I'm back to posting recipes HERE again!
If you're thinking about changing your diet or trying a Whole30, let me offer you some advice and maybe a few tips.
1. It's totally worth it! When you first begin your journey, it will be hard- really hard. You will want to quit. DON'T. After about 2 weeks it will become easier. That's only 15 days. You can power through for 15 days. You're body needs time to adjust. During the first couple of weeks, you will realize exactly which foods you are dependent upon, and just like with any addiction, it takes time to break those habits. Don't give up on yourself. You've got this! You can do it!
2. You Have To Commit. Once you decide to make a diet change, you have to fully decide to make a diet change. Find a reliability partner. Someone who will hold you accountable.
Promise yourself No Cheats for at least 30 days! No bites, licks, or tastes! If you cheat once, you will cheat again. Once a cheater, always a cheater. On the Whole30 program, if you slip-up once, you have to start over with another 30 days! Don't do it! If your will-power is weak, give or throw away all the junk food in your pantry and fridge. You can also box it up or cover it up with dish towels. The saying, "Out of sight, out of mind" is so true. If you see it, you'll want it especially the first few weeks.
3. It's Hard and It's Time Consuming. This is the honest truth! You will have to cook all three of your meals. Nothing healthy comes in a package. I like to cook and this was still really hard for me. I felt like I was at the grocery store ALL THE TIME. But again, as time goes by, this gets easier. Eventually you will stock-up on all the ingredients you need to cook from scratch. You will learn what things you need and how much to sustain you until you're next shopping trip. I do one big stock-up trip every month, and I do one weekly grocery run for fresh produce.
4. Plan Ahead! If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. In order to succeed, you must plan. Plan a time to begin when your schedule is pretty open and you don't have any weddings or parties or family get-together's that might cause you to cheat. You will be more likely to succeed it you choose a less-busy time.
Meal planning is also key. Plan out your meals each week and your grocery shopping list. If it's 6:00 and you still haven't decided what to eat for dinner, you're more likely to order a pizza or Chinese. On the other hand, if you know what you'll be making and you have all the ingredients on hand, you're more likely to stick with healthy eating.
5. Read the Ingredients List not the Nutrition Labels. Healthy food usually has five ingredients or less, and you should be able to pronounce all of them. Also, look for sugar. Sugar is what makes you fat! There is sugar in everything! Even table salt! Some products might have sugar listed in the ingredients list but show 0 grams on the nutrition label. This is because there is less than one gram of sugar, but there is still sugar and SUGAR MAKES YOU FAT. I recommend staying away from any sugar or forms of sugar (honey, Maple syrup, agave, artificial sweeteners, sucrose, corn syrups, fructose, maltose, maltodextrin, ethyl, maltol, etc ) for the first 30 days, and then occasionally use natural forms of sugar after you've tamed your sugar dragon.
6. Don't Be Afraid to Ask. Ask to see labels at the deli or butcher counter before purchasing. You can also ask a restaurant what ingredients are in certain dishes. You can also ask your server to hold the butter, to leave off the bun, bake instead of fry your sweet potato fries, substitute guacamole for sour cream, whatever. They are there to serve you and usually whatever you ask for, they are happy to do.