Day 1 Whole30 and Away we go!

8:58 AM Oh holy cow!  This morning I scrambled some eggs with some diced cooked steak (that I cooked last night) and I cooked it in just a bit of olive oil.  I thought it would be pretty smart to put into like a lettuce wrap.  I used red lettuce leaves.  Let me just say that doesn't work!  About 1/4 of my protein fell out of the top and bottom an onto my car floor! Yes, I know I am suppose to eat at a table - but I eat in my car everyday on the way to work!  Baby steps, I plan to make the transition to my table.  For a brief second or two when I lost that portion of my protein I had a thought that I could possibly die from starvation!  Fortunatly that passed quickly.  There was enough moisture that it leaked out of my wrap, through my paper towel and all over my hand...remember I am driving...ugh! A mess. But I successfully ate the rest and am satified and know my tummy is full enough.  I also had coffee - added coconut oil to it.  If you haven't tried coconut oil in your coffee yet - it is a must!  I heard about this about a year a ago and have been doing it ever since.  YUM!  I haven't read yet if coffee is ok or not? I am assuming it is at this point.

I have that pizza party this afternoon.  I have a salad of organic greens, a sliced bell pepper, carrot sticks, cauliflower and some of the steak.  In a seperate container I have vinegar and oil to add when it is time to eat it.  I purposesly did not dice up the vegies as I plan to eat them with my fingers.  I think this should prolong the eating process and help me to emotionally feel like I have eaten a lot in addition to giving my body time to register that it is full/satisfied.

More later!  Happy Monday.

1: 55 PM Lunch went very well.  My plan with cutting my vegies into strips worked beautifully.  I was the last one to finish eating so I did not have to watch everyone else eating their pizza!  We will have cake shortly to finish up the celebration.  I have a boiled egg and half a grapefruit to eat while everyone else eat their cake.  I don't feel like I am depriving myself.  I don't feel resentful that I am not eating pizza or cake.  I am good!

10:50 PM Day 1 is under my belt.  It was relatively easy.  Dinner was roast, carrots and brussel sprouts..  My 7 year old and I ate at the table.  She was excited about that, so I was too.  It was very nice.

Tonight had normal stresses, getting the 7 year old through her night time routine at her normal unchanging speed of "mosey" makes me irritable.  Husband worked late which is fine but came in the house and immediately started grumping about his day.  That stresses me.  But even with the stress I didn't do anything but keep busy with herding the mosier along and picking up house. Hubby started not feeling well and said he may want t o go to the ER.  In our 25 years of marriage he hasn't even gone to the doctor but maybe 5 times.  Thankfully he seems to be resting ok now. 

I have read that day 2 and 3 can be a bit hairy...I am hoping I will be an exception to the rule! 

Until Day 2 my lovelies!

D. J.

The day/night before Whole30!

Hello again.  I am excited and nervous about starting Whole30 tomorrow.  I feel like I have prepped pretty well.  I took before pictures, weighed and measured.  Even though we had a busy family filled day due to Easter, I went to the grocery store at about 8pm.  I had made my menu for every meal and prepared a shopping list.  Just FYI - I spent $100 for groceries - just food items - for the week.  I have myself, my husband and one daughter at home.  I took time to prep some vegies and fruit.  Out of curiosity I timed it.  To prep broccoli, cauliflower, one bell pepper, two pounds of carrots, 4 potatoes (not for me, they went in with the roast for dinner tomorrow) and a cantaloupe in about 30 minutes. I don't think that's too bad.  I purposely put ziplocks of some of the vegies in the frig at eye level.  I also browned up some steak bits and prepared my lunch for tomorrow while doing all this. 

Another piece of prep work I have done the past 2 days  was to start minimizing my carbs/sugars.  I hope this will make any withdrawals a little less harsh.  Hopefully.

I haven't read enough of the book to feel completely ready...but I do believe I have the basics down.  This is one reason I only bought a week of groceries.  I imagine I will learn more and have a modified plan for next week.  I also hope to run across a recipe or two that I would like to try.

I have two events this week that I am trying to be especially prepared for.  Tomorrow we are having a pizza party to celebrate a coworkers birthday.  Like I said earlier I prepared my lunch so I should totally be good to go!  Friday and Saturday I am going to a womens retreat with my sister.  I have a list of foods to pack that should get me through any situation.  Plus I told my sister that I am on this plan and I know she will be supportive. 

So long for now - I will be back tomorrow night!

D. J.

Well Hello Again, Let's get this Blogging Started Again!

Well I have been insanely busy, wasn't having a lot of hits on my blog so I stopped blogging.  But recently I have started missing it and the outlet it gives me...So I hope I get several who will interact, and I hope to be of help to others, but if I don't, it helps me and that's still a good thing!

I am getting prepared to start a 30 day journey of what some might say is a "drastic" change to my eating.  I am still battling my weight issue.  I am convinced there is an eating/activity lifestyle that suits me AND benefits my health...I simply haven't found it. I feel like I am pretty in touch with my body signals, more in touch than say 10 years ago.  That's progress.  I know I don't feel good when I eat sweets - fortunately I don't have a love affair with sweets.  However I do love bread!  Basically the same affect.

In the past year "ish" under the direction of my doctor I have gone on a couple of medications to address some PCOS issues.  I read A LOT!  I have read that diet can actually play a part in the PCOS symptoms.  I would much rather change my eating instead of being on the medication.

I am experiencing more aches and pains.  Some would chalk it up to getting older.  I believe it could just be my eating choices catching up with me and that by changing my eating choices I would reverse some of the issues. 

I read a little bit about the Whole30 about a month ago.  More recently I read a young lady's blog about her Whole30 experience that she recently completed.  She was a great little blogger.  She blogged almost every day of her 30 day journey! She posted pictures of each meal, which look doable and  delectable, and while she struggled emotionally she did it!  Her posts convinced me to try it. 

I know it sounds funny but I feel like I am on the brink of success with my health.  I am rather excited about starting Whole30 on Monday.  I am going to attempt to post daily and post meal pics as she did.  If not daily, often.  I will take measurements tomorrow. I will weigh Monday morning.  Then under the instruction of the book - I will have my hubby hide my scale for the next 30 days.  The book stresses preparation.  Tomorrow will be about making 2 weeks of menus and to go grocery shopping.  Prep of the foods also on Saturday and Sunday.  From now until Monday morning I will be doing a lot more reading and prepping.  I really am excited.  A little scared.  You know - I don't want to fail.  I have told many that I am doing this, family and friends.  I am looking for accountability more than encouragement.  Sometimes family isn't the best to offer encouragement - lol! 

I have more to say - but perhaps I should save that for tomorrow.

Talk to you soon!

Encouragement

I love to encourage and to be encouraged!  So I thought I would just take a couple of minutes today to share with you a couple of my favorite blogs, websites, and facebook pages that I receive encouragement from and  realistic perspectives.

http://proverbs31.org/ - Proverbs31- Great overall website with daily devotionals

http://holleygerth.com/ Holley Gerth - Oh my - such a sweet sweet young woman.  This is her website and she blogs (can get to the blogs through website) plus she has guest bloggers on occasion.

https://www.facebook.com/michellemcnattmyers  Another sweet young woman, incredible little story.  Totally realistic about healthy living in the midst of life

That's it for today! Just short and sweet.  I would love for you to share with me some of your favorites!  Leave me a comment with your information!

Thanks!

D. J.

Obedience, it's a good thing!

Hello!

The PRAY, PRAISE, TRUST realization is really growing my faith and opening my eyes.  I have started to do the "one thing" I have been prompted to do, I have not done it perfectly, but I see things getting into line as a result of the efforts that I am putting out.  I have also set aside my pride and I have asked for help in the way of asking for others to pray.  I have experienced changes that simply can't be explained in any other way - other than, prayers are going up and God is answering.  Just getting a glimpse of what a little obedience put into motion helps me to be motivated to stay the course!  I encourage you today - if you know you are doing what you are suppose to be doing, just keep at it, PRAISE and TRUST, keep your eyes, heart and mind open to all that God is doing around you.  I can assure you, you will see things in motion for your benefit!

Lots of Love,

D. J.

Pray. Praise. Trust.

Life gets overwhelming.  No doubt about it.  I don't think anyone is immune to it either. It also happens repeatedly.  So, what do we do about it?  I don't think it can be avoided.  Well, if it can be avoided, I haven't grown to that part of my faith walk yet.  So, again, what do we do about it?

Recently I have felt very overwhelmed with all aspects of life.  God's been pulling on my heart to make some significant changes.  As I type this, I realize how perfect His timing really is.  Literally a couple of months ago is when this prompting started.  I didn't have a clear vision of exactly what I was suppose to do and quite frankly I wasn't sure if I was understanding Him correctly.  So, I did nothing but wait for a clearer vision.  I guess I thought about it, but I applied no changes, and initiated no action.  The feeling of being overwhelmed grew to the point of tears!  Finally I started praying and pleading for God to give me a clearer vision, clearer instructions.  Seriously, I did not pray about this prompting at first - which is what I should have done. I should  have immediately began to PRAY.  (I know, "DUH", right?)  So I prayed and cried for a couple of days.  Then I had to fight some anger...Why wasn't God answering me?  Somehow reason and faith kicked in...in the midst of the unknown in addition to praying you must PRAISE God!  He is in control, He has plans to prosper you and protect you!  His timing is perfect (in spite of us).  So PRAISE Him! Now, while praying and praising Him TRUST Him - the answers are coming! TRUST in our FATHER!  He really never lets us down! We are on the right track now ~ the track of faith!

Answers and clarification are coming and I am taking the first steps even though I don't see the whole picture yet of what God is moving me to do.  So, I must do what I know to do!

Hope you are doing GREAT!

D. J.

Resistance

Resistance...Or is it confusion.  Just typing that makes me think about this even more.

I am still in a place of knowing that I need to make several life changes.  I still can't see the how...I just know I am being prompted by the Lord to make changes.  I am so frustrated. I don't even know where to begin and I can't see with my minds eye how I can bring to pass what I feel I am suppose to.  As I have been thinking about it this morning I thought perhaps I am being resistant to change...which made me wonder if I were confused...that upsets me because it's possible and confusion is not from God...now I feel a bit like a failure.  If I pop back to resistance, well that's the same as rebellion in this case - which is sin.

Today I am just going to pray that God show me 1 clear simple step forward that I can do today.  I will do it, breaking the resistance and rebellion and clearing the confusion. I will take that same step tomorrow and ask for another step to do as well. Progress towards God's prompting.

Tell me what you think by commenting! I also love words of encouragement (scripture Word that is).

Thank you for reading!

D. J.