Whole30 Round 2 Day 3

Today was a really great day! I was expecting Ryan to be a bit grumpy and tired - according to the daily email, day 3 is peak transition day. I don't think he is experiencing any signs of detox, probably because he was already gluten free (dairy was his biggest toxin), but he is a bit tired and moody. All things expected so I was surprised when he was eager for an early start to the day!

We woke up early and I made meal 1 - carrot, spinach and brussel sprouts hash with scrambled eggs and chicken sausage. It was a great use of leftovers and Ryan and I both cleared our plates. After a couple episodes of Nurse Jackie (sadly, we finished House of Cards), we left for Brooklyn Flea!

We hadn't been back to Brooklyn since we moved January 31 (except for a basketball game and concert at Barclay's) so we were really excited to walk around and see the neighborhood. We got to Fort Greene and after an hour at Brooklyn Flea, we walked to Brooklyn Heights. We went to Bareburger for lunch on Atlantic Avenue and ordered lettuce wrap burgers. I got lamb with grilled apples & onions, Ryan got jerk chicken with pickles, onions and tomato. What is a burger with fries? Well, Barbeurger has always used peanut oil to fry their appetizers, including sweet potato fries, so those are Whole30 out! However, on the menu it said "all appetizers are fried in non-GMO canola oil." Well to my surprise this meant it was Whole30 approved! We asked the waitress just to confirm the change in oils and she said they got rid of peanut oil from the restaurant!

Well, Bareburger sweet potato fries will not be categorized as SWYPO for me. Ryan and I split a basket, but I'm pretty sure I ate most of them. After the meal, we walked towards our old apartment! Along the way, Ryan discussed some of his struggles with Whole30. He said the hardest part of eating at a restaurant is smelling all of the foods you know you can't eat and feeling full and satisfied without bread (gluten free or not). However, he added, that once he left the restaurant, he felt full and happy. I understand exactly what he is going through - it's realizing that the healthier foods keep you fuller longer but sometimes they don't taste or smell as enticing. They aren't coated in sugar and chemicals - they are natural, they are delicious and they are so healthy. It is so much for Ryan to overcome eating a burger without a bun, but he did it, loved it and felt so much better walking out of BareBurger even after eating fries than he would have pre-Whole30.

Our walk to our old apartment was nostalgic. We missed the community and neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights but we are so happy in our apartment that we don't want to look back! I don't think we would be able to Whole30 in our old apartment. We didn't have a dishwasher so cooking 3 meals and prepping would be completely impossible. There wasn't enough counter space or fridge space or freezer space. There also wasn't a separation between kitchen and living room so we would have spent all day in one room. Also, in the summer, the oven made the apartment unbearably hot. And we didn't have a dining room table so we ate on the floor watching TV. Totally not Whole30 possible!

I hit my NikeFuel goal early on in the day wit the amount of walking we were doing in Brooklyn! When we got home, I marinated chicken and we rested on the couch and caught up on Game of Thrones. For dinner we were making nomnompaleo Chili-Lime Chicken Wings, salmon cakes and asparagus. The recipe calls to cook the chicken on a wired rack - we followed the instructions and cooking time exactly but the chicken wasn't crisping the way it should have so after 40 minutes of cooking, we took the chicken off the wire and put it directly on the backing sheet. The chicken browned and got crispy right away and tasted so much better! Ryan made salmon cakes using Trader Joe's canned salmon, almond flour, eggs and scallions. And the asparagus was oven-roasted with coconut oil. It was a delicious dinner and I think it will keep Ryan full the rest of the night so he doesn't feel the need to snack!

 

Tomorrow I am going to Trader Joe's early before the huge crowds/lines to stock up on groceries for the week and items I need to family dinner. I also want to take Ryan to Hu Kitchen so he knows what to order if he does have a night when he really doesn't want to cook or clean! We also want to check out the Farmer's Market at the Stuyvesant Oval that is open all summer. Might be a really great place to get local vegetables!

I didn't go to Bar Method today and won't make it tomorrow but I have a lot of activity from all of the walking we are doing so I am not worried. I love spring in NYC - I am so much more active and wanting to get out of the house and be outside. It makes me so much happier!

I hope everyone has a great night!

XO

Whole30 Round 2 Day 2!

Today was a good day 2. I think Ryan is starting to feel the effects of the detox but he has a lot of support and I know he can be successful at Whole30.

For meal 1, he made fried eggs over leftover sweet potato and zucchini latkes. I was so happy that he used leftovers because normally they would have sat in the fridge for days! He has to see the benefits of leftover food as less cooking/prepping/planning! And next time he could turn them into a hash so that the food becomes less like leftovers and more of a whole new dish!

My meal 1 was a vegetables omelet made with spinach, tomato and mushrooms. I got it on the go since I was at Bar Method. Preworkout was a hard boiled egg and Postworkout was an Apple Pie LaraBar. I need to prep turkey/blueberry muffins for post workout so that I don't become reliant on LaraBars!

My meal 2 was a spinach salad with turkey, shrimp and vegetables.

After work, Ryan went to workout so he had a hard boiled egg pre-workout and a RxBar post-workout. I hope he can find an alternative to bars after working out but right now he sees them as convenience because he doesn't have to make a 4th meal. But he is still doing great and staying committed.

Meal 3 was absolutely delicious. We made pork ribs and brussel sprouts with prosciutto. I made homemade BBQ sauce since my order from Tessamae's hasn't arrived yet! I cooked the ribs for 1.5 hours and they were so juicy and sweet!

Now that Ryan is doing Whole30 and I see the portions that he is eating as a 6'5, 200 lbs male, I need to either make his portions larger (so that he is full longer) or I need to make mine smaller. We cannot eat the same portion sizes. We split the ribs and brussel sprouts, but really I should have had 1/2 of my portion and either saved the remaining ribs or given them to Ryan. I will play it be ear the next few days with portions. I don't want to start being hungry in between meals by making my portion smaller, but I don't want to over-eat. I am 5'1 and 112 lbs so Ryan and I should not be eating the same.

The homemade BBQ sauce ingredients included:
6 oz. can tomato paste
1 tbsp coconut aminos
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne, red pepper flakes, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder.

I mixed everything together over medium heat and then topped the ribs with the sauce.

We ate late at 7:30pm but by 10:30pm Ryan was hungry. I don't think he was actually hungry, but had cravings. Usually after dinner, he has a rice cake with peanut butter and nutella a couple hours later. He doesn't let his body digest and metabolize his dinner so he thinks he is hungry. He goes to bed full and doesn't sleep well because his body is too busy breaking down food rather than resting. His cortisol levels are thrown off because his body doesn't think it is time to sleep. He doesn't wake up hungry either since he ate so close to bedtime. I am sure he was hungry, but I also think he was craving the sweets as well as used to the habit of eating. He needs to see meal 3 as his final so he eats more fat and savors it. I am proud of him though because he did not eat and went to bed by 11:30pm.

Ryan could have 4 meals during the week if his body really needs it, but they need to be 4 meals, not 3 meals and a snack. It is up to him on how to divide his meals and time, but I do think 3 meals is enough.

He usually eats meal 1 at 7:30am/8am, meal 2 at 12:30pm/1pm and meal 3 at 6pm. The issue is then he doesn't go to sleep for another 6 hours. He needs to get in bed earlier so that he doesn't have late night cravings. But he has 28 days to figure this out and I know he will do great!

As for me, I know I am not going through the same detox I did in March because my body is used to the whole30 lifestyle. But with new goals of limiting nuts, nut butter and now lessening my portions, I have my own struggles. I know I ate too many nuts round 1 and used them as snacks. I would like to keep whole nuts to a limit, maybe 2-3 days per week and always with a meal. Whether that is on a salad or to encrust meat or fish! I also want to stick to healthy nuts like cashews, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts and limit almonds and especially walnuts!

I had an amazing activity week. I went to Bar Method 3 days this week but my NikeFuel band was extremely active. I hit goal (2,000 fuel) every day Sunday - Friday and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I had record breaking goal day. I had my best Wednesday, Thursday and Friday since using the fuelband and yesterday I had 3,000 fuel and was active for over 7 hours during the day. It felt food to be active and walking and moving. I still need to do Bar Method 4 days a week so starting next week I need to do 3 weekdays or add on a weekend day. I also need to do a Level 2 class which is only offered on weekends so that will help with the 4 day a week goal. It is just difficult to go to weekend classes because I want to sleep in and also getting to SoHo isn't that easy. It's a lot easier to go to SoHo and then to work, but getting back home is a little more difficult. But I won't make excuses for not going to Bar Method. I just have to get my bar booty to the studio!

Have a great weekend everyone!

XO

Whole30 Round 2: Day 1!

Here we go again!

Ryan's goals
Workout 4x week (2x at home, 2x at gym)
Be in bed by 11:30pm week 1-2, 11:00pm week 3-4
Hit NikeFuel goal (3,000 fuel) 5 days a week
No snacking late night after Leslie goes to sleep
Eat 3 meal #3's per week not in front of television
No caffeine after 5pm

Leslie's goals
Go to Bar Method 4x week
Take 1 Level 2 Bar Method class
Hit NikeFuel goal (2,000 fuel / 8,000 steps) 5 days a week
Limit Lara Bar/Rx Bar to emergency only - not pre/post workout
Eat 3 meal #3's per week not in front of television
Let Ryan plan and cook 3 meals per week
No plantain/apple chips (SWYPO)
Limit nut butter to recipes only - not snacking
Read one paleo/nutrition book (Eat The Yolks)

Today was Day 1 for me, Ryan and my mom on Whole30. Starting May 15 through June 13, we will be following Whole30 - that means no grains, wheat, dairy, soy, legumes and sugar! Because this is my second round I now know my weaknesses and SWYPO food items so I will also be restricting plantain chips, nuts and nut butter. Last round I used nuts and almond butter and plantain chips to satisfy a craving rather than for nutritional purposes. For this reason, I know that I need to restrict my consumption of them because I have a hard time controlling myself.

Ryan is having a hard time not snacking. He is used to eating small meals frequently throughout the day so he is having a hard time figuring out how big each meal should be in order to feel full for 4-5 hours until his next meal. His hardest time of day is light night. Because he eats meal 1 and meal 2 so early, meal 3 is usually at 5pm and meal 4 is at 9pm. But meal 4 is usually nothing nutritional (a rice cake with peanut butter and nutella). For him, that late night snack will be the hardest restraint. We will have to work together to extend the length between his meals so that he can feel full until 6pm so that he can eat his last meal later in the day. Unlike me, he stays awake a long time after his meal so one goal of his is to get into bed earlier without each week. I have high hopes that once his eating habits are under control, he will have more energy during the day, need less caffeine in the afternoon and therefore be able to go to bed earlier.

I have been without caffeine for 1.5 weeks now. I decided that for my second whole30 that I would give it up. On day 31 we receive an email about starting another whole30 and it doesn't have to be food related. It could be 30 days without caffeine, 30 days of working out, 30 days of calling your mom every afternoon - so I chose to do 30 days without caffeine. During it during whole30 makes it easier to say that it is one of the things I am giving up. That way I feel less deprived. I was sick last week so any migraines or nausea that I may have felt, I didn't really notice. I do feel a little down around 2pm/3pm so I have found a delicious kombucha green tea decaf to sip on when I get food cravings or caffeine cravings. So far so good!

I am excited to share the whole30 experience with my family and I hope they learn as much as I did my first round. I hope they embrace the change and the new way of life and it opens them up to seeing food differently. Food is healing as much as it is harmful and whole30 is about finding the benefits of food and eating whole food and giving our body the best nutrition that we can. When we poison ourselves with processed foods, we slow ourselves down physically and mentally. Whole30 helps make us be the best version of ourselves!

I can't wait to see all of the delicious recipes that Ryan wants to make. And this round I will let him control a lot of what we cook and eat so that he can enjoy the experience and not feel like I am dictating every aspect. It is his journey just as it is mine!

Tonight for dinner I was out with a friend so we had sashimi and naruto rolls. I even brought my own coconut aminos!

Ryan was on his own and I was nervous about that for day 1 but meal 3 look delicious. He made sweet potato and zucchini fritters with a turkey burger! I was very impressed that after a long and hard day of work he came home and cooked!

Oh and I guess I should mention that yesterday's Day 0 was pizza. It was my first pizza since February! It was gluten free and I made sure that mine had over 5 vegetables so that it would limit the amount of cheese that could fit on the pie! I went to bed feeling sad but not guilty because I knew that even without starting Whole30, I had the tools to move past 1 meal and not see it is a bad week or weekend. It was 1 meal and after it was done, I moved on and started the next day with eggs and chicken sausage and vegetables! I did wake up feeling extremely bloated and gassy. I also did not sleep well and woke up feeling tired and not rested. I won't say that I will never eat pizza since it is Ryan's favorite food, but it will have to be extremely limited and worth it for me to want to eat it! Sharing Day 0 with Ryan was worth eating it!

Tomorrow we are going to spend time meal planning for the week so that Ryan will feel prepared. I am not home a lot for dinner next week and I don't want Ryan to feel abandoned. He needs to prepare otherwise he will think it is easier to order pizza! I am here to support him and I know we can have a successful 30 days together!

XO

My Bar Method Story

For those of you who don't know my bar method story and my love affair with the amazing exercise and community, I am sharing a piece I wrote for the Bar Method SoHo facebook page last year!

My bar method journey began at 8:30am on the first Sunday morning in April 2011. This was not just my first Bar Method class; this was my first exercise class – ever. I was 24 years-old and had never been to a gym, never experienced a group exercise class, and had a total lack of motivation to work out. I had thought that walking to a restaurant in NYC was exercise enough.

I purchased the New Client 30-Day Unlimited Package even before trying my first class. I was going to commit to this workout for the next 30 days. And to my complete and utter surprise, as well as to the surprise of everyone around me, I have been committed to Bar Method for over 2 years now.

I met my husband Ryan at Clark University 6 years ago. I was a little over-weight, and had no confidence in myself. I was always seen smiling around campus and had a good group of friends, but I could not say that I was happy. I had let myself go after coming to college. I had not just gained the "Freshman 15" pounds from a diet high in carbohydrates and nonexistent in exercise, but I had put on an additional 15 pounds before the end of my freshman year. My appearance and weight was not what defined my happiness, but my clothes being too tight, my difficulty breathing walking up stairs, and eating fried foods was not setting myself up for a happy future. Ryan helped me get back on track and helped me discover a better version of myself. But even after salads, fruits and vegetables became a new normal to me, the gym still never became a thought in my mind. I had lost 10 pounds after meeting Ryan and felt satisfied. I moved back to New York City after completing my Master's Degree and I finally felt as confident as I appeared to be.

A warm spring afternoon in SoHo, while doing my daily exercise of shopping, eating, and shopping some more I found Bar Method. I don't know what came over me or how I convinced myself to sign up for classes, but I did - and a wave of emotions have followed me ever since. During my first morning class with Amy, I can remember chanting in my head: "What am I doing here?...Why are my legs shaking?...Why can't I touch my toes?…And what the heck is 'pretzel'?" After finishing class, I could barely walk down the single flight of stairs and questioned how I would return the next day. But I did, and not only did I return the next day, I
returned day-after-day and then the next month, and the month after that, and the year after that. I took it one class at a time - one arm lift, one water-ski, one curl, and one back dance at a time.

There is something very special about Bar Method – we all know it because we all find ourselves at the SoHo studio. I have found a family in the 6:30am class, a place that I enjoy being before the sun even rises. There is a feeling of pride when you take a Bar Method class that you cannot feel anywhere else – and where else, except in the Bar Method studio, is it acceptable to stare at yourself in a mirror for an hour?

The group dynamics of the class has helped me to stay focused and to keep coming to class each morning. If I miss one morning class, one of the girls is asking where I was or why I was skipping out.There is also a personal feel to the class, despite 25 other students shaking in as much pain as you. The teachers make you feel special, they fix your posture, they encourage your good work and they push you farther than you ever thought that you could go. In the past month, Robyn has pushed me past the limits that I set for
myself and encouraged me to do push-ups on my hands and feet. Bar Method has taught me that I am physically and mentally strong enough to get through 30 full range push-ups and that the walls I put up for myself can be broken. Soon, I hope to be in an L-shape during round back or curl. But I still take each class one at a time and listen to my body and how it feels and how it wants to be worked that day – and then I “sink one inch lower” – just because I can.

When I first walked into the studio, I resolved to put my health first and get my physical well-being in order. I was going to do more than worry about weight-loss, but care about how I feel on the inside. I never thought that I would gain so much in a 60 minute work-out. The feeling of accomplishment, and the desire to show off a lifted seated and toned arms is indescribable. I have lost more weight since starting this work-out, but I can honestly say that I have gained more than I have lost. I have gained the confidence in myself that I lacked 6 years ago. I gained a desire to seek out wellness in my everyday life outside the mirrored walls of the Bar Method Studio. I wear my grippy socks with pleasure around my house, excited for my next Bar class. I have learned to stop counting in my head along with the teachers but rather listen to the music and to my body and enjoy the experience of the workout. I have let go mind and body and given in to the shaking and realized that it is the strength of my own body that gets me through each class.

I have spent 3 birthdays, my engagement and my wedding with Bar Method. I have felt the pain of shaking each morning and finally feel beautiful, proud and empowered. The Bar Method has welcomed and accepted me into a community that from the outside can seem very intimidating. I have found an appreciation in myself that I never felt before. I have embraced exercise and a healthier lifestyle and I am pushing myself to be more mindful of my body and environment. I hope to spend many more special occasions at the Bar Method and hope to share my experiences with as many people as I can. Everyone should feel the power of a good leg shake at least once in his or her life.

Birthday Weekend Celebrations

This weekend Ryan and I continued to celebrate my birthday. It was a beautiful weekend but Ryan and I actually spent most of it inside watching House of Cards. We have become completely addicted to the Netflix series and watched 21 episodes this weekend and have only 5 remaining!

Saturday began with delicious frittata filled with ground chicken, chicken sausage, sweet potatoes and egg. I had mine with a side of avocado, grape tomatoes and leftover brussel sprout and apple salad. Ryan might have to learn to like avocados since he plans on doing Whole30; they are such a great healthy fat to add to his diet so we will see if I can start sneaking it into some dishes! There is plenty of leftover frittata so at least I will have a few breakfasts on Bar Method mornings.

After breakfast and a couple of episodes of House of Cards we headed to the Hester Street Fair in lower Manhattan. We shopped around and Ryan had a pork sandwich for lunch and then we walked back to our apartment - 1.8 miles! We made a quick stop at the Essex Street Market which is an open concept grocery store, butcher shop, fish market, juice bar, etc. We ended up buying half a gallon of coconut oil which will certainly last us a lot longer than the 16 oz. bottles from trader joe's! It only cost $20 which is so exciting! This will be so helpful during our Whole30 in a couple of weeks because we will be cooking so much for the next month and coconut oil is a great cooking oil because it can stand high heats!

 

After a few more episodes of House of Cards we got dressed for a really exciting Birthday Dinner! We had been planning to go to Delmonico's for my birthday since March 1 when we had our anniversary dinner at Eleven Madison. The main dessert during our 16 course menu was a baked alaska which we were told was based on the world famous one at Delmonico's. We loved the dessert so much at Eleven Madison that we knew we had to try the original!

We got dressed up for dinner - Ryan wore dress pants and a pink button down shirt with a tweed dress coat. I work a black dress and my wedding shoes! Who doesn't love a good excuse to get dressed up!

Delmonico's can be found on the corner of Beaver and Williams street in the financial district. 

We stepped inside and knew we were in an extremely historic setting. Delmonico's represents many firsts in America and the restaurant business including:

*The first dining establishment in America to be called "Restaurant"

*The first dining establishment to have a printed menu

*The first restaurant to offer a seperate wine list

*The first restaurant where guests sat at their own tables

*The first restaurant to offer Eggs Benedict

It's a restaurant that represent luxury and class and it can be felt as soon as you walk into the building. 

Ryan started with an iceberg salad topped with bacon, tomatoes and blue cheese and I started with the tuna tartare and hamachi!

For our entrees, I ordered the famous Delmonico's Steak and Ryan had one of the specials - a T-Bone topped with Blue Cheese. For our sides we had onion rings and asparagus with a fried egg. Delmonico's Steak is a boneless ribeye and "originated around 1830 as the house cut" of the restaurant.

Everything was cooked to perfection and tasted incredible. The meat melted in my mouth and I wish it never ended. 

And of course for dessert we had the Baked Alaska!

It was such a special dinner, and such a treat to spend my birthday at New York's historic Delmonico's.

After dinner we walked through the Financial District a bit before heading home to watch more House of Cards!

Sunday began with another frittata. I used leftover zoodles and bolognes and made a frittata. I added spinach and tomatoes to it and again, there's enough leftovers for a few more breakfasts!

Again, a few more House of Cards episodes and then we were off for a couples massage! I was given a wonderful gift by my best friend from College - a 60 minute hot stone massage. Ryan bought a deal on groupon for the same massage so we decided for my birthday to treat ourselves. We hadn't had a couples massage since our honeymoon when we got Thai Massages on Rome! The massage was a perfect way to end the weekend and definitely helped relax us. We headed home for more House of Cards episodes and wrapped up our special weekend on the couch with Haley.

Saturday was the first time in 45 days that I reintroduced gluten, dairy and sugar back into my diet. At first I was really scared but I didn't want to go to this special restaurant and pay an enormous amount of money for a meal that I would barely eat. It didn't seem fair or right to Ryan so rather than feel guilty about the meal itself, I ate the food and enjoyed every bite. I had 2 bites of bread that were put at our table - 2 small bites just to get ready for the meal. The steak was served with fried onions on top and I ate every piece. They added a great texture and flavor to the steak and I didn't want to miss any part of the meal. I also had a bite of Ryan's salad with blue cheese and his onion rings (gluten and dairy). And of course the Baked Alaska. I felt absolutely fine during the meal - no headaches, stomach aches, pains or nausea. It wasn't until Sunday morning that I felt a few side effects of the reintroduction but nothing that made me regret any decision I made the night before.

I was completely achy trying to get out of bed Sunday morning. My muscles were sore, my back was tight and I had a huge headache that dulled a bit with some coffee. I also didn't feel hungry when I woke up so I knew my body was completely off balance. The best way for me to help myself get through this was not to eat a bagel or some cereal and taken the easy way out by saying "well, I already ate it yesterday so I might as well continue the weekend and start fresh on Monday." No! Instead, I got to cooking on a frittata and vowed to not let a little reintroduction throw me off track. It was a deliberate slip off of my Whole30 eating patterns but a little indulgence was not going to turn into a weekend of bad eating. After the massages we picked up salads and for dinner I grilled some vegetables and meat. The only thing that I did Sunday which was out of the norm was snack. I think I my body was so imbalanced that I couldn't tell if I was hungry or craving something. And it seemed that I was craving sweet things which I guess was to be expected after reintroducing sugar! For my snacks I had plantain chips and dates stuffed with almond butter and some apple sauce with hazelnuts. It seems that the sugar dragon was coming back. But eating dairy, gluten and sugar for one meal Saturday and not spending the whole weekend eating that way proved to me that this is a lifestyle, not a diet. It is a way of eating, a way of living and it does not mean I have to feel left out of anything. One meal is not a whole weekend and eating one way for a special event does not mean I have to eat that way all the time. My birthday was something special that ahead of time I deemed worth it to indulge and not follow Whole30 or paleo. Spending the time with Ryan and sharing in the special meal meant more to me than saying "I can't eat that." It is my way of living that is working for me and I am proud that I was able to go off track and back on the next day and not convince myself otherwise.

Luckily today I woke up feeling better than yesterday - still a little achy but rested. I headed to Bar Method and had an incredible class! I was determined to work hard to help my body recover from a lazy weekend spent mostly on the couch and filled with lots of food - all whole30 approved except for Saturday's dinner! I pushed myself hard and felt strong and was shaking a lot!

Today I have my second acupuncture session and Ryan goes on Wednesday. This seems to be the weekend of relaxation and pampering so why not continue with an acupuncture session? 60 minutes forcing me to stay away from my phone, tv, computer, and just focus on myself!

I hope everyone has a great start to their week!

XO

Whole30 ROUND 2

On May 15 I will be starting my 2nd Whole30. I wasn't planning on signing up again even though after my Birthday dinner at Delmonico's I was prepared to get back on track, but.......Ryan has also signed up for Whole30. This was his idea for his own benefits and I had to sign up to support him!

The daily emails will be the same but I will be a different person that I was on March 17th when I started my first Whole30 so it could be a completely different experience. I plan to set new goals, cook new recipes, and most importantly, support Ryan. I am going to help him cook, choose recipes, and get over his late night snacking that controls him so much! He has a lot of eating habits to overcome but in the past few years he has already made some amazing changes and I know he can be successful.

We chose May 15 because he is going home May 8 - 12 so we decided he wouldn't be able to start while he was traveling and not cooking in his own kitchen and on his regular schedule with his normal routines.

I can't wait to do this with him - maybe I will be stronger because I have his support as well. I will do my best to not push Ryan and criticize or make him feel bad if he doesn't understand Whole30 as much when he begins - I learned and so will he and I will support him in any way I can!

XO

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