Health

Whole30 Recap

Here’s another blog post that’s way overdue! It’s been about a month since I have finished my Whole30 challenge. You can check out my plan and reasons for starting the challenge here.

Results:

  • Lost a total of 10 pounds
  • Lost almost 2 inches off my waist (didn’t measure the rest of my body)
  • My sleeping habits are great
  • I am able to stay away from gluten without struggling
  • No longer have a constant sweet tooth
  • No longer have digestive issues
  • I feel like I have become a smart eater. I can easily make smart choices and when I do indulge, I do not feel guilty.

First off, let me just say I am so happy I did it. I feel so much better and I am really happy with my current diet. My biggest goal with Whole30 was to heal my digestive system and remove gluten from my diet. And I was able to do just that. I am still not snacking. I do occasionally eat Quest Bars if I am really hungry and cannot wait until the next meal. Those are my favorite protein bars.

A couple weeks ago, a few of my best friends came to visit. I allowed myself to eat whatever I wanted. So I ended up eating gluten for 5 days in a row. It took me a total of 5 days to recover. Every single day I experienced nausea, bloating, headaches, constipation, and fatigue. It was no bueno… but it made me realize why I even did the challenge to begin with. The symptoms I was experiencing is how I felt every single day before I began Whole30. Everyday was a struggle. For some reason I couldn’t stay away from gluten. I knew it was going to make me feel like crap but I still ate it. I no longer have these battles and it feels amazing.

If you are debating whether or not to do a Whole30 please do! The best advice I could give is make sure you plan plan plan! The only way you will succeed is by planning. Stay positive and stay focused. It’s only 30 days 🙂

I apologize for the delay in posting! Feel free to ask any questions!

XO, Diana

Whole30 Week 4 Recap

Week 4 was just about the same as week 3. My body felt great and I got lots of sleep. My only issue was being sick of cooking. I did a lot better about making sure I ate 3 meals a day. I also forgot to take a lot of pictures again.

Day 22- Monday
I woke up and made some hashbrowns, lil smokies, and fried eggs. My husband and I were both off work today so we decided to go to the movies. We watched Antman (best movie ever btw). The smell of popcorn always gets me at the movies. Since we went at an earlier time, I wasn’t too tempted. I packed some grapes and a Larabar. We headed to Chipotle after the movies to grab some lunch. For dinner I made some chicken with veggies.

Day 23- Tuesday
 I repeated Monday’s breakfast. I also had a banana with coconut flakes and sliced almonds. Lunch included leftover chicken and veggies. For dinner I made some ground beef with potatoes. I also had some sliced cucumbers. I also made it to the gym after breakfast.

Day 24- Wednesday
 I’ve been trying not to drink coffee but some days I just can’t help it. I had some coconut cream so I got curious. I added about a teaspoon to my coffee and put it in a blender. It was def a life saver! Since I didn’t add much coconut, it didn’t give the coffee any extra flavor. It pretty much just acted as a creamer. I made some breakfast sweet potatoes, fried eggs, a sausage patty, and a banana. After breakfast I headed to gym. For lunch I had leftovers. For dinner I made this amazing cracklin chicken by nom nom paleo. I also made roasted potatoes and grilled asparagus.

Day 25- Thursday

 I had sweet potatoes and eggs for breakfast. I snacked on some grapes before lunch. I picked up a bottle of Tessemae’s Lemon Garlic dressing so I made a salad with leftover chicken for lunch. This dressing is delicious and very convenient. For dinner I made some burger patties with french fries.

Day 26- Friday

 I had same breakfast except I added a cajun sausage. I went on a wonderful hike with my friend this day. I snacked on some grapes during our hike. After, we headed to Chipotle because we were starving. I was so exhausted when I got home, so laid down for a nap. I woke up and made some beef fajitas. I didn’t know what sides to make so I just made it as a salad. I added some guac and Tessemae’s dressing.

Here’s a little view from our hike 🙂 
Day 27- Saturday
 I made some eggs with chorizo this day. I also had some sliced bananas and coffee with coconut cream. All you have to do is put a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight. Once you open the can you’ll see cream on top. I headed to gym a couple hours after breakfast. For lunch I had some leftover beef patties and potatoes. I also had some pickles -_- not sure if those are compliant. For dinner I baked some drumsticks and potatoes.

Day 28- Sunday

My husband and I went the gym as soon as we woke up. I had some eggs with chorizo and grapes when we got back. For lunch I had some leftover fajitas with a salad. Dinner was super simple, I really did not feel like cooking. I made a cajun sausage link and a baked potato with a tiny bit of ghee. I also had some watermelon.

As I am typing this I am realizing I only have 2 days left. I seriously can’t believe it! Time has gone by so fast. It’s been an incredible journey. I can’t wait to share my final thoughts and tips for any of you interested in completing a Whole30.

Thanks for stopping by!

Check out week 3, here.

XO, Diana

Whole30 Week 2 Recap

I’m still alive my loves! Week 2 was a LOT easier than week 1. The headaches went away and I got some energy back. I also started working out. Made it to the gym 5 days and I am super proud of myself. There were a couple days I felt a little blah.

Day 8- Monday


My husband and I went to the gym first thing in the morning. We had a couple errands to run after so I had a Cashew Cookie Lara Bar (I have these for emergencies only). Once we got home I made a couple of scrambled eggs w/ a fried beef hot frank (compliant of course). I had a bowl of watermelon before dinner. I skipped lunch because I had such a late breakfast. For dinner, I made some buffalo shrimp (recipe here), roasted baby red potatoes, and Cajun sausage with onions and broccoli. The shrimp was seriously amazing!

Day 9- Tuesday


This is the day I felt bloated. Thanks to the Whole30 timeline, I knew it was normal. I had scrambled eggs with a beef frank, small amount of leftover potatoes, and a banana. For lunch I had leftover sausage with broccoli and a bowl of watermelon. I made a taco salad for dinner.

Day 10- Wednesday


I still felt a little bloated this day. I didn’t feel as uncomfortable as I did on day 9. I had the same scrambled eggs with a monkey salad for breakfast. Lunch was a berry salad I mentioned in my last post. Minus the chicken. I made it to the gym after work. For dinner I made these UH-mazing almond chicken tenders. They were pretty spicy as well. We had these with sweet potato fries and grilled zucchini.

Day 11- Thursday


This is the day I started having lots of energy, thank goodness. I didn’t have to go to work this day so I went to the gym. Before I went I had some sliced bananas, strawberries, and blueberries, and 2 boiled eggs. For lunch and dinner I had leftovers. I didn’t eat much for dinner so I had a huge plate of watermelon with chili powder. I really love watermelon!!

Day 12-Friday


Hooray for Friday! Breakfast was scrambled eggs with sliced bananas, blueberries, and strawberries. I seriously love that combo of fruit. If only I could eat it with waffles. Ha! I got off work early so I headed to the mall to check out Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale. I had a carnitas salad from Chipotle. Thank you Chipotle for saving the day! For dinner I made some pork chops, cucumber salad, and roasted baby potatoes. My husband LOVES those darn potatoes.

Day 13- Saturday


I had a banana before heading to the gym. I went to Starbucks with the intention of getting an iced black coffee, but the line was way too long so I left. I was really hungry after so I ate a Larabar. Once I got home I had 2 fried eggs, half a grilled zucchini, and leftover garlic and olive oil mashed potatoes I had made for my husband. I was really clueless on what to make for dinner. I remembered my husband loved the buffalo shrimp I made so I made it again. I also made some chicken and asparagus. Aaaaand of course my husband loved it!

Day 14- Sunday


I woke up craving some breakfast potatoes and fried eggs. I was pretty cranky this day. After breakfast I had zero motivation to do anything. I really wish I would have gone to the gym before I had breakfast but oh well. I decided to quit being lazy and get my butt to the grocery store. An iced black coffee from Starbucks saved the day. Lunch was actually supposed to be dinner. I made a Mexican dish called chile Colorado. My husband and I couldn’t resist so we ate it for lunch. I later had a handful of strawberries and blueberries. For dinner, I had berry salad.

I noticed I either skipped or had really late lunches some days. I don’t do it intentionally. If I’m hungry I eat, simple as that. I think it’s because my breakfasts are big. I usually have breakfast around 7:30, lunch 2pm, and dinner 6-7pm.

With that said, I can’t believe I’m already on day 15. I’m halfway there. Even though I daydream about eating donuts and mac n’ cheese, I have no desire to quit. I had an oopsie at Starbucks on Friday. I accidentally got the wrong drink. I ordered an unsweetened black tea, but it ended up having syrup in it. I could’ve easy said screw it and drank it, but I took a sip and threw it away. I’m so happy with how I am doing and how I am feeling.

You can check out my recap of week one here.

I’m ready for week 3! Thanks for reading.

XO, Diana

Whole30 Week 1 Recap

Ok. I’m not gonna lie. Last week was HELL. I was not expecting it to be as hard as it was. I also didn’t prepare as much as I should have. Dinner was the only meal I actually planned out. I thought I had ideas for lunch but I was way wrong. This week I have already planned out lunch and dinner. Breakfast is always the easiest thing to plan for. One thing I learned is to make breakfast my biggest meal of the day.

Day 1

Day 1I felt pretty good this day. I was lucky and found this chorizo at Safeway. I made it with eggs and spinach. I also made some breakfast sweet potatoes seasoned with paprika and cumin. So yummy! I also had back coffee. For lunch I had a simple pot roast I made in the crockpot. I added grassfed beef, potatoes, onion, carrots, and cilantro. I stopped by Starbucks on the way home and got an unsweetened green tea. For dinner I made a salad with chicken, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados and cilantro. I made a lemon vinaigrette to go with it. I had some organic apple chips as a snack in between lunch and dinner.

Day 2

Day 2This is the day I began getting headaches but other than that I was feeling pretty good. I had the same breakfast as yesterday along with a banana. For lunch I had 2 pieces of chicken breast marinated with cilantro, jalapeño, and lime, two boiled eggs, and a little salad made with cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados, cilantro, olive oil and lime. For dinner I made a salad made with shredded pork I purchased from Costco. I added guacamole and homemade salsa to it. I had apple slices as a snack between lunch and dinner.

Day 3

Day 3Not only did I wake up with a headache, but I was soooooooo sleepy this day. I was sleepy all day long. For breakfast I had one of these sausages with two fried eggs and a big bowl of watermelon. Lunch was leftovers from dinner. For dinner I wanted something quick so I made some ground beef with potatoes. I also made some fajita veggies and added it on top. I had cherries right before lunch because I was starving.

Day 4

IMG_3061I think this was the worst day by far. I was mentally exhausted by this day. I still had a headache and I was still really sleepy. I was off work this day and I didn’t get out of bed until 1pm. I got up around 8am to have breakfast, same as yesterday. After hiding in bed all morning, I decided to get up and go to the mall. Worst decision ever. I literally walked into Sephora, walked right out, and went home. For lunch I had leftovers from day before. Once I got home I took some ibuprofen and I was surprised it actually helped my headache. For dinner I made some delicious coconut shrimp with mango salsa. I made the shrimp with eggs, coconut flour, shaved coconut, and coconut oil. You can find the recipe here. I had a bowl of watermelon after dinner.

Day 5

IMG_3007I woke up feeling a lot better this day. The sleepiness also went away, thank goodness. I wasn’t very hungry when I woke up, but I was craving something cold and fresh. I made a smoothie with water, fresh blackberries, frozen pineapple, bananas, and strawberries. A couple hours later I had two boiled eggs and an egg white. I wanted to get out of the funk I was in so I met up with a friend for lunch. I was a bit nervous about going out but it ended up being okay. I ordered a chicken salad with a cilantro-lime vinaigrette. For dinner I made a salad with the shredded pork again.

Day 6

IMG_3063I struggled again this day. I’m not sure if it was because it was the 4th of July or what but it sucked. I made some breakfast potatoes with onions, jalapeños, and tomatoes. The plan was to make sweet potatoes for myself but I was short on time. I topped the potatoes with a fried egg and some Frank’s hot sauce. I also made a monkey salad (bananas, cashews, and coconut flakes).

My husband and I went to the movies (at the mall) and of course we were starving when we got out. We wanted to grab some Chipotle but it was closed. I wanted to give up so bad. Looking at the food court was pure torture. We ended up having some fajitas at a Mexican restaurant. For dinner I made some lettuce wrapped burgers with french fries. All I added to burgers was avocado, tomatoes, and pickles. After dinner I had a bowl of canteloupe.

Day 7

IMG_3065I woke up feeling a lot better this day. My husband and I made it to the gym first thing in the morning. We had the same breakfast as the day before. Afterwards, we  decided to go to the batting cages and play some mini golf. On the way there I had a bowl of cantaloupe. We stopped at the grocery store before heading home. I was pretty hungry when we got home so I made a berry salad with a blueberry vinaigrette. This salad was sooooooo delicious. I found the recipe here. I used a mixture of lettuce instead of spinach. For dinner we had some steaks with roasted red potatoes and grilled zucchini.

As much as I thought about quitting or cheating, deep down inside I knew I couldn’t. I knew it wouldn’t get me anywhere and I’d be back to square one. I knew it wouldn’t have been worth it.

I quickly learned I need to plan for all meals. My trips to the store have become very interesting.  The produce and meat sections are the only areas I visit. I try to purchase as much organic foods as I can. I’m pretty lucky because I often find grassfed beef on sale at Safeway.

I have already planned my meals for this week. I am also planning on making it to the gym 5 days since I finally have my energy back!

Check out my goals and plan for Whole30 here. 

Lets hope week 2 is better! Thanks for reading!

-Diana

Whole30- My Plan

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Ever heard of Whole30? It’s basically a “diet,” gahhh I really hate that word but it’s the easiest way to put it. This program was designed by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig. You go 30 days without eating any grains, dairy, legumes (wahh peanut butter), alcohol, sugars, or junk food.  It’s very similar to the paleo diet, which I’ve done before. Thirty days of eating real food that is good for you.

So you’re probably wondering why I’m doing this? I don’t even know where to begin! Well first off I’m pretty sure I’m gluten intolerant so I want to eliminate it from my diet for good. I’d also like to find out if I’m sensitive to other foods like legumes.

I have gained a total 15 pounds since my wedding in June 2014. I was ok with the first 10 pounds I gained because I was focused on lifting heavy 5 days a week. I’ve gained 5 more pounds since I went to Cancun in April and I’ve only worked out about 5 times within the last two months! Well these last 5 pounds have really done it for me. I realized my digestive system is all jacked up and I need to fix it ASAP. I suffer from headaches and bloating (TMI? Maybe? Who cares?) almost everyday.

I ate paleo for about 8 months between 2013 and 2014. I remember my body felt so good while eating paleo. I never had any issues whatsoever. I decided to quit because I was really hard on myself. I always felt guilty for eating food I wasn’t “supposed” to eat. Sooo I decided to take a little break after my wedding… Well that little break has lasted over a year.

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If you are interested in completing a Whole30, reading the book, It Starts With Food, is a must! It explains all of the science behind the program and so much more! I purchased mine on Amazon.

They recommend you set goals for yourself before beginning the program. There are so many reasons why I am doing this. I really just want to feel healthy again. My other goals include:

  • Develop a healthy relationship with food
  • Eliminate gluten from my diet (except for the occasional donut and mac n’ cheese and NOT feel guilty)
  • Eliminate constant unhealthy cravings
  •  Help me become an intuitive eater. Listen to my body, eat when I am hungry, and not eat when I am not hungry.
  • Heal my digestive system
  • Gain my energy back
  • Get better sleep
  • And yes, I’d love to lose the 15lbs I’ve gained and more, but I know with a healthy diet and workout regimen, the pounds will come off. So this really shouldn’t be a goal!

So that’s why I’m doing this. Those are my goals I hope to achieve with this process. I’m so excited! I am so ready to feel good again.

My plan is to do a weekly recap of what I ate and how I felt. I’m kind of happy I am blogging because it will help keep me be accountable. I had been dreading the moment I started another Whole30, but I am actually really excited! My plan is to start on Monday, June 29th.

Wish me luck!

-Diana