Happy Monday & Day 22!!!

Happy Monday! It's almost April and officially Easter week! I love Easter! Time is flying and I am trying to cherish every waking moment because before we know it summer will be here! The weekend weather was fabulous and I was semi-productive; organized the pantry to be more "paleo", went on a walk outside, spent time with friends and prepped food for the week. 

We are here at Day 22 and I cannot believe it! A little recap of how my Whole30 Journey has gone:

Week 1-2: 

Major detox for me, hormones were balancing out/shifting as in (I was a little hormonal hot mess), but thankfully that has balanced out. Bloating and overall feeling like my pants were just a little tighter than normal (which is normal, read the book). I also had a little bit of breaking out on my face, exhaustion/tired, and really just overall out of sorts. I was not feeling too hot, still having some digestive issues and really in a nut shell my body was trying to re-figure out what the heck was going on. Let's just say, I am very glad the first two weeks are over! :)

Week 3: 

Hitting my groove, as I like to say. Energy increased, waking up early to workout was still hard at first, but had more sustainable energy throughout the day, started seeing physical differences in my body, hormones/emotions started balancing out and the mental process of eating "healthy" did not and still does not seem foreign to me. I am starting to hit the point where eating "whole30/paleo" is just what I do, it's what I eat and I know it makes me feel better. 

Do I feel 100% yet? No, but that's because I'm not done. I still have a little over a week and I'm excited to see what these last 8 days hold for me. I am so beyond happy that I am doing this program, and to see and feel the difference in my body has been so rewarding. As you all know I have wanted to do Whole30 many of times.. and failed. But this time, I was determined and told myself, it's 30 days. It's going to change my life, and so far it has. 

Whole30 Tips

As many of you know I have entered the world of Whole30 and am LOVIN it! I can't say it enough, if you are wanting to update your lifestyle habits please give this a try. Is it hard, yes. Will you want to quit, probably but is knowing you are making your body healthier forever worth it, YES. 

I wanted to give a few tips on what has helped us stick with the program.

*images from pinterest.com

1. I highly recommend reading the book. It gives you so much detail on why food is good/bad for you, how to do the program, recipes, tips and so much more. This really helped me because it helped me understand WHY you are doing this program. Knowing that I was making food choices because it impacted my health has really helped me stick with the program.

2. PLAN AHEAD. I can almost guarantee that if you do not plan/prep ahead you will not be able to complete this program. Don't quote me on that and I'm sure there's some super human out there that's able to wing it, but not me folks. I need to have food in the refrigerator, lunch planned out and "emergency" snacks in the event that I won't be home. This is key, and this is one of the most important things. I always make sure I have bacon pre-cooked in the fridge (we bake the entire package for the week and then warm it up on the stove when getting ready to eat), veggies pre-cut, fruit ready to go and chicken, beef, sausage ready to go.

3. If possible, buy in bulk. If you have a Costco or Sam's membership I highly suggest buying in bulk. You can buy organic eggs and meat at Costco and I think the price is much better than if you were to buy that much at a regular store. Just saying.... 

4. Be patient with yourself and the program. I'm not done yet, but going through the detox, slowly seeing results and some days still feeling tired are all normal... for me ;) Be patient with yourself, your body and the program. We are so used to "quick fixes" today that we don't even give things a chance to see results. This is your life. 

5. If possible, do the program with a partner! This is just a bonus, but for me, having my husband do the program with me has been so nice and extra motivating. Having someone right there to eat the same foods as you, help you when you're feeling down and just encourage/motivate you along the way has been an extra bonus, and I'm loving it!

I hope this has been helpful! If you've started, way to go!! If you're thinking about it- do it! 

Day 15- a huge breakthrough!!!

Today marks day 15 of my Whole30 Journey! Wow, I have good news people, today I feel NORMAL. Today I have reached a different level and I am beyond thrilled to tell you there is light at the end of the tunnel. I actually feel happy. Literally, I actually feel like I like people again! ;) 

My husband and I are officially 1/2 way through the program and I am truly proud of us. I am not going to lie when I say the past 14 days of detox have been absolutely horrendous, painful, psycho/crazy awful. Today, waking up and looking at the world in a happy manner again makes me realize how insane these last 14 days of detox have been, I truly don't think I realized it until I reached the "light" today. This may sound totally dramatic, which it probably is, but honestly I have feel so.much.better. today. And to think, I'm not even finished with the program yet! WOOOHOOO! Eating healthy foods is not as hard as it was, I still get the occasional cravings, but I've decided, it's not really that I crave unhealthy foods, sometimes it just seems easier to eat unhealthy. Especially in social settings, but it's really not even that the foods look appetizing. 

Over the weekend I still had low energy, mood swings, some food cravings and bloating. Today I woke up with some detox stomach issues again, not stomach aches (like I used to have) just going to the bathroom....

Today I have:

energy

clarity

happy mood

motivation

*cleaned my house

*worked out

and it's not even 9:00am. ;)

I encourage anyone who reads this blog, which is probably all 5 of you, to read through the whole30.com program and consider it for yourself. Our meals have stayed pretty simple, quick and easy, that just works best for us. Here's an example of a typical food day:

Breakfast:

Tea

Eggs

Bacon

1/2 Avocado

Potatoes

Spinach

Lunch:

Chicken Sausage

veggies (cucumber & carrots)

potatoes

avocado or green olives

If hungry: 

Larabar (apple)

Dinner:

Chicken

Sautéed broccoli

potatoes

1/2 avocado

apple

WATER. WATER. WATER. WATER.

We switch out our meals, always try to stick with organic and if we eat out we end up at Chipotle for a salad. Here's to a great week! :)

DAY 10!!!! WHOLE 30 JOURNEY.....

People of America... this is an urgent announcement. I am officially on DAY 10 of my Whole30 Journey! This is officially the farthest I have ever gone and I'm feeling pretty darn excited about it! (Minus the Shark Tank episode I watched this morning where the product was Cake balls.) I may or may not have wanted to jump through the tv and eat every.single.one. 

But... anyways back to my post ;)

Ok, where were we. I left off with Day 8 which was Monday. I had slightly more energy but Day 9 and Day 10 (today) is when I have felt an energy shift. I am still having random cravings but I feel fully invested this time. 

*What I am about to write next is slightly TMI but... if you're annoyed you can click out. ;) The major difference and I think hurdle I am facing so far with this Whole30 Journey is that it has thrown off my cycle. (NO, NOT PREGNANT). My hormones have been ALL KINDS OF CRAZY! I can literally go from happy-sad-emotional-irritable-irate-annoyed-crying-laughing, all in about 3 seconds. I'm not kidding people, my hormones are out of control. I have done eating plan similar to this before and the same thing happened to me, so I know this is a tell tale sign my hormones need a firm correcting, which is another huge reason I must stick to this plan. I can tell I am literally re-wiring my body- for good!

These last two days, like I said I have seen an increase in energy but I have definitely had some of the bloating, gas, stomach issues they said would happen. I will leave it at that and let your imagination take over. ;) I haven't had my sparkles/sunshine/aha moment yet, but I know it's coming.

Last 2 days recap:

1. More energy
2. Emotions still crazy
3. bloating/gas
4. still some food cravings, but no actual desire to eat the bad food
5. still working out

Whole30 Journal... Day 8

Happy Monday! I am not gonna lie, I was not excited about this Monday, the weather and weekend were all just too perfect! Can you believe this weather we're having?? Well, here we are ladies and gents, day 8. If you haven't read the beginning of my journey click here. 

Let me recap from day 5. The weekend wasn't too bad, and I definitely feel like I am hitting a rhythm. Foods definitely still look delicious and I crave the strangest things still, that I don't even normally eat to begin with (donuts?!) but now that I'm starting week 2 it just doesn't feel natural or normal to even eat something bad or unhealthy. This may just be the "moment" I'm in right now...

I am still pretty tired, actually I take that back I am like a walking zombie that hasn't slept in centuries  I could easily go to bed around 9 every night and sleep till 9 every morning, obviously that's not happening as I have to get to work and we workout in the mornings BUT whatever. We are still waking up and working out in the morning, and if we're not able to get up early we at least workout sometime during the day. I am excited to see what changes I have this week, if any. 

Not gonna lie, the emotions have still been on a roller coaster ride, that's probably been one of the biggest (next to being EXHAUSTED) change I have felt. Imagine PMS hormones on steroids, that's pretty much how I have felt. Yea, I know it's bad. 

If you are on the edge of thinking about doing Whole30 definitely give it a try. Visit their website and you will be convinced that this is definitely worth every minute of torture re-wiring your body for health and success. Start spring with a bang. Start Whole30 and change your life. You will not regret it.

Have a great week! And Remember: 

Day 5- Whole 30 Journey

Happy Friday!!! I LOVE me some Fridays!! If you are new you can read my first post here about starting Whole30. It has been a long time coming, but this time I really am determined to complete an entire Whole30. My husband is doing it with me, so support system is key.

I promised I would keep an updated journal of my whole journey, so today I am recapping Day 5. Well, technically today is day 5 but you get the point. We started on Monday and this week has been on/off what I thought it would be like. To be honest I thought it would be a lot harder. Headaches, check. Cravings, check. Exhaustion, double check. Yes... all of these have been symptoms this week and it has been a pretty low energy week. Or maybe it's because my husband still makes me wake up at 5:30 to go workout?! 

#1 I have definitely noticed low energy this week. I am exhausted by 9pm and can barely wake up in the mornings. I am hoping over the next week my energy levels increase!! Cravings have been good and bad, it depends on the day and what we've got going. When at work and on a "regular" schedule cravings aren't too bad, it's when we're out and about that I just want to eat anything and everything in sight. It's pretty funny actually- things I never even crave I am drooling over! 

I will say the key for me is having a partner to do this with. I am so thankful my husband decided to do the Whole30 with me, because to be honest I probably would have caved by now. It makes it so much easier knowing that the meals we make we both are eating and we can keep each other in check. My emotions have been.... crazy, psycho, hormonal, emotional a little off. To say the least, one minute I want to be left alone, the next minute I want my husband to hold me, the next minute I'm hot, then cold. This guy... he gets an award ;)

I am writing all of this NOT to scare you, but to be honest. And really it excites me to feel this way because it shows me my body is truly trying to detox and correct itself from all the crud I have filled it with. Knowing that there's another side to this and looking forward to the "shift" in how I feel is what excites and motivates me!! 

If you have started or are thinking about starting: you can do it. Trust me when I say, if I can do this, you can too!! PLAN AHEAD. Stay focused and remember the reasons you want to complete this program!

Pictures found on Pinterest.com

Dreaming of summer

Ahhh... summer. I am loving the mild weather and am so excited for spring and summer!! One of many house projects we have upcoming this year is our side yard. Our yard is not very big, so a full grassy lawn is not in our future. Below are some of my ideas and wish lists. Mainly I want a place for white lights, comfy furniture and a fire pit. I love the look of grass growing in-between the concrete, although I don't think my husband finds that all too realistic with our yard, but hey a girl can dream, right?? I love white lights in a backyard, to me it screams: SUMMER, SMORES AND LATE NIGHTS!! And by late nights I mean I'm usually in bed by 9:30 

*All pictures from Pinterest and Houzz.com

I'm not sure the built in benches would work for us, but don't you love this look?? And again, love the fire pit!

We are definitely wanting a fire pit, but again our yard is pretty tiny. So, something similar to below is  more what I'm thinking! thoughts? 

If these pictures don't get you excited for summer, well I don't know what else would! When we complete our project I will definitely post our finished product! :)

Whole30 Journey... for real this time.

Let me preface this post by saying I am 100% aware that I have said I am doing Whole30 many times before, but this time is for real. This time I have no excuses. This time I am prepared (slightly dreading it) but ready for the journey. I am tired of having stomach aches all the time, I am tired of being tired, I am tired of inflammation in my hip, I am tired of random acne breakouts and I am tired of my excuses. I am so excited because my husband has decided to do it with me this time, so we are tag teaming it and it is so helpful! 

We went grocery shopping yesterday (easiest grocery trip ever)! Meat, vegetables, eggs, fruit and healthy fats. Done.

I will be documenting my Whole30 journey on this blog and give my honest opinions, feedback and difficulties. I will be honest throughout my journey and when I say I feel like crap I will truly mean I feel like crap! ;)

Today is Day 1. Today has been easy so far. Although it's only 10:30 in the morning... We woke up, worked out and had our first meal.

Meal 1:

Eggs cooked with ghee

Avocado

Bacon

Sauteed spinach

tea (unsweetened)

Water

There you have it ladies and gents. Our first meal and 2 more to come. If you are on the fence or have absolutely no desire to complete this plan I challenge you to change your mind and give it a try. I highly recommend reading the book because it helps you understand the reason/point of completing this program. 

Dreaming of Spring

When life gives you winter.... dream about spring. I have said it a thousand times and I'll say it again. This girl is not a fan of winter. As in, if winter were a real person we wouldn't be friends, acquaintances, Facebook friends, followers on Instagram. nothing. I would pretend it never existed. But... since winter is not a person and I have to deal with it I will just hide in my house and dream about spring. Spring style is just my cup of tea. Below are some of my spring inspirations and items I will be adding to my closet. 

I have been looking for the perfect denim shirt. I have one but the fit is a little too loose, I want one more structured. Even at the mall the other day I just couldn't find the perfect one. If you know of a good one, let me know! 

My boyfriend jeans I found at Amerian Eagle years ago, but go pretty much anywhere and you will find boyfriend jeans. Pair them with converse, like the picture below and it just screams spring to me!

I have a vest similar to the one below but am looking for a comfortable striped dress. I have one but it's a little short and probably inappropriate for anywhere other than the pool ;) I am a fan of this one at Old Navy- cute, comfortable and casual.

I am obsessed with the patterned shorts and simple tshirt. I am definitely on the hunt for some cute ones come spring! JCrew always has cute shorts, and come spring I know they'll have the perfect ones!

*Pictures courtesy of Pinterest

I hope this has inspired you to de-friend Winter and hop on the Spring Train! :) 

Gut health

Happy Wednesday!! Hope everyone is having a great week! I decided to give some healthful tips for anyone else who suffers with a yucky stomach. I have had stomach problems most of my life, I am always "that" person who can't eat normal foods when out with friends because of my stomach. I actually get severe anxiety when I see people eating cheesy/smothered burritos, or milkshakes or ice cream sundaes or anything else that would cause me hours in the bathroom....... TMI? 

I wanted to give a few helpful tips on what has helped me with my stomach, hoping that it will also help you!

1. Probiotics! Probiotics make a huge difference for me and is something I need to be more consistent with. They help regulate all the gut flora and keep things healthy in there. I'm not a scientist so that's about as "technical" as I get. Make sure you are getting a good/strong probiotic, I really do think it makes a difference. This is probably my favorite brand and I usually will buy these or these. I think either work great, for me honestly it just depends on which ones are on sale! ;) You can find these at WholeFoods, Vitamin Cottage or Sprouts. I know they make a huge difference for me, and whether you have stomach problems or not you should be taking a probiotic! (Again, I'm not a doctor so my statements are not FDA approved) ;)

2. EAT HEALTHY! This is pretty important and something I really struggle with doing on a consistent basis, but I know for me if I"m eating junk then more than likely I feel like junk. I'm a huge paleo fan and STILL want to complete a whole30.com! I mean, when there's donuts, cookies and chips right in front of me I doubt I'll grab the apple instead?! Just saying... 

But in all honestly, for me, staying away from grains, dairy and processed sugar makes a world of a difference for me. If you have never read this blog or heard of Whole30 I challenge you to check it out and give it a try. If you can complete it, you are stronger than me! Really, someday I'm going to do it! ;) No... seriously. 

3. Essential Oils. I am a HUGE obsessed, slightly borderline crazy essential oils fan. I love my essential oils! That's a post in itself, coming soon. I have used both DoTerra Essential Oils and Young Living. Right now, I'm currently using Young Living and I love them! Peppermint and DiGize are great oils for the stomach and I know help SO MUCH when I do actually have a stomach ache. Put in with water and drink or rub on your stomach and I swear it works. Don't knock it till you've tried it!! If you are interested let me know! I could talk to a wall about my essential oils, that's how much I love them! ;)

4. HYDRATE! For me keeping myself hydrated (with water) truly makes a world of a difference for me. If I am getting a stomach ache the pain truly is worse if I'm not hydrated. I have no science to back this up but I know from my own experience keeping myself hydrated every day helps my stomach a lot! 

I hope these were helpful tips for you as I know they've helped me! For those of you with stomach problems... I am right there with ya! You're not alone, we can tackle together!

HAPPY MARCH!!!

Is it just me or is everyone else sick of this cold/freezing/awful/hate it weather?! I've never been big into the snow/cold unless it's Christmas so sunshine and 70's can make an appearance any day now! I cannot believe it's already March 2nd?! Where does the time go? Oh, and if you've been reading this blog you know that I say that almost every time I post. Since the year is pretty much moving full speed ahead I decided to write down some of my March goals. 

1. Focus on my own life. With Facebook, instagram, twitter, vine, pinterest and all other forms of social media it is so easy to get caught up in everyone's life and their "best moments" that you lose sight of your own life. Or maybe that's just me ;) 

2. Choose to focus on the Lord and spend time in my Bible each day or morning.

3. Workout 4x/week (You'll here me say this all the time, but you'll be proud to know I've been sticking with it 3-4x/week!)

4. EAT HEALTHY. I mean, how many stomach aches do I need to get before I realize eating bad is just not my thing. I"m working on it.

5. Plan a get together 1x/week with friends. 

6. Have 2 couples over for dinner. 

7. Read a book. 

Ok, those are my March goals. Pretty attainable I would say. What are your goals this month?