Apologize for being M.I.A this last week…it was a crazy one! Planned my best friends engagement party for this past Saturday and had a little fun with decorations, food, and favors 🙂 ! We had such a great time and seeing her face when she walked into the party just made my heart so happy as I had kept it all a surprise!!! I stayed the course even through a stressful week and being surrounded by delicious wine and treats this weekend!
But aren’t these cookies cute?!?
I made them for the party as favors. Didn’t have one taste…scouts honor! I honestly wasn’t even tempted to…which is pretty awesome for me since I used to have an AWFUL sweet-tooth!
TODAY is day 30 of the Whole30! I cannot believe how fast time has flown. I am nervous. Not ready for it all to be over. The timeline totally hits the nail on the head with how I have been feeling the last couple of days…
Days 29-30: HolyOprahIt’sAlmostOverWhatAmIGoingToEatNow?!?!?!
It’s day 29, and you’re still rocking. The thoughts you had yesterday of throwing in the towel are gone. You cruise through the day and as you crawl into bed you have a small thought that then grows into full-blown cold-sweat panic. Holy crap. Tomorrow is day 30. The last day. What the hell are you going to do after that?! You worked so hard, fought through all the anger, the naps, the cravings to get to the awesome you’re feeling now. The rules have been your backbone, your lifeline, your excuse for being “that person” in social situations. Are you just going to give them up on day 31? No. You firmly resolve that there will be no deviation on day 31. If it ain’t broke…
It’s totally normal to feel a twinge of panic as your Whole30 comes to a close. For the past month, you’ve lived, breathed, and literally eaten the rules. You feel incredible in your new high-octane body. It’s natural to hesitate at the thought of making any changes – even if the change is a return to what was “normal” for you before. And, the truth is, you don’t have to go back to the way you used to eat. But keep in mind that the Whole30 was intended to be a reset, an introduction into the world of Good Food. I know it’s scary, but keep an open mind, okay?
I had a long conversation with my mom the other day about how I feel that with the way I have been living my life the past 30 days is how I want live out the rest of my life as well as my families (currently just my husband but someday our kids) lives, too. The way I am feeling; mind, body, and soul; the way my clothes are fitting, my energy levels, my overall attitude…how could I ever want to go back to feeling any less great than I do now? Well, I don’t.
I have continued my research and bought a couple more books to read about living a Paleo lifestyle and I am an absolute believer in it all. I always used to wonder why I was tired all the time after getting a full nights rest, or why my stomach would just feel yucky after eating grains, diary, or beans, or why with eating 5-small meals a day and working out, I still didn’t feel my best. After eliminating all of these things from my diet for a month (including added sugar), sticking to a three-meal a day plan (with good, healthy fats/carbs, proteins, veggies, and occasional fruits), really feeling, noticing, and seeing a tremendous difference in my body; a lightbulb went off…our bodies really cannot digest this stuff (grains, dairy, legumes, etc.). So with feeling this amazing, why would I want to put any of it back in? Again, I don’t.
I plan to live a Paleo lifestyle. My husband is completely on board and wants to do a Whole30 in the coming weeks. I plan to do it again with him for support (and I loved it so why not do it again 😉 )! He was super skeptical at first but after seeing and hearing my results, he is totally ready to change his life, too. And he is excited for all the yummy meals! (He has been pretty jealous of all the things I have been making for us (my mom, best friend, and I)…hehe…sorry babe!)
I have been waking up feeling strong, powerful, alive, and capable! I sincerely hope you all have been, too. And if not, try to find the reasons why; are you not getting enough sleep? Are you stressed? Not eating enough nutritious foods? I encourage you to take some time for you to help yourself feel better, stronger, and more powerful. If you find yourself getting stressed or upset about something, take a walk, grab your iPod or plug-in your favorite CD and dance it out, or call a friend. It is good to find positive ways to deal with stress to help us be the best we can be for ourselves and all who are around us. Through perseverance, we can do anything we set our minds and our hearts to!
XO,
Val
Compliment of the day: I am proud of myself that even through a super stressful week and being at a party with old trigger foods for me, that I did not cave and stayed the course.
P/S I am excited to share more about my new lifestyle! I promise to be better about my updates! I had forgotten how much better I feel after writing a blog! More soon! 😀
FitLife Through Perseverance 