18 April 2017

[ Whole 30. On Day 30. ]

This is my story.

And like everyone's story - it's intertwined with other people's stories ... but I'm writing this from where I'm at.  Because it's my story.

Like most people, my journey with food and health and body image and blah blah blah ... has been an ongoing train wreck lol.  I've run a half marathon, I've done Whole30, I've done this and that ... and then "fell of the wagon" or so to speak, so many times I couldn't count them if I tried.

Then, in August of 2016, I got serious about my health and joined Campus Crossfit.  I wanted to be strong.  It's funny - because I had been terrified to even walk through the doors - and am now at a place where I NEED to be there four times a week.     I have been getting stronger and my endurance has skyrocketed ....

But then there's the ugly truth of how I continue to deal with stress in my life.

Back in December, a close family member was gripped by anxiety and depression.  It was a road that we had been down before, but the timing was particularly hard with Christmas and a big trip to New Zealand with other family members staring us right in the face.   New Zealand was AMAZING - but there was a cloud of much deserved concern for the family back at home.  

I did what I do when things get tough.   I ate.  And when the situation continued on, I continued to eat.  Bad stuff.  Packaged stuff.  No nutritional value stuff.  It wasn't like anything on tv, no ridiculous binging - and definitely no purging - but I was out of control.  Food was my comfort.  I gained 12lbs.

Then, thirty days ago (you can read my starting thoughts HERE) - I took the control back, and started Whole 30.  I've done this before (you can see that HERE) about two years ago.  It was the best I had ever felt, and I wanted that feeling back.  

It's not easy - but it's definitely not the hardest thing to do either.  It's simply reprogramming your brain.  There's no counting calories ... it's just eating whole food, nothing processed.  No dairy.  No grains.  No sugar.  You won't die from doing it lol ... and you'll see what food addictions control your life.  

My results? 

I've lost just under 12lbs in 30days.

I've lost 3.5 inches around my waist, and an inch around my legs.

I. FEEL. AMAZING.

I should say that I've ONLY had comments about my physical change, after I've told people that I'm almost done Whole30.  Not one person has spontaneously said,  "WOW Tawn.  You look fantastic. What are you doing??"  Any compliments have come after I turned down something packaged to eat, and explained why.    

But that's totally cool lol.  THEIR response is not why I did this.   I did it for ME.

So I'm almost done - and I do not crave anything.  The plan is to learn from my mistakes the last time I finished Whole 30.    Last time, I "pushed through" the pain of adding dairy and wheat back into my diet.  WHY would I do that again?? 

I'm heading to Phoenix in a week and a bit, so the plan is to keep going ... a Whole 40 kind-of-a-thing.  I will be adding a few things to my diet over time ... butter (to cook with), honey, maple syrup and goat cheese.  Basically, a Paleo diet.

What have I noticed - other than looser pants?

I lay my head down to sleep and BOOM.  I'm out.   And I don't wake up til morning, and it's ZING.  I'm up - let's GO lol.  I cannot sleep in, nor do I want to.  I have so much energy at Crossfit.  My brain fog is completely GONE.   My skin feels amazing.  Yeah.  I just FEEL great.

So.  Why would I stop?

This is NOT a diet.  Although I knew I would lose some much-needed-to-lose-weight, it actually wasn't my motivation.  Getting control over my bad habits, learning to DEAL with stress instead of eating it away, and just feeling better ... those were the goals.

Totally accomplished.

Have a great one :).



20 March 2017

[ talk: Whole 30. Again. ]

It has been a LONG time since I've blogged.  Why?  Because life is busy, and honestly - who cares about blogging anymore?  Clearly, I don't lol ... so why am I doing this?  For myself, actually.  

See, about 6 months ago, I started doing CrossFit.  I LOVE IT.  Like, a lot.  Then, with a bunch of back-to-back trips, I got out of the groove and just recently "restarted".  I try and go 4 times a week ... and I feel like I've got that part under wraps now.

But.  I don't know if it's because I'm getting older - but the weight, oh the weight, that I seem to carry on my little frame.  I took a selfie of our kids and I this weekend and was STUNNED.  I look like I've been stung by a bee.  Or a few hundred.  Thousand.

I successfully completed Whole 30 a couple of years ago.  If you're interested in finding out about that ( you can read about it HERE - actually, it was really helpful for ME to reread it).  It was HARD.  And then it got easier.  I loved how I felt, the energy I had and the cravings that I no longer succumbed to.  

This morning, I got real and weighed myself.  And measured myself.  And went grocery shopping to start my Whole 30 month.

There is a goal.  What is it?  Well, simply to complete it.  The reward?  My annual Pink Phoenix trip will be just a few days after I complete the Whole 30.  

Because I've already done this before, I know what to expect.  Like, Day One is EXCITING lol.  Eager-beaver.  Ready-to-go.  Day Three, the sugar detox starts and cravings and my oh my  --- it's hard.  But by Day Five ... results are already happening and a newfound vigour happens.   

Then - by day 21 ... I'll be so sick of yams and avocados and almonds and eggs - but the goal will be close ... and I will survive lol.

Day 30?  The glorious DAY 30?  Weighing, measuring ... maybe eating peanut butter.  Or brown rice.  Or putting honey on ... anything lol.

So why am I posting this?  Well, think of it as my own personal Weight Watchers lol.  I figure that if SOMEone reads this,  then I'm accountable, right?  Well - I kinda feel like just by just typing these words - I already am.  

So, I started today - but how did I start?  Meal planning for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  And I had to keep in mind that my family isn't doing this - so it means I have to be VERY prepared, or I will most certainly fail at this.

MONDAY

breakfast //  black coffee

lunch // grilled onions + red peppers in ghee butter, 3 whole scrambled eggs.

dinner // baked potato with ghee butter, romaine salad w/veggies + sliced rotisserie chicken; no sugar added applesauce 

TUESDAY

breakfast // black coffee, hard boiled egg, banana

lunch // tuna + salad

dinner // rotiserree chicken (homemade), baked yam, frozen peas; sliced mango

WEDNESDAY

lunch // leftovers

dinner  // cauliflower soup with prosciutto, salad with baked brusselspouts; 

For snacks ... sliced apples with almond butter, bananas, pistachio nuts or almonds, sliced veggies or fruit ... 

* * * *

So yeah -- there you have it.    I'll check back in 30 days.  Or maybe sooner.

Wish me luck LOL

And have a great one!