Whole30 Progress Report (days 15-30)

Light reading and my DIY Bowl of Soul!

Day 15: My halfway point feels amazing!! My pants are looser, my energy is better and overall I know I'm doing what's best for my body!! I am however looking forward to Day 31... And I've made some decisions about how I will continue the program, but more on that later!!! Since I've jumped most of my biggest hurdles in the first half of my journey, I've grouped this update into bigger sections. Once you hit day 15 you start to understand how to truly be successful. And this far in, are you really going to cheat now?! It's definitely not worth it!

Day 16-20: My best ally in this journey has been a well stocked fridge!!! Dinner is easier when instead of deciding what to have as a side dish, it's which veggie in the fridge will we cook?! For us, Sunday night used to be junk food night. So, one Sunday night, when we'd love to eat junk and were low on groceries, we patched together a tasty meal. The hubby grilled steaks and I served with it half an avocado and some artichoke hearts. And of course we felt better because we made great choices! Besides, we didn't have junk food in the house anyway! That's another great tip I've learned along the way. You will have cravings, but if the junk is not readily available you have a higher chance of success!

Made my first honest mistake/cheat today. My husband has been complaining about the lack of beverages around the house. So, while I was out shopping today I found a great deal on a case of Izze. If you haven't tried Izze, you are missing out! They are fantastic little juice flavored sparkling waters. Well, I completely forgot the no juice rule!! Too many rules to remember sometimes, especially when you are at the store, and NOTHING is compliant! I'm going to be honest with you... it's "that time of the month" and the sugar monster attacks hardest about now; so I was rather proud of myself for my choice... but it's still a cheat. Oops! I guess the hubby can drink them until I hit day 30!!

Strawberry "Ice Cream"

Days 21-25:
I can see the finish line now! I'm definitely settled into a paleo lifestyle. It used to intimidate me, but I overcame my fears through Whole30. This was my first goal in starting Whole30: commit myself to paleo eating! My second goal, to hopefully see improvement in my MS symptoms. Thirdly I wanted to see weight loss, I don't have a large number I need to lose, but rather an unhappy bloated belly that needed to go. I can't wait to share my results with you!! But that will come in the next update!

What are my plans for day 31 and beyond? Well, for now it's going to be Whole365! I do have a few exceptions planned. Paleo desserts will make an appearance, but only for special occasions!! And we have a brewery trip planned. I am interested to see how reintroducing alcohol will go, and beer at that! Alcohol will be another special occasion treat. I'm going to keep all sweeteners (including honey and maple surup) out of my life on a regular basis! Wheat, dairy, legumes and potatoes are gone for good. Coconut flour pancakes? Special Sunday mornings just might call for coconut flour pancakes!! All in all I will not leave my paleo diet, and I want to stick to the Whole30 rules for the most part!

Days 26-30:
The most important lesson I learned through all of this is to never, ever underestimate the power of the food you are putting in your mouth! Second most important lesson is to always be prepared. It seems like without fail I find myself in a situation where I am hungry and there is nothing available for me to eat. Make sure your fridge is well stocked with healthy paleo Whole30 options. If you have the ingredients, the recipes are easy to make up on the fly. When leaving home prepare an emergency kit, this is something I have learned the hard way. Prepare yourself with either purchasing a Primal Pak or Paleo Kit or make your own. I am making kits that contain a homemade Larabar, jerky and maybe some nuts so that when I am faced with eating something that could put me in a wheelchair I always have a better option. Becoming my own science experiment was the best thing I ever could have done. People love to tell me that it's not as simple as what you are eating. But I am feeling how wrong they are, and it is an amazing feeling!! Please, try it for 30 days. If you reach the end of a Whole30, and stuck to the plan diligently, I know you will see results no matter what your goals may be.

Stay tuned for my DAY 31 results post!!