Starting Whole30 Again

So, do you remember last year when I did the Whole30 challenge? It was an amazing experience and really helped me to feel better about my body. Since then, I have wanted to do it again, but continually found reasons why it wouldn't "fit into my schedule." Yes, I basically mean excuses. I mean, I shouldn't have to fit healthy eating into my schedule, you know? You just do it. You have to eat food, so eat food that is good for you instead of junk!

That's not to say that eating Whole30 compliant doesn't take work. It definitely takes more preparation and planning than just grabbing lunch at the school eateries or getting a snack at Starbucks, but it is doable. It really, really is. After a while, it also just becomes second nature and gets easier and easier to make good choices.

I decided to tackle this challenge again because I have definitely fallen far away from this way of eating since last February, when I finished my first round of Whole30. And that really sucks. I have noticed changes in my body that I don't like and have overall have not been feeling as good as I know I can.

So, that's why I decided to do something about it and started my second round of Whole30 yesterday! My hope is to be able to better adopt these habits into my daily life past the 30 day mark so that I can be feeling good all the time. It's about making a lifestyle change!

I will probably post about it a few times here, but if you'd like to follow along with my journey you can find more about it on the Instagram account I made for it (@jesswholelife) :)

Have you ever done Whole30? Are you considering doing it too?

Tips for Surviving Whole30

It is no secret that Whole30 has been one of the most fascinating, challenging, and life changing things I have tackled so far this year. Though it was difficult at times, I really truly loved the experience and can't wait to keep challenging myself by sticking to the program principles. I am even going to take on a Whole60 next month and am really nervously excited for that journey!

For those of you thinking of starting your own Whole30 or already have, here are some tips that I came up with from my own experience that should help you on your journey!

+ Keep it simple.
I know that a large part of my success with Whole30 was due to keeping it simple. I would look at my meals as a sort of formula (protein, veggies, and healthy fats) and found things that I could quickly whip up to fit that. If you have the time to research or create new recipes, that is great and you should definitely go for it. I knew two things about myself, though, that did not lend itself to doing that every day: 1. I don't like spending very much time in the kitchen and 2. I am lazy. Those are the facts. So, know yourself and do what you need to do to make your Whole30 a success!

+ Don't think "I can't have." Think "I'm choosing not to have."
A lot of the work involved in Whole30 is mental, and it can sometimes be draining. When you start to think of this challenge as something you are choosing to do though, it helps. When you are at a gathering with family and everyone is chowing down on cupcakes and pizza, and you are eating a salad or some veggie sticks, remember that those foods that look pretty appetizing aren't things you can't have; they are foods you are choosing not to have right now. It is pretty freeing to realize that you are not controlled by these things you "can't" have, but are rising above them and choosing to eat things that you know are better for you.

+ Always have a few Whole30 approved snacks with you.
It is advised in the Whole30 program rules to try not to snack in between meals, as you should be eating enough food at each meal to hold you over to the next one. BUT, if you are out and suddenly get hungry, it is better to grab a Whole30 approved snack from your purse rather than pulling into the nearest drive thru. Great snacks on the go include cut up veggies, dried fruit (make sure there is no sugar added!), nuts, and Lara Bars (sometimes...).

+ Use this time to try new things!
To keep things interesting, it is a great idea to try new things! Have you never made anything with eggplant before? Pick one up and try creating something! Tired of just drinking water or unsweetened tea? Buy a bottle of kombucha and give it a chance! This is a perfect time to try new fruits, veggies, meats, drinks, etc. Plus, you never know, you may really love something you have never given a chance!

+ When things get tough, remember the reasons you are choosing to do this.
Sometimes it can be easy to lose sight of the reasons why you started this journey, especially when you are particularly hangry and walking through the bakery section of the grocery store or are chopping yet another damn bell pepper to go with your dinner. In those moments, just try to remember why you decided to take on this challenge in the first place. Was it for your general health? To kickstart weight loss? To help with some pains you have? Whatever your reasons are, remember them and keep going! You aren't going to achieve your goals by giving up.

+ Follow other Whole30ers on social media!
Being able to connect with others on the same journey was great inspiration and motivation! I found that Instagram was an especially helpful source (@teamwhole is by far my favorite!), as scrolling through a feed of healthy foods and others' successes helped to keep me on track. If you enjoy taking photos of the things you make or want to document your journey without spamming all of your followers with Whole30 things all the time, you could even make a separate account devoted to your new adventure! That's what I did and it was a really nice way to keep track of my progress and to see where I started :)

I hope that this was helpful to some of you! Please let me know if you have any questions because I am happy to help in any way I can and can pretty much talk your ear off about Whole30 all day ;)

Have you done a Whole30? Are you planning to do one? On the fence about it?

Whole30 // My Results!

Hi friends! It's been a while, hmm? I took some time over the past couple weeks to recharge and get things in order in other areas of my life, and unfortunately with that, blogging was put on the back burner. Breaks can be a good thing, though, and now I am back feeling refreshed with new ideas! I have a few life updates and adventures to share, but first I want to share something I've been meaning to for over a week now: my Whole30 results!

So, as most of you know, in January I took the leap and committed to doing a round of Whole30. I was definitely nervous and unsure if I was going to be able to actually stick to a strict eating plan for 30 days. After doing a lot of research though, I decided I was ready and made the commitment to myself that I would complete the program with no cheating, slip-ups, or excuses. I am proud to say that my official 30 days ended on February 13th and that I kept that promise to myself! (You can read my starting Whole30 post here & my halfway check-in post here)

For those of you who don't know what Whole30 is, it is a 30 day eating program that is designed to change your relationship with food and give you loads of health benefits, such as better sleep, more energy, and weight loss! You strip your diet of things like dairy, legumes, grains, soy, and added sugar of any kind. Instead, you eat simple, whole foods; You get your nutrition through 3 large meals filled with meat protein or eggs, loads of veggies, some fruit, and healthy fats from good oils, nuts, and avocados. Those are just the basics of the program, but I really encourage you to check out the Whole30 site to make a bit more sense of it if you are interested!

I don't even know where to begin to describe what it is like to be on the other side of my first Whole30! I am feeling great! I have been sleeping better, I don't wake up groggy anymore, I believe my skin is more radiant, pains I had have completely gone away, I am more alert and clear headed, I have loads more energy, and my body definitely made some noticeable physical changes.

Most evenings and weekends, Dai would want us to go for a long walk with Marly, but I would usually drag my heels about it because I wasn't feeling up for it. Now, I have the energy to take walks whenever we want and we have been walking multiple miles at a time. I feel like a new person!

Going back to physical changes, I thought I would share some before and after photos, even though it can be totally embarrassing to put myself out there like that! BUT, I think it is important to see the changes that occurred in just 30 days and to show what the Whole30 program is really capable of! So, here it goes...
Can you see the difference? I definitely can! And I feel it too! Overall, I lost 9 pounds and several inches from throughout my body. I am definitely less bloated looking and I feel a lot slimmer.
I didn't think that there would be much of a difference with the before and after of the back view, but I was really pleasantly surprised to see that things are much more "smoothed" out.

Isn't it kind of crazy what just 30 days can do? Sure, it isn't always easy to stick to a program like this, but is it doable? ONE HUNDRED PERCENT. Is it worth it? OF COURSE!

I strongly believe that anyone can be successful with Whole30 if they make the committment to themselves. Really, if I can do it, anyone can do it. Before Whole30, I was that girl that would grab a handful of cookies on my way out the door in the morning because I was too l-a-z-y to figure out something actually nutritious to take with me or plan the time to eat breakfast. Of course, I am a pretty busy girl and am constantly on the go, but there are no excuses for fueling my body with such junk! These days, my meals do require a bit more planning and prepping, but it is definitely worth it knowing that I am doing something good for myself. You are what you eat!

Honestly, there is so much I could say about Whole30 and I could shout from rooftops my love for it. The program claims to change lives, and I am definitely a believer in that now because it is changing my life. I want to keep going and keep changing my body for the better. I want to give it the good stuff it needs, and do my best to avoid the bad things. I want everyone to do Whole30 and will talk your ear off about it if you let me. I am even already planning my next round of it, which I may turn into a Whole60! (Maybe some of you would be interested in doing 30 days together???)

There is still a lot of work to be done for me to get my body to where I would like it to be, but so far I have been loving this journey and hope that I can maybe be an inspiration to some of you who are wanting to embark on their own journey!

Whole30 Halfway Check-In

Today marks Day 15, the halfway mark, of Whole30 for me! (You can find my first Whole30 post HERE!) It really feels like it has been much longer than that, but I am really proud of myself for reaching this milestone. I debated whether or not to start for so very long that I never really thought I would get this far! I am happy to say that I have gotten this far without ever even thinking about quitting. It just is not an option for me, as I want to prove to myself (and Dai, the skeptic!) that I can do it and commit to something.

After all, I (and you!) can do anything for just 30 days.

Let's take a moment to review the basic Whole30 rules. For 30 days, you are to cut these things out of your diet:
+ Dairy
+ Soy
+ Legumes
+ Grains
+ Alcohol
+ Added sugar of any kind, real or artificial
+ Carrageenan, MSG, & sulfites

The idea is to eat whole, clean foods to let your body recover from all of the junk we tend to fuel it with, and to see how your body reacts to certain things once you start adding the off-limits food back into your diet. Ideally, this is an eye-opening, life changing experience that will encourage you to change your lifestyle for good, simply because it is what is best for your body.

So, now that I am halfway through my first round of Whole30, I am here to check-in with you all! Something that inevitably comes with Whole30 is a lot of cooking! For someone like myself who is always on the go, not often home, and doesn't grocery shop much, it is definitely a big change. Believe it or not, I really enjoy it though! I enjoy my trips to the grocery store to stock up on veggies, fruit, and protein, my cute mini shopping cart filled to the brim with colorful things that I know are good for me.

Forcing myself to prepare and eat 3 meals per day has also been an interesting challenge for me, as I am typically someone who skips over breakfast, maybe has a snack or something small for lunch, and eats a larger dinner. Carving out the time to start my day off with breakfast has been an especially nice change for me! I definitely feel like I am doing something kind for my body and mind.

When it comes to cooking, I have found that the quickest and easiest way for me to put a meal together is to throw some veggies and meat into a skillet and see how it turns out! I am not the kind of person who enjoys spending a lot of time in the kitchen or making a huge mess to clean up. Dai says that I need to branch out and try to make new things, but I have found a formula that works for me! Plus, the way I see it, it is best for me to keep things as simple as possible because if it gets to be too much work or too time consuming, I am less likely to stick to it. That's the honest truth!

When I talk to someone about Whole30, they inevitably ask "So, what do you eat?"

Here's a look at a typical day of Whole30 eating for me!

Breakfast:

I usually start with scrambling 3 organic eggs and add veggies to the egg mixture or sauté some in a separate pan. I like to top my eggs with guacamole or some avocado, as well as maybe a bit of tomatillo salsa. I also like to have some fruit on the side, like berries or oranges.

Lunch:

Aidell's Chicken Apple Sausages have been a life saver for me! When I am in a time crunch or want to keep things as simple as possible, I chop a couple of those babies up and sauté them in a pan. I then either put them on a bed of lettuce with some veggies for a nice salad, or also sauté some veggies to mix them up with. Guacamole or avocado is a must on everything. I'll also maybe have a small amount of fruit on the side.

Dinner:

For dinner, things vary a bit because I actually cook for my nanny family and generally end up eating at work. I have been doing my best to make the meals I cook for them Whole30 friendly or easily modified for myself. Typically though, I will make meat, like chicken, and lots veggies on the side! I really enjoy roasting veggies in the oven, especially sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts.

Snack:

It is advised to refrain from snacking as much as possible during Whole30, but some days you just need a little boost to get you through to the next meal. When this happens I usually have a handful of raw almonds or apples/bananas with almond butter. Bananas with almond butter is my very favorite "treat!"

Overall, I have been feeling pretty great! I have been keeping track of the Whole30 timeline, but I have thankfully found that my experience hasn't been as severe as described. I suffered from headaches for a day or two, but those have passed and I have been doing really well. I have been sleeping better, have a bit more energy (that is supposed to be kicked up several notches very soon!), and am over all in a better mood! I have noticed that I have definitely lost some weight and am less bloated/inflamed, which has been really nice. I was also previously suffering from aches and pains in my feet nearly every day, but I just recently realized that those have completely gone away since starting Whole30! I also have been sleeping better and waking up more refreshed, which is a great bonus :)

Bottom line: Is it hard?

No, it is not hard. Like the Whole30 website points out, beating cancer is hard, giving birth is hard, and losing a loved one is hard. Eating whole, healthy foods is not hard. It definitely takes will power and dedication, but it is not hard.

It has been a wonderful, sometimes challenging, life changing 15 days! I am ready to tackle the next 15 days and beyond!

People often have a lot of questions about Whole30 and I would love to answer any that you may have! Just comment below with whatever is on your mind :) I will maybe even put together a separate Q&A post depending on how many questions you lovely readers have!

If you are interested in keeping up with my day-to-day Whole30 progress, you can follow my separate Instagram account @JessWholeLife!

Starting Whole30!

Thursday marked my first day on the Whole30 eating plan! I've been considering taking on this challenge for over a year now, ever since my friend Katie did it. I put it off for a long time, thinking that I could never have the willpower to do it. Well, lately I started thinking about it more and more, checking out the Whole30 website, and reading a lot of blog posts about it. And guess what? I decided that I could do it. Me. And that there was no time like the present. So here I am towards the end of day 3!

For those of you who don't know what Whole30 is, it is a 30 day eating program that is designed to change your relationship with food and give you loads of health benefits, such as better sleep and more energy! You strip your diet of things like dairy, legumes, grains, soy, and added sugar of any kind. Instead, you eat simple, whole foods; You get your nutrition through 3 large meals filled with meat protein or eggs, loads of veggies, some fruit, and healthy fats from good oils, nuts, and avocados. Those are just the basics of the program, but I really encourage you to check out the Whole30 site to make a bit more sense of it!

I have been doing tons of research and have found that many people continue eating this way because of how amazing it makes them feel! It is also a great way to kickstart weight loss and keep the weight off.

My hope is that I will feel so great at the end of the 30 days that I will want to just continue eating this way! I am also hoping to begin losing weight and the journey of getting my health in check. I need to be the best me that I can be!

I will do another update midway through the program and again when I am finished, but you can follow my separate Instagram account for more frequent updates along the way :)

Are you trying to become healthier in 2015? What's your plan?

Why I Love My Nutribullet

About a month ago, I was wandering through Target with Dai and we stopped to look in the kitchen section (because he is obsessed with it). That's when I saw the NutriBullet and was immediately intrigued by it. I read every word on the box and was sold. Since it happened to be on sale and I had some birthday money stashed away, I decided it had to be mine.

So, what is it exactly? According to the box, it is a "nutrition extractor," which supposedly makes it better than a blender for making smoothies, and better than a juicer because of all the nutritious fibers a juicer disposes of.

To me, it is two important things: 1) a smaller, easier to use & clean "blender" of sorts and 2) a more cost effective and healthier alternative to juicing.

After watching a documentary about juicing back in 2012, I was very interested in it and attempted to make it a regular part of my routine. It was great while it lasted, but the juicer was annoying to clean and discarded so much of what I actually put into it. It turns out that all the stuff the juicer deemed as "waste" is actually very important. Also, because the juicer didn't use all that I put into it, the practice quickly got very expensive. And the results tasted awful anyway.

Here's the other thing: I am lazy. Yep, I said it. I love that I can just dump whatever I want in here, turn it on for about 30 seconds, and BOOM I have breakfast, lunch, or sometimes even dinner. It is simple and doesn't take up much of my time, which is very important to me as a college student constantly on the go.

Over the past month, I have been experimenting with all types of ingredients. It has been a lot of fun to try new things and test out different combinations to find what I like best. To me, the smoothies taste great. I have gotten used to a heavier greens taste and don't mind it much. The unsweetened almond milk I usually add also gives it a smoother, creamier taste.

As recommended in the NutriBullet handbook, I try to make the majority of my smoothie greens based, with just a bit of fruit. Fruit is great for you, but it is also very sugary, so the most nutrition comes from the greens. I buy a "power greens" mix at Costco that I just love. I usually just add a few handfuls of that, a bit of fruit (frozen is great for thickening and cooling your drink), maybe some almonds, some seeds (such as chia, flax, or pumpkin), and some almond or coconut milk. Then I just blend it up! 
Using my NutriBullet has been wonderful so far. I love starting my mornings with a big green smoothie. I feel more energized, light, and ready to take on the day when I do. I also sometimes make a smoothie at lunch time to bring with me to work and drink for dinner when I have to head to my night class. It gives me a second wind and helps me to focus on my work that evening in class. Plus, the smoothie container comes with a lid, so it travels well and keeps well in the fridge until I am ready to drink it a few hours later. I just give it a quick shake and it is good to go!

To wrap things up, I thought I would share one of my favorite recipes to date:

- a few handfuls of greens (I like mine heavy on the greens, so I fill the blending container about 2/3 full)
- a small handful of frozen pineapple
- 1/2 a banana
- about 10 almonds
- 1 spoonful of flax seeds
- 1 spoonful of chia seeds
- about 8oz of almond milk (you can also add some water too if you would like)

I hope you enjoyed this look into my new favorite toy! I am definitely having a lot of fun with it and can't wait to keep experimenting. I think it will be great to have this summer to make all sorts of refreshing drinks, maybe even some with iced tea in them too!

Have you heard of a NutriBullet or have thought about getting one? Do you already have one? What are your thoughts on it or making smoothies in general? Tell me, friends!

If you have any questions at all, don't be afraid to ask :)