i'm 1 week in to my 2nd whole30 challenge. i did the whole30 last year as well & it was AWESOME. i couldn't believe how good i could feel just from changing my diet (haha insert large "duh!!" here) the first time was definitely a bit harder as i put together recipes & figured out what i could & could not eat. this time around has been much easier. my goal the first time around was to figure out my stomach issues; why i got bloated & gassy after everything i ate, why i felt crappy after eating, if i had an intolerance to something, etc. the truth is i don't necessarily think i'm gluten free or lactose intolerant, i think that my body just didn't like the amount in which i was eating both, though cutting both out makes me feel good all the time, instead of just some of the time. i don't get bloated after meals, i don't like complete shit after eating & that is a really amazing thing. i've figured out what my body likes & that's to eat nutritious, healthy foods with good fats (insert another large "duh!!" here) my goal with this whole30 is to continue eating paleo following it. that was my goal the last time too, but i let the cravings take over & almost immediately went into bad eating habits again/not having willpower when it came to certain things.
my motivation for the whole30 this time, other then to feel good again & get my health back on track (which was the huge, main factor) was also seeing how lean & healthy i could look & did look. i took before and after photos with my first round of whole30 a year ago & looking back on those photos, i could see that i had gone back to the 'before' photo & knowing that i could look like the 'after' in just 30 days is a motivator for sure. after all it's only 30 days...what you choose to do after is up to you. it's not about losing weight for me though...sure i preferred the way i looked in the after photo but that's also because i knew i how i felt in that photo. i felt good...really good...and i wanted to feel like that again.
this time around i am incorporating exercise as i have been running 2-3x a week or more, as often as i can really. i've really, really started to love running. i never thought i would say that. i cancelled my gym membership as it was starting to feel like a chore to go, i didn't like going & working out on the machines there or treadmills, so i started to not go as much & wasn't getting my monies worth. running i like. running is my thing i think. i look forward to going now instead of thinking "ugh, i better go for a run" the weather is getting nicer, it's gorgeous out & even when it's not, i still look forward to it as it clears my head & i've been pushing myself harder & to go further with each run & it really sets up my day to be a good one. living a healthy lifestyle has quickly become important to me. not saying i'll never touch refined sugar again or indulge a little, but i know what my body likes now & considering it's taken me 27 years to figure it out i'd be a goof if i didn't listen to what my body is telling me.
this photo i took earlier today, after my run while i was eating my lunch; ham, an egg & avocado. my abs are coming back you guys!! my stomach is becoming more defined & again...no bloating = the best feeling ever!! "abs are made in the kitchen" truth.
a typical breakfast for me. i try to drink at least 1 of these bottles of water before leaving the house in the morning as sometimes i forget throughout the day. last time i did the whole30 i cut out caffeine as well as an additional challenge...not this time. i've been drinking my coffee with coconut milk as i can't drink it black. and lastly my smoothie, i'll mix this up every morning & try different concoctions.
running in the rain last week felt amaaaazing. i wish it was just slightly spitting everytime i went for a run, such a good feeling as you never overheat.
if you're new to this whole30 thing or want more information, check out their website here it will tell you everything you want to know and more.
