Hi guys! I apologize for disappearing the last few weeks, sometimes life happens and a break is necessary, but I’m glad to be back! The weather has been so wonky lately and I know alot of you guys are buried in snow! eek! Fortunately that is not the case here but we have been getting lots of rain….but I can’t complain too much because it looks like all next week we are supposed to have temps in the 70’s and 80’s. Looks like Spring may be coming early for us! 🙂
Whole30
If you follow me on Instagram then you already know that I have started on a Whole30 journey. I know most of you have probably heard of Whole30, but in case you haven’t here is the short of it.
Here are the Whole30 rules.
- Eat Real Food! Eat meat, seafood, eggs, lots of veggies, some fruit and plenty of good fats from fruits, oils, nuts, and seeds.
- Do not eat sugar of any kind real or artificial.
- Do not consume alcohol, in any form, not even in cooking.
- Do not eat grains.
- Do not eat legumes.
- Do not eat dairy.
- Do not consume MSG, carrageenan, or sulfites.
- Do not try to recreate baked goods, junk foods, or treats with “approved” ingredients.
Day 8 #whole30 lunch: delicious sockeye salmon cooked in a little olive oil and topped with ghee, chives, and parsley. Side of sautéed green beans. #lunch #iamwhole30 #whole30recipes #sockeye #salmon #eatgoodfeelgood #cleaneats #healthyliving #soyfree #gf #glutenfree #wheatfree A photo posted by Jennifer Lastinger (@savedbythekale) on
I realize that this sounds like a lot “do nots” but I promise you there is a lot that you CAN eat! I consider myself a fairly healthy eater but I still put alot crap in my body and when you do that you will never feel your best. I love, love, love to bake and I usually substitute “healthier” ingredients like whole wheat or spelt flour, and unrefined sugars. I think these things foods are fine once in awhile (assuming you do not have any sensitivities to them) but when they are consumed on a daily basis it can reek havoc on your body.
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism almost a year ago but even before the diagnosis I could tell that something was very wrong. I felt horrible all the time, I was eating great (or so I thought)…. green smoothies, juicing, tons of veggies, it seemed like no matter what I ate I still felt bad. Exercise has always been a part of my life, but yet it seemed like I was gaining weight for no reason at all. I had a feeling that my hormones may be out of whack. Come to find out the very foods that I was eating to be “healthy” may have exacerbated the issues. I was devastated learning this, apparently all those yummy raw veggies I was eating was a no no, and even if I cooked them I shouldn’t have them very often, but over the last year I have learned more of what to eat with hypo and what to stay away from.
This brings me back to Whole30, I love how it completely eliminates all those inflammatory foods. Back on February 17th I started Whole30. I love a good challenge and I realized from the beginning that this was not going to be a piece of cake, (ha ha) but I knew I could do it. So far I am feeling great, one of the hardest parts was giving up my coffee creamer and drinking my beloved coffee black…but honestly even that has not been so bad. Like anything else in life you adjust and after awhile it’s normal! There have been several nights when I am sitting down to watch a little tv that I really want something sweet and I have had to fight the urge to raid the kitchen, but thankfully that has mostly passed.
A photo posted by Jennifer Lastinger (@savedbythekale) on
I haven’t really decided what I am going to do after the 30 days. I am thinking I may add back one thing at a time and see how my body responds, really pay attention to the changes and how it makes me feel. I will be updating you all along the way and also posting some of my favorite recipes that has made this not only possible but delicious as well!
Have you tried Whole30? What are your thoughts?