It's been a while...

Just over a year ago, I started this blog.  It was in preparation for leading a group of Whole30 newbies on their first Whole30 adventure in October.  I was gearing up, making up new recipes, making tried and true recipes from my 3 previous Whole30s, and looking for a slew of new recipes (and recipes I had set aside during my previous Whole30s, but never got around to making).  I held an info session, started a group WhatsApp, created a new Whole30 email account, and started this blog.

I started my 4th Whole30 with the group and was going strong, but then in the first week, something hit me.  Something that was out of my control and no matter what I did, I couldn’t get past it.  I was so nauseated at the idea/thought of protein.  Enter morning sickness.  Not the puking kind (thank G-d!!), but that constantly nauseous state.  I tried to keep to my Whole30 but it was just not feasible.

See, when we set out to start Whole30 in October, months ahead of time, I wasn’t yet pregnant.  So when October rolled around, I thought to myself “I can do this!” but then one week in, I was down a few pounds*, and unable to eat the majority of the Whole30 staples I had come to rely on.  (* Yes, I know that weighing yourself during Whole30 is breaking a cardinal rule, but given my being pregnant and constantly nauseous, I thought it was a smart move/ok exception on my part to monitor my weight.)  I added in some dairy, and then some gluten free carbs, and then eventually abandoned it entirely.  Honestly, I don’t regret it, at that time my body needed bagels (with butter, with cream cheese, with American cheese, and eventually some tuna) and who was I to deny myself that?  I ate more bagels in my first trimester than I think I have eaten in my entire life, or at least in the past decade.  But I digress....

The bottom line is that as I started eating less Whole30, this blog started to suffer a little LOT.  To be completely honest, I had so many food aversions!  With the exception of meat (steak cooked more well done than I would’ve like, and meatballs/ground beef), tuna salad, and lox (I got the OK from my OB to eat them once a week) - and occasionally some scrambled eggs - protein was the furthest thing from my diet.  So much so that I had Thanksgiving lasagna and not turkey!  Veggies were hit or miss.  Carbs and dairy became a lifestyle.  Even my beloved coffee took a hit for the first half of my pregnancy, as I couldn't even stomach that!  And all I craved was sushi, especially spicy tuna hand rolls from one specific place, and I couldn’t have it.

But now that I had the baby — and even went off of dairy for a period of time to see if it was disagreeing with him (it wasn’t!) — and am able to eat anything that I was able to before my pregnancy (goodbye food aversions!), I think it’s time for Whole30 #4!  And, miraculously, when I suggested it to my husband over dinner tonight, he said he thought it was a good idea?!  I think I may be converting him...only took 3+ Whole30s...So I wouldn't be shocked if we start a Whole30 September.

So stay tuned as this blog starts picking up a little, as new recipes will be posted as I ease into Whole30 #4!

Whole30 number 4 coming very soon....

When I'm on Whole30 -- and even when I'm not -- I'm constantly talking about Whole30.  I'm sure a lot of people are tired of hearing me talk about it, but there's one person who apparently couldn't get enough.  My friend who owns the barre studio where I teach wanted to start a Whole30 group and asked me to lead it!  We'll be starting at the end of September.  I'm super excited (but I'm pretty sure my hubby is going to kill me).

I think the group setting is going to be good because for a lot of people it will give them accountability.  They'll also have the added benefit of being able to know someone going through the same thing as they are at the same time as they are.  And they'll have someone who has done it before to help them through (that would be me).  I'm so excited to be sharing this Whole30 with others and doing it as a group.

On a recent trip to Florida, I bought some cooking magazines to look at to get ideas for new recipes.  I guess I bought the right ones, because so many of the recipes seemed easily adaptable for Whole30 without having to change too much.  I have a lot of recipe testing to do over the next several weeks in preparation for my next Whole30 adventure.

Stay tuned for info and updates about this joint Whole30 endeavor!