How did it get to be Day 16 so quickly?
I can't believe that I am over that halfway hump already! For all the headaches, stomach issues, grumpiness, and lustful thoughts about candy bars (and strange dreams about wine), the last 16 days really has flown by. I am SO proud of my husband and myself - in fact, we were just discussing how we don't really remember the last time we committed to something like this and actually saw it through this far. Imagine how we'll feel when we hit that glorious Day 30! *fist pump*
What I learned during Week 2:
- I can survive without cheese. Really. Before I started this eating plan, I pretty much put cheese on everything I ate. And when I wasn't melting/shredding/tossing it with my meals, I was snacking on it in cube form. The first cheeseless week felt like my own personal version of hell. That second week was much, much easier!
- Being exhausted is part of the process. I was so tired for about 3-4 days that I thought I might have to turn in my Mom Card (yeah, like you can do that) and just be a professional sleeper. I did some research to try and figure out why I was going to bed early, getting up late, and still wishing for my fluffy pillow all afternoon, and I found out that my body is literally trying to heal itself from all the damage I'd done to it in the months/years leading up to this experiment. Yikes!
- My husband is amazing! For real, though. I know lots of women who've done the Whole30 solo, while still making separate meals for their hubbies and kids. That would be so, so hard for me (not to mention a ton of work), and I could totally see myself throwing in the towel after a few days. Kudos to those ladies who can stick to their guns like that! Luckily for me and my weak-willed self, Daniel is right there with me. He yells at Jimmy John's commercials and drools a bit over the girls' snacks, but he's doing it. He swears he's never doing it again, which is totally fine with me (and makes me laugh hysterically). I'm just glad I've had him for this first time!
- I have to make myself eat, even when I don't feel like it. I had a few, ahem, internal issues that second week (if you catch my drift) and there were plenty of times that, especially given my options, I just didn't want to eat. As a result, my energy levels would plummet, leaving me just feeling all around horrible. Making myself eat something, even if it was just a hard boiled egg or a bowl of leftover soup, ensured that I had enough juice to get through the day.
- This is a really fun way to meet a whole new community of friends! If ya'll didn't notice by now, I really like to share food pics on Instagram. Using hashtags like #whole30 and #paleo, I've met some really nice people who are either embarking on this journey with me, are right in the middle of it, or are now just maintaining an awesome and inspiring new lifestyle. Having like-minded and passionate people (even if they do live in my computer) really helps keep me focused and excited about what I'm doing!
Recipe time! Before I share some links with you guys, I have to come clean: I really dropped the ball on meal planning last week. Actually, I did my meal plan just like I always do, but then proceeded to not follow it at all. I was tired, grumpy, and just generally wanted to punch things, so when the time came to feed everyone I kind of adopted a "Here's some food, now leave me alone!" mentality. Not cool. Sorry, mi familia.
Links:
1. http://www.rubiesandradishes.com/2013/12/03/easy-slow-cooker-curry-2-ways/ (I made the Green Chicken Curry.)
2.http://lisabranam.com/2014/01/cilantro-lime-cauliflower-rice.html (I added a dash of garam masala and served this with the curry - delish!)
4. Chicken Meatball and Veggie Soup (This one is an original recipe of mine that I'm working on writing up! Look for it in the next couple of days. Until then, enjoy this picture and try not to bite the screen.) ;)
I know, right? Only three (and a halfish) recipes for a whole week of eating, and only two pictures. *sigh* The other nights we ate some variation of what we've had before. We had turkey meatballs, hamburgers in lettuce wraps with roasted potatoes, leftovers... I was feeling uninspired folks, what can I say. I am happy to report that all the new things we did try were delicious! Those paleo nachos were my personal favorite thing we've eaten so far during this Whole30. No joke.
I hope to have a lot more new recipes to share and plenty of delicious food pics for you to enjoy next week! Have an inspiring recipe I just HAVE to hear about? Share it in the comments! Better yet, write up a blog post of your own and post the link so I can can check it out. :)
