Inspired by the idea that “you hate yourself because you don’t do anything” found in a brilliant article here.
Eat 75% Whole30. This means that 75% of any given meal should be Whole30-compliant and that every meal should be Whole30 conscious. Remember what makes you feel satisfied, and what momentarily gives you pleasure but later makes you crash, get tired, or even makes you feel more hungry.
When you decide to drink alcohol, have no more than two drinks in one day. Minimize the number of days per week that you drink, and always substitute hot tea for alcohol if you’re desiring something special at night. Hot tea will give you the satisfaction and pleasure of alcohol, without negatively affecting your sleep or adding unnecessary sugars and calories to your diet.
No snacking. Just don’t do it. If you make whole meals that really nourish your body, you won’t need to snack. Small exceptions can be made for healthy snacks if you are traveling or have similar commitments that keep you away from the being able to prepare three whole meals per day.
Skip on dairy and beans as often as possible. They aren’t necessary to make your Chipotle delicious. Salad is perfect without cheese, as are most other dishes. These are harder (for me) to digest, and make me gassy and uncomfortable, so they just aren’t worth it. The protein found in beans is very easy to find elsewhere.
Always eat a meal instead of a protein shake when you can. Chewing is more satisfying and will lead to less temptation to snack later.
Today, I ran to Fleet Feet to pick up my race packet for the Winter Warrior Half Marathon, which happens in less than 48 hours. I’ve been training for this race for a couple of months and I’m really excited to see it come to fruition. The run was epic, as most night runs are: my senses were all alive, I felt like I was hunting something, the air was crisp, I felt excited. I got to Fleet Feet on an endorphin high, picked up my bib (and the coveted hat), and then went to the bus stop to get home. As to be expected, I was freezing cold (it was ~30* F outside) and my first thought was, “There’s a Ramen place nearby. I can go (over)eat some delicious, warm, hot soup.” But then I convinced myself not to eat out because I had Whole30 chili waiting for me at home. Plus, one of my 2016 goals is to eliminate credit card debt, and avoiding spontaneous/unnecessary trips out to eat is a big factor in the success of that goal.
I rode the bus home, but I still had this nagging urge to reward myself for running to Fleet Feet, to preemptively reward myself for running a half marathon on Saturday, to celebrate how well I’ve been doing with food for the last couple of months. So why not reward myself with a pack of Ramen noodles?
I stepped into the sketchy corner store that is a two minute walk from my apartment door. I knew where the Ramen was. I went to it, and stared at all the packages and variations of dry noodles and chemicals. I thought back to what I called “lonely midnight Ramen” in my pre-Whole30 days: chicken or beef Ramen, drenched in lemon juice, hot sauce, garlic powder, and whatever myriad of spices I felt like throwing in, being consumed while I sat in front of Netflix. Sometimes, I’d go through 2 or 3 packs just because, well why not? I would do this multiple times a night, even. Just consume this hot, bad-for-me stuff.
I walked away from the Ramen and made a lap around the store. Confetti cake in a box. Pringles. Ice cream bars. Soda. Sour cream and onion chips. And then I was back at the Ramen. I looked at all of the packs again. I reached out but didn’t pick one up. I didn’t want this food. Surely something else in the store would satisfy my craving?
Holding the bag with my race bib, tshirt, and coveted Winter Warrior hat close to myself, I made another lap around the store until I arrived at the Ramen for a third time. I thought of the Whole30 compliant chili I had waiting for me in the fridge at home. I thought about what food would provide versus the chemical dry pack of shit that I was staring at. I made the decision to leave, made a final lap around the store, and ran the rest of the way home.
Whoa. This feels like a big victory.
I didn’t give in to cravings. I didn’t reward myself, either earned or preemptively, with bad food. I rewarded my body and my mind – I nourished them – with whole food that I had already prepared for myself. I did this.
I’ll back up one step further. When I finished Whole30, I didn’t post a testimonial. I had lost 13 lbs, but I didn’t measure inches lost. Part of me felt like I didn’t deserve to post about my success, because I was afraid I’d stop being successful. I felt afraid that I would start falling back into my Lonely Midnight Ramen days, or that once I stopped being 100% Whole30 compliant, I’d gain the weight back.
Well, as of three weeks post-Whole30, I haven’t gained any weight back. Not that I’ve been checking. I’ve only weighed myself once, and I was 1.3 lbs heavier than Day 31. This came after a 12 mile run, and ten days of indulging in cheese and wine with my family. 1.7 lbs? That’s nothing! Knowing how much weight fluctuates, I actually am not tempted to weigh myself anymore. I’m not going to measure, either. The mirror, and how good I do or do not feel, are my indicators of success from now on.
I didn’t eat Ramen today. I didn’t eat RAMEN TODAY!! On top of that, I came home, ate my preplanned dinner, cleaned up, finished my 2016 vision board, practiced the guitar for over an hour, approved a contract for a part-time job I’m taking on, and took a long, hot shower. What am I doing with my life?
I’m doing exactly what Melissa and Dallas Hartwig promised me I’d do when I started the Whole30. Here’s a quote from the book (which you should absolutely go buy right now if you don’t already own it, and then commit to Whole30 and change your life) that has been ringing in my head since I committed to Whole30 on November 14, 2015:
What starts off as a “diet” somehow expands into other areas of your life, areas you didn’t even know could be improved simply by eating good food. The next 30 days will initiate healthy chain reactions throughout your entire life, imparting a sense of control, freedom, stability, and confidence that will inspire you to take on other personal development goals, big and small. You’ll feel better, so you’ll want to do more. Which makes you feel even better, and want to do even more. It’s the exact opposite of the cycle you’ve been stuck in – feel bad, eat junk food, feel even worse, eat even more junk food.
And there it is. Laid out for you, clearly, and without any fluff.
Lonely Midnight Ramen = staying up until 2 or 3 AM, watching shitty TV on Netflix, often accompanied by other food and alcohol = waking up 20 minutes before work the next morning = going to work with only a little bit of water in my stomach = going to Dunkin Donuts on a “bathroom break” and ordering a sausage, bacon, bagel sandwich with coffee = lack of energy throughout the whole day = coffee again at 2 PM = exhaustion by dinnertime, so lazy dinner = “hungry” (psychologically? again at 2 Am = Lonely Midnight Ramen….
VERSUS:
Three square meals per day, no snacking in between + a homemade cup of Joe in the morning = energy throughout the work day, lunch already planned because of crazy food prep Sundays = excited to go home and eat a healthy meal = free time after dinner to accomplish my goals = early bedtime and a good night of sleep (because no sugar or caffeine messed it up) = waking up in the morning to exercise, then eating three square meals per day….
The Whole30 really does change your life.
Remember when I said that I didn’t write a testimonial about my Whole30? Well, this is it. 25 days later, I feel like I can say I really accomplished my Whole30. And you know what? I have pictures to prove it:
The official Whole30 results: front.More Official Whole30 results: Day 0 and Day 31.I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this on Day 31. I knew that I felt better and I hoped it wasn’t my imagination telling me I looked healthier, but I never expected 13.4 lbs to be dropped in one month of better eating and half marathon training.Whole30 Day 0, Whole30 Day 31, and a random day over Christmas break that I felt good about myself and like a lot of progress was being made.Note to self: I fit in pretty dresses now. Holy sh**.This is my favorite transformation photo: October 31 vs. January 1. What a difference dedication, exercise, and good food can make!This was a big accomplishment. Holy cow. A 12 mile run from my parents’ house literally to the mountains. I felt great. I was so proud. This is what it feels like when your life is changing.The first time I tried clothes on post-Whole30, I couldn’t believe the difference in how it felt versus prior to Whole30. I was proud to clothe my body in pretty things now, instead of feeling like I didn’t deserve anything nice for my lard ass.At work after Christmas break, documenting my happy spirit and good energy level. I feel pretty and I feel good about myself. Confidence shines. 🙂
Stay tuned for more posts soon – and a blog makeover, rules for eating in 2016, and whatever else seems relevant. Thanks for following!
Wow. I can’t believe that today is the last day of my Whole30! Instead of talking about what I ate or didn’t eat this weekend, I’d like to share some thoughts on the Whole30 process and how far I think I’ve come (before we do any “after” information tomorrow.)
I have stopped snacking. Just wiped it right out of my system. I don’t graze for the whole day, and I can look a jar of M&Ms straight in its shiny little eyes and know that I don’t need it, nor do I truly want it. That feels like an incredible accomplishment for me.
I can make a plate of food that will fill me up. Protein, vegetables, fat. Got it. I know what it takes to feel satisfied, satiated, and energized by food. That’s a far cry from where I was before, when I’d randomly pull together anything I saw on the shelves and call it a meal. Now I know what a meal looks, tastes, and feels like.
My clothes are fitting SO much better and I think I’ve lost half a shoe size. My guess on the shoe size is that I haven’t been eating nearly as much salt as I was a month ago, so my feet aren’t swollen. My belly is also far from swollen, and clothes that were my goal in the beginning of this calendar year – yes, January – have become my reality. I actually fit in almost everything I own now. That feels so good. I really feel like I’ve reclaimed my body.
I look happier and better rested when I look at myself in the mirror. I think my face has gotten a bit less large and my arms are definitely different. I was looking through some photos from the last few months earlier today, and my arms were much different in May than they are now. My smile looks more genuine, and also less surrounded by….cheeks that were stuffed with donuts way too often…
I haven’t missed Dunkin Donuts a SINGLE time. Oh, man. Pre-Whole30, I visited there for breakfast at LEAST twice a week because I’d sleep in until 20 minutes before work, I’d rush to work without any water or anything to eat, and then an hour later I’d take an extended break to run to Dunkin and grab some greasy sh*t and coffee. Gross. I don’t miss that one bit, and I’m never going back there. Breakfast is such an important part of starting the day right, and I’m not going to do myself the injustice of skipping it again.
I am tired of going to restaurants and being severely restricted. I have learned that almost all meals contain some sort of fat, dairy, or basic ingredient that is not Whole30 compliant, so it’s made me really scrutinize my meal options. I’m grateful for the extremely strict Whole30 rules, and I’m also grateful to have more options for eating out besides salad with protein once I’m off this thing.
I have learned how to really shop the grocery store in an entirely new way. Fresh meat and vegetables are INGREDIENTS to GREAT dishes, and prepared food is something less than that. I used to migrate to boxes and cans and jars for my main sources of food intake, and now I know how many delicious things I can whip up with a few simple ingredients at home.
Food prep. I don’t think I need to say much more than this: when you prepare the majority of your meals on Sunday night and plan the rest of your meals around main sources of protein or main dishes, eating well is so much easier.
I have learned that I deserve to take care of myself and treat myself well, and that when you start eating well and sleeping better, you do better at life in general. I am not claiming by any means that some issues that have been around for a while relating to confidence and self esteem were magically fixed in thirty days, but the lack of those issues was obvious to me upon investing in my well-being this way.
And hey, being motivated to run is also easier when you eat well. 🙂 But listen — nothing beats eating spaghetti after a long run, and I will definitely incorporate that back into my life next Saturday when I run 11 miles.
This journey officially ends today/tomorrow, but I have only just begun. I can’t wait to see the numbers that prove how epic this journey has been when I weigh and measure myself tomorrow. More than that, I’m just really excited that a) I followed this through and b) I have an amazing foundation for the rest of my life, and I have no excuse for not following the guidelines to healthy eating that were set up with the Whole30.
Now I need to go refresh my memory on how I’m supposed to make food choices tomorrow…egg nog is definitely on the list for the evening. (Sorry not sorry.)
When I started the Whole30, I counted incorrectly. I missed a blog post one day while I was traveling, and then thought that I had to do the Whole30 until Monday, December 14. Well guess what? I COUNTED INCORRECTLY. My Whole30 ends on SUNDAY, not MONDAY! I’m..extremely excited.
On top of being extremely excited, I am extremely proud of my success with this program. I have so many #nonscalevictories at this point that I don’t even know what to say. The clothes that I was keeping as goal clothes for when I lost weight or did whatever crazy things at the gym I told myself I’d do are now my normal wardrobe. I have a stomach that looks unlike anything I can recall seeing on my body. I make smart food choices. I prepare food ahead of time. I find comfort in meals that are only filled with good ingredients. Life is just nothing like it was a month ago. (Less than a month ago! I’m not done yet!) I just went through and re-wrote the numbers on all of the blog posts so that the dates are accurate.
As many of you will recall, I did a TON of food prep on Sunday, and it really paid off this week! I ate those three yummy, comforting dishes for five days in a row without tiring of them (and with slight variations each time.) I found that eating stew for breakfast made me want to eat breakfast. I made time for it. Lunch was different every day, but always good. And I was even able to eat out a few times…the basic idea is: order a salad, ask for the protein on top to be cooked/grilled in olive oil and nothing else, then get olive oil and lemon on the side. No lemon? Need more flavor? Grab some Frank’s hot sauce. Boom. Done. Lunch out with friends: check!
Here are a few highlights from the last few days:
Selfie walking home from the gym on Tuesday. Because it’s true: the better you eat, the better you feel, and the more energy you have to do things that inspire you.
Balanced and delicious meal: salad with an egg, avocado for fat, and a small bowl of chili on the side. Warm, comforting, and so Whole30.
That amazing homemade recipe for beef stew that Jeremy and I sort of made up/improvised. The most amazing way to start the day. Who doesn’t like beef and stew?!
Ti.Ger.Blood. It’s real. And it’s not a surge of energy or anything insane for me- it’s just BALANCE and CONSISTENCY. Two things I don’t think I’ve prioritized before. This was a good day for my health and my career…big happy things happened at work! 😀
My best friend is in town, and we went out to celebrate. Did I want their fries and creamy dressings? Yes. Was I satisfied with this totally compliant Whole30 salad with steak and eggs and avocado? Darn straight.
The last two days are ahead of me. THE LAST TWO DAYS! Then I’m going to enjoy a few Christmas treats… 🙂
Nothing helps make a Monday better more than having all of your food prepared for you already. Woo! This morning started off with some delicious Whole30 chili, which I made yesterday during my food prep madness:
Lunch was a bit more scattered – I had a LaraBar and a bunch of dried fruit. I ended up spending several hours at a doctor’s office today. Old me would have had fast food and thrown myself a pity party. New me went to the market and found the food that was easiest to carry back to the doctor’s office (in this case, dried fruit and a LaraBar) and felt satisfied.
Dinner was another round of that fantastic chicken chowder from yesterday. This time, I added some hot peppers to it to spice it up a bit and change the flavor a little, and it was delicious! Still surprisingly filling.
I’m already meal prepping a bit more as I think that this week will be jam-packed with non-food activity. Here are some steps towards making this delicious beef stew from my other post:
I really felt inspired today as I worked to prepare food for the week. After a very satisfying breakfast (leftover beef stew, omg) from yesterday, I made a list of all the things I want to eat for the week, prepared my grocery list, and dug in. Here are some images of meal prep. Side note: it took about four hours to prepare food this afternoon, and I didn’t even finish everything I want to make. Meh, I’ll make some stew tomorrow.
^ MEAL PREP!
Salmon, Brussels sprouts, and zucchini. (Definitely not an inspired dish – more a way to eat all the leftovers from last week…kinda gross.)
This is the veggie side of the Whole30 chicken chowder, which is a delicious broth- and coconut milk-based soup perfect for winter days like these. This took a lot of work, but was very worth it – especially since I had two pounds of chicken thighs and this recipe only requires one. I roasted the rest of the chicken thighs in turmeric, lemon, pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Yum! So many meals can be prepared simultaneously, even when you’re making one pot meals and you only have one pot.
Not shown: homemade chili! Yum! This is a really simple recipe and one that I am likely to repeat after my Whole30 is over. I sampled it before I stuck it in the refrigerator. I’m excited to have it for breakfast tomorrow. (Go big or go home with breakfast, people.)
Lastly: the final product of chicken chowder! One tiny bowl filled me to the brim. The actual taste of the soup is not super strong, even with an entire jalapeño, so the cilantro, lime, and onions make all the difference.
Today was an inspiring and productive day with regard to Whole30. The final week starts tomorrow, and I’m really excited to see what this week will bring.
PS: If you’re wondering where I got my stickers/visuals on these images, they are from a photo app called Studio.
PPS: I’m still having dreams every night that I accidentally eat non-compliant food…donuts, beer, whatever. I look forward to having treats on occasion so that I feel more in control and less afraid that I’ll go back to binge eating when this thing is done.
PPPS: Ginger bread cookies and pizza are definitely happening the day this is over. I think. Maybe.
Okay, so, I got lazy. Food gets less exciting to talk about if you’re not cooking as much, learning as much, or challenging yourself as much as you did at the beginning of your Whole30. I basically got complacent this week and just made basic meals that didn’t really coordinate well and didn’t excite me. I also had a few LaraBars as substitutes for meals, which I know was a big mistake. I committed to and completed my 7-day run streak, which I was really proud of. More on that below.
Instead of running you through each meal that I ate over the course of the last several days, I’ll put stories with some of the pictures from my Instagram feed @whiskintoshape! Here we go:
The day after my delicious and spontaneous decision to make a steak for dinner, I had the second half of that wonderful steak for breakfast. Together with mashed cauliflower and homemade salsa, this was a delicious and wonderful way to start the day. Side note: too much of a good thing is no longer such a good thing. Too much mashed cauliflower means I don’t want to eat it again for a long time. Know that when you make a huge batch of it and then eat it frequently in small portions, some may go to waste because a) you were being stingy with your portions and b) you seriously never want to look at it again.
I like spicy food. I really, really do. And at this point, I no longer have “cravings” for certain types of food or certain meals, but I do fantasize a bit about things I am not eating right now. Among those things are TACOS. So, my lovely boyfriend provided the protein for our wonderful taco meal: roasted/shredded chicken, Romaine lettuce as the tortillas, homemade and simple guacamole, and the rest of the homemade salsa from the original batch. YUM. This meal satisfied my tummy (filled it right up, in fact) and made me feel like I wasn’t missing out on any part of tacos at Moe’s or wherever. I highly recommend this to anyone who is close to throwing a tantrum because they feel deprived of some of their favorite food on the Whole30.
I have had a lot of chicken during my Whole30, so I figured it was time to switch. It. Up. I thawed some salmon that I bought on my original Whole30 grocery trip three weeks ago, made chips from sweet potatoes, cut up a cucumber (one of my favorite fresh treats) and used up the last of the (gross, ew, so gross) zucchini noodles with some diced tomatoes. Overall, this meal was much better than it probably looks, and it felt like a godsend to try new protein. (By the way, I just roasted the salmon per the Whole30 cookbook directions and it was warm and delicious.)
The following day I had the other piece of salmon I roasted the night before with a big salad: tomatoes, onions, peppers, and a ton of lettuce. I was happy to have some fresh veggies in my life here. A meh meal, but it got the job done.
Friday night was the last day of my 7-day run streak. I ran 7 miles! And it was rather cold, and rather dark, so when I got home I felt rather victorious! I’m starting to feel a lot better about the half marathon coming up on January 9, and think I’ll do a fun run on December 20 – I’ve never gotten to run with antlers before! 😉 Anyway, I felt pretty and sexy and confident after my run streak, but my body felt totally wrecked. Salmon as a recovery after a long run? Are you kidding me? Where are the waffle fries, beer and cheeseburger? One thing I will definitely reintegrate into my diet post-Whole30 is more satisfying and carblicious meals after long runs. I know it’s not the healthiest decision…or maybe it is… Either way, I know that my body does not feel good if I recover with salmon. I need some carbs, some coffee (remember the coffee, Katrina!) and then experiment with the other parts of recovery food.
May I present: the toughest challenge of my Whole30 so far. On Friday night I went to a bar with friends and all I had was water. That sucked. And then Jeremy was hungry, so I suggested that he grab a piece of our very favorite pizza across the street before we headed home. Then I also said, hey, I like this place – let’s stay here while you eat! So I sat across from him as he slowly consumed this UNBELIEVABLY greasy, cheesy, beautiful piece of food. I definitely got a bit cranky. No beer, no pizza…. Ugh. The lesson to take away is this: I went to bed without dying, so I can go to bars and pizza places without giving into temptation and I’m fine. Once in a while, I can have both of those things, but I don’t need them. Wow. Who the heck knew???!?!
And then the grand finale: yesterday I wanted something warm, comforting, and slightly spontaneous. So we made this incredibly satisfying beef soup out of:
3 tbsp. cooking fat
1 can of tomato paste
3 cups of compliant turkey broth
1 cup water
1 cup onions
about 3 cups potatoes, cut into large chunks
1 cup carrots, minced
1 lb. stew beef, seared on each side
1 1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinaigrette
5 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
parsley and cilantro to garnish
WOW. This stew was SO satisfying. Here’s how we made it:
Sear the beef on each side in a pot with 2 tbsp. cooking fat (I used olive oil.) Once that is done, remove the beef and set aside.
Next, add the balsamic vinegar, onions, and garlic and cook in the leftover beef fat for approximately five minutes. Stir frequently.
Add the tomato paste, carrots, and potatoes and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add the beef, broth, and water and bring to a boil.
Simmer until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Serve with chopped cilantro and parsley and enjoy!
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No more lazy Whole30 for me. 🙂 Daily blogs are coming back. The last 8 days are time to experiment, plan, and celebrate this great accomplishment.
I’m getting a bit behind on the Whole30 posts because, well, things aren’t so new and exciting anymore. I’m really settling into the habits of the Whole30, I’m getting better at reading labels, and my days aren’t filled with new discoveries about how full I can feel eating properly. I am not seeing massive changes in my body, but I’m going to go ahead and trust that things are working since I’m following all the rules. It’ll be interesting to take ‘after’ photos when this is all said and done.
I didn’t take very many pictures of my food or preparation for the last two days: oops! Here’s a quick snapshot of how I’ve been doing:
Breakfast is usually leftovers of whatever I had for dinner the night before, or whatever I mass-produced over the weekend.
I went home for lunch two days in a row, both to give myself an excuse to take a walk since it still hasn’t snowed, and to have the food a bit fresher since it won’t be sitting packed in the fridge here at work.
Mexican tuna boats in endives, with spaghetti squash and diced tomatoes in the middle. A satisfying/light lunch.
Dinner on Monday night was boring, dinner last night was amazing.
I’ve been doing well with my running streak. Today is Wednesday (day 19!) and I’m going to go to the gym on my lunch break:
I did have a moment yesterday when I wanted to quit the Whole30. (At least it took me until day 18 to cry over the Whole30?)
It was kind of dramatic, mostly because I was actually HUNGRY for the first time in so many days. I don’t feel hungry anymore, I just eat when I’m supposed to, and I feel content all the time. Yesterday was a different story. I guess I didn’t have enough protein or fat with my breakfast (2 eggs + brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes) so by the time lunch rolled around, I was starving. I didn’t want to go home for lunch, so I googled “Whole30 Moe’s Southwest Grill” to see if I could get some fast food that was compliant. Two different articles on the internet (not the Whole30 forum) said that it was compliant, so I figured I’d confirm with the Moe’s website. NOPE. Moe’s Southwest Grill does NOT have any Whole30 compliant protein. All of their meat is cooked in “highly refined soybean oil” and the ground beef, while not cooked in soybean oil, contains milk (ew). So, not only was I starving, but I had to go home and eat food that I prepared when I just wanted something from SOMEWHERE ELSE! Anyway, I went home and had some Mexican tuna boats and mashed cauliflower, and it was fine. I was just bored of it and throwing myself a pity party because there are so many food-based events coming up that I won’t be able to participate in.
After my dramatic lunch, I decided to make myself the most satisfying dinner I could image: a steak, leftover mashed cauliflower, leftover sweet potatoes, and some hot peppers. This was SUCH A GOOD DECISION. I followed Whole30’s recipe for the perfect pan fried steak, and it turned out beautiful:
Juicy, delicious perfection.
And my whole dinner looked like this:
I even made some clarified butter for storage but also to be the fat component of my meal. I drizzled a little on the steak and in the potatoes:
Making clarified butter is *really* easy and really satisfying. I highly recommend it for anyone who has been sticking purely with olive oil for their Whole30 like I have been.
I’m feeling better about things today (day 19) but I’m still sad about all the food and wine I’m going to miss out on during this process. I had to do this now, because I felt myself spinning out of control, but I really wish I’d known about the Whole30 prior to the holiday season so that I could have done it then.
Wooooo in the lovely holiday chaos and cooking, I’ve fallen a bit behind in my blogging! I come at you today with updates from Days 15 and 16 of my Whole30 adventure.
First of all, getting over the hump felt like a big accomplishment. I’m so proud of the work that I’ve done so far, of how much I am cooking and preparing and thinking ahead about food, and even how much money I am saving by eating in instead of eating out. Sure, organic/free-range meat is more expensive than non-organic/free-range meat, but the value of good health and homemade meals is priceless. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about snarky taglines for eating healthy, like, “Fast food is convenient. Obesity is not.” I know that’s not really funny, but it’s true. Sometimes what is convenient is not always what is best, and I’m learning that through this process.
On Saturday I began a seven day running streak, which I committed to myself because I have been very lazy with my half marathon preparation. I only have about a month and a half (even less) until the Rochester Winter Warrior, and it’s time to start getting myself into gear. The run was…really hard. It was snowing a bit while I ran, and I had only eaten almonds prior to the workout. Plus, I didn’t wear appropriate winter running gear, so my body felt heavy and like a solid block of ice. It was a slow run for me (50:47) to complete 5 miles. I was so cold and numb and lethargic when I got home that I sat in front of my space heater for about 20 minutes and tried to rub my thighs and tummy back from numbness.
Freezing cold/numb face post-run
I wasn’t smart about my recovery that day. I should have hopped in the shower, warmed up, and then made a big meal. Instead, I wrapped myself up in a blanket, heated up some of my homemade chicken broth with garlic and chili powder, and drank that on the couch for a few hours. Later I ate some spaghetti squash and tomatoes, but was so lazy I didn’t even make good protein to go with it. I spent several hours lazing around on the couch, drinking water and chicken broth, before I took a shower and warmed up.
At this point, I had a headache, so I knew I needed to cook. It was getting late in the day, and I felt bad about myself in general for not having taken advantage of a day off. I cooked some chicken thighs and sweet potatoes, and that made me feel better (naturally).
Insanely delicious sweet potatoes, baked at 400 for about 25 minutes. Topped with clarified butter (homemade).Chicken thighs, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with turmeric, 3 cloves of garlic, salt, and pepper. 1 whole lemon sliced and inserted around the chicken. Cooked at 400 for about 25-30 minutes. PERFECTION.The (blurry) delicious final products. So good! And leftovers are good for several days, so I’m a happy camper.
Later that night, I met up with Jeremy and we got coffee (thank God – the headache disappeared!) and saw The Nutcracker! It was a beautiful production. We were in such a jolly mood afterward that we went to one of our favorite restaurants to grab dessert, and… well, here’s what we had:
On the top you see Jeremy’s SMORES PIZZA (kill me now, it smelled SO GOOD) and my salad wraps. 🙂 I was actually very satisfied with my food: avocado, Granny Smith apple, carrots, onions, lettuce, and grilled chicken. Jeremy’s pizza thing just looked and smelled incredible. Smelling that chocolate was almost as good as eating it…almost. (I should note here that he thought he was ordering one slice of a dessert pizza, not the whole thing. He would never torture me like that intentionally.)
Lesson to be learned from Day 15: eat THREE square meals per day, and recover quickly after working out!
Day 16 was fantastic! I really felt like I accomplished a lot, and made smart choices about how to spend my time, money, and meals. I went for a jog in the morning (a 5k, took 30:21) and then quickly went home and ate some f of the fantastic chicken thighs, tomato, and spaghetti squash from the night before. (Spaghetti squash never gets old…) After that, I taught a lesson, then went to the friendly neighborhood Wegman’s. I grabbed a coffee, sat in the café with my Whole30 cookbook, and plotted out all new food to eat this week. I felt SO good – TIGER BLOOD ANYONE? – for making smart choices about food, and then for quickly shopping and taking the bus home. It’s so interesting how having a balanced diet and outlook on exercise and input really makes me feel like I have my sh*t together.
Once I got home, I started meal prepping and doing laundry like crazy. Here’s what I worked on yesterday:
Mashed cauliflower – the Whole30 recipe beats ANYTHING else you can find on the internet.Mexican tuna tacos in endive – tuna, avocado, lime, chili powder, jalapeño, and more. Again, the Whole30 recipe is SO good!
Then I made dinner, which was:
Seared/roasted chicken, mashed cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts/sweet potato salad with balsamic reduction. Excuse me while I drool at the memory of that insane, warm, satisfying salad.
I used my blender to mash the cauliflower into submission, which worked really well. And the rest of it was just easy and delicious! I even made some zucchini noodles later in the day…I’m not a huge fan, but once you slather them in tomato sauce, they’re workable.
Overall, Day 16 was a great success and I’m excited to eat all the delicious food that I prepared in advance. 🙂
Today was a day full of balance, and I am truly grateful.
This morning my incredibly handsome boyfriend and I went to the gym. I’m so glad that he inspired me to get out and work on being healthy first thing in the morning. I had some pre-workout almonds (and yes, there were more than 3!)
At the gym, I worked on upper body and legs. Tomorrow, I’ll do some core work. I really enjoyed feeling pumped and strong after the workout. And hey – I’ve never had arm muscles like this before!!! Making good food choices is really still supporting my muscle building and is helping to melt away the fat and gross extra body weight that I seriously didn’t need sticking around.
For breakfast, we went to Hart’s Local Grocer (totally amazing place, by the way), and I had their Whole 30 compliant CORNED BEEF HASH!! I can’t even caption this beautiful ham, potato, pepper, and egg combo…. Just believe me, it’s some of the most delicious stuff you can put in your body. That, plus a good, strong cup of coffee, made me feel like I was on top of the world!
We hit the mall for Black Friday today. I’m amazed at how easy it was – and how it was only a tiny bit frustrating – to choose Colie’s Cafe over the variety of Mexican, Chinese, and Italian food I usually would have gravitated towards for lunch. Instead, I chose a house salad with grilled chicken, with a cup of fruit to finish it off. Yum!
And then, after a long day of shopping and swiping deals left and right, I came home and heated up the last of my roasted chicken, then made some wonderful curly fries with a spiralizer that I bought for 20% off today, and paired it all with an avocado.
Overall, today was a great success. I can’t believe that tomorrow marks the halfway point of my Whole 30!! I have decided to do a 7-day running streak, and to really hold myself accountable for it, because I’ve been uninspired and lazy with running lately. I really can’t slack right now, because the Winter Warrior Half Marathon is coming up on January 9. I want to feel like I did my best to train well for this race. And while I’m sure that completely changing the way I eat and provide energy for myself will help, I need to log good miles and good runs to keep the momentum going.
Here’s a silly picture I took because I felt like a queen of good health after making smart choices all day, and the cute little crown came in my bag at Anthropologie today. 🙂
Selfie walking home from the gym on Tuesday. Because it’s true: the better you eat, the better you feel, and the more energy you have to do things that inspire you.
Balanced and delicious meal: salad with an egg, avocado for fat, and a small bowl of chili on the side. Warm, comforting, and so Whole30.
That amazing homemade recipe for beef stew that Jeremy and I sort of made up/improvised. The most amazing way to start the day. Who doesn’t like beef and stew?!
Ti.Ger.Blood. It’s real. And it’s not a surge of energy or anything insane for me- it’s just BALANCE and CONSISTENCY. Two things I don’t think I’ve prioritized before. This was a good day for my health and my career…big happy things happened at work! 😀
My best friend is in town, and we went out to celebrate. Did I want their fries and creamy dressings? Yes. Was I satisfied with this totally compliant Whole30 salad with steak and eggs and avocado? Darn straight.
I have had a lot of chicken during my Whole30, so I figured it was time to switch. It. Up. I thawed some salmon that I bought on my original Whole30 grocery trip three weeks ago, made chips from sweet potatoes, cut up a cucumber (one of my favorite fresh treats) and used up the last of the (gross, ew, so gross) zucchini noodles with some diced tomatoes. Overall, this meal was much better than it probably looks, and it felt like a godsend to try new protein. (By the way, I just roasted the salmon per the Whole30 cookbook directions and it was warm and delicious.)
May I present: the toughest challenge of my Whole30 so far. On Friday night I went to a bar with friends and all I had was water. That sucked. And then Jeremy was hungry, so I suggested that he grab a piece of our very favorite pizza across the street before we headed home. Then I also said, hey, I like this place – let’s stay here while you eat! So I sat across from him as he slowly consumed this UNBELIEVABLY greasy, cheesy, beautiful piece of food. I definitely got a bit cranky. No beer, no pizza…. Ugh. The lesson to take away is this: I went to bed without dying, so I can go to bars and pizza places without giving into temptation and I’m fine. Once in a while, I can have both of those things, but I don’t need them. Wow. Who the heck knew???!?!
Whisk Into Shape 