Day 3 - Kill me.

Day 3 and I'm feeling it.  I woke up in the middle of the night with a pounding headache and couldn't sleep well.  I was feeling a bit weak throughout the day yesterday but I pushed through it and bought some groceries to prepare myself for the week ahead.

I remember this period from whole 30.1 but I must have blocked it out.  I have been pretty firm in giving myself space to adjust to this.  Not a lot of socializing (for now) and not a lot of pressure.  I also think it is important to stay away from temptations for the first few days.  I need to keep reminding myself all the reasons I'm doing this.

What helps is I made an absolutely fantastic Beef & Brocolli recipe from The Foodlovers Kitchen. 

Then I followed up with my own spin on a baked apple:
Almond flour
Cinnamon
Pecan Butter
Dried Cranberries
baked inside a hollowed out apple for 30 min.

SO GOOD.



I'm holding on for TIGER BLOOD.

Whole 30.2

Back in November 2012 I decided to try a whole 30 after watching 5 of my friends achieve great success. They spoke of nothing but the wonderful way they felt, looked, slept and ate. I have struggled with my weight my entire life (more on that later) but especially in the last 8 or so years.  I have tried every diet.  Really.  And what attracted me to this diet was the food.  I had to give up a lot of my favorite things: Chips and onion dip, Macaroni and Cheese and beer. But I could still eat Bacon, fruit and steak.    I was sick of being overweight and uncomfortable in my own body.  I lost 16 pounds in 30 days, went back to my hometown for Christmas and ate everything in sight.

Seven or so months later I step on the scale and see I've regained all that lost weight and then added some more. Again, I'm sick of being overweight and uncomfortable in my own body.  This time, it's even more irritating because I KNOW what works, I simply have to do it.  Aside from weight there are many wonderful benefits that I experienced with my first whole 30.  I felt closer to myself than I had in a really long time.  One sticky bun turned into a glass of wine into Indian food take out every week into rice krispie treats at 2 AM.

 I have decided to recommit to the whole 30 (just give it 30 days) and to try again.

I want it to be different this time and I think if I hold myself accountable (through this blog, among other things) the benefits (fitting into my pants, solid sleep and energy, clear skin) will outweigh the sacrifices (no beer, harder to go out with friends and packing a lunch every day.)  I stepped on the scale yesterday and vow not to step on it again until July 29 (I started June 30).  I measured myself, wrote the measurements down, folded them up and put them in a box.  I took a before picture which will be revealed along with an after picture in 29 days.

Let me just say this- my weight is at a high.  My emotions are at a low, my energy is all but depleted.  I have so little desire to do anything.  I want to change, yes but I must change.  Change, for me comes in the form of a lot of little reminders.  Reminders of why I'm doing this, why i can't stop and why this time it has to be different.


I plan to write about the emotional and physical journey this diet way of life will take me on.  I'll even post pictures of some of my more exciting meals.

My dinner, ground hamburger, avocado, sauteed sweet potato and red pepper, kiwi, strawberry and lots of lettuce!

Please know I am not a food blogger or health aficionado.  I'm a writer, a horror movie lover and a college instructor.  I hope to hear from anyone going through the same journey!