Yesterday, I shared how I went 100% dairy free and how much it has improved my life. Today, I would like to share how I am taking it further.
When my doctor first suggested that I cut out dairy, I laughed. It sounded crazy, but I was willing to try anything. Taking out the dairy showed me how much the food I was eating affected my health.
Since going dairy free, I have wondered just how much all the other things I eat affect my health. Taking away dairy made me feel better what would happen if I took out other things.
In college my major was math, but my minor was physical science so I am a very curious person. Also, in the past month, I have read a couple of books where the authors tried a challenge for a month, and I was inspired to try one for myself.
Last week, I learned about "The Whole 30" where you take all dairy, alcohol, soy, gluten, and sugar out of your diet for thirty days. When you take all of that out you are left with the paleo diet which is just meat, vegetables, and fruit.
The reason why I was so interested in trying this is that they called it a "food reset." Right now, I feel like that is where I am. The whole 30 is just a step further for me, one major huge step called no sugar.
Oh! But it doesn't stop there. The whole 30 even takes out artificial sweeteners. No Diet Dr. Pepper! Stay calm Stephanie. It's going to be okay.
Another reason I am trying the whole 30, is that I am a recovering picky eater. Vegetable was a curse word most of my life, but I have been trying new things since I had kids. During the whole 30, I'd like to end the life long war with my gag reflex and make peace with the vegetables. Each week, I am giving myself a vegetable challenge. This week I am trying avocado. I know what you are thinking! Google says the avocado is a fruit, but it is dark green. According to my rules that makes it a vegetable!
This month, I will be giving whole 30 updates on Fridays, and that should keep my accountable.....
Speaking of accountable! I made a bet with Shad. When I first told him about trying the whole 30, he listened quietly until I got to the no sugar or sweetener part. He jumped in, "There is no way you are going to do this!" I looked at him and said, "The last time you said that...I JUMPED OUT OF A PLANE!"
We agreed to on a bet. If I make it through the whole 30 without cheating, he will make a laundry sorter for me that I've been wanting. If I cheat, he wins and..........he's a man, you can fill in the blanks as to what he wins.
A year ago, I would have never guessed I would try this. I would have called someone like this a hippie, a granola, but here I am trying it. My dad, the king of barbeque, has had to watch his diet because of gout. In the past couple of months, he went to a VEGAN restaurant....and he loved it and went back again and again. When you realize the power of food, you change.
If you want to learn more about The Whole 30 you can check out the website and their book called "It All Starts With Food."
If you know anything about avocados, I'm all ears.
If you think this post is rambling and random, I apologize. I'm coming of of sugar and Diet Dr. Pepper.
Avocados are yummy!! Make sure you read how to pick a good one...that's the hardest part. I used to only like avocados in something (salsa, guacamole, or on a sandwich), but now I've grown to love them. Yes I said GROWN to love them; you'll have to give them a fair shot especially if you’re not eating it with something salty like tortilla chips. Best of luck on your challenge, I love my laundry sorting system. It has simplified my life a hundred times over; I would give up sugar to get a homemade one. Mine's just plastic recycle bins that stack, LABELEDdarks, lights, jeans, and towels. When the bin gets full it's the perfect amount for my front end loader. I've even got my husband and daughter sorting their own clothes...no more piles of dirty clothes waiting to be sorted.
ReplyDeleteI hated avocados as a child.... now I love them-however! my favorite is sliced, squirted with lime juice and sprinkled with salt. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat challenge! Maybe I'll consider it soon. Right now I'm day 29 no sodas. I have total faith you can do this. I would definitely make guacamole as your first taste of avacado. Or use it in sandwiches (instead of Mayo). Maybe you could include the different ways you use it in your updates. I'd love more ways to eat avocados.
ReplyDeleteHaving Trouble FOLLOWING with the Paleo Diet?
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