For the next 30+ days, I will be eating meat, vegetables, healthy fats, fruits and nuts. I will not be eating processed food, sugar, dairy, grains or legumes, and I won’t be consuming any alcohol.

This is not my first Whole30, but this time I want to focus on a couple of specific elements: 1) fewer nuts as snacks and 2) fewer snacks in general. I would like to find the right mix of meals and pre-/post-workout fuel to keep me steady throughout the day.

If you’re doing a Whole30 or other challenge, if you are living/exploring the Paleo lifestyle, or if you are simply looking for some tasty recipes to add to your repertoire, be sure to leave a comment to let me know you’re out there! I am so glad you stopped by!

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This week’s focus: Post-workout nutrition.

5:00 Black coffee

6:50 Cabbage with WF Better Butter, 2 eggs

9:00 Pre-workout Spicy Tuna cup

11:30 Ham and green beans, Curried sweet potato soup

1:15 Pecans and dried cherries

6:00 Roasted radicchio and eggplant, sautéed zoodles and shrimp

8:00 Almonds and raisins

Food Holy cravings! Today was EXTREMELY difficult. I was visiting my neighbor and she brought out cookies, pecans and cherries. I stuck to the nuts and fruit but the entire rest of the day was spent actively NOT eating things. I don’t know if it is because I was confronted with something that I chose not to eat and that sparked the cravings or if it is because of where I am in the Whole30. According to the Whole30 Timeline, this is when old habits are trying very hard to reinstate themselves and cravings often appear. I don’t know for sure, but I can tell you that I wanted rice and chocolate and wine. Not in that order. I think the wine came first. 🙂 I ended up eating some almonds and raisins as a craving-buster. It worked and, while I was wanting to cut down a bit on nuts as snacks this time, they really helped me out here. And I have been really successful at not using them as a snack-crutch so I feel pretty good about it.

Mood My mood was all over the place today, more due to circumstances than anything else. Best cure when I’m down in the dumps – a workout.

Sleep 7 hours. I prefer to feel rested when I wake up but sometimes sleep is impacted by stress and other things. I really think that by eating right, I am helping my body work through what is simply “life”.

Activity Back and lower body today. I added weight on several exercises and feel great.

Focus Post-workout snack: I took a snack with me but came straight home and had lunch. Most importantly – I was prepared.