Whole 30 and that Self Care Thug Life

I am halfway through my commitment to Whole 30 this week.

 After having had a couple of weeks where I was really struggling with digestive issues and emotional eating, a friend told me about Whole 30 and I told her maybe I'd try it some day when I could afford the book. About a week later a package arrived at my door, my very own big hardcover edition as a gift from my friend. Now that I was out of excuses, I decided to give it a try and boy has it been an interesting two weeks. For the most part it's an elimination program, you take out most of the foods that usually have negative effects on the body and after 30 day you reintroduce the ones you want but with a heightened awareness of how it affects your body and mood. The meal plan eliminates sugar, dairy, carbs, gluten, grains and beans and really focuses on fresh fruit, vegetables and proteins. So far I have managed to stay as faithful to it as a person who lives in the real world can, but I have held on since once of the guidelines for Whole 30 is that if you eat something on the elimination list, you have to start the program again from day one. And I just can't go back there. I have found that my skin is better, and my mood is lighter, and overall I feel good. I'm not tired as much or too stuffed after a meal, it is interesting to recognize how good I feel most of the day. It has required a lot of meal prepping and planning, but I'm grateful for the heightened level of consciousness as to what I'm eating and when I'm eating and most importantly- why I'm eating. One of the reasons I wanted to do it this month is because this is the kickoff of my capstone workshops. I knew going into doing this work that the potential for emotional triggers were a guarantee, but I didn't want food to be my choice for coping. I also didn't want to add the side effects of sugar and carbs, the food comas, and the emotional highs and lows connected to the food I eat on top of this triggering time. I wanted to go into this as balanced as I could, and honestly I think it is helping. I am trying to identify which of my new learned recipes and positive food habits become part of my routine after my 30 days are up. I don't expect to live a life where I never have another soda or bread or heaven forbid ice cream, but it's been good to see how little I need it or even miss it when I don't have it. While Whole 30 is NOT a diet plan, I expected to lose some weight and while I have lost a couple of pounds it has not been a drastic change. I found myself stressing out about this, why hasn't my body reacted to the healthier changes I am making by losing weight? Iam constantly  asking my body to reward me with weight loss while ignoring the other ways it is serving me. Why isn't clearer and brighter skin enough? Why is the only measure of health or success tied to the scale? Whole 30 asks that you don't weigh yourself during the program, maybe so you are pleasantly surprised at the end or maybe so your focus is on the actual goal of listening to your body, and not asking of it. I've been shifting my thinking about weight and leaning on healing and I've incorporated a couple of self care things I am really into these days

I bought myself this really fun fitness journal called Fit Happens where I track my physical activity, jot daily body gratitude statement and doodle about what inspires me towards health and fitness as I define it!

This book came highly recommended to me by a woman who is a shaker and a doer in her community. It's an every day for people who care for other people. And well who doesn't have people they they take care of one way or another? In order for me to show up as a daughter, sister, friend, mother, student and all the other identities I occupy in spaces, I need to always be sure I am taking care of myself first <3 

I'm also making sure to find little ways to relax and care for myself, since I'm not turning to food. Aeromatherapy has been a great way to shift from anxious behavior that previously would have resulted in standing in my kitchen raiding my fridge. I've now added incense and shower bombs to my arsenal of smell good things that make me feel good!

And what am I doing with all the money in saving from not eating out as much? Not that it's a whole lot, because groceries are expensive people! But from the bit I am saving, I'm making it a point to treat myself to funky fun things- like this new pouch I'll now be using as a wallet. Cause you know, shopping.