Whole 30 Complete

I did it!  It's complete!  I went 30 days without sugar, dairy, alcohol, gluten, bread, corn, beans, or anything processed.

I promised that I would be honest so here it is:  I don't feel hands-down awesome like I thought I would.  I thought I was going to have a ton of energy, a ton of weight loss, and a big smile on my face. Maybe I was expecting too much.  I am sleeping better, and I have lost a bit of weight.  Granted, I wasn't a die-hard participant, but I just couldn't beat myself up over the little things.  I did have commercial ketchup when necessary (and organic sugar-free at home), I did eat peanut butter through most of the month, and maybe that was part of sensitivity and I screwed it up (I've decided that after adding all foods back in one at a time, I will do a stint of 30 days without ALL legumes, to see if they are an issue for me).  I also used bottled salad dressing, which is sugar and processed.




I will be honest that I accidentally cheated a few days ago - I bought "coconut bliss" dairy-free ice cream, because I was having one hell of a sweets craving (men-block your eyes .... Women-I was on my period, and I know all of you know what I'm talking about!). So I scanned the ingredients.  Coconut milk, cocoa powder, very few others.  Cool! I ate about a quarter of the pint and it was gooooood.  There was a little something missing in the aftertaste, and I think it's because the coconut milk doesn't coat your tongue like dairy does.  So as I'm putting it away, I glance at the ingredients again - agave.  Damn!  I wasn't supposed to have any sugar, sucrolose, honey, agave, stevia- nothing.  And I did feel crappy the next couple of days, but I think it may be a coincidence.  Could that little amount really set me off like that?

My super trying nails are also now weak again and breaking - could also be a time of month thing.

And to finish off the 30 days, I had a celebratory meal with my friends Katy & Jason, and my brother Seabrook:  King crab legs with melted clarified butter, and a big green salad with kale and parsley out of my garden.  Holy cow - what a way to graduate!  And wouldn't you know it - I was so excited to eat that I forgot to take a picture!

It was hard, but I did it!  Here are a few tips:

- Always be prepared - make lunches the night before - always make enough for leftovers - sometimes you just don't feel like cooking
- You won't always be hungry like you think you will.  These foods keep you way more full.

- Soda water with fresh lime makes a pretty good cocktail

- Tell people about what you're doing - they will be less likely to say "just one bite?"
- When you're sick of a type of food (for me it was eggs), try to change it up.  Add some new herbs or spices (towards the end I added curry powder to my eggs and cooked with red pepper and apples)
- Be strong - each craving will pass!  Sweets craving?  Eat some pineapple or watermelon.  Chocolate craving?  Have a banana smoothie with coconut milk and cocoa powder (make sure you get it from a health-type grocery store and that it doesn't have any added sugar)
- Don't beat yourself up if you found out you ate something off of your list (like in condiments).  You can only do your best!
- There are snacks you can have on hand.  Make sweet potato chips or see the pics below: cinnamon apple chips or freeze dried veggie chips.  You can also have dried fruit and veggies.
- Coconut aminos are a good substitute for soy sauce (buy at health food store).
- Don't try to fool your body and have simulations of the foods you can't eat.
- There is way more that you can eat than you think you can (see bottom of page).

Oysters in Pittsburgh with my brother, Seabrook,  & my sister's boyfriend, Josh

Tuna salad w/ extra veggies - celery, radish, & zucchini

Thai grilled chicken with thai cuc & radish salad + watermelon

Snacks you CAN have!  Cinnamon apple chips or freeze dried veggie chips

For your Whole 30, REMEMBER, You can make:
grilled chicken, poached chicken, chicken soup (no noodles), steak on the grill, grilled shrimp, shrimp scampi, pulled pork, beef roast with onions, carrots, and cabbage, grilled fish, sautéed fish, baked fish, steak, chicken, or shrimp stir fry, meatloaf (no oats or breadcrumbs), guacamole, almond butter on celery, freeze dried fruit, fruit smoothies (no milk), hard boiled eggs, fried eggs, poached eggs, veggie egg scramble, sweet potato hash, local sausage & bacon, fruit, tuna salad w/ homemade olive oil mayo, eggs salad w/ oo mayo, chili (no beans), lettuce tacos, burgers (no bun), chicken sate, zucchini "pasta" with marinara or pesto, salad / grilled chicken, strawberries & pecans, ham or turkey sub on lettuce wrap ... And much more!

Peace.  Love.  Serene.