- Buy the eBook!
- a little about me…
- What is Paleo?
- The Purpose of this Blog
- Recipe Tree
- The Food Diary
This little post will be an introduction to a series of BIG GOAL posts to follow.
Get on board with me!
As I mentioned yesterday, we just returned from a Disney World vacation. A few months ago, we decided to start a Whole30 as soon as we returned to get back on track (though we didn’t go far off track even on vacation – yay!). After reading Dallas and Melissa Hartwig’s It Starts With Food (check out my review here - have you read it yet? OMG!!!), I was even MORE excited about starting a new food challenge, and even changing a few more details of my food lifestyle for good.
This will be my third Whole30. My first one was almost one year ago, and was my introduction to Paleo. The second one was six months later, in February of this year. And now it’s time for a third, and I am so excited! To be honest, I feel more healthy right now than I have ever felt, but I always experience even more amazing results when I keep my diet squeaky clean for an extended period of time.
This time, we’re going through the end of July. We started yesterday, so it will basically be a Whole43. And in addition to clean eating, I’m taking on several other challenges to enhance the benefits of being focused this month+. Read my summaries below, and let me know if you’re interested in committing to this with me!
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I really believe that “it starts with food.” Any goal that you have – clearer skin, weight loss, more energy, better sleep – can be accomplished by adjusting your diet and raising your food standards. I’ll be writing more about this concept as I go through the month. A lot of my thoughts about food have changed recently, just since reading the aforementioned book, so I’ll be sure to keep you informed!
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Have you checked out Melissa Joulwan’s cookbook, Well Fed? Find my review here. This cookbook is excellent and beautiful! It is packed with amazing recipes, and I recently learned that all of the recipes (except for one at the end that is very desserty) are Whole30-approved AND recommended by Dallas and Melissa (creators of the Whole30 and authors of It Starts With Food). These folks don’t make a lot of recipe recommendations, which tells me that their standards are HIGH!
So, in an effort to broaden my Paleo food horizons and experiment with some new styles of cooking, I’ve decided to make each and every recipe from Well Fed during the next 41 days (kinda “Julie and Julia” style, ya know?). We’ve had several already, including the Carmerlized Coconut Chips (pictured above, recipe here: www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/
I share more about this goal, the pictures from the recipes we’ve made in the last few days, this week’s menu, and more in this post.
UPDATED: I completed this goal! Check out the picture post here.
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I am a HUGE fan of Liz Wolfe at CaveGirlEats. Her opinion that not putting chemicals on your outsides is just as important as not putting chemicals on your insides resonates with me, and I’m ready to give it a go! This is a little scary for me, because I’m big on anti-aging skin care. In fact, in a previous life I was a Mary Kay Sales Director… I even earned a free car and had over 40 women on my team. I love Mary Kay products to this day, and I have seen great results from the products. However, I am not too proud to admit that they might not be the best ingredients to put on my skin so regularly.
So what will my new skin care routine look like? Check out this post.
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Again, my inspiration for non-chemical hair care comes from Liz Wolfe at CaveGirlEats. I’m a bit of a hair freak, and I’m currently growing out my short haircut, so it’s already in an awkward stage. I’ve heard that getting your hair adjusted to it’s natural pH balance can be a painful (and ugly) process, so I can’t say that I’m looking forward to this one!
More on this topic HERE.
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I love sleeping, and I usually get enough sleep. However, this does not always mean that I go to bed early. I LOVE staying up late, and I can usually sleep in a little later if I need to, so the temptation to keep late, unnatural hours is one that I often embrace. During the next 41 days, we’ll be turning off all electronics at 9 PM (sundown), and then relaxing toward sleepy-town for the next hour. The goal is to be sleeping by 10:30 each night.
More on this goal HERE.
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I get BEST results from my workouts when I’m eating clean. So I’m really excited to see what I’ll look like at the end of July! My philosophy on working out is to LIFT HEAVY THINGS, but to not overwork my body. Over-working leads to bodily stress, that that’s the last thing any of us need!
More on this goal and my workouts HERE.
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I take a few supplements on a regular basis, and I’ll tell you more about those on Wednesday. However, during this challenge, I’ll be adding a few additional items (in food form, not in pill/powder form) to my diet.
Read more here!
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This was part of my New Year’s Resolutions for 2012, and I haven’t kept it at the forefront of my mind. In addition, several very stressful life events have occurred this year, so a little stress was unavoidable. In fact, some of that stress (when combined with over-consuming nuts and eggs) caused me some pretty serious digestion woes, which lead to a gut-healing protocol that made it all better.
So how am I going to reduce stress in my life? Check it out here!
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Sounds like a lot, huh? Well, it’s not as much as it seems. Stay tuned over the next week as I share more about how I’ll keep things SIMPLE throughout this process. You know me… I’m all about Easy Paleo.
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I am SO Excited for all of these upcoming posts! And I am finally really getting into paleo – i just finished an extensive research and evaluation of the paleo diet
WOO HOO!! Love it!
-Jennie
The haircare thing isn’t as scary as it sounds. I’ve been using all natural shampoo bars from a company called Prairieland Hebs (http://www.prairielandherbs.com/) for a couple of years now, and I really like my hair. They have an article on the “funky hair” thing on the site. I just wash with the shampoo bar, rinse, then put on some vinegar rinse (1 cup water, 2 T. apple cider vinegar, 8-12 drops of essential oil), and rinse again with cool water. If my hairs not behaving, sometimes I put in some Dr. Bronner’s hair styling stuff.
Works like a charm. Good luck!
Cool! Thanks Carrey!
-Jennie
I am right there with ya, Jennie! I am excited to explore some of these with you. It is going to be crazy-town in my house for the next four weeks as we move our three kids from our current house to one that is 25 minutes away, but I will do my best to hang with you on most, if not all of this stuff. Great post. Looking forward to some tricks, hints, and tips for natural care products. Well Fed is a favorite of ours, so that’s easy. Great goals! Keep us posted…
Sounds great, Karina!
-Jennie
My sisters friend is the same about skin care. They have a great website, Naturals Cove (http://www.naturalscove.com/). Pure, natural and organic personal care and all natural products. They have great stuff.
Thanks for the recommendations, looks like I’m going to have some reading to do!
Thanks Holly! I’ll have to check that out!
-Jennie
This is awesome, Jennie! I’m looking forward to hearing more about the face care and hair care
Good luck to you & your husband!
Thanks Shaunna! Hope you are well!
-Jennie
Love all of this clean eating and living. I recently lost 25lbs by eating paleo and I no longer have to rely on a sleep aid to goto sleep at night. So obvious that this is what everyone should be doing!!!!!!!
Jennifer, that is FANTASTIC! Good for you!!
-Jennie
Love this, Jennie. I’m starting my Whole 30 today so this is very timely for me! I’m almost done reading “It starts with Food” and I am so inspired! I’ve had a few false starts with the program over the past few months but I’m ready to really commit now. I don’t want to wait until a certain date, I’m just starting now. I eat a Paleo diet anyway, but it’s the little things that have been creeping in lately that I need to address. I’m so looking forward to it and to your posts. I am a huge fan of Well Fed, too, so it’ll be fun to see how that goes, too.
That’s so great! Love it!! Keep me posted on how you’re doing.
-Jennie
My husband and my 20yo daughter and I go to Disney at least once a year (we are DVC members), can you share in part how you ate fairly healthy while there. Other than the obvious, stay away from ice cream etc. We eat almost every day at the sit down restaurants (many upscale). This last time, I managed to only gain 2lbs as opposed to 15lbs from my previous trips before eating a WHOLE lot better. Thanks!
Hi Yvonne! I share lots of details in this post: http://www.easypaleo.com/2012/06/19/a-travelers-life-saver-a-gut-health-update/. Hope this helps!
-Jennie
I actually ended up finding it. When we booked our reservations, we told them we were gluten intolerant. A chef came to our table at every single restaurant (even the quick service places) and told us what was safe to eat and what wasn’t. He also offered to make about anything on the menu gluten free and he said, if we don’t find anything we like, he’d make us something different. It was quite nice. We were offered cedar plank salmon at many restaurants as an alternative as well.
I always tell people, Disney is uber bent on making sure the guest gets what they want/need. One place, the waiter was PALEO! He told us exactly what to eat and actually changed a few “plated” meals around to accommodate our eating. It was AMAZING. Of course that place (California Grill at the top of the Contemporary) was not cheap.
We found out that my husband has a shellfish allergy on the trip though. He’s not a big seafood fan, as we live in the Midwest and none of it is fresh. They again, were AMAZING, not only taking care of him (at First Aid), but also from then on out. Overall it was a GREAT trip.
Sounds fantastic! Glad they took good care of you (and your husband – yikes!).
-Jennie
This is such a great post! I can feel your positive energy bouncing right out of my computer monitor. Good for you!
I’m SUPER excited about your Well Fed cooking project — can’t wait to read all about the results. Hope you enjoy every bite!
Thanks Melissa! I have definitely enjoyed every bite so far… AMAZING RECIPES! Thank you!
-Jennie
I’m on Day 5 of eating squeaky clean, as you put it, and I have the lofty goal of going 90 days. I remember reading Robb Wolf saying how you should continue on the strict diet until negative symptoms are gone. I have arthritis so it will take longer for me to heal. However, I would love to join you in this commitment! I need moral support as I’m really missing my ‘paleo’ muffins, haha.
Marni, that’s awesome! Keep going, and don’t give in… it is SO worth it! I can’t wait to hear your results once you “cross the finish line.”
-Jennie
Love, Love, Love this post…and I’m so looking forward to the upcoming posts as well (especially the skin care…I, too, am very into anti-aging products but also know I shouldn’t be putting chemicals on my skin!!!!) All the “big goals” you have set for yourself fit right in line with the goals I have for myself…well except for the “hair care”…I just can’t get on-board with that one yet…
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ISWF…life changing, I’ve completed 2 W30′s already but the depth of information in the book really brought it full circle for me…it just made sense! I’m looking forward to a “cleaner” W30 experience armed with the knowledge of the “why”!
I’ve cooked my way thru most of Well Fed and I have to say every single thing I have made is completely awesome…Mel has opened my eyes up to cooking and spices in a way I never expected…I’ve learned so much by using that cookbook!
So, I’m completely 100% on board with you in this endeavor!
Andrea, I LOVED this comment! Thanks for the kind words, and for your enthusiasm!! YAY!
-Jennie
Hello! I found your site through Mel Joulwan. I’m actually the graphic designer of Well Fed and It Starts With Food but am JUST NOW going on my first Whole30. And with that I want to detox other areas of my life – so pretty much I’m going to be scouring every single link in this post. I’m currently on Day 4 and in need of a little pick-me-up inspiration and I think I’ve found that with your site. Anyway! Nice to meet you – glad I stumbled your way.
Kathleen
Kathleen,
That’s awesome! So nice to “meet” you, and GREAT JOB on both of these books… WOW!
Good luck on your detox… I would love to hear some updates from you. This has definitely been an exciting month for me. The sacrifices are well worth the amazing results!
-Jennie