An Exciting Whole30 Follow Up!

My goodness, there are so many things I have to update you guys and post about.  Our wedding anniversary was yesterday and Dave and I really celebrated in style.  I also owe you the next installment of our honeymoon recap (a whole year later... I know, I know)!  And my ode to Puddin' is in the works too.  But in the mean time, I have a special update for you guys!

Remember Leah?

I began to notice that my clothes were fitting better, but more than that, my energy level sky rocketed.  I honestly never thought I would feel this good without coffee and energy drinks.  As I said before, my energy levels were always so low, all I wanted to do was sit on the couch and sleep.  Not anymore.  I get up early, sometimes without the need for an alarm clock, and fall asleep at a decent time.  I am no longer sluggish during the day.  I also noticed that I had ZERO stomach issues.  ZERO!!

I was so happy for her when she got rid of her chronic fatigue, dealt with her stomach issues, and managed her hypothyroid symptoms with the Whole30!  And now I'm happy to share another update from her...

As I had mentioned earlier, my husband and I have been trying to conceive (TTC), but not really trying.  Well that was not the whole truth. After a year of marriage, we decided that it was time to start our family.  At the time, our living situation was NOT ideal, but we were both ready, so we began the process.  I have to say, this is for sure the super fun part!  Until it was a year later and we still were not pregnant.  I know that I was under a lot of stress living in a house with 7 other adults who had their own idea of how to run a household.  It was too much for me to handle, and as they say, being stressed and TTC do NOT mix. When we finally moved out of that house and into our own, I felt the stress lift and knew that part of our lives was over.  We were serious about trying and after a few months of nothing, I was becoming increasingly frustrated and upset.

Voicing my concerns with Amber, she introduced me to this fabulous book called Taking Charge of Your Fertility.  Now, when I say this book was a life-changer, I am not kidding.  The book is such an easy read, totally relatable, with amazing information about the female reproductive system and much more.  As I read, all I kept thinking was, "Why has no one taught me this before!! When we were getting the birds and the bees talk, I would have much rather learned about THIS than the standard, this is a penis, this is a vagina..." The book teaches you everything you need to know about your cycle, how to chart, and basically how to become in-tune to your own body (whether you're trying to conceive or trying to prevent pregnancy).

I began to take my temp every morning before getting out of bed and charting the other fertility signs (that I will leave that up to you, dear reader, to investigate) and I suddenly became aware of how long my cycles are, when I ovulate (believe it or not ladies, not everyone ovulates 14 days after their cycle) and many other things.  Weird things, like my sense of smell became more sensitive around my ovulation times...

Anyway, after a few months of getting to know myself, I began the Whole30.  I just felt like my body needed a reset.  And with that said...

A HUGE congratulations to Leah and her husband Pete!  I knew I had read online that the Whole30 has helped couples conceive, but I never would've guessed that it would be the final piece of the puzzle for my dear friends.  I am so happy for them!

And tomorrow is Leah's birthday, Happy Birthday Leah <3 

Guest Post: Stephanie's Whole30 Results

I am so happy to share another Whole30 success story with you guys!  And I'm hoping there will be even more in the near future. Stephanie did her first round with me back in July and I was so happy when she decided to join me again in January.  She really embraces the program for everything that it is. Great job Steph, you rock!!!!

I got one less pound without ya!

My second (more successful) #Whole30 journey

After Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and a wedding weekend/mini road trip with my boyfriend’s family, it was time to re-evaluate my lifestyle. I ate (and drank) without a lot of regard to what I was putting in my body and rarely exercising. I’d justify my actions thinking “I don’t eat this too often so it’s ok” or “it’s only once a year” or “I’m in a rush and need to eat now or I won’t eat for hours.” I was going to Dunkin Donuts regularly, and not just for coffee- hurting not only my body but my wallet. In a pinch I’d grab a McWrap and I didn’t think twice about frozen pizza out of it’s sheer convenience. And worst of all I drank too much.

In December I purchased a new gym membership with the hopes I would lose some weight before the January 3rd wedding. I went a few times and it felt good, but not enough to make the impact I wanted and I was just uncomfortable enough in my dress to trigger my motivation to make a change. To make matters worse, nearly every member of my bf’s family is a (marathon) runner and in amazing shape.

Enter the Whole30.

In the back of my mind I thought about doing this again in January or at least make an effort to practice a more paleo lifestyle. Amber (thankfully) read my mind and gave me that last push I needed to get back on track, and as a result I am down 5 lbs., lost an inch in my chest, and about a quarter inch everywhere else. Best of all- I feel great! My clothes fit better, I have more energy, and my cravings for junk food, alcohol, sugar, and grains are practically gone.

Things that contributed to my success

• Time: My job has a condition where I am required to go on unpaid leave for one month every year. It just so happened that I took January as my furlough month. This was a blessing in disguise because it allowed me the time to plan meals, shop, cook, and take advantage of my gym membership. I rediscovered my love for cooking and retaught myself how to shop. Before the Whole30, I grocery shopped maybe once every other week. Shopping was neither habitual nor pleasing.
• Tools: I LOVE kitchen gadgets- always have, and I can thank my dad for that because he was always in the kitchen cooking up something delicious. There are certain tools though that make paleo cooking that much easier and I never ever want to live without them:
• Citrus juicer: I go through lemons and limes more than I ever have in my entire life when I eat paleo. Hand squeezing the juice out only goes so far and when I’m spending more money at the grocery store, I want to make sure it goes as far as it can.
• Garlic press: There’s nothing like fresh garlic! I keep a jar of minced garlic in the fridge but if I’m spending this much time in the kitchen already I’m going to go with the fresh stuff and this is my favorite way to prepare garlic.
• Mini-chop and food processor: I’ve happily used my mini-chop for a few years now, but now that I’m cooking with fresh produce on a daily basis the time-saving benefits are really coming to light. And then I discovered that a mini-chop is NOT the same as a food processor, an amazing gadget that luckily for me, my roommate owns.
• Immersion blender: Purchased during my last Whole 30 to make smoothies, it still makes awesome drinks when I’m just not in the mood to cook. As a treat I learned to use half coconut milk and half coconut yogurt with frozen fruit to make a thick and tasty sorbet-like dessert-yum!
• Hand-held mandolin slicer: If you don’t have one- buy one. $14.99 at Wegman’s but I’m sure you can get it anywhere. It paid for itself in the first use making plantain chips. I’m a sucker for salty crunchy snacks, and this gadget is necessary to get those consistently thin slices of your favorite fruit or veggie to make chips or slightly thicker slices for roasting.

• Support: This was my leading cause for success in this program. Between the Facebook group, my family, and my friends I had nearly 360° support. I originally discussed my plans to do the Whole30 with my boyfriend while we were away at his cousin’s wedding. He wasn’t terribly interested in doing the program but out of support he agreed that while we were together he’d eat and drink compliantly, which was a good enough deal for me. About mid-way though the program he started getting the hang of it and admitted to feeling better when he shared meals with me. My mother was also a great help. She went grocery shopping with me 3 out of the 4 weeks of the program and helped me price shop and buy some bulk items with her Costco membership. Her and my step-father welcomed my cooking and snack making both at my house and at theirs. Together we tried hidden liver meatballs, paleo bread, and a full spread of (90% complaint) Super Bowl snacks. Over the course of the program I continued to share recipes, struggles, tips, and issues with an amazing group of paleo practicers. It was fun to try new recipes and make compliant substitutes for not so healthy or whole foods.

Additional results and takeaways

• It’s all about balance. One of the main principles of the Whole30 is to focus on the quality of foods you put into your body and not to count calories. However, it’s still important to monitor proportions. I believe this is where I need to continue to work. I never felt hungry during my program but I also didn’t focus too much on the balance of vegetables, proteins, fats, and fruits. I plan to use My Fitness Pal as a sort of check and balances. I think the simple act of recording my food intake will make me more conscious of my choices (how much protein, how much calcium, how much sugar I’m putting into my body).
• Keep exercising! I’m usually either good at focusing on working out OR eating right and have yet to find the ability to focus my attention on both simultaneously. What can I say, I’m a work in progress!
• Not everyone is going to want to try paleo. My roommate, who has been trying to eat better, prefers to count calories and purchase 100-calorie snack packs rather than chopping veggies. It’s her choice. All I can do is provide information to her about the benefits of paleo, if she wants it, and support her in her endeavors.
• Similarly, I’ve learned how increasingly different I have become than my family with regard to health and eating. I come from a family of frozen, boxed, and canned meal makers. Premade marinades? Check. Powdered mashed potatoes? Check. Splenda packets, boxed muffins, bread and butter with every meal? Check, check, and check. And while it was nice to grocery shop with my mom, I was constantly biting my tongue- preventing myself from constantly asking her “Why do you buy this crap?” On the other hand, I was becoming irritated every week when my grocery bill was nearly three times larger than hers.
• Paleo mayo is just not worth it. Like many paleo replacements like mayo, ketchup, bread, etc they just don’t live up to the real thing. But the fact of the matter is- that’s ok. Why? I didn’t really eat those products to begin with! If I make tuna or egg salad I’m going to use an avocado instead of mayo. Instead of ketchup on my eggs I use hot sauce or balsamic vinegar. And honestly, I don’t miss bread so I couldn’t care less to not have it around. Cheese on the other hand...there’s no substitute and I thank my lucky stars that it doesn’t have a horrible effect on me!

I’m going to strive to continue to live a more paleo lifestyle. I believe in the 80/20 principle because no one is perfect, and at 80% paleo all the time I think I deserve the 20% relief (pending good gym habits continue).

I plan to continue to...

• Be grain free, with the exception of popcorn, but I’ll scale back and move away from the pre-packaged kind.
• Drink only on the weekends. While not only economical, it’s way better for my health and I notice less puffiness under my eyes.
• Limit my dairy consumption. I’ll reserve cheese and ice cream as special treats and seek calcium in other areas (green leafy vegetables and maybe even sardines).
• Limit caffeine consumption.
• Stay away from legumes. I think it’s obvious why.
• Limit sweets and seek dark chocolate as an alternative for when I get a sweet craving.
• Buy fresh and local produce. Converting to all organic is just not in the budget, but when I can I’d prefer to support locally grown products. I’d also like to go to more farmers markets in the spring.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the January Whole30 and best of luck in your future fooding!

Stephanie

PS: A bunch of my favorite recipes and snacks are pinned on my Paleo Pinterest Board!


Looking for more Whole30 Results?

• My Whole21 - Results! 
• My April Whole30 Results!
• Guest Post: Sarah's Whole30 Results! 
• Guest Post: Heather's Whole30 Results! 
• Even More Whole30 Results 
• Guest Post: Julia's Whole30 Recap!
• My July Whole25 Results!
• My January Whole30 Results!

Don't forget to like Busy, Bold, Blessed on Facebook!

Guest Post: Krista's Quick and Easy Crab and Veggie Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Hi, Happy Friday :) Today I'm so excited to share a guest post from my friend Krista!  She is an amazing Paleo chef and definitely inspires me in the kitchen.  Hopefully this will not be the only time we hear from her!

Friday nights in are a luxury we don’t often have at our house with our busy schedules, so tonight it was great to make an early dinner and get to hang out even though we're missing a weekend of skiing being sick at home. My favorite thing to do, when I have the time for it, is improvise in the kitchen and make new fun recipes. I've made stuffed portobello mushrooms before, but this time, knowing Amber wanted me to make a guest post, for the first time ever I actually wrote down the recipe while I was cooking! If you know me, you know this is a big deal because my mind and hands are always in a billion places at a time in the kitchen.

Working 11 hours a day makes it tough to find time to cook when I get home, but one of the things I always try to do in the kitchen is find ways to speed up the prep process without sacrificing taste. When making anything stuffed where the pieces need to be minced but not necessarily uniform sizes my secret tool is the blender. Sounds weird, I know! But how annoying is it to stand there and mince all your veggies with one of those things you bang on the table - or even worse, take the time to cut them with a knife?! Not me, that's for sure. This recipe is super easy because there is very little prep involved when you only have to push a button and maybe scrape the sides a little bit. (If your blender is an older model that needs liquid to run without burning out you'll need to use a food processor instead!)

My other two must have kitchen tools are specifically for garlic. I'm Italian; I love fresh minced garlic and I'm proud of it. It's so annoying to prep and mince though unless you have the two magical tools I have. The white tube is from Pampered Chef and all you have to do is slide in a clove of garlic with the skin still on it and roll it on the table back and forth. It removes the skin for you so your hands don't smell! Then pop it whole into the other round orange tool and roll that on the table, it minces it for you so you don't have to cut it up. Beautiful. There's nothing like the taste of fresh minced garlic.

These are just a few of the tricks that can help you make those awesome whole30 dinners quickly and deliciously. There's probably a bunch more online, and people like me who have been eating Paleo for 2+ years are an awesome resource. Feel free to contact me with any questions or to let me know what you think of the recipe!

Crab and Veggie Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Makes 4 medium or 2 large mushrooms
*Sauce recipe is still in development but the one found here is a good pairing.

Ingredients:
- 4 medium or 2 large portobello mushrooms
- 1 cup tightly packed lump crab meat
- 2 cups loosely packed cauliflower chunks
- 1/2 cup tightly packed spinach
- 4 mini peppers of any color (I buy the multicolor mini pepper bags)
- 1/4 of an onion
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp old bay seasoning

Directions:
1. Set oven to 375°.

2. Line the baking sheet with tinfoil or silicone baking mat for easy cleaning.

3. Scoop the insides out of the mushrooms with a spoon, being careful not to break the sides (unless you're like me and buy ones that are already broken!) It helps keep the filling inside. Rub or brush a small amount of avocado oil over the top and bottom of the mushrooms so they don't dry out and place on the baking sheet. Discard the insides of the mushroom.

4. Place cauliflower chunks into blender or food processor (depending on the size you have it may take more than one round to “rice” all of the cauliflower) and use the pulse setting to mince or “rice” the cauliflower.

5. If you have a smaller unit, transfer this to a large bowl. My ninja can fit this along with the other ingredients. Place onion, garlic, spinach, and peppers into blender or food processor and pulse until minced. Transfer to same large bowl.

6. Add crab to bowl and stir in. Next, pour in 1 tbsp avocado oil and 1 tsp lemon juice along with the salt, pepper, oregano, and old bay seasoning. Stir in and combine all ingredients. It should be clumping easily and not cracking apart, but if it looks too dry add a bit more oil.

7. Scoop onto portobello mushrooms pressing lightly to compress and shape. Try to keep the stuffing inside the rims of the mushroom if possible.

8. Bake uncovered for 25-35 minutes depending on size and thickness of the mushrooms. Should be soft when it's done with a very light crust on top. Serve plain, or pair with Remoulade sauce. Nom away!

Thank you so much Krista!  I can't wait to make these :) 

What's your favorite time saving trick in the kitchen?

Guest Post: Julia's Whole30 Recap!

Shortly after I kicked off my July Whole25, I realized my friend Julia was also doing a Whole30.  She's a friend from the gym and she's also in the process of becoming a coach!  Going through the Whole30 with other people makes it so much easier and it was great to have her support (and someone to commiserate with) throughout the month!  Congrats Julia :)

To preface my improvements throughout the past month, let me give you a background of where I am coming from.  I did my first Whole30 November 2013.  I did well throughout the program, but once I was done, I spiraled back into my bad eating habits prior to my Whole30.  Not being completely able to get back into a steady 80/20 paleo diet I watched my progress in crossfit slow down, my sleep patterns falter, and my overall mood become negative.

Improvements during my detox:

1. My weight lifting improved.  At the end of June, my gym (CrossFit Valley Forge) tested its members’ max effort clean and jerk.    My previous max was 140lbs, and I couldn’t even get close to it.  I was ashamed of my futile effort, hitting only a modest 125lbs.  That one instance in which I failed to set a new record drove me to do my second Whole30.  Six days ago, I cleaned 135lbs. FIVE times.  Three days ago I cleaned 145lbs. one time.  The improvement is 99% due to the dietary choices I made.  I don’t think I necessarily got that much stronger over the past month.  I think the fact that I was able to be a more positive thinker contributed to that extra 20lbs. I added to my lift.  Bottom line: the right food allowed me to confide in myself.
2. I didn’t drink as much caffeine.  When your hormones work properly, the rest of your body can function independently of drugs and chemicals.  In fact, the time of day when we need caffeine the least is in the morning as long as our (stress hormone) cortisol fires at the right time.  Most people don’t even know what that initial jolt of early morning cortisol is supposed to feel like because it gets buried under the mentality of “needing” caffeine to function in the morning.  I’d have a small cup of coffee or tea and be all set for the rest of the day. 
3. Meal preparation is a useful task for everyone, Whole30 or not.  Meal prep not only saved me money during my Whole30, but it kept me from overeating those restaurant sized portions of food.  One of my take aways this time is to always be prepared.  Especially since I play in a band and often find myself at bars which specialize in chicken wings and greasy French fries.  Even if prepared meals aren’t an option, find an approved recipe for a protein shake and bring some compliant jerky, cut up veggies, or Larabars with you – something is always better than nothing.
4. Coming out of the Whole30, it is perfectly okay to cheat in moderation.  In fact, cheat meals (pizza, a slice of cake, whatever your guilty pleasure might be) act like a “jump-start” to your metabolism.  Believe it or not, cheat meals are crucial to successful weight loss.  The mistake I made after my first Whole30 was that I pigged out on everything I had missed for a whole month.  The thing to remember is, you will absolutely be able to have that cup of ice cream again! Don’t worry, I promise.  But you probably shouldn’t have that cup of ice cream, half of a pizza, a 6 pack of beer, and a box of cookies all in once sitting (sadly, a true story).  Space it out over a couple weeks and you’ll have been able to treat yourself to all of the things you missed out on during your Whole30.
5. Once again, I have made it alive through a Whole30.  The non-compliant things I have invited back into my diet all have a purpose in the grand scheme of my 80/20 paleo regimen (I’ve been calling it “As Paleo As Possible.”).  Whole milk, for example, has an exceptional amount of calcium and vitamin D.  I only drink it right before I go to bed, as it helps me sleep and provides protein to aid the body in recovery.  Honey, too, because it is in many of the paleo sauces available via Steve’s Paleo – at 2 grams of sugar per serving, I’m not that worried about it.  Eventually, I will add rice post workout and maybe even yogurt for the benefit of its probiotic content.

Thanks for reading my post.  I hope it helps answer some of the questions and concerns that might surface during your own Whole30.  My first Whole30 overlapped Thanksgiving and Christmas; meaning I had to be compliant during holidays, too.  It just goes to show that nothing is more important than the food with which we choose to fuel our bodies.  Remember: it’s only 30 days.

Even More Whole30 Results

Thank you for all the thoughtful comments on my last post <3

In other news, I received this message over a week ago, but it kind of got lost in the shuffle.  Mary did the The Whole30 with us in April and let me tell you, she has 8 kids, ages ranging from teenagers to toddlers.  If she can do the Whole30, anybody can!  Here's what she had to say about her experience:

What a great experience the Whole30 was!  I must not consume a ton of sugar and carbs, because I had no issue cutting them out.  I lost 18 lbs, and inches as well, but the best thing is the increase in energy!  I had always gone to the gym 3-4 times a week prior to starting.  Now I do an hour of cardio every other day and on non-cardio days, I do an hour of strength training and weights.  I feel healthy and strong!  My skin is glowing, I sleep like a rock at night... it's just been amazing!

Congrats Mary!

Interested in more results?

My January Whole21 Results

My April Whole30 Results

Sarah's Whole30 Results

Heather's Whole30 Results

It's so weird to think that this time last year I was in the thick of my half marathon training!  When I signed up for my half, it was the beginning of January.  I had New Years resolutions swirling around my head, I wanted to take my fitness to the next level, and I thought "man, I will look amazing this summer!"  Well, running the half was an amazing experience and I was in top cardiovascular shape, but as for slimming down for summer... well, that just didn't happen.

In July, I even wrote this post about my body.

I know that we've been conditioned to think that if we can just hit the treadmill hard enough, we can melt away our stored fat, but unfortunately it just doesn't work like that.  When you flood your body with sugar and carbs (that later get converted to sugar), you're providing it with an abundance of sugar to use as fuel.  When your body is adapted to burning sugar and it keeps receiving a steady supply, it will not use your fat!

When I was cleaning my room the other day, I found a receipt from a year ago for a bridesmaid dress that had my body measurements on it and I immediately thought, ooh I want to take some new measurement to compare!  Shall we?!

5 inches from my hips people... FIVE!  Long story short, training for a half marathon did nothing to eliminate any fat from my body but cutting carbs, added sugar, and processed foods from my diet made all the difference!  Regarding weight loss, you can't out exercise a bad diet!

We were supposed to go skydiving today but it was too cloudy.  I am so bummed!  I hope you're having better luck this weekend than me.  Happy Saturday.

 Don't forget to like Busy, Bold, Blessed on Facebook   :)  

Guest Post: Heather's Whole30 Results!

More results people!  My friend Heather surprised me when she told me she was joining me for my April Whole30.  It's always fun when I learn that people read my blog (so feel free to leave some comments, you silent lurkers from Facebook)!  Please congratulate Heather and her husband because they rocked the Whole30 and earned some awesome results!  I'm so proud <3

I was never in terrible shape until I turned 21.  Being 21 led to Happy Hour every day after work, partying every weekend, eating greasy bar food plus whatever else I felt like eating.  This was my fiancé John and my lifestyle for a few years.  Awful, I know. I packed on the pounds and John never gained any weight at all.  He had a very physical job and played a lot of sports. We got married in October 2011 and shortly after, I learned I was pregnant.  I gained 33 pounds while pregnant and lost it soon after our little girl was born (July 2012).  I figured I would lose the rest eventually.  As our baby became more and more mobile, it hit me:  I do not want to be that Mom at the playground who is out of breath chasing her kid.  I don’t want to be so preoccupied with how I feel in my swim suit on family vacations that I’m hiding behind my towel instead of building elaborate sandcastles and splashing in the ocean with my child. Above all of that, I want to be around to see my baby grow up.  I knew I needed to make a change. 

I asked my husband if I could buy an elliptical with some of our tax return money.  I figured after our daughter goes to bed, I can use the elliptical while my hubby and I caught up on our favorite shows.  I bought my elliptical and lost 12 pounds the first month.  Meanwhile, I was continuing to read Amber’s blog and Sarah’s guest post.  I knew this was something I wanted to do.  I figured my husband would tell me “good luck” or “have fun with that” when I presented it to him.  To my surprise, he said he wanted to try the Whole30 with me.  (He got hurt at work back in July 2012 and has gained 50 pounds since then).  We began researching recipes and went grocery shopping. We gave all of our non-compliant foods to our neighbor (out of sight, out of mind).  We were ready!!

Let’s get right to the results.  In the month of April, I lost 17.8 pounds and 17.75 inches off of my body. John lost a total of 16.5 pounds and 10.5 inches! We are believers!! I experienced so many other benefits other than just losing weight…here are a few:

1. I slept like a rock!! This was the part of the Whole30 that I was excited about the most! My daughter has slept through the night since she was 3 months old; however, I almost always woke up several times every.single.night. UGH! If it wasn’t work I was thinking about, it was my sweet baby, family, and so on. During the month of April, I woke up every morning feeling refreshed and ready for anything!  
2. I was never hungry!! After reading Sarah’s post, I thought that this part could never work for me! I always thought I was eating such a healthy breakfast--Kashi Go-Lean Crunch or Total Raisin Bran. I was always starving by 9:30-10 and ate a snack at work. The same thing happened after lunch, around 2pm I had another snack. During the Whole30, I literally was never hungry between meals. I ate my 3 meals a day and sometimes a snack after dinner. That’s it. This was HUGE for John as well. He was the biggest snacker, especially at nighttime. He would eat leftovers from dinner, make sandwiches, etc. and that all has stopped!
3. I’ve never drank so much water!! The biggest thing I was worried about doing the Whole30 was giving up my diet green tea and diet coke (sooooo bad!) The more water I drank, the more I wanted it! We are finished the Whole30 and I haven’t had anything to drink other than water and coffee (well, maybe a few beers this past weekend!) :-)
4. My energy is through the roof!! I feel great and my energy levels remained even throughout the day. No more after lunch crash!!!
5. We have tried so many fantastic recipes!! As I have read in Amber AND Sarah’s posts, we also ate the traditional protein, starch and veggie combo every night for dinner. The Whole30 challenged our views on dinners and we tried recipes we would have never made before. Some of them we enjoyed so much, we are still making them. We tried new vegetables (I may have developed an obsession with fresh spinach which I never ate before), new spices, and John made his own compliant “ranch dressing” that he likes even more than regular ranch dressing now!
6. This has not been another “diet” but a true lifestyle change!! I went into this with the intention of making eating better a lasting part of my life. I also vowed to exercise every day of the Whole30 trying to make this a part of my routine. For the entire 30 days I did some sort of exercise. Whether it was walking on my lunch break, doing the elliptical or some days both, I did something every day. I find myself looking forward to my workouts now and feeling guilty if I don’t do it. YEAH!

There seriously have been so many benefits I could continue this list on and on. The website is right, the Whole30 changed my life. We went to a wedding this past Saturday and I was fully intending on eating whatever I wanted. I ended up filling my plate up with veggies, protein and had a salad. I did enjoy a delicious roll, but pre-Whole30 I would have eaten mostly carbs! I love the way my body feels and I want to keep fueling it with good, nutritious foods. I was able to go shopping for a new dress for this wedding and it was a few sizes smaller. Numerous people at the wedding commented on my weight loss. Co-workers, family, and friends have all commented on how much energy I have, my weight loss, and how my clothes are falling off of me. Since February, I am down 29.8 pounds. I have a lot more to go, but I am so proud of myself and think this is a terrific start! Thanks Amber for all of the inspiration and information on this incredible program. Also, thanks to Sarah for sharing your story. Both of you really made me want to give this my all.

Guest Post: Sarah’s Whole30 Results!

When my friend Sarah told me she was thinking about doing the Whole30, I was so excited for her!  I knew how hard it was going to be and also how rewarding and I wanted to be her support system!  I went on amazon and ordered her some books, sent her tons of links and googled her every question.  There were numerous texts and calls back and forth.  Well, yesterday was day 30 and I am so proud of her!  Congratulations Sarah!

It’s official. I completed my first Whole30, and what a journey it’s been (yes – I did say first, which means there are more to come in my future). Pre-Whole30, I was a two-a-day bagel, fast-food-when-I-don’t-feel-like-cooking, snacking queen who felt controlled by food cravings and addictions. My life revolved around my 10-month-old son and my husband’s crazy residency schedule, leaving little time to care for myself, and boy did it show.

When I started the Whole30, I was 2lbs heavier than my pre-pregnancy weight, and just couldn’t get that weight off. I am proud to say that I blew those 2lbs out of the water, and lost a total of 16.5lbs; a whole 14.5lbs below my pre-pregnancy weight. BOOYAH. Not only did I lose weight, but I lost a total of 13 inches off my body – 1 in off my neck, 1 in off each arm, 2 in off my bust, 2.5 in off my muffin top, and the rest off various other places of my body. In addition to all the weight loss, there were a number of other benefits I got out of this cleanse –

(1) Skin improvement – I never struggled with acne, per se, but I never had clear, radiant skin. And now I do! Of course an occasional spot comes up here and there, but guess who doesn’t need foundation anymore? THIS GIRL!

(2) Sleep improvement – at one point in my life I had clinical insomnia, and I swear to God, there is nothing worse than that. I had been doing much better, and then all of a sudden I started having trouble with it again over the past few months. Whole30 started… I slept.like.a.ROCK. Almost immediately. No medication needed. Some of the best sleep I’ve had in my life.

(3) Medical reasons – being overweight comes with other issues. I recently found out that my fasting insulin level was TRIPLE what it should be. What does that mean you ask? That means I’m heading down the road to diabetes. Uhh, at 26 years old? You bet. That was the kick in the pants I needed to get my eating straight. I was hoping for follow up blood work to share with you, but unfortunately my doc didn’t pull through on that one. Once I have it though, I will share! I can’t imagine that my insulin level has done anything BUT improve.

There are a few other things that I’ve learned in addition to those mentioned above.

(1) Craving vs. hunger – Pre Whole30, 75% of my eating was driven by cravings. I can only say that with hindsight now. Had you asked me before, I would have said 25%. This journey has forced me to recognize the difference between those cravings and TRUE hunger, essentially by cutting out ALL the foods I was craving before – sugar, carbs and fast food. Sure, do I still want those foods? Absolutely. Will I still eat those foods? Sometimes. Do I still need those foods? No. Do you still need those foods? No.

(2) I eat a lot of what I feed my child. What do you call this? Mindless eating. Oh, I mushed a graham cracker too much; I’ll eat it instead of throwing it out. Whoops, put too many goldfish on your tray; I’ll eat some so you don’t put too many in your mouth. Honest to God, I had NO sense of how much I was eating when I fed my child until I intentionally stopped.

(3) Cooking shows did more for me than teach me how to cook – they made me CRAVE what I was seeing. As a new mom, I knew there were a lot of adult shows that I used to watch that I didn’t want to have on in front of my baby. So what other adult TV shows could I watch that would be fine to have on when Caleb was around? COOKING. OF COURSE. Sure, they’re fine for Caleb, but little did I know, they weren’t fine for me. I look back now and realize that a good portion of my snacking was mindless (ohh there’s that term again) eating that was catalyzed by looking at all the delicious food on the TV. OH! And just a little rant. Next time you watch TV, pay attention to HOW MANY food related commercials there are. SO MANY. No wonder this nation is obese…

(4) You can cook outside your comfort zone. I am as guilty as anyone else in the department of cooking the same crap night after night, week after week. It was what I was comfortable with. And clearly it wasn’t working for me. As evidenced by my weight, my inability to even run a mile, or still wearing some pregnancy clothes NINE MONTHS after being pregnant (wow that’s embarrassing to admit out loud) – take your pick. Clearly what I was doing wasn’t working, even though it was comfortable. The Whole30 forced me to embrace new fats, new proteins, new vegetables, new spices and seasonings – a WHOLE new thought process behind how to prepare a meal. I ALWAYS prepared your typical “protein, starch, vegetable” for dinner. And why not? I’ve been eating that my whole life. The Whole30 challenged me by saying “Why not skip the starch, and add another veggie?” “Why not make the protein or the vegetable the star of your meal?” So I did. And it was awesome. And I wasn’t hungry. WHAT!?! I wasn’t hungry??? Nope.

(5) You don’t need carbs to stay full. Or processed carbs at all for that matter. Take it from the carb queen of ALL carb queens, I was PISSED to give up carbs. Believe me, I fought it. I was cranky about it. I thought Amber was insane for even suggesting it. But you know what? I.did.it. and I wasn’t hungry. Sure, I dreamt about cupcakes and pizza, but I didn’t eat them, and my body feels AMAZING. If I can go 30 days without processed carbs, ANYONE can. Trust me on this one.

(6) You can eat bacon every day and lose weight. A lot of weight. You think I’m crazy, right? I am living, breathing testimony to this. I ate bacon EVERY DAY of the Whole30. I ate between 2 and 6 eggs EVERY DAY of the Whole30. And I lost 16.5lbs. It happened. Believe it. Oh, and did I mention that I BARELY exercised (maybe 1x/week) during this whole thing? Imagine the possibilities if I had!

All-in-all, the Whole30 was a good experience and definitely worth doing again when I’m feeling lethargic and crummy from what I’ve been eating. Or when I’m wanting to lose weight. Or when I want my skin to improve. Or my sleep to improve. Or hosts of other awesome benefits from the Whole30. Was it hard? Yes. Was it really hard? YES. Was it worth it? Absolutely. There are a lot of things I would suggest in order to succeed during the Whole30, but we’ll save that for another post.

‘Til next time, folks!


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Guest Post: Inspiration Saturday with Shayna

Happy Saturday everyone!  It's my mama's birthday, Happy Birthday Mom!

I have been blogging since June, can you believe it?  And can you believe in all this time I've never asked any of my awesome blogging friends to do a guest post?!  I just occurred to me the other day and I got really excited about the possibilities.  So without further adieu, here's a super inspirational guest post from my good friend Shayna who blogs over at Good Friends, Good Food, Good Times!  Thanks Shayna :)

 

What Will Happen to Your Body Today?

Being a Penn State alumna and fan, the only logical place for me to be on January 26^th, 2012 at 2 pm was watching TV (in my case, at Planet Fitness) to see Joe Paterno’s memorial service, and it didn’t disappoint.  I gained many new insights from the speeches about Joe’s life and legacy that day, but what has stuck with me the most is this quote:

“Is today going to be better or is it going to be worse? Because it’s not going to be the same”.

I love this. I aspire to think this every morning and to make the decision (then follow through on it) to make the day better! P.S. Yes, that was me crying on the elliptical- luckily, it’s the ‘judgment-free zone’. Phew. 

Okay, so I’ve decided to make today better. Now, how is that going to happen? The first step is to allow my body to work optimally so that I can enjoy the experience of the day.  My mom is a chiropractor and in her office while I was growing up, she had a bulletin board with little plastic letters which we changed weekly with a new healthy living quote.  At some point, the quote stopped changing and for awhile, we just kept this gem up there. It was worthy of its near-permanent status and will stick with me for life:

“If you don’t take care of your body, where are you going to live?” ~Anonymous

Let’s think about this for a second.

So we want our bodies to function at their best in order to enjoy the day, each day, and create the life that we want for ourselves, then spread all kinds of goodness to others around us…right?  How do we do all of this?

I’ve been focusing on health in 2012 in a big way- eating better, training for the ODDyssey half marathon (inspired and motivated by Amber, a good friend since 5^th grade),  and gaining a new awareness about my body- and I plan to make this ‘health kick’ a habit that lasts a long time.  I was really honored last week when Amber contacted me asking if I would write a guest post for the blog, and have been thinking about what to write for days. Well, here it is. My words of wisdom?

“Hold yourself accountable for what happens to your body”. ~Me!

Think about the foods you take in, exercise/energy you send out, being proactive (as opposed to reactive) when it comes to your health, considering the words that you say and the things that you do, and even the ways in which you will treat your body/taste buds/muscles as part of your new routine.

I love the concept of accountability when it comes to health.  Another quote is actually coming to mind (gotta love good quotes). I was involved with the Jewish organization, Hillel, in college and while at a leadership conference one Summer, this one struck a chord in me:

“If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? And if not now, when?” ~Rabbi Hillel

So today (not tomorrow), think about your goals to make each day the best it can be,  then figure out just one way in which you can hold yourself accountable for what happens to your body.  Once you start measuring and seeing progress, you’ll feel great and you’ll want to keep going. That’s how I started making some good choices for my body and losing 19 pounds between January and March this year. Crazy, right? 

The key is that you already know what changes you should make (I did), and in most cases, you already know how to do them. It’s just a matter of kicking your butt into gear, writing goal-reaching activities into your schedule and holding yourself accountable for your body. SO GO FOR IT! You can do it :)

Here are a few ways to mark your progress and hold yourself accountable:

1. Foods you take in- Remember, everything in moderation. Set a goal to cut back, but not necessarily to cut out what you love completely.  Log it. If you have an iPhone or another smartphone, you can download an app called MyFitnessPal for free and log your breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, water intake, cardio and strength exercise each day. It’s an accountability tool masked as a calorie counting calculator and it’s been a great one for me. Another way to measure healthy eating habits over time? Hop on a scale- I’d recommend just once a week (try it on a Monday for great over-the-weekend motivation to keep yourself on track)- and log your progress toward your weight goals. When you feel good, see #5 below.

2. Exercise/Energy you send out- MyFitnessPal is good for this too, but I’ve also been keeping a copy of my Training Plan for the ½ marathon taped up on the wall in my room and I’ve been logging progress with each run.  I love writing on the plan after a good run and adding up my miles at the end of each week. I also started logging the miles on my new sneakers when I bought them and it’s amazing to watch that number go up. Signing up for a 5k, a run, a walk, a class or another exercise-related event (especially with friends, and ESPECIALLY when a monetary downpayment is involved) is amazing motivation.  

   Sending energy outward can also include sending good thoughts and wishes to people who are close to you. What kind of energy are you sending out into the universe? My fiance, Kyle, and I have been trying to live with a ‘change your mind, change your life’ mindset. Not happy with something or someone? Change your own mind about the situation, look at it a different way and decide to make it better; it could change your life (or at least your perception of life)! Oh, and after you send out energy (exercise or otherwise), see #5. 

3. Being Proactive as opposed to Reactive- Feeling like something’s a little off with your body? Not sure what ‘normal’ should be? Do some research, visit a doctor, get testing done (and ask for copies for your own records) and get to know your body. After all, it’s the only one you’re going to get. Take care of it and if something doesn’t seem right, you know what you should do. Make a list of what needs to be done, then do it.  When everything’s checked off, see #5.

4. Consider What You Say and Do (and the information that others send you)- What goes around comes around. Be kind. Be thoughtful. Be respectful. Don’t trash talk other people. Use your good judgment and your heart. Listen. Think. Take in any information that you feel is useful toward your goals. Let go of anything that does not align with your new lifestyle. Find mentors, teachers, heroes and role models of healthy living. Ask questions, observe, imitate in any way that jives with you, and have fun. Yeah, and make sure you see #5! 

5. Treat Yourself- Here it is! After all this hard work, allow your body to feel good. Eat dessert, get a massage, play a game, go out with friends, sit around and relax, have fun, get a manicure/pedicure, watch a movie, go for a walk, just enjoy. Don’t forget this step- it’s very important. If needed, plan treats into your schedule because you deserve them. 

After all, we all want today to be better than yesterday. So how will you hold yourself accountable for your body today?