Day 10

Wow... day 10 already! Exciting!

Breakfast:
Sweet Potato Hash
Sausage
2 Runny Eggs

Lunch:
Salad with Bell Peppers, Cucumbers, Spinach, Chicken, 1 small avocado
Homemade Ranch
Small Serving of Spaghetti Squash
Bag of Carrots (raw)

Dinner:
BBQ Pork Chop
Sweet Potato Fries with Homemade Ketchup
Broccoli

Workout:
Light, 30 minute walk/jog

Day 9

This week I will focus on the following:

1. At least 4, 30 minute cardio work outs

2. Less fruit, nuts and nut butter

3. Portion control.  Pretty much did not even pay attention to portion sizes last week.  While I am doing this for overall health, lets be serious, I also want to lose weight.  So I need to keep a closer eye on things. 

4. More RAW veggies.  Watched "Food Matters" over the weekend.  Eye opening!

Day 9:
Breakfast:
Sweet Potato Hash
2 Runny Eggs

Lunch:
Salad with Spinach, Cucumbers, Celery, Bell Peppers, Mango Salsa (homemade) 
Strawberries and Blackberries

Dinner:
Spaghetti Squash
Chicken

Workout:
45 Minutes - Jogging, Stairs, Sit ups, Push ups

Day 8:
Breakfast:
Sweet Potato Hash (bell peppers, onions, sweet potatoes, bacon, sausage and eggs) - AMAZING
Bowl of Strawberries and Raspberries

Lunch:
Handful of nuts

Dinner:
Rib Eye
Asparagus, Garlic and Mushrooms
Left over Risotto (its finally gone!)

Snack:
(I know this is kind of cheating)
Frozen Banana, Walnut and Almond Butter "Ice Cream"

First Week in Review

So I am less than awesome at blogging.  Here is my week in review:

Day 1:
Breakfast: 
1.5 Eggs, Scrambled in Sausage Fat
Sausage Patty
1 Carrot/Sweet Potato Cake

Lunch:
Banana
Chicken Salad (home made Mayo, Raisins, seasonings)
1 lettuce Cup
 
Snack:
Larabar

Dinner:
Tomato Balsamic Pot Roast with Onions and Garlic
Mashed Cauliflower with Chicken Broth

Day 2:
Breakfast: 
1 Runny Egg (Soooo much better than scrambled)
1 Sweet Potato Carrot Cake
1 Sausage patty

Lunch :
Bag of nuts and raisins (almonds cashews and macadamia)
Apple
Lettuce (Spring Mix)
Tuna (homemade mayo and seasonings)
Small bit of chicken salad
Cherry Tomatos
 
Dinner:
"Taco-less" Salad
Homemade Ranch

Day 3:
Breakfast: 
1 Sausage Patty
1 Sweet Potato carrot cake
2 Runny Eggs

Lunch: 
Left over taco salad
1 Avocado
Apples and Almond Butter

Snack:
Whole 30 "cocktail"
Raspberries, Pomegranate Seeds, Sparkling Water, Juice from 1/2 Orange, Lime Juice
 
Dinner:
Tarragon Chicken
Mushroom Risotto

Day 4:
Breakfast:
1 Slice Bacon
1 Sweet potato carrot cake
2 Runny eggs

Snack:
1/2 Pecan Pie Larabar
 
Lunch:
Salad with Chicken Salad
1 Avocado
Applesauce (organic, unsweetened)
Mushrooms
Grapes
Almond Butter
 
Snack:
1/2 Carrot Juice 1/2 Coconut Water 

Dinner: 
Taco Salad Left overs

Day 5:
Breakfast:
Aidells Chicken and Apple Sausage
2 Runny Eggs
 
Lunch: 
1/2 Sweet Potato
1/2 Avocado
1/2 Can of Tuna salad with mayo

Dinner:
Beef and Broccoli
Fried Rice (Cauliflower)

Snack:
Raspberries, Pomegranate seeds, Ice, Coconut milk blended

Day 6:
Breakfast:
Aidells Chicken and Apple Sausage
2 Runny Eggs
Bacon
 
Lunch:
Ants on a log (celery, almond butter, raisins)
1/2 Sweet potato
Lettuce and Tomatoes
Mango
 
Dinner:
Tarragon Chicken and Risotto left overs

Day 7:
Breakfast:
Aidells Chicken and Apple Sausage
2 Runny Eggs
Bacon

Lunch: 
Handful of nuts
Chicken

Dinner:
Chicken Sausage and Shrimp Skewers
Mango Salsa
Fried Rice
Fruit Salad


Overview of Week 1:
I mostly felt really good during week 1.  On day 5 and day 7 I felt really cranky, tired and had headaches, but nothing unmanageable.  My husband and I are loving this way of eating... we are just really missing WINE!!! We are both having dreams about "cheating" on the diet and waking up guilty.  So funny.  Heres to week 2!!!

Before Photos.... Ugh...

So, this is awkward, but, it's necessary.  Here is a little background on me.  I am a TERRIBLE dieter... I will fluctuate 20 pounds in a given year... I will get really motivated for some event, most recently my wedding, and drop it, then get lazy, and gain it all back as much as I tell myself I wont do it! For my wedding in August of 2011, I was at 140 pounds with regular exercise.  I looked awesome.. that was my goal weight. Obviously, I could have improved from there, but they would have been small tweaks, mostly just more ab work outs, I have never had abs!

So, since then, I have put on 18.5 pounds to take me to my current weight of 158.5.. YUK... which is weird because on our 1 year anniversary I was at 143...

So, here are my awful, embarrasing, depressing pre-whole30 photos:

I am sick to death of the yo yo dieting.  I have no energy for working out... I eat dinner and immediately pass out... not normal.  Ready for BIG changes! BRING IT ON WHOLE30!!!

The Adventure begins... well soon anyways

So, I just got finished reading "It starts with food" by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig.  WOW! It was a real eye-opener.  I have a friend who read the book and embarked on the Whole30 challenge and she told me, it changed her life. I would be crazy not to at least purchase the book and give it a read. Well, I did, and honestly, I feel like it has already changed my life and I haven't even started the challenge yet!  I convinced my husband to go on this journey with me, however, he is very practical and feels that we should try to eat as much food that we already have in our fridge and pantry before we start so that it doesn't go to waste.  I told him I am starting Monday, with, or without him! I am pretty nervous about it for a few reasons:

1.  I have grown very accustomed to the food I eat and the thought of not having cream in my coffee, peanut butter, brown rice, DAIRY, alcohol, really freaks me out... 

2.  My husband works construction and has a VERY active lifestyle.  He is worried that he will not have the fuel he needs to sustain himself all day, which leaves me with the task of finding things I can pack in his lunch... awesome.

3.  Meal preparation.  While my husband and I are pretty good about cooking dinner at home and bringing lunches to work, I am not going to lie to ya... there are one or two days out of the week that we forget to take something out of the freezer for dinner that night or don't get out of bed in time to pack something for lunch that day.  

But, I have a wonderful friend who is going on the journey with me and I think we will be able to pull it off with a lot of preparation and encouragement.  The main reasons I am doing this:

1.  The food I eat is ALWAYS on my mind.  I have, for my entire life, been a yo-yo'er with fad diets and constantly struggle with my weight.  I am so sick of it I can't even explain.  I am hoping this lifestyle will finally click with me and I can be free from the chains of calorie counting and constant, large, weight fluctuations

2. My brother was recently diagnosed with Chrones disease and is in a lot of pain.  I hope to set the example for him that food plays such a huge role in our health and maybe he will do it next and be symptom and medication free!

3.  My husband and I are planning on trying to get pregnant soon and while I can live with pumping my own body full of crap, Im not sure I feel that way about the baby I will soon (God willing) be supporting.

So anyways, I dont intend on anyone ever seeing this blog, but I thought it important to document this journey.  Its a huge step and not to be taken lightly.  On this blog I will post a before photo, scary.  I know its not all about losing weight, but I'm gonna be perfectly honest, I want (and need) to lose weight to be healthier both physically and emotionally.  I will also post favorite recipes here or recipes that I plan to make as an easy access place for all my stuff!

Okay, enough rambling.. time to go grocery shopping