Whole30: Day 2

Just a quick note to say that I successfully survived the day! Here's what I ate:

Breakfast: 3 eggs scrambled with onion, avocado and spinach
Snack: carrot sticks, apple slices and almonds
Lunch: spaghetti squash with beef ragu and salad
Snack: apple slices and almonds
Dinner: pork tenderloin, green beans and a sweet potato (it was all delicious)

I had a pretty low-energy day as I didn't sleep well the night before, but I did make it to a water aerobics class. I had been wanting to try it for a while but the schedule never fit with mine. Today, William's school was canceled and that freed me up to go! It was great. I'm sure I looked terrible and didn't do half of it right, but I had fun and felt good afterwards.

I took a nap today or laid down anyway - not sure if I truly slept but my body was a dead weight and I couldn't move when I intended to get up. That happens a lot for me, so not really diet related.

Chris decided to join me in the diet too! So far so good!

Just a quick note to say that I successfully survived the day! Here's what I ate:

Breakfast: 3 eggs scrambled with onion, avocado and spinach
Snack: carrot sticks, apple slices and almonds
Lunch: spaghetti squash with beef ragu and salad
Snack: apple slices and almonds
Dinner: pork tenderloin, green beans and a sweet potato (it was all delicious)

I had a pretty low-energy day as I didn't sleep well the night before, but I did make it to a water aerobics class. I had been wanting to try it for a while but the schedule never fit with mine. Today, William's school was canceled and that freed me up to go! It was great. I'm sure I looked terrible and didn't do half of it right, but I had fun and felt good afterwards.

I took a nap today or laid down anyway - not sure if I truly slept but my body was a dead weight and I couldn't move when I intended to get up. That happens a lot for me, so not really diet related.

Chris decided to join me in the diet too! So far so good!

For Health and Life

For a while now, I've been thinking about some changes I need to make in my life. My diet specifically. I've become aware of how the things I eat are actually effecting the way I feel (and look). I cannot be in denial any longer. I've realized that in the past six months, my metabolism as changed. It seemed to happen overnight, really. Suddenly I looked down and my shape had changed.

I had joined a gym a year ago and go fairly regularly. If the kids aren't sick and I can get there, I go. Basically two or three times a week. I haven't been able to go on the weekends, it just seems harder for some reason. (Schedule, fun things, chores, naps, etc.) But even with the gym, my eating habits were in charge of my health and the number on the scale never went down. Only up . . . and up.

I had seen friends post about Whole30 and my sister did it a while back. If you haven't heard about it, its basically a reset for your body--for 30 days you only eat whole, natural foods including vegetables, meat, some fruit and healthy fats. No additives, no sugar, no grains, no dairy. All of my very favorite things. I had cut out gluten in 2012 because I was told gluten is related to inflammation of which I was suffering greatly. I did it for over a year and it helped a lot. In 2016 I stayed away from dairy because I was trying to breast feed a dairy sensitive baby and my acne cleared up a lot. So I know the food that goes into my body matters. It makes a difference.

More recently I have noticed (and a friend also pointed out) how much of the kid's food I was eating. Just picking things off their plate or scarfing it down before washing dishes. Extra calories. It all adds up. And if they didn't add up to do damage, they were certainly wrecking my ability to go an hour without eating. I am being honest here. I found myself eating nearly all day long. My ability to judge if I was full or hungry was long gone.

And so was my energy. I haven't been sleeping all that well lately and waking up really tired. Napping helps in the moment but also keeps me up at night. And in general I would say my focus has been lacking . . . and when I lack focus I do a lot of Facebook feed scanning. Not how I want to spend my days.

So, all this is to say is that I am hoping to make changes. Today is Day 1 of my attempt to eat healthy, whole, natural foods and nothing else. (I celebrated this decision by eating two bagels, a cupcake and drinking two beers yesterday.)

My cart from this morning's grocery run: Full before I left the produce section. Success.

Day 1 Stats:

Breakfast: scrambled eggs with avocado 

Morning snack: banana and snap peas

Lunch: chicken breast and roasted green beans

Afternoon Snack: Almonds, apple slices and snap peas

Dinner: Spaghetti squash and homemade beef ragu

Except for breakfast I felt full after each meal/snack. I also drank a lot more water than I usually do. Definitely reached 8 cups! I also had a cup of tea at church (without honey). My cravings didn't really bother me today --I was feeling quite motivated to do well so maybe that helped. 

I don't know if I'll post everyday, but wanted to at least make it known that I had started! 

Day 2 awaits!

For a while now, I've been thinking about some changes I need to make in my life. My diet specifically. I've become aware of how the things I eat are actually effecting the way I feel (and look). I cannot be in denial any longer. I've realized that in the past six months, my metabolism as changed. It seemed to happen overnight, really. Suddenly I looked down and my shape had changed.

I had joined a gym a year ago and go fairly regularly. If the kids aren't sick and I can get there, I go. Basically two or three times a week. I haven't been able to go on the weekends, it just seems harder for some reason. (Schedule, fun things, chores, naps, etc.) But even with the gym, my eating habits were in charge of my health and the number on the scale never went down. Only up . . . and up.

I had seen friends post about Whole30 and my sister did it a while back. If you haven't heard about it, its basically a reset for your body--for 30 days you only eat whole, natural foods including vegetables, meat, some fruit and healthy fats. No additives, no sugar, no grains, no dairy. All of my very favorite things. I had cut out gluten in 2012 because I was told gluten is related to inflammation of which I was suffering greatly. I did it for over a year and it helped a lot. In 2016 I stayed away from dairy because I was trying to breast feed a dairy sensitive baby and my acne cleared up a lot. So I know the food that goes into my body matters. It makes a difference.

More recently I have noticed (and a friend also pointed out) how much of the kid's food I was eating. Just picking things off their plate or scarfing it down before washing dishes. Extra calories. It all adds up. And if they didn't add up to do damage, they were certainly wrecking my ability to go an hour without eating. I am being honest here. I found myself eating nearly all day long. My ability to judge if I was full or hungry was long gone.

And so was my energy. I haven't been sleeping all that well lately and waking up really tired. Napping helps in the moment but also keeps me up at night. And in general I would say my focus has been lacking . . . and when I lack focus I do a lot of Facebook feed scanning. Not how I want to spend my days.

So, all this is to say is that I am hoping to make changes. Today is Day 1 of my attempt to eat healthy, whole, natural foods and nothing else. (I celebrated this decision by eating two bagels, a cupcake and drinking two beers yesterday.)

My cart from this morning's grocery run: Full before I left the produce section. Success.

Day 1 Stats:

Breakfast: scrambled eggs with avocado 

Morning snack: banana and snap peas

Lunch: chicken breast and roasted green beans

Afternoon Snack: Almonds, apple slices and snap peas

Dinner: Spaghetti squash and homemade beef ragu

Except for breakfast I felt full after each meal/snack. I also drank a lot more water than I usually do. Definitely reached 8 cups! I also had a cup of tea at church (without honey). My cravings didn't really bother me today --I was feeling quite motivated to do well so maybe that helped. 

I don't know if I'll post everyday, but wanted to at least make it known that I had started! 

Day 2 awaits!

A Wrinkle In Time

Chris has told me before that he really liked reading A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle and he has even read the graphic novel to William already . . . like a year ago. I had over heard bits and pieces but never really followed it. But when one of the women in my bookclub mentioned it was her favorite book, I decided I should give it a read.

I just finished it this morning and I haven't really been able to process the deeper meaning behind the symbolism, but I did really like it. And it was a lot easier to get into than I had expected. I do hope to spend some time thinking it all through and perhaps I'll read it again.

I typically don't read things that might be categorized as Science Fiction or Fantasy, but I found the science-y bits didn't overwhelm me or distract me from the story. And as I try to describe to you the plot of the story and all it contains, I am at a loss for words. It is other-worldly, and a mystery to be solved, and allegorical of dark forces that need to be fought.

Have you read it? What did you think?

Chris has told me before that he really liked reading A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle and he has even read the graphic novel to William already . . . like a year ago. I had over heard bits and pieces but never really followed it. But when one of the women in my bookclub mentioned it was her favorite book, I decided I should give it a read.

I just finished it this morning and I haven't really been able to process the deeper meaning behind the symbolism, but I did really like it. And it was a lot easier to get into than I had expected. I do hope to spend some time thinking it all through and perhaps I'll read it again.

I typically don't read things that might be categorized as Science Fiction or Fantasy, but I found the science-y bits didn't overwhelm me or distract me from the story. And as I try to describe to you the plot of the story and all it contains, I am at a loss for words. It is other-worldly, and a mystery to be solved, and allegorical of dark forces that need to be fought.

Have you read it? What did you think?