wellness: whole30 week two update.

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I can’t believe I’m almost halfway through the Whole30 challenge!

The second week definitely had its ups and downs. In some ways the challenge got easier, but I did find myself becoming less motivated than I was during week one. Thankfully I didn’t slip up, however I did implement snacking more than I would like to (not that snacks are bad, but Whole30 emphasizes that having full meals are better than snacking throughout the day, which is my natural tendency).

Thankfully I’m back to being super motivated to finish these last two weeks the best I can! Here’s a look at this past week.

{the food}

* Like I said, I snacked a bit more than I would have liked, so I’m going to work on getting back on track with that going into week three.

* I also wasn’t as well-prepared during week two (and ate out a handful of times), but that’s also because I was out of town for a few days. Thankfully even when I ate at restaurants I kept it Whole30!

* I’ll be much more prepared this week – I already have a huge grocery order coming and a meal plan for the week.

(I’m tracking all of my meals over on my Tumblr)

{how I’ve been feeling}

Other than the slight lack of motivation, I really did feel awesome this week. I have a ton of energy and just feel…happier. Before Whole30 I’d hit a slump (energy-wise but also mentally and emotionally) at least every day, but I’ve noticed that hasn’t happened pretty much at all since I’ve been doing the challenge.

I’m also starting to notice my pants fitting a bit looser and my stomach looking flatter. Nothing crazy noticeable, but definitely a welcome change. I still haven’t weighed myself.

{other thoughts/observations}

The longer I eat the Whole30 way, the more I think I’m likely to stick to a Paleo way of eating when the challenge is over, for a few reasons. Not only have I been feeling physically better, but (as I just mentioned) I just have more of a sense of clarity – no more mental/emotional fog. Not to sound cheesy but I feel more…alive! I never realized how my food choices were affecting my overall quality of life until now, and I don’t want to go back to how I felt before.

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I’d love to try some new Whole30/Paleo recipes – any suggestions for recipes or websites I should check out?

wellness: whole30 week one update.

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Hey babes!

So I decided not to track my entire Whole30 experience here on GML just for the sake of not inundating you with it, but I do want to check in with updates here and there. So here’s a recap of my first week doing the Whole30 challenge.

First up - the food!

breakfast: been keeping it pretty similar each day – usually some version of eggs + sweet potato.

lunch: I try to make a double batch of something that I can have for lunch AND dinner – either a meat + veggie combo or my Whole30 Approved Chili.

dinner: usually same as lunch! With the exception of my girls’ night (where I did some snacking on Bacon Wrapped Dates and fruit/veggies).

Whole30 meals || girl meets life.

(Visit my Tumblr for larger photos/descriptions of the meals)

How I’m feeling:

The first few days were a little rough – I felt really low on energy and had very little motivation. Oh, and I wanted something SWEET. But deep down I knew how awesome I’d feel the longer I could stick to it, and now each day that goes by leaves me feeling more and more motivated.

Physically the only changes I’ve noticed are more energy and clarity, and feeling a bit lighter than usual. I haven’t really noticed any weight loss yet, but I haven’t weighed myself so I’m not sure.

Other observations:

I’ve definitely noticed my overall mindset toward food changing. First of all, I’m really enjoying having three square meals instead of snacking all day – it leaves me feeling much more satisfied, and I pay attention to my meals instead of mindlessly grazing.

Honestly, I’m really proud of myself for getting through a whole week. I know that’s not a huge deal to a lot of people, but I don’t have much willpower – especially when it comes to the social aspect of food/eating. I didn’t realize that this challenge would be such a mental achievement as much as it is health-wise!

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Have you ever done Whole30 or a similar challenge? How do you stay motivated to stick to it?

eats: whole30 approved chili.

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I’m now on day 5 of the Whole30 challenge, and so far it’s being going great! I’m already feeling some changes in my body/energy, and I just keep getting more and more motivated to stick to it as the days go on.

…That’s not to say it’s been easy, though 😉 Turning down pumpkin whoopie pies last night was not my defining moment.

The first couple of days were particularly tough because I was eating boring food (i.e. plain grilled chicken and veggies). So on day 3 I decided to get creative and experiment with making chili, and I was VERY happy with how it turned out.

 

 

Whole30 approved Chili

(Recipe can easily be doubled to serve more. I used all organic ingredients, but obviously not necessary!)

ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
2 bell peppers, diced
1 large onion, diced
14 oz can diced tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
coconut oil

directions:

First cook the ground beef in a stovetop pan with coconut oil and seasonings of your choice (I used salt, pepper, and a bit of extra chili powder). Set aside.

In a large pot, sauté the peppers and onions in coconut oil. Once they’re softened (about 10 minutes) add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, cooked beef, and seasonings. Mix all together and let simmer for another 6-10 minutes uncovered.

It’s that simple! It might not be the real deal slow cooking chili, but it tastes pretty darn close. The tiny bit of cinnamon makes a HUGE (delicious) difference. Not to mention it’s QUICK, and Whole30 approved!

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Anyone else doing (or have done) Whole30? Would love any tips/suggestions you might have!

here’s what | 10.13.14.

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Bonjour and happy (1:45am on) Monday, hotties. Here’s what have been a few things happening in this life I’ve met.

1. Thanks to the rain on Saturday I spent a good deal of time in bed with my hot dates Barney Stinson and Jake Johnson.

Netflix, people. Get your mind out of the gutter.

Jake Johnson

2. The rain/bed situation also resulted in THIS situation – hair full of secrets, and not the good kind.

Gracie Gordon

3. I managed to pull myself together for a night out. Don’t let the jacket deceive you – I haven’t played a non-leisurely sport since 2003.

Gracie Gordon

4. Pardon me for sounding like a crazy person…but I think I might be a crazy person. When I shook people’s hands over the weekend I found myself thinking EBOLA EBOLA EBOLA.

5. Sooo I’ve decided to do the famous (infamous?) Whole 30 challenge. I started it yesterday. My good friend Emily has been doing it and suggesting it to me, and over the course of the past week I went from being adamantly opposed, to considering it, to reading It Starts With Food. I realized that I’ve been complaining about feeling BLAH lately but not actually doing anything to change it. So not anymore. I need accountability so will be posting meals + updates over on my Tumblr (as to not inundate my Instagram or GML with ugly food pictures ;)). You can go ahead and follow along if you’d like!

Oh, and as much as I’m doing this to FEEL my best, I’m also doing it look as smokin’ hot as possible. Sorry I’m most certainly not sorry.

6. I have a crush on someone, and it might be you. (insert monkey covering its mouth emoji)

7. Probably the most productive part of my weekend was cleaning the whole apartment. It always starts by just wiping down the counter, then I find myself in full out Danny Tanner mode, on the brink of washing the cleaning products themselves.

8. The decision process for what I’m going to be for Halloween is getting REAL. So far I’ve narrowed it down to not wanting to look “cute.” Not to mention I refuse to wear the same costume two night in a row because I’m a brat like that.

9. This is a really interesting article about the downside of living in New York. I can definitely relate to this:

“The greatest thing about Manhattan is the worst thing about Manhattan: self-actualization. Here you will be free to stretch yourself to your limit, to find the beach that is yours alone. But sooner or later you will be sitting on that beach wondering what comes next.”

What the article doesn’t address, though, is how having friends, family, and a sense of community here in the city makes all the difference in the world. I definitely wouldn’t be able to continue living here without that.

10. To end things on a lighter note, here’s a bunch of cute animals wrapped up like burritos.

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Have you decided on a Halloween costume yet?