Whole30 Day 15-17 and The Half-way Point!

It is a good feeling to be half-way through Whole30. I have really done well on the program and I do believe if I can do it, you can do it. Not only do I feel better, but I have changed my attitude towards my relationship with food. Granted, I still do look at foods I was eating previously and want a bite, but I also start to think of what the effects the ingredients have on my body and my overall well-being. While, I already followed a gluten-free diet before, Whole30 has given me a new attitude on what I put in my body. And, I can tell. *If you would like to read Why I started, go here. For Day 1, go here. For Days 2-4, go here. For Days 5-7, go here. For Days 8-10, go here. Days 11-12, go here. For Days 13-14, go here.

Day 15 Starting back up on the work week is always tough. Even with all this new found energy, I still find myself needing more sleep. Can I have nap time again? Ugh! With all the holiday festivities ahead and an abundance of holiday parties to attend, these next two weeks are going to be busy ones. The struggle will be getting some sort of Whole30 meal in. We shall see.

Meal 43- Breakfast. When it comes to the work week, I tend to make meals that are quick to make and quick to devour. I grabbed a banana with almond butter, a larabar and a bottle of water. With a good amount of protein, I was energized and full through lunch.

Meal 44- Lunch. I had a guy coming by this day to drop off a new fridge so I had to make something super fast. I put two slices of ham in my cast iron to warm it up and followed it up with a mix of reg and white sweet potato hash mix. I had never had a white sweet potato before but I found it to be of the same taste as regular sweet potato. Ending it off with a couple of strawberries and it was a complete meal.

Meal 45- Dinner. I was craving pizza this night especially so instead I made a frittata with egg, sliced turkey, salt/pepper and avocado. It was excellent and very filling. I left a few bites behind.

Being past the half-way point in days is very exciting. 15 Days have lapsed and 15 to go!

Day 16 Another work day and another opportunity to get another unique meal in. I am still getting the hang of trying new foods and this Whole30 has been a great opportunity to try new recipes and see what works with what I have. I do have to get a bit creative since I have not branched out too far from meals I have had before starting this program. Time to get to changing as i have two weeks left!

Meal 46- Breakfast. A super easy breakfast for sure. I love poms in the fall so i had a bowl of those with my larabar. Added a cup of pomegranate oolong tea and i was all set for the day! While it is not as filling as other breakfast items I have had during Whole30, it was exactly what I needed today. I did not have an appetite so I had to eat something. (you should never skip breakfast)

Meal 47- Lunch. So last week I found these amazing purple potatoes while grocery shopping, something I had never had before but wanted to cook with them. Whole30 now allows potatoes but I wanted a more healthy potato and I thought purple would possibly be a better alternative to white russet potatoes and i was correct! They have a ton of health benefits (like cancer prevention) and have proven to be better than regular potatoes for those health reasons. So, I took one purple potato and grated it until it was a hash, adding carrot to the mix and placing it in the cast iron to crisp with a smidgen of duck fat. Meanwhile, I boiled one egg and placed a couple of strawberries on for my serving of fruit.

Meal 48- Dinner. When I had gone grocery shopping and found those amazing purple potatoes, I also came across some really good red skinned potatoes, so i snagged me a couple of those to use for dinner. For dinner, I made hamburgers (seasoned with paprika, shallots, coconut aminos, garlic, salt/pepper, and fine herbs). Since this ground beef is 96% lean and 4% fat, the coconut aminos were a perfect flavor boost and extra fat the meat needed. I had sliced the potatoes, sprinkled garlic and herbs on top, drizzled EVOO, and placed them in a 450 degree oven to crisp. Meanwhile as my mini slider burgers were cooking, i chopped purple onion and placed them in the other half of the pan (with a smidgen of shallot and dried onion to give a boost of flavor). I really did enjoy this meal and it was a good way to end the day.

Day 17 Hello Wednesday! It has been a productive work week, but all the holidays have made this house busier than ever. We finally got around to putting up our Christmas tree last night (hence the quick burger meal) so it has been a good time to prepare for all the upcoming events we have going on. The next two weeks will surely be a test of this program. As I am scheduled to end this before Christmas, I am curious as to what the holidays will bring. If I continue to feel this good, I may continue Whole 30 past my 30 initial days. We shall see.

Meal 49- Breakfast. Another promising and great meal thanks to almond butter, unsweetened coconut flakes and bananas. Since my bananas are on their way out (perfect for banana bread) I HAVE to use them so this meal was a good way to get them in. And, another bowl of pom seeds. I have a cup of hot tea as well and it should last me well into lunch.

Meal 50- Lunch. So, I had one banana left and some strawberries to get out before they go bad so I had to figure out a way to use them. I found this recipe for faux-oatmeal and figured I would give it a shot. I used egg, banana, baking soda and mixed them together. Added coconut oil to my pan and cooked as it had said. Now, I am all about some oatmeal (even eaten the gluten-free version so i can still enjoy it) but i was not a fan of this. It tasted like a bland mix of eggs and banana, one combination of tastes that I do not think I will try again. I did top mine with leftover strawberries and walnuts (from my raw nut mix) and scarfed it down simply because I was hungry, but I doubt I will make this again. Disappointed.

Meal 51- Dinner. Since we had a christmas party to go to, i opted for Chipotle beforehand. Carnitas, salad, tomato salsa and guacamole. It was perfect pre-party meal. I had "mocktails" at the party (seltzer water and fruit) and ate a few veggies off the veggie plate. I think Chipotle may save me over this holiday party season!

There is a great feeling of accomplishment to have come this far. I know if I can go this many days without sugar (confessed by a sugar addict), I know you can too! It is far more difficult I have heard to give birth than remove sugar from your diet. It is easier to remove dairy from your diet than having a lobotomy! Too far? Just know that you are not alone. You can have a complete support system with friends and family. There are many people out there doing Whole30 - from Instagram, to Blogs and so many places in between, you are going to find a network of people going through their Whole30 journey just like you, and for different reasons. I want to be healthy. I want to feel strong. I want to be in control of my health. And, if I can do it, you can too! Accomplish something great for yourself. Become healthy and remove all the unhealthy habits from your life. See how you feel in 30 days!