Guilt....Two-timing Whole30

GUILTY!!!!!

So, I'm currently between Whole30's and I don't want all my progress to be wasted, but I just can't commit to a real Whole30. I was sick last week so I made some Emergen-C's to try to battle this cold coming off of my last Whole30. The fructose (and a dozen other things, I'm sure) in the Emergen-C made my sugar cravings strong. I was eating a lot of fruit, some days, it was like 8 servings. Even though fruit is compliant on Whole30, the guidelines suggest two servings a day....and if you bloat or are trying to lose weight, it's not the worst to skip fruit all together some days.

So, here's the plan and what I do in between Whole30's. I still eat Whole30 compliant "ingredients," but I eat those ingredients any way I want them. Oh yes, lots of SWYPO here people! If I want frozen berries in coconut milk, I have it. If I want to eat more than one serving of nuts in a day, I do it. If I want to snack on compliant potato chips, because they are the most amazing thing to happen to my non-Whole30-eat-real-food life, I snack. Sometimes the snacking is in shame, but it's good while it lasts.  The key to me doing ok with a break from Whole30 and still continuing to get results is balance. If I'm breaking Whole30 for a night of drinking, I make sure that I ate great that day. I consumed a ton of water....I ate the right foods and the serving sizes laid out in the Whole30 guidelines....this way I can go out without feeling that guilty that I'm cheating. Same goes with a cheat meal....as long as you don't turn a meal to a day, a day to a weekend, a weekend to a week....you get the picture...you don't need to feel guilty, but it's important to keep yourself in check if you're the type of person to wander and forget to return (ie. ME!!!!!)

Today, I went to the new Better Health store in my area. It didn't let me down because I went there for one thing....MEAT! My friend told me about these EPIC Bars and I had to give them a try. I haven't seen them anywhere else locally, so I was excited when the store actually had them. I haven't tried it yet, but I will let everyone know what I think.

Next, I found these Good Health Natural Foods Olive Oil Rosemary Potato Chips. These are fantastic if you like rosemary. It's a subtle taste and not too overwhelming. The bag is pretty small (which I think is a VERY good thing) so you won't be able to overindulge too much.

Komucha! I've heard so much about it and now it's all mine! It was SO worth the wait!

Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos are great when you are on Whole30 or not. A great alternative to soy sauce. Soak your water chestnuts in the aminos, add them to a stir fry and thank me later. They're so good you could eat them raw, but they are great in a stir fry.

Lastly, Artisana Organic Raw Cashew Butter....no added oil and it reminded me of cookie dough...super smooth and great with apples.

~Nicci, In-between Whole30's

Nicci's Results on Whole30

Although, I have yet to share my entire Whole30 journey, I wanted to share my results thus far. I started on September 2, 2014 (this time) and have completed 3-Whole30s. I have been eating Whole30 compliant foods this whole time, minus 5 days of cheat meals (Thanksgiving, Christmas, my BFF's wedding, a card party and once when Nicole was here in Michigan). I can count them on one hand. I am so motivated by the results and although I still have a long journey ahead, I'm overjoyed by the progress I've made and the way I feel when eating real food. 

I love cooking, and this way of eating allows me to explore new flavors and foods. I have become much more adventurous in the kitchen since starting Whole30. There are so many benefits to eating this way, but one of the best is the amount of money I have saved from not eating out and going to lunch every day. Lunches at my work have become refreshingly fun lately, because of the interest my food has brought to the office. People at my work have recently asked me to cook for them because my lunches look so good. They crowd around my desk and ask "what's on the menu for today"....I end up sharing bites regularly. I love sharing my recipes and food while spreading the Whole30 word. 

More recently people have been stopping me and asking "what am I doing to lose all this weight?" This is my time to share the amazing results that Whole30 has given me. I share the benefits of my clearer skin, my no-longer-a-necessity (real word, I swear) to be on pre-diabetes medicine, my healthier and regular digestive system and the most important one to me, the fact that my depression has been completely controlled and tolerable. I have struggled with depression since I was about 9-years-old, that I can remember. This stemmed from being much bigger than most of the kids and some adults around me. Depression and my weight go hand-in-hand. You want to know how I'm feeling? Look at a picture and my size and you will know just how bad I'm feeling. My goal isn't to get to the weight I was in my twenties, or even high school....my goal is to get to my middle school weight. Then, for once in my teen/adult life I will finally be a healthy "normal" weight according to the BMI chart. 

I believe that Whole30 sets us up to want to motivate to work out. I have had a really hard time motivating to work out this time around. I keep telling myself I'm going to start, but I have yet to begin. My next Whole30, which is I guess going on now, I really want to get a routine going. Between work and school I make excuses every day. I walked at work today, which is better than doing nothing, but I still need to get a good routine started. 

So here's the breakdown of my weight loss results:

Sept 2 - Oct 2: Down 24.5lbs
Oct 3 - Nov 12: Down 17.6lbs
Nov 13 - Dec 13: Down 12.2lbs
Dec 13 - Jan 3: Up 1.8lbs (damn holiday, weddings and parties)
Jan 4 - Feb 3: Down 13lbs 

Non-Scale Victories:
*All my previous clothing is lose or fits comfortably (which leads me to believe my clothes were way too small before)
*Bought new jeans in a size I haven't seen since middle school
*Bought The North Face jacket I've wanted for years...NOT in their biggest size...because that's a promise I made to myself...oh, and it fits
*No diabetes medicines
*No medicines at all
* Better/clearer skin
*Way more energy...though I'm not working out, I am getting way more done around the house. I don't come home and park my behind on the couch for hours at a time. I cook, I clean, I play with my dog, I do my homework...before Whole30, just hearing all that would have made me exhausted and require a nap. 
*Knowledge of food and other things we put in to our bodies has grown so much in the last few months. I am much more confident in making healthy decisions.
   
Most Important Non-Scale Victory:
*Feel amazing! Able to control my depression and concentrate on the positive changes I'm making in my life. 

Still need a reason to try Whole30? Check out these before and afters:






As seen on Instagram, me in August at my birthday party and me at my friend's New Year's Eve celebrations.....

Both the pic to the left and the one underneath are pics from September 2, 2014 and today, February 5, 2015...5 months and 67 pounds later...I still have a long journey ahead, but I'm excited to keep going. Look, a collarbone! 













Have you had great Whole30 success? Do you have any questions or suggestions regarding the Whole30 plan? Leave a comment, we'd love to hear from you. ~Nicci, Whole30, Day 2 or 32....whichever

I have to start all overrrrrrr?!!!!!!!

Yes… that's what I said. I got to day 22 and went to New Orleans for a race weekend. Knowing full well that it would require a total restart, I did the best I could in NOLA to enjoy the flavor and culture of the city and not fall completely off the wagon. But there was alcohol. 🙊 Sure enough that club soda tastes totally different with vodka in it… and not in a bad way. LOL I made a deal with myself though that I wouldn't give in to every whim and ruin all the progress I had already made. (I weighed myself the morning I left. I was down 8 lbs! 😁 Keep in mind, I lost 10.4 during my last whole30.)  

Here's what I did to be ok with my weekend… 

One meal a day needed to be as close to compliant as possible while eating out.  This usually ended up being breakfast. I found it easy to skip the toast and oatmeal.  

I skipped dairy as much as possible. I had one cafe au lait all weekend. The rest of the time my coffee was black and pretty tasty! No cheese on salads or omelettes. I did have a cauliflower soup that probably had cream in it but it was too delicious to pass up. 

I bartered with myself for the things that would be worth it to indulge in. For me, that's one order of Drago's oysters (there's the cheese sneaking in!), alcohol but still no pop, dessert at Emeril's, and a cup of gumbo. All of these were absolutely worth it. Quintessential NOLA things that I just couldn't pass up. 

So I enjoyed my weekend with no regrets and came home to an empty fridge and whole30 knocking on the door for the next day. The next day, I got up early for work and hit the SuperTarget on my way in. First stop? Starbucks. Gotta have 'bucks for a quick shopping trip in Target. I loaded up with enough for a few days that could be easily supplemented if I were able to get out. 

It's the first time I've eaten the Applegate hotdogs and I didn't mind them at all. Pretty good, actually. My favorite find are those Love Beets! So much better than a can and full of healthy vitamins!

I always laugh when people freak out about having to start over. I think if you're that worried about the restart, you probably need to think about what you're really trying to get out of the whole30 program. I can't wait to get to Tiger Blood again. So many amazing things happen on the inside while you progress thru whole30, why would you want to rob yourself of those?  

As I go thru IG, I keep seeing everyone's "I'm done" posts and I'm sitting here all… I'm back on day 5. 😳

But then I remember the awesome weekend I had getting this… 

… and I think yep, #wholeFebruary sounds good to me!!  Remembering why I'm doing whole30 in the first place and what I'm trying to get out of it is a great way to keep my positive attitude in place and moving forward. Who's with me for for whole February?!! 😜

Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

Brussels sprouts and bacon.....something I never tried until starting Whole30. I try to make it once every couple weeks since starting starting this round of Whole30's in September. Every time I make them, I try something different. The ones I made today were the best I've made thus far... so here's what I did:

Ingredients:
1 pound of fresh, washed, halved Brussels  sprouts
3 slices of compliant bacon
1 teaspoon garlic
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup of chicken broth/bone broth
*1/2 teaspoon salt 
*1 teaspoon pepper

*start with this amount and increase if you prefer more

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
Take a pound of fresh, washed, Brussel sprouts and cut them in to halves. 
Next, put them in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. 
Add your chicken broth/bone broth, the balsamic vinaigrette, garlic, salt and pepper. 
Bake at 375 degrees in the oven for about 20 minutes. 

While the sprouts are still roasting in the oven, get out a baking sheet and add your desired amount of bacon. I would say 3 to 4 slices should be enough. I may have used 5 or 6.....
Cook bacon until crispy. It should take about 15-20 minutes. 
Take the sprouts and bacon out of the oven.
Get out a frying pan/skillet and place it on the stove top. Start heating it up on high heat with the grease from the bacon. 
Scoop the roasted sprouts in to the bacon grease and cook on high heat until you get the amount of sear you prefer. 
I cooked mine for about 3 minutes on high heat. 
Turn off and remove the pan from the heat/burner. 
Crumble bacon and mix in to skillet.
**Plate and enjoy. 

**Because this dish can have excess bacon grease you may want to drain the sprouts before or put them on paper towel before putting them on your plate or bowl. 

Let us know how it came out and let us know if you have any added suggestions. We'd love to hear from you.

~Nicci, Whole30-Day 25

Non-Scale Victory (NSV)

People start their Whole30 journey for a number of reasons; from allergies to weight loss, we all have our own personal reasons. Ultimately, my goal when starting my first Whole30 was weight loss. Now, let me back it up a little bit. I should start with the fact that a couple years ago, maybe like, 201o/2011-ish?!?! (I can't remember yesterday, so trying to remember the date is a little rough.) Squirrel!

Ok, let's try that again. A few years ago my doctor told me that my blood sugar levels were off and she considered me to be pre-diabetic. I tried to lose weight right away, and I did. Then I gained it back. Post weight gain, my doctor told me that my blood sugar/glucose levels were off again, and that I need to start a medication called Metformin. 

What is metformin?

Metformin is an oral diabetes medicine that helps control blood sugar levels.

Metformin is for people with type 2 diabetes. Metformin is sometimes used in combination with insulin or other medications, but it is not for treating type 1 diabetes.

Metformin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

(Information from www.drugs.com/metformin.html)

So, I was disappointed with myself, angry at myself and most importantly, my poor health habits were starting to catch up with me (more than just in the looks department, I'm talking serious business).  I had taken Metformin off and on for approximately 3 years (give or take). Every time I would lose weight, I'd be ok and not require it. Then I would gain it back and have to start taking it again. I never really noticed the problems associated with Type II Diabetes until the summer of 2014. I was pushing my highest weight again and for the first time I was having issues controlling my sugar. By July, I was having horrible dizzy spells at work and would sometimes get very disoriented. It was unpleasant, embarrassing and scary. I had never felt that way before and it frightened me that I let everything get so out of control. I was taking the Metformin, but it wasn't helping me anymore. I felt knew that I was getting sicker and that it was very possible that I dropped that "pre" in pre-diabetic. Signs were showing that I needed to see the doctor.  My mom was worried and told me to start taking cinnamon pills because she read that cinnamon helps control your blood sugar. The cinnamon pills actually controlled my sugar a lot. They sometimes brought it down too low, so I started to experiment. DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT RECOMMEND EXPERIMENTING WITH YOUR HEALTH! IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY, SEEK THE ATTENTION OF A PHYSICIAN. What I did was absolutely stupid and could have gone completely different. *steps down from soap box* I took myself off of the Metformin and started taking the cinnamon pills only, along with starting the Whole30 program. I started Whole 30 on 2 September and by mid-October, I was off of the cinnamon pills with no dizziness and no physical signs of the "pre-beatus." I plan on going to the doctor soon to have my blood levels checked to make sure everything is ok. But since mid-October I have felt no signs of blood sugar struggles. 

I do know that my iron levels are great, which has always been a struggle for me. I was able to donate blood to the Red Cross twice since starting these rounds of Whole30s in September.

I believe that Whole30 was the reason I was able to get off this medicine.  I encourage anyone that is having a similar struggle to talk to their doctor about starting the Whole30. See what this plan can do for you. 

~Nicci, Whole30-Day 20 

Bring the beet back...

Most people associate beets with those canned slices from a can that just look weird.  I know I always did!  For 36 30-ish years (humor me here, ok?!) I told everyone that I hated beets.  In reality, I was scared of beets.  They look all purple-y and, and, and... Ok, all I've got is that they're purple.  Hardly a reason to discriminate against a vegetable, right?  I mean, I like purple potatoes!  I like purple cabbage! Why couldn't I like a beet?  Sooooooooo, one day, at the convincing of my French friend, I tried beets.  The canned, sliced, icky looking ones.  WHY DIDN"T ANYONE TELL ME ABOUT THESE THINGS SOONER?!!!!  (I'm looking at YOU.  Yes, YOU!)  They were yummy, even from a can!  I feel like if you like sweet potatoes or roasted carrots, you would like beets.  They're sweet but being a root vegetable, they have a sturdy texture, perfect for roasting.  Did I mention that beets are also an excellent source of folate and manganese?  Eat up, my friends!  My friend did crazy stuff like put italian dressing and shredded cheese on hers.  I'm a plain Jane kinda girl.  I like my beets straight, no chaser, thankyouverymuch.  At least that's what I thought...

Then one day, a crazy thing happened.  My food touched on my plate. 😱  Strange because this is usually forbidden.  Next thing you know, the balsamic dressing is mixing with the beets and all kinds of crazy things started happening!!  I needed to know more.  I googled and searched on Pinterest.  Turns out, I was NOT the Columbus of balsamic beets!!  There were others that came before me to discover this wonderful new world.

Needless to say, roasted balsamic beets are one of my favorite side dishes now.  And if you're able to find loose beets at your grocery store, they are actually pretty inexpensive.  You can get the ones with the greens attached but I don't use them for anything, so I skip it and save a couple bucks.   My new favorite whole30 variation is using Tessemae's balsamic dressing on them, before and after roasting.  (While you're checking that one out, look at the others!  I love the lemon garlic marinade too!)

Go get your engine oven fired up to 400!  Let's do this!

Balsamic Roasted Beets

Preheat oven to 400
Peel beets and chop into equally-sized pieces, I did about an inch or so.
Toss a Tbsp or so (depending on how many beets) of coconut oil or ghee.  I used a little of both.  It could be olive oil too, but there's already olive oil in the dressing, so I did just enough to keep things from sticking from the baking sheet/foil.
1-2 Tbsp of Tessemae's Balsamic Dressing.  You can use plain balsamic vinegar, but you need to increase your oil to equal parts.
I just put this all on the baking sheet, covered in foil, and mix it around.

Pop in the oven and check after 20 min.  Give everything a good mix up and throw it back in.  I start checking things after another 10 min.  The beets will shrink and you'll see the edges get a little brown as they get closer to done.  You want them to be fork tender.  That's how you know they're done.  Once they're out of the oven, I put them in a bowl and put an additional 1Tbsp of balsamic dressing on it.  I probably wouldn't if I used just straight balsamic vinegar.  Then I let it cool off a little in there, mixing the dressing around here and there.

It's really delicious!  I can't believe I was ever scared of such a beautiful shade of purple. I can't wait to see your results!!  Have you shunned beets just by the look of them?  Here's your chance to make it up to them!!  Let me know what you think!!

~ Nicole

Steak, Curry Cauliflower Rice and Roasted Potatoes...OH MY!

Whole30 has forced me to think outside the box, get creative and search for food inspiration. Some recipes I have tried and failed, and some experiments have become a weekly dish that I now love. Since re-starting Whole30 in September of 2014, I have learned how to cook a steak (the way I like it, medium rare) to perfection; make homemade mayo like a pro, and make cauliflower rice to get me through the week. For the meal I posted on Instagram 16 January, here is the process:

Step One: Since the potatoes took the longest, start with them. I preheated the oven to 350 degrees. It took about 10-15 minutes to heat up. Wash and slice a potato. I sliced mine to be about 1/4 inch thick. I placed them in a casserole dish and tossed them around in some ghee from Trader Joe's. I also added a generous amount of Flavor God's "Spicy Everything" seasoning to the potatoes. You can use any seasoning you, I recommend garlic, salt and pepper if you don't have the Flavor God's "Spicy Everything". Although, do yourself a favor and get that spice. It tastes like Spicy Nacho Doritos to me. Next, I placed the potatoes in the oven. I pulled them out when it was time to eat. *Keep an eye on them if you like your steak well done, that will add additional minutes that I did not require. I don't think they should take more than 20 minutes. If you cut them thinner they will burn, so keep an eye on them.

Step Two: Start the grill. I like my grill around 350 degrees when grilling. This may be different if you like your steak cooked more to medium, medium-well or well done. Take out your steak(s) and season them to taste. I used to use garlic powder, salt and pepper, but now I like it with just salt and pepper better. Let them sit out while your grill is warming up.

Step Three: Time to make that amazing and versatile cauliflower rice. This "how to" video was very helpful. I use this process every time I make the rice now. Once the rice was made from the cauliflower, I added the desired amount of rice in to a deep skillet. I put chicken stock and water in to the skillet and let boil until it was the consistency I preferred.

Step Four: Take out your ingredients to make your homemade Paleo mayo. That's one egg, extra light tasting olive oil, dry mustard and salt. A narrow measuring cup...I prefer to use a mason jar so that I can store it and avoid washing one more item.

Step Five: Throw your steak on the grill. I grill mine for 3 to 4 minutes on each side and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. This makes my steak come out medium-rare perfection. While it is grilling, I make my mayo.

Step Six: Pour one cup of the extra light tasting olive oil in to your measuring cup or mason jar, add your egg, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of mustard. Use your immersion blender to whip the mayo. Should take approximately 10-20 seconds. This is my favorite method to use. Then I add 1/2 tablespoon, or more (I use about a tablespoon) of yellow curry and blend for an additional 10-20 seconds moving the wand of the blender up through the container to thoroughly mix the curry throughout the mayo. If you do not have an immersion blender, I would highly recommend getting one for this and for the Butternut Squash Soup Recipe in our earlier blog.

Step Seven: Grab your steak off the grill and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Drain your cauliflower rice and turn the burner down to low. Add curry mayo to the cauliflower rice and mix on low heat for a minute or two. I use a ratio of  two tablespoons of curry mayo, for one to two cups of cauliflower rice. Pull your potatoes from the oven and plate all the elements of your meal together. Voila!

Step Eight: Take a pic of your success and share it on Instagram. Don't forget to tag us, @thewholenicoles

Step Nine: Enjoy!!!

Please let us know if you tried our recipe and how it turned out. We look forward to hearing from you. Also, if you have any questions let us know. We hope you enjoy!

~Nicci, Whole30-Day 16