Day 31

I conquered the Whole30.
Oh. My. Goodness.

And drum-roll pleeeaaaasssseeeeee......

I lost 20 pounds!!!!!!

That's right.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 AND 20 POUNDS.

I was so happy and proud today... but I also felt slightly lost.

I'm technically "free" from my initial obligation.
I gave this change 30 days, and now I can check off the box.

What do I do now?

I thought about having a non-paleo celebration meal for day 31.
I could have some of the things I'd cut out and nearly cried over when I started this whole thing.
(Nearly cried over... who am I kidding? I cried like a little girl over saying goodbye)

Pizza... ice cream... chips...

Whatever I want I can have.

But if I add a few things to my diet that are not paleo, just because I want to, what will stop me from adding another? And another... It seems like a slippery slope..

I kind of avoided eating for a while today - not sure which direction to go.
I had a doctor's appointment in the morning, forgot to eat breakfast first, then kind of puttered around the office when I finally got in.

My tummy was growling. It was time to eat, but I didn't know what to do.

This is the fork in the road.... the time to decide if the grass really is greener on the other side... and if I want to stay.

My original patch of grass had been trampled on and malnourished. The sun had scorched the energy out of it. Each blade was slowly wilting under the pressure.

This new patch is vibrant and healthy. Showered with nutrients and growing strong.

Whole30 has been like Miracle Gro for my body.

There are still things that I need to work on, and I still have a long way to go to get to where I want to be.
But this has been a big step in the right direction.

So I said no to a "Bad Food Fest."

I ate a salad for lunch - no cheese or dressing - in true Whole30 style.

When I got home, though, I made my official transition from Whole30 to simply paleo.


Enter a Chocolate Covered Strawberry Paleo Smoothie.

I blended together dark chocolate almond milk, a little bit of coconut milk, fresh strawberries, fresh raspberries, cocoa powder, a hint of vanilla extract, and a few frozen strawberries to thicken it up.

From my low intake of sugar during the past month, this was plenty sweet for me.
And since you can't just have dessert for dinner, I returned to the kitchen again to create my paleo-approved meal.

Shrimp Scampi with Spaghetti Squash.

Roast the spaghetti squash (450 for about 45 minutes)

In a large pan, heat some clarified butter and olive oil.
Add 4 cloves of garlic - saute for a few minutes.
Add shrimp, salt, pepper, and a dash of red pepper flakes.

Once the shrimp is cooked through, remove from heat.
Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Toss some squash in a bowl, pour over some of the shrimp and sauce, and garnish with fresh parsley.

I don't want to stop the new habits I've formed.

They have structure and purpose.

I don't like where I would be headed without these changes.

So, I will commit to a paleo lifestyle... not just for 30 days out of the year... but for 365... for as long as I can.

My personality is an all-in, overachiever.  If I'm going to do this, I'm not going to do it halfway.

And in this situation, doing it halfway would lead to a quarter of the way, and eventually right back to where I was when I made this change 31 days ago.

I won't be so nit-picky about what "might" be in my bacon or lunch meat.

And if I really want to have something once in a while, I'm not going to feel guilty about it.

But I want to maintain a lifestyle where I am fueling my body and taking care of it.

I only have one body... I want to give it the best shot at being healthy for as long as I live.

Thank you Lord for giving me the strength to get through the last 30 days.

I hope and pray that you will sustain my resolve in the days to come.

Help me remember that my body is your temple.

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies."

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Let's consider Day 31 an endless field of greener grass.