Day Seven.

Well, since today is day seven I suppose that means I've officially completed one week of my Whole30.
I am also officially sick.
Being sick sucks, no matter what. Being sick also makes me want chicken noodle soup. But nope. I opted for some chicken stock instead. Not the same, but meh. I'll feel better in the long run.
Anyway, enough of the boring details and me complaining about being sick.

Here's a recap of week one:
-Felt great, ate great Monday - Friday
-Woke up Saturday not feeling so hot...this has continued to get worse...
-Saturday: making good choices was rough. I did it, but it was hard. I'm proud of myself though. My mom, grandma and youngest brother were up for the weekend & we went to a pizza place. The smell...to die for. And of course my brother has to proclaim it's the best pizza he's ever had. Well, oh well. I had a salad with chicken. It was pretty good. It was no slice of pizza, but hey...I'm over it and better off without it.
-Sunday: Mom woke up and made breakfast. Eggs & sausage for me. French toast for them. Love her for making things just for me when she knows I'm not eating what they're having.

Today I basically can't taste anything, so it's been pretty simple. :)
I'm hoping to kick this bug soon and really be feeling good about this once again.
Until then, my box of Puffs & I can be found curled up in bed.

Day Two.

Well, day two of my Whole30 is nearing an end. And actually, it's been easier than I anticipated. I mean, yes, I would enjoy some Halloween candy, but you know what? I feel better because I haven't had any.
When I have a craving, I just fill myself up with some more protein. That way I'm full and I don't feel like I need anything else. If I feel like I need something a little more sweet, I opt for a couple pieces of fruit. Tastes good and not bad for me.

Today (well actually this morning at 5am before going to work) I tossed some beef stew in the crock pot.
Simple recipe I found online for Paleo Beef Stew. Took like 15 minutes tops. And yes, I had to wake up earlier, but it was worth the 15 minutes. I didn't have to think about what to eat for lunch or dinner and I wasn't tempted to eat junk because the apartment smelled amazing and I couldn't wait to dig in. Well, it wasn't as delicious as it smelled, but it was alright. I'd probably tweak some things if I make it again, but oh well. Live & learn.

I know it's only been a couple of days and I seem all gung-ho about this, but really - it's not that hard. When I think it is, I just think of something I read on the Whole9 website: 'Quitting heroin is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard.' & 'Unless you physically tripped and your face landed in a box of doughnuts, there is no "slip"...It is always a choice, so do not phrase it as if you had an accident.'

I get a kick out of their website. It's motivating, but not coddling. They give it to you how it is, and they let you know it's your responsibility. That's the most motivating part at all - the only way to fail is to fail yourself. Well, I'm not interested in failing. Towards day three I go...

Becoming Healthier

Lately, I've been incredibly intrigued with the Paleo lifestyle. I fully believe that what medical doctors and the government are telling you is"healthy" and "good for you", is not. It's actually leading to your demise. Why do I believe it? Well, It makes sense. And I've tried the Paleo way,and I feel (and look) better because of it. I'm about to embark on my Whole30, so I've been doing a lot of research and recipe-hunting tonight. I'm inspired. I'm excited. And I can't wait for the challenge. I'll keep you posed on the progress.

So what is Paleo? Well here's a simple explanation that I found over at Dialed-In Nutrition. I think it's the easiest to understand:

The Caveman or Paleolithic Model For Nutrition

Modern diets are ill suited for our genetic composition. Evolution has not kept pace with advances in agriculture and food processing resulting in a plague of health problems for modern man. Coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, obesity and psychological dysfunction have all been scientifically linked to a diet too high in refined or processed carbohydrate. Search "Google" for Paleolithic nutrition, or diet. The return is extensive, compelling, and fascinating. You will improve health, appearance and longevity when eating fresh, unprocessed whole foods

If you want to know more, I'd encourage you to "Google" it. Or pick up a book. Robb Wolf and Sarah Fragoso have been incredibly helpful in my learning and living of the Paleo lifestyle. They both have books and blogs and podcasts to help.

Hope you check it out, even if it's just to learn more.

Knowledge is power, people.

Travels

We finally got to go on our family vacation we've been planning for over a year. We returned Friday from a week in GORGEOUS Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. What a beautiful city. The views alone were enough to put you at peace with the world. The ocean could have been clearer, but they had just been through a tropical storm, so I'll cut them some slack.

We snorkeled, shopped, hiked, sunned ourselves, drank and ate. Oh boy did we eat.

I've always loved Mexican food, now I'm pretty sure I'm IN love with Mexican food.

There's this restaurant called Pipis...a little of the beaten path, but hands-down best restaurant I've ever eaten at. Impeccable service. Incredible food. Great entertainment. Fresh guacamole made right at your table. Best chicken fajitas I've ever had in my life (and I've had plenty my friends). Phenomenally HUGE and equally delicious margaritas. And fried ice cream that is literally to die for. If you're ever in the neighborhood, you have to try it. You'll be glad you did.

Being in a different country sure makes you thankful for what you have when you return.

However I've returned to a suitcase that needs to be unpacked, groceries that need to be purchased and a life that needs to be organized, so I best get to that.

From Chicken Butchering to Sweatin' With the Oldies

I recently returned from a week-long vacation in Montana.
Let me tell you it was hard to get in the car to come home.
I loved EVERY moment of it.
While there I stayed at my good friend's family farm/ranch.
Now don't get me wrong, I don't come from a farm family at all. But I think I held my own and fit right in.
We had many adventures, from being chased by an ostrich and having to punch a colt in the nose to helping butcher 50 chickens.
Best of all, I came back changed. Inspired. Ready to grab life by the horns and make the most of it.
So I'm embarking on my way. Watch out world. I'm a woman on a mission.

On a side note, since returning - it's Red River Valley Fair time again.
I've been spending quite a few hours manning the booth for the Chiropractor's office.
People watching has been great. Sweating buckets (on Senior Day) in the 95 degree heat+humidity, not so much.
But it's definitely brought on the feeling of summer. And the need for fried food. YUM!

perspective.

So lately I've been struggling with perspective. I didn't really realize that's what I was struggling with (I just thought life was crapping on me left & right), until I was reading another blog. That other blog led me to this story. That story made me realize how lucky I am. (I would encourage you to read the story...proof of miracles, I swear.) No matter how crappy my day, I've got a whole lot to be thankful for. Those boys faced A LOT of set backs and still turned out as perfect as anyone could ask for. They're the most energetic, full-of-life, inspiring five year olds I've ever met. And because I was reminded of their story, I'm going into tomorrow with a new, restored sense of faith and hopefulness.

Afternoon Treasure Hunt

This afternoon my brother & I headed out to find a good place to find meat (preferably hormone-free & free-range) and spices (preferably Mexican). Man did we win big.

We went to two different meat markets, the first one - Meats By John & Wayne - smelled AMAZING. We were basically drooling as soon as we walked in the door. We picked up some beef sticks, New York Strip steaks and andouille sausage. The second one - Prime Cut Meats - didn't smell as great and was a little smaller, but they still had some great things to offer. We picked up some hot beef sticks (which are phenomenal), and a T-bone steak (for $6.99/lb!). Success.

Next we were on a mission for spices, stopped at an international foods store...no luck. Pretty sketchy at best. Then the broski remembered this place he's passed downtown before - Tochi. This place was AWESOME! It had such a chill vibe and lots of different organic and natural foods. They even had beer & wine making supplies. They have an entire WALL full of bulk spices, pretty much anything you can think of. Definitely going to be hitting that place up again next time I need to restock some spices!

At that point we had steak and fries (frozen Alexia brand from Tochi), we decided we just needed some bread and dinner would be complete.

With a quick Google search for a bakery, we stopped at Great Harvest Bread. The woman who helped us (I think she might be part owner) was so genuine. You could tell she loved her job. She gave us samples (which were basically a quarter loaf each!) of a few different breads we were debating over. That didn't help our choice, it just made us want them all. We tried the Mushroom Swiss, Tomato Basil  & Breakfast Blend. They were all delish! We ended up with a small loaf of Honey Wheat, which I'm sure will be excellent as well.

All in all today was a great success. Bye bye grocery store/big company products. Hellooooooooo fresh, local, quality items. =]