Week 2 BodyFX Cleanse & Whole 30 Wrap-Up

The best thing about Week 2 of Whole30 is my strange "Oh hell, I just took a bite from a popcicle" dreams came to an end! Seriously, guys -- I had so many strange dreams in Week 1 where I bit into something sugary or filled with gluten, then spit it out and generally freaked out that I almost messed up this challenge! How crazy is that?

The worst thing about Week 2 of Whole30 is... well, to be honest, there isn't a worst thing. I was so scared that I would be angry and mopey and crying over my lost M&M's and ice cream, but I haven't missed them at all. I honestly can't believe it. Me! Without sugar cravings! It's a baby Jesus miracle.

Also, the splotchy red patches on my face seem to be disappearing. I have some new lame blemishes popping up, but I expected that, so I can deal for now. Here's my three week face-o-rama:

This picture freaks me out. It's like attack of the Kelly-clones.

I don't think you can really tell from the photos, but I feel like my wrinkles are even reducing! Amazing what happens when you give your body the water it needs. While taking the BodyFX Cleanse, which I finished on Day 10, it's uber-important to drink tons of water. Now that I'm back in the habit of drinking around 100 ounces of water a day, it's pretty much the only liquid I crave. Even the desire to drink wine is gone. And between Whole30 and CleanseFX, I'm down 12 pounds in the first 14 days! Unbelievable.

 Best meal of the week: Paleo Butternut Squash Lasagna, sans cheese.

Thanks to the brilliant minds at Health-Bent for this scrumptious meal!

Also, I used ground pork to make my own italian sausage instead of buying it prepackaged. And added olives and spinach. Oh lordy hallelujah, this stuff is good. I felt like I was eating a "bad" meal.

Worst meal of the week: I'm not sure I can call it a meal, but I've been juicing once a day just for the hell of it, and I added dandelion greens to one of my juices. A little bitter. Next time I'll need to add an extra fruit to sweeten it up a bit.

What was new in week 2?
This week I've also noticed a surge in energy. I don't feel like I need coffee -- but I definitely want it for the flavor. We haven't been working out, since I really wanted to focus on things I'm noticing with food, but I felt the need to get moving this week so we went on walks around the neighborhood each night and basically just adventured and checked things out. Again, I was struck by how much more laid back life is this way. Even with the time it takes to prep and cook our meals, we were still able to go on a 45-60 minute walk in the evening. I definitely prefer this to the old merry-go-round dizziness that we were speeding by on before. Somehow, we're doing more but we have more time. I can get used to this!

Also, chia seeds! I am in love with chia seeds. I'll share some yummy recipes later this week, and explain how eating gelatinous foods like chia seeds actually helps detox your body.

I expect I'll actually start some workouts in week 3, because my energy levels have increased and I finally feel the need to be active. I love the rewards of listening to my body instead of telling it what to do! I've been wanting to review Figure 8 Fitness for you guys, so this seems like a good time to get moving and do some dancing! Can't think of a better way to reintroduce more frequent workouts.

Sounds good to me!!

What are your workout plans for the week? I hope you keep it fun!

Week 1 - The Truth about Whole30 and BodyFX

I have officially made it 9 days eating the Whole30 way and using my BodyFX Cleanse. If you had told me 9 days ago that this week was going to be easy, I would have laughed heartily in your face.

Heartily, my friends.

Especially since the past week was the last week of school -- lots to do, tons of stress, and previously -- I would have shrugged my shoulders and complained that I was too busy and too tired.

But honestly, if you want to know what it's really like muddling through your first week with no sugar, grain, or dairy....

It's been pretty fanfreakingtastic! Over the last few months, The Hubs and I had gotten into the terrible habit of stopping off at whatever fast food joint or restaurant sounded good on the way home from work each day. I mean, that's supposed to be the easy way to do things, right?

But this week I realized something pretty profound. Even though it might be faster to swing through Taco Bell on the way home, I much more enjoy the time spent in the kitchen each night with my husband when we're prepping a delicious Whole30 meal. It takes a little more time, sure, but that time feels less rushed. It flows better. We throw on some good music and work side by side preparing our meal. We talk. Not just the rushed car conversation that happens when we're ordering out -- but real conversations. And more importantly -- we play. By the time our dinner is ready, we've been talking and laughing for a good hour.

I can't think of a better way to spend my pre-dinner time. And I'm delighted with the discovery that there really is enough time in the day to work and play. As always, it's all about mindset. I've decided what is truly important to me, and I won't let doubts or other obligations stand in my way.

In the past couple of years I have had a crazy strong addiction to sugar. I'm not saying I ate more than my fair share of M&M's or anything, but this year for Teacher Appreciation week, almost all my students gifted me with bags and boxes of M&Ms. Oh, the shame.

But this week, and I think this is mostly thanks to CleanseFX, I haven't had one craving for sweets. M&Ms have lost their hold on me! Queue the Hallelujah Bells! It also doesn't hurt that we watched Hungry for Change last week. If you guys haven't seen this documentary, you've definitely got to check it out. It's unreal the amount of poison and chemicals we ingest here in America without even thinking about it. The Hubs and I have decided to rewatch this documentary once a week until it all sinks in!

Oh, and as promised... here is what my pretty lil nekkid-face looks like one week into our Whole30 & BodyFX Challenge:

Left: Day 1, Right: Day 8

Thankfully, the Zit of Mass Proportions is calming it bad self down. I am noticing some red splotchiness appear, but I expected things to get worse before they get better. All those toxins need to bubble to the surface and get completely out of my system! One good thing I'm seeing is reduced puffiness -- in my face, hands, lower legs, and feet. In fact, after about 5 days, the chronic ache in my hip seems to have subsided. It's amazing what happens when you give your body the foods it needs to heal itself. Oh, and if all of that wasn't good enough -- I've also lost 9 pounds and found an increased amount of energy and general emotional outlook.

It's funny, the foods I ate when I originally began seeking a healthier lifestyle are no longer foods I will eat today. Although they were healthy to me back in 2007 and they did help me lose 100 pounds, I have learned so much more about nutrition and general health since then. I now know they aren't the foods my body needs to become as healthy as possible. My journey is constantly transforming, and I love that.

The more I learn -- the more educated I become -- the more primal my beliefs are.

Ironic, isn't it?

Here's looking forward to week 2! I'll try to share some of our fave Whole30 recipes and maybe even some of our more primal health and wellness thoughts throughout the week on our Off the Merry-go-Round Facebook page -- if you haven't been there yet, you should definitely check it out!

#AtoZchallenge The Art of Quitting

For a girl raised in a house full of TV Dinners and Fast Food, where sports was something for boys, and a Twinkie and a Coke were an acceptable breakfast, I feel like I've made some significant changes in my life.

Still, giving up my food fixations is an ongoing battle. It's not rare for me to wake up craving a cookie, or have a stressful day and dream of lounging on the couch with a pint of Ben & Jerry's. No joke. That saying, "Stop rewarding yourself with food -- you're not a dog" may have been written for me.

It's not easy to give up the desire to eat my emotions away. When not being mindful, I'll find myself munching on french fries or tossing back chocolate cereal like a pill popper. Not a pretty image, but an honest one.

I've often compared my food issues with someone that has a drug or alcohol addiction. And why not? Fast food and processed foods are designed to chemically affect a person in a way to make you want to continue eating these things. These are foods geared to trigger your cravings to spike over and over again, creating a no-win situation for a person wanting a healthier life.

That's why I believe the best way to quit the fast food habit is to go cold turkey all at once. No cheat meals, no rewarding all your efforts to be healthy with a cheeseburger and fries.

Just quit eating crap.

Easier said than done, but not impossible. I have to remind myself of this all the time. I deserve a healthy body, and the effort that goes into creating a healthy life. This is especially important for me to remember when I have a series of bad days in a row! For me, a bad day can often mean bad food -- which just makes me feel worse! Having some go-to motivational sayings memorized and equipped as reminders of what is truly important to me is a great way for me to stay on the right path when it comes to quitting the fast food habit.

What do you do to keep your bad habits at bay?

#AtoZchallenge - Go Green Guide to Fitness

Is Green the Color of Fitness?

Remember when kids used to giggle behind their hands when someone held up a green M&M? No? Is that just me? 

How about green being the color of envy? Or Kermit telling us from his lonely swamp that it's not easy being green? Surely those references mean something to you!

Green is a color that really gets around. And here in the Land o' Fitness, we loves us some green, too.

Why, you ask?

1. Green tea revs your metabolism!
2. Green smoothies pack in a crazy amount of veggies and make a great start to any day.
3. You need to eat a wide variety of green leafy veggies every day - think spinach, kale, swiss chard, and even cabbage!
4. Beyond the leafy stuff, add some broccoli, brussel sprouts, asparagus, and artichoke to your diet - so yummy and good for you.
5. Avocados! Need I say more?
6. Have you ever even tried baked zucchini fries? You guys! You don't know what you're missing.
7. Need a sweet treat? Green grapes, granny smith apples, and kiwi to the rescue!
8. Grass-fed beef and poultry! It's like green meat, but without any illness involved. But just remember, you want your meat to be eating the veggies, not the grain. Or cement. Or whatever other weird things all those non-grass eatin' animals are digesting!
9. Edamame! Okay, okay, I know this one is controversial, but I have a strong love for these little soybean wonders and I think as long as you aren't tossing them back like an extra large bucket of popcorn each day, you're probably fine. 
10. Working out in the great, GREEN outdoors is so good for you! Whenever possible, take a run outside instead of on the treadmill. Barefoot running is so fabulous it almost makes me enjoy running! Or do your yoga at sunrise outdoors and grab some Vitamin D. (Uhm, unless you live around crazy pollution or some post-apocalyptic funk. In that case, I'd stay inside.)

So there you have it, friends. My Go Green Guide to Fitness! I challenge you to give these a try and see how you feel. Double dog, even.