Day Four

I remembered to take photos of Friday... YAY! We were still a little sleepy when the alarms when off on Day Four, but we were still able to make our breakfast, pack our lunches, make a trip to Whole Foods, and be at work on time by 10am. I know most of you are thinking that by 10am you've already been hard at work for about two-three hours, but we typically work evening and night shifts, so we generally get off of work around 10 or 10:30pm... so there's that factor.

A couple of dear friends, Marti and Lee, gave us Danielle Walker's Against All Grain cookbooks as an early wedding gift. Marti has a gluten and dairy intolerance and found these cookbooks to be great resources, so she shared them with us. Our lunch was one of the recipes found in these books (we just had to omit the red wine) and it was delicious! Incredibly tender, juicy and very rich. Perfect filling meal for a crappy day of yet more Chicago winter.

Breakfast: Omelets with Red Pepper and Broccoli, Bacon
Snack: Dehydrated Strawberries (for me)
Lunch: Crockpot Pork Roast with Veggies and Sweet Potatoes, Raw Veggies, and Banana Chia Pudding (for me), Leftover "Burgers" and a banana (for Jason)
Dinner: Shrimp and Sautéed Cauliflower, Apple with Almond Butter (for me), Crockpot Pork Roast (for Jason)

I'm trying to cut back on the times I am needing to have a snack each day, while also not allowing myself to become overly hungry either. I have found that simply increasing my portions at each meal often leads to me not being able to finish everything before I am too full, but that a small snack such as some veggies, a piece of fruit or a cup of applesauce is usually plenty to help me bridge meals.

I picked up a few things at Whole Foods today, but these LaraBars were something we decided might not be bad to have around. They are made with dates, fruits, nuts and spices, but no added sugars or oils. This is not true for all the LaraBar flavors though, so read the labels carefully! These aren't something we plan to incorporate into our daily meals and snacks, but are shelf stable so we can each stash one or two at work or in our bags so that in a emergency situation we have something that won't blow all our efforts out of the water.

Day Three

Day Three has passed, which means we are 10% of the way through our program! I like to think I am one of those "glass half full" kinda gals. Unless this is drinking contest... then it's half empty ;)

Anywho, we woke up yesterday feeling tired. No headaches, body aches, or other "Charlie Sheen" side effects, just simply tired. But after dragging ourselves downstairs, making omelets with bacon and drinking a glass of water, we both began to perk up. This timeline found on the Whole30 website is something I find to be hilarious, yet honest, when it comes to what you can expect day by day as your program progresses (it'll explain the Charlie Sheen reference). All in all, none of our side effects have been even close to as intense as this explains, but I'm A-OK with that.

Confession: I failed on an epic level and didn't take a single photo of what was on the menu yesterday. I'm hoping you'll forgive me and that you can envision what the following would look like.

Breakfast: Red Pepper Omelets, Bacon, and Sweet Potato Hash
Snack: Dried Strawberries
Lunch: Sautéed Mahi Mahi and Sautéed Cauliflower
Dinner: Leftover Fish, Spinach salad, and Apple with Almond Butter (for me) and Taco Lettuce Cups, a puree pouch, applesauce and veggies (for Jason)
Snack: Banana Chia Pudding (for me) and an Apple (for Jason)

I know, I know, I left a decent bit to be imagined. On the plus side, most of these items are bound to make a repeat appearance in the next 26 days, so I'll try to be better about the photos.

Jason had a little bit of an annoyance yesterday, which brings me back to my advice about reading It Starts with Food. If you are considering doing a Whole30, read the book, just trust me. I am giving a lot of credit for feeling so positive at this point to the fact that I really allowed myself to mentally prepare, understand and plan for what I was getting into. Jason didn't read the book and pretty much gave me the "yea, I'm doing it. I don't need to constantly talk or think about it" attitude leading up to the start of our 30. This came back to bite him a little last night when he asked me to send him a text with all the ingredients he had to avoid so he could try to pick something from a local bar menu when out with some coworkers. To his dismay, water and the package of roasted almonds he had from the gas station were his only options. He's a big kid, so if he wanted to go out with the guys and have to fight off those temptations, power to him. For me, my eight hour day at work takes enough resistance, so I'll be staying away from the greasy, delicious, and off limit torture of the bars and restaurants.

Day Two

Day Two started with Jason making omelets and more sweet potato hash. We have quickly determined that we have got to get our hands on some approved ketchup... but the lovely Shannon also gave me the tip to roast the sweet potatoes in the oven with bacon instead of in the oven and the need for ketchup no longer exists. I'll have to give that a shot this week... because, let's be honest, you can't really go wrong with bacon.  Did I mention Jason had never eaten, let alone made, an omelet prior to this? Yea, he somehow magically pulls these kinds of things off every now and then.

Lunch was going to be coconut shrimp and steamed broccoli. For as lucky as Jason got for breakfast, I didn't have as much success with the shrimp. I'm determined to get these to work on another day, because as good as they looked, the breading just didn't crisp well and they were somewhat mushy, which was a huge disappointment. Jason had to leave for work in under 45 minutes, so he made a smoothie.  I ate a "Burger" for lunch, which is what he took for dinner. All in all, we were both happy with our meals, but not nearly as happy as I would've been with coconut shrimp.

Breakfast - Omelet with Red Bell Peppers and Broccoli, Sweet Potato Hash
Lunch - Coconut Shrimp and Steamed Broccoli   "Burgers" (Seasoned beef burgers with sliced tomato, wrapped in romaine lettuce for me),
Smoothie of Kale, Spinach, Orange Juice, Banana, and Frozen Berries for Jason)
Dinner - "Burgers" (for Jason), Spinach Salad with oranges, apples, pumpkin seeds, toasted pecans, red bell peppers and tangy orange dressing (for me)
Snacks - Veggies with Guacamole and Apple with Almond Butter

By about 2pm I had come to the realization that watching TV is highly inconvenient when there are three back-to-back commercials for foods you can't eat right now. First was yogurt, can't have yogurt. Second was a Dairy Queen Blizzard, thanks a lot... that's salt in a wound. And last but not least, the Olive Garden commercial with steaming breadsticks being brushed with butter. WHY!?!?! Why is this torture happening?!?! I was having a huge craving for a hot fudge brownie sundae around 4pm, which is when I decided even vacuuming and mopping would be more enjoyable that those thoughts, so the house work began and the veggies and guac had to suffice. Jason struggled to fend off the pressure of deep dish pizza at work, even though co-workers were adding to the struggle with comments like "just one slice, it won't kill you". No, it wouldn't kill him, but it will get better, and the fact that he's sticking it out is awesome. I love your teamwork (or competitive side), honey!

I also started the prep work for Day Three's menu - Taco Lettuce Wraps and Braised Pork in the Crockpot, and stayed up later than planned to make clarified butter and homemade ketchup. Yes, I stayed up late making ketchup. That was mainly for Jason, as he decided the burgers also needed ketchup, however I do miss it on my hash in the mornings. But the butter... Oh my word, sweet Paula Dean, that stuff made me go weak in the knees. *Use it only sparingly, Jordan, you are only to use it sparingly* But....Can you smell the golden goodness?

Day One

It's here! And actually, it's already gone. Yesterday was our Day One of the Whole30. We did a lot of prep work after grocery shopping on Monday, which helped us get off to a good start. We chopped veggies, grilled a few chicken breasts, and reorganized our cabinets to put only Whole30 approved foods within sight and reach. The last thing I wanted was to feel like we were struggling to keep up on Day One, and it seems to have worked thus far. The meals we ate yesterday were:

Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs with Red Bell Pepper and Asparagus, Sweet Potato Hash
Lunch - Apple with almond butter, Raw Veggies with Guacamole, Sliced Turkey Breast
Dinner - Seared Chicken Breast with Steamed Asparagus, Apple with Almond Butter
Snack - Applesauce cup

Overall, we both didn't feel much different during Day One. I had a minor headache throughout the day, but nothing more significant than what I usually experience a few times a week. Jason said he felt that he needed more food to fend off hunger, so we will probably up the protein in our meals tomorrow to help avoid snacking. I drank my recommended amount of water, but Jason killed it with over 100 oz. of water yesterday!

P.S. - Those guacamole cups are awesome! Individual portions of compliant, organic guac (found at Costco) that I can grab on my way out the door?! Yes please!

Get Ready, Get Set...

My mom was visiting this past weekend, which is always a great time. Our families have their own lists of favorite Chicago eateries, and we also make it a point to try new places each visit as well. Jason had to work Saturday night, so us girls were able have a night out for Sushi, which we love, but Jason could live without. I had to work during the day Sunday, so she and Jason met me for our favorite Pulled Pork Nachos at Derby for lunch, then headed off to Lagunitas Brewery for some "wedding research". After work we made a couple shopping stops and then hit up Honey Butter Fried Chicken (which pretty much sums up how awesome it is simply by reading the name), and turned in early. We went to brunch at Bakin' and Eggs on Monday morning then did a bit more shopping and running around before heading down town. Mom's train was scheduled to leave the city at 4pm, so we planned for a late lunch at a pizza place I had spotted a few months ago in the Fulton Market District. Parlor Pizza Bar has officially earned the top spot in my pizza book -- wood-fired thin crust pizza, hand-crafted toppings and cocktails, awesome vibe... yea, I'll be back.

So in other words, we did a lot of eating. It wasn't necessarily our intention to enjoy all our favorites prior to diving into the Whole30, but that's kind of how it worked out. After all that indulging, we dropped Mom off at the train station and headed to do our grocery shopping. We did what we consider "the full rounds" and hit Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Aldi, Stanley's Produce and Costco. Before anyone says "there's no way I'm going to five different stores", that's ok, I only do this about once a month, sometimes less. Could I get everything I needed at Whole Foods, yes, but it would cost me probably twice as much. And given that for us, all these stores are within 3 miles of our house, it makes sense to take the extra time and save a few bucks.

Our groceries included things like:
 - Bacon           - Pork Shoulder          - Chicken Sausages           - Coconut Milk            - Tomato Juice
 - Zucchini       - Almond Butter         - Broccoli                        - Cauliflower               - Avocadoes
 - Bananas        - Sweet Potatoes         - Onions                          - Eggs                         - Spinach
 - Oranges        - Orange Juice            - Snap Peas                      - Baby Carrots             - Wild Salmon
 - Kale              - Ground Beef            - Guacamole                    - Bell Peppers              - Deli Turkey
 - Apples          - Butter (to clarify)     - Butternut Squash           - Romaine                    - Tomatoes

I probably am forgetting a few things, but also note that some items we already had on hand like garlic, spices, chicken breasts, mahi mahi, shrimp, some nuts and seeds, as well as a few canned goods that are compliant.

Once we got home we heated up leftovers from the weekend for dinner and got to work washing, chopping, and portioning lots of the produce so that we could speed up the process for making meals throughout the week. I also took any foods, seasonings, snacks, etc. that we had on hand that do not comply with Whole30 and stashed those in our pantry, which allowed for the cabinets to be completely compliant. Out of sight, out of mind... or at least that's what I'm going for. Here's a glimpse of what our setup currently looks like:

 

 

I also plan to post our March meal plan soon so you can see what we will be enjoying in the next few weeks!

The Full Disclosure

I've mentioned Whole30 a few times now, but I'm sure many of you are still wondering what that is exactly. Whole30 is, in the words of Dallas and Melissa Hartwig (the founders of the program), a "nutritional program designed to change your life in 30 days. Think of it as a short-term nutritional reset, designed to help you put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract, and balance your immune system."

But what exactly does one do if they are partaking in the program? Simply put, you eliminate the major food culprits that are scientifically proven to wreak the most havoc on our bodies, and feed your body nothing but the most nutritious, balanced, and healing foods possible for 30 straight days. Not 15 days, not 22 days, 30 whole days. It has been said that it takes 30 days to develop a new habit, and our bodies deserve that amount of time to adapt to their new, and better, resources. So let's get down to it. The following items are completely off limits for the 30 day stent:

- All forms of grains. Including, but not limited to, wheat, barley, rice, corn, quinoa, etc.
- All forms of dairy, with the exception of clarified butter (also referred to as ghee)
- All beans and legumes. This includes peanuts, black beans, pinto beans, navy beans, & many more.
- All forms of sugar. No added sweeteners, whether they be natural, refined or artificial.
- No alcohol or tobacco.

So what on earth am I supposed to eat?!?! Lots of lean, high quality meat, eggs and seafood. Tons of leafy greens and vegetables, a good amount of fruits, and a moderate amounts of nuts, seeds and healthy fats. But who gets to dictate "healthy" from non-healthy? This, my friends, is why you really need to read It Starts with Food. This book will explain exactly why each item in question was either strategically included or excluded from your 30 days. This book will guide you on your journey, so let it.

The Whole30 has yielded some tremendous results for the tens of thousands of individuals who have taken the plunge and completed the program since it was created in 2009. Some of these results, as shared on the Whole30 website include things like better sleep, clearer skin, weight loss, improved body composition, more energy, improved ability to focus and dramatically reduced cravings for things like carbohydrates and sugars. But what the testimonials of participants also show are dramatic improvements and some say "cures" for much more serious conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, asthma, allergies, sinus infections, skin conditions, endometriosis, PCOS, infertility, migraines, depression, bipolar disorder, heartburn, GERD, arthritis, joint pain, ADD, thyroid dysfunction, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, lupus, leaky gut syndrome, Crohn’s, IBS , Celiac disease, diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis... need I say more?

Yes, I should say more. I should take the time right now to state that I am not a doctor, nutritionist or certified health coach. Prior to making any dramatic changes to your diet or lifestyle, especially if you suffer from any serious or chronic conditions, please consult your doctor. I am not in any position to give medical advice, I simply am choosing to share my experiences with those reading so that you can choose to further educate and investigate the options and lifestyles that are available to you. All in all, I believe we each deserve to be the best we can be, and for that reason, I hope you find what you are looking for.

The Sugar Trap

As we began preparing for our Whole30 we talked about the pros and cons of a program like this, as well as what we hoped to gain (or in certain cases, loose) through this project. We also talked about setting ourselves up for success, planning ahead, and trying to outsmart the temptations that we knew would come up.

We picked our dates strategically. A block of 30 days where we had no special occasions taking place, no family or friends scheduled to come stay with us, and no other foreseen special events on our calendar. We blocked off our dates to be February 24 though March 25, and we chose our dates this way for a couple of reasons. First, by committing to our dates almost a full month in advance, we gave ourselves plenty of time to research, prepare and mentally gear up for this. We love our friends, families, co-workers, etc. but we didn't want our challenge to make them feel restricted, nor did we want to loose focus due to other more tempting distractions. These dates will allow us to have a pretty consistent structure in which we can focus on what we are doing and why we are doing it.

While we chose our dates somewhat strategically, that doesn't mean our daily lives cease to exist. We will still have to work our full-time jobs, keep up with housework, errands and the like as we would any other 30 days of the year. I think this where most people seemingly get overwhelmed by a program such as Whole30. The idea of choosing to engage in a restrictive set of food rules while carrying on with work, school, kids, extra curricular activities, company outings, and so forth seems like there will be constant obstacles to avoid. And there probably will be, but keep your eyes on the prize. Remember why you are doing this to begin with. Sure, if we could isolate ourselves to the comforts of home where only compliant foods were within sight and didn't have to worry about or focus on anything other than feeding our bodies the nutritious and healing foods of the program, then yes, it would probably be much simpler. But no one ever said it was simple, and if it were, everyone would have already done it by now.

Much of It Starts with Food emphasizes the importance of planning ahead. The Hartwig's stress how potentially self destructive you can be to your own success by letting yourself get caught off guard and unprepared when hunger strikes. They recommend planning our your meals, doing as much prep work ahead of time as possible, and always having nutritious, compliant foods at the ready in case you feel a snack attack coming on. You can see what my meal planning strategy looks like on the Meal Plans page. In our family, we have a joke about how some of us get "hangry" if we don't eat when we need to. In our world, "hangry" refers to the irritable, tense, shaky and sometimes even nauseous feeling that comes over you when your body has been deprived of food and is not happy about it. I personally have had to leave a nice restaurant while waiting for our table to get some crackers from the 7Eleven down the street. Not my proudest moment, but I knew that I had already held out beyond my level of reasonably hungry, and that my blood sugar was beginning to rapidly drop. 2 crackers and a bottle of water later and I was content and able to enjoy my meal that followed within the next hour. Seems dramatic, but it happens, and it happens to many people. Our bodies are designed to signal us when they need nutrients, and when we shake those signals off because we are too busy, in a rush, or the rest of our party isn't hungry yet, sometimes disaster can strike. Moral of the story, don't let yourself get to the "hangry" phase.

Remember earlier when I said this would be much easier without having to go to work each day and carry on with our normal routines? Well, I wasn't kidding.

But if I can do it while surrounded by that kind of temptation eight hours a day, then I have full faith that you can as well!

Where are we now?

Yesterday I talked about how we got started on this whole healthy lifestyle adventure, and today I find it fitting to talk about where we are at this point.

I found the blog 100 Days of Real Food just over a year ago. Lisa, the author, blogs about her family's pledge to eliminate processed foods from their world. Herself, her husband and their two daughters took a 100 day pledge to eat a whole food diet after she started learning more about the American food system, its additives and the questionable ingredients that often make their way into our foods. Once I began reading Lisa's blog, that's when I really got serious about not just swapping a less healthy choice with a better version of itself, but actually learning to read and understand ingredient labels to help me make better decisions for our household.

Our 2014 New Year's Resolution was to eliminate as many processed and refined foods as possible, and base our diets around the best organic, local, and whole foods available to us. We used up many of the items in our house gradually, and slowly but surely our pantry, fridge and freezer transformed. Where there used to be Poptarts, you will now find whole grain, organic cereal and bread, along with fresh fruits and free-range organic eggs. Where there once was ice cream, there are now a variety of frozen berries, seafood and lean proteins. Our intention was to create a healthy, balanced diet at home, and be ok knowing that the world around us will still involve some less-than-stellar offerings from time to time. We had no intention of giving up ice cream, french fries, pizza and burgers for the rest of time. But what we did intend, and have since stuck with, is to enjoy these foods only on occasion, moderately, and to seek a locally crafted, high quality option.

We quickly fell in love with a new restaurant in our neighborhood that is centered upon locally farmed, family owned, organic ingredients. We only eat out 1-2 times per month, which means that the majority of our food we prepare ourselves. I enjoy cooking, and this also allows us to control what goes into our bodies. In Food Rules, Michael Pollan says, "Eat all the junk food you want, as long as you cook it yourself." The concept behind this phrase is that you are much less likely to consume something like french fries everyday if you have to wash, cut, soak, fry, and season them yourself versus simply pulling into the drive through of your favorite fast food joint. Most people, including us, are not going to go through that much effort on a regular basis, which in turn, keeps your indulging to a reasonable level.

One thing I want to remain clear through all of this is that we are not perfect people, nor perfect eaters, exercisers, or any of the like. We simply aim to be conscience of the decisions we make regarding food and our health, and allow those decisions to fuel our lifestyle. Our diet today consists of approximately 95% homemade meals, composed of almost entirely organic ingredients. There are certain items that are not available to us in an organic option, and for these we simply choose the best option there is, or omit them, depending on the situation. I'll talk about this in more depth at a later time, but I have been impressed over this past year at how much our options have expanded. There are some items, such as salad dressings, dipping sauces and other condiments that are surprisingly easy and quick to make yourself, and doing so eliminates a lot of questionable additives that are found in store bought versions. And here's a little secret, quality food just simply tastes better. Period.

While we have made leaps and bounds of improvement in just little over a year, we both still struggle with certain cravings that are hard to kick. For Jason, that's fast food. Things like Arby's roast beef and cheddar sandwiches, Taco Bell quesadillas, and Pizza Hut bread sticks are hard to resist. For me, I have a serious sweet tooth and a love for salty snacks as well. Part of what we hope to gain from our Whole30 challenge is a break away from the love affair we have with these items once and for all. Stay tuned for a future post outlining more of our goals for the Whole30 as well as how we are preparing for the challenge!

How it all Started

If you are reading this, it's probably because you have some level of interest in leading a healthy lifestyle. And if that's a correct assumption, then its probably safe to assume that this isn't the first blog, book, or article you've ever found yourself looking at that is based on health. If this second assumption is also correct, then I'm going to go for a third by guessing that you, like myself, have at one time or another felt completely and totally overwhelmed by all the information on this topic, and so much so that it almost makes you want to give up altogether. Did I do it? Did I get a three out of three?

I've been in those shoes, and some days still come across things that really make me wonder why I am so passionate about sticking to it. And then I have days where I reflect back to when I first started to be my own advocate; when I watched my first documentary, read my first book, or made an active change in a habit I had been accustomed to before. That's when I realize how far I have come, and when I see how many positive things have come from continuing on this path. And for the record, my "first documentary" and "first book" simply refer to ones geared toward our food system and healthy lifestyles, I have watched/read other materials long before this :)

The first documentary I watched regarding this whole process was Super Size Me when I was in high school. It was played during one of my Foods and Nutrition classes, and believe me there is some startling information disclosed in this documentary about how a certain fast-food chain, when consumed excessively, is a poor health decision. But, at the time, even as grossed out as I was by some of the effects the person in this documentary went through, I somehow continued on with my life without many changes. I told myself, "well, yeah, if I were eating fast food every day, I would have those types of issues, but I don't eat fast food that much." On average, I would guess that I had a fast food meal maybe two times per week during high school. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but generally speaking, fast food wasn't making up the bulk of my diet.

During my first year of pastry school, the documentary Food Inc. was part of our curriculum. This one opened my eyes a little more to the types of marketing, regulation, and quality standards that are in place for foods sold in the United States. Prior to this film, I would have considered myself a pretty "normal" consumer when it came to grocery purchases. I preferred lean cuts of meat and seasonal veggies, but didn't pay any attention to where these animals were raised or where my crops were grown. If they appeared fresh and were at a good price, I happily tossed them in my cart and went along my merry way. After exposure to this film though, I began to have a slightly more cautious approach toward certain brands, certain types of products, and certain marketing terms, but all-in-all, I didn't make a day-and-night transformation of the foods we were eating.

Moving along to my second year of pastry school, when Michael Pollan's Food Rules was a book I had to report on. This book, while incredible easy to read, short, simple and straightforward, was the beginning of a turning point. A turning point that happened gradually, but a turning point nonetheless. Pollan's explanation of very blunt yet obvious recommendations on how to eat served as a gentle shove. Suddenly I felt that, "why am I not doing these things? I can easily do these things", feeling. And so I slowly but surely started making changes. I stopped buying white bread and started to search for whole wheat, I stopped buying low-fat yogurt in place of whole milk yogurt, and I realized that colorful, sugar-coated cereals should probably be a thing of the past. The more small changes I implemented, the more I wanted to learn, and the more changes that followed. I sourced more reading materials and more documentaries about this topic that was quickly becoming more and more important to me. And over time, Jason started to gain interest as well. Being that I do the majority of grocery shopping and cooking, he was already engulfed in most of these changes whether he liked it or not, but hey, I'll take it. We found ourselves watching more and more late night Netflix, but about food and health! And we grew more and more driven and excited about the changes we were making, but also more angered about how our food system is lacking and how many people don't know better -- and how we didn't for a long while either.

I guess what I am getting at here is that for us, this journey has been a bit of a snowball effect. We've picked up steam as we go, and by no means was this an overnight success. We've had triumphs and we've had times were we fall off course. But we started, and we keep going, and that is what's important here. We continue to want to be better, to be healthier, and as long as you start somewhere, you can too. My Resources page has links to the sources I mentioned here, plus many more to get your gears turning. I encourage you to read or watch a few of them, and if you are like us, you'll find it hard to stop.

Why am I doing this?

So why am I starting a blog? Great question; I wasn't really sure myself for some time. Jason has encouraged me to start a blog for years now. He's always told me I should write about the things (he thinks) I'm good at. Things like cooking. baking, budgeting. meal planning... but my response to this idea was usually along the lines of, "Why me? There are already blogs out there about these things. Who's going to read what I have to say?" And so for years, I never took the plunge.

So what changed? I posted a photo to my personal Facebook page of a book I have been reading titled It Starts with Food. The book is written by husband and wife team Dallas and Melissa Hartwig and is a whole new perspective on how our relationship with food affects our health. I know, I know, you're probably saying something along the lines of "sure, another diet book", but this isn't just another diet book. In fact, it isn't about dieting at all. It's about truly changing how you perceive food and how your mental, hormonal, and emotional connections with food can either make you or break you. That sounds intense, but let me explain. The book is written in two parts; one part scientific explanation, and one part program, designed to put you back in control of your health. Part one explains how our brains and hormones can be very negatively skewed by the foods that we eat, or more accurately put, the food-like substances that are a part of many American diets. They explain how the American food system has evolved in many ways over the past 100 years, and how science has also evolved to expose us to the truth behind certain foods or food myths.

For example, remember the Atkins diet? Where all carbs were once deemed bad for you? But now, marketing is all about telling you how good whole grains, brown rice and quinoa are for you! So which is it?! What about the idea that FATS are what make us fat? Remember when all you heard about were things like "Zero Trans Fat", "Low-Fat Wheat Thins" and "Reduced Fat Cheese"? Nowadays, we are hearing all sorts of new information about how healthy fats should be added to our diets, such as coconut oil, omega 3 and avocado oil. See how easily and quickly you can become confused and overwhelmed?

And that's the problem -- without fully understanding why certain foods are deemed bad or others are deemed good, many of us dive into a new fad diet or try to tackle some weight loss program simply because we know someone else who has had success in losing weight this way. It Starts with Food  is a resource that helps you to understand the why, and how to take control once and for all. How many of us know someone who has gone on some type of "low-cal", "low-fat" or "shake-supplement" type of diet and lost weight? The answer would be most of us. But how many of us know people who have gone on a diet of this sort who regained that weight later down the road? Again, the answer would be most of us. Dallas and Melissa wrote their book with the goal (and evidence to back it up) to teach people how to successfully and healthfully conquer their dietary demons for long-term health. See how I didn't say "conquer their weight loss goals"? And see where it says "long-term health"...? That's because this program is about far more than loosing weight. It's about educating you and empowering you to live a healthy life for the rest of your life. It's a lifestyle change, not a diet.

So what on earth does all of this have to do with writing a blog? Well, as I found this book and the Whole30 program (part two of the book) I began to realize that MANY of the things I was unhappily experiencing were things that this type of program had showed to help with. Things like poor sleep quality, aches and pains that are not due to overuse or injury, regular headaches, low energy... These are the things that I personally suffer from, and at my age, I shouldn't. As I began to talk with others about this program, I realized it was something I wanted to commit to. Something I wanted to see if I could improve through. I found a set of friends who were already embarking on the program themselves, and I found others who said that they've heard of it and want to, but it seems daunting or impossible. And that, right there, is why I am blogging. I read numerous other blog testimonies to this program, but always felt that if I actually knew these people, real-life knew these people and their careers, their daily routines, and so forth, that I would be able to better relate to their journey. So this, this blog/adventure/challenge/sounds-slightly-crazy, thing that I am doing, I am doing it for my own health, but for your motivation. We all have our own obstacles and lives that get in the way sometimes, but this is 30 days. 30 days that could change everything. I'm not saying it will be easy, but I am certain it won't be the hardest thing in life. Birthing children (or so I am told) is hard. fighting cancer is hard, saying a final farewell to a loved one is hard. THIS is not hard, and if I can do it, anyone can. So I am hoping that whomever is reading this will stick around to see it through. I promise to be honest about the struggles and the success, and I could use a virtual team of cheerleaders as well. So who's with me?

Who's behind the Blog?

My name is Jordan. I'm a twenty-something bride-to-be living with my fiancé, Jason, in Chicago. We moved here right out of high school to chase our career dreams. For him, it was Network and Administration Management, and for me; Baking and Pastry. Throughout college we both worked part-time hours while attending full-time classes, figured out through trial and error that being an adult isn't always the most fun, and ultimately lived a pretty normal, yet slightly boring, life. We weren't the typical college kids partying every weekend, we didn't live in dorms or frat houses, and we didn't necessarily eat Ramen noodles 5 days a week. Actually, many would have considered us to be making rather healthy choices at that phase in our lives. Lots of home-cooked meals, brown-bagged lunches, snacking on fruits, granola bars, and low-fat yogurt. Doesn't sound too awful, right? 

Well, fast-forward a few years post college. We both work full-time (yet not 9-5) jobs in our chosen fields and things have changed slightly.  Neither of us gained the "Freshman 15", nor did we pack on extra weight after graduating, but compared to our incredibly active high-school sports and activities, neither of us are feeling nearly as energetic or active as those former days. We have so much more life to live and so many more dreams to chase. With our wedding quickly approaching and the goal of buying a house, moving cross country and starting a family following not long after, we are on a mission to reset the clock -- Boosting our metabolisms, breaking some bad habits, and getting our bodies, our home and our finances in the best shape of our lives. I invite you to follow our journey. Who knows, it may inspire one of your own.