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 15 is done!

Quote of the Day: Love yourself first.

What a beautiful statement. There is so much truth in this but it is also one of those concepts that can be difficult to embrace. I know that I have struggled with it over the years and have only come to understand it bit by bit with time. It is not always easy because self-love can sometimes be very, very difficult. Often the phrases we repeat in our minds, the stories we carry from our pasts, the belief that if we come first we are selfish – all these things and more can get in the way. But it is a statement worth considering.

When we love someone or something, we tend to take care of it. We nurture it, seek to understand it, work to honor its needs and cherish its soul. When you call to mind someone or something that you love – a child, a pet, a spouse, a passion, a friend – think about how you tend to those different areas. And now think about how you tend to yourself. If you are at the bottom of the list, if you never honor your need for space or affection or activity or nourishment or rest, then it will be so very difficult to have the energy to live your life to the fullest and to be your best for those around you.

I’m not suggesting that we all go around in a self-centered vacuum doing exactly as we please at every moment, but I am suggesting that we tap into those needs that are our deepest, most fundamental requirements and then provide for them. Fall in love with yourself and treat your whole being with kindness and respect.

When I think about nourishing someone I love, let’s say my son, I do not envision filling him up with Skittles and ice cream, but I do see those making an appearance from time to time in and amongst the foods that give him energy to grow and change and thrive. When I see that he is tired, either physically or emotionally, then I provide an environment and an opportunity for him to rest. I allow for time in his day to work as well as to play. And I shower him with love and forgiveness and then some more love.

I believe that in order to be our healthiest selves, we need to afford this same kind of attention and dedication to loving our own selves. Find time to play and find time to rest. Connect with others, but have a place to return to whenever we need to rejuvenate and center. Let go of the blame and negative thought patterns that do not serve our growth and potential. And eat to nourish our body, mind, and soul.

So which comes first? Do you have to love yourself before you can be healthy? Possibly. But let’s just imagine that they either go hand-in-hand or maybe that “first” doesn’t matter. If we love ourselves first, it might be easier to act with love, but if we don’t know how to do that yet, then we need another way. So start making the choices that look like love because as you grow in confidence and as you begin to trust that you will care for your needs, the love will also grow.

I read somewhere about how, if you’re feeling sad and you force yourself to smile or laugh, the act of those muscles being in a smiling state will signal to your brain that you are happier and the emotional state will begin to surface – even if your smile looks a bit like a grimace at first or your laugh sounds false. I believe this is similar to loving ourselves and the benefit that comes with that. Act in love and love will follow. That means that when you aren’t feeling it, maybe even especially in those times, act like you do. Make the choice for yourself that you would make for the one you love and then allow that love to ripple through you and change your trajectory.

Love, Me

Day 15 – The Details

5:00am – Black coffee

6:00am – 2 hard-boiled eggs, cucumber, baby kale/spinach mix, 1/4 avocado, turmeric aioli

10:00am – (post-workout) Can of tuna, celery, 1 Tbsp. raisins, turmeric aioli, banana w/ 2 tsp. almond butter

1:30pm – Thai ground beef and green beans on baby kale, a bit of Whole30 jerky

2:30pm – Macademia nuts, prunes, grapes

6:00pm – Turnip soup, ground turkey stuffed Portobello mushroom

7:30pm – Prunes

Food: I was hungry when I came home from the gym. It could be because I didn’t eat enough yesterday so today I was balancing out. I just tried to listen to my body and do what it needed. My worry was that I was hungrier simply because it was the weekend. In fact, I was hungry all day long and struggled to feel satisfied. I’m pretty sure at this point it wasn’t physical hunger. I just felt like snacking and the prunes were a sugar rush, I’m sure. Definitely the sweetest thing I’ve eaten in two weeks, much like the raisins the other day. I ate too many so it’s time to move away from those. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Mood: Fine mood all day but I was tired. I actually napped off and on and just couldn’t seem to be alert. Maybe it was the sugar from the prunes, but I think it was probably all combined. I was tired so my brain was looking for a boost. When I gave it something really sweet, I crashed.

Sleep: 7 1/2 hours. Maybe I’ll get 8 one of these days…

Activity: Weights

Focus – Meditate Daily: I found time in the evening. I like having this as a focus – it really reminds me that there is always time. I just need to make it.