Friday, March 30, 2018

It's Finally Here....Whole30 Day 30!


Well the big day has arrived day 30 of my Whole30 journey and it's been amazing.  I woke up feeling good and excited for the day, I didn't get the best night sleep but again that's okay and I didn't want it to effect my overall day.  After dropping the girls off at school the weather was rather weird as it was very foggy out, I wasn't sure if I wanted to go and run today as I haven't worked out in the last two day's due to all the rain we received and it made me rather lazy.  I decided to have my breakfast and coffee this morning and then got busy doing stuff around the house that I needed to get done by around 10am the fog finally lifted and the sun was shinning, what a perfect morning it ended up being so I decided to get my running gear on and lace up my running shoes, then I was out the door.  I told my self to just go and run today don't worry too much about the time or distance even though I took the same route I always do and know approximately how far I'm running but that's besides the point.  I felt really good starting out and got into a nice groove but I was a little worried I would go out too fast and than it would hurt me later but again I didn't want to over analyze so I just kept running, at one point I looked down at my watch and saw 11:10 as my pace I have not ran that fast in a long time I mean like months.  I was so excited to see that number, I ran through the hills and still felt great, I even ran by a gentlemen who was walking his dogs and he gave me nice shout out that boosted my confidence even more.  Once I came home the first thing I did was call my husband and I started to cry as I was so happy with my performance and it brought me back to my training day's.  It was the perfect moment on this last day of my whole30 journey, I could not have asked for better moment to prove to myself of how far I have come in just a month.

I killed it with my nutrition as well, I was so happy that this day finally arrived that there was no way I was going to throw it away on stupid food I couldn't have.  After coming back from such an amazing run and being an that high I knew the rest of my day would be awesome.  I did have a snack later in the afternoon as I was still hungry after lunch but I made sure I was in my guidelines and I have to say it was so yummy I had a banana sliced up with cashew butter and baked chicken.  I'm so excited to see how my final results turn out after I'm done.  Tomorrow I will be taking after pictures and then weighing my self on Saturday morning as my husband wants to be there with me to see my results of that.  So I will be have another final post on all my results and what I have taken away from this whole experience along with what my next steps are moving forward.

Non-Scale Victories
  1. Had the best run I have had in months, ran 3 miles in 36 mins I haven't done that is so long it's crazy, my average pace was 12:04 and at one point I looked down I was running at a 11:05 pace which is crazy in just a month.  
  2. Made sure to keep hydrated with my water.
  3. I finished my day off on a huge high with tons of energy especially after my run and nutrition today, I could not have asked for a better day to complete this journey!
WHOLE30 DAY 30 IS COMPLETE!!!




Thursday, March 29, 2018

Whole30 Day 29 Complete


Day 29...holy cow I'm in the final stretch of this journey, I can't believe I'm almost finished.  It's been a rather tough week trying to finish this up while my husband is out of town, this is the ultimate last test for me as it's always a long week when I'm solo and I tend to stress eat but I have been really good.  My issues have been lack of sleep which is another problem I have, I tend to not sleep well when he is away and I feel that wearing on my body as my energy levels have dropped compared to earlier this week.  I'm learning how important sleep really is for the body and what a difference it can make on your daily energy levels, even though it's been a month I'm always learning something new each day and this is a journey beyond 30 days.  

It was a busy day running errands and going to appointments.  I did surprise my girls for lunch at their school which was nice since I haven't had lunch with them in a few weeks.  I was very proud of my self for buying healthy snacks to bring along with me instead of junk or something that was not good for me.  Overall I had a great nutritional day and I stayed strong, even after my two cravings.  Lindsey came home and opened a bag of potato chips and I absolutely love chips any kind all the time so that was very hard for me but I didn't cave in.  Then for dessert my girls wanted sliced apples with Nutella drizzled on top with shredded coconut and chocolate chips, well my mouth was watering when I was working with the Nutella the smell of it was so delicious I could taste it.  I had it all over my fingers but not a lick...that is so not like me.  I usually lick my fingers and the spoon clean but I didn't want to throw away of what I have worked for so I washed my hands and the spoon and ate an orange instead.  Yes I still wanted something sweet but a natural sweet and it did the job, my cravings were done after that.  

No workout for me today as I just ran out of time after all my errands were done and seeing the girls by the time I got home and prepared dinner the girls were home.  Not working out is tough as it does give the little extra boost of energy so I will be happy when I can get some actual sleep so I can get back to working out on a regular bases and hopefully this rain will go away.  

Non-Scale Victories
  1. I did have cravings today but didn't give in, ended up having fruit to help with that.
  2. Met my girls for lunch and brought my own healthy snacks that were W30 compliant
  3. Dealing with stress is hard for me but not using food to comfort be is a big step.
WHOLE30 DAY 29 COMPLETE...
ONE MORE DAY!!!


Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Whole30 Day 28 Complete


What a lazy and unproductive day it was today, it ended up raining all day which is awesome and something I love but I ended up doing nothing today on one had it was awesome considering how busy I have been but on the other hand it made me so lazy that I didn't want to do anything.  I did catch up on my emails, booked several appointments for my dog and kids within the next few weeks.  I wanted to catch up on my paperwork but I lost track of time and then my kids were home from school which lead to homework, showers, dinner and bedtime.  

The best part of my day was catching up with my dad and talking about my Whole30 journey, I was so excited to share what this program has done for me both mentally and physically.  I had a true passion about the subject that I have not had in a while, it was such a great feeling to talk about my ups and downs and he noticed how much more energy I had just even through the phone and asked a lot of great questions.  I love talking to family and having such a great support system, I spoke with my mom and step-dad yesterday and they too asked how I was doing on the program and they both said they could hear how much more energy I had as well.  The more I talk about this journey the more I love what I have done.  I feel so grateful to be surrounded by some many people who love me that are near and dear to my heart. 

I'm in my final last two day's I can't believe it and I'm still sorting out what is next after this is all said and done, I'm actually very excited to see what's a head.  I have a few goals I have set for myself moving forward with my fitness and now that I have the tools with my nutrition I think I'm unstoppable at this point.  It's time to put what I have learned and apply it to the real world outside of the Whole30.  

Non-Scale Victories
  1. Lower energy today but that did not trigger me to over eat, in the past it would have as once I get bored or watch too much TV all I want to do is eat but not today.  That is a huge NSV for me.
  2. Tried a new recipe for dinner that didn't have sweet potatoes in it and it was pretty good.
  3. Got the share part of my journey with a family member yesterday and today and it felt so great to do that.  I have so much love and support and it's amazing!
WHOLE30 DAY 28 COMPLETE....
JUST MORE 2 DAYS TO GO!!!


Whole30 Day 27 Complete



I had another awesome night of sleep, I was pretty tired last night and passed out by 10:15pm as I wanted to make sure I got my 8 hours of sleep so I would be ready for the day.  I made it through weekend 4 on this journey, it's now coming to an end and I have to say I'm a little sad but excited at the same time.  I have learned so much and taken so much away from this process it's crazy, I will blog about all of these when I'm actually done and ready to move forward.  In the next few day's I'm trying to figure out how I want to move forward, if I want to stay with Paleo or trying to introduce foods back into my meal plans.  I'm so content and feeling so amazing right now that I really don't want to mess with anything, I'm afraid to bring my trigger goods back into my meal plans so reading Food Freedom Forever will hopefully provide some clarity for me and what's the next right step for me. I'm not too worried about it but as many of you who know me I like to have a plan and be organized that's who I am.
After waking up feeling well rested I decided not to waste my day away so after breakfast I went outside while it was still nice out and do some more yard work.  I pulled weeds, cut back some trees and bushes and did some more flower bed clean up, I ended up filling 2 more large black bags and one of our garbage bins..wow it was hot and humid out as I thought it started raining on me, nope it was just the sweat coming off my head into my eyes and onto my glasses.  1 1/2 hours later I decided okay that's enough now it's time to go for a run as I needed to get it done and I didn't want to take an extra day off since I didn't get any runs in this weekend.  I came inside drank a bunch of water and changed into my running gear and away I went for a 40 min run with over 3 miles done.  I was feeling pretty good for about the first 2 miles and then the heat set in and I started to drag but still pushed my self to finish.  I couldn't believe how I was feeling, more control with my breathing and running up hills which I have not been able to do when I started this journey.  Small baby steps and consistency is what's it about.  I keep reminding my self that I'm on a positive healthy journey and each milestone and baby step I take the more I'm on my way to reach my goals.  I know I won't be at my goal weight by the end of this but I have learned so much more about my self.

Non-Scale Victories
  1. Had such a great sleep that I woke up with lots of energy, decided to do 1 1/2 more hours of yard work.
  2. Then went for a run in this hot, humid and windy weather.  My husband called me a "Beast" today which is so true..hahaha.
  3. Drank lots more water today, making sure to keep my self hydrated but still flushing my body out with the bad toxins. 
WHOLE30 DAY 27 COMPLETE...3 MORE DAYS!!!



Monday, March 26, 2018

Whole30 Day 26 Complete


Slept like a baby last night, which felt nice when waking up I passed out even thought it wasn't a very busy day on Saturday but I think we are still playing catch up from last week.  Since my daughter woke up feeling better this morning we knew she would be playing in her soccer game that was scheduled this afternoon so I whipped up a nice yummy balanced breakfast and then we headed out the door by 11am.  We didn't get home until around 2:30pm, it was discussed on the way home that we might go out for lunch I wasn't planning on eating anything until I got home as I didn't want to mess with program, I only have 4 more day's to go and I'm not about to slip or mess that up.  It was decided that we would just go home and have leftovers for lunch which worked for me since I was already planning on doing that.  After lunch my husband and I did some more yard work, we were trying to finish cleaning up our leaves in our backyard, we ended up bagging up another 8 bags...I swear these leaves never end, every time I turn around more and more are blowing around but it's now all done and the yard to me looks so much better and cleaner.  After the clean up we sat in our chairs and just enjoyed the beautiful breeze and the overcast day, it really was perfect out and sometimes it's nice to sit and enjoy the small things in life like spending some quiet time with my husband and looking at our beautiful backyard.  Owning 1-acer is a lot of work but it's also rewarding when you see your kids and dog run around playing, we knew it would be a lot but we have taken the challenge as we are young and want to enjoy what we have.

I did not get run in again today but I'm okay with that as I got more yard work done and it was just one of those weekends that it just didn't get done.  Now normally I would have been really stressed out and said "screw it I haven't ran all weekend I guess my training is done" but I didn't feel like that this time, I was so much calmer and didn't put that extra pressure on my self...life happens, kids get sick, husband has bad allergies, running to soccer games, doing yard work, cooking, house work it can all get the in the way of workouts but it's all part of life and balancing the amount of time we have each day.  I will just make sure I get my run in tomorrow when everyone is back to school and work and I have sometime for my self.

Non-Scale Victories
  1. Another chunk of the yard work is done, the best part is that normally I'm trying to keep up with my husband but today he couldn't keep up with me.  He can't get over how much energy I have...hahaha it's actually pretty funny.
  2. Passed on going out for lunch as I wanted to make good choices and just eat at home.
  3. My stress level has gone way down, learning to control what I can and not let the little things in life get to me.  Not getting my run in this weekend sucked but it's not the end of the world.  
WHOLE30 DAY 26 COMPLETE!!!

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Whole30 Day 25 Complete


Today was a rather quiet day as my older daughter woke up with a fever and what we thought was a head cold so we had to change our plans for the whole day.  First we had to cancel to her soccer game and then cancel with one some friends as they were going to watch the girls for us so we could go to a party tonight.  So as you can imagine not too much got done around here today, we were all pretty lazy which was fine.  My husband also had really nasty allergies today, so that put him out most of the day too.

I did well with my food as I had a nice hearty breakfast, big chicken salad for lunch and then one of my favorite recipes Glazed chicken with roasted veggies for dinner.  I didn't drink as much water today as I wanted too and I didn't go for my run as it was way too hot out.  I would rather run when it's cloudy and overcast than in the hot and horrible sun, I'm hoping that get in tomorrow in between a soccer game and yard work.

Non-Scale Victories
  1.  Did some reading with Food Freedom Forever to help me once this is over.
  2. Stayed on track with my food and even had a compliant W30 snack as I was a little hungry this afternoon.
  3. Had enough energy to get some yard work done as the sun was going down, it was quite beautiful out. 
WHOLE30 DAY 25 COMPLETE 

Friday, March 23, 2018

Whole30 Week 4 Meal Plan

Week 3.21.18 to 3.29.18

Wednesday 3/21

Meal 1 - Rosemary Sausage and Sweet Potato Hash
Meal 2 -  Leftovers or Mixed Green Salad with Grilled Chicken and Veggies 
Meal 3 - Glazed Chicken Thighs with Roasted Green Beans 
Snacks - Easy Apple Cinnamon Paleo Hot Cereal or Fresh Guacamole with Carrots, Celery and Hard Boiled Eggs 


Thursday 3/22
Meal 1 - Rosemary Sausage and Sweet Potato Hash
Meal 2 - Glazed Chicken Thighs with Roasted Green Beans
Meal 3 - Slow Cooker Chicken Curry - Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook 
Snacks - Easy Apple Cinnamon Paleo Hot Cereal or Fresh Guacamole with Carrots, Celery and Hard Boiled Eggs
 

Friday 3/23
Meal 1 - Rosemary Sausage and Sweet Potato Hash
Meal 2 - Leftover Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
Meal 3 - Butternut Squash & Apple Hash with Sausage 
Snacks - Easy Apple Cinnamon Paleo Hot Cereal or Fresh Guacamole with Carrots, Celery and Hard Boiled Eggs 


Saturday 3/24
Meal 1 - Rosemary Sausage and Sweet Potato Hash 
Meal 2 - Butternut Squash & Apple Hash with Sausage 
Meal 3 - Going out for dinner (Either bring something or eat before hand) 
Snacks - Easy Apple Cinnamon Paleo Hot Cereal or Fresh Guacamole with Carrots, Celery and Hard Boiled Eggs 



Sunday 3/25
Meal 1 - Breakfast Pumpkin Custard  
Meal 2 - Leftovers or Mixed Green Salad with Grilled Chicken and Veggies 
Meal 3 - Sheet Pan Chili Lime Salmon with Roasted Veggies and 1/2 Avocado 
Snacks - Easy Apple Cinnamon Paleo Hot Cereal or Fresh Guacamole with Carrots, Celery and Hard Boiled Eggs 


Monday 3/26
Meal 1 - Breakfast Pumpkin Custard  
Meal 2 - Leftovers or Mixed Green Salad with Grilled Chicken and Veggies 
Meal 3 - Creamy Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole 
Snacks - Easy Apple Cinnamon Paleo Hot Cereal or Fresh Guacamole with Carrots, Celery and Hard Boiled Eggs 

Tuesday 3/27
Meal 1 - Breakfast Pumpkin Custard  
Meal 2 -  Leftover Creamy Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole 
Meal 3 - Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken and Veggies 
Snacks - Easy Apple Cinnamon Paleo Hot Cereal or Fresh Guacamole with Carrots, Celery and Hard Boiled Eggs 


Wednesday 3/28

Meal 1 -  Breakfast Pumpkin Custard  

Meal 2 -  Leftover Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken and Veggies 
Meal 3 - Leftovers or Bento Boxes (Hard Boiled Eggs, apple slices, grapes and raw almonds) 
Snacks - Easy Apple Cinnamon Paleo Hot Cereal or Fresh Guacamole with Carrots, Celery and Hard Boiled Eggs 

Thursday 3/29

Meal 1 - Breakfast Pumpkin Custard  

Meal 2 - Leftovers or Mixed Green Salad with Grilled Chicken and Veggies 
Meal 3 - Crispy Chicken Things in Slow Cooker with side salad or roasted veggies 
Snacks - Easy Apple Cinnamon Paleo Hot Cereal or Fresh Guacamole with Carrots, Celery and Hard Boiled Eggs



Whole30 Day 24 Complete


First of all thank goodness it's Friday!  I'm heading into my fourth and final weekend on this journey, I can't believe it..the last few day's seem to be flying by for sure.  I have my menu planned right through to next Thursday which is my final day so I should be good.  The only thing I'm a little nervous about is the party we are attending tomorrow now.  I know I had another social gathering last weekend with friends but they were kind enough to ask me what I could eat tomorrow not so much I will be completely on my own, which means I have two choices.  First is I eat before the party that way I'm not hungry or two I hope they have food that I can eat and I will be okay.  I think option one is the best choice, I would rather eat before I go and then if I do find stuff at the party I can just snack at that point and not be worried or starving which will cause me to make poor choices and of course I will bring extra snacks in case as I always like to have my "emergency" food with me at all times, which has saved me more than once. 

I got a lot done today, cut the grass in backyard on the riding lawn mower, cleaned the pool, went and ran some errands and then came home and went for my make up run that I was suppose to do yesterday. It was rather warm and very windy which really sucked, I hate running in the wind especially going up hill my legs were burning but I know it just means it will make you stronger as my husband always tells me.  I can't wait "what does he know" cause he loves training in all that crazy weird weather and he's right it does make us stronger.  It's been a very long week for us as we had a lot of after school stuff going on with our girls, they are both in bed and it's only 8pm which means more quiet and relax time for my husband and I.  Overall it was a great day, my energy was good a little lower than yesterday but I know not everyday is going to be the same.  

Non-Scale Victories
  1. Ate last nights dinners as leftovers for breakfast and lunch today...hahaha didn't have any other food cooked up.
  2. Already thinking about what happens after this journey is done and how I want to move forward into my next journey.
  3. Went for my run even with the weather being crazy but it was a good challenge for me. 

WHOLE30 DAY 24 COMPLETE!


Whole30 Day 23 Complete


Day 23 is complete and I'm in my final count down...also know as the home stretch.  I can't believe how fast this last week is going, staying busy and using my tiger blood is really helping.  Last night I passed out as I was so exhausted from all the yard work I did and being outside for so long, all that fresh air made my pooped.  Woke up this morning feeling tired and my body a little sore but not as bad as I thought it would be.  I had another busy day ahead of me, but I was ready for the day.  I had a quick breakfast and then I was off to get my appointment done and run some errands.  I ended up bring some snacks to hold me over in case I got hungry.  I ended up bring a banana and Cashew Cookie bar which was perfect, I did end up eating both of them as I was rather hungry.  I ended up meeting my husband for lunch today since I was up in his neck of the woods, I was a little nervous to go out since I haven't really been out since starting this journey.  My husband the great man that he is and so supportive suggested a really good salad place, he told me it was super healthy and a place that I could eat at.  I was so thankful and excited, so we went there and it was basically build your own salad which is perfect that way I could pick and choose what I want on my salad.  I felt very confident and proud with my choices, I ended up getting mixed greens with spinach, tons of W30 approved veggies, grilled chicken (cooked with salt, pepper and olive oil), avocado and olive oil and balsamic vinegar as my dressing.  No croutons, cheese, nuts (as it looked like they were coated with sugar or something), no bread or creamy dressings.  The salad was delicious, I was worried I would walk out feeling bloated and uncomfortable as that is usually how I feel after going out to eat but this time I didn't.  I felt satisfied and was so proud of my self, it's little moments like these that I like to give my self a pat on the back for making the right choices and staying with my program.  I'm learning each day how mentally strong I'm getting and it's such a great feeling, knowing that I'm not letting food, hunger or old trigger foods control my choices instead I'm making healthy and rewarding choices for me and my body.  

Lunch date with my handsome hubby!
I did not get my run in today as I just had too much going on and timing did not work for me.  But I'm okay with that as I will just make today as my rest day and move my workout to tomorrow.  I will be heading to bed early tonight as I need another good sleep!

Non-Scale Victories
  1. My body seems to be recovering much faster than it use too, which is a great thing.
  2. Went out for lunch for the first time in 23 days and make awesome W30 approved choices for my lunch.  I'm so proud of my self.
  3. I wore my size 16 jeans and they were loose on me, it was such a great feeling!

WHOLE30 DAY 23 COMPLETE!




Weekly Food Menu - 1.15.24 to 1.21.24 (Clean Eating)

Healthy Eating Weekly Food Menu Monday: 1/15/24 Meal 1: Chocolate Chip Banana Baked Oatmeal Recipe Link:  https://cleanfoodcrush.com/chocola...