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It’s time for our week 2 busy mom Whole30 recap! You can see why I’m doing Whole30 and our week 1 recap here.
We are officially 2 weeks in and going strong! I honestly didn’t think we would make it this far, but I’m seriously impressed that my husband and I have held each other accountable and are sticking to our goal. I’m more impressed with my husband than myself because I thought for sure he would have a hard time avoiding energy drinks (which I absolutely hate that he drinks, so I’m glad he’s going a month without them) and a donut from Dunkin’ Donuts. Here’s how the past week went.
HOW DO WE FEEL?
I started having the weirdest dreams ever, like weirder than pregnancy dreams, and those kept up for the majority of the week. Therefore, my sleeping habits weren’t the best, so I’m thinking of diffusing some lavender or cedarwood essential oil to help me out there. I swear these dreams were NUTS. But I’m in fact not pregnant, so it’s definitely my body going through sugar withdrawals or something. How do I know I’m not pregnant? Well, I got my period this week (TMI? Never.). Which has made it INCREDIBLY HARD for me to avoid all junk food. I swear guys, I’ve been jonesin’ for some chocolate and potato chips. SO BAD. And to top it off, my dad brought over the most delicious looking chocolate chip cookies for Landon and I basically had to hide them from my sight. I haven’t cheated, though! So I’m super proud of myself for handling it like a champ.
I also think the RX Bars were making me sick to my stomach. I stopped eating them and subbed out compliant Larabars instead since I knew those don’t make my body react, and my stomach has been much better. I’m not sure if it’s all the egg white protein in the RX Bars or what, and I’m bummed because they’re so delicious. But it might also because it’s that time of the month. I may try them again towards the end of the program just to see, because I usually get super sick to my stomach the week before my period anyway.
Surprisingly, I’m not as hungry as I thought I would be. I’ve learned the proper portion side I need to be full to make it to the next meal, and I snack as needed in between. I find a lot of times I don’t need morning snack unless I’m working out around noon.
WHAT ARE WE EATING?
We both REALLY, REALLY miss coffee creamer. I’m sorry, but NutPods just aren’t cutting it. So many of my Whole30 friends LOVE them, but they’re just not the same to me. I wish I was a black coffee drinker, but I’m not. I love my dairy free sweetened creamer and I miss it every morning (even though I only drink about half a cup of coffee because my children prevent me from ever finishing it 😉 )
I’m also officially sick of beef stew, soup, and chili (and I think the kids are too). So this week I plan on switching things up just a little bit and adding in some different meals. I’m definitely trying my friend Heather’s White Chicken Chili because it looks absolutely delicious! I’m also ordering THIS because people keep raving about them, and I also think it will be a lifesaver to my “last minute dinner” problem. I do have one last batch of my chicken soup currently in the crockpot, but after that I’m switching it up. I might try this Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe by Living Loving Paleo and double the filling to save for later. Again, my whole method for this program is to make meals that involve minimal prep and can be saved for later in the week.
The night my dad came over, I knew they would want to order pizza for the kids. I love pizza, but it’s not something that would set me back. I actually picked up a paleo pizza for my husband and myself from a local paleo and gluten free mom and pop restaurant nearby so we could join in on pizza and football night. I asked the owner what was in the crust (all compliant!) and stuck with a veggie pizza (no cheese). I cooked up some of the Whole30 compliant bacon I found at Whole Foods (only $5.99 a pack!) to add on top. I felt much better about our pizza decision when I knew it was compliant! I know this is a no-no according to the book, but whatever. I didn’t really care, and I made the best of the situation.
I did try Brooke’s Whole 30 Banana Egg Pancakes this week and they were delicious! They’re a nice change up from my typical egg and sweet potato hash breakfast, and are great if you need a little sweetness.
I also went out to eat! Granted, it was to my favorite paleo restaurant, but I actually managed to go out to eat and NOT get french fries. I ordered a salad with some basic oil and vinegar for dressing, and got extra avocado. I was so full after that I found no need to eat the french fries my mom and son were indulging in.
One thing I noticed is none of our almond milk was compliant! So I decided to make our own cashew milk instead. It’s SUPER easy to do, even for busy moms. All you do is mix 1 cup RAW cashews and 3 cups of water and place it into a glass jar for 24 hours. Then blend with a blender (I used my NutriBullet) and strain with a mesh strainer. When you’re finished, you get delicious cashew milk! You can do the same with almonds, as well. Just make sure you strain the “pulp.”
SNACKING
I know there’s a lot of debate with the snacking concept behind Whole30. Technically, snacks are a no-go, but as a breastfeeding mom and also one who works out, the book actually encourages it. My busy mom go-to snacks have been Larabars (I bought the lemon and key lime flavor, both compliant), cashews, and green olives. I also picked up some Plantain Chips from Trader Joe’s and have been chowing down on those with some homemade guacamole. I like that the program is customizable for your situation. I also feel like no one knows your program but yourself, so I don’t really care what other Whole30ers think about my snacking!
OKAY BUT REALLY, HOW DO YOU FEEL?
I do feel good! And my skin is looking REALLY great, actually. I barely broke out with this period (and I usually always get at least one hormonal breakout). But I don’t think this is something I can keep up after 30 days. I think a paleo diet is MUCH EASIER because at least I can have things like maple syrup and indulge in paleo chocolate chip cookies and paleo pancakes. I also didn’t have horrible eating habits to start, so I don’t see the need to continue after 30 days. I did this more as a way to flush my body out of the crap food from the holidays and get a kick start for the new year. My husband and I are both in agreement that we’ll continue a paleo diet after our 30 days, with the occasional cheat meal. I’ve also been attending yoga 2-3 times a week and trying to fit a CrossFit work out in. This is a work in progress and I’m trying to be realistic about my workout schedule.
Be sure to follow along on my Snapchat and Instagram for live updates on how things are going on my Whole 30 journey! And if you are doing it too and need moral support, come join the Lauren McBride Daily Facebook group to chat a little more personally with myself and other ladies. (You can join even if you aren’t doing Whole 30!)
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 3 cups water
- Pour the raw cashews and water into a glass jar. Allow to soak for 24 hours. Then blend using a blender until smooth. Strain using cheesecloth (I found these needs to be done a few times) or a mesh strainer. Pour into a glass jar and store in the fridge.
Don’t forget to check out the rest of the Whole30 ladies and below, and follow along on social media with #Whole30Jan!
Kristin @ Taz and Belly
Jaime @ Sunflowers and Stilettos
Heather @ My Life Well Loved
Jennifer @ Life In A Greenhouse
Lindsey @ Life Lutzurious
Ashley @ Two Peas In A Prada
Jamie @ Makeup Life and Love
Lauren @ A Lo Profile
Tessa @ Tessa Lindsey Garcia
Anna @ Fluerdille
Kendra @ Citizens of Beauty
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