:
Chicken breast with cherry bbq sauce
Roasted cauliflower
Grilled zuchinni

Dinner:
Steak with cherry bbq sauce
Roasted brussel sprouts
Grilled veggie kabobs

My 12 year old requested that I make larger batches of the cherry bbq sauce (Nomnompaleo) because he loves it so much!! I am loving that he is really enjoying this experience! It really makes me feel good as a mom to know that I am teaching him healthy options.

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 Day 9- survived my first weekend and eating out

I am now on day 9 of my first whole30 and it hasn't been without challenges but the rewards outweigh any negatives! My dad normally mows my yard for me since I have had so many knee surgeries (1 on the left,8 on the right) and have arthritis. He is out of town so Saturday since I had less pain (due to reduced inflammation thanks to my diet) and more energy I mowed HIS yard and 2/3 of mine. Then I kept the momentum going and cleaned the house, made dinner for my mom, and some egg muffins for breakfast this week.

Sunday was the big challenge....eating out. You CAN eat out when you are on the Whole30, you just need to do a little research. Go to the restaurant's website ahead of time and look at the menu and the ingredients list. Call and ask questions. Lastly, don't be afraid to ask your server (nicely) for substitutions or changes.

Friday:
Breakfast:
3 deviled eggs (6 halves)
orange

Best dinner date ever!!

Lunch:
Chicken salad

Dinner...I had a date who ran with my suggestion to go shopping together at Whole Foods and cook
dinner together:
pork roast
mango salsa
brussel sprouts and roasted sweet potatoes sauteed in garlic and olive oil

Saturday:

Breakfast:
2 egg fritatta with sauteed peppers, onions, garlic, spinach and coconut milk

Lunch:
3 deviled eggs
sweet potato with cinnimon

Dinner:
baked chicken breast with home made cherry barbeque sauce
balasalmic roased brussel sprouts with bacon
roasted cauliflower with garlic

Sunday:

Breakfast:
3 eggs scrambled
2 slices of bacon
orange

Lunch at Outback Steakhouse:

My Mother's Day meal at Outback Steakhouse

Steamed broccoli (hold the butter)
baked sweet potato (plain)
Steak grilled with salt and pepper only

Dinner:
Spicy coconut shrimp
fried plantanes
grilled zuchinni
pumpkin custard (dessert)

Start of Whole30 day 6...um...er...maybe not

So morning of day 6...or should I say day 3 since I found out that I didn't look close enough at the

nitrate free cruelty free  bacon that was in my sweet potato hash for the first few days and found out that it too had sugar. That is what I get for trying to shop with my son who rushes me in the grocery store. I was so bummed about it that I had a hard time falling asleep last night. Then my dog had an upset tummy in this middle of the night which kept me up for a couple hours during the time of night when I normally get my best sleep. I went to make breakfast of scrambled eggs with green peppers and ham...Boar's head ham is supposed to be compliant, but almost all the varieties at my local store had a sugar or honey glaze. I bought the boiled version since no sugar, and just before I was about to put it in the skillet I looked at the package and noticed that it has MSG in it. sigh....I cried. Maybe I should also mention I have possibly the biggest job interview of my career this afternoon. I'm trying to get out of this funk but

I'm am on the verge of saying "to hell with it!"

Or I was until I called my mother for support. Instead of getting support though, I got comments like "It is too hard and too restrictive." and "I don't think you can do it for 30 day. You should stop now and just try my diet." What?!?!?! My mom has been "dieting" for years and hasn't lost any weight. She eats to few calories and doesn't eat a balance between protein, fat, and good carbs. Newsflash mom...there is a reason you aren't losing weight. Stop subscribing to the archaic idea that you can lose weight alone by just cutting calories!

I am no longer sad. I'm angry and I am going to stick with this and add 3 days on to the end of the 30 to make up for the first 3 I messed up on.

Here is my day 5 recap:

Breakfast:
3 deviled eggs (6 halves)
apple
chai green tea with coconut milk

Lunch:
sweet potato hash (sans bad bacon)
leftover asian beef lettuce wraps

Dinner:
Chicken salad (chicken, olive oil mayo, apples, celery, chives, raisins, chopped pecans, and a touch of vinegar)
fresh spinach leaves

Happy Whole30 Day 5!!!

As you can tell by the title of this post, I am in a good mood this morning. I slept great last night and this morning the sun seems a little brighter and the birds chirping a little less annoying! I'm guessing that means I am officially out of the detoxing slump that everyone goes through during their first few days on the Whole30 program. I struggled last night when I was watching my favorite TV show without my usual bowl of popcorn. I thought about eating an apple or having some nuts but

I used a modified version of the recipe from Nomnompaleo.

ultimately came to the conclusion that I wasn't hungry, just used to the mindless eating! I am so happy I had that realization. Regardless of how much weight I lose, that realization has helped make this process worth it!
I feel like I have a ton of support and resources to make this life change, which makes it all easier. There are a large group of us that all started around the same day that have a running support group going on the Whole30 forum. My 12 year old son is also a very good sport and has actually been enjoying his new breakfast and dinner options. We have also started eating dinner at the table instead of in front of the TV like we normally do on nights we don't eat with his grandparents.

Here is my day 4 recap:

Breakfast:
Sweet potato hash
2 eggs scrambled in coconut oil

Lunch:
Leftover speghetti sauce and zoodles with leftover meatloaf cumbled in.

Dinner:
Asian beef lettuce cups with broccoli slaw

Whole30 Day 3 Recap...bring on the new day!

Good Morning! I am on the morning of Day 4 of my first Whole30 and I have to say that while I was still sluggish this morning waking up, once I started moving I started feeling a lot better. I feel like I am over the fatigue mountain and on my way down. Hopefully by Saturday I will be fully energized! I am really struggling right now with the temptation to step on the scale. For the last two years I have been counting my calories and weighing daily and it helped me lose 40 lbs. It is so hard to break that habit. I hid the tiles on my fitbit that allow me to count calories and talk about the calories I burn, so I guess that is a start!

Best thing I have learned yet is to not fear coconut milk! It goes a long way to cutting the bitterness of coffee or tea without making it sweet.

My 12 year old son loved the zoodles!!

Here is what I ate on day 3:

Breakfast:
Sweet potato hash
2 eggs scrambled
Fresh blueberries

Lunch:
Taco salad (lettuce, roasted corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, avocado, salsa, ground turkey season like taco meat)

Dinner:
Paleo meatballs, spaghetti sauce and zoodles (julianed zucchini noodles)

Whole30 Day 2 recap and on with Day 3!

Okay...before I get in to how I feel today, let me recap my Whole30 day 2:

Breakfast:
Sweet potato hash
2 Eggs scrambled
fresh blueberries

Lunch:
Meatloaf (left over from dinner Sunday night)
Roasted Cauliflower (also a leftover)
1/2 of a Baked Sweet potato (sprinkled with cinnamon)

Snack: roasted cashews

Dinner:
Taco Salad (lettuce, roasted corn, bell pepper, tomatoes, avocado (coated in lime juice), salsa, ground
turkey seasoned with chili powder, cayenne pepper, onion, garlic powder)

I normally walk about 5 miles a day but I started feeling really tired yesterday afternoon so I only got in 3 miles yesterday. That tired feeling carried over until this morning. I feel really sluggish and I know it is because my body is detoxing. I am finding strength this week by reading posts on the forum for Whole30. A couple things that I am struggling with are not counting calories and not stepping on the scale. I have been doing both daily for the last two years, but I know it is time to break the habit.

That is all for now.
Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Whole30 Day 1 recap

So here is a recap of my first day on Whole30 (5/4).

Breakfast:
Sweet potato hash (shredded sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, whole30 approved bacon all cooked in EVO)
2 whole scrambled eggs (cooked in bacon grease)
1/2 cup blueberries

Lunch:
Tuna salad on a bed of fresh spinach (tuna, home made olive oil mayo, pickle relish, and hard boiled eggs) ***my 12 year old son asked for seconds he enjoyed it so much!!!

Snack while kayaking:
a handful of roasted almonds
small apple

Dinner:
Meatloaf (ground beef, almond flower, egg, grated zucchini and carrots, garlic and Italian seasoning)
Roasted cauliflower (cauliflower, garlic, olive oil)

All of the recipes are posted on my pinterest board!!!

The start of the first 30 days to the rest of my life

As promised, I officially my first bout with the Whole30 program on Sunday. Saturday involved grocery shopping with a lot of label reading and an hour of prep work. I am a busy single mom so I knew the best way for me to start the program and stick with it is to prep as much as I could in advance so I would have already cooked ingredients in the fridge ready to be turned in to a meal at a moments notice. I got the idea from The Clothes Make The Girl blog and while I didn't do exactly what they did, it gave me some great ideas on how to prep. There are a wealth of other blogs that provide yummy Whole30 approved and Paleo recipes.

Sweet potato hash, two whole scrambled eggs and blueberries.

Home made olive oil mayo

I will admit I did go on a small binge of bad stuff prior to starting....a few glasses of wine and a brownie on Friday night, a bagel and Starbucks on Saturday morning. It was funny though, after eating the bagel on Saturday, I realized I haven't missed eating bagels...must have been almost 2 years since I last had a bagel. I have a feeling when I am done with this 30 day program, there are going to be a lot of foods that fall under that "I really don't miss it" category.

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Gulp...here are my pre-Whole30 measurements:
Start weight: 270
Waist: 46 inches
Hips: 51 inches
Thighs: 29 inches
Bicep: 17 inches
Chest: 45 inches

Why I am doing the Whole30

Yesterday I posted that I will be starting the Whole30 program for the first time. As I finished reading the book, It Starts With Food, I began to think about the possibilities presented by the program and why I am ready to embark on what others may view as a radical lifestyle change. About 9 years ago I wasn't feeling right and I didn't know why. I searched to find the reason for my depression, exhaustion, moodiness, and sometimes off the wall behavior. I just didn't feel like myself. I ended up being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and all the diagnosis didn't quite fit I allowed the doctors to put me on all kinds of medications. Finally two years ago, I got a dog who I credit with saving my life. I was allergic to my fantastic puppy and went to a specialist for allergy testing. Along with the dog allergy and several other environmental allergies, we discovered I had a severe allergy to yeast. My allergist suggested cutting it out of my diet. I immediately went home and googled yeast allergy and candida free diets and in my reading I noticed a list of physical and psychological effects of anaphylaxis. I started to wonder if maybe the reason all of those psych drugs weren't working was really because I wasn't crazy, but was eating the wrong things. I cleaned up my diet and started talking to my psychiatrist. He slowly started reducing the levels of the medication I was taking and I strived to eliminate as much yeast, which also means processed foods and sugars, from my diet as possible. In March of this year I was officially released as a patient from the psychiatric clinic after being medication free for 18 months.

My eating habits are far from perfect though and I am still struggling to lost the 70lbs that I gained from the psychiatric medications they tried. I exercise daily but struggle with aches and pains of arthritis in my joints from my younger athletic days that resulted in 9 knee surgeries and two shoulder surgeries.

So why the Whole30?

It may not help me lose weight, but it is possible it will.

It may not help my inflamed joints, but it is possible it will.
It may not help me sleep better, but it is possible it will.
It may not help me make better choices and eliminate what I'm allergic too, but it is possible it will.
It may not help my body fight my environmental allergies, but it is possible it will.

There are too many possibilities that it may help, for me to ignore!!

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah

Blogging with purpose

I am back to blogging again but this time with purpose. Sunday I will embark on my first adventure with the Whole30 program. As of right now, I am so psyched! For the last week I have been reading (and re-reading) the program on the website, reading the book, researching recipes and making up my shopping list.

I couldn't be starting the program at a better time. Being a single mom I often rely on my parents for help. My dad picks up my son after school most days and assists with homework. I go to their house after work to pick him up where we often have dinner with them. I treasure this for many reasons. My parents are wonderful people and my dad is such a positive male role model for my son. Also, eating with them saves me time and money. Alas, all good things must come to an end. My mom is retiring and my parents will be making a much deserved move to a farm our family owns in Illinois. My dad will be gone for a few weeks as they are making preparations at the farm for the move. Are you starting to see why this is the perfect time to do the program? I will be shopping and cooking for my son and myself. This will be the perfect time to try new recipes and start the process of changing our meal time habits.

I am ready to start this new journey and will be blogging about it every step of the way. Since as part of the program I cannot step on the scale for 30 days, I will share my start weight and measurements and will be taking pictures along the way as evidence of my progress. I will also be sharing recipes I love and how I feel throughout the journey. Stay tuned, Sunday will be day 1 and the start of something wonderful!!

Wishing you love and sunshine,
Sarah