Post Whole30...Dairy

"I NEVER WANT TO EAT ICE CREAM AGAIN!"

That's what I repeatedly said from 6:30 p.m. until I went to bed.

Today was dairy day and we were SO excited! We had it ALL planned out! We woke up and had yogurt. I had blueberry and Ben had black cherry. I use to eat Chobani yogurt but now since I a label reader, it was so difficult to find a yogurt with ingredients I could pronounce. I just can't do the plain yogurt so I need some fruit. I ended up finding Evolution Fresh by Dannon that had a few simple ingredients and it was tasty!

After we ate it, my tummy rumbled but I obviously disregarded it because I had more dairy to eat - we had PLANS!

For lunch, we at the spicy chicken stew I made the night before with a little cheese on top. My stomach hurt a little after but I was trying to think that it was for the spicy stew.

I decided to go grab a flu shot in the afternoon and treated myself after to the new Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks. It was GLORIOUS!!!! It was the best thing I've had in 37 days! My stomach was fine (aka - I will have more!) so I was hoping it was just the spicy stew.

Once Ben got home, we headed to Baskin' Robbins for ice cream before dinner - totally normal, right?!? We also decided we would let Deacon try a little ice cream for the first time too.  I chose Reeses' Ice Cream (it tasted like a Blizzard) and Ben had cookies n cream. We sat outside and had the funniest time with Deacon. At first, he wasn't sure what Ben was trying to feed him but once he tasted it, he was attacking us for more and more.

On our way home, my stomach just started not feeling right. It then turned into just plain hurting and cramping and did not stop! Three hours later, I crawled into bed and it still hurt - not as bad, but still hurt.

Ice cream is the devil for me!!  Ben also wasn't feeling great after the ice cream and knows he probably shouldn't eat it as much but he was not as bad as me.

Dairy + Courtney = Evil!!!

Post Whole30...Non-Gluten Grains

After legumes, we went back to Whole30 for two days and then had non-gluten grains.  We were in Louisiana visiting family, so I packed a few goodies for us.  

We had non-gluten oatmeal and I added coconut milk and blueberries. Lets be real, I like my oatmeal with syrup and brown sugar so the oatmeal was lacking to say the least but it was different from our usual eggs.

For lunch, we ordered out and had a side of corn goodness. It was amazing! Lets be real, there was probably butter in it (even though it didn't say on the ingredients) but we were in Louisiana. It was corn, peppers and just full of yumminess.  

For dinner, my mom made Whole30 compliant beef stew and we had over rice and it was delicious.  My sweet mom was super helpful in making sure we stuck to Whole30. She did inform us that Christmas there will be no Whole30 food made - HA!! 

At the end of the day, we didn't have any issues with non-gluten grains.  YAY!

Post Whole30....Legumes

Today we woke up and were "officially" off Whole30 but started the reintroduction process. We both weighed ourselves. Here's the kicker, I weighed about the end of week 2 (but did not look, Ben looked) and Ben weighed at the beginning on a random scale. We think I lost approximately 15 lbs and Ben lost approximately 20 lbs.

HUGE WIN in the weight department. Now we just need to be mindful of our food choices. Ben wants to lose more and I just want to maintain and tone.

We were super excited to have peanut butter this morning on an apple. We used the pb that I normally eat which has "less sugar". Honestly, it tasted weird to me but Ben said it was fine to him.

For lunch we were suppose to eat edamame, but I forgot... Ben had his.

We both had headaches during the day. Was it the legumes?!?!

We had a side of black beans with dinner and they were gross. Not sure if it was the brand or the fact that we haven't had legumes in 30 days.

At the end of the day, we weren't too excited about legumes...

Whole30...Day 30

Today is the DAY!! If we get through today we have both officially accomplished Whole30!!

Nothing too crazy to report until the end of my day...

Last night, we prepped dinner for Ben since I would be out for a work dinner. We prepped buffalo wings and I made a ranch dressing that you mix with Frank's Hot Sauce. The wings marinated in the seasonings overnight and then Ben grilled them tonight. He said they were delicious and the ranch/Frank's mix sauce tasted great with it. The ranch on its own was ok but mixed was tasty.

I had a volunteer leader dinner tonight and we went to True Foods Kitchen. I was able to have a yummy salad but took my own balsamic vinegar with me for dressing. After, everyone wanted to walk next door to Sprinkle's cupcakes. Everyone got cupcakes except me but I sat there and watched them. It wasn't terrible, but the thought - this is my last day, what would it hurt to have a mini cupcake - did cross my mind.

Folks, we accomplished Whole30!!!!!!!

Whole30...Day29

I can't believe it. This is the week when our 30 day journey "ends". It's crazy. We will begin reintroduction phase on Wednesday but for Monday (today), I will be excited about accomplishing the 30 days.

Ben pretty much wakes up dreaming about the end of Whole30 - only two days left.

Today was a big step for me....
I had to pick up a cookie cake at Great American Cookie Co. Normally when I run errands like that for work, I will buy Ben and I a cookie to take home to have later. Lets be real, I will buy three cookies. I will eat one then and then eat one with Ben after dinner.  Today, I resisted. It wasn't painful but the thought of "oh, I'm not getting Ben and I a cookie" did cross my mind.

The girls on our team had a lunch outing to welcome back Jamie from maternity leave. Her choice....cheese dip. We headed to Tin Lizzy's and a big ole order of queso and their yummy chips were sitting in front of me. I honestly wasn't tempted - which is strange.  For lunch, I had basic fajitas without the tortillas. It was tasty.
Accomplishment: I survived Tin Lizzy's without the queso....

For dinner, I made Chicken cacciatore from the Whole30 blog/recipe book. I normally don't cook chicken that not in breast form, but Ben likes dark meat, so I decided to make it.  He liked it and I thought it was ok. Flavors were good, I just have a hard time eating not fried chicken especially if it's not a breast.

Ben had to run to Publix to pick up something for dinner the following night. While he was there, he picked me up my new obsession - coconut water coffee. He also picked up some more dates as well as prunes. We haven't ventured into prunes but he wanted to try. He read the ingredients and saw one he wasn't sure about and was about to eat anyway and I ripped him. I mean really, you have ONE day left, get it together!  He researched and decided he would wait.  I mean, come on. You have made it 29 days without putting anything in your body that you didn't know what it was so just wait 1 more day.

When we got to bed, I said....only 1 more day!

Whole30...Day 28

"Take me out to the ballgame..." On Day 28, we decided to take Deacon to his first Braves game - the last game of the season.

Before we went, I knew we had to have full stomachs or the smell of ballpark food was going to get us - or lets be real...Ben can't say no to a hot dog!  We had big ole burgers and mashed potatoes. I made the potatoes with ghee, coconut milk and bacon. It was tasty - I mean, sour cream would have made them creamier but we weren't complaining.  We also split an apple to make sure we were full.

We went with or friends the Fordyces and had a great time. The weather was more like football weather and misting but our seats were covered and we were good to go. We made it for 6 innings and decided not to push it. I think that's pretty good considering we had a 9 and 18 month old with us.

I do like to snack during the games on peanuts but we resisted. It honestly wasn't that terribly hard which is shocking.

We came home from the game and had pork and apples for dinner. Nothing fancy but it worked.  As usual, I made enough for lunch the following day. As I was packing our lunches I said - I do like knowing what I'm having for lunch the next day and just having it with me. I haven't had this thought in a very long time.

Only 2 more days folks - but lets be real....I'm happy we are making it until 30 but it's really like 12 more days since we are doing the "reintroduction" of food at the end. We both already have our dairy day planned out - Baskin' Robbins before dinner!

I mean, I just couldn't leave this picture out!

Whole30...Day 27

It's Saturday and I thought I had the ingredients to make us a yummy breakfast, but I didn't. I opted to throw some things together from a dish my sister-in-law made. Lets just say I changed it up to what I had in the kitchen and we won't be doing that again.

For lunch, Ben and I chowed down on our hot "Mexican soup" (aka - Thai soup) from the night before then headed out to do some errands with Deacon.  

Ben's parents came over to spend some time with us and to keep Deacon for the evening while Ben and I could have some much needed QT. We opted for a 3:50 movie and decided to get there right on time so the popcorn and giant soda drinks wouldn't be the death of me. So glad we didn't go to the theaters with the reclining seats because you must have popcorn at those places!  

After the movie, we headed to Outback (fancy, I know ;)). We both got steaks, steamed broccoli and baked sweet potato with cinnamon. I scarfed my food down. Lets be real, the best things at Outback are in this order:

• Bloomin' onion
• Brown bread
• Cold beer (I mean, how do those mugs keep the beer that cold?!?)
• Side salad - that ranch dressing is dang right good
• Steak

So of my top five things about Outback, I was able to get #5...

The conversation was great and QT was on point.