Whole30Rhonda

[Rhonda Coleman]

February 3 started my 2nd "30" program.  In January I participated in The 30Clean, did well for 2.5 weeks, then kind of fell apart.  In researching and surfing for menu ideas, recipes, general "how to" information I came across the Whole30 program and decided this would be my second (and better) attempt.  I feel better prepared this time - know a little more what to expect, know what foods NOT to buy because they were definitely NOT a hit with me, know a little more about how my body is  going to react, so yea, this time WILL be much better!!  Technically I started on February 2, but had some "contraband" in  my desk at school and fell prey to a bout of STRESS eating!  

 

So, on to a NEW Day One on February 3.  

GOAL(s):  My goal here is probably not the one it SHOULD be, but the reality is that I WANT to (and need) to lose weight - my primary goal!  A Happy Hubby is the motivator here.  Secondarily, of course, is to feel better and be healthier.  At age 62.85 (4/7), no major health problems here, but I do deal with IBS, some arthritis (mainly hands), and have had joint replacement surgery in both of my wrists.  The right one, November 18, 2014, is giving me some problems, but again, nothing major.

EXERCISE:  I KNOW I need to exercise (hubby pounds this one home daily), but, I really do NOT like: 1.  going to the gym, 2. exercising to a DVD/CD, 3. jogging, running, etc.  I am a high school Social Studies teacher, and I "jog" up and down the hall ways and around my classroom all day long.  I wear a FitBit tracker and usually log 8-10K steps a day. Once the weather breaks I DO want to start trying to walk 30 minutes at least 3 days/week.  We'll see from there.

SLEEP: My FitBit tracker is my alarm "clock" and my sleep tracker.  I don't sleep well, or long.  I am up at 4 a.m. to get my morning started and head out the door to school by 5:45.  I leave school between 4-4:30 and go to bed between 10-11. The hours between 5:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. are challenging! Dealing with 130+ high school students daily is definitely hectic, stressful, frustrating, etc.  From after dinner to bed time is my only time to just sit and DE-STRESS!! Better sleep would be a blessing!  Since January my sleep HAS improved, I'm up to 95-97% sleep efficiency as tracked by the FitBit!  Since getting my tracker (2+ years) I have had TWO 100% nights!  Good sleep has eluded me for the better part of the last 30 years!!

FOOD: I've done well since Tuesday, a few episodes of hunger/growling tummy.  I eat breakfast at 4:30 and my lunch time at school isn't until 11:10 - this definitely tests the limits of my hunger, so I need to eat a PERFECT breakfast!  A mid morning snack may be a necessity. Working on not eating anything after dinner - mostly successful at that, though occasionally I will have a few dried prunes to help with the IBS.  Want to start logging my meals, maybe just through pictures.

 

I AM excited to be starting another "30" project!  I feel this is the way I SHOULD be eating, what I have been searching for throughout the last 30+ years of dieting.  For several years I've really begun to realize the dangers and general yuckiness of all the processed food I consume. Until I began to see "clean eating" comments on websites and in the news, I wasn't sure what to do to change - move away from all that yuckiness.  Once I started investigating the whole concept of clean eating I knew this was something that I was definitely interested in.  

 

Here's to MANY years of WHOLE FOOD, CLEAN EATING!!