Ready or Not.....

'Twas the Night Before Christmas....

Well, tonight I made a quick run to the grocery store and picked up a few more things that I didn't want to buy in bulk at CostCo. There is a part of me that's a bit disappointed that I didn't prep full blown meals but given my crazy work schedule and the fact that it's our Spring Break, I really plan on keeping it simple this first week. I have a huge Tupperware full of cooked chicken and I plan on eating that up with different veges these first few days. I have fruit and nuts for snacks, eggs for breakfast and plenty of stuff to season everything with.

Just a couple more hours and it's GO time. I am not sure why I started to feel a little anxious at times these last couple of days. I know that I have complete control over this and in the end this is a way better way to eat but I guess I really don't want to fail. We are partnered up so I want to get the most points possible so I don't let my team down. Oh... for those that are not familiar with the challenge.... You don't "win" by weight loss or inches or anything like that. You win by getting points. You earn points by sticking to a Whole 30/ Paleo Diet, exercising, drinking water, etc. You have points deducted for cheating and eating fence foods or drinks like coffee, not getting your points in, etc.

It's so easy to grab processed foods even if they are "healthy" like Greek Yogurt, Protein Bars, Protein Shakes, etc. so this is going to be a real challenge. As well as staying organized. We are on the go a lot. I work full time and my boys are active in sports so sometimes it's easy to eat on the run. We make healthy choices like Chipotle for fast food and we all eat fairly well at restaurants but you can't control the ingredients at restaurants so a lot of that is going to be OUT for the next 30 days so I need to plan plan plan.

Ok well, I am going to enjoy this last glass of wine. I know I will not miss alcohol as much as my Starbucks and gum. I really can't wait to see what my body does in 30 days so I need to keep my mind on that.

Here's my motivation... DO IT FOR THE AFTER PICTURE!!! & a healthy gut!

Good Night Y'all....

V.

It feels like New Years Eve...

New Years Eve is the "last night" of all the holiday indulging before wiping the slate clean on New Year's Day. So knowing that I am staring at 30 days of a strict diet has me feeling "festive". The crazy thing is that I eat pretty well for the most part and I don't particularly crave certain things. I am pretty good about moderation but knowing that I am going to kick off this challenge April 1st must have triggered something inside me. I found myself having the total mental green light to eat foods I typically don't. I had a grilled cheese for lunch on Friday. In part that was because it was the easiest thing to grab in between meetings and on a fish Friday (lent). It tasted so good that I had another one on Saturday followed by a cheeseburger on Sunday. I felt kinda gross afterwards. I am sure that skipping the gym Friday, Saturday, and Sunday didn't help. But hey, might as well make a good "before" picture. (lol)

I stocked up on tilapia, chicken thighs, & organic beef at CostCo as well as cauliflower, broccoli, and eggs. Now I just need to hit the grocery store and get more of the "other" stuff that I don't want to buy in mass quantity. Like I said in my last post, I plan on keeping things basic this week and I will find some paleo / Whole30 recipes to try as the week goes on and I prep for week 2. I had so much going on last week and this weekend that I chose not to spend my weekend in the kitchen. But, I plan on cooking tonight.

I had my last Venti at Starbucks this morning. I really think that and my Orbit gum is going to be the hardest things to give up. I know the Starbucks isn't as much about the caffeine because I did switch to decaf for a week earlier this year but it's just part of my routine. I go in, every morning, on my way to work, say hello to the same people that are sitting in the same spots, reading the paper, I grab my coffee (load it up with extra cream & Sweet and Low) and enjoy it for my 15-20 minute drive into work. It's habit. And I enjoy it. I also chew a ton of gum. It helps keep other things out of my mouth. But, gum's forbidden as well. So, I guess I will have to reach for water and think of an alternative to coffee in the morning. I don't know WHAT I am going to drink during my quiet time on weekend mornings while I am on Pinterest. Clearly I need to come up with a new routine or beverage alternatives.

V.

Here.I.Go.Again....

.... Well, for those that are still checking in... Thank you! I decided to start blogging again because I am about to start the most strictest challenge I have ever participated in on April 1st. I really find that it helps me to journal and keeps me accountable.

I haven't totally fallen off the horse. I have still kept up with bootcamps, regular workouts and eating clean (for the most part). The reason I am doing this challenge is really to prove to myself that I can and to see if committing to truly clean eating is going to change what nature is desperately trying to control.

For the last 2 years I have been really consistent with my workouts and with my nutrition. It was frustrating in the beginning because I didn't see "major" changes and if you read my last blog you will know that it wasn't until I started to work with a trainer and she helped me understand "clean eating" that I FINALLY started to see some progress. However, it's crazy that since I turned 40 (October 2013) it seems like my body has a mind of it's own. No matter how much I work out or how clean I eat I don't see any progress. In fact, I feel as though my body is changing in ways that I don't want it to. Many of my friends tell me it's "just what happens when you are 40"... Uggg. I am sure some of it is hormonal, but if I am really honest with myself I know that I am not always consistent. I didn't drink Jan 1-Feb 1 2014, but I wasn't logging my food, I would take a bite here and there of carbs, I would indulge in chips & salsa, and processed foods. So, even though I was eating healthy for the most part, I wasn't being totally clean and really doing what I needed to do to lose weight. It's not really about weight because I do avoid the scale but I base how I feel on how my clothes fit. Jeans, shorts, and work pants don't lie. This winter my pants were snug. For all the working out and "mostly" clean eating I was worse off than I was in the summer and early fall. This has recently given me anxiety because I feel like my body is spinning out of control.

Fast forward to the challenge. I read a lot and follow fitness posts on Facebook as well as fitness motivation pictures on Instagram. I know that diet is 90% of what it takes and if I am going to be REALLY honest with myself then I need to do a total 180. No more bites of this or that that "don't count". Every bite counts and I am going to cut all the crap.

The challenge follows basically a Paleo diet and the Whole 30 principals of eating WHOLE food. No added sugar, artificial or otherwise, no dairy, grains, rice, etc etc etc. I am not sure what's going to be more difficult; prepping whole food OR saying adios to Starbucks and Orbit gum! But, in order for it to work you can't cheat. No bites of this or that. Nothing. The goal is to reset your body and clean our your gut. The organizer (Jessie White) provided me with a very complete package of information. I feel like I have a lot to learn but I am ready to hit the ground running. I think for the first week I am going to keep things really basic so I don't screw it up and slowing introduce new paleo recipes. The key is having everything you need in the fridge/ pantry. I made a big CostCo run today but I need to hit the grocery store and Whole Foods tomorrow.

I am excited!!!! Hope you will follow me again on this journey. I can't wait to see what my body does in 30 days!!!!

V.