That's right. If you have seen my previous posts that involve sweets on sweets then you probably knew this was coming, too. After a 2 week vacation to the lower 48 where we ate all of our favorite foods, Valentine's day, and all the delicious, horrible-for-you things in between, I decided it was time to hit the reset button.
If you have never heard of whole30, it's a basically a 30 day challenge in which you entirely eliminate all grains, added sugars (including honey and artificial sweeteners), alcohol, legumes (including soy products), and dairy. That pretty much leaves you with meat, eggs, seafood, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. The idea is to eliminate the foods that are known to cause inflammatory reactions in many people and then to gradually add them back into your diet after 30 days to see what your triggers are.
There are many claims that this has helped people to not only lose weight (which the author's are clear, this is NOT a weight loss regimen, however it's inevitable considering all that your cutting out), this diet is supposed to help clear up allergies, joint pain, asthma, etc. If you visit the Whole30 website, the list is endless. I have a good friend whose asthma was completely cleared up after doing this diet, and it recently started to return as her eating habits began to slip. I personally do not struggle with these issues, however I knew I needed something that was extreme enough to put me back on the right track as this is also supposed to help you with your relationship with food and appreciating natural, whole ingredients.
I'm officially 10 days in and I have to say, I feel great! The first 2-3 days were the hardest because I had extreme sugar cravings and really bad headaches, but honestly I'm not even halfway, and I feel like a totally different person. I have lots of energy, my clothes are fitting better, and my cravings have turned from sugary sweets to whole, nutritious foods. This is not to say that I don't plan on continuing to bake when I'm done, but I plan on eating smarter and watching portions more!
If you're thinking of starting Whole30 I have a few tips:
1) Do your research! It's easy to feel overwhelmed at first, but the internet and the Whole30 site is full of all the info you need to feel prepared and ready to take on the challenge.
2) Don't do this alone! I have recruited 2 friends from work to do this with me, and it has been so nice to be able to text them when I'm feeling weak or to share a recipe with! We keep each other motivated and encouraged, and I think this process would be much harder without them.
3) Meal plan! This is crucial. This diet is nearly impossible to do without a plan. You HAVE to stay focused, and have fresh, nutritious foods on hand or else my husband's Frosted Mini Wheats in the pantry would be a distant memory by now. Find recipes you like and stock up on ingredients. Make enough food to last a few meals so that you're not getting burnt out cooking every meal. Have fresh fruit on hand and different kinds of nuts for snacks.
4) Read your labels! It is shocking how many things have added sugar in it. I almost screwed it up the very first day by having almond butter with sugar as the 2nd ingredient!! Things you would think are harmless and "healthy" may have something sneaky in it. Here is a list of different names added sugars may go by whole30.com/downloads/whole30-sugar.pdf
5) Get creative! I've had a lot of fun making some of these recipes my own. Healthy can also be delicious. Seasonings, herbs, and oils can make one dish completely different from another. Be bold and try something new!
6) Take before pics! This was the very not-fun part, but I think after 30 days I'm going to be happy I did! I also weighed and measured, and I am excited to see what my results are at the end!
7) Have a food diary! I am using the app YouFood where I literally take a picture of everything I eat. At the end of the day I write how I think the day went and what I want to do differently next time. I love being able to see my whole day all layed out and all the beautiful colors of the fruits and veggies in my meals. It's keeping me encouraged to keep making healthy choices! If you'd like to get the app you can follow me at jessdilee.
I wanted to share one of my favorite breakfasts I've been making that is so delicious, quick, easy, and very filling! I love cereal. Like I could have cereal for breakfast, lunch, dinner. Since cereal is obviously "non-compliant," I've been making my own version, and it can easily be adjusted to anyone's preference!
Basically it's a handful of sliced almonds, chopped walnuts, coconut flakes, chia seeds, sliced banana, blueberries, dash of cinnamon, and unsweetened almond milk. Throw it all in a bowl and eat your new, delicious, healthy cereal to your heart's content. It has the perfect crunch and just the right amount of sweetness. Add a hard boiled egg on the side and you're golden! Change up the nuts, the fruits, use coconut milk, and you have a totally different breakfast.
I hope this post has been helpful! Stay tuned for more Whole30, delicious, healthy recipes!!
xo Jessica
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