Why I’m Doing a Whole30

I’m doing a Whole30! (?!) I honestly never thought I’d jump on this bandwagon… but here we are!

I honestly can’t believe I am saying this… But it’s January 2017 and I am doing a Whole30.
It feels weird writing (typing) that. I’ve told some friends and family over the past week which also feels weird to my ears. I get everything from “Oh what’s that?” to “Ugh why?” to “Good for you!”

If you’re not familiar with The Whole30 Program it’s essentially a very “clean” diet free from certain food groups including dairy, grains, and legumes. And zero added sugar. Oh and no alcohol. All for 30 days straight. No cheating, no breaking the rules. The reason for ridding your diet of these types of foods for 30 days is that there are likely certain foods and ingredients affecting your system in a negative way, without truly realizing it. So 30 days without these inflammatory foods is said to help reduce systemic inflammation, get a healthy metabolism back, and give you more energy.

No matter what judgement you pass– I don’t blame you. I had that mindset too when it started to become more mainstream. I am an advocate for eating what’s right for you and don’t really follow any particular diet. I like a diet that is a combination of everything in moderation (okay and lots of avocados but I guess those too in moderation…). So for me to jump into the Whole30 realm kind of feels like going against what I normally preach and practice myself.  But I’ve thought long and hard about this, and have actually considered doing one for over a year (once I did my research about why one does a Whole30 in the first place). I am finally at a place in my life where I am no longer obsessing over my food, which led to stress and anxiety. Which is why I think I avoided the Whole30 for so long. But I have a much better relationship with food now and know this will not turn into an obsessive behavior. There are so many more reasons behind why I am doing the Whole30 today.

Why I decided to do a whole30

I’m in the mood for a challenge

Is that weird? It is true though. And I can say I’ve never felt like that before–especially when it comes to challenges involving food and diet. I have never been on a strict mainstream diet because most are treated as a quick fix. But I know that is not what the Whole30 is about. And while I know there will be challenges along the way (Uhh 30 days without chocolate?) I am determined to see this through.

I want to break out of my comfort zone

I’ve been eating the same kinds of foods for quite some time now. And while I find different ways to enjoy them, I just want a little more oomph when it comes to my meals. Speaking of meals, you guys know I love love love baking. So when I initially agreed (with myself, ha) that I was going to do a Whole30, almost instantly I thought “Oh my gosh, how am I going to do a Whole30 AND share healthy baked goods on the blog?!” Well… I’m not. For the entire month of January there will not be any baked goods or healthier desserts. (Ugh, that was hard to write.) But my comfort is in baking and I want to get out of the comfort zone with you. I always say I want to share more meals with you and this is the perfect way to hold myself accountable and give you all amazing healthy recipes that mostly anyone can enjoy. I’m actually pretty excited about it!

I’m hoping for clearer skin and better digestive health

I shared with you all last year in the midst of a very stressful time that my psoriasis was flaring up. It’s just something that runs in my family and shows itself when I am under a large amount of stress. Thankfully I haven’t had any flareups since the summer time. However what I have noticed lately is that I’ve been struggling with deep cystic pimples (ugh I hate that word, BTW. “pimples”, bleck) on my chin. The painful kind that take almost 2 weeks to go away. And obviously I am not a doctor, but I do have to wonder if my hormones are out of whack.

And last but not least, for my digestive health. Thankfully I do not have any allergies or intolerance that I am aware of, however I do get the gas and bloating associated with most soy, and legumes, which is just not comfortable. Not to mention I’m sure there are plenty of ingredients in various products that could very well be causing me issues, I just haven’t taken the time to give it much thought to be honest. I love so many kinds of foods! 🙂

Do I have any concerns?

Yeah, totally. No chocolate. No Siggi’s. No feta or goat cheese. No Perfect Bars. No (non-dairy) creamer in my coffee…

Okay, I should stop with the “no’s”.  

But actually those are legitimate concerns of mine. I mean I love chocolate and probably have some every day. Not an absurd amount… but I just really love a piece of dark chocolate after dinner. So that is going to be tough. But it’s only 30 days, right? RIGHT.  And it’s going to be great! There are a ton of other bloggers doing a Whole30 this month as well. So there will be plenty of recipes going around if you want to jump in!

Over the past few days I’ve realized I actually have several adaptable recipes already here on Fit Mitten Kitchen that is going to make my meal planning a heck of a lot easier too!

 

Spicy Chicken Cashew Zucchini Noodles

*hold the honey in the sauce and sub sriracha with red pepper flakes or a homemade Whole30 approved sriracha

Asian Tempeh Lettuce Wraps

*use your choice of meat for the filling. For the sauce use coconut aminos, almond butter instead of peanut and leave out the molasses.

Sweet Potato Beet Salad with Balsamic Date Dressing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good as is!

 

Greek Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Bowls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*hold the feta*

 

 

EASY PEASY!

 

Let’s Chat

• Have you done a Whole30? Any words of wisdom?
• Have you done any other kind of strict diets for a short period of time?

 

If you make any of these recipes, don’t forget to tag me so I can see! I love seeing what you’ve made!

#fitmittenkitchen #JanuaryWhole30

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