Whole30 Food for Thought

Morning, ladies. So today's the day, the Whole30 recap day. If you're not interested in my Whole30 experience feel free to click the red X. I know this might not be everyone's cup of tea and hopefully nothing I says offends anyone or comes off preachy. But, I've had many of you ask questions about Whole30 and I figured I would answer everything in one post. Even if part of it is for me to remember everything, too.  Full disclosure: I am in no way licensed or certified in nutrition or fitness, everything in this post in my opinion unless otherwise sourced.

I started my Whole30 journey on February 23rd on a bit of a whim, but with a decent amount of research. I did not buy the book but found all of my information online at Whole30.com. I do plan to buy the book to dive into the nuts and bolts of why this style of diet works and to learn the science of how our bodies react on certain foods, but the book isn't necessary to attempt the program.

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First things first, a lil bit of a refresher on Whole30. The WHOLE point [haha] of this program is to get your body off the sugar dragon and off of bad cravings. Huuuuuuuuuge undertaking right!?!? But, if you consistently plan you will be okay. There will be days you crave something you aren't supposed to eat, but you'll get through it and by the end won't NEED that coke, cupcake or afternoon coffee. So, let's refresh the Whole30 rules.

"Yes: Eat real food.
Eat meat, seafood, eggs, tons of vegetables, some fruit, and plenty of good fats from fruits, oils, nuts and seeds. Eat foods with very few ingredients, all pronounceable ingredients, or better yet, no ingredients listed at all because they’re totally natural and unprocessed. Don’t worry… these guidelines are outlined in extensive detail in our free shopping list.

No: Avoid for 30 days.
More importantly, here’s what NOT to eat during the duration of your Whole30 program. Omitting all of these foods and beverages will help you regain your healthy metabolism, reduce systemic inflammation, and help you discover how these foods are truly impacting your health, fitness and quality of life.

• Do not consume added sugar of any kind, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, coconut sugar, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, stevia, etc. Read your labels, because companies sneak sugar into products in ways you might not recognize.
• Do not consume alcohol in any form, not even for cooking. (And it should go without saying, but no tobacco products of any sort, either.)
• Do not eat grains. This includes (but is not limited to) wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgur, sorghum, amaranth, buckwheat, sprouted grains and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains like quinoa. This also includes all the ways we add wheat, corn and rice into our foods in the form of bran, germ, starch and so on. Again, read your labels.
• Do not eat legumes. This includes beans of all kinds (black, red, pinto, navy, white, kidney, lima, fava, etc.), peas, chickpeas, lentils, and peanuts. No peanut butter, either. This also includes all forms of soy – soy sauce, miso, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and all the ways we sneak soy into foods (like lecithin).
• Do not eat dairy. This includes cow, goat or sheep’s milk products such as cream, cheese (hard or soft), kefir, yogurt (even Greek), and sour cream… with the exception of clarified butter or ghee. (See below for details.)
• Do not consume carrageenan, MSG or sulfites. If these ingredients appear in any form on the label of your processed food or beverage, it’s out for the Whole30.
• Do not try to re-create baked goods, junk foods, or treats* with “approved” ingredients. Continuing to eat your old, unhealthy foods made with Whole30 ingredients is totally missing the point, and will tank your results faster than you can say “Paleo Pop-Tarts.” Remember, these are the same foods that got you into health-trouble in the first place—and a pancake is still a pancake, regardless of the ingredients. " [source]

Again, I know it looks daunting and the no dairy and no alcohol were the hardest rules for me to follow. I love me some half and half in my coffee and who doesn't enjoy a glass of wine every now and then? I know I sure do! But, I substituted Thai Kitchen unsweetened coconut milk for my regular half and half and it worked out fine for me. I'm debating on not going back to half and half now that I'm done with Whole30, however I haven't fully decided what program I'm going to follow post Whole30. Honsetly, day 31 was pretty scary because the rigid rules were my crutch and now it's all on me if I choose to eat unhealthy. Luckily, I found this great article on life post Whole30 and am slowly finding my way with food choices.

So, let's talk about my results. I honestly hadn't planned to share my full results, because putting your weight out there on the Internet is a bit scary. Everyone has an opinion and they can say anything behind a computer screen, but you know what I'm gonna be brave today and share everything. One of the none-food rules of Whole30 is you aren't allowed to weigh yourself until you finish the program and man was it hard not to step on the scale. But I loved seeing the big drop in weight at the end instead of just a few elbees here and there.

As you can see, I lost seven pounds and a total of eight inches overall, which to me was a phenomenal result. I've been at a huge plateau for the past year and this was the kickstart I needed to get back to where I feel happy. NOW, this program is NOT designed as a weight loss program, but most people see a little bit of change in their bodies because they have cut out a big group of processed foods. Watching numbers decrease is amazing but even more amazing are the None Scale Victories [NSVs]. My NSVs were better sleep, healthier skin, lack of cravings, more energy and a better understanding of what good food can do for my body. Experiencing the 'tiger blood' was pretty epic, too!

You can do this, I promise. It won't be easy and there will be days it's not fun, but the finish line is worth every moment. I cannot describe the pride I experienced on day 31. I set a goal and accomplished it and y'all can too. Yes, the do not eat list is big but you can still eat really delicious food while on Whole30. I plan to continue to share more Whole30 recipes as I cook them, to show you clean eating is still yummy eating.

Fresh arugula, chicken, grapefruit salad; salmon with avocado-mango salsa and compliant dimsum stuffed mushrooms; sliders with sweet potato fries an green beens; cracklin chicken with zoodles and smashed cauliflower.

Here are a few of the recipes I have on my radar right now. Hopefully I'll have a few of them for you in the coming weeks. There are so many out there, I can't wait to try them.

Compliant Homemade Ranch dressing 

Not So Shepard's Pie

Crab Salad with Roasted Avocados

Everyone is different but here are my tips for completing Whole30:

Have someone to hold you accountable or to do the program with you. - I am 90% sure I would have failed if Le Husband hadn't participated in Whole30 with me. There are multiple people that I've seen finish the program without their spouse/significant other participating but that can make the program harder. I would suggest enlisting a trusted friend or family member as your go to when you're feeling weak or when you just want to complain. Having someone that knows what you are going through is immensely helpful. ***If you need someone, I'm here for you, promise***

Prep, prep, prep, and plan, plan, plan. - Failing to plan is planning to fail. Even when you are tired and just want to go to sleep, drag your butt to the kitchen and make your lunch for the next day. Failing to prep breeds feeling overwhelmed when it's time to eat and increases your chances to cheat. Eating out on the road is tough, but if you look at the menu and talk with your server you can easily find compliant food.

Believe in yourself and reach for carrots/fruit when you feel down. - Even though snacking is 'discouraged' if you're hungry eating a bag of carrots or a banana will NOT derail your success. Eating whole foods is better than reaching for something isn't compliant, so just eat the snack.

DON'T QUIT! - No matter HOW tough it feels, no matter how many people say 'just give in' DON'T DO IT! The high feeling at the end of the program is worth every single lil doubt and missed 'meal'.  You will learn so much about your body and will feel soooooo fulfilled when it's all said and done.

So there you have it, my Whole30 experience in a nutshell. I tried to cover all of the quetsions I received but if I didn't please do not hesitate to email me or leave your question in a comment. I am a huge proponent of this program and would love to help you succeed. #wholefoods #youcandoit

Ps.com: Most of this post was written last week, but I did some finally editing on Monday. I also decided to try the Starbucks Birthday Frappucinno yesterday because it sounded pretty amazing. Well, I was only able to get halfway through a tall before I was hit with a huge headache and a slight tummy ache because of the sugar bomb. I couldn't even finish it because I felt soooo off and the drink started to taste fake. I used to be able to drink these things like water and now they don't even taste good. Talk about a tastebud reawakening.

Linking up *here*, *here*, *here* and *here*.

Spring Cleaning Switcharoo

Hello there, darlings, how are you today? I hope you had a wonderful weekend and are ready to face the week. I had a wonderful, busy weaken and am ready to rock this Monday out. 

This weekend I. . .

… enjoyed an amazing celebratory feast with my fabulous friend, D, on Friday night. I've known her since I was nine and we've stayed friends all these years. She was part of my wedding ceremony and was instrumental in my bridal shower, too. We love finding yummy restaurants and she's an even bigger foodie than me. She suggested hitting up Green Pig Bistro and it was a divine dinner with some awesome company. And guess what, I didn't get too sick, woohooo!!

Pictures are a lil backwards, but L - R: Pear crumble with cinnamon ice-cream and hazelnuts; yummy wine after  a delicious fig&vanilla Manhattan, amazing cornbread and bison meatballs. We shared chicken&biscuts for our meal, but I did't take a picture. Every calorie was worth it!!

… wore a fun new outfit courtesy of Loft, Target and KS. 

… decided Saturday morning that it was time to do some spring cleaning. Which somehow turned into completely rearranging our kitchen and part of our living room. Cheers to starting the spring with a new, clean layout. 

… ran errands and dropped my car of for an oil change and inspection. Sassy runs so much better now.

… drove out to visit a dear friend from high school and her precious lil baby girl. It was so wonderful catching up after way too long and just hanging out with this precious lil one. Their home is Pinterest perfect and she actually had a bunch of things in her home I have pinned which was awesome to see in real life. We had a great time, some wine [!], healthy snacks and lots of fun with her sweet daughter.

… came home and ate dinner with Le Husband then fell asleep watching basketball. 

… woke up a lil late, but still made it to Palm Sunday service. I love starting the week with praise, which of course is followed by passion as we enter Holy Week. 

… ate a delicious breakfast cooked by Le Husband. Our first meal in our new lil nook. 

… placed the final touches on our new corner. So happy to have our new canvases up!

… took a glorious nap during the Caps game. Even though I didn't get sick from my celebratory meal, I can tell my food has changed because I've felt so sluggish over the weekend. Back at it on Monday.

… did a test run for Easter lunch on Sunday. #sotasty #Lehusbandissocool

… prepped my lunch for Monday and got a head start on snacks, too.

… put the finishing touches on our buffet that is now in the kitchen and not the living room. I loved where it was previously but this change has already grown on me. We also finally hung our last name letters which look amazing above the buffet.

… felt so happy with our newly rearranged kitchen. Everything is so organized and I love our shelves. Le Husband is going to build a new island for some extra space and I can't wait to see how it all comes together.

… played in a 9pm soccer game and scored two goals. #hollaataballa

How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun or any spring cleaning?!?!

Linking up with these beautiful ladies  < 3

There Aren't Enough Fridays in a Week

Morning and happy Friday, pretty girls! This week kind of flew by with everything I've had going on, but I am still excited to get to Friday fun day. Or in my case, Friday food day. Today is my WHOLE30 CELEBRATORY meal and I am sooooooooo looking forward to my feast. I'm meeting a dear friend of mine at this amazing new contemporary American bistro tonight and dinner time can't get here fast enough. Fingers crossed I don't make myself sick reintroducing so many different foods at once [not recommended by Whole30], but I think I'll be okay since I had no issues before I did the program. FYI, I'm almost done with my recap for y'all, so if you have any questions you want me to answer next week leave them in the comments.

Alright, let's get today started with some favorites. I suggest playing *this* song to get in the Friday mood! It's been on repeat for me all week since I heard it at Body Pump. #happygetafteritbeat

Favorite Food Lyrics of the Week: When you've been without dairy for 30 days, a cheese song kind of makes your day. #ilovetheoriginalandnowlovethisversion #cheese #howarepeoplesocreative

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Favorite Purchase of the Week: I BOOKED MY FLIGHT TO SEE LYNN AND BABY EVELYN!!! I am sooooooooooo stinking excited to see my BOFF in April [March is the one month we haven't seen each other since December, crazy] and I can't WAIT to snuggle sweet lil Evie. #justafewmoreweeks #boffandbabyreunion

Favorite Quote of the Week:We all hustle, so we might as well whistle. #canyoublowmywhistle #wrongsongoops

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Favorite Funnies of the Week: Hope some of these make you smiiiiiiiiiiiiiile like you mean it!

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Favorite Links of the Week: This was a really awesome week for links in my opinion.

Enjoy this mashup of famous movie dance scenes. How many do you recognize? #somanyfundancemoves

Do you know what song Julie Andrews hating to sing during the Sound of Music?

Very interesting article for moms. I know I'm not one yet, but one day I hope to be a mom. This article really struck a cord with me because when I do have kids I'll be part of the social media mommyhood.

Eight realities of being a female athlete. #b00bsweat #yes10pmislate #bigstronglegs

A Whole30 article that wants to change our language of food.

How sweet is this story about Mr. Rogers' cardigans? #mrrogersforever

Pretty Woman cast 25 years later. 

How to protect yourself from thinspiration disguised as yoga.

An hour long video of a Royal Ballet Full Class. Yes, I watched the whole thing and swooned!

Hope you have a fabulous Friday and enjoy a beautiful weekend. < 3 and sparkles to y'all!

 **linking up here, here , here, here, here and here this week**

Just a Touch of Me... Just a Touch of Me

Oh my goodness, ladies, last night was amazing! A lil unexpected, but incredible. I know yesterday I stated we were going to see the American Ballet's Cinderella at the Kennedy Center. Weeeeeellll, that's not exactly what happened. Due to a slight mix up, the show we saw was not Cinderella but three Acts of three different ballets. And y'all, they were amazing. JUST AMAZING! The mixup actually worked in our favor because we were able to see the great MISTY COPELAND in a principal role and she was incredible. Homegirl had the audience eating out of her hand she was absolute perfection.

It might not have been the ballet we expected, but it was still a masterful ballet. The principals were fantastic and I was in awe of the beautiful lines in the company. We all had a wonderful evening at the ballet and it was a memorable night for all of us.

Mama B and I rocking the blush yesterday :)!

Lovely Brady ladies at the Kennedy Center. So majestic and fun.

Birthday ballerina in the house!

I'm so excited for ballet next week, even though I'm even more aware that I'm the T.Swift of our class. Oh well, rock what your mama gave you right?!?!?!!?

I saw this on Fran's blog a few weeks ago and thought it would be a fun post to share. I love learning more about other bloggers so thought I'd share just a touch of me with y'all. Hopefully I won't bore you too much :)!

1.What's your favorite candle scent? Vanilla or Christmas
2. What female celebrity do you wish was your sister? Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Garner or Gwen Stefani.
3. What male celebrity do you wish was your brother? Matthew McConaughey.
4. How old do you think you'll be when you get married? I was 30.
5. Do you know a hoarder? Not a real one, my mom keeps a lot of things though.
6. Can you do a split? NO :(
7. How old were you when you learned to ride a bike? I think 4.
8. How many oceans have you swam in? 3.
9. How many countries have you been to? 4.
10. Is anyone in your family in the army? All retired now.
11. What would you name your daughter if you had one? Combination of a family name and a non family name.
12. What would you name your son if you had one? A family name.
13. What's the worst grade you got on a test? D.
14. What was your favorite TV show when you were a child? I Dream of Jeanine.
15. What did you dress up as on Halloween when you were eight? A gypsy or a spider.
16. Have you read any of the Harry Potter, Hunger Game or Twilight series? Yes, NO WAY, Yes.
17. Would you rather have an American accent or British accent? Australian!!! [but I LOVE America!] 
18. Did your mother go to college? Yes and she has her masters.
19. Are your grandparents still married? No.
20. Have you ever taken karate lessons? No.
21. Do you know who Kermit the frog is? The cutest frog in the world.
22. What's the first amusement park you've been to? Disneyland.
23. What language, besides your native language, would like to be fluent in? Spanish and Chinese.
24. Do you spell the color as grey or gray? Grey.
25. Is your father bald? Nope, he has a full head of hair.
26. Do you know triplets? No, a few twins. though.
27. Do you prefer Titanic of The Notebook? Hmmmm, The Notebook.
28. Have you ever had Indian food? Yes, no thanks.
29. What's the name of your favorite restaurant? La Tasca
30. Have you ever been to Olive Garden? Uuuuh yeah. #endlessbreadsticksandsalad
31. Do you belong to any warehouse stores? BJs.
32. What would your parents have named you if you were the opposite gender? Michael
33. If you have a nickname, what is it? Pinky, Bits & Pieces, Lil Bit and others dealing with my real name. 
34. Who's your favorite person in the world? Jesus 
35. Would you rather live in a rural area or in the suburbs? Ugh, this is tough. I see the plus/minuses for each and it quite often depends on my mood. I think I'll stick with rural, I like land and don't like messy traffic. 
36. Can you whistle? Yes I can.
37. Do you sleep with a nightlight? No, any light annoys me.
38. Do you eat breakfast every morning? Usually I try to, unless I'm IFing.
39. Do you take any pills or medication daily? Vitamins and BC.
40. What medical conditions do you have? None.
41. How many times have you been to the hospital? Four
42. Have you ever seen Finding Nemo? Only a bazzzzzzzzzziilllion times.
43. Where do you buy your jeans? Umm, all over. Loft, Old Navy, Macys and Gap.
44. What's the last compliment you got? Great meal, honey [by Le Husband]
45. Do you usually remember your dreams in the morning? Quite often, yes.
46. What flavor tea do you enjoy? I like peppermint, green, and lemon.
47. How many pairs of shoes do you currently own? Gah, way too many. I'll guess 50+ [hangs head]
48. What religion will you raise your children to practice? I was raised Methodist and plan to raise our children Methodist, too.
49. How old were you when you found out that Santa wasn't real? I still believe in the magic of Santa.
50. Why do have a tumblr? I don't.

Linking up with *megan* *kristin* and *annie* 

Oh Teal, You're Making Me Blush

Hello, ladies! I hope y'all are doing well this Wednesday. We are over the hump of the week, y'all, woohoo! I am extra excited today because after work I'm joining Mama B and the Sissys at the Kennedy Center to watch the American Ballet perform Cinderella. SQQQQQQQQQQQQUUUEAAAAL! Ladies, I am beyond excited and know it is going to be such a breathtaking performance. The movie on Sunday and the ballet today, how in the world did I get so Cinderella lucky?!?! Is it time to go home yet?

Moving on...

Spring weather has made an appearance and the warmer temperatures have me eying soft spring colors for my closet. Obviously pink is my jam, however I tend to gravitate towards bright, happy pink shades that match my, ahem BRIGHT personality ;). But, there is something so beautiful and feminine about blush don't you think? I love the lines of this trench and the ballet flats are so lovely.  I adore the blush and white combination on the model, so beautiful for a brunch or day date.

Forecast Blush Cross Back Top // Blush Trench Coat,  // Blush Slip On Shoes // Teal GUESS Sandals // Betsey Johnson Pink and Teal Earrings // Rhinestone Teal Statement Necklace // Infinity Teal Loop Scarf

Maybe it's the Cinderella fever, but I've found myself drawn to teal  accents with blush pieces. I love the design of the infinity scarf and can see myself wearing those earrings all season. Those sandals could work with a million outfits and I love the small silver embellishment on the top.

So it seems I need a clothes genie, anyone know where I can find one? What are your favorite spring colors? Anything special you are searching for this spring?

linking up *here* *here* and *here*

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Before you leave today, I want to say thank y'all so much for supporting me on my Whole30 journey. Today I am technically free of the program but with everything going on tonight and tomorrow I'm suspending my celebratory meal until Friday. Y'alls encouragement has meant the world to me and each comment has helped me along to today. I was so scared of mentioning this here because I didn't want to fail, but I knew I needed to be held accountable. I will be sharing more on my full journey next week, but I can't leave today without mentioning how much I appreciate all of y'all! < 3

Wholey Salmon w/Mango Avocados, Batman! {Whole30 FINAL WEEK} {Recipe Files}

Morning and happy Tuesday, ladies. I hope your Monday went well and the week is treating you right. I am pretty freaking stoked today is Tuesday because today is MY LAST DAY OF THE WHOLE30 CHALLENGE!!!! I am so proud of myself, y'all. I'd go on, but I'll have a full post on my experience next week where I plan to talk about my whole experience. If you have any questions for me now though, feel free to email me at pinkpersistenceatgmail[dot]com.

I researched a bunch of recipes online week two because I was bored with everything I knew how to make. You've read some recipes from Nom Nom Paleo here before and today I'm sharing another one of Michelle's recipes. When Le Husband was out of town last week I tried this recipe for dinner and it was mouth wateringly delicious. :)

Mango + Avocado Salsa over Pan Seared Salmon

courtesy of Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo

What you'll need:

1 mango || 1 avocado || 1 lemon or lime || 1 red onion [I only used half] || cilantro [only had dried] || 1 TB EVOO || salmon filet || ghee [not pictured] || S&P || I only made a single serving of salmon, but Michelle's recipe is for four.

Salsa: Dice the mango, avocado and red onion. Combine in bowl with the EVVO, salt & pepper and cilantro. Don't stir too hard, you want everything to remain in chunks like salsa not smooth like guac.

Salmon: Pat your fish dry while you heat a cast iron to medium-high with a tablespoon of ghee. Season your fish with salt and pepper on both sides, then when the pan is hot place fish skin down first. Use a spatula to press down on the fish so the skin cooks evenly. Cook for six to eight minutes or until your meat thermometer registers between 120 - 130 degrees. You can then just serve, but I liked Michelle's idea of flipping the fish for an extra minute for that last lil bit of pretty color.

Serve: Place the fish on your plate and top with a few heaping spoonfuls of your salsa. Enjoy with your favorite sides [ I had stuffed mushrooms and roasted veggies but they aren't pictured]. The salsa holds up well since it has the acid in it and I'll use it in place of dressing for my salads during the week.

I can't wait to bring this salsa to all the summer BBQs that pop up this summer. Its' quick, healthy and super yummy, so a win, win, win. Let me know if you try this recipe or if you have any questions.

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Whole30 FINAL WEEK Thoughts
I'm choosing to document my journey daily so I have something to look back on at the end of the program. I didn't just do this program for Lent nor did I just do it as a diet. I really wanted to try and test my willpower and see what happens when I actually stick to something for 30 days. Feel free to skip if it's too much text, I totally understand.

Day 22 Monday: Ugh, the day after a weekend trip is always tough. Since we didn't eat very rounded yesterday I'm feeling kind of sluggish today. Carrots were pretty much my only veggie on Sunday so the fresh produce was lacking indeed. Since we didn't meal prep on Sunday I kind of scrounged together a few snacks for today and then went to Whole Foods for a salad. It was weird not hitting up the sushi area too, like I used to do. I admit, I miss me some sushi :(! BUT, happy news I found the coconut milk that was suggest in my Whole30 Facebook group and I'm super stoked to try it tomorrow. Our dinner tonight was good, stove top fish [seasoned with evoo, garlic, s&p and lemon] withe roasted veggies. I also roasted some cut up sweet potatoes and they turned out well. I ate half for dinner and will eat half tomorrow with some pearl onions.

Day 23 Tuesday: Didn't sleep hard through the night last night which was a bummer. Slept okay and woke fine, but wish I had slept the whole night. Finally found coconut creamer yesterday and used it this morning for the first time. HOOORAY no more plain black coffee. It's not very sweet, just similar to the plain creamer I used in my coffee before I started Whole30. Energy has been up and down today which is weird. I think I didn't eat enough last night, even though I ate well [fish and veggies]. I might need to up the carbs on workout days to keep my energy up and running. I've been kind of lazy packing lunch and I can tell I'm not getting enough to eat. I had a headache for the first time since on this program and that's no bueno. But, thinks picked up in the afternoon and I was able to go for a quick run which felt awesome. I also have plenty of energy right now for all the cooking I have planned, yay!

Day 24 Wednesday:  Whoa, I was a cooking machine last night. Le Husband was out of town so I had the kitchen to myself, woohoo. I made two new recipes {here and here} and then prepped some stuff for the week as well. Overall the food was pretty awesome, I need to tweak a few things here and there though. Today I woke up early to get some morning yoga in and while I was tired it felt great to be moving. I also was able to attend yoga during lunch, woohoo!. Lunch was leftover mango/avocado with shrimp over a salad. It was pretty delicious and filling. I was starving when I got home though, but managed to do some cooking before I ate anything I shouldn't. I made cracklin chicken for dinner with ZOODLES and smashed cauliflower. It tasty pretty awesome and I also made zucchini popper hamburgers after reading Rants from Mommyland. I should be pretty set for the rest of the week. I hope I sleep well tonight after ballet, I'm up early for yoga again tomorrow.

Day 25 Thursday:  Sleep was weird last night. It took me forever to fall asleep and then I think I woke up a few times, but am not sure. Crazy vivid dreams again. Woke up early for yoga, was tired but got up. Upped my coffee intake to two cups today to see if I can get rid of the tired headache. It kind of went away but still was a bit dull randomly throughout the day. I tried a new yoga class during lunch today and it was very relaxing and I felt noodley when I left. Then I went home to run and stretch even more and it was quite glorious. Since Le Husband was coming home on Thursday we did our French Dip recipe which was delicious but I just wasn't as hungry as normal.

Day 26 Friday:  YAY!! Last Friday on Whole30, I am stoked! One week from today I get my celebration dinner, whoop whoop! Not sure who it will be with or where I'm going but I know it will include WINE, haha! #priorities! With it being Lent we ate fish and shrimp plus veggies tonight. I was pretty hungry after eating all my food today so not sure what that's about. I prepped some food for Saturday and Sunday since I had a few moments on the run and didn't want to be caught in a bind so close to the end of the tunnel.

Day 27 Saturday: Oh weekends how I love thee. Well, when I'm at home, haha. Being home makes eating compliant so much easier. We had kickball practice this morning so after three hard boiled eggs for breakfast I packed some carrots and zucchini poppers for a snack. It kept me full until I got home. I ate my last chicken burger with mango/avocado salsa onto, yummy!. The rest of the afternoon was spent napping, picking up Le Husband's car, more napping and then a cookout with friends. They were so sweet to make sure everything was compliant and it was a great meal of steak, grilled veggies and salad. I will admit I missed the glass[es] of wine, though. Gosh, I sound like such a lush!

Day 28 Sunday: Today was a bit all over the place, but I was 100% compliant despite the running around. I didn't eat breakfast before church, but was able to get some yoga in which was great. The Brady ladies went to see Cinderella after church so I had to sneak in some compliant snacks. I took dates, carrots, a compliant Larabar and homemade strawberry mint water to sip on throughout the movie. The smell of movie popcorn didn't bother me as much as I thought it would, which was a victory in itself. After the movie we went to dinner and the only thing compliant was a side salad. I didn't mind because Le Husband and I had already planned our dinner Sunday so it was just a light snack. I had to pick off the potato stacks though which was annoying. Oh and I added some compliant prosciutto crunchies I had packed in my purse. Yes, I packed it, no I don't care that it sounds crazy.  Dinner was pork and was super yummy and afterwards I prepped lunches for Monday and Tuesday. I can't believe I only have a few days left. My celebration meal is planned for Friday with a friend and I can't wait!!!!

As you're reading this, I am on the LAST DAY of my Whole30 challenge. I am so proud of myself for sticking with this program and can't wait to see my results tomorrow. Granted, there have been plenty of NSVs [non scale victories] already, but seeing the scale and inches change is definitely something I'm looking forward to on Wednesday. Thanks so much for all your cheerleading, dear friends. Y'all have no idea how much your encouragement meant to me during this process! I <  3 You!

Linking up *here*, *here*, *here* and *here*.

A Chill and Charming Weekend

Morning and happy Monday, ladies. I hope y'all had a great weekend. Mine was the perfect combination of chill, calm and a lil bit charming. Cinderella charming, that is. 

\\ Lots of naps were taken this weekend. My pink blanket and couch were my jam. 

\\ There was a minor misshap with my squash at a friends BBQ. I was so bummed they were burnt. 

\\ Sunday brought about meal prep time for the week. Whole30 is almost over and prep is just second nature now. I'm excited to actually complete my challenge this week, whoop whoop.

\\ ABC Family amazing on Sunday because the channel aired Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid and Cinderella. It was a young/old girls dream.

\\ Saturday was the first practice for our women's kickball team and overall it went pretty well. 

\\ I sported a beautiful pair of navy heels to church on Sunday, courtesy of one fabulous BOFF>

\\ Sunday after church I finally saw Cinderella with Babyspice, Sportyspice and Mama B. I personally LOVED the movie and thought they did an incredible job with the fairy tale. I was enchanted and the acting was pretty phenomenal. 

\\ You know what's tough? Staying compliant in a movie theater. But don't worry, I packed myself some snacks to keep from eating the movie popcorn. Carrots, dates, a Larabar and a special water and mint drink keep me satisfied. 

\\ Bond was showing this weekend, too. And I had to send a picture of the thank scene to my dad while he was away. Man do I love me some Pierce in Bond. 

How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun?

Linking up with these beautiful ladies  < 3

"First Day of Spring" Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Morning and happy Friday, party people. Oh and HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRIIIIIIIIIIIIIING! Currently my area is dealing with snow and rain, blah, but hey, it's no longer winter, wooooooofreakinghoo. We had gorgeous weather earlier this week and I am so excited for warmer temperatures. It's time to pack away the sweaters and boots and bust out the silk tops and flips. Who's with me?

I'm so excited for the weekend, y'all. It's the first weekend in awhile where Le Husband and I aren't traveling, so that means lots of relax and recuperation time. We're also on our last weekend of Whole30, can I get an AMEN?! Honestly, it hasn't been nearly as bad as I expected, but weekends really are the toughie for me. Looking forward to Tuesday, for sure ;)! I'm also excited for Sunday, because I'm FINALLY going to see Cinderella with the ladies in my family. Originally I was super jazzed to see the movie, but then got a bit MEH with the lack of enthusiasm my suggestion received. Happily everyone rethought their blahs and we're all ready to enjoy some 'Cinderelly' time. Have any of y'all see it? What are your thoughts?

Alright, let's get down with the Friday Faves, okay?

Favorite Picture of the Week: I mean, can Ryan Reynolds be any more hilarious? I love that he created this himself and posted it with his hilarious caption. Today, sir, you have won the Internet.

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Favorite Funnies of the Week:

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 Favorite Pin of the Week: Don't look for doom and gloom in the clouds, look for the sun!

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Favorite TV show of the Week: Y'all does anyone watch Cold Justice?!?! It airs on TNT and oh my word is it a fascinating show. I've started binge watching it and I cannot get enough. Kelly and Yolanda are bad@$$ investigators that work hard to close cold cases all over the nation. Watching them piece together a case is so intriguing and I love the end of the episodes when an arrest is made. Keep rocking, ladies.

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Favorite links of the week:

Minimalism is something I've wanted to try and this post made me think even more about it.

The simple way to clear your clutter. Something I really need to get a move on and do ASAP.

Since avocados have become a go to snack, this link on how to store and ripen them provided some great info. 

Tori Kelly KILLS IT covering Seal's "Crazy".

I love that Kate Middleton continues to surprise us with her down to earth fashion. She wore a $63 ASOS dress to one of her many appearences, you go, princess!

With March Madness gripping the nation, it was fun to take a look back at the past Cinderella stories that captured our hearts [I'm looking at you George Mason and VCU]. I'm all about a Cinderellas story, just don't knock off UK!!!!

Hope y'all have a fabulous weekend. Do you have anything fun planned?!?!?

While the Husband's Away

The wifey will play her pop music loud. And have a dance party, complete with hair brush microphone. I've blogged before about my 'alone time' [that sounds dirtier than expected] so consider today a lil part two if you will. I was jotting things down in draft for this week and realized all my thoughts pertain to me kicking it by myself, while Le Husband is out of town. So, even though he's home now [yippeee], I thought it would still be fun to share my 'living alone' thoughts.

1. I was a cooking machine on Tuesday, y'all. Le Husband has been on the road the past few nights, which is a bummer cause I miss my best friend, but it does give me free range in the kitchen. He and I are about 95% the same regarding what we like to eat and cook, but that 5% usually gets in our way when we are both prepping for the week. I prepped three new recipes [blog posts to come] and made kale/sweet potato chips, go me. I also made more Cracklin Chicken, steak for lunch salads and a delicious fruit salsa. Just call me Cooking Cathy. Here are a few previews to get you drooling ;)!

2. I'm a few weeks behind on the Good Wife and oh my goodness I'm finally caught up. Le Husband doesn't watch this show so I try to catch up on episodes when he's out of the house. Can I get an AMEN to the first episode this spring? #THANKFREAKINGGOODNESS!!! To be honest, I wasn't sure where the show was going to go after Will and with Alica running for state's attorney. The writers have done and INCREDIBLE job keeping things fresh, interesting and of course drama filled. I'm nervous for Kalinda this season, is anyone else?

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3. Being home alone gives me time to get in a good pampering session and I took full advantage of that the past few days. There have been beauty masks, bath soaks, manicures and pedicures at my place and I feel so girlie fully primped. I hate that I let these fall by the wayside when Le Husband is home, but usually there's more going on and I have the time. Going forward I'm going to try and make more of an effort to primp even when he's around.

4. Spring is so close and I'm so excited. I went for my first spring training run on Tuesday and it was amazing. There was quite a bit of wind which made turning a corner tricky, but the temperature was fantastic for a March run. Le Husband isn't a big runner so I try to sneak in runs when he's out of town because I really enjoy our gym dates. But, if I want to reach my fitness challenge I'm going to have to start running more on my own #noexcuses.

5. Now that I'm running again, I'm trying to be really careful to not over work myself. I've dealt with so many annoying injuries in the past few years and I think a lot of it ties back to doing too much and not taking care of my body. Since Le Husband's been gone I've tried to incorporate stretching at night while watching TV or right before bed. I know I can do this when he's home, but it's so much more fun cuddling on the couch while we watch our shows together than sitting on the floor trying to do the splits. I'm also planning to reincorporate morning yoga twice a week to give my body some extra stretch time. Two days down and so far I'm feeling great.

6. The first day of spring is tomorrow and they are calling for snow in my area. Are you kidding me?!!? No, Olaf, I do NOT want to build a snowman! I'll catch you next year, okay?

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What are some things you do when you don't have to worry about someone else in your house? 

Linking up with *megan* *kristin* and *annie*