#2: WHY GIVE UP THE WHOLE ENCHILADA FOR 30 DAYS!!?!?

(It's important to note that A) Natalie and I officially 'started' Whole 30 on Monday, March 12, and B) we and are both writing on a new different topic each week without knowing what or how the other person is writing)

Why Whole 30?!!?

Tony:

If I were to pinpoint exactly when I decided to dedicate this month to Whole 30, I would probably place it somewhere between the 17 sticks of butter I melted down to make pecan squares and the 8 lbs of cheese I used in the penne broccoli and chicken. It was one hell of a month of eating; Cookie Monster would have nodded his head approvingly while observing the voracity and enthusiasm with which I tore into some of those meals and desserts.   While I had a great time making home cooked celebrity recipes with friends, I also felt like I had a feed bag filled with sugar strapped on my face. When looking for Challenge #3, the choice seemed obvious:  After this overindulgent month, I needed to find some way to slow my (fat)roll from gaining speed down the slippery slope of morbid obesity.  I hoped to get back to my pre-Challenge #2 weight, or even below. Was Whole 30 the answer?

Decidedly yes, and Natalie happened to not only be the reason, but also my role model for moving this plan forward.   Despite her tendency to swear like a pirate trucker several times an hour - and calling me a 'bi-otch' at least once or twice a day when we worked together - I still had enough respect for her when it came to things like this.  She was also far more knowledgable about local hip stuff and new diet and exercise trends than I was, and so I was more receptive when discussing Whole 30 with her.  I find it's also best to pursue activities like this through a buddy system, to have someone who can hold you accountable for your actions (sometimes you get held accountable by being called a 'bi-otch'). I liken this (probably inappropriately so) to a sponsor's relationship with an alcoholic - except in this case I should be earning sobriety coins for not shoveling down pints of Ben & Jerry's, or mowing down a row of peanut M&Ms like Pac-Man.  

Other reasons?  Not to make this sound like an online dating profile or anything, but I like the challenge of considering new ideas and trying new foods.  When it comes to food, I tend to be a creature of habit.  I can go to the grocery store 4 times each month, and end up with almost exactly the same shopping list each time.  Sometimes I might deviate and try to 'mix it up' with a different kind of deli meat and/or cheese that happens to be on sale.  Whoa, call the grocery police!  Don't get me wrong - I love variety, but at the end of the day, I hate dealing with the hassle of researching new recipes, making a new grocery list, and finding out where in each Stop and Shop the new ingredients are hidden. Hassle-free trumps hassle every day of the week, in Tony Wilbur's book.  But just like cooking celebrity recipes last month, and trying yoga the month before that, I'm looking forward to this challenge to force me out of my comfort zone and expand what I know and appreciate. I can do this for 30 days.

                                                                      *   *   *   

Natalie:

Why…. WHY?!

I am doing Whole 30 because Tony and his blog are awesome, and I want to be a part of that awesome. Beyond that, it was an unplanned and unprepared approach to a big 30 day commitment to healthy eating and living. I entered into this particular adventure…umm…slowly.

And, I FAILED.

Sunday

I live in Boulder, Colorado and spring is showing its lovely face (on and off) around here. The FIRST time I did Whole 30, I used theSunday before to grocery shop, cook, and mentally prepare (aka drink tequila and eat cheese) for the next 30 days. It was a big event. A kickoff if you will…

This time around, which is round III for me, I didn’t prepare at all! Instead of grocery shopping, I went to Avery Brewing Company, drank delicious IPAs, and ate a Philly cheese steak. I have no regrets about that day. The day after however… I had some regrets.

Monday

I had no plan for breakfast…Luckily, I had some leftover fajitas from the weekend that I am not entirely sure were sugar free, but I trusted in the fajitas because I had nothing else to eat. I also had some frozen blueberries that I topped with almond butter. The rest of the day was a success! Lunch at Chipotle (my go to fallback) and a compliant dinner. Success!

Tuesday
Eggs and chorizo for breakfast, leftovers for lunch and dinner. SUCCESS!

Wednesday

Here is where things get foggy…Breakfast was eggs again and for lunch I had sushi. OOPS! It was a mistake and I didn’t figure it out until I was sipping on miso soup. SOY. A big no-no. I thought about just quitting right there, but I ain’t no quitter. I ate the sushi, I confessed my mistake to Tony and moved on… to dinner. I ate a Whole 30 dinner, but decided to indulge in a beer since I had already F’d my day with sushi at lunch.

Thursday (also known as, “Oops, there was cheese on that…”)

So, yeah…. I met a friend out for dinner and we ordered Brussels sprouts, mac and cheese, and buffalo wings. I thought the Brussels were safe until I realized that the delicious crunchy stuff on the top was… cheese. OOPS!How many Oopses is that now? 2? There’s more…

Friday
A lot like Tuesday- I was back on track!

Saturday
I went to an all day workshop and managed to keep it together despite the cheese plate that came out in the afternoon. But… then came Sunday…..

Sunday

Not only did I eat a huge Cajun breakfast at Lucile’s in Boulder, I also skipped a 7k fun run to eat it. THEN, I ate whatever the hell I wanted for the rest of the day…. Including pasta and affogato for dessert. OOPS! STRIKE 3, 4 AND 5.

I won’t event go through the other days of the week because…. well….I pretty much quit paying attention. DO OVER!

(Starting tomorrow because I just ate a sub- it was free at work! I am a sucker for free shit even if it has grains and cheese in it.)