On February 3rd of last year, I completed my first Whole 30. If you haven’t heard of the program, it is a month long “reset” that eliminates dairy, grains, legumes, alcohol and sugar of any kind. It emphasizes eating whole foods and really allows you to focus in on why you are eating what you are eating and how it makes you feel. It was a great experience for me and I felt great by the end of the 30 days. However, over the next year, I fell back into old habits, especially during the holiday season. Nightly drinks and ice cream became the norm and my sugar cravings were back in full force!
I have decided to jump back on the bus, with some modifications to (hopefully!) make the changes longer lasting. I am allowing myself a teaspoon of maple syrup in my coffee, one serving of healthy grains a day, one treat meal a week and a drink on the weekend. Planning out the week makes it easier for me to stay on track.
Grab and go snacks that follow the “rules” are hard to find, so a little planning before I get hungry is important! I try to prep some snacks on Sundays that I can have ready during the week, like hard boiled eggs with prosciutto, homemade Larabars or apple slices with almond butter. I also keep lots of flavored seltzer water on hand to drink.
Here are my week one plans!
Breakfast
- Chia seed pudding made with almond milk, topped with strawberries and shredded coconut
- Fall porridge (http://pureandsimplenourishment.blogspot.ca/2016/09/paleo-fall-porridge.html)
- Smoothies
Lunch
- Chicken salad wraps, made with dried cranberries and walnuts, with apple slices and sweet potato chips
- Dinner leftovers
Dinner
- Crockpot roast with balsamic and Dijon mustard, carrots and potatoes, served on top of riced cauliflower (http://www.thewickednoodle.com/chuck-roast/)
- Carne Asada tacos with guacamole, lettuce and salsa
- Pulled pork stuffed sweet potatoes with cole slaw
- Buddha bowls: roasted brussel sprouts, red peppers, onions, butternut squash, red cabbage and potatoes served over rice with a fried egg and sesame ginger vinaigrette
- Crispy chicken stew with artichokes, capers and olives on rice (http://stupideasypaleo.com/2015/12/19/crispy-chicken-stew-lemon-artichokes-capers-olives-recipe/)
