10% Success

I'm kicking off day 4 of the Whole 30 challenge and so far so good.  Looking at my "score" of 10% seems like there is still a long way to go...but you can't get to 100% without first getting to 10%...So with that in mind I'll take it.

Day one was tough...I didn't really prep my kitchen and pantry well...so I went out shopping in the early afternoon after only eating a fairly light brunch of 2 eggs, a few cherry tomatoes, a handful of arugula and half an avocado. I got a pretty bad headache while out shopping and just got enough supplies to get through the next day or two.  Some chicken, some veggies and some tea and coconut milk.  I came back home, drank a bunch of water and took a long nap.  I woke up feeling a bit better and started prepping food for the next few days.

Menu:

Breakfast:
Arugula, tomato, onion crustless quiche with herbal tea and coconut milk

Snacks:
Hard boiled egg, and cucumber
Nectarine and blueberries with a sprinkle of cinnamon

Lunch and Dinner:
"Taco seasoned" baked chicken
Sauteed veggies with onion and garlic
Baked Sweet potato coils with "Taco seasoning"

Day two was miles better.  One, I ate more, two, I think my body was beginning to adjust to the fact that wasn't going to get a spikes in blood sugar every time I got hungry and three, I had finally had a full night's sleep and a solid nap and was beginning to catch up on sleep. The headache really only returned when I knew I had gone too long without eating.  I was at work and very limited on my options (and I had eaten all my lunch).  I sat down and made thorough grocery list with a meal plan to get me through Saturday (I have Sunday off, so I need to make it until then) and I stopped on my way home from work and stocked up the fridge and pantry with lots of Whole 30 friendly options.

Day three additions:

Breakfast: Banana with almond butter
Lunch: Ants on a log:  Celery, almond butter and tart cherries

In Case Of Emergency snack: Banana (didn't need it, but it was nice knowing it was there in case my headache came back)

Day three:  Headaches totally gone.  I feel great.  I know the work week/harvest fatigue is setting in (it always does mid week) so it's going to be more difficult to find the energy to cook at night.  But I have tried to give myself quick cooking options that still taste good and allow me to cook a couple meals at once (ie leftovers from dinner for lunch).

Quick cook dinner:
Broiled salmon with salt and pepper
Steamed green beans (those french ones that I can't spell) with almonds and lemon
Sauteed zucchini with onions and garlic
Diced tomato and avocado with salt and pepper

Whole 30 Day #1: Commitment to myself

Here we go again...I'm back at the blogging.  Last time I did this it was for my 30 in 30 and I did it as a way of incorporating accountability into my life.  Having friends ask, "Hey how's that 30 in 30 thing going?" Made it a lot harder to shove the list under a notebook and forget.  Not that I was the most faithful blogger...but the key was people knew about it and expected updates...if not in blog form...in daily conversation.

Why am I back? I need accountability.

What do I need accountability for? Starting today September 20th, I am challenging myself to take on the Whole 30 Nutrition Plan for 30 days.

What is Whole 30?  No refined or added sugar, no alcohol, no grains, no dairy, no legumes and no highly processed foods for 30 days...It is basically a paleo diet with the added restriction of no fake foods...ie desserts with almond flour or flour-less pancakes.  It is structured around the idea of removing items from one's diet that may have a negative impact on one's health, fitness and energy levels.  I won't bore you with all the details...if you want to know more go to whole30.com and read at your leisure.  I know there are naysayers to everything---I am not doing this as a fad diet, I do not intend to drop 30 pounds in 30 days and I will most definitely will not be eliminating ice cream from my diet for all eternity---So although I respectfully acknowledge your nutritional opinions it is not necessary for you to comment on the validity of this nutrition plan.  This is much more about a mental nutrition plan than a physical one---read below for more.


Why am I doing this?  To be honest, I need to hit the "reset button".  The past year and especially the past few moths have been hard.  A lot has been going on and I feel like I am headed in a direction that is not where I want to go.

I was so on top of my fitness regime a year ago.  Going to the gym before or after work everyday. Workouts on the weekend. I ate healthy, nothing crazy, but a balanced diet with a splurge every now and again.  I felt good, I was happy, life was busy, but I was happy and I didn't have to find reasons to be happy. I just was.  

The past year has brought about new challenges.  I fully acknowledge that challenge is opportunity (and a natural part of life) and that these new challenges are good for me, but at the same time, they have brought a shift in my routine.  I am not working out as regularly as I would like, I am using the excuse of being exhausted to opt for convenience foods (no I'm not hitting up the drive through, but we all know the convenience of a Trader Joe's microwave meal) and I feel like these are paving the way for my attitude to drift to a space of negativity all too often. Some days I feel like I wake up in the morning just to survive the day.  

I'm not saying any of this to gain pity points.  I am blessed, I have loving parents that support me, I have a job and a roof over my head. In no way is my life as "hard" as it could be...and  this is why I do not like the shift in my attitude.  I do not want to be the girl that complains about things, I do not want to wallow in misery, I want to see the good in things instead of having to rationalize and convince myself of it.  

This is where the reset button comes in.  I know changing my diet is not going to suddenly open up huge vacancies in my schedule to allow for mid-day bike rides nor is going to eliminate the day to day challenges of living; however, it is a conscience commitment to myself that I am worth the effort of fueling my body with nutritious, whole, non-chemically enhanced food. My hope is that by focusing on this one aspect of my life that I can control in a healthy way, I will regain the passion for maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle and a positive attitude that is second nature and not one where I have to remind myself to "find the good".

Many years ago I was asked in an interview, "What is your goal in life?"  

My response was:  To leave the world a happier place than the one I was born into.

I believe happiness begins with the individual.  If I am not happy, I cannot make others happy.  I don't know if committing myself to this nutrition plan for 30 days will restore my attitude, but if I don't try, I'll never know.  So here goes...September 20th, day 1.  

And now you all know about it...accountability has be established.