Whole30

On May 1st, I decided to start the Whole 30 challenge.  1 month without alcohol (see how I put that one first) dairy, grains, sugars, and legumes.  (Shopping List)

Why would I want to do this?  Honestly, with only 1 month until my sister's wedding with about 5 pounds to get to my goal, I felt like this program would help me out.  I've never had much of a sweet tooth and Mike and I generally eat pretty clean.  My problem is that I am Ethan's garbage disposal.  I finish his mac n' cheese, take a little handful of his goldfish, and "taste" a bit of everything I give him.  Extra calories that were just adding up. 

I am now 6 days into the program and it really hasn't been horrible.  I mean, yea, I miss the convenience of more processed food.  I have a comfortable set of recipes and this program has definitely forced me to try new things.  I've only done this since last Wednesday and I've made so many new things.

Pretty obsessed with spaghetti squash, kale chips, sweet potato chips, and banana "ice cream" (frozen bananas with almond butter).

From left to right:
Egg muffins with mushrooms, onions, and bacon
Mixed greens with steak strips, tomatoes, guac, and salsa
Scrambled eggs with peppers and salsa, turkey bacon, avocado
Chef salad with turkey, bacon, hard boiled egg, avocado, and salsa
Spaghetti Squash (with zucchini and chicken)
Rotisserie chicken, asparagus, and peppers with guac
Kale chips
Sweet potato chips
Banana "ice cream"

There is a cute little timeline out there that says how you should be feeling for each given day.  Right now, I should be in the "I just want a nap" phase (which yesterday was the "Kill all things" phase), but I don't feel that way at all.  I really have felt totally normal since starting this diet (other than hungry the first couple of days).  I mean, I could always take a nap, but nothing anything out of the ordinary.

People have asked me if this is SOOOO hard.  So far, it hasn't been.  The hardest part has been preparing.  The shopping, cooking, chopping.  That's been the hardest part.  But the actual act of not eating dairy and cheese hasn't been bad.  I'd like a glass of wine, but I will get to have one in a few weeks.  It is just a month.  I won't die. (I keep reminding myself of that over and over again).  I love this quote from the website...

"It is not hard. Don’t you dare tell us this is hard. Giving up heroin is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard. You won’t get any coddling, and you won’t get any sympathy for your “struggles”. YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE not to complete the program as written. It’s only thirty days, and it’s for the most important health cause on earth – the only physical body you will ever have in this lifetime."