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 24 is done!

Quote of the Day: Do all things with love.

I’m a sucker for just about anything that talks about love. This simple quote is probably one of my favorites that we’ve had during this process because it really speaks to me. This journey is so much about love. Love for ourselves. Love of food. Love of experimentation and rising to the occasion and living and loving life to the fullest. It just sums it all up.

If we are to live our lives in the healthiest way, then we need to figure out how to love the journey. For me, I would be extremely sad if someone said that in order for me to be healthy I would need to eat boring, flavorless food with very little variety. Truly, I would be devastated. And there have been times in my life when I thought that in order to be healthy and fit that I needed to eat fat-free yogurt with cardboard-like cereal mixed in and steamed veggies and plain grilled chicken breast…or some variation of those things. When I discovered that by choosing nutrient-dense, whole foods I could eat more in tune with my hunger, have it taste amazing, and find a healthy place, well…that’s when I was hooked. Eat delicious food and be healthy? Count me in!

There’s more to it than that, though, isn’t there? It’s about loving yourself enough to do that which makes you feel your best, even if it’s hard at times. And not losing sight of that. Last night’s quote about obstacles being what you see when you take your eyes off your goal, was a powerful quote too. We put up roadblocks to loving ourselves all the time, in so many ways. I think that negative self-talk is often an obstacle to reaching our goals and yet so many of us engage in it. I’ve gotten pretty good about being kinder to myself inside my head, but it definitely slips out sometimes. Just the other day I stepped out of the shower and caught myself mid-thought, actually berating myself for (over-)snacking on nuts and dried fruit. I’ve mentioned that it’s a thing for me and I said some not very nice stuff to myself. Then I realized what I was doing and stopped. Do all things with love. That includes talking to ourselves, acknowledging bad choices, accepting rough days, and more.

So please, as you go through your day today, remember to do all things with love. Then look back on your day and see how it might be different because you kept love at the forefront.

Day 24 – The Details

5:30am – Black coffee

7:15am – 2 eggs, slaw, 1/2 tsp. coconut oil, 1/4 avocado, sauerkraut

12:00pm – Curried chicken salad with lettuce, cucumbers, avocado, apple

2:30pm – Banana and almond butter with cinnamon

3:30pm – Carrots

5:00pm – Meatballs, broccoli-tomato salad, sweet potato

Food: Everything went pretty well today. I was oddly hungry off and on. Probably just trying to recalibrate a bit.

Mood: I felt mostly happy and light-hearted. My son was home sick from school, but not terribly sick, so it was nice to hang out with him.

Sleep: 6 1/2 hours. Seriously not enough lately. I really notice when I’m short 30 minutes to an hour. I wasn’t tired all day, but I just want those extra minutes.

Activity: None. 😦 With my job and charity event heating up, my sick kiddo, and my husband out of town, there just wasn’t any way for me to get my workout in.

Focus – No food at the computer: I blew this one today, but I caught myself. It was the carrots – so not something I’m particularly worried about eating, but I was eating them as a distraction while working. It’s usually when I’m super busy that I feel the urge to crunch on stuff. Better than all those almonds and raisins, but I was working and eating mindlessly. I’ll be tackling this again tomorrow.