For the next 30+ days, I will be eating meat, vegetables, healthy fats, fruits and nuts. I will not be eating processed food, sugar, dairy, grains or legumes, and I won’t be consuming any alcohol.
I’ve done a few Whole30 challenges before, but this time I’m looking for something a little different. I lost touch with my Paleo choices last year and I would like to reconnect with what it means to feel healthy, vibrant, and in tune with my whole self.
If you’re doing a Whole30 or other challenge, if you are living/exploring the Paleo lifestyle, or if you are simply looking for some tasty recipes to add to your repertoire, be sure to leave a comment to let me know you’re out there! I am so glad you stopped by!
**********************************************************************************************************************************************
Day 14 is done!
Quote of the Day: “Dreams don’t work unless you do.” – John C. Maxwell
This quote reminds me of one that my dad used to say when I was growing up: “The harder you work, the luckier you are.” I do believe that we need to put in the effort in order to see results. Sometimes we find ways to make the process and the journey easier or more enjoyable, but at least where a Whole30 is concerned, it takes more time and energy to eat this way than it does to swing by Subway. But it is totally worth it!
I sure feel for anyone out there who isn’t a natural planner, though. Planning and prepping can be key to successfully completing a Whole30. I am one of the lucky ones, I guess. One of my happy-places is sitting on the couch surrounded by cookbooks with a journal, a pen, and some sticky notes. I flip through the books, think about what I have in the fridge, imagine if there’s anything that I want to create, and then start making a list. I usually look at meals 5-6 days at a time and then build my shopping list if there are any of the pieces that are missing. If there’s a blanket on my lap and some music going, maybe even a cup of tea, then truly I am at peace.
For anyone who might need a hand with the planning this week, I figured I’d give you a glimpse of what’s going on at my house.
Stuff on Hand
Hard boiled eggs
Greens (this week I bought a box of baby kale medley instead of bunches of greens to wash – either works)
Carrots, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Grapes, Zucchini, other miscellaneous fruits and veggies
Celery (trimmed, washed, and hanging out in tall yogurt container with water – it keeps it crunchy and handy)
2 baked sweet potatoes to have chunks of if necessary
Always, canned tuna and chicken because you just never know when you need to eat in a hurry.
Food for the Week – I haven’t planned my meals exactly yet, because I will finalize those over the weekend, but I bought a bunch of stuff so it will look something like this…
Baked Chicken Thighs – some sort of veggie for dinner and then lots of leftovers for salads, snacking, and various combinations
Pot Roast – maybe towards the end of the week so there are leftovers for the weekend
Portobello mushrooms stuffed with some ground meat concoction
Grilled pork tenderloin
Green curry shrimp and green beans
A turnip soup that I want to try
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots to roast, butternut squash to roast
It’s certainly not perfect and maybe next week I’ll remember to make a plan in advance so I actually share some of the recipes that I’ll be making. But if you’re wondering what to do this week, maybe something like that helps give you an idea.
Day 14 – The Details
4:45am – Black coffee
6:15am – 2 eggs, slaw, 1/2 tsp. coconut oil, 1/4 avocado, 1/2 cucumber, 1/2 tsp. evoo, sauerkraut
10:30am – Leftover tilapia in curry cream, Mexican cauliflower rice, 1 Chipotle Meatball, carrots
2:30pm – Banana
5:45pm – Steak, broccoli salad with turmeric aioli, roasted mushrooms, 2 clementines
7:30pm – Handful of cherry tomatoes
Food: I don’t really know what to say about today. It felt easy and I was in control, even though my schedule hardly allowed me to eat. The leftovers at 10:30 were really meant to be a snack so they weren’t even very substantial. Unfortunately, though, after that I wasn’t around anything that I could eat except for the banana that I had on the go. I was reminded of another reason I love to eat this way. When I have to go long stretches without eating, I don’t panic and I don’t experience any blood sugar crashes or anything. I’m just hungry until I eat. It’s that simple. I was still feeling pretty hungry after dinner so I had some tea first and waited to see if the hunger was legitimate. I have to say that I wouldn’t have minded a glass of wine this evening.
Mood: Wow. Today’s mood was on fire! For one of the jobs I do I spend the time presenting to a group. My energy was really high and I know that they could feel it too. It was a lot of fun. But by evening, I did feel pretty drained. Not tired, exactly, just quiet and needing to recharge.
Sleep: 7 hours. Nothing special.
Activity: Weights and yoga
Focus – Meditate Daily: Morning meditation today. I like when I start my day like this. My mind is a little calmer but it is certainly not still.
