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.

I’ve done a few Whole30 challenges before, but this time I’m looking for something a little different. I lost touch with my Paleo choices last year and I would like to reconnect with what it means to feel healthy, vibrant, and in tune with my whole self.

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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Day 6 is done!

Quote of the Day: “Always bring your own sunshine.” – A.A. Milne

I think this quote is really sweet. My husband is actually a big A.A. Milne fan and I am big on bringing my own sunshine! I really think that a lot of the time we have the ability to direct our lives and our perspective on life. That’s not to say that some days aren’t harder than others, that depression isn’t real, or that life is perfect, but I truly believe that we have some power in regulating our outlook.

Smiling at people, being ready to laugh and enjoy whatever is happening, making the best of any situation – these are drivers for me. When I think about how they influence my ability to recalibrate my eating and exercise, I really believe they have a tremendous impact. I don’t wake up each day wishing I could have a donut, instead I wake up with a smile, make some coffee, and then do things like have chicken salad with truffle aioli for breakfast. Maybe that’s weird, but it works for me.

Day 6 – The Details

4:30am – Black coffee

6:15am – 4 1/2 oz. chicken, arugula, tomato, fried egg, 1 Tbsp. truffle aioli and 1 clementine

11:30am – Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash casserole, 1 chicken thigh, 1 orange

2:30pm – Banana

5:30pm – 3 Turkey meatballs in marinara sauce on cauliflower mash and salad

Food: I feel like I ate some bigger meals today but I never felt stuffed until dinner. I woke up super hungry this morning so I was trying to fix that. I’m still working on determining what the right amount of food for me is. I have been pretty hungry today and just trying to wait it out while working, picking up my son, and making dinner. I ended up overeating at dinner, I think because I was seeking some comfort. One meatball too many – my stomach noticed and I hope I’ll pay more attention next time.

Mood: Great mood today and knocked things off my to-do list like crazy. Until about 4pm. Then my energy tanked and I was hungry and there were still a million things that I needed to do. It didn’t put me in a bad mood, exactly, but I lost most of my spunk. Just going through the motions.

Sleep: 6 1/2 hours. That was definitely a bummer. And vivid dreams again.

Activity: Weights – I was so glad to get to the gym! I really ended up going because mid-way through the day when I realized that I wasn’t going to finish all that I needed to, I thought I might skip it. But I know that I am in a much better place when I work out consistently and that things will come together. So I went. Now I just need to get some outside time in because I’m missing the fresh air.

Focus – Drink tea or water: This helped again when I got home and was feeling hungry and a bit moody. I had a La Croix bubbly water, which I love, and felt great. Not quite a glass of wine (or even remotely close), but I remained much more productive that way!