Whole30:Day 15

Happy Belated Fourth of July!  I don't know about you, but all the July 4th festivities wore me out.

There are a couple things I keep forgetting to address.  The first is that I started taking a probiotic on July 1st.  Typically I eat Greek yogurt and drink sweet acidophilus milk which both have probiotics in them.  With the Whole30 those are no-nos, but I was thinking maybe I needed some good bacteria in my stomach to help digest all these fruit and veggies.  And...I think I was right!  My stomach has felt better the past few days.

The second thing I keep forgetting to tell you is that pure vanilla extract is actually NOT Whole30 compliant.  Boo, hoo.  It wasn't listed in It Starts with Food as off limits, but it is in the Whole30.  The reason is because it contains alcohol and corn syrup.  That is one of the arbitrary rules I've previously referred to, because we both know people aren't chugging pure vanilla extract for a buzz or to satisfy a sugar craving!  That said, I do have almond extract and from what I can tell it only contains alcohol, no corn syrup, and is permitted(?).

Yesterday the kids let Scott and I sleep until 8:00!  What that really means is that our four year old slept until 8:00.  A win-win!

For breakfast I made paleo pancakes, but this time they weren't pumpkin.  This time they were eggs mixed with almond flour and almond extract and they were delicious!  No, they did not taste like "real" pancakes, but that wasn't what I was going for.  They tasted nutty and their consistency was hearty.

The recipe I used made four. I had two for breakfast with fruit salad, and two more with applesauce for my morning snack.

Now, I know what you're thinking, "There she goes again breaking the Whole30 Rules..."  But, as I've said before, I don't believe everything I read and since pancakes are not a "problem" for me, I do not have any reservations eating Whole30 compliant ingredients and preparing them healthfully.

There are other bloggers in the blogosphere who have written similar opinions and also didn't quit the Whole30 for taking a different approach than the book(s) recommend.  Whole30 is not the boss of me (us)!

For lunch I ate salad greens with tomato, avocado and pork.  For an afternoon snack I had my signature smoothie.

For dinner we went to my in-laws for a cookout.  I brought collard greens and zucchini chips and ate those with a burger topped with mustard, tomato and pickles.  No chips, fries, beans, buns, mayo or dessert for me.  And, surprisingly, I was okay.

My night cap was a spoonful of cashew butter and almond milk.  This is a "treat" I look forward to each evening after the kids have gone to bed.  Again, it's probably something the authors of Whole30 would recommend against, as they would say I may be developing an unhealthy relationship with food if I'm "looking forward to it" or "considering it a treat" or "finding comfort in it in any way". 

All I can say is that I believe food was created for us to eat and to enjoy and I am doing just that, while really thinking about whether or not I'm hungry, whether or not it's a healthy choice, and whether or not it's worth it considering my health and fitness goals.  Does that make sense?

In short, I'm just not one of those people who will ever drink the Kool-Aid.  I do my research and then decide what works best for me.  I do this and have done this in every area of my life from choosing colleges and careers, to planning a wedding or eloping, to having babies and raising them, to actively working on my health and fitness goals.

Despite the tone of this post, I am enjoying the Whole30 (or My Whole30).  My tummy is flatter and my skin is clearer.  I didn't have any trouble getting out of bed this morning despite the late night I had last night and the fact that I didn't sleep well.  And, frankly, I enjoy a challenge.  But, like Frank, I'll do it my way!