Whole 30 (1/3 done!)

Happy New Year!

I hope you 2015 is going great!  I am kicking off 2015 with my first goal!  Completing the whole30!

I am on day 10 right now!  I have added a page with a list of all my meals for the past 10 days along with how I have been feeling.

Quitting sugar is hard!  No only do I have to say no to things but also grocery shopping to find no sugar added products is hard!  Why is there sugar in almost all the bacon!?!  Also in sausage and canned tomatoes!  Avoiding sugar has been the hardest part and with withdraw symptoms of headaches and nausea are not fun.  I really don't like knowing that I am pretty much a sugar addict.  I didn't think I was until I started cutting the late night ice cream and morning sugary cereal bowl!

At first I thought no dairy would be the next hardest part.  I am not so much addicted to dairy but it is a comfort food and I am learning to live without.  It really is just extra stuff that I don't really need to make my meals delicious.  This is nice to learn but still can't wait to make a cheesy veggie omelete when this is over.

All the other restrictions haven't been too bad.  I have previously tried going low carb so I have found ways around bread and other grains.  No legumes isn't so bad because my fiance doesn't like beans so I don't cook with them too often.  No alcohol hasn't been bad but haven't had the real temptations quite yet.   No carrageenan, msg, and sulfites is also difficult if you buy anything no fresh...No baked goods, junk food or treats isn't too hard either.  I eat plenty of fruit and cinnamon sweet potatoes to satiate that.

So have you ever tried Ghee?  Ghee is clarified butter that originated in India.  It doesn't have to be refrigerated and has a funky texture but I love cooking with this new butter!  I actually made my own ghee by using unsalted organic butter and an always reliable Alton Brown recipe.  You can buy this in stores but you may find it in the international food aisle and not by the butter since it is mostly used in middle eastern cooking and doesn't require refrigeration.

I am learning that I have been doing a version of the whole30 since I started this journey to get fit.  Many of my recipes still fit within the restriction of the diet with a possible few tweaks.  One of my favorite food is spaghetti as I have mentioned before so my zoodle "spaghetti" is favorite healthy twist on this meal.  I make zucchini noodle with my Vegetti and saute them to heat them up.  I take a couple of cans of diced tomatoes and blend them smooth as my sauce while adding Italian seasoning if not already added. Then I heat up the sauce in a skillet with my added veggies.  I am always mixing it up with mushrooms, peppers, onions, and spinach.  Once the sauce is hot and starting to boil, I add the sauteed zucchini noodles, mix and serve!  So easy!  So delicious!  And so easy to personalize to your taste or mix up if you get bored!

Check out my whole30 page for other recipes that I have been making these last 10 days!

Results so far?  The whole30 program suggests not weighting yourself but I have the end of my 6 month dietbet to weigh in for on the 15th!  So I have ignored that rule and I am happy to say that I am 3.2 lbs down!  How awesome is that!  I have been tracking my food as well so I can report back and it is so easy to stay within your calories when you are eating whole foods!  I try to keep track of my macros with myfitnesspal to make sure I am getting my protein and fats in while keeping my sugar carbs in check.

Looks like I am going to make my final weighin for my 6 month weight in!  That means I have lost 10% in 6 month!  I started at 180 and I have lost 18 lbs!  One step closer to my ultimate goal!

Thanks for reading!

2015 New Year Resolutions

Who is ready for 2015!?

Are you ready with you New Years Resolutions for 2015?  I did a lot of thinking and I decided to make some difference resolutions.  These resolutions are really all my goals for 2015.

Here are my 15 goals for 2015!

1. Run Another Half Marathon

-I have really been slacking on keeping my mileage up. I would like to do another half marathon to make sure I keep my mileage up and I enjoyed the thought of working towards a specific event

2. Whole 30

-More on this below

3. Go Kayaking or paddleboarding

- I live by the water and why haven't I done this yet?

4. Watch a Sunrise at the beach

-See above

5. Plan a Budget/make the most of our money

-I would like to really make a budget and see if we can spend money wiser in areas.

6. Newbie Triathlon

-I would really like to try a triathlon event!

7. Painting Class

-I've always wanted to take one of those wine and canvas classes!

8. Star gazing at the beach

-The national seashore near us has a star gazing area that I would love to check out

9. Get Married

-Ek! This is the year! We are currently less than 4 months away!

10. Visit a Texas Brewery or Winery

-I want to explore more of Texas really and this seams like a good way to do that

11. Try 2 new Vegetables

-You know how you get to food ruts? I would like to expand my vegatables

12. Visit 2 new state parks

-Rosalie loves going new places and what better way to explore more of texas with my furchild

13. Run at least 5 5ks

-I really think 5ks are a great distance and I love getting out there and running with a group of strangers while feeling like one of the team.

14. Read 4 books

- I have a long list of books to read!

15. Bike to Watergardens and back

-I would love to bike to our downtown area from my apartment and back. It is about 8 miles to get there and I think it is completely do able but may have to work on my bike mileage first before I try the there AND back.

Okay guys I want you to keep me accountable and I will keep you up to date as I work on these goals!

Whole 30:

Okay so i read "It starts with food" after it was recommended to me. I found the book really interesting and started thinking about trying this nutrition reset. After dieting for a while and really learning more about my body I know that sugar really has a strong affect on me. I have thought about trying a no sugar added diet before. I encourage you to read the book and check out the Whole30 website. The diet is very restrictive, I am not going to lie. But I think it will be a good challenge as I am only months away from the big day and am still very far from my goal. So here is what I will be cutting out.

"Do not consume added sugar of any kind, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, coconut sugar, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, stevia, etc. Read your labels, because companies sneak sugar into products in ways you might not recognize. 

Do not consume alcohol in any form, not even for cooking. (And it should go without saying, but no tobacco products of any sort, either.) 

Do not eat grains. This includes (but is not limited to) wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgur, sorghum, amaranth, buckwheat, sprouted grains and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains like quinoa. This also includes all the ways we add wheat, corn and rice into our foods in the form of bran, germ, starch and so on. Again, read your labels. 

Do not eat legumes. This includes beans of all kinds (black, red, pinto, navy, white, kidney, lima, fava, etc.), peas, chickpeas, lentils, and peanuts. No peanut butter, either. This also includes all forms of soy – soy sauce, miso, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and all the ways we sneak soy into foods (like lecithin). 

Do not eat dairy. This includes cow, goat or sheep’s milk products such as cream, cheese (hard or soft), kefir, yogurt (even Greek), and sour cream… with the exception of clarified butter or ghee. 

Do not consume carrageenan, MSG or sulfites. If these ingredients appear in any form on the label of your processed food or beverage, it’s out for the Whole30. 

Do not try to re-create baked goods,  junk foods, or treats* with “approved” ingredients. Continuing to eat your old, unhealthy foods made with Whole30 ingredients is totally missing the point, and will tank your results faster than you can say “Paleo Pop-Tarts.” Remember, these are the same foods that got you into health-trouble in the first place—and a pancake is still a pancake, regardless of the ingredients. "

So now you may be saying "Gretchen, you are nuts! there is no way you will be able to do that. What will you eat?" Veggies, fruits, protein, and fats. That's not so bad and it is only for 30 days! I plan on starting Janruary 1st as a great kickstart to 2015. I'm not saying it will be easy but i think it will be a good change of pace and hopefully I learn something new. I hope to track my food and impressions daily and will report at least once a week on how the Whole30 is going. Christmas had it's ups and downs and I haven't checked where I am at weight wise yet. I will document my weight and inches. Anyone else interested in a reset to begin 2015?

Thank you for reading!