The Whole30

The Whole30 is my latest challenge that I wanted to share with y'all! I have been trying to push for improvement and this one has been surprisingly easy.

In our home, most know that we follow a paleo lifestyle about 90-95% of the time. For the past couple of weeks though, I was allowing myself to be more like an 80/20. However, for someone like me who has joint issues (Rheumatoid Arthritis); I have finally learned & accepted the fact that my body is highly sensitive to what I consume.

The average person can usually enjoy some froyo, grains, cupcake, beer, burger etc. from time to time; but I cannot. I will literally have a "food hangover" the next day and wake up in a tremendous amount of pain. It reached a point where it physically was a struggle for me to get my baby out of her crib in the mornings. Unacceptable. Some may think I am crazy & uptight when it comes to my lifestyle. I can't deny that, I have probably lost my marbles...but to me, it's worth it. I have a one and a half year old daughter that requires me to be on-point 24/7. And I am young. I want to feel young.

I am a week into the Whole30 challenge and have been feeling fabulous! Everyday into the challenge, I feel better and better. I am hoping this will give my body the reset that it desperately needed.

To those who are interested in giving it a try, I'd like to share a few tips that have worked for me:

• Before you even consider beginning, make sure you're head is in it. You've got to want it. You have to be so fed up with the aches, pains, and same routine that you can't stand to do it another day. Don't start something that you can't finish. You'll feel so good and accomplished when it is said and done.
• Meal prep. I had never prepped my meals in advance before, but I knew that I wouldn't last in this challenge if I had to cook a fresh plate for every single meal. Ain't nobody got time for that. Every Sunday, we my awesome hubby preps our meats for the week. Then, I will reheat them for lunch or dinner either on a skillet, grill, or in the oven (never the microwave).
• Extra pointers for meal prepping:
• have lots of containers or ziploc bags before starting
• slightly undercook your beef as it will taste better when you have to reheat it throughout the week. 
• Take your time cooking the meat. Cook it low & slow so it will taste good. Nobody lasts in this challenge if the food they're eating tastes like chewy rubber.
• I prefer eating my veggies in the same day that I cook them. They don't take long to cook at all; so as I cook my eggs in the morning, I will prepare my veggies for the day as well. 
• If you are known for having little to no willpower, don't put yourself in tempting situations. Don't make dinner plans with friends/family for the next 30 days if you can't resist. Don't go to a party where you know you'll be tempted by booze, cake, etc. Thankfully, I am a pretty big loser already so I don't go to too many parties ;) But I was able to take my husband out for froyo today, and didn't have a single lick! My daughter was covered in froyo and I was so tempted to lick her face and tiny sticky fingers and polish off her cup...but, I didn't. That's willpower folks. 
• If you get hungry, leave the house. Get outside. Take some carrots with you. 
• Always have fresh veggies on hand. Don't ever let your fridge run low, or hunger & anger will set in and you'll cave. 
• Drink at least a gallon of water every day. 
• If you get hungry, drink water & get over it. You'll live. 
• Get active. You'll start noticing results quickly when you eat clean. Being active in addition to this challenge will really make ya feel like a million bucks!
• Pray. I'd be lying if I said it hasn't helped me. 

This challenge has made me realize how darn good healthy food really is. I feel good, and I am eating like a queen. Here are some pictures of the deliciousness that I get to enjoy everyday!

These jalapeno bites were almost considered cheating. Don't make them...you'll want to eat every one of them! 

Always filling the plate up with a boat load of vegetables.

Even though I don't consume grains anymore, it doesn't mean I don't have a love for starch anymore. I have at least one sweet potato a day! I can't get enough. To which I have to say.....

Notice how I am not in the picture. I may have willpower, but that doesn't mean I wanted to smile for the camera. *jealous of these turds*

If you give this a-go, let me know! I would love to be support for you! Plus, it's always nice to know you're not alone in something like this. Let's be miserable healthier together!

Easy Lunch for Picky Babies

Some babies just don't want to eat their fruits and veggies. Some parents just don't want to have that fight with them. Some parents just may not have the time to make a freshly prepared lunch everyday! Whatever the reason, here's what my daughter had for lunch today. Thought I'd share for those who are into making smoothies.

We don't make smoothies often because I believe it's more beneficial to eat your food. But in her situation (lacking her molars to chew just yet), it's a great way for her to get some greens into the diet without her choking! 

I used a NutriBullet to blend. This one is loaded with antioxidants (great for teething babies to reduce inflammation) and is very filling with the rice/oatmeal cereal. 

Ingredients:

-2-3 oz of water or almond milk

-3 strawberries

-3 small blocks of cut pineapple

-1 oz Xocai Activ 

- half of a ripe banana

-1 tbsp organic rice or oatmeal cereal

-2 handfuls of mixed organic greens

Blend until it's smooth. Taste test first! If you don't like it, chances are the baby isn't going to either! 

Dark Chocolate Protein Banana Bread

This recipe was shared with me by one of my mom's friends who fabulously perfected a paleo-friendly banana bread. I am SO excited to share this with y'all! It's so good, I guarantee you, it won't last even a day in your home!

It's stupid easy to make. It's one of those recipes where everything gets tossed into the bowl, in no particular order, and mixed all at once! Easy! 

Here's what you need:

4 ripe bananas

4 organic eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 c organic coconut flour

1/3 c melted organic coconut oil

1 scoop of pure grass-fed whey chocolate protein powder 

1 tsp baking soda 

1/4 tsp sea salt 

Mash bananas. Mix it all up, pour into coconutty-oiled bread pan, bake at 350 for 50 min to an hour. 

I like to add things such as dark chocolate chunks, sliced almonds, favorite nut butter, shredded organic coconut, etc to make each batch unique and delicious!  

As with any banana bread, it tastes best the next day; but if you're impatient and hangry like me...I eat it as soon as it comes out of the oven and smear some sunflower seed butter on top which melts over the edges and drips down my chin as some of the bread crumbles & falls either down my shirt or onto my belly (whichever happens to be poking out the farthest at the time, usually my stomach but I've definitely found snacks in my bra before) as I take a bite. (#preggosknowwhatibetalkinabout #tmi #icantbetheonlygirlwiththisproblem) Never mind my personal issues...it's out of this world! 

Chocolate Protein Pancakes

I've been searching for an easy protein paleo pancake recipe for a while now and think I've finally found one I can rock out! Baking delicious goods while trying to keep it clean is challenging and all too often expensive. Ain't nobody got time for that.

So I present to you my 3-Ingredient Chocolate & Almond Butter Paleo Friendly Protein Pancakes

-1/2 c almond flour, or 1/4 c coconut flour or if you aren't as concerned about grains...1/2 c oat flour

-1 scoop of chocolate protein powder (none of that highly processed protein junk-buy the good stuff)

-splash of coconut milk (add the milk in last & slowly...add just enough to moisten everything together. The batter should be thick like your thighs)

& your favorite nut butter to top it all off and of course some fruit and bacon on the side :) 

I poured the batter one spoonful at a time on to a medium heated skillet that's lubed with organic coconut oil. Two spoonfuls of batter per pancake. Pouring it one spoonful at a time and waiting 30 seconds to a minute in between creates a thick, fluffy pancake. It's all about the layering!

Once it was done, I smeared on almond butter and let it melt over the edges. Adding pancakes to the stack as I went. They were magical! & so so easy. 

You can jazz these up with all sorts of ingredients to make a different breakfast each time. I'll post more varieties as I create them! 

Crossfit Really Is Uncommon

As a newbie to Crossfit and Olympic weightlifting, participating in the Open seemed like a ludicrous thing to do. I've never been physically strong or skilled in my entire life. Some of the Open workouts have made me seriously question my sanity and abilities as a person and as a crossfitter. Despite all of my doubts, I force myself to jump into each workout head first because I know the box is counting on me & the commitment I made to represent. I go into each workout with my heart pounding out of my chest & enough nerves to serve the entire group, but I finish the workout simply amazed at what I just accomplished. I am never at the top of the leaderboards, but I'm still honored to even be rock bottom. There's been times that I haven't even got a single rep, but I'm still excited because it's forced me to try something that I wouldn't have dared to face otherwise. It's encouraged me to challenge myself mentally, physically and spiritually. Today, I set a PR of deadlifting 135#. During the warm up, I couldn't even come close to budging that weight, but I told my husband I'd still give it a try in the Open workout and give it all I had. Thanks to the amazing coaches guiding me along the way (and shouting words of encouragement & commands in my face, which I seriously love-thank you!), I was able to not only dead lift the 135# once, but NINE times-and could have done more if there was more time on the clock. Since joining Uncommon, I've had so many firsts. I was praying to God to help me deadlift that weight correctly & we nailed it!!! Woo hoo! 

So many people give me a hard time for the fact that I Crossfit. They (those people being people who haven't even ever tried Crossfit) tell me how I'm gonna get really hurt, how we do movements improperly to sacrifice for good time, etc. To which I tell them, come join us on a free community WOD and then feel free to judge me after that. Crossfit is so much more than what all of the negative skeptics say about it. A good box provides so much more than physical gains. They genuinely care about you as a person and the atmosphere in itself is often times more positive and uplifting than a good ol' Sunday church sermon. I watch my peers and cheer them on not with jealousy, but with sheer amazement at how strong they all are and with high hopes to someday be able to accomplish what they've worked so hard for.

I am PROUD to be a part of Uncommon and the community of people within it. Thanks to the coaches Crystal, Pete, Alec & Rod for the opportunity to participate & to my fellow members for inspiring me to never give up! 

Juicing Tips & Tricks

Juicing can be a blessing or a curse. I have had so many people message me lately about how wasteful juicing seems to be. I totally understand where you are coming from because I was in your shoes a couple years ago when I first began my juicing journey.

So with trial and error I have found ways to make it work. I am by no means an expert; I just am sharing what I have learned from my experiences. I hope you find this information helpful! 

• Juicing can be expensive if done without careful planning. If you are new to juicing, pick two or three simple recipes to start and make a shopping list for the ingredients. Don't overwhelm yourself by aimlessly grocery shopping and loading up on things you may or may not need.
• Choose produce that is high in water content. You will get more "bang for your buck" with these types of foods; such as cucumbers, watermelon, apples, carrots, oranges, grapefruit, etc. Any of these foods make excellent juicing bases. Always choose a base that will provide lots of juice. Our family favorite is carrots. Organic whole carrots are cheap and delicious.
• Foods such as berries and leafy greens (spinach & kale) are great antioxidant boosters but sometimes best to just eat raw. It takes a great amount of each to produce enough juice and they're also usually the priciest. 
• Add foods such as lemon, ginger, lime, wheatgrass, aloe vera, purple cabbage, & beets as "boosters" rather than bases. These are all strong in flavors and each have their own benefits when added to juice. For example, we love to juice ginger because it is excellent for stomach issues and is anti-inflammatory. It is also very spicy, so use a small amount.
• In the summer-fall seasons, ask your gardening neighbors or friends if they have any extra produce that they need taken off their hands. For instance, last fall our backyard's apple trees produced so many apples that I was practically begging people to come pick apples for me! It saved us hundreds of dollars by using the apples from our backyard for juicing, plus I know that our tree hasn't been treated with any chemicals whatsoever. 
• Check your local grocer's policy for what they do with produce that is either expired, about to expire, or blemished in some way. Many groceries offer this produce at super low prices and it is a great way to find some excellent steals.
• Consider growing your own garden. Now is a great time to get started. If you are new at it, like I am; start small. Don't go crazy or you will likely be unsuccessful. Choose 2-3 of your family's most consumed produce and try your go at growing those. 
• If after trying these tips & tricks and you still feel like you aren't getting much juice; consider a new juicer. From my experiences in juicing, you get what you pay for. We use the Omega juicer and absolutely love it. The Omega juicers website also has so many juicing recipes so be sure to check those out!
• Pulp. Many people see how much pulp juicing extracts and think how awful it is to let it go to waste. So don't let it go to waste! We save ours for our dogs sometimes and mix it in with their dinner, you can save vegetable pulp and make soups with it, you can feed some to your baby ;) or save it for compost for your garden. My mother in law saves hers to give to her neighbors to feed their chickens. There are so many ways to use the pulp! 

Here is a great cleansing vegetable juice that is easy and is sure to produce lots of juice!

-organic whole carrots (washed)

-organic celery stalks (washed)

Juice carrots until it provides 4 oz of juice; then juice the celery until it produces 4 oz of juice. Pour into a glass and chug it down! 

Good luck guys!

Washing Produce

I have had so many friends recently buy juicers, to those I say..CONGRATS!! Don't get discouraged if it's not all you've heard it is cracked up to be. I'll be posting my tips and tricks to juicing later this week!! 

Until then, I would like to stress how important it is to wash and prep your produce so that it provides the best flavors, removes as many pesticides as possible, and lasts longer. 

It makes me cringe when I see people just eat it straight from the grocery...I may be a germaphobe, but hear me out on this. It is worth the extra time it takes to wash it well for your eating enjoyment later ;) 

I typically come home and get out a large glass bowl and fill it with water and Bragg's apple cider vinegar (3:1 ratio, roughly...I don't actually measure) and let my produce soak for a good 5-10 minutes then proceed to strain the water out and let it all dry before storing back in the fridge. It's time consuming. For those who have kids, get your kids involved. They will love tossing the berries in the cleaning mixture and helping you! The ACV (apple cider vinegar) will kill mold spores and remove unwanted toxins from the produce thus providing a longer shelf life for the produce! 

For my local friends; My mom also recently invested in a Kangen Water System for her home which provides water at a pH of 11.5 which is meant to clean your produce and provide the proper pH for produce which seriously makes it taste AMAZING. It also removes unwanted toxins! It makes berries that are out of season taste like they're freshly picked in the middle of the summery season!! She so graciously offered to sell it to anyone who wants a gallon jug of it. The system is just connected to her tap; so you just bring a gallon jug and fill it up! 

These are the two ways I like to prepare my family's produce. I hope this helps you with your next grocery trip! Keep calm...it's almost farmers market season!!! :)