Whole30 Recap

Well...it's been 30 days and Whole30 has come to an end. That doesn't mean that I won't continue to eat Paleo or follow a modified Whole30 diet, but I have very mixed feelings right now saying that it is over. I have learned so much about myself - my body, my nutrition and my ability to have done this program. I am stronger than I give myself credit for! I honestly don't know if I believed I could do Whole30 - go 30 days without chocolate or sweets or treats? Seriously, do any of you know who I am? But I did it and I have never, ever felt better. My body feels better, my mind is clearer and I feel accomplished. It is a huge satisfaction to have finished Whole30 and I couldn't be prouder!

Whole30 was a great introduction to Paleo for me. 32 days ago when I decided that I wanted to transition to a Paleo lifestyle I knew I could - just make paleo brownies and pancakes, right? Well Whole30 was so restrictive and it helped me focus on whole foods - 30 days of no frozen TV dinners, 30 days of no lunch meeting sandwiches or pizza, 30 days of no late night snacks that I don't think anyone knows about. And Whole30 prepared me for my transition. It will be so much easier to say I eat Paleo now that I understand whole foods, how to feed my body what it needs for energy and realizing that I didn't always need the treats.

I lost 5.2 pounds in 30 days. I started Whole30 at 116 pounds and finish today at 110.8. That is my exact weight that I was on my wedding day! However, the number on the scale doesn't matter to me. It is how my clothes fit and how my body looks and although the number is the same, my body is completely different. When I lost 8 pounds over the course of 6 months for my wedding I lost weight, but I didn't lose fat. I was skinny fat. I knew what and how much to eat in order to keep losing/maintaining but it didn't matter. Weight Watcher taught me how to count points, but it didn't teach my how to eat foods that are good for my body. A bag of chips is 4 points and a brownie was 5 and a subway 6" sandwich was 8 points, but none of those foods were nutritious and giving me energy. I was restricting calories, not food.

Whole30 forces you to eliminate sugar, grains, dairy, soy and legumes. The sugar is so important because our body stores sugar as energy - same as fat. But when we have sugar stored, sugar gets burned off first when we have an increase in activity. This means that fat stored is still being stored and will pile up on top of each other. So all of those early morning Bar method workouts were just burning sugar. I was losing the brownie I ate when no one was looking, but the fat I ate was just there not being touched. Fat does not make us fat! Fat is needed for energy and while doing Whole30, I was working out at my peak because my body started to burn fat instead of sugar. So the weight loss that I had in 30 days is true weight loss because my body was working optimally at its best. All of my parts were functioning the way they should and the food I ate was increasing my bodies ability to perform its best. When I lost weight for my wedding I just lost dress sizes - my bloating was still there, my feelings of guilt when I ate a brownie were still there, my tiredness, soreness and anger were still there.

While doing Whole30 I had an increase in energy, clarity and focus. I also went 30 days without saying "I feel fat," "I feel guilt," "I hate myself for eating that." Everything I ate was planned and everything I ate was good for me. I have never eaten so much fat as I did the past 30 days (coconut oil, olive oil, avocados, nuts) and I feel fabulous. When I was doing Weight Watchers I avoided all fatty things because they were too many points, so essentially I was restricting everything good for me - but I ate the cookie because it was 2 points instead of the nuts because they were 5. I could never go back to living how I was because to me, measuring and weighing is more restrictive than Whole30 ever will be!

I want to stick to my Whole30 habits (limited snacking, now weighing/measuring, 3 large meals a day, limited sugar) but with a few exceptions - because this is my life and every now and then I need a Paleo brownie! I survived Passover, a large family event, and didn't give in so I know I can continue to do that. And I went out to dinner and felt confident enough to ask waiters to modify menu items for me and I cooked meals at home even if I didn't feel like it instead of microwaving a meal! I want to continue "Whole30" for the next couple of weeks and go off track on May 3rd for my birthday dinner with Ryan - I cannot say no to Baked Alaska. So yes, I am essentially crazy because I will have sugar and dairy in one item. I know the risks - the headaches, the itchy, the feeling guilty and nauseous, but it is my decision and that still gives me the control. And maybe I won't eat as much of it as I would have 30 days ago - who knows. This is a new me!

I am excited that I am not letting food control me and my behavior but instead I am controlling it. I decide what and how much to eat. I decide when and why I eat. I am not craving snacks and I am not mindlessly eating. I feel free!

I noticed changes other than my clothes fitting better - I am happier. I am more positive because I am not bombarded and weighed down by feelings of guilt, shame and anger because of what I ate. Also, my skin is cleared (all of my face pimples cleared up and have not returned), and my skin is smoother and glowing (that's what I have heard from friends and family as well). I feel pretty. I like what I see what I look in the mirror. I am confident and happy in my own body!

My Whole30 may not have been perfect - I may have snacked, I may have not slept great every night and not had as much energy one day to the next. But I stuck to my goals of 4 Bar Method classes per week, eating clean, meal prepping, planning ahead and listening to my body and what it needs.

I learned so much about reading labels (remember my coconut milk freakout in the early days) - Less than 2% of any ingredient still means the ingredient is in the product, there is soy in tea and canned tuna and sugar is in EVERYTHING (especially bacon). I never ate off program (at least that I know of) and the decisions I made (I ate 3 pieces of pepperoni with less than 2% dextrose) were my decisions and I did not see a point to start Whole30 over. I did not eat a bag of chips, cookies, a sandwich, pizza, beans, corn, rice, bread....I did not eat a lot and what I did eat is so much more than what I eliminated.

I learned to cook new recipes that have now become household favorites: Brussel sprouts w/bacon, spaghetti squash, zoodles, paleo pad thai, chocolate chili, slow cooked short ribs, ahi tuna, swordfish - EVERYTHING!

So here is my Whole30 recap of my daily menus/activity. And I plan to continue cooking my meals because I saved money and controlled my ingredients and to me it was fun!

Sunday March 16: Day 0
Meal 1: Tomato, spinach & avocado scramble with a spinach & berry nutribullet topped with coconut
Meal 2: Vegetable soup
Meal 3: Grilled salmon with mango & avocado salsa; brussel sprouts with bacon

Monday March 17: Day 1 Bar Method
Meal 1: Tomato & spinach omelet
Meal 2: Port and sweet potato slow cooker stew; mixed green salad
Meal 3: Mixed green salad; vegetable soup

Tuesday March 18: Day 2 Bar Method
Pre-workout: Nuts
Post-workout: Larabar
Meal 1: Vegetable omelet
Meal 2: Mixed green salad with broccoli & avocado
Meal 3: Pork & onion balsamic ragout; cauliflower garlic mash

Wednesday March 19: Day 3
Meal 1: Avocado egg boat topped with bacon; kale chips
Meal 2: Mixed green salad w/balsamic pork ragout
Meal 3: Coconut encrusted tilapia; vegetable soup; steamed broccoli, carrots

Thursday March 20: Day 4 Bar Method
Pre-workout: Nuts
Post-workout: RxBar
Meal 1: Vegetable omelet
Meal 2: Mixed green salad; vegetable soup
Meal 3: Salmon patties; fried eggs; unsweetened applesauce

Friday March 21: Day 5
Meal 1: N'oatmeal w/goji berries, almond butter, coconut
Meal 2: Mixed green salad w/salmon patties
Meal 3: Sashimi; vegetable soup; balsamic pork ragout & vegetable stir-fry

Saturday March 22: Day 6 Bar Method
Meal 1: Fried eggs w/salmon patties & avocado hash
Meal 2: Vegetable soup; baby carrots w/almond butter; 1/2 RxBar
Meal 3: Almond-coconut encrusted chicken; prosciutto wrapped dates; broccoli florets

Sunday March 23: Day 7
Meal 1: Chicken sausage & vegetable omelet
Meal 2: Mixed green salad w/almond-coconut encrusted chicken; baby carrots w/almond butter
Meal 3: Slow cooker coffee chile short ribs; blood orange salad

Monday March 24: Day 8 Bar Method
Pre-workout: N'oatmeal
Post-workout: Larabar
Meal 1: Vegetable omelet
Meal 2: Mixed green salad w/short ribs
Meal 3: Spaghetti squash w/turkey bolognese

Tuesday March 25: Day 9 Bar Method
Pre-workout: Nuts
Post-workout: RxBar
Meal 1: Vegetable omelet
Meal 2: Spaghetti squash w/turkey bolognese
Meal 3: Almond-encrusted chicken w/vegetable stir-fry; cauliflower rice; zucchini fritters; prosciutto wrapped dates

Wednesday March 26: Day 10
Meal 1: Short ribs & vegetable stir-fry; fried eggs; cauliflower tortillas
Meal 2: Spaghetti squash w/turkey bolognese; mixed green salad
Meal 3: Spice-rubbed chicken; butternut squash; steamed mixed vegetables

Thursday March 27: Day 11 Bar Method
Pre-workout: Nuts
Post-workout: Turkey, Blueberry Muffin
Meal 1: Vegetable omelet
Meal 2: Mixed green salad w/spice-rubbed chicken
Meal 3: Spaghetti squash w/shrimp & chicken sausage and almond butter sauce

Friday March 28: Day 12 Bar Method
Pre-workout: Nuts
Post-workout: Turkey, blueberry muffin
Meal 1: Mixed vegetables w/hard boiled eggs
Meal 2: Mixed green salad w/spice rubbed chicken
Meal 3: Apple-dijon buger w/cashew cheese over lettuce; sweet potato fries; brussel sprouts w/bacon

Saturday March 29: Day 13
Meal 1: Apple pie omelet; brussel sprouts
Meal 2: Mixed green salad
Meal 3: Chocolate chili w/avocado & almonds; baked kale & broccoli; prosciutto wrapped dates; cashew cheese topped cucumbers

Sunday March 30: Day 14 Bar Method Level 2
Meal 1: Vegetable omelet w/almond butter & pomegranate seeds
Pre-workout: Monkey muffin
Post-workout: RxBar
Meal 2: Burger over lettuce w/prosciutto
Meal 3: Pistachio encrusted scallops; Asparagus & mushrooms; mixed green salad w/figs & plum dressing

Monday March 31: Day 15 Bar Method
Pre-workout: 1/2 RxBar
Post workout: Turkey, blueberry muffin
Meal 1: Vegetable omelet
Meal 2: Mixed green salad w/eggplant, walnuts & spice rubbed chicken
Meal 3: Pork chops w/pesto; mango & avocado salsa

Tuesday April 1: Day 16
Meal 1: Chocolate chili w/fried eggs & almonds
Meal 2: Mixed green salad; pork chops; mango & avocado salsa
Meal 3: Spaghetti squash pizza; turkey, bruschetta & cashew cheese stuffed mushrooms

Wednesday April 2: Day 17 Bar Method
Pre-workout: Monkey muffin
Post-workout: Larabar
Meal 1: Spaghetti squash pizza; turkey stuffed mushrooms
Meal 2: Sashimi; Mixed green salad w/turkey, blueberry muffin
Meal 3: Zoodle pad thai w/figs & cashews

Thursday April 3: Day 18 Spin
Meal 1: Bruschetta, turkey & avocado omelet; turkey blueberry muffin; plantains
Meal 2: Zoodle pad thai w/figs & cashews; plantains
Pre-workout: Hard boiled eggs; turkey, blueberry muffin
Post-workout: RxBar
Meal 3: Spaghetti squash pizza

Friday April 4: Day 19 Bar Method
Pre-workout: Monkey muffin
Post-workout: Larabar
Meal 1: Spaghetti squash pizza; kale chips
Meal 2: Mixed green salad w/walnuts & hard boiled egg
Meal 3: Cashew encrusted swordfish; brussel sprouts w/bacon

Saturday April 5: Day 20
Meal 1: Pepperoni & avocado omelet
Snack: Plantains w/almond butter
Meal 2: Spaghetti squash pizza; mixed green salad
Snack: Monkey Muffin w/almond butter
Meal 3: (Date Night @ Gyu-Kaku) Zucchini, NY Strip Steak, Salmon, Duck, Asparagus

Sunday April 6: Day 21
Meal 1: Turkey, bruschetta, avocado, vegetable omelet; chicken sausage; zucchini
Meal 2: Mixed green salad w/turkey, blueberry muffin; plantains; kale chips; hazelnuts
Snack: Monkey muffin w/almond butter
Meal 3: NY strip steak; asparagus, mushroom, onion, tomato

Monday April 7: Day 22 Bar Method
Pre-workout: Monkey muffin
Post-workout: 1/2 RxBar
Meal 1: Vegetable omelet
Meal 2: Mixed green salad w/chicken, guacamole, hard-boiled egg, figs
Snack: 1/2 RxBar
Meal 3: (Dinner out) Grass-fed burger over lettuce

Tuesday April 8: Day 23
Meal 1: Asparagus, zucchini, onion w/pesto hash; chicken sausage; omelet (unsweetened applesauce, coconut milk - topped with almond butter, pecans, coconut)
Meal 2: Mixed green salad w/chicken, guacamole, figs
Meal 3: Turkey & spinach stuffed sweet potato; kale chips

Wednesday April 9: Day 24 Bar Method
Pre-workout: Monkey muffin
Post-workout: Oven roasted chicken
Meal 1: Prosciutto egg vegetable cups; mixed green salad
Meal 2: Turkey & spinach stuffed sweet potato
Meal 3: Zoodles w/chicken sausage

Thursday April 10: Day 25 Bar Method
Pre-workout: Monkey Muffin
Post-workout: Oven roasted chicken
Meal 1: Prosciutto wrapped egg vegetable cups; mixed green salad
Meal 2: Zoodles w/turkey & spinach meat sauce
Meal 3: Ribs; brussel sprouts; sweet potato; avocado

Friday April 11: Day 26
Meal 1: Bison egg mcmuffin; zoodles & cabbage w/crushed tomatos, pecans
Meal 2: Mixed green salad w/prosciutto vegetable egg cups
Meal 3: Paleo pad thai; shrimp w/creamy coconut sauce; prosciutto wrapped dates

Saturday April 12: Day 27 Spin
Pre-workout: Monkey muffin
Post-workout: 1/2 RxBar
Meal 1: Beef egg mcmuffin; spinach & tomato
Snack: Plantains
Meal 2: Warm arugula & mushroom salad w/chicken
Snack: Hazelnuts
Meal 3: Paleo pad thai

Sunday April 13: Day 28
Meal 1: Vegetable omelet w/guacamole; monkey muffin
Snack: 1/2 RxBar
Meal 2: Mixed green salad w/pulled chicken
Snack: Plantains w/almond butter & fig/hazelnut spread
Meal 3: Spice encrusted ahi tuna steak; asparagus; avocado; tomatoes topped with artichoke bruschetta

Monday April 14: Day 29 Bar Method
Meal 1: Sweet potato, beef vegetable hash; eggs over easy
Post-workout: Larabar
Meal 2: Paleo pad thai; mixed green salad w/pulled chicken
Meal 3 (Passover): Cashew cheese stuffed dates; cucumbers topped w/cashew cheese; salmon, paleo Moroccan meatballs;  vegetable muffins; spinach & pine nut cake; charoset

Tuesday April 15: DAY 30
Meal 1: Sweet potato, beef, vegetable hash; eggs over easy
Meal 2: Mixed green salad w/shrimp
Meal 3: Sashimi