DAY 15 OF 30.

I really didn’t think I’d get to this point. I actually was pretty sure I’d have failed by now. But the last few pages of, “It Starts With Food,” really nailed this into my head:

THIS IS NOT HARD.

I’ve said, “This is so hard!” a few times these last 15 days. But I remind myself that there are people who are currently sacrificing much greater things than sugar and suffering through much worse things than no to cream in their coffee. So, I didn’t want to make this a wordy post because who cares what I’m eating and how I feel about how I’m feeling. I just want to leave a few notes for me to look back on and laugh, and maybe help anyone who is thinking about doing the Whole30 as well!

Why?
This is a really good question to answer when you start. It’s important to remember why you chose to do this. Not only to remind yourself when “the going gets tough,” but also to answer questions when people ask! Here are my reasons:

• I read, “It Starts With Food.” And it ruined Carbs, Sugar, Legumes, and Dairy for me [in moderation]. I’m the type that is really sensitive to information, and once I know something, I have a hard time going AGAINST that knowledge.  Whole30 is not sustainable in my life long term, but because I know what happens to my insides when I eat some rice or down a brownie, it’s a LOT easier [READ: not easy, just easIER.] to say no to things.
• I’ve gained 15ish pounds since being married and I felt yucky about how I looked and what I was eating. So yes. One of my goals is to loose weight!
• Minimize inflammation in my foot. I’ve been reading all of these success stories – “The swelling went away! The pain was gone!” And because I had surgery a few months ago, I figured I’d love to give my body a good cleanse to optimize healing!
• Lower my triglycerides [Which were 3x what they should be], and raise my HDLs.

What have you been eating?
I have been terribly uncreative during these past 15 days. Money, time, and inexperience have been the cause of that. This diet is expensive, and I’m getting through the checkout line at Whole Foods ONLY by telling myself it’s only 30 days. I don’t have the ideal schedule right now to prep and plan means. It IS the peak of wedding season, mind you! And honestly, I’m not a creative cook to begin with! I don’t experiment and I eat simply already. So, heres to the next 15 days – get creative!

• Eggs. Lots of them. Fried, Scrabled, Boiled…And just like everything else I’m going to mention, I’m getting tired of them!!
• Spinich. I just add it to everything. Eggs, Salads, Soups, a Side…
• Organic Bacon.
• Salads with protien. If I have to eat oil & vinegar one more time…
• Larabars.
• Black coffee – this is my JAM and gets me through many “snack times” I used to have.
• Apples with almond butter and cinnamon – this gets me through “Let’s get ice cream,” outings with friends.

Have you cheated?
Simply? Yes. And Whole30 hard core people will tell me, “then you’re not actually doing the Whole30!” I don’t care because during a 12 hour wedding day when my “healthy snacks” are gone, I’m going to eat the vendor meal and not feel guilty. I’ve also weighed myself – I know, shut the front door, right? I wasn’t supposed to, but I couldn’t stand it. I’ll share the results when I’ve completed this journey! But why dwell on the “oops” moments? Here are a few wins for me:

• Going with my friends to get ice cream, and NOT getting ice cream.
• Not eating Derby Pie during the World Cup over the weekend. It is MY FAVORITE.
• Not snacking all day.
• Eating avocodo like a champ. It’s not my favorite, but I put up with it.
• Not breaking down in fits of tears in Whole Foods when they ring me up.
• Not stopping for a treat after shooting a wedding.

Do you feel different?
This is where I have to be totally honest again… I feel exactly the same as I did before I started. How motivating, right? But really, I think about WHY I’m doing this, and it wasn’t to FEEL better. It was to BE better. I didn’t come into this for more energy or to get more sleep… those would have been perks, but I’m just looking to shed a few pounds and to make right the wrongs I was doing to my my body. Here are a few things I’ve noticed…

• I THINK I’ve developed an allergy to bananas. I now get a rash on my stomach if I eat them… I’m going to make sure this is actually what’s happening before I swear off of them, though.
• I CAN get through a day without snacking. I don’t like it but seeing it’s possible is a good feeling.

So friends, leave some encouragement or questions if you have them! I’ll update y’all when I’m finished, and I promise to make that post much shorter!