Post 30 Journey-First week

Alright so it's been a week since my day 30 has passed. I haven't become lax, I've been as stuck to the plan as ever, however if there is a slip up I'm not starting over. I learn from it and move forward. I can't be stuck in this journey forever and I need to learn control. Not even control, just mindful participating and indulging.

I have yet to decide which reintroduction path I'm going down-the slow route or the fast track. I feel like both have their benefits. For now I'm sticking to the whole 30 (or 60) until I feel like I can indulge with control. Any cravings that pop up I must remain strong through them. It's not a choice to back down.

This week has been good-a normal week for me, however the cravings and want to have things I shouldn't were very strong. I'm assuming due to pms. Those cravings are hard to get through! I usually just distract myself and remind myself I need to fuel my body with good nutritional awesome tasting food, nothing else.

I had to use potatoes (the normal kind) due to my lack of time to get to the store to get sweet potatoes. I felt more bloated than ever!! I wasn't sure if it was due to the pms or possibly the starchy potatoes I had. So this week I'm going back to sweet potatoes in everything. The normal potatoes are just not going to happen for me. I prefer sweet potatoes anyway.

I had the wonderful pleasure to see my aunt on Saturday and most of the family went for a picnic in the park. A little hectic and hard to find an on-plan meal (I usually just hit up the grocery store salad bar and get some chicken), however it was fun hanging out with everyone. It was nice to have the kids just play while we sat and watched them. I went a little ravage on my salad, but I was super hungry due to no breakfast (didn't I mention hectic?). I should have taken my time. Honestly it wasn't that great of a salad. Before I would have loved it, but now....not so much. It was pretty bland.

So now it's week 2 of my journey and I'm continuing to reap the benefits, which finds me hesitant to include anything more in my diet than what I'm already eating. I doubt I'll ever have pasta again, or rice for that matter. It's a filler. It's really not needed (crazy, right?). I will probably be clean eating the rest of my life though. Just to take care of my body and to stop abusing it.

I've also started walking in the morning so I can get my cardio in and my yoga.

I'm very positive about the future and I really hope to maintain my momentum. If I find I'm losing it, the book and my family helps me out. :)

Whole 30 Results!

Alrighty. So this is the post everyone wants to know about. The results.

Honestly, I have already been feeling the difference for a week or so now. Outwardly I don't know if anyone can tell, however again this is about what I notice and how I feel. I'm sure when I continue (surprise!) there will be more of a noticeable difference.

That's right people, I'm not done yet. Per the book, since I am still craving sugary things and cravings are still at large, reintroduction is not what I'm ready for. I'm ready to continue. It's not meant to be a whole 365, but you are to continue it until you feel like you can control those cravings and to reintroduce foods you have been avoiding and see which ones trigger your inflammation. That will be the next experiment, which will take place when I feel the cravings and the mindset toward baked/sweet goods changes. I have not tamed my sugar dragon completely, yet.

So here are my physical results:
I took measurements of my bust, waist, hips, and thighs, and took my weight.

Bust: 0" lost (stayed the same....don't know how...)
Waist: 3" lost
Hips: 2" lost
Left Thigh: 3" lost
Right Thigh: 3" lost

Total weight lost: 16.4 pounds.

I was expecting about a 15 pound loss, due to my sister's results.

My most surprising result I found was that of the loss around my legs, and my waist. Those were the areas I lost the most. I noticed less plumage around my side, and my jeans are loose around my legs when they didn't use to be. My jeans are loose around the waist too.

Here are the inward results:

• Edema practically gone
• Circulation in my legs improved
• Energy improved
• Sleep improved
• All around good feeling in my body
• Complexion clearer
• Rings fit better
• Wrists seem smaller
• Noticeable slimming of the face/neck area
• Shirts fit better (some are now a bit big)
• Desire to snack less
• Food attachment significantly less
• Sugar cravings are reduced
• Emotional stability improved
• Vaginosis reduced, and thanks to a probiotic has stopped completely (I feel so normal!)
• Stronger nails
• Asthma improved
• No longer sluggish feeling
• No grogginess upon awaking
• Increased libido
• Less bloating
• Less gas
• Improved  mood
• Improved optimism
• Less stress effect
• Fewer mood swings
• Improved body image
• Improved self esteem
• Improved confidence
• Less reliance on the scale
• Feeling in control of what I eat
• Clearer thinking
• Faster reaction time
• Higher productivity
• Falling asleep faster
• Less night sweats
• No more restless legs
• Energy levels are even and higher
• No longer need to eat every 2 hours
• Less sugar/caffeine needed to amp up energy
• Healthier relationship with food
• Mindful eating practices
• Consistently reading labels
• Eating to satiety and listening better to my body
• Food is no longer a reward/punishment/stress/comfort
• Food no longer has "side effects"
• Healthy coping strategies to deal with cravings
• No food guilt/shame
• Indulges are deliberate and I savor it
• More knowledge of nutrition
• Meal prep more organized (still not perfect)

That's all I'll list for now. :D Long list!!

Overall, I feel so much better about food, about my body, about cooking and being more organized. I feel like I still have room to improve and grow on, so I'm going to continue on to another 30 days, I might stop and indulge if I feel like I want to (it is going to be Halloween, after all). I just need to remember to savor it, and don't lose control.

I need to maintain my attitude about the food and why I'm doing this, for the next 30 days. It won't be as concrete, as I am going to indulge if I feel like it, but if I'm not in the right mindset I won't do it.

Conscious eating, mindful indulgence, and better feeding my body with the nutrients and energy it needs to go through the day.

Those are my results, and like I said I'll probably post weekly through the next month, and do the reintroduction when I feel like I won't blow my hard work on a bunch of junk food that really isn't worth it. Plus, the side effect my sister had I really am secretly (not so secretly now) hoping for.

So....about those daily posts...

Today is Day 30.

What happened?

Work. Work happened. I have been super busy and with overtime required I didn't have a whole lot of time and I also spaced it a few times to blog. Eventually I just stopped and it suddenly was day 28, so I decided to just wait until the end and give my summary of the days. I won't list them here, however I will do some highlights of a few days. I will be posting my results tomorrow.

I've posted the day 15 I had, and so I'll be summarizing from day 16 to 30.

This is when I sort of stopped keeping track of what I ate. Not that I went off plan, it just got so repetitive and I was busy, so I just kept doing my thing.

Breakfasts mostly consisted of homefries/fried eggs and fritattas, sometimes just fruit and a larabar.

Lunches/dinners were prepped on my days off and enjoyed for both lunch and dinner. I tried the chicken meatballs, the shepherd's pie, curry chicken, I attempted to eat out one day-it's amazing when you order it differently how much can go wrong- and the chicken salad.

Whatever you choose from these recipes...they are all good. Not one that I've made has turned out gross or weird or just not good. They are ALL wonderful. Honestly. SO GOOD. I've raved about it to my coworkers and there is one where she is super intrigued and feels sorry for me, but honestly it's not too bad.

However...

There were some days I struggled and I was mad and frustrated and wanted to break. Like the time I was visiting my sisters around day 20/21. We did this wonderful painting class and it was so much fun and they were hungry afterward and there was a lovely French shop a few doors down they wanted to stop in to. They had Macrons. *insert rainbow eyed emoji* I had found them. After many bakery stop ins and inquiries about macrons, here it was, a French shop with huge macrons. I was mad. Infuriated. I couldn't believe that after ALL THIS TIME, there they were. When I couldn't have them. I wasn't outwardly showing much at first, because I knew I wasn't going to pick them up. I knew I wouldn't buy any. Saving them would be detrimental, and this shop will always be there and so I didn't feel the need to break this because of those. But I was frustrated about missing the opportunity. I contemplated taking a break, but the whole 30 book about taking those breaks entered my mind and I decided it wasn't worth it. So I just wandered around the shop while everyone else bought something to eat.

There was another time, shortly afterward, where there was a big emotional day. Day 23. A few days after that macron debacle, it had come time to put our dog down. Our goofy, doopy, funny looking, suffering in pain bassett hound. My husband had finally found a Saturday where he could take her to Emporia and lay her to rest in the same field as he placed her sister years and years ago.

That. was difficult. Even worse was to explain why she couldn't smell the flowers after we buried her to my daughter. She was probably more upset that I was losing it than actually losing the dog. She's a tough cookie.

I was actually having irrational thoughts after leaving that town, it was hard to get through.

I really wanted to get ice cream. Another one of those, "I'm not here that often and this is always a treat" sort of situations, and especially with the loss, I was struggling not to delve into comfort food. I did get a burger though, which was ok. They forgot the mustard.

It's really not worth it to eat out. There's not much on plan foods there. Just a tip.

After all those experiences, I went back to work and normal life and I was able to keep my strength and move forward. I find I am slowly disconnecting from going to food for comfort, boredom, etc.

Lately I feel like I've been wanting the things I've been missing out on, namely sweets and baked goods.

Today doesn't feel like the end. Due to the fact that I want those things like cookies and cakes and everything my body doesn't need, I will be continuing this journey until I no longer feel that need to indulge. I will probably take a break for holidays, but I will do it with control, and really contemplate if it is worth it to have it before indulging. I'm not promising daily blogs, however I can commit to weekly at least. I will be notating anything note worthy about the days, especially how I feel and if I had any cravings or even if I caved. Because I stayed strong during the whole 30, I will have to re-commit to the next month and keep that mindset of the goal I want to reach. I feel if I don't set a goal and keep my mindset, I will go off plan and I'll give up. I need to remain strong. I will figure it out and then post it in the results post tomorrow.

Day 15: Week 3 is here!

This is so crazy that I'm on week 3 already.

Breakfast I made the poached eggs/homefries and it was yum as usual.

Lunch I had chicken meatballs with the cauliflower mash-I don't think I'll eat mashed potatoes ever again! (Whoa, really?)

Dinner I had leftovers of the shepherd's pie I had a taste of yesterday. SO GOOD. Also, NOT fruit! Yay!! :)

My cooking like a fiend has paid off! Also, using the chopper is a serious time saver. I'll definitely have to plan in advance again. I didn't exactly schedule for 3 meals per day, which is why I just resorted to fruit for dinner. I still didn't schedule for 3 meals but I'm just having leftovers because, why not?

Today I was tired. SO tired. And moody, and glum. In a funk! Long day at work, just bleh. All over. It felt like Monday.

I think I need to refresh my memory about how awesome this is and how awesome I'll feel when this is done and the habits I'm breaking right now. I am losing momentum a bit today.

I hope the moods change soon, I can't be sounding glum at work!!

Mmmmm shepherd's pie.....

Day 13: Uh...

Yeah day 13 kinda flew by me too. Man is it still foggy or am I just not doing as well as I need to? All I wrote down was what I had for breakfast: poached eggs and homefries.

I also noted that I went for a walk, my energy levels are more even and that digestion isn't the best still. I still get bouts of constipation and loose stools. It's weird and I don't get it but we're rolling with it. I think I need to read the book more,  I think I'll get more insight about eating habits.

So since I didn't really write what I had, we'll call it a wash and an oh well,  plus a learning experience.

It's a long journey, there will be mistakes. I am not perfect and Thats OK. 

Day 14: Temptation Station

Last day of week 2!

Crazy how fast this is going by.

Breakfast was poached eggs and homefries, I also used garlic powder for a different flavor. It's also supposed to have green bell peppers but I didn't have any.

Lunch was a taste of the shepherds pie which was super good and curry chicken with root veg. Not as good as the first time, however I also was cooking all day so I was worn out.

Perk: lunch/dinner for the next few days!

It's nice to have leftovers to go to if I need it. Maybe dinner will stop being an apple. 

Maybe.

I did fit in a walk, and I was standing most of the day because I was cooking the two meals to be more prepared. I utilized my vidalia chopper! Saves me so much time.

I'm tired today. I want junk again, which means I need to remind myself of why I'm doing this and push forward.

Day 10: There's a Problem

So I did some grocery shopping, and at closing time for the fish deli (I guess?), I picked up some fresh atlantic salmon. Farm raised. Yeah, I know it wasn't wild caught. But that stuff was 12.99/lb. Pocket book takes precedence over awesome salmon. This stuff was still yummy. 2 little filets cost me under $5. Yes, I had to skin it myself, however the flavor is just so much better fresh. I might get more.

So I had the salmon for breakfast with poached eggs and grapes, and for lunch I had the other filet with homefries. It was good! Not as eye popping as the recipes from the book, but good none the less. I really want to make the hollandaise with it for next week (note to self).

For dinner: An apple.

There's the problem.

Currently I have 2 hours per day of mandatory overtime at work. That gets me home at 630, and when I get home all I do is feed the dogs, feed my daughter and by that time I have maybe a half an hour to prepare something for dinner if I even feel like cooking. There is no stopping when you work full time and you're a mom. Because I'm lazy, I don't cook. I take that half an hour and unwind. I should really put that time away for when B is in bed, but then there are other requirements after bed time. I need to figure this out. This is a problem. I can't be having just fruit at bedtime. I think it's better than nothing, but I need to have something planned for dinner.

This will be a continued struggle between me feeling lazy and also my trying to be awesome and productive 99% of the day.

This is hard.

No, this is not hard. You can do this.

At the end of the day, I was wiped. I get up at 6 ish in the morning to feed the dogs, let them go potty, I start to get breakfast going, I feed B and get her ready for school, then I finish getting ready for work, we're out the door to drop her off at school and then I'm off to work.

So busy.

But I can do this. I need to do this. I need to figure out how to get some sort of dinner prepared.

We'll see how day 11 goes.