I had my first start on December 28.  I am on break from school, so things went pretty well with the cooking, but then New Year’s Eve hit.  I went to a birthday party with my boyfriend and did pretty well, sipping black coffee and eating a banana while he drank beer.

Afterwards we went to his house… and his kids had made all sorts of treats.  I think the moment I decided to cheat was when he showed me a chunk of blue cheese he was going to put on the steaks.  Two of his friends and two of my friends were coming over, and I knew refusing junk food on NYE would not be cool to them (I am not overweight, so….).

I ended up having: 2 beers, chips with taco dip, blue cheese and bananas foster crepes.  Needless to say, I felt SICK (this is not new, I always feel sick when I eat junk food).  It was not really worth it for the food experience, but probably for the social experience.  I justified it by reminding myself that initially I had planned on starting January 1.

But then I re-started on January 1.  And things have been going well since then.  The first go around I felt achy and foggy on Day 4, but this time I haven’t had much of that.  So I think the first four days were not a complete waste.  I have been eating a lot, and don’t really feel that I have lost any weight, but I realize that may not happen.  Over Christmas I re-started kickboxing and strength training through Farrell’s, a gym that is mainly in the Midwest.  Some days the kickboxing is harder than others, although I have found that if I have just eaten prior to going, I don’t get stomach aches like I do with regular food.

Goals check-in:

I am going to do a goals check-in every few days, just to be mindful of how I am progressing.

1. Have more energy:  On Sunday, especially (2 days ago), I almost felt manic.  I had tons of energy and was in a great mood.  Yesterday I felt kind of slow, but still in a great mood.  So far, so good.
2. Sleep better:  I have had two nights so far where I slept like a rock.  That usually only happens when I am very tired, and seeing as I have been on break since October, it has not been happening much.
3. Get rid of flab:  Hard to tell since I have not been wearing work-out clothes very often.
4. Decrease itching/sensitivity to certain fabrics: Has improved somewhat.  Not completely gone.

Recipe of the day:

Moroccan beef and sweet potato stew

How many of you are just starting the Whole 30?  What have some of your greatest struggles been so far?