I’ve been dipping my toe in (and out) of the clean-eating waters for about a year now.

I’ll do great for a few months and then inevitably get derailed by a holiday or a birthday. And honestly, I’m fine with that. I don’t think I’ll ever truly be a clean-eating devotee. I like sweets and the occasional ooey-gooey spinach dip a bit too much. I enjoy pizza. Ice cream. A Taco Bell crunchy taco or two (hangs head in shame).

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{One of my favorite cleaning-eating breakfasts}

But what I don’t like is feeling enslaved to any of those things. And since Christmas, while enslaved is probably too strong of a word, there have been enough opportunities for overindulgence (Shaun’s birthday, Valentine’s, spring break, Easter) that I’m ready for a reset. As always, my downfall is sugar. I actually eat 85% clean on “regular food” most days. But dessert, y’all. Well, let’s just say that my sweet tooth is alive and well.

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{These aren’t cheap, but they sure go a long way toward quelling a sweets craving}

Which is why I’m taking my second ride on the Whole 30 wagon starting this Friday (yes, it’s April 1st, and no, I’m not setting you up for a joke…although 30 days without a sweet sounds like a bad one).

I did my first round back in the fall, and while it wasn’t a perfect run (there were a few cheats), it was still a positive and enlightening experience for me. I didn’t blog about it because I had so recently documented the 14 Day Cleanse that I did together with a lot of you guys, and I don’t plan to blog a lot about it this time.

But I will be sure to do a Before + After post and let you guys know how the process went the second time around, so, if that’s not your thing, be warned that you’ll want to skip that post.

I also plan to go back to drinking a gallon of water a day. I’ve let myself fall out of the habit, and I’m missing the clarity of mind, increased energy, and lessening of cravings that it provided me back in the fall.

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{I love using red wine vinegar + olive oil as salad dressing}

Honestly, I’ve been dreading jumping back into 100% clean eating, but writing this post has helped remind me of how much I enjoy both the food and the benefits of it.

Speaking of food, I eat very simple meals: fried eggs + sweet potato hash, egg + veggie fritatas, salads + tons of veggies + chicken + nuts, chicken breasts + green beans + seasoned potatoes, turkey burgers + sweet potato fries, steak + scrambled eggs + asparagus, homemade turkey spaghetti sauce + zucchini, apples + almond butter, homemade lara bars, etc. I don’t get very creative because if I have to think/plan/spend too much time on it, I’ll fail.

I need simplicity to succeed. But I still plan to try to incorporate a fun twist on something I love at least once a week. To that end, I’m following along on with @whole30recipes on Instagram. (I’m intrigued by the concept of broccoli rice alone).

If y’all have any interest in joining, a group of us are embarking on this Whole 30 craziness on THIS Friday and all are welcome. If you want to participate but don’t even know where to start, think about your favorite fruits, veggies, unprocessed proteins (chicken, steak, ground turkey, etc.), and fats (avocado, coconut oil, almond butter), and stock up on those. At the very least, you’ll have some yummy options to mix and match for the first few days until you can get a better game plan in place (or, you can be like me, and just keep on mixing and matching the whole way through!).

I’ll update you on Friday with the Facebook accountability group info, but until then, I think I’ll go eat a Twix out one of my kids’ Easter stash (kidding…I already had 3 minis !!!!).

 

8 Comments

  1. I’ve been eating clean for about a year now too. But have been indulging a little more often than I should lately. Chocolate and sweets in general are my downfall. I’ve never done whole30 but I think I may just give it a try! I think I need something strict to reset myself. Oh and if you love sweet potato hash, I love adding ground turkey, fresh cilantro and hot sauce to mine for dinner! So good!

  2. As a pregnant and EBF momma, I’d love to know more about the meals. I realize most people might not want to know, perhaps an email? I know at this point in time that what I put in is going to go so far in helping *both* babies and me to thrive, I get stuck in ruts and then struggle to find an appeal in eating at all. Anyway, sometimes just hearing what other people put together helps me. So I thought I’d ask, I know you have *tons* of free time (=D) but if you feel like “hey this is what I have been/am eating” I’d love to know.

    1. Hey, Sara! I’m not sure exactly what you have in mind, but I was serious when I wrote that list of dishes I eat toward the end of the post. Those, or some combination thereof, are what I eat every day. Anything different/more complicated I would get from an account like the @whole30recipes I linked to. If I’ve misunderstood your question or haven’t answered it, please let me know!

  3. YES! Thank you Abbie! This is just the little kick-starter I need to get back on track. I’ve gained about 10 pounds over the past year with eating bad, moving back to where our family and friends live and the never-ending dinners that come along with that. It’s time for a change!

I love hearing from you guys!