I am not a health nut. Eating healthy does not come naturally for me. Growing up, I would unwrap a piece of American Cheese and peel the edge off of a slice of bologna for a snack. Fast forward 30 years, and I'm downing gallons of ice cream, because we were planning on starting this program on August 1st and I was freaking out a little that I was cutting ice cream out of my life I didn't want the temptation in the house. But, we have needed to eat healthier in our family for a while. Heart disease runs in both of our families, and I don't want to have a cabinet full of meds when I'm older. That means, we need to be proactive now. We want to enjoy our kids at every stage of their lives, and that means we need to make wise choices now. So, I'm happy to say that we just completed our first week of Whole 30. If you're not familiar with what Whole 30 is, it is committing to eat whole foods for 30 days. That means eating non-processed and no sugar added foods, no dairy, no grains, and no alcohol for 30 days. You might be thinking, why the heck would you commit to doing that!?! Well, I don't know what could be better for your body. Whole 30 was appealing to me, because I don't have to commit to a product or supplement. I like that everything you need to succeed, you can find at your local grocery store. To complete the program, I only have to be super strict with the way I eat for 30 days. After that, I am hoping it is a lifestyle change for us. So far, it's looking like it will be.
Things I learned or remembered about myself during the first week...
-- I enjoy cooking! I like whipping things up from scratch and savoring every bite. I hadn't been enjoying cooking as much as I used to recently. I think this new plan got me out of my rut.
-- Coconut oil makes everything taste better. This is a funny one, because my hubby started using coconut oil when I was pregnant with our second child, and I couldn't stand the smell. It bothered me so much that I would open the door, or stand outside while he cooked with it.
-- When you have a game plan for the week, your family gets fed. What a concept.
-- When you have a game plan for the week, you use all of the fruits and veggies you purchased before they go bad.
-- I don't miss specific foods, but I miss the activity. For example, after church on Sunday, we went to run errands, and I wanted to grab a Starbucks. There are things that I could order at Starbucks, but I wouldn't be able to order my usual drink. That made me a little sad.
-- Healthy food can taste good! Previously, when my hubby would mention eating healthy, I would think, I don't want to eat salad all day every day, or a plain chicken breast with veggies. I enjoy food. I like food. That sounds tasteless and boring. I was so wrong.
-- I really like accomplishing things as a team with my hubby. We are in this together. I am the weaker link, but he has more peer pressure, so we encourage one another and hold each other accountable. If he wasn't on board, I most likely would have fallen off the wagon a few days ago.
For those of you that think the food looks yummy, here is a list with what we ate during Week 1. I've included links back to the recipes I referenced too.
-- I enjoy cooking! I like whipping things up from scratch and savoring every bite. I hadn't been enjoying cooking as much as I used to recently. I think this new plan got me out of my rut.
-- Coconut oil makes everything taste better. This is a funny one, because my hubby started using coconut oil when I was pregnant with our second child, and I couldn't stand the smell. It bothered me so much that I would open the door, or stand outside while he cooked with it.
-- When you have a game plan for the week, your family gets fed. What a concept.
-- When you have a game plan for the week, you use all of the fruits and veggies you purchased before they go bad.
-- I don't miss specific foods, but I miss the activity. For example, after church on Sunday, we went to run errands, and I wanted to grab a Starbucks. There are things that I could order at Starbucks, but I wouldn't be able to order my usual drink. That made me a little sad.
-- Healthy food can taste good! Previously, when my hubby would mention eating healthy, I would think, I don't want to eat salad all day every day, or a plain chicken breast with veggies. I enjoy food. I like food. That sounds tasteless and boring. I was so wrong.
-- I really like accomplishing things as a team with my hubby. We are in this together. I am the weaker link, but he has more peer pressure, so we encourage one another and hold each other accountable. If he wasn't on board, I most likely would have fallen off the wagon a few days ago.
For those of you that think the food looks yummy, here is a list with what we ate during Week 1. I've included links back to the recipes I referenced too.
Snacks:
--blueberries & cashews (perfect blend of savory & sweet!)
--apple with almond butter
Day 1
Breakfast: Scramble with ground turkey, eggs, sweet potato, apple, orange pepper, spinach, & onion. Seasoned to taste with McCormick's Montreal steak seasoning, all spice, & fennel seeds.
Lunch: Homemade pico de gallo http://flouronmyface.com/pico-de-gallo-recipe/ with two fried eggs.
Dinner: Salmon with mango salsa. This was one of my faves! http://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/2015/07/grilled-salmon-with-mango-salsa.html
Day 2
Breakfast: Leftover scramble from Day1, plus a handful of grapes & a handful of blueberries.
Lunch: Yams fried in coconut oil & seasoned with Italian seasoning mixed with avocado, plus two fried eggs.
Dinner: Shrimp & green bean stir-fry.http://www.acleanplate.com/recipe/shrimp-and-asparagus-stir-fry/
Day 3
Breakfast: Leftover scramble from Day 1, plus 2 handfuls of grapes.
Lunch: Romaine lettuce, topped with home made pico de gallo from Day 1, and chicken breast fried in coconut oil, seasoned with fajita seasonings.
Dinner: Grilled steak with sauteed onions, red, and yellow peppers with a side of pear.
Day 4
Breakfast: 1 banana sliced, a handful of blueberries, chopped almonds, and a scoop of almond butter (all in a bowl). This is my favorite!
Lunch: Romaine lettuce, topped with leftover steak from Day 3, 1 hard boiled egg, avocado, & tahini sauce.
Dinner: Beef Bowl (We subbed with ground turkey.) http://www.realfoodwholelife.com/blog/pineapple-beef-bowls-with-mango-avocado-salsa
Day 5
Breakfast: Ground turkey, onion, green pepper & egg scrambled with McCormick's Montreal Steak seasoning, all spice, & fennel seeds with a side of blueberries.
Lunch: Leftover pineapple turkey & sweet potato from Day 4 dinner on top of broccoli slaw.
Dinner: Spaghetti squash with homemade meatballs & marinara sauce. http://www.noshtastic.com/oven-baked-italian-meatballs-with-marinara-sauce/ We subbed all of the meat for ground turkey.
Day 6
Breakfast: Mini-Egg Frittatas http://www.iheartnaptime.net/mini-egg-frittatas/ with half of a peach.
Lunch: Sweet potato toast http://littlebitsof.com/2016/05/sweet-potato-toast-3-ways/ topped with a ground turkey patty and mashed avocado mixed with pico de gallo from Day 1.
Dinner: Leftover spaghetti squash with marinara.
Day 7
Breakfast: Mini-Egg Frittatas leftover from Day 6 with side of blueberries.
Lunch: Jalapeno turkey burger topped with a fried egg and mashed avocado mixed with pico de gallo http://www.theorganickitchen.org/blog-tutorials/jalapeno-turkey-burgers/
Dinner: Blackened Cajun Tilapia http://www.tasteslovely.com/paleo-blackened-cajun-mahi-mahi/ on a bed of cauliflower rice http://cookeatpaleo.com/how-to-make-cauliflower-rice/ with a side of mango.
If you want to follow our journey daily, please follow us on Instagram at AWALKWITHTHEWALKERS.
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