First 20 Days Down, 40 to Go!

Well, it's been almost 22 days on the Whole60 and for the most part, it has gone really well. I had a few small slip-ups due to stress taking over (still not an excuse!), but I am fully back on track and pushing through to the finish. I've realized it is best to have an approved snack available for those stressful times when you really just feel like you need something other than vegetables. I just tried cocoa roasted almonds for the first time over the weekend and they are delicious! I like the ones in individualized packets (only 100 calories) with all the benefits of the protein, with only 1 Gram of sugar. I realize these aren't "technically" Whole30 approved, but I would rather have a packet of cocoa almonds with only 1 Gram of sugar than to binge on something far worse! Throughout the several Whole30s that I have completed and now this Whole60, I'm starting to learn it's really about finding your groove. I followed the first two Whole30s to a T, but now it's more about finding what works well for us and what doesn't. We've decided to add back both corn (I just love corn on the cob roasted over the fire every now and then) and also legumes into our diet. I have eaten them again in small doses and felt totally fine. Thanks to the Whole30, I now know that I absolutely need to stay away from dairy and gluten. The few times I have eaten it over the last several months, I have gotten very ill. The program really is a science experiment as Melissa states in the book! I am so thankful for that. Anyway, I am going to continue through the 60 days with no sugar, no gluten, no dairy and lots of veggies, proteins and fruits! Once I am finished, I have decided to basically stick to the program for life (no need to count days, every day will be a Whole30 day!) Clean, healthy eating combined with a significant exercise routine should get me to my goal weight before I know it. I'm excited to continue heading down this path and to see where it takes me. I know I will feel so much better when it is all said and done<3 Living a healthy lifestyle is so important! Here are some picture and recipes from the last two weeks! Enjoy!

Brussels Sprouts. You either love them, or you hate them...and I absolutely love them! I could probably eat them three times per week and not get sick of them. I like to saute them up with some freshly minced garlic, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper. YUM! Also pictured here is a grass-fed beef burger on the grill, topped with a pepper/mushroom blend. I just mixed poblano, green pepper and mushrooms and let them caramelize in the pan with chosen seasonings. So delicious!  

THIS is what I'm talkin about!!!! Grilling/bonfire season is my absolute favorite! We love to cook right on the fire pit. Here we marinated chicken in a spicy olive oil blend and then cooked until 165 degrees! We let the corn roast on the fire the entire time that the chicken cooked. Simple and delicious. 

OK...I HAVE to tell you guys about this amazing little machine. This my friends....is a fry cutter, and it will save you loads of time in the kitchen. We love to do homemade russet fries as well as sweet potato fries, but we didn't love spending 25 minutes cutting them into thin strips. This machine will do it for you (you can find them on Amazon for about $25). Probably one of the best kitchen items I have bought in a LONG time. Go buy one right now! You won't regret it. 

This yummy meal is (obviously) a sweet potato, veggies and Italian marinated chicken. We used the Tessemae's Italian dressing and just let the chicken marinade in it for about six hours and then baked in the oven in a glass baking dish until done. So much flavor!

For us, Friday nights are steak nights. We like to treat ourselves to a decent steak once per week. Here, we did a grass-fed rib-eye with veggies cooked right on the grill and baked potatoes with ghee, salt and pepper. YUMMY! 

Weekly fajita lunch run! These were spicy, healthy and delicious. If you are in a pinch for lunch, I suggest talking with your local Mexican restaurant to see if they can custom make you fajitas with no added butter. It is totally worth it! And, I get to enjoy lunch out once a week! Score!

Yep. I'm 26 years old and still eating ants on a log (NOT ASHAMED)!!! I just substituted almond butter instead of peanut butter. Makes for a yummy lunch snack. Here, I had them with a turkey and tomato Paleo wrap. Quick and satisfying lunch! 

Did I mention how much we love cooking on the fire? Ok, may be a little overkill on this post, but we did a lot of cooking out over the last couple weeks! Veggies, steaks and fresh sweet corn right on the fire. Heaven! 

I never did post our Easter dinner meal, so I figured now is just as good a time as any! We tried to keep things healthy and Whole30 approved for Easter. I couldn't find a ham within our price range that was uncured, so I just chose the ham with the least amount of ingredients and it was really yummy. The potatoes are just homemade mashed red potatoes with ghee, minced garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Just boiled the potatoes and then mixed them all together with my hand mixer and the above ingredients. Nick made the bacon green beans with little pieces of uncured bacon cooked right in. We had a really wonderful meal. 

Burgers on the grill are always a quick, yet healthy option. We like to make "chips" to have with our burgers. I also whipped up a batch of chipotle mayo for dipping. Yummy! 

If you are a coffee lover like I am, go to the refrigerated drink section of your grocery store right now and buy the Starbucks unsweetened black coffee. It makes things quick and easy, especially on a warmer day! I just mix it with a little almond or coconut milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Yum!  

My gram sent me healthy Easter snacks this year instead of the usual basket of candy! Such a thoughtful gift and we were thrilled to get these! (They were gone within a week-hah!). I recommend "Nick's Sticks"-- you can order them on Amazon and we really loved the Spicy flavor. Also, blueberry RX bars are my absolute favorite. These are great on-the-go snacks!!  

This is our new favorite dessert. I was messing around in the kitchen last week and just decided to see what would happen if I blended some coconut cream with a few dates...and that's how I created my new favorite Whole30 approved fruit dip! About 2 large spoonfuls coconut cream (You can create coconut cream by turning a can of coconut milk upside down and putting it in the fridge over night) and then just use some of the coconut milk/water for the liquid. I threw in 4 dates and a little vanilla extract and voila! Top with cinnamon and shredded coconut. Nick swears this tastes like strawberry shortcake and he begs me to make it...almost every night (so you know it must be good!). 

Salads are amazing. I know some people would think I am crazy for saying this...but I actually really enjoy salad! Here, I mixed romaine with some baby spinach and topped with onion, tomato, no-nitrate and no-carageenan turkey breast, uncured pepperoni, a drizzle of buffalo and a drizzle of Tessemae's "ranch" dressing. Served with a fruity club soda=perfection! 

Until next time, remember, progress is progress! Sometimes I just wish the weight would fall off overnight, but I have to remind myself that it took four years to put on the weight, it's going to take some time for it to come off. Keep going! We can all do this together!!!