making it meaningful

Ernie Boy went down for a nap a little while ago.  I'm enjoying my cup of coffee with a coconut milk concoction (cream substitute) that a friend gave me.  It's very good.  Well, here we are, over one week into the whole 30.  Today, I'm doing well.  Today, I haven't even craved bread, or sugar, or chocolate.  Yesterday was a good day too!   

I want to start by telling you a few tidbits about the whole 30.  We are not on a "diet".  At least in the way I think of "diet".  We did not decide to do this to lose weight.  We are able to eat as much food as we want and we have more than enough.  We are getting all of our vitamins and nutrients from vegetables, protein, and fruit.  Did you know that you can get your daily value of calcium in vegetables like kale, broccoli, peas, orange juice, and coconut milk?  I don't even have to take my prenatal vitamin during the whole 30 because I'm getting all the vitamins I need from what I eat.  I thought that was pretty neat.  Another thing, we aren't doing this forever.  It's just 30 days to jumpstart a healthier lifestyle.  We will re-introduce grains and dairy slowly after the whole 30.  We are hoping to not use as much grains and dairy after this.  Also, in case you were wondering why we are even doing this.  

Here's a few reasons: 

1. I wanted to learn how to cook healthier meals with vegetables being more central.  I thought that this 30 day challenge would be a great start to that because I have to be creative and learn how to cook and prepare veggies in new ways for each meal!  It's worked so far :).  

2. I wanted to get my sugar cravings under control and Josh wanted to support me.  I seriously have the best husband.  He is such a good guy for not only encouraging me to kick the sweets, he's right beside me, battling with me.  He's awesome!

3. We heard from friends that the Whole 30 gives you more energy throughout the day.  As tired parents, that sounded pretty good. We will try anything :).

Now, let me tell you a little about our week.  It started off great.  We had all of this motivation and excitement to try new meals and cook with fresh ingredients; we were all in!  After about three days of eating TONS of vegetables though, we started to long for a piece of bread, or a donut, or SOMETHING sweet.  Here's a funny text I got from my husband...

He's always making me laugh!  But seriously, sometimes the cravings really hit you.  For example, going to the grocery store and passing by the bakery.  Oh goodness, the smells and sights of those scrumptious treats were almost too much for us.  We had to walk faster and not look back.  Haha!  And we may or may not have considered doing the "whole8"...until I read on the website of whole30 that the first week (or two) are actually the hardest and that this whole thing does get easier.  So, we decided to continue along. 

We also noticed how often we were thinking of food, specifically sugar and grains.  Instead of wasting thoughts on foods we "can't have" right now, we decided to make it meaningful.  We are committing these next weeks of whole 30 to the Lord.  When we crave something, we want to turn to Him and ask for His help.  We want to fully believe that He is better and more satisfying than a piece of chocolate.  We want to dwell on His Word and His promises.  We want to glorify Him in our eating and drinking (1 Corinthians 10:31).  

You know what?  Yesterday, was better.  Not only was it refreshing to realize the whole 30 as a means of becoming closer to God; it actually was easier yesterday.  Yesterday was the first day I did not crave bread.  I was completely satisfied with our breakfast: 2 eggs, sausage, and an almond flour biscuit with preserves, lunch: tuna salad with homemade mayo, sugar snap peas, carrots, melon, mango, and homemade guacamole, and dinner: steak, pepper, onion, and mushroom kabobs with melon.  

Here's a picture of lunch:

I enjoyed all of our meals fully.  I was thankful to God for our food and didn't need any more.  Today is a new day and I'm trusting God to reveal more of Himself to me through this.

Do you crave salty or sweet foods more?  How do you combat cravings?

P.S. I had an engagement photo session yesterday.  The last part of the shoot was in an ice cream parlor.  The smell of creamy goodness filled the place.  And, they had samples.  I politely refused though :).  Whew, that was a tough one.