Whole30: Day 21

Time is going by quickly and here I am on day 21 of Whole30!  The last few days of this past week were kind of a rough patch for me.  For some reason I was really frustrated with it.  I didn't have any cravings, but kept finding myself thinking about wanting ice cream or just wanting to snack a lot.  Sometimes old habits die hard.  Just goes to show that there's no magic cure for things like that!  It takes time.

Since I have a couple of nights off work, I did some cooking last night and will make a few more dishes today.  And my hope is that will carry me through the end of this week-- and then I'm looking at only another three days after that!  I honestly can't believe how quickly this has gone.

I've said it already, but the best thing I've gleaned from this (besides learning how to eat clean) has been all the cooking.  Turns out I'm actually a good cook.  Who knew?!  Of course it takes time, but I've found that sometimes it's really therapeutic to just spend a day in the kitchen chopping, mixing, stirring, taste-testing with different flavors and spices.  Taylor Swift also really helps a lot too!  Can she just be my best friend already?

Here has been my absolute favorite meal: Stuffed Acorn Squash.  Seriously, it is amazing.  It'll definitely be on rotation weekly from here on out.  My second favorite meal has been Paleo Zuppa Toscana.  Julia made this last week when we cooked together.  I still have one more serving left, and I'm so hesitant to finish it because then it's all gone.  Julia has the Whole30-approved bacon so I won't be able to make it again without special-ordering some from the butcher shop.  So delicious!!!  And one simple recipe I will definitely keep using: Paleo Cauliflower Rice Pilaf.  I actually just make the simple version with the coconut oil, onions, salt, and pepper.  I don't think I'll make actual rice anymore.  Why should I?  It tastes almost as good, has no grains, plus it's an easy (and tasty!) way to get more veggies!

So it's officially been three whole weeks since I've had dairy, legumes, grains, alcohol, (well, that's actually been since New Years!) or added sugar or sweetener.  I've eaten mostly organic fruits and vegetables.  Grass-fed meat, free-range organic eggs.  I never thought I could eat like this and actually enjoy it.  And feel good.  Honestly, I don't feel like a whole different person.  I've certainly noticed that my running has gotten a bit easier, my shin splints have vastly improved, and my times have gotten much better.  I sleep better.

I still don't know exactly what direction I'll be taking next week.  I'd like to stick to a mostly-paleo diet from here on out.  I don't ever want to be over-the-top strict with myself.  Before this started, I felt like my healthy eating was 80/20, but honestly it was probably more like 70/30.

I know that this is another milestone for me though.  Two years ago at this time, my diet consisted of mostly processed carbs, fast food.  I rarely cooked and if I did, it was mostly pasta.  I was overweight, sedentary, and very unhealthy.  I felt like shit all the time.  The past two years have been a long, uphill journey to get my health under control.  I believe that lifestyle change comes slowly, not overnight and I'm a testament to that.  I still consider myself having a long way to go, but this is just another step in the right direction for me.  I'll write more on that another time though.  Today I'm just happy to have a better relationship with food.