Whole30 Plan

So have you heard of this?

I hadn't until a friend mentioned it a few days ago.  Have I been so immersed in my grad studies that I am out of the loop? After all I am studying Health and Wellness so I feel a bit ashamed.

Let me tell you in a nutshell what it is. First of all it is NOT, I repeat, a DIET. It is an eating plan for you to follow for 30 days to help RESET your body.

Why would I need to reset my body, you ask? Because you may have any one of the afflictions listed:

fatigue, joint pain, migraines, asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, allergies, sinus infections....just to name a few from the book, these issues may disappear if you eliminate the triggering foods from your diet.  The removal of certain foods can and will change your life.

The plan is simple but your reserve must be great.  For those foods like bread, candy and sodas may have such a grip on you that you may experience some 'grumpiness' from the withdrawal.

Bare bones: You eat organic, grass-fed, antibiotic free meats, fresh organic fruits and vegetables.  That's it.  See? Simple.

Of course what makes this hard plan for the typical American eater, is the convenience foods, fast food, snack foods and unhealthy beverages.  This plan is not a HUGE good bye to hearty beans, ooey-gooey cheeses, heart-healthy oatmeal, or crusty, chewy breads...

You are temporarily isolating those foods from your eating for 30 days, including sugar, all processed foods, most food additives and alcohol. For an added bonus you are allowed to eat fat and some salt, you do not need to weight yourself (only once in the beginning if you want to) or count calories.

This book is a great read. It's honest and true.  To quote "it is not hard. Don't you dare tell us this is hard. Beating cancer is hard, birthing a baby is hard, Losing a parent is hard Drinking your coffee black is. not. hard. You've done harder things than this, and you have no excuse to not complete the program as written. It's only 30 days, and it's for the most important health cause on earth, the only physical body you will ever have in this lifetime."

So, I am turning 50 next week.  Yup no cake for me.  Cake is overrated. You never seem to get the really good ones actually on your birthday....so who cares? I don't look fifty but why do I feel like I need a walker? I have all these little things I can list that seem almost annoying to tell a doctor:

"I have knee pain" - Dr. response: so do 80 million other arthritic people....
"I have this pain in my heel" -  Dr. response: read from the long list questions of "acquiring an injury"
"I have back pain" - Dr. response: lose weight

So I decided let me go through the science experiment of testing these foods....see how I feel.  I know I will definitely lose some weight since I will not be eating any crap whatsoever....and my 'sugar dragon' will not be roaring at me to feed it since it will be removed from my eating...I don't plan to wake it either.

Ok, so big deal.  You are going on a PLAN JennyMac....blah, blah, blah.  Good Luck!  Thanks for your vote of confidence but in my 30 days I am going to write each day all 30 days of my journey.
I am going to take pictures of my food perhaps some recipes, tell you how I feel and share with you all how it goes along the way!

Day One: Feeling Excited to something really good for my body.  Hopeful, not surprised but not too scarred from weighing myself this morning.  I envisioned worse...

Breakfast: Black coffee and a terrible gala apple with chunky almond butter (I think the rest should be made into applesauce-went out to get my favorite honey crisp)

 Lunch: Made Homemade Mayonnaise to use for my salad: 1 egg, organic mustard, avocado oil and olive oil and salt

Here is my lunch with two large handful of organic mixed greens, generous cupful of the roasted chicken I cooked last night. The part of the 'closed handful' of roasted unsalted almonds, cashews and macadamia nuts that had in my bag to snack on that I didn't finish. Added a teaspoon of vegan cilantro pesto to mayo to jazz it up. Drank seltzer water with lemon slices.

Dinner: Egg Muffins, sausage and peppers and canteloupe (I didn't finish it all either)

 Day one almost done....not bad at all, I didn't die!