We made it! In so many ways this journey was much harder than I expected. However, in other ways it wasn't nearly as difficult. Finding meal ideas that excited me and kept things interesting was definitely not as challenging as I anticipated. I also was surprised how easy it was to to stick to my plan while I was traveling. I was surprised though by the amount of times I craved desserts. I would have thought that by day 30 I wouldn't even be thinking about sugar anymore, but last night I was dreaming about a brownie. That could have been in part because I knew the detox was coming to a close and I was so close I could almost taste it. However, my cravings were not constant or really that frequent overall (thank goodness!). I found them mostly to happen at night, just before bed. During the day I didn't even think about sugar, which surprised me!
Now that I can officially say I've completed the Whole30 and sugar detox, overall I do feel amazing! I really do! My skin is clearer, my mind is clearer, I have more energy, and I feel like I hae a pep in my step. I feel like my eyes were opened to the amount of sugar that is in everything (which is a lot!) and am ready to find a balanced way of eating that leaves room for the occasional treat. I gained everything I was hoping and more from this journey! Thank you so much for all of you that joined in on this with me! It was so fun to have a source of accountability and I look forward to continuing to connect. Here's a look into what I ate and how I was feeling during the last few days.
How I'm Feeling
Day 22 - I packed a lunch today because I was going to be on the road most of the day. I felt super great that I stuck to eating my meal that I packed because a lot of times I've used the excuse that I'm too busy to stick to something so "extreme."
Day 23 - I woke up with a major headache this morning. After I took some meds to helo with the headache I went on with my day. I spent a lot of time meal prepping today which was really nice. I might be in the minority, but I love meal prepping. I turn on some music and just kind of get in the zone. It's become a favorite ritual of mine. It felt good to get super organized in the kitchen again. I had some girlfriends over in the evening and we chatted over some tea. It was nice to hang out and spend time with them that did not revolve around food.
Day 24 - I felt so great all day! I had a great workout, got a lot done, and even made it to a yoga class in the evening. Today I really started to feel like eating this way is super norma -- routine even.
Day 25 - I felt fantastic all day!Josiah and I went to a free yoga class in the evening and then we made homemade smoothie bowls. It was so much fun. I had good energy all day and no cravings!
Day 26 - I’ve been up since 2am because I couldn't sleep. Bad idea. From 8am-12pm the day kind of crawled by. I wasn't sure if I should take a nap or just power through. I ended up powering through and going to Orange Theory to get in a good workout. I felt so much better after my workout!
Day 27 - This was the busiest day ever. I'm actually surprised how easy it was to stay on track even though I was moving from one thing to the next. I think the key was planning! I brought snacks and planned out a few breaks where I could grab food from the house between meetings. Planning is definitely a lesson I will take with me in my life after whole30 and the sugar detox.
Day 28 - I felt super great! I'm really noticing a difference in how my clothes feel and I am walking a little taller. I've also noticed that my workouts have been better!
Day 29 - I felt great all day! Excited to be coming to the end and finding a healthy balance. I’m not sure if I’m more excited to have maple syrup on some Simple Mills pancakes or avocado toast on Ezekiel bread.
Day 30 - It was so hard not to just throw caution to the wind and bake a batch of Simple Mills chocolate chip cookies or brownies. But overall I feel amazing!
What I'm Eating
sautéed cabbage with pork belly topped with sunny eggs
mixed greens topped with leftover meatballs, sunflower seeds, a touch of mayo, and some Tessemae's green goddess dressing
broccoli bacon salad, caramelized onion potatoes, and cranberry lemon tuna salad
the cabbage and carrots I cooked under my roasted chicken
spaghetti squash with romesco sauce, blanched broccoli florets, and chicken breast
roasted sweet potatoes (from my meal prep) topped with sunny eggs
Organic Girl 50/50 blend (I don’t know what they do to make their stuff so good, but it’s superior to ALL greens!), roasted sweet potatoes (from my meal prep), roasted chicken (also from my meal prep), some microgreens, pecans, and tahini sauce
green chili shredded chicken with blanched broccoli and spaghetti squash
Potatoes, mild Italian chicken sausage, orange pepper, green pepper omelet with kite hills chive cream cheese, and microgreens
Grain-free turkey meatballs with romesco sauce on zucchini noodles
Post-yoga smoothie bowl: coconut kefir blended with an orange and blueberries and topped with banana, kiwi, chia seeds, and almond butter
Poke bowl on top of greens instead of rice from True Food Kitchen
chia pudding with coconut butter fat bites, almond butter, pecans, coconut flakes and banana
sunny eggs with bacon and ham and diced potatoes with tomatoes at Local Foods
Crispy pork belly, orange pepper, and collard greens omelet with kite hill cream cheese and carrots cooked in ghee
burger with mushroom bun , roasted carrots and turnips, and kale salad with crispy pork belly
Spring greens with primal kitchen ranch and leftover Whole30 Chicken Alfredo
A smoothie bowl made with frozen blueberries, frozen zucchini, and almond milk kefir and topped with shredded coconut, kiwi, chia seeds, and coconut butter fat bites
sweet potatoes and bacon and eggs
