Whole30 Results

We have officially completed our first Whole30!

Are you wondering what that means?

Well, that means we went 30 days without -
-Added sugar (real or artificial)
-Legumes
-Dairy
-Grains
-Alcohol
-Carrageenan, MSG or sulfites
-Baked goods, junk foods or "treats" with approved ingredients (chips, etc)

They say no weighing yourself during your Whole30 as well. They want you to focus on NSV's *Non-Scale Victories*.

Some of my NSV's include:
-Fewer blemishes
-Flatter stomach
-Leaner appearance
-Clothes fitting better (belt went a notch tighter)
-Less bloating
-Healthier gums (my dentist raved about how much better my gums were)
-Fewer mood swings
-Fewer sugar cravings
-Fewer carb cravings
-Feeling in control of my food
-Mindful eating
-Eats to satiety
-Can identify cravings vs hunger
-Sleep more soundly
-Awake feeling refreshed
-Energy levels are higher
-More knowledgeable about nutrition
-Healthy eating habits have brought my husband and I closer

I did cheat and weighed myself once a week during the 30 days but my husband did not.

My starting weight was 116 (I'm 5'0") and after Whole30 my weight was 106 - Adios alcohol weight and HELLO FLAT STOMACH!

My husband's starting weight was 175 (he's 5'5") and after Whole30 his weight was 154! We could hardly believe it! 21 lbs! I haven't seen him look this good in over 6 years! And holy cow are his pants baggy.

So now that Whole30 is over for us we have been slowly reintroducing the food groups that we went without for the 30 days. You're supposed to do one group at a time at each meal for one day and then give yourself two days of Whole30 before reintroducing the next group. Repeat until you've done them all. The idea behind this is so that you can notice how your body handles these certain foods. For instance, I've noticed that non-gluten grains have made me REALLY tired. Like, two hour nap needed tired. I also no longer like the taste of peanut butter. So odd! We have dairy and gluten to still reintroduce and I'm praying it goes okay. I really miss sour cream and cottage cheese!

When we're done with the reintroduction process we plan to follow a mediterranean diet for the most part and avoid added sugar as much as possible.

I love how great this experience made us feel and I'm so glad to have done it with my husband. I know that we were so successful because we did it together. Not only did it help to hold each other accountable but we had a damn good system - I made us breakfast every morning and he made us dinner every night. We didn't use a single recipe and kept our meals simple. There is no need to stress yourself out and overcomplicate this with long recipes and $10 dressings. Andy made us compliant dressings from scratch a couple times as well as a couple batches of clarified butter.

My advice for future Whole30ers - Keep a lot of produce, potatoes and eggs on hand at all times, don't let yourself get hungry and keep it simple! I encourage those of you on the fence to give it a shot - it's only 30 days and you could feel amazing too!

Make Your Relationship a Priority.. Before It's Too Late

Anyone that's a parent knows how incredibly difficult it can be to put your relationship with your partner high on your priority list. When we got married we wrote our vows and part of our vows stated "... to make our relationship and date nights a priority." 

It wasn't until 16 weeks after our honeymoon that we had our next date night.. [some vows, huh?]

Days drag on but the weeks go by fast and with everything we've had going on in our life since our wedding it was honestly something I didn't notice until I REALLY started to notice. If we don't allot specific time to hang out and spend quality time together then it sadly just doesn't happen. Our days become so routine and predictable it's nearly boring. We go through every day practically on auto pilot. You know you're in need of quality time with your partner when you start to miss them while you're living under the same roof. 

A few weeks ago my mom asked if she could have the kids overnight that Saturday. Honestly, it was the best thing I've heard in months! Then, when she said she'd like to make a routine out of it (every other Saturday while my stepdad is gone overnight working) I just about cried tears of joy! 

Not only is it great for Andy and I to get that time together but I can't tell you how good it is for the kids. In our case, yes, it's quality time with their grandma but even if we take grandma out of the equation and just look at it as the kids taking time away from mom and dad it's incredibly beneficial (in my opinion). Rex has become super attached to me the last few months so this gives him practice with separating from me and will help him realize that he can be okay without me and even have fun while I'm away! It also shows our kids that we have a relationship outside of being their parent and it sets a good example for when they may be parents someday. I would hope that they would make their relationships a priority and do the same thing. 

Someday our kids will be moved out of our house and it will just be the two of us together. It will be a life we have never known before. But that's another reason why maintaining a healthy relationship (date nights, communication, etc) NOW is so important. It's setting the stage for the rest of our lives. 

How often do parents typically get out for a date without their kids? I bet the majority don't do it nearly as much as they should. 

I would LOVE to see more parents out there getting a sitter for their kids on a regular basis and going out on dates. Can't afford a sitter or don't trust one? Talk to a close friend about alternating babysitting duties! Every other week you can switch off watching each others kids so you can each get alone time with your partner. DO IT! AND PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDARS! MONTHS OUT! Make it a priority and don't feel bad about it! 

So, how often do YOU get out on a date with your partner? Do you feel it's enough? What are some things you like to do together? I'd love to know! 

Heading up to the cabin for a weekend away from the kids