Whole 30 - May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor

 After reading "It Starts With Food" or shall I say, after reading halfway through the book, I decided to try and complete my first Whole 30. This was decided back in May, but I wanted to make sure I had a firm grasp on the program before beginning.

When I was pregnant with E, my sister gifted us with Jessica Alba's book called "The Honest Life." This began the journey into the world of organics. I've seen many people joke about eating organic, using organic products, etc. While our family definitely does not eat or use organic products 100% of the time, I try my hardest to use them whenever possible. I swear, E lives better than we do. That's what we should be doing for our Munks, right? Her lotion, soap, shampoo, mattress pads, and diaper ointment are just a few of the ways we try to protect her, but we never used cloth diapers. We try not to be too crunchy!

I firmly believe that what we put in our mouths and use on our bodies is so important and decided to give Whole 30 a try. "It Starts With Food" really goes into the science behind the fuel we consume. It can be a dry read, but very informative. Numerous people with aches and pains who are ill and on multiple medications finds themselves pain free, feeling great and off the meds. Thankfully, I don't have these symptoms as a baseline. However, other benefits include: more energy (no afternoon slump), no snacking, no headaches, clearer skin, no mood swings, better sleep and weight loss is possible. Personally, I just wanted to give it a try to see if I could complete 30 days. Weight loss wouldn't be awful either! After a baby and 2 surgeries all in one year, a smaller clothing size would be refreshing.

You cannot start this plan without being organized, organized, organized! I began purchasing a few items prior to the big kick off. Thanks to amazon, I became the proud owner of a spiralizer, ghee, coconut flakes, and Epic bars. I also wanted to choose a 30 day period with little temptation. That stated, I decided to start the Monday after Independence Day to ensure a finish date prior to kick off at Auburn (Atlanta). Whole 30 is not focused on weight loss. The goal is to change your relationship with food and become aware of the ingredients you are feeding your body. This means no weighing yourself until the thirty days are over. I did weigh prior to starting and took pictures, but no measurements. In hindsight, I wish I had. Prior to each week I wrote out the meal plan with the help of Pinterest. Pinterest has been the best resource for compliant creations, which is why I'll post my meal plans each week for any other Whole 30 crazies looking for approved recipes.