Yes! I Did It and I'm So Proud!

Hey Yall, I did it!  I finished The Whole 30©!  When I started this journey I had my doubts that I could stay the course.  I was full of fear as I anticipated giving up my favorite foods, showing restraint (what's that?!) and not giving in to cravings for an entire month.  Now that I am finished, I realized that I was more afraid of failing to love myself enough to take care of my mind and body. 
Now that I am done, I can honestly say that I see food differently than I did before.  I've come to understand what my body requires for fuel.  I don't feel obsessed about food, what I want to eat, when I get to eat it or will it satisfy and calm whatever emotion I am feeling in the moment.  I've learned to plan ahead and eat what I've planned regardless if I want it or not.  Nine times out of ten, I was satisfied because there was no emotion attached to the meal.

I am proud because I started and finished without cheating or having an emotional breakdown.  I was very lucky to have not experienced withdraw symptoms and uncontrollable cravings.  Yes, I know I previous wrote about wanting sushi and donuts, but really in the whole 30 days, I only had about 4 days of these cravings.  Now that I am done, I'm not giving into these delights right away.  I still have a week of re-introduction, one food group at at time to see how it affects my body. 

Now, to toot my own horn!  In 30 days, I only repeated 3 meals.  Every night was a new recipe and my family loved most of them!  This is one of the reasons I was successful.  I love food and it has to taste good or I am bummed.  I wasn't bummed!  All the food was delicious.  I think there were only a couple of recipes that I wouldn't make again.  It was a lot of work, but so satisfying to know that I was making a meal of healthy clean foods for myself and my family.  Before Whole 30, I hated leftovers and lunch usually consisted of a drive thru $1 taco or burger.  Now, I just eat what's left over from the night before because I don't have to think about it and it tastes good. 

Non Scale Victories over the last month:   I am sleeping through the night, my inflammation and pain has decreased, I have been more focused and productive at work and my self confidence is better than it's been in quite some time. My close fit better and one of my extra chins has disappeared!   I'm still dealing with grief from losing Baby Dog, but I'm not eating my feelings like I was before. 

Now to the physical changes!  Of course I'm going to tell you how much weight and how many inches I lost!  I lost 12 lbs and 18 inches overall, specifically 4 inches in my waist, 5.5 inches in my hips and 2 inches in my bust.  So yes I am still shaped like an upside down triangle, but hey, that's not going to change!  Do I wish I had lost all my inches in my waist, YES, but I'm not that picky and I'm celebrating regardless!

I'm going to keep on going with eating clean, not giving away my power to my emotions by eating without intent.  I will continue to work on loving myself  by knowing I am worth the time and effort it takes to live a healthy lifestyle.  I am sure I will  fall into old patterns and need constant self reminders, but when I do, I'll jump on The Whole 30© and do another round.  It's nice to find a program that works after a lifetime of yo-yo dieting!

Thanks for hanging with me this last month.  I hope you are inspired to love yourself and take the steps you need to become a better you! 

Until next time, check out this week's recipes.  We especially liked the Tuna Zoodle Casserole!

I Survived and Thrived Week One!

You guys, I did it!  I made it through the first week of The Whole30©!  To tell you the truth, it was easy and quite enjoyable!  Another truth...I feel fantastic and proud!

Don't get me wrong, it was more work than going through a drive thru, ordering takeout  or eating prepared foods from Trader Joe's, but the extra prep work over the weekend and  the 30-45 minutes I spent fixing dinner every night was totally worth it.  I'm feeling great mentally and physically!

Here is the Pinterest link to the recipes I made this past week:

Week One

Feel free to browse my Whole 30 board for more recipes.  If you decide to complete a Whole 30 round, the work will be done for you.  I've already created Week 2 and am working on Week 3 and 4. 

All the recipes were good, but some stood out as repeatable!  First off, Chia Pudding.  YUM!  Now, I know, there is a big controversy about Chia Pudding being compliant as it is considered a SWYPO (sex with your pants on).  I'm not a big fan of this phrase, but OK, whatever.  Here's the deal, the rules state that you can not use compliant ingredients to make foods that might substitute for food items that shouldn't be eaten, such as cupcakes, pancakes and ice cream.  Sure, I get it, but just because pudding is in the name, I'm not going to fret over eating it.  There's no sugar and I certainly don't have an obsession with pudding to the point it would trigger an unhealthy relationship with food.  If you are a Whole 30 enthusiast, as I have encountered on Facebook, save your comments, because you will not change my mind.  I know my triggers and pudding doesn't fit the bill.  If it is a trigger for you, please feel free to not eat it.  For me, this is a great go too lunch combined with fruit, veggies and protein, to keep me full  until dinner. 

I made the Sweet Potato and Bacon Quiche the day before I started to have a quick breakfast ready for a few days.  It was really delicious and my family really liked it too.  The breakfast sausage was very good and easy.  I'm making it again next week.  I also steamed a few sweet potatoes for the Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl recipe.  Y'all, it was so good!  I topped it with cherries, coconut butter, and toasted pecans. 

The other stand outs of the week were  the Burger in a Bowl, Spaghetti Squash with Beef Ragu  and the Buffalo Wings recipe.  Easy, tasty and very good for left over lunches. 

Impressions so far?  The food tastes good and I don't feel deprived.  I also don't feel hungry because I am eating plenty of fat with each meal.  I'm still having a snack before bed, but I'm usually able to wait 4-5 hours between each meal, feeling satisfied with no cravings.  I also didn't feel the need to take a nap after lunch, as I usually do.  I had plenty of energy and focus.  I was more productive at work than I've been in months!  My sleep quality has been better, but I had a few nightmares where I am accidentally eating non-compliant foods and spitting them out!

The book stated that I should be feeling hung over with a head ache, exhausted, grumpy, emotional and at times angry.  I felt none of these feelings.  Maybe I will next week, but I hope not!  I was happy with my meals and was even able to eat out twice this week.  I'm very thankful that Zoe's Kitchen has a Whole 30 menu and I can always hit up a steak house to get a compliant meal.

As I start Week 2, I feel confident that I will be successful.  Thanks to those of you who have reached out to me with your support and encouragement.  It makes a big difference in my mental strength to feel supported through this journey!  Until next week...

The Whole 30...Ready or Not, Here I Come! (Ready Preferably!)

Since my sweet Baby Dog Trace died in October, I have been eating anything and everything I want.  I've had no control and honestly haven't cared about what I put in my body.  Grief is a strange beast.  Feeling empty and trying to fill the hollowness that is my heart, isn't relieved by filling my tummy, yet I keep trying, knowing it's not going to work.  I've tried to find the motivation to get back on track and take care of myself, but unfortunately, motivation has not showed up to the party.  The only thing that has showed up is 8 unwanted pounds and a whole lot of pain and shame.

I've decided to do my best in my attempts to change the bad habits that have evolved over the course of my life, specifically since October.  On May 13th, I am going to start The Whole 30©.  Understanding my destructive patterns revolving around food and the need to discover the source of inflammation causing pain in my body led me to choose this program.  The Whole 30© removes sugar, dairy, gluten, sweeteners, alcohol, grains, legumes and all processed food from one's diet.  Basically everything yummy. Poof. Gone!

I started preparing a month ago, ordered the book and the companion guide and began to research and mentally psych myself up for this transformation of eliminating all that is yummy, yet not satisfying to my grieving brain and my aching body.  Honestly, I am scared to death.   I am depending on my therapist to guide me through this journey because I know negative self talk will come into play.  Boy, does she and I have some work ahead of us!  I appreciate any encouragement you can throw my way!  I welcome feedback from anyone who has attempted this journey.  Of course, if anyone wants to join me on this adventure, please do so!  We'll hash through it together!

For the most part, I embrace my curves.   I mean, I have had them since 4th grade!  Unfortunately, as I age, my weight contributes to health issues.  I have type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension.  I'd say it's about time for me to take control of these issues and focus on my desire to be a better version of myself.  Actually, the time has come and gone more times than I can count, so in what is left of my 45th year, I'm jumping in, no looking back!

So here's to a healthier future.  I'll keep you posted along the way.  The good, bad and ugly, you're probably going to get a variety because I'm not going to hold back!