I finally did it. I started a Whole30. I am currently on Day 5 of the 30 days. So, in case you have no idea what it is, I am sticking to nutrient-dense foods for 30 days, like vegetables, some fruit and meat, and healthy fats. I’m eliminating sugar, sweeteners, grains, dairy, not-so-good fats, preservatives, etc.
I have wanted to do this for a couple of years now, but always felt like it was such a big commitment while trying to grow and raise other humans. On the other hand, I felt like I would do a better job of growing and raising those humans if I was healthier. So, my third baby is now 17 months old and here I go.
The Why
I decided awhile ago that I was going to “get it together” as a mom. I don’t think everyone has it all together all the time, but it’s my “reach for the stars, hit the treetops” model. 🙂 I knew there were things I could learn and things I could do that would help me be a better mom with less of a struggle – “mom hacks” if you will.
I currently get tired every afternoon, which is to be expected after not sleeping for years, but I had heard that by eating really healthy foods and eliminating the not-so-healthy or not-so-good-for-you foods you experience awesome energy levels that don’t take a dip after lunch. I want to enjoy these years I have with my kiddos while they are little and sweet (most of the time;)). I don’t want to spend afternoons feeling like I just need to take a nap because I’m exhausted!
Changing my diet isn’t the only thing I’ve done to turn survival mom mode into thriving mom mode (that’s another blog post), but it’s one that I feel will have a really big impact. So – here goes!
The Plan
I’m not going to lie, I love to plan. It doesn’t mean I plan everything, or that everything is always well-planned (ha!) but I love making lists and organizing things. So, this part was fun for me. I sat down and made a list of meals that we already ate that were Whole30 compliant or could be made Whole30 compliant easily. I included a list for breakfasts, dinners, and snacks. Then I added a few that were very simple from Whole30’s account and other clean-eating/paleo accounts I had saved on Instagram. I made a meal plan for two weeks, and then made a corresponding shopping list. And then I bought it all online from Superstore (love Click an collect!) and Amazon.
After I picked up my groceries, I did some meal prep. My meal prep involved chopping up all of the bell peppers I had purchased, browning the ground beef, making meat balls and burgers and sausage (whole30 recipe in the book), and cooking some eggs and potatoes in my instant pot.
Goals
I had a couple of goals for this experience. The main goal, obviously, was to cut out less healthy things to become healthier. I also wanted to kick sugar cravings. Another big goal for this experience as to eat separate meals from my family as little as possible. I didn’t want to make two meals, and I didn’t want my kids to eat junk while I ate vegetables. So, things like shepherd’s pie, roasted chicken and vegetables, burgers with a bun for them but not for me, pasta with noodles for them but more vegetables for me. I have a long way to go in getting my kids to love vegetables! Baby steps. 🙂
Food So Far
So far, my kids have eaten a little differently than me for breakfast and lunch, but they ate the chicken and vegetables and shepherd’s pie that I did for dinner.
I’m only on Day 5 so I don’t feel like I can say much about how it’s going! I think the hardest part is still ahead so I will keep you posted. 🙂
