Whole30 2.0: Couples Challenge

I you know me or read my blog (or maybe both!), then you know that back in June, I completed a Whole30 Challenge.

If you don't know what a Whole30 is, let me give you the quick and dirty summary:

• 30 days
• Real Food
• No sugar, dairy, soy, carbs, or processed food
• Incredible metabolism reboot
• You must make a plan!

That is the Whole30 in a nutshell. If you want to know ALL about it, read about the Whole30 on their website, where you can download all the information needed to complete the challenge; it's free and not a gimmick.


I completed a Whole30 this past summer with great success. You can read about my adventures here, here, here, here, and here.

When I finished my Whole30, I was 15 pounds lighter, had higher energy levels, and just generally felt amazing! I was so pleased with my results, and I can tell you this: I lost another 15 pounds after the Whole30 was over, just because my metabolism was rebooted after all the disastrous hormone tinkering of the previous year.

Hubster participated in what he termed "a third of a 30" last June, and by this, he meant that he ate Whole30 dinners with me. But he still had toast at breakfast and lunch wherever he pleased. But about two months ago, he suggested that we do a Whole30, and this time, he would be all in.

I have to admit, I am apprehensive about taking on a Whole30 during my working life. If you are a teacher, are married to a teacher, or have a close friend as a teacher, then you know how all-consuming the job can be, and how sometimes things like careful meal planning go out the window when you have a stack of papers to grade that is oh-so-tall.

But Hubster and I are going to get a Whole30 done, which means that I have gone into full planning mode to get ready for it.

The tough part about the Whole30, in my opinion, is staying ahead of your hunger. By this, I mean having a careful plan so that when you are hungry or busy or on the move, you have access to the kind of food you can eat. This is the only way to keep from cheating on the middle of a Whole30 and having to start again--because really, no one wants to say they lost their self-control over a bag of pork rinds, just because you got to that I'm-so-hangry-I-can't-think point while at the gas station.

When I plan for a Whole30, I take a day-by-day approach. I print out the Whole30 shopping list and a weekly calendar.

And let me just say this about the shopping list--I know it sounds super by the book and nerdy to do this, but seriously--the Whole30 shopping list has some awesome ideas on it for things to buy, like fruits and veggies that would never occur to me otherwise.

I sit down and plan out ALL the meals for the week, as well as write down all the events and such we have planned. This helps me figure out how I need to plan around things like dinners out or evening class or project night.

We're planning to begin our Whole30 journey on the Monday after the Superbowl. You know, get our last kicks in with hot wings and drinks, then take our thirty days of clean eating by storm. I am excited to see how many inches and pounds we can shed, as well as experience the energy boost and mental clarity that comes with operating on real, good food.

To give you an idea of the delicious food you can eat on the Whole30, here's a peek at some of our menu items:

• steak and mushrooms
• stir fry and cauliflower rice
• roasted cauliflower and red pepper soup
• stuffed bell peppers
• beef kabobs
• coconut curry chicken
• salmon patties with roasted veggies
• pot roast
• eggs with sweet potato home fries

These are just a few of the delicious recipes that will provide us with some tasty eats over our Whole30. Check out their website for more information, or ask me about the Whole30--I am a big believer in what it can do for you because I know what it did for me.

Cheers to Whole30!

Whole30: DAY 30!!!!!

My final day is here!!!!

I can hardly believe that the past 30 days have come and gone, and that Hubster and I are headed to the tropics in just TWO days time!!! 

Overall, I have to say this: Whole30 rocked. my. socks. 

It sounded intimidating and tough at the outset, but now that I am at the end, I have discovered several awesome truths about my life through this process. And I can honestly and whole-heartedly recommend the Whole30 to anyone wanting to take a hard look at their nutritional habits and health. 

Here are some of my deep (and not-so-deep) thoughts about my Whole30: 

1. Sugar is EVERYWHERE. And I used to eat more than I needed to. Seriously, it's everywhere, lurking in foods and products that are often labeled with nefarious things like "no sugar added." Pickles, spices, olives, canned food, drinks...to name just a few. But the Whole30 not only caused me to be aware of this in a BIG way, it's also killed my inner Sugar Dragon. Okay...maybe not killed. Forced into hibernation, how's that? I don't have the sugar cravings that I once was plagued with, and that feels pretty stinkin' awesome. 
2. I have better self-control than I thought I did. When I began Whole30, I expected to struggle more with wanting things I couldn't have. But honestly, once I committed to taking the plunge and made a plan (Emphasis added because this is the KEY to success. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. For real), I was all in. Like the Whole30 literature says, it really isn't that hard. It is, but keeping life in perspective is important, and as they point out, things like giving birth or losing loved ones are WAY more difficult than having a cup of coffee in the morning with no milk or sugar. The trick really is to be prepared so you are not caught in the candy aisle at Walmart when you haven't eaten for 4 hours, you're having cramps, and there's no compliant snack in your bag...
3. My tastes have changed. I don't feel cheated by drinking plain iced tea anymore. Not to say that I won't be looking forward to some coconut palm sugar or honey in my tea tomorrow, but I can easily pass over sugary drinks for a water or a plain iced tea without feeling pangs of self-denial. 
4. I have SO MUCH MORE ENERGY. This has blown me away! I am naturally an introvert, so lots of time around people or really harried schedules tend to cause me to struggle with my energy levels. Since I am a teacher, this is an issue for me. Hubster has often times teased me about becoming a hermit, because during the school year, I could stay home ALL WEEKEND and be perfectly contented not to talk to a soul aside from him. But the Whole30 has changed my energy levels, and that rocks! I spent my week in Laramie running at a breakneck pace, and after the first day, I fully expected to feel cranky over my early morning and late night days. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was okay. Better than okay, really--I was totally on it! My body has become more efficient at using the fuel I give it, and I am not experiencing the sugar/carb highs that are accompanied by the afternoon crash/fog/coma. 
5. I've lost weight (HOORAY!!!!!). Now, let me caveat this statement: I have not weighed myself since the day before Day 1, but my clothes and the mirror definitely say that some poundage has changed. I am not one to obsess about the numbers on the scale, but I am one to obsess about how I feel, and I have felt not-so-great since a hormone shot I was given in the course of fertility stuff. I packed an extra 20 pounds on in the three months after that shot, and that 20 pounds decided to stay. So for the past year and a half, I have been unable to lose that weight, despite diet changes, exercise, anything! Talk about frustrating...But my nurse practitioner suggested that the hormone shot had actually slowed my metabolism down, so the Whole30 was a logical choice to help my body reset my metabolism. SUCCESS!!!! 
6. I have learned a whole slew of new cooking techniques and acquired all kinds of new, delicious recipes that I love. As I am lactose-intolerant, so many Whole30 recipes are already up my alley because they use coconut cream and milk for everything. I love the rich protein of the dishes, and so many can be easily modified by adding rice or pasta if you want some "normal" food added in there. I loved garnering new skills and recipes to add to my repertoire. 
7. As I often tell my students, most things in life worth having or doing (marriage, children, jobs, hobbies, etc.) require work. And healthy eating is no different. You have to put the work in and sometimes make the sacrifices for the good of yourself and your body. It's not always fun, it ain't always pretty, but it is the way it works. In our impatient, instant-gratification society, this is a hard concept to grasp (and sometimes tough to explain to people) but it is ultimately the best way to accomplish real and lasting change. 
8. I am planning to continue on a Whole30-ish kind of diet from now on. Everyone keeps asking what I am going to have first tomorrow (probably some sugar or honey in my tea, in all reality), but I can honestly say that I am not just dying to EAT. ALL. THE. THINGS. I am excited to head off on this vacay and eat some great food and drink some delicious beverages, but I'm not planning to binge on...anything really. I love the way I feel on this diet, and while it's...inconvenient sometimes, I want to hang on to this awesome feeling. So I plan to keep on this way, adding small things back, like the luxury of eating a snack from the gas station, or eating at a restaurant without overthinking the dressing. Despite the way I love food, I love this feeling I have even more, and if these eating habits are the ones to help me feel this way, I am all over it. 
9. I LOVE ALMOND BUTTER, CASHEW QUESO, FREEZE DRIED FRUIT, AND WATERMELON. Seriously. I didn't know these things before Whole30. But I am so glad that I know it now. Oh, AND: Okay, this is not a revelation for plenty of people, but it is for me: Balsamic Vinegar and Light Olive Oil are my new favorite salad dressing. For real. 
10. I am of the opinion that you could potentially rename Whole30 into WholeAvacado...

That's my wisdom for now :-) I will be updating on the before and after weights soon! 

Anyone else been working the Whole30? Thoughts or ideas? 

Cheers, 

R-Lib

Whole30: Day 20

I am almost there!!!!!

Hard to believe that 20 days have gone by, but they have and I am feeling good.

I have been really pleased to find that the Whole30 has done some great things for me: I have more energy, my stomach has felt great, fewer headaches, and my allergies even seem to have receded some.

Meal planning has become a little less arduous, though being on the road for the second time during this plan has caused me some challenges, that's for sure!

I am looking forward to some delicious food over the 4th of July and then the end of this crazy 30 days on the 6th, which will be just in time for the big getaway that Hubster and I have planned!

Happy Whole30!

10 days and counting...

Cheers,

R-Lib

Whole30: Gearing Up to Travel

When I decided to do the Whole30, I knew that I would be leaving home for a week in the middle of it. Yes, I realize that this was not the best planning, but let's be real here--there is no best time to do the Whole30. If I waited to have a clear month to do it, I would never do it. So I picked the summertime trip that I thought would be the most manageable for my Whole30 and went with it.

I leave home on Sunday for a week of Master's class in Wyoming's favorite college town. Today I suffered from some "food fatigue" and felt a little overwhelmed by the task before me. So, in typical Type-A fashion, I decided to sit down and make a plan.

My awesome Whole30 plan for a week away from home

While I am away from home for this class, I am staying in this adorable little one bedroom apartment, which provides me with a kitchen. Since I have resources at my disposal, I am taking a kit of supplies and food from home, which I will then supplement with fresh fruits and veggies from the local grocery store.

Here's a handful of things from my packing list:

• canned coconut milk
• olive oil
• jar of homemade Whole30 ranch
• jar of homemade mayo
• farm fresh eggs (from our coop)
• pork chops, sausage, bacon (from our recently processed pig)
• mason jars--for mixing of saving food
• my Thirty-One Lunch bag

There's much more to my list, including a meal plan for the week. I have no doubt that I will tweak the meal plan and have to adjust accordingly as things come up. But having it all written down makes it all feel much more manageable! 

I have also been giving a lot of thought to how to handle my social interactions while away from home. I am a little bummed to know that I am heading back to my old college town and hanging out with the other awesome people in my Master's cohort while not partaking of the delicious food and drink that will be available to me.

One of the first tough social moments for me has already happened, in fact. We have a welcome dinner the first night in town and the email regarding that went out with a request for food restrictions or needs. YIKES!!! What do you say to that?

I debated for a while before I emailed back. I can hardly email a list that says: no dairy, no sugar, no rice, no wheat/gluten, and no legumes. So, I tried a different tactic. I said that I have some odd dietary restrictions and asked if they wouldn't mind letting me know what was on the planned menu, and then I can plan accordingly for myself.

Now that I have my Whole30 plan down on paper, I feel better about next week. Travel always throws you curveballs, whether it be from a schedule change or just plain old fatigue, so having a plan makes me feel like doing the Whole30 away from home is actually achievable.

Cheers,

R-Lib

Whole30: Day 5

It's Day 5 of my Whole30, and I have to say, I am feeling pretty good!

Days 2 and 3 were rough--as the Whole30 Book warned me, I had a headache and just felt...cruddy! But Day 4 improved and Day 5 is going well too.

Hubster is great at always supporting me, and this project is no different. He's been happily eating dinner with me each night, and has been pleasantly surprised at the hearty portions of meat I've been fixing up.

So far, we have eaten delicious food: grilled salmon with green beans, coconut curry chicken, chimichurra beef kabobs and broccoli slaw. I am planning some pork chops and apple butter for supper tonight.

The real beauty of taking part in the Whole30 has been the knowledge that I've gained from it. I have been appalled to realize that our food industry really does not have our best interests in mind. There is so much added sugar in things that have no business containing sugar.

For example, I've discovered that several of the spice blends in my cabinet contain sugar, such as lemon pepper, garlic salt, and veggie seasoning. What on earth?!?! Why does my garlic salt need sugar?

The answer: it doesn't.

I have also been dismayed to find that certain foods, such as olives, are canned with a preservative that contains sugars. What's really interesting about this, however, is that the "natural" brand of canned olives, right next to the regular olives, is canned using only salt water. So again, I ask, what on earth? Why do my olives need sugar?

The answer: they don't.

So as I sit here contemplating my 5 days of the Whole30, I am happy to report that I am pleased with the results so far, and can't wait to continue on this journey.

Whole30: Day One

I am thrilled to report that I've lived through day one of the Whole30.

I have spent the last week getting ready for this day, so I am pleased that it went well. 

The menu was simple and surprisingly delicious:

Breakfast: Fried eggs, pork sausage, sweet potato home fries

Lunch: Turkey Avocado wrap with carrots, almond butter and veggies

Dinner: Grilled steaks with sautéed mushrooms, green beans and grilled avocado

I have no doubt that this journey will get tougher as the days go by and my "sugar dragon" demands to be fed. But that being said, I am really looking forward to this process and the end results. 

Part of struggling through these fertility issues has involved dealing with my stomach issues, and I have great hope that Whole30 will help both these conditions. 

So here's to the next 30 days of clean eating! 

Cheers, 

R-Lib