Birthday!!!

On May 1 I celebrated my 27th birthday! This year my birthday seemed to come up quickly- maybe it was the cold weather all through April but it just didn't feel like my birthday, or maybe I am just getting older and celebrating with my husband and family is all I need to mark the beginning of a new year.

All week I went to Bar Method classes and pushed myself really hard. I took Thursday off so I could spend my morning with Ryan and Haley and have a warm birthday breakfast with them. Of course, because I am up earlier than anyone, I cooked this wonderful Meal 1!

We had a leftover mix of what was in the fridge but made something really delicious. I had leftover tex-mex hash (sweet potatoes, ground beef) with a fried egg, chicken sausage, mango and a small bite of chocolate walnut banana bread. Ryan had spaghetti squash pizza (squash, ground beef) with a fried egg, chicken sausage, mango and banana bread. It was so filling and even better a few days later. I loved both hash's and can't wait to make these dishes again and have leftovers! I am also so happy and impressed that Ryan loved the spaghetti squash pizza and even had it for breakfast!

 

I got to work and had a wonderful surprise - my friends decorated my desk in streamers and birthday decorations. It made me so happy and feel so special. It was finally starting to feel like my birthday!

 

Work was busy so the afternoon flew by. I treated myself to a sashami and naruto roll birthday lunch and also received an amazing surprise - a flower delivery from Ryan. I usually hate flowers because he sends them on valentine's day when everyone else received flowers so I don't feel special. But birthday flowers were truly amazing. I couldn't stop smiling and I was so impressed that Ryan had planned ahead and thought to deliver them to my office!

 

As another birthday treat, Ryan was cooking dinner for us! He had planned to make coconut chicken, coconut spicy shrimp and garlic sauteed bok choy. I was excited to get out of the kitchen, nervous too because I am a control freak in the kitchen, but really happy. Ryan was cooking everything perfectly and I felt calm for the first time - I also knew he was using only Whole30 compliant ingredients and had no worries!

Dinner was delicious! We will definitely be making these recipes again!

Now here is where things got fun and scary. After 45 days, I broke my Whole30. I had honey. Now although I had already planned to break it May 3 with dairy, I couldn't imagine a birthday without a birthday cake. That morning I had gotten up early to make a raw cheesecake and it was in the fridge ready for us after dinner. So this was my first sugar in 45 days, my first after meal dessert in 45 days, my first really sweet treat in 45 days!

The raw cheesecake was made wit a crust of dates, walnut and pecans, a layer of cashew cheese (cashews, honey, coconut oil, lemon juice) and a layer of cashew cheese with berries.

It was delicious! It was really sweet. I only had a small piece to begin but did end up going back for a 2nd small piece. For someone who did not consider anything dessert unless it was chocolate, this was an incredible birthday cake. Ryan loved it too!

I tried not to feel guilty about having sugar and ending Whole45. I had accomplished so much and was still eating clean and paleo and Whole30 compliant except for the honey so there was nothing to feel bad about. The sugar did affect me though and I felt it. After eating 1 slice, I went back for seconds. In 45 days, I didn't have seconds. In 45 days I hadn't had an after dinner dessert so my body was full from dinner and I was still feeding it more, and I was feeding it sugar. I went to bed that night after 3 hours of watching House of Cards with Ryan and woke up at 5AM for Bar Method feeling achy and tired. I had a good class - not great - but it felt really good to shake and stretch.

The work day yesterday was busy and I was treated to another sushi lunch for a belated birthday. At 3PM though, I started to snack - something I hadn't done in awhile. I had plantain chips in my desk (maybe I shouldn't keep them there so I don't snack) and felt bad about myself afterwards - another thing I hadn't felt in 45 days.

Ryan and I cooked another fabulous dinner together after work. Zoodle Bolognese. Ryan even said zoodles were his new favorite pasta replacement!!! We had a brussel sprout and apple salad on the side.

I loved the meal and felt full and satisfied but then I treated myself to another piece of cheesecake (the last in the house). I started to feel a bit bloated after eating it and itchy and my stomach seemed upset. I guess I now know how my body reacts to sugar. It doesn't have to be white table sugar to be considered "sugar." Honey, fruit, maple syrup - all paleo approved sugars - are all sugar and the body sees it no different than table sugar. I am not going to say no ever again to sugar but I will have to have it in small amounts and not everyday. It will have to be a treat in order to keep my body feeling as amazing as it did for the past 45 days!

We are still going to Delmonico's for my Birthday dinner so now I won't be so fearful of dairy for dessert. Although that will be a reintroduction food after Whole30, I have already ended my Whole"45" so the feeling of guilt are gone. I am only nervous how my body could react to dairy since I hadn't had it for so long.

I am so proud of how far I have come in my food journey and feel proud and happy. I know I have changed mentally and physically and look forward to this journey continuing. Even if it is not Whole30 all the time, but paleo 100% of the time. I don't miss bread, dairy, soy, grains, legumes and I plan to keep them out of my body and keep myself as healthy as I can be!

XO