Hello, there!

Well, hello!

It is nice to see you back here, and to be honest, it is good to be in this space. I am currently fulfilling a bachelorette weekend, as the mister is out of town. Dinner consists of wine and whatever is in the fridge (whole foods brussels sprouts make the list here) and today was also tax-free shopping day!

...basically, the rest of the nation (looking at you, Oregon) has to have one day of tax free where other states get it all the time! I do not miss Oregon shopping and today I was reminded of home! I bought five pairs of shoes today for a collective $30, was able to get the rest of the gear I needed for our upcoming trip, and also treated myself to a jacket I've been lusting after for the past few months! All in all, it was a good trip.

So, the topic at hand today is probably a burning question in your mind. Here's the deal. It has been so long since I've put anything on paper I am just going to sum up the year as best as I can. After I do that, we will see where we are at.

I quit writing regularly after I quit Whole30. Life got in the way, I was busy, I didn't have anything of substance to write...the list of excuses goes on and on. I finally realized that I just have to bite the bullet and  move on. Count the past as past and keep going, as slow as it may be. Here I am, months later, writing about my life.

Let's start with January.
      In January, nothing of note happened that I remember. We had just returned from a trip to Vegas, demolition was starting on our house, and we were living in an apartment. The NBA season was rough, and we were down a million players at this point. Little did we know what a push it would be to get to the end. I was busy writing IEPs and the mister was busy slangin those contracts for the boys in blue we have grown to love. I regrew four orchids, attempted to love my job (failed), and started suffering from terrible migraines. January was a rough month! We were frustrated about our living situation (three months into paying a mortgage and rent), the basketball season, and our lack of THINGS that we had in our apartment. Who packs all the DVDs for storage and moves the DVD player into the apartment? We do.



February...
      In February, we celebrated a LOT of love! We had Valentine's Day (which was during the trade deadline, so M worked and I celebrated), and a week later we celebrated our anniversary. I got him these neat cufflinks of the coordinates of our first date: the Ambassador Hotel in Wichita, Kansas! I got flowers and gorgeous earrings and we had a beautiful dinner. We were still watching our team struggle through the regular season and our contractors renovate our house. Fortunately, I found some really great friends in my yoga community and was happy to drive the three minutes from our apartment to get my hour of balance on. That's the one thing I miss about our little apartment! I also interviewed with an organization I now work for here in OKC. I was greeted into the interview with a sense of hope and could not wait to get a call back!

March! 
       March brought a lot of change. Our house was looking pretty close to move-in ready, I joined the Junior League, and we were startled awake every morning by the construction across the street from our apartment. One day, it was 5:45am. I was so irate I called the guy in Texas to tell him to do something about the project he was managing. I was successful! I think M traveled a bit in March (I don't remember) and I was looking forward to the school year ending! We also ended the month close to a playoff bid - with the whole city sitting on the edge of their seats, it seemed. I got into grad school for social work, and it felt like the world was infinite.

April....

      April brought strep throat plus two ear infections, a week and a half in a hotel, moving into a new house that was unfinished, and a test to our relationship. I started the tattoo removal process, realized it hurt like childbirth, and we found that the Thunder did not make the playoffs. It was a quiet month in the grand scheme of things. Living amid a renovation taught us patience, communication and that we totally have different views on how to navigate the stress that comes with living in a construction site. We were sharing our house with our contractors until 11 some nights, and it was hard work. We were so grateful for the late nights, and at least now it is easier to look back fondly on the renovation. I received a call from the place I interviewed with in February, and was offered a job to teach pre-kindergarten to kids with cognitive and developmental delays. I immediately said yes! I also paid off my car over a year early! Wahoo!


May. May may may may mayyyyyy. School got out! Best month ever! But really, I enjoyed the fact that I never had to return to public school, and was looking forward to summer school before I transitioned to my new job. It was a relatively quiet month for us - with no playoffs, we watched the games at home, and hung out together for most of the nights, unpacking and figuring out how to navigate the dust that was all over the place while construction still happened. M's sister came to visit, and I got accosted by kids from my hometown - all in jest. I also read 100 Years of Solitude. Great read! I was also lucky enough to celebrate my year of health - a lot of you have been on this journey with me since the early days and I went a whole year without a relapse, which felt really great, and I have Whole30 to thank for starting me on the path to success.


June! My birthday month! In June, I obviously celebrated my birth (M made me dinner), practiced outdoor and indoor yoga, swam a ton in our pool, visited a brand new baby in the hospital, lived without internet, and started summer school. I also got to celebrate the birth of my sister! I loved June (always do), but this year was amazing because I wasn't moving for once, wasn't waiting to see what I was going to do about work, and I was ready to move on with my life! I love that feeling and it really was a great month. I met some new people and started to come into my own a year after being in the city. Knowing that we are going to be here for a minute or two longer is really helpful to my goals, and where I want to be, along with our long term plan for life. The draft happened, and I meticulously chose my players for the Thunder. Although none of mine got chosen (looking at you, Rakeem Christmas), I was a lot better at choosing potential players this year than I was the year before!

July...
In July I brought home a puppy, ended my contract with OKCPS, started my new job, booked a vacation (for next week!) and went to a blackberry festival in redneckville oklahoma. I got another laser removal and my feet blistered like crazy. July brought hope and peace into my life and a sense of purpose. Well, until I got strep throat for the second time in 3 months....







And now, it's August. It all happened so fast! We are heading to Colorado Springs in 8 days for a much needed vacation, I got one more laser removal under my belt (and my feet look like they went through a wood chipper), I still love my job and I've been reading and yoga-ing and working out like crazy. Finding a work balance has been the name of the game this month, and psh, 8 days in, I've mastered the art of juggling a 9-6 job, working out and finding time for ME.

Namaste, Friends! 

Stop Right Now.

Stop what you're doing right now and follow my directions. 

1. Go to the grocery store. 
2. Buy pork chops, apples and cranberries (raw. don't be lazy).
3. Make this.

HOLY COW WAS THIS DELICIOUS. 

Using a few simple ingredients, dinner was ready in 30 minutes. We had a movie date to get to, so this was the perfect quick and healthy dinner to get us ready to go! 

A few adaptations:

I used regular cranberries instead of dried. Tis' the season. It added this amazing flavor and I don't regret it! 

I bought my chops pre-cut. If you do this, which I recommend, DO NOT COOK AS LONG. Mine were a little overdone.

Directions, adapted from this amazing site!

Pork Loin Chops with Apples & Cranberries

Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

Author: Helen - onsablehill.com

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 T. Coconut oil or ghee
• 1-1/2 - 2 lb. Boneless Pork Tenderloin, cut into ¾" slices
• ½ t. salt
• ¼ t. pepper
• 2 apples, peeled and sliced into ⅛" slices
• ⅓ c. dried (or raw, whole) cranberries
• ½ c. chicken broth
• 1 T. pure maple syrup or honey
• ½ t. cinnamon
• ¼ t. cloves

Instructions

1. In a measuring cup, mix broth, syrup and spices. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, over medium high heat, melt the coconut oil.
3. When oil is hot, place sliced tenderloin "chops" into pan.
4. Brown for 5 minutes.
5. Flip and brown the other side for 5 minutes. Then remove from pan and place onto a plate. Set aside.
6. Turn heat to medium low and pour broth mixture into pan.
7. Place apple slices into pan and sprinkle dried cranberries on top of them.
8. Return chops to pan, placing them on top of the apples. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
9. Check that apples are soft and "floppy."
10. Remove pan from heat and serve by placing chops on top of apples and cranberries. Drizzle pan juice/sauce over chops.

Shopping Bill Fever

It's time for the best game in the world!

BEAT! THAT! PRICE!

Last week, we did a really awesome job coming in under budget because of my awesome finds but mostly because we didn't buy anything at Sprouts. The protein we eat is far too important to skimp on, and I refuse to buy it anywhere but Whole Foods. Why, do you ask? 

I refuse to buy meat product if I can smell it at the counter. 

Being a fisherman's daughter has taught me a few things, and one of which is this: if you can smell it, buy something that is a little bit fresher. With that being said, this also means I refuse to buy meat that has been frozen for long periods of time or that has been in the refrigerator section. I go strictly to the counter. I also really like the people that work behind the counter and often make friends this way. 

Before we move on, you need to know the price to beat! 

Last week's price: $148.49

The week before: $194.95

Remember, the goal is to do Whole30 as cheaply as possible (within reason, as I just stated my meat-snobbiness level).

First Stop: Sprouts

Total Cost: $54.50

This was actually my second stop. A new grocery store opened up across the street : a Natural Grocers. I stopped in to compare prices. Sorry, not interested in buying things that cost less AT WHOLE FOODS.  

As you can see, there was a  need for kitchen staples this week. 

1. Dijon Mustard and Coconut Oil
2. Onion, Garlic and Sweet Potatoes
3. 5 pounds carrots
4. 3 pounds brussels sprouts
5. 1.6 pounds mushrooms
6. 6 pounds apples
7. 4 bell peppers
8. Spinach
9. 1.7 pounds green beans
10. Plantain Chips (I like these for the crunch: they  make my heart happy!) 

Not bad for about 20 pounds of veggies! 

Next Stop: Whole Foods

Total Cost: $172.49 (yiiiiikes!) 

Woof. I about keeled over with pain at the register. I knew it would be expensive but I didn't know how much. The joy of coming in under $60 at Sprouts is that I'm getting better there, but to my previous statement of being meat-snobby, I just can't skimp here. With that, my game plan changes. I try to stick with cuts of meat that are on sale and can easily be made for two people + leftovers. 

I also bought some veggies here. When the weather changes, so does store inventory, and the inventory at Sprouts can be questionable. 

1. Kerrygold butter (I make my own ghee.) on sale!
2. Asparagus (2.2 lbs)
3. Bananas (3.12 lbs)
4. Red Grapes 
5. Cranberries
6. Lemons
7. Avocados

For the meats:

1. 18 eggs
2. Pork Sausage 2 lbs @ $5.99/lb
3. Pork Shoulder 4.7 lbs @ $3.99/lb
4. Beef Shoulder 2.58 lbs @ $4.49/lb
5. Beef Short Ribs 3.28 lbs @$6.99/lb
6. Diced Chicken 2 lbs @ $7.99/lb
7. Ground Beef 1.5 lbs @ $4.99/lb
8. Thick Cut Pork Chop 3.05 lbs @ $4.99/lb

I don't know what I was thinking. NINETEEN pounds of meat for two of us for the week. I will say, I went shopping on Saturday, so I had to plan for that dinner which equaled an extra meat. Other than that, we average 3 pounds a meat for a 24 hour period between four meals. I guess that makes sense. Whatever, all I know is that we look good, feel great and eat healthily sourced protein. With 24 items, we averaged $6.63/item. That's an odd I'll take. 

This Week's Total:$227

Much higher than last week's total of $148.

Stay tuned for next week's installment of Shopping Bill Sunday! 

A Note on Wellness....

Something I forgot, when embarking on my third Whole30, is that there are more components than just eating. Whole30 was actually built into what Dallas and Melissa Hartwig dubbed the "Whole9." The nine components of life that, when in harmony, make someone whole and happy. I like the style of the Hartwig's message, and after realizing that Whole30 has actually healed my emotional struggle with food, I knew that I had to delve deep into Whole9.

When I set out on this endeavor, I knew that Whole30 would work and I wanted to see some better results. I set goals:

1. Exercise at least 4x/week
2. No Snacks! 
3. No Cheats!
4. Whole30: Ballin' on a Budget Style.

I look at my goals now, as we are approaching the halfway point. I am really big on reflecting, and want to share this with you. Goals are really important. I don't think anything can happen without goalsetting. If we aren't always striving to be our best selves, then what is the point of being? 

I need to remember that I cannot just say, "oh yeah, I'm doing all those things!" I have to cross-check. Here come the Whole9 Principles, bolded where I am lacking:

1. Eat Good Food (check: Whole30)
2. Sleep Deeply
3. Move Your Body
4. Handle Your Stress
5. Connect With Others 
6. Get Outside
7. Be The Best You
8. Have Some Fun
9. Own Your Choices

Sleeping deeply is something I have struggled with for the last two years. It isn't something that comes easy to me anymore, and it is something I am oftentimes trying to overcompensate for. This has been remediated in nightguards, a root canal, and no caffeine after noon, but I'm still not perfect. Unfortunately, this is not due to anything inside my locus of control, so for now, I wait. 

 

Connecting with Others. I moved to OKC recently, and immediately started work. I pick my friends wisely; I don't like professional and personal lives getting intertwined too much, and I also don't like drama. I prefer to surround myself with people that are passionate, extroverted and well-traveled and read. Unfortunately, when my social life is lacking, so is that department of my life. I am working on this one; joining a yoga studio, branching out into the community, and these things take time. The first step is admitting, right?

In Oklahoma, getting outside isn't exactly the easiest thing to do, and sometimes, when you are outside, there isn't a whole lot TO do! The weather is about to turn, but this doesn't stop us from walking to our favorite Whole30-friendly breakfast place (probably not what the Hartwig's have in mind here) and oftentimes try to breathe that fresh questionable Oklahoma air. 

I realized this week, while pushing myself professionally (being the best me!) that when one ninth of my life is out of balance, the rest of my life becomes hectic and seems out of control. I didn't work out four times this week; if I work out tomorrow and Sunday I'll make it, but it hasn't happened organically. I am proud of the progress I am making, but I know that I can always improve. 

So, readers, my lesson today is this: It does not matter how much we push our bodies and minds. At the end of the day, we need to find that balance to be our best selves and live our best lives. 

For more info on Whole9, click here.

Tune in tomorrow for some food pics, What's In My Fridge, and some other exciting Whole30 things! 

Day 8?

Hi Readers!

I feel like we have been doing whole30 for so long it kind of doesn't feel like it anymore. The days blend together, the dinners roll on by, and the tupperware needs to be washed almost daily. You all know.

The best part about doing whole30 on and off since May is this:

1. My body is responding quickly. Kill all the things just didn't happen! 
2. Workouts are easier (and actually happening. Remember round one, readers?)!
3. Morning wake ups. I'm a bear in the morning. I habitually snooze for as long as humanly possible (contract time is 8, I get out of bed at 6:50) and do minimal things to get ready. Today, I SHOWERED BEFORE WORK! This happens probably twice a year and it is usually planned in advance. Not today! I'm sleeping well, soundly, through the night. I love it! 

I realized that this time has been easier because we have had whole30 dinners regardless of our diets, and have just added a few things here and there: me, white wine, M some sort of beer. We indulge in things we miss like Whiskey Cake (made of dates) but nothing that is just pure sugar or gluten. It is amazing the difference in how we behave and feel about ourselves when those things are out of our diet. 

iPhone cameras just really get it done. pffft.

Now is the part I show you all my dinners because they've been amazing. 

One Problem....

sometimes I am too hungry and forget. 

Saturday: I don't know what we had. It was so long ago! We may have gone somewhere? 

Sunday: 

1. roasted green beans
2. stuffed peppers (with lamb, homemade taco spice, and rando veggies like onion and garlic and carrots). 
3. half an avocado - that stuff was so spicy it was a nice palate cleanser! 

I also made applesauce on Sunday - which is clearly becoming a new ritual. If I knew how easy it was, I would have done it a long time ago. It is definitely cheaper than buying it, and I know exactly what is in my applesauce: apples! 

This is how to make applesauce:

peel, core and chop apples. 

place in crockpot with 1/4c water.

set on high for 1 hour, low for 5.

stir every once in a while.

ta-daaaa!!

Applesauce is the best. This actually is the closest I've come to eating my grandma's recipe-  when she passed, so did her applesauce, as far as I know. This makes my heart (and belly!) happy! 

Monday:

1. Salmon (I had WF cut up a fillet into thicker cuts - it lends for a juicier, meatier fish)
2. Ratatouille 

I found that if I sprinkled my salmon with lemons and cumin, it made this incredible flavor. Call me the Giada of the northwestern region! 

Also, if you've never made ratatouille, it is probably THE EASIEST thing in the world to make. Just make sure your veggies are thin. You can find the inspirational recipe I used at the Passionate Parsley! Her's looks much prettier than mine, I can promise you that. 

M really liked this dish. ...These days, he likes everything though, so it may  have been an un-truth! 

Tuesday:

Today, I got a little ambitious, found a recipe online and decided to try it out. I generally come up with foods in my brain and then totally do my best, but there are some things so outrageous that I cannot even fathom thinking of myself. This dish is one of them. 

The Pumpkin Chicken Pot Pie from Perchance to Cook is probably one of the best things I've ever ingested. I don't like pumpkin (or so I thought) and I don't really like chicken (at all) but M does. When the two flavors came together, it was like marriage in a bowl. Seriously, go try it. 

I love the way the recipe was laid out; it was easy to follow and it was done sensically. This one started with boiling chicken - and then it was a busy 40 minutes to get this thing into the oven! I'll say though, it is WELL worth the effort. Try it today! Also, her picture is much prettier than mine. :)

I know it was long, but now I'm caught up - so hello, have fun looking at these photos and always feel free to ask any questions! We are seasoned whole30 professionals over here. 

Need recipe inspiration? Everything on my JERF Pinterest Board is tried and true - with only some minor tweaks! Happy cooking, dear readers! 

Shopping Bill Sunday

Okay, readers, welcome to our super fun post about what we bought and for how much! It is kind of like Price is Right, but the only prize to be won is money we didn't spend, wahoo!

This Week's Price to Beat: $194.95

It's going to be a close call! 

First up: Sprouts.  

Total Cost: $25.74

We didn't need much; a lot of our veggies from last week still have yet to be eaten, so this was a really quick trip. 

1. Blackberries were on sale for .99 each. I got 4 with plans to freeze. It's going to be a long, fruitless winter, friends. 
2. Honeycrisp Apples. I actually didn't buy that kind and now I'm a little peeved! I bought Concord apples for $1.49 but ended up paying the price for Honeycrisp. Check your receipts, people! These are now bubbling away in my crockpot, making applesauce. 
3. Sweet Potatoes. Enough said, who doesn't like to eat them?!
4. Coconut Aminos. Seriously swappable for soy sauce. I can't tell the difference and I have one picky palate. 

Let's move on to our next stop! 

Next Stop: Whole Foods

Total Cost: $122.75

I was almost sad when I got to the register because I thought I spent more than I did last week and was trying to beat my price. ...upon further inspection, I did spend more than last week, womp womp. 

1. Engine 2 Pasta Sauce. This stuff is one of the few in WF that doesn't have sneaky sugar added. You can't find this at Sprouts, and I needed two of them today! Worth the $5.99. Ingredients: whole tomatoes, carrot puree, diced onions, sweet potato puree, tomato paste, water, basil, diced garlic, garlic puree, spices, sea salt.  
2. Coconut Milk. We use a lot of this. 
3. Beef Roast: 4 big pounds! We love eating a crockpot meal once a week that's less prep for me, and can last us a couple days. Usually I try to stick between 1-3 pounds of meat, but this will get eaten. 
4. No Sugar Bacon, 10 ounces. It's a staple. 
5. Ground Lamb, 85/15: 1.5 pounds
6. Breakfast Pork Sausage (HOT!): 1.5 pounds
7. Chicken Breast: 1 pound. It's for an experimental recipe this week! 
8. Rosemary 
9. Crunchy Red Grapes
10. Atlantic Salmon: 2 pounds. 

This Week's Total: $148.49

I WIN! 

Round 3, Day 2.

Day 2! We are here! 

28 to go! 

So far, there is nothing new to report. We had a super busy day, leaving the house at 7:30a and not getting home and into our cozies until 7:45p. Unfortunately, it is just that time of year, ya hear me? 

Needless to say, I get off work much sooner than M. Usually, he comes home between 6:30 and 9:00, depending on the day and how much he has to do. I don't know how he does all of that, manages a ton of our personal life with this house, and also finds time to work out! Come to think of it, he probably doesn't live tweet his job (and that takes up more time than one may think)! Follow my day-to-day things I hear from students here! 

I left work today, came home, read a little in this book which I'm totally into. I try to read one good-for-you book every three fictional books (gotta start somewhere) and I am finding that this one is a pretty easy read and totally applicable to my life. I need to start realizing that I deserve to be compensated for the work I am doing and become a better negotiator. I think I can work on that! 

I digress from the original reason I started this post: Day 2. 

So far, no symptoms, no cravings, no hangover...I worked out yesterday and today and they were both pretty productive. I haven't crashed midday, still drinking coffee...the usual, friends. Maybe soon I'll start to feel the detoxing process but so far, nahhhhh. 

What did we eat today? 

Quality Photo brought to you by iPhone. 

Breakfast: see yesterday's post.

Lunch: see yesterday's dinner. 

Dinner: OH MAN, SO GOOD! What was it? I thought you'd never ask! 

• Baked Sweet Potato (rubbed in ghee, salt/peppered and thrown straight into the oven on the rack. 450 degrees for 50 minutes, OMG SO GOOD).
• Raw Brussels Sprout Salad with Bacon and Tessa Mae's Black Pepper Dressing. Easy enough. Just ran the BSprouts through the food processor and rinsed! 
• Picnic Roast (aka pork shoulder) in the crockpot! I used the rest of my bone broth to give it some liquid and today it smelled delicious in here when I got home! 

Okay, y'all. Here for good.

Hi Readers!

Now, you probably didn't miss me, but I MISS YOU! I miss having a place to put my thoughts down, write about my life, and pretend people care. I'm so self-centered (but I hear if you own it, the stigma goes away...)!

Anyway, Monday is the first day of the third Whole30 I plan to do. I currently have two under my belt, and this time around I want to really get serious about what I am doing. I am setting some pretty serious goals this time around and hoping that my results will be better than what they were during my last round. Since you are here to keep me accountable, below are my goals:

1. Exercise at least 4x/week.
2. No Snacks!
3. No Cheats! --This one is important. Last time, I gave some leeway on what was "technically" whole30. This time, no technicalities: just pure, real food.
4. Do this whole deal, for both M and I, as cheaply as possible. Eating real doesn't have to be spendy. 

That said, this brings my blog to a new level in fun. This is what you can look forward to:

1. Food Photos (NOM..I am planning on dinner for sure, but will try for more - its usually lefties)
2. Weekly Grocery Costs
3. Food Waste Friday (because, seriously, we all have zucchini that goes bad)
4. A glimpse at my favorite food blogs!

I hope you join me in a commitment I am making to you, myself and my kitchen for what could be quite a while! I can't wait to see you here!

**Please connect with me via social media: @babybarnacle (twitter) , @sadienewell (instagram)!

S

the hiatus that lasted almost 30 days.

Readers, did you miss me?

Don't lie. I know you forgot. 

Anyway, like I mentioned over a month ago, I set out to do another Whole30 because my vacation took a toll on my body. Like real bad. Like I gained five  eight pounds of pure food. Yes, I enjoyed my vacation but I came back a bloaty mess - pants didn't fit right, I was uncomfortable in my own skin, etc. Imagine my joy in seeking refuge in Whole30, Round 2.

I was excited, motivated, and ready to see a change in my body. Ready to embrace the idea that I wouldn't get to drink for 30 days, eat anything like ice cream or cake pops or fruity beverages....I was okay with all of that. I was ready. 

And then, it all went downhill. Day Four came around, and I was a huuuuuge you-know-what. I couldn't even look at someone without feeling the urge to kill them. It wasn't the best day, I'll tell you that.

Then Day 16. Tiger Blood? Nope. All I had to show for my midway point was more bloat, less foods I could eat and this overwhelming sense of failure. I had stuck to the rules, stuck to the ideas that I could only eat certain things and was staying mindful in my food choices. I was confused. I couldn't help but to be sad about the lack of change in my body.

Then Day 20. Still bloated.
21. Bloated again.
22. I bet you can guess how I felt.

So now, I'm on Day 29. I don't feel amazing, I don't feel like I have really changed physically, I don't feel like I've accomplished anything. The whole reason I did this the first time was to accomplish something and prove I could do it. Well, I proved it. And a few things this time around were different. Let me list the things I suggest you DON'T DO on a Whole30 for optimal results (and also note that I've extended my Whole30 for another 15 days. Whole45 to make up for all the stupid things I've done thus far).


1. I worked out 4x/week on this round. Last time, I maybe worked out five or six times max; I was less tired this time around which is good, but my body decided to compose my fat elsewhere (which was a little bit rude). This didn't hinder me, per say, but it is a reason I didn't get the same results as my first round.

2. Snacks, snacks, snacks, snacks, snacks, snacks EVERYBODY! I snacked. I knew I wasn't supposed to. With a new work schedule, less time to plan, the old saying rang true: Failing to plan is planning to fail.

3. Fruit in all forms. My fruit intake was MUCH higher this time around and it wasn't until about Day 17 I stopped eating fruit. Within 24 hours, I had noticed a change in a lot of ways: my stomach didn't rumble, I was thirstier (duh), and I got rid of this weird stomachache I had going on.

4. Get depressed. I got really sad when I didn't see the results I wanted. I had to remember that I had to trust the process, that this was bettering myself in all forms, that what I want is a long-term solution to a problem that took me a week to make.

5. DO Surround yourself with people that love you and are willing to go through mood swings, outbursts, moments of vulnerability and when all you want is a cookie, someone to say "no way!" I noticed that I needed a lot of self affirmation during this round, and that I needed someone to also tell me I was doing things right. That I was pretty anyway.


Readers, I still stand behind Whole30 for anyone who wants to try.  That said, don't be an idiot like me. Thanks. :)

what does my tire and my stomach have in common?

Twenty Three, you guys. Twenty. Three. 

Now, I know it's been a few days, but I want to let you know I have NOT fallen off the bandwagon. I've made it, the last few days, even with all the things going on in my life. I'm not going to lie - today I wanted to seriously drink some wine, scotch, disaronno, etc. Anything. Maybe even actual grape juice. I wanted chocolate - but I knew it was coming from my emotions and not my belly. Now, I know that this is only supposed to be about the Whole30, but sometimes I think that we are human and need to talk about our lives. Plus, this life is too crazy to even make up. Let's start with...ummm, well, I don't know. Last night!

So, last night I was driving around OKC, just hanging out, living the dream, driving on 235 South. Let me set the stage: 10:30 pm, it's dark out. A little windy, but no rain in sight. Jake Owen on the radio. The on-ramp I want to take is blocked because of construction. No big, I'll take the detour. I take the detour which, if you ask me, should also be closed for construction. I hit a pothole (or something in the road, it is hard to say in the dark), feel my car jump in the air and skid to a stop. I put the car in park, obviously, and there was this weird grinding noise (more on that later) so I wasn't sure if I was supposed to jump out of my car and check for fire or not. When I got out, and sensed impending doom, I ran over to my right side and saw this:

So...that's not just a flat tire. That's a hot-ass-mess.

I do what any normal being would do - checked my trunk for my spare and my jack. Apparently, I'm the last person to realize that my Kia didn't come with a spare tire. It comes with a bubble-wrapped inflator and a PSI reader. In this situation, I did not have a need for either one of those things.

So, Triple A said they wouldn't bring me a tire, but they would tow my car. Well shoot. I don't know where anything is but OK. Tow my car, let's do it! I'm sitting there just laughing at the irony of this, knowing M is at work late, doing his thang, slanging his players, and I'm over here stranded on the side of the road. Of all days, it has to be the first day of free agency. Good thing I had my taser!

I tow my car to a Firestone and go on my merry way to bed. No big. I go back to my Kia today to give the people my key and they tell me to go home and they'll call me with a prognosis.

Apparently my axel tore out of my transmission. I need a new wheel. The car is undriveable. The wiring has been chewed by dogs. My airbags won't deploy. I don't have a car. All this and I still can't have a glass of wine?! 

To keep this long story from getting out of control, I spend 45 minutes on the phone with my insurance who tells me that if the cost of the car repairs is 60% of my car's worth, it's considered totaled. Right now, I'm hovering very close to that number. Well....we won't count on the total but in my  mind, I just don't know why I would want to put more money into that damn thing. 

So. What does this have to do with Whole30? Well, I realized today that I was driving past places I would never, in the real world, want to eat at. For some reason, Panera, scones at Starbucks, fried chicken (really?!) and soda. I can't even. I realized though, that it was because I was feeling emotional and wanted to curb it. I didn't give in, and instead ate my usual diet of eggs, broccoli, sweet potatoes, veggies, what have you. I am so incredibly thankful for Whole Foods. 

TODAY. Today I had a non-scale victory. I have been feeling a little discouraged with my progress on Whole30 because I haven't lost weight. I know it doesn't happen to everyone, and I also didn't eat terribly beforehand. I have been feeling pretty down on myself and its not like my pants fit any better - I just hate wearing pants anyway. Dresses are much better. I decided to bite the bullet and try on some of my cocktail dresses from college. To be clear: I haven't been able to wear those since college, and even then it was questionable. 

It was a moment for me. A definite victory. It feels really good to know that even if I'm not feeling the best, and even when I can't tell if this is doing anything for me, I can try this on and it'll fit! Yay!

day twenty three, turn down for what?!