It's Time... for a Whole 30-inspired Re-Set!

It's that time folks. As you might remember, back in January of this year, I tried mt first Whole 30 experience- NO gluten, grains, legumes, alcohol or added sugars for 30 Days. It was challenging, it was refreshing, it was exasperating, it was awesome. After the first few days of eating only whole, complete foods, I felt great! When the program ended, I decided to continue in a modified Whole 30 type of lifestyle;

• No gluten
• Added in very seldom rice & other non-gluten grains
• No cheese with the excepts of cottage cheese
• No Dairy with the exceptions of Greek Yogurt
• Added in Legumes

For the most part, I have stuck to this "diet" fairly well- I'd say 95% of the time. I have only had pasta once since January, pizza only twice. I haven't had bread/tortillas since January. I occasionally have a little bit of rice with a meal- maybe twice a month. I have only had cheese (with the exception of cottage cheese) 3-4 times, and I try very hard to avoid milk and dairy, minus greek yogurt. On this type of "diet", I've felt great, I've had a lot of energy, and I've avoided the frequent stomach problems I used to have that came with eating lots of bread, cheese, and other dairy.

Fast Forward to now:
The biggest pitfalls for me in the last 6 months have been, weirdly, "healthy" snacks with gluten. Things like graham crackers and granola bars that don't appear to be too bad for me are little tricksters; I eat one, and then I want another, and suddenly, I've had 7. No one needs to eat 7 granola bars in a day, friends.

I think the reason why these snacks have been my pitfalls is because they are foods on "the edge" of health. Granola bars can be gluten free and low sugar- they still really shouldn't take the place of a meal. Graham crackers have wheat, and they've been the small treat I allow myself, but I can't seem to have them in moderation, and they're a gateway to other sweets that I've been bingeing on lately; cookies, crackers, etc.

Overall, I've still been eating mostly whole foods, but added sugars have crept up bit by bit each week, and little cookie-cracker treats have been appearing more and more. Yesterday, I ate almost a whole cheese pizza. What?!

I feel that a 2nd Whole 30 can function as a re-set for me. I need to get back to basics, and really focus on those staple whole foods that I've gotten used to incorporating my diet, but are easy to replace with cheats, snacks and treats. Since I've done one already, and I have a good understanding about what irritates my body, today I will start a modified Whole 30 journey. I'll essentially be getting back to following my first Whole 30 post-plan:

That means NO:

• Grains 
• Gluten
• Alcohol
• Added sugars
• Dairy, including cheese

Exceptions:

• Oats- only regular or thick rolled oats, no granola bars or added sugars
• Legumes- I just can't eat/afford as much meat as Whole30 requires. Eating legumes will help me get in protein!
• Greek Yogurt- plain, no sugar added
• Cottage cheese- no salt or sugar added

Let's Go!!!

Post-Travel check-in: a Healthy Happy 5 year Anniversary trip!

We just returned from our Virginia vacation on Sunday, and it was amazing!! Don't have time for a long post here, but I did want to share a few thoughts and some pics. We had a GREAT time, and it was just what I was hoping for; Fun, active, lots of adventures, but a but of time to relax as well. 

As far as being prepped for clean eating/living on our trip, I consider it successful! When staying with our friends in Arlington, we made oatmeal + yogurt for breakfast each morning before we headed out to see sights. I had lots of snacks that helped to get us from meal to meal while out on the town. We visited two Farmers Markets, and when eating out at restaurants for lunch and dinner, I mostly had salads, lean proteins, etc. My splurges for the trip were scones and crepes for breakfast at the B n' B on Saturday and Sunday morning, as well as some greek Fro-Yo from Berry Berry on Saturday. Overall, what I ate gave me fuel to hike around all day, and feel good about my food choices all week!

I was able to get an intentional "workout" in every day except Wednesday (besides shlepping around DC):

Tuesday: Workout at gym before we left

Wed: Walked approx 4-5 miles around DC

Thurs: 1 mile treadmill run + 4-5 miles of DC shlepping

Friday: 2 mile treadmill run + 6-8 miles walking Monticello and Charlottesville

Saturday: 2-3 miles walking in Charlottesville + 5.6 mile hike in Shenandoah National Park trails

Sunday: 2.2 mile morning walk, 2-3 miles walked around Mt. Vernon & Olde Town in Alexandria

hubs and I about to visit the National Archives!

Awesome.

A thought-provoking conversation with TJ

Vegetables!! I basically make this face any time we were within 2 miles of a garden. :)

Grapes vines @ Monticello

City Market (Saturday) in Charlottesville

The Rotunda @ UVA (designed by Jefferson!)

Hiking in Shenandoah National Park (Jones Run 3.4 mile trail)

Turk Mountain Summit Trail in Shenandoah National Park- just beautiful.

An awesome trip- I'm glad to share more details of our adventure if you're thinking of planning a similar trip!

Prepping for a fun, healthy vacation!

Does following a clean eating/healthy lifestyle ever make you feel like a religious zealot?

Might sound like a silly question, but I've been feeling that way a lot lately! It can be trying sometimes, to be the one who is always turning down dinner rolls, breadsticks, or an after-dinner treat. It's all right- I don't mind being a weirdo, and I'm one of those people who likes to really entrench myself when I am passionate about something; I'm very passionate about healthy eating! I also know it can be easy for me to "fall off the wagon", so I'm just going to go ahead and strap myself on the damn wagon. :)

These thoughts have been floating around because of several recent and upcoming events- my birthday (it was May 8th!), celebrations with friend, and our upcoming Anniversary vacation! My hubs and I are headed to Washington DC and the surrounding area (Arlington, VA and Charlottesville, VA) for an almost-5 year wedding anniversary celebration. We've been looking forward to this trip ever since we planned it this past winter- a chance to travel together, relax, see sights, visit with a couple of close friends... gosh I can't wait!

In prepping for our trip last week, several panicked thoughts struck me-

What if I can't find anything to eat?! (Healthy, local/organic & fresh)

How will I exercise?!

Mike laughed at me when I asked him these things, and essentially said, "It's a vacation! We'll eat whatever we want and we'll relax!" While I will definitely be allowing myself more treats, and will try to be ok with not going to the gym every day, I will definitely NOT enjoy myself if I am feeling overly-full, or if I over-do it on the gluten, cheese, sodium, or sugar! That, combined with the fact that I now eat every 3-4 hours and get supa-cranky if I don't eat, is why I decided to plan ahead and pack a carry-on of snacks that will help fuel me throughout the week!


take a peak inside...
My Travel Food Bag:

• Good for shlepping around DC:
• Picky Bars
• Oranges
• Trail mix
• Annie's Snack Mix
• Kashi 7 Grain crackers
• Good for breakfast or a pre-dinner snack:

• Sweet Potatoes
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Dried Mangos
• Whole Foods 365 Instant Oatmeal packets
• Good for a lunch substitute
• Turkey "jerky" sticks
• Carrots
• Mini bell peppers

My Travel Fitness Plan:

I've already realized I need to come to terms with the fact that I will NOT be going to the gym every day. I will consider it lucky if I make it one day. But, we are active travelers. We will most be walking/metroing it everywhere, and lots of walking around to see sights. I'm going to get in two great workouts on Monday and Tuesday before we leave, and then plan for another weights session on Thursday. Other than that, my cardio will be coming from walking EVERYWHERE.

My workout plan for next week:
Mon- 4-6 mile run (my gym)
Tues- 1 hr weights (my gym)
Wed- lots of walking
Th- 1 of two Planet Fitness gyms in Arlington
Fri- Walking around Monticello!
Sat- Hike in Shenandoah National Park
Sun- Walking around Mt. Vernon!

I might try to get an early morning run or two in, through the neighborhood of my friends' home where we are staying for part of the trip, or possibly through the University of Virginia campus.. we'll see how that goes!

What do you think of my travel plans? 
Any tips or thoughts to share about your traveling-while-healthy experiences?

How Whole30 Changed the Way I Eat

It's been over 2 months since I completed my first-ever Whole30 program. Time flies! Today I'm taking a look back to where I started my Whole30, where I ended on January 30th, where I am now in terms of eating habits, and where I'd like to be.

As a reminder, Whole30 is essentially a 30 day commitment to eliminate inflammatory and unhealthy foods from your diet. This includes getting rid of gluten and all grains, beans and legumes, soy and dairy, as well as added sugar and alcohol. Bascially a BIG focus on meat protein, vegetables and fruit.

Jan 1st, 2013- Started Whole30
I started my Whole 30 experience on January 1st, 2013. I had a definite sugar addition, I was still eating a lot of gluten and dairy, and not REALLY connecting the gross feelings I had after eating them with the foods themselves.

I was eating what I thought was a lot of vegetables, but still filling in with a lot of bread products, which was again causing irritation and inflammation.

Jan 30th, 2013- Post Whole30 Results
The best result of Whole30, for me, was that it really helped me to identify foods that cause inflammation in my body. I can objectively look at foods like pizza or big chunks of bread, and know the feelings of discomfort I will experience after eating them. That's powerful, to have reconnected with those signals my body is sending.

I chose to willing divorce several parts of Whole30 that don't currently fit into my lifestyle. One was complete elimination of dairy- I still wanted to have limited dairy in my life. The other part was the amount of meat I was eating. When you're on Whole 30, you eat a LOT of meat! It's expensive, and as a former vegetarian who wants to source as much of my meat in a local, organic way I didn't feel like it was really necessary for me to eat THAT much meat.

April 8th, 2013- 2 months post Whole30
The biggest part of Whole30 that I've carried on with me is saying no to inflammatory foods like dairy and gluten products. While I have re-introduced limited dairy into my diet (greek yogurt and cottage cheese), and will occasionally have tofu, beans, or lentils, I have stayed away from other dairy products, and have been eating a lot less grains and gluten. This has resulted in a lighter, happier me! 

I can consider before I eat tofu and beans and decide if it's worth the gas I'll experience later. I've only had pizza once since I finished Whole30- it used to be a go-to junk food for me and I'd eat it at least once a week. Now that I can associate it with (TMI, sorry) staying in the bathroom for an hour afterwards, it doesn't seem that appealing!

The biggest dietary struggle I've continued to wrestle with post-Whole30 is eliminating wheat and added sugars. For me, these two are often linked into the mostly unnecessary foods we call baked goods. I've been able to avoid other grains pretty successfully (making hamburgers with no bun, taco salads vs. a burrito, haven't had pasta in 3 months), but when I get stressed, I still want to chow down on a cookie. Or two! Not only do I think I might be sensitive to gluten products, but for me, things made of wheat or other grains often represent empty calories. There are foods made with whole grains that can be really good for you, but when you're eating conservatively to maintain your weight & fitness level, a 170 calorie tortilla is just hard to fit into your day. Same with a burger bun, or 2oz of pasta that is 220 calories!

The future- Incorporating Whole30 into my diet
My strategy lately has been to make sure I'm bringing enough whole foods to work for lunch and snacks, so I don't turn to filler foods I don't need. I've also taken to carrying around a few oranges, Picky Bars, or Kind bars, so I have a less-processed snack option available if I start to get hungry. Mostly, I've been able to find that I don't need that piece of toast, that roll, or that bagel. If you don't really need it, why eat it?

• Limited dairy I've added into my diet has been working well for me so far- no real issues. 
• Minus the baked goods debacle, I'm pretty successful at avoiding wheat and grains, although I'd like to be a bit more vigilant about it. 
• I have beans or tofu 1-2 times a week, and that has been a good balance. 
• My sugar intake has picked up- only in the dessert area. Otherwise, I am really good at screening out unnecessary sugars from my diet. 
• LOTS more fruits and veggies, which has been AWESOME!

I plan to continue on eating in these ways, since the limited re-introduction of these products has worked for me.

Overall, I've been able to incorporate a lot of what I learned during my Whole30 into my day-to-day living, and I've benefited from it. I'll continue to do so, and I'm happy with that!

Best. Breakfast. Casserole. Ever.

AS the title of this post implies, this might just be the Best. Breakfast. Casserole. Ever.

Why, you wonder? There are several key factors that make this dish THE BEST:

1. Easy to make
2. Lots of veggies
3. Quick cook time
4. Customizeable
5. Paleo-compliant
6. DELICIOUS!

Also, unless you are a vegetarian, there is one ingredient (besides eggs which are the main ingredient) that I strongly suggest you run out and purchase right now: Whole Food's Chorizo sausage. It's out of this world delish, guys. To me, it takes this casserole from "pretty great" to "fucking awesome". And you want your breakfast to be fucking awesome, don't you? :) Without further ado...

Spicy Chorizo and Veggie Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb chorizo sausage
6-8 eggs
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 bell peppers, finely chopped
1 sweet potato, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 jalepeno, finely chopped

Optional: 
salt
pepper
Frank's Hot Sauce
cilantro

Directions:

• Pre-heat the oven to 375
• In a frying pan, brown the sausage
• Crack eggs into a 9x13 baking dish and wisk 
• Add sausage, chopped veggies & optional ingredients

• Stick dish in oven and cook for 25-30 minutes, until cooked throughout. 
• Serve with an extra shake of hot sauce and some chopped cilantro, if desired.

Enjoy!!

Day 31: My Post Whole30 Wrap-up!

Yesterday was the day, friends. The LAST day of my #Whole30 program, which I started on January 1st! It's been quite an adventure. Some days seemed never-ending, and others flew by. Most days, I felt excited, refreshed, and challenged by this new lifestyle. Some days, I felt defeated and felt like quitting. But I did it!!

Post Whole30 Reflections

Biggest Challenges: 

• Going out to eat and staying compliant
• Resisting the Jewish Grandmother-offered snacks, with a side of guilt about why I'm "so thin now"

Easier than I Thought:

• Because there were lots of strict rules, it was easier than I thought to follow them

Favorite benefit:

• I don't think I can choose- but I feel great and that's probably the best benefit for me. No bloated feeling, no cheese-induced bathroom trips.. so nice!

Before Whole30

• 117 lbs
• Always noshing on chocolate in the afternoon
• Afternoon tiredness hit me every day at 3pm
• Trouble turning down unhealthy foods when offered
• Potential sensitivities to gluten and lactose
• Lots of guilt around what I ate that didn't make me feel good

After Whole30

• 111 lbs
• I have "pre"-abs that are starting to show!
• Have almost eliminated "bored snacking"
• Comfortable with no added sugar in Tea, Sweet Potatoes, other "desserts"
• Found lots of new ways to incorporate more veggies into my diet, as well as protein
• Knowing that I "Eat Clean" makes me feel good, mentally & physically

Challenges Ahead:

• Going "off-plan" and still being able to eat healthfully 
• Reincorporating gluten and grains without going overboard and becoming the Pasta Queen again!
• Figuring out a way to fit occasional healthy desserts into my diet without it being an every-day occasion.

So off I go! For the next few days I am going to try to re-incorporate some dairy products- namely cottage cheese and greek yogurt. I am nervous for the way my stomach might feel when I eat these things, but I know that if they bother me, I can simply eliminate them from my diet!

My Plan for the weeks ahead

Eat Clean(er)

• 6-8 servings Vegetables/day
• 2-3 servings of protein/day from:
•  sustainable meat & eggs
• legumes
• nut butters
• cottage cheese/greek yogurt
•  2-3 servings of Fruits/day
• 2-3 servings of Whole grains/day
• Chocolate in moderation (2-3 servings per week)

• Avoid:
• Refined/enriched grain items 
• Milk and cheese (not including cottage cheese/greek yogurt)
• Added sugars, although prioritizing honey & maple syrup as sweeteners when applicable

Staying Motivated AFTER Weight loss

I'm at a VERY exciting point in my continual fitness journey- a point where I am almost at my "target weight"! To even call it that might not be accurate- my target weight is less of a weight I've always dreamed of being and essentially a weight that I think is healthy and manageable for my age, height, gender, size, and fitness level.

One lesson of the many I've learned on this journey is that I am hugely motivated by goals. If I don't have defined goals, it ain't happening. On the other hand, if I have clear, SMART goals, I can amaze myself with what is possible! So as I'm heading down towards this magical "target weight", I've started a new list of Health & Fitness Goals for my new, weight-maintenance world. I'll be turning my focus from weight loss to strength and muscle development, flexibility, and improved athletic performance.

Process goals

Work out 6 x a week for 60 minutes

Incorporate the following workouts into schedule:

• 2 short runs (between 2.5 and 5 miles)
• 1 long run (6-10 miles)
• 3 45 minute weight sessions (2 Strong Lifts x week)
• 1 yoga class
• 1 Spin class

Up calorie intake to 1450/day + extra workout calories 

Maintain weight at 110 lbs +/- 2 lbs

Fitness Goals

Body fat percentage: 

• 20% by 3/7/13
• 16% by 6/7/2013

Improve run times (by 12/31/2013)

• 5k time: under 26 minutes
• 10k time: under 50 minutes
• Complete a Half Marathon in under 2 hours 

13 in 2013 Challenge (by 12/31/2013)

•  Complete 13 fitness events in 2013 (see my list of events on the right)!
  

Pull-ups (by 12/31/2013)

• Do 10 consecutive pull-ups!

Strong Lifts: (by 3/7/13)

• Bench Press- 65lbs
• Overhead Press- 60 lbs
• Deadlift- 100 lbs
• Row- 80 lbs
• Squat- 100 lbs

Health/Nutrition Goals 

Eat Clean(er)

• 6-8 servings Vegetables/day
• 2-3 servings of protein/day from:
•  sustainable meat & eggs
• legumes
• nut butters
• cottage cheese/greek yogurt
•  2-3 servings of Fruits/day
• 2-3 servings of Whole grains/day
• Chocolate in moderation (2-3 servings per week)

• Avoid:
• Refined/enriched grain items 
• Milk and cheese (not including cottage cheese/greek yogurt)
• Added sugars, although prioritizing honey & maple syrup as sweeteners when applicable

Share:  
Have you gotten to a place of weight maintenance? If so, what goals keep you inspired and motivated?

Incorporating Whole30 into a long-term Healthy Lifestyle

Now that I am finish Day 20 of the Whole30 program, I'm able to see lots of positive result but some interesting realities as well. There are some big "pros" to eating a Paleo-esque diet, and some drawbacks as well.

Mini-Fritatta muffins with Bacon... mmmm! Def a PRO.

Whole30 program "Pros":

• Focus on veggies
• Learning new ways to prepare meat & incorporate into diet
• No added sugars= increased awareness of how much sugar I was eating 
• Focus on quality ingredients, from organic produce to sustainable meat
• Inclusion of healthy fats such as coconut, avocadoes, and olive oil
• Stops me from using bread as a filler at every meal
• Body is feeling good- no bloating, inflammation, or stomach irritation
  

Whole30 Program "Cons"

• Find myself eating lots of fruit, and going over my recommended sugar amounts anyway
• I don't really want to eat this much meat! 
• This is definitely a hard diet to maintain while simultaneously being a person in the world

Overall, I think that there are more pros than cons to the Whole30 program and to Paleo-based eating in general, but I am starting to think about what Day 31 will look like for me. Which foods will I choose to re-incorporate; which will I decide to live without?

My post-Whole30 daily diet thoughts so far:

a typical #Whole30 grocery haul for the week!

• Focus on Vegetables
• 2-3 servings of protein from:
•  sustainable meat & eggs
• legumes
• nut butters
• cottage cheese/greek yogurt
•  2-3 servings of Fruits
• 2-3 servings of Whole grains
• Chocolate in moderation (2-3 servings per week)

Avoid:

• Refined/enriched grain items 
• Milk and cheese (not including cottage cheese/greek yogurt)
• Added sugars, although prioritizing honey & maple syrup as sweeteners when applicable

*Note- I really prefer the taste of refined/white flours & grains for many foods (pasta, rice, etc) so I think I will just limit my intake of those items in general. I do enjoy whole wheat bread, and I have locally-grown grains that I can mill at home to make bread with! I'm comfortable with occasionally eating bread, which I made at home that will have a list of 4 ingredients.

*Note- Baked goods with refined flour and chocolate are my downfall. Chocolate chip cookies! I need to indulge in these treats sparingly without "treating myself" to 2-3 cookies per day.

I'm trying to keep an open mind until the end of my Whole30 program, and after I re-introduce some of the eliminated items, before I make any firm opinions or decisions. Overall, I think I have already learned a lot about my eating habits, my diet pitfalls and weak points, and I've expanded my recipe repertoire a LOT! All positive outcomes that will contribute to my health in the long-term.

Day 15- Whole30 reflections at my Halfway Mark

I have been a bit of a Whole30 rollercoaster for the past several days. I had a few days (Days 11 & 12) where I was angry at the Whole30 program, and myself. I asked myself "Why did I decide to do this stupid Whole30 thing anyway!?" . Whole30 is tough in that way- it's an intense change from the Standard American Diet, even for those of us who were already eating a lot more healthily. Since it's a self-imposed diet & lifestyle change for me, at times it can feel ridiculous.

Om nom nom. Bacon!! and a Carrot-orange-ginger Juice

I quickly found out that I was also starting my period on Day 11, which that explains the over-emotional reaction as well as the 3 minute mini-breakdown I had where I whined to my hubs, "Whyyy-ah? Why can't I just have some breaad-ah?". He reminded me that I'm doing a really great job, and that I would be upset with myself if I "cheated" now. Thanks, man! :)

Other than that little break in confidence, and the occasional nightmare in which I consume non-Whole30 compliant foods and wake up thinking that I really ate those things, I have been feeling really great. I mean REALLY GREAT! You feel great when you regularly eat bacon for breakfast, I've found ;)

It's hard to describe the changes and improvements I've been seeing, because I think the main change that I see is the absence of certain symptoms of the foods I'm not currently eating; of stomach issues, irritation, or inflammation. The important thing to note about this change is that I do not have any (known) allergies, but despite that, I have definitely noticed these Things I am no longer feeling in my body: (These are not particularly gross but TMI warning if you can't handle normal human body functions):

• No more uncomfortably full feeling I would get at least 4-5 times a week after a meal
• No more need to run to the bathroom after eating cheese or dairy products
• No more inflated-stomach feeling I get when I eat most grains (esp. gluten)
• No more 3-4pm energy crash 

Other positive effects I am noticing:

Awesome Salad- Roasted Beets, Butternut Squash and Kale!

• More steady energy throughout the day
• More recognition of sugar cravings AS sugar cravings when they happen, and being able to re-direct them (sometimes!)
• Little-to-no bloating/water retention while on my period. Usually my weigh goes up by 1-3lbs while on my period, so I just stopped weighing myself for that week. I happened to weigh myself today, and I am down 1lb from my weight as of 2 days ago. That's the opposite of a typical period week for me!
• Feeling that my body is able to actually utilize the calories I am feeding it, rather than just storing them

It's Day 15 of the Whole30 Program, and I am feeling glad that I committed to this challenge. 
Here are my goals for my next 15 days of my first Whole30 program:

1. Continue to reduce my sugar intake, even though it's all from fruit
2. Make 2 new crockpot recipes per week 
3. Find two new breakfast options that are still "breakfast-y"
4. Cook something with turkey (roasted turkey, turkey burger, etc)

Thanks for reading! If you've done Whole30 before, please comment on this post and share your thoughts! If you're interested in knowing more about my Whole30 experience, send me a message!

Whole30 Recap- 1st Week done!

Week 1 is done- I'm into Whole30 Day 8! That means I've had no breads or grains, milk, cheese or dairy products, added sugar or sweeteners for 7 days! It also means I've had LOTS more: vegetables, sustainable meats, fruits in moderation, and nuts and seeds. 

Overall, I am feeling really great. My skin is clearer, I feel like I am more focused at work and at home, and I have not struggled as much as I thought I would with the eliminated items like chocolate and bread. Not saying that I wouldn't like to chomp a whole bowl of noodles right now- I totally would. BUT I'm not going to chomp a bowl of noodles, and I'm ok with that.

I am continuing to weigh myself every few days, because I was already 4 months into this healthy eating & workout plan before I started Whole30. I don't want to start eating a ton of "healthy fats" and get off track. My goal with Whole30 is to eliminate the need for all these unneeded items in my diet, but I seem to be loosing some more weight as a side effect, which is great!

The best part about Whole30 so far is the eating habits that I see changing in myself. A quick example- I keep thinking "What will I eat for dinner? I've already eaten meat, vegetables, and fruits.." and then I laugh and remember that those are the healthy building blocks of a diet and that I can just eat more of them! Another example- I've made guacamole a few times, and for a second I panic and think, "Oh no! I can't can't tortilla chips- what will I scoop this with?". Again, my brain kicks in, and I remember- oh yes, the innumerable number of vegetables that would go well with guac, like red pepper slices, carrot sticks, celery, etc.

The Whole30 has definitely necessitated a bigger change in my eating habits than I thought I would be- here I was thinking I was eating SO healthy before. I was eating pretty well, but there is always room for improvement, and my body is thanking me for it! 

Having some Whole30 buddies has been really helpful. If you're out there in the middle of a Whole30, considering one, or looking for more Whole30 support and info, make sure to check out these lovely ladies:

Fit & Awesome
Wine to Weightlifting
Holly Would if She Could
Listen. Learn. Love. Mend

Thanks for your virtual support during this awesome challenge! If you are Whole30-ing it up right now, keep trucking! If you're thinking about it, feel free to contact me with questions.

Recipe Re-purposing: Banana "Ice Cream"

Today for the StartClean2013 challenge, the prompt is about re-purposing a recipe to make it healthy & clean. My recipe repertoire usually fall into one of two categories: Super Healthy or Treats. So while my actual food recipes (soups, stews, stir-fries, salads, etc.) are pretty damn healthy, my Goodies could use an upgrade.

I tried out this recipe the other day for Banana "Ice Cream". It was- excuse my language- fucking delicious. And it's SO healthy, I can't even handle it. Perfect for those of us in the middle of a Whole30 program, or trying to Eat Clean. It doesn't even have chocolate in it, which is usually my requirement for all good desserts. Maybe it's the Day 8 crazy-talk, but I don't even miss the chocolate. WOAH.

Anyhow, try it out, and let me know what you think. If you use bananas as a base, you can add other fruits- my personal favorite are raspberries, so that's what this recipe calls for. 

Banana "Ice Cream"

 Ingredients:

1 frozen banana

1/2 cup frozen raspberries

1-2 tbsp coconut milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

• Blend banana and raspberries in a food processor for 1-2 minutes. 
• Add in coconut milk and vanilla, and blend entire thing until mixed, but don't over blend!
• Eat the heck out of this, and pat yourself on the back for getting in a serving of fruit and some healthy fat!!

Happy Eating!

Crockpot Beef Stew with Root Vegetables

It's super-easy. It's delicious. It's Crockpot Beef Stew! Featuring delicious root veggies that are actually in season now here in frigid Michigan :) This is a good recipe if you're eating clean, or doing the Whole30 program, like I am currently doing! I put in white potatoes, because I have a ton from my winter CSA share. But if you want to be strict, you could totally sub sweet potatoes.

Crockpot Beef Stew with Root Veggies

Ingredients:
1 lb grass-fed beef stew meat
4 medium carrots
3 stalks celery
2 medium onions
4 fingerling potatoes
1 Eden Organics 14oz jar Crushed Tomatoes
Cumin, pepper, cilantro and red pepper to taste

Directions:

• Chop all vegetables into small, 1/2-1"-sized pieces. Peel potatoes if desired- not necesary
• Add all ingredients (minus cilantro) into the crockpot. 
• Mix ingredients together, and cook in crockpot on Low for 4-6 hours
• Add chopped cilantro to top your stew once served, if desired.

Enjoy!! I know I did.. :)

Juicing- Why it's Worth a Try!

Having just recently gotten into Juicing, I thought I would share some tips, thoughts, and a few of my favorite recipes!

Why Juice?

1. Access to Extra Veggies-
   It's hard sometimes, to get in the amount of recommended veggies & fruits we're supposed to eat per day. Whether you believe that's the minimum of 2 1/2 cups Veggies & 2 cups Fruit per day as recommended by MyPlate.gov, or whether you're starting out on the Whole 30 program (or anywhere in between), it's hard to shovel away that much produce! Juicing is a nice way to cram more produce into your diet in a way that's realistic for you.
2. Try out some new Veggies & Fruits-
   If you're new to the world of "clean eating", eating "whole foods" or even just getting into eating vegetables & fruits, juicing is a tasty way to expose yourself to some new & interesting fruits and vegetables that you might not try otherwise. Does kale freak you out? How about beets? Juice 'em.
3. It's delicious!-
   Make one of these and get back to me- I will be sincerely shocked if you don't find one of these juices to be amazingly delicious and rejuvenating: Carrot-Apple-Ginger juice. Nom nom nom nom!
4. Use as a Healthy Meal Replacement-I am not a believer in supplements, protein powders, power bars, or any of that stuff. I'm not against them, I just don't feel they're necessary for the average person. I do, however, believe in using homemade juices as replacements or substitutes for some of your meals each day. How many meals should you replace? I recommend starting with one and go from there. I eat between 5 and 6 200-300 calorie small meals per day. It's really easy and quick to make a Carrot-Apple-Ginger juice before I head out the door in the morning as my first morning "meal", and then whip up a Cucumber-Carrot-Celery-Kale-Apple juice when I get home from the gym at night as my last meal of the evening.

My Favorite Juices
Carrot-Apple-Ginger juice
 3-4 medium carrots
1 large apple
a 1" chunk of ginger, peeled
 
Pineapple-Mango-Carrot juice
1/4 pineapple, peeled & cored
1/2 mango, peeled & pitted
2 medium carrots

Red Pepper-Cucumber-Carrot-Apple juice 
1 red pepper, de-stemmed & seeded
1 large cucumber
2 medium carrots
1 large apple

Cucumber-Carrot-Celery-Kale-Apple juice
1 large cucumber
2 medium carrots
2 stalks celery
3 large kale leaves
1 large apple

More Resources
Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead- Great film if you're new to juicing
Reboot-Companion to Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead- lots of juicing info
My Juice It! Pinterest board
PBS: 5 Things you Need to Know about Juicing
Williams & Sonoma 30 Days of Juicing Blog

Cheers! I hope this information is helpful to you and inspires you to give juicing a try, even just for fun!

My 5 Fitness Goals for 2013

I've begun to set some goals for 2013. I am not usually one to set "New Year's resolutions"- many times these goals end up as  fads or trends, things that fade away quickly. I am, however, a big Goal Setter.

I've been enjoying my fitness journey so much since I started that I've laid out some big Fitness goals for myself in the upcoming year. And remember- the best goals are SMART- Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant and Time-defined!

Here they are, my goals for next year:

Goals 1-3 are things that I am already doing with some measure of success. I just want to keep doing them, and doing them well! Goal 4 is pretty easy, at least the registration part of it!

Goal 5 though... that's a big leap for me. I have something to admit, folks- I have a major crush on Spinning class. Ever since I first tried it over 4 years ago, I've loved indoor cycling. The combination of cycling + a group of peers + thumping music= damn hard to beat, in my opinion!

I look up to Spin Instructors (literally and otherwise). Most times they are SUPER fit and really powerful motivators. A talented, passionate Spin Instructor can make your work out 10x more fun (and more challenging)! A "bad" Spin Instructor, on the other hand- someone who is demotivating, annoying, a bully, too shy to encourage their participants, or a terrible selector of music- can make me want to leap off the bike mid-class and run out!

Just the though of being "fit enough" to feel comfortable as a Spin Instructor makes me excited! I also would love the chance to be a motivator in that way- the ability to make someones ride more fun, their workout more challenging, or just help the stress of their day melt away in that 50 minute class would be a true privilege. I've decided that 2013 is the year that I go for it, and get my Spin certification.

What are your Fitness Goals and Aspirations for 2013?