Three Weeks

It's been a full three weeks since we started our Whole30 eating lifestyle so I thought I would give an update on how it's been going.

Kids

I thought we were making progress this week as they sat one evening each eating a different fruit for their snack. And then two kids asked for kale chips in their lunch. Suppers have been going good. Not too much complaining.

But then.......Saturday I took them to Aldi and had to hear how mean I was for taking them to the store, walking them past all kinds of good food and not letting them get any of it.

I did make my first attempt at Paleo baking yesterday. I made banana bread. Although it tastes different, it was good and the kids loved it. We will keep trying new things. It's baby steps with them but I have hope that we will get there and that they will thank me in the end.

Brad

He has lost about 15 pounds already. The other night he was walking around the house and he looked like one of those thugs with most of his boxers showing. I asked him if his pants were untied or if they were really that loose. They were really that loose. So if you see Brad and he looks like a thug, he isn't trying to make a fashion statement. He just forgot to put a belt on.

I asked him the other day how he was feeling and he said that he wasn't feeling great but the exhaustion that he normally feels is gone. Which is saying a lot since he had a couple days this week that he got up at 2am. It apparently is enough for him to keep going.

I tried to make a dessert last night. Brad told me not to do it again because it needed sugar and just reminded him that he can't have it.

Me

I haven't had the weight loss success that Brad has had but I guess that's good because I don't have that far to go. I've been feeling good but still waiting for that "great" feeling as well. Some days I feel like I have a ton of energy and the afternoon slump is almost non-existent. My joints have been feeling better and I've added in exercise. I didn't have huge goals this week but I had goals. My goal was to go on the elliptical 3 times this week for 15 minutes.

I like to start small.

For the first time ever in my life, I exceeded an exercise goal. I actually got on the elliptical 4 times. Twice for 15 minutes and twice for 20 minutes. I think this is the first time ever that I felt like I need to exercise to burn off the energy and I even enjoyed it.

Each day you will get a different story from me. Some days I am in love with doing this and others I just want to stop and get a cheeseburger, pick up a bunch of snacks that come in a box and give them to my kids, and then eat a big brownie.

I'm trying to stay focused. I am enjoying finding new recipes and we have enjoyed eating most of them. Who knew I would get a thumbs up on salmon cakes and on acorn squash.

Budget

I've been asked how this is affecting our budget. It's hard to say since this is the first month but so far I can say it has gone up a little. As we go along though I think I will be able to get it back down. This month we are trying to find what we like. One thing that Brad likes to snack on is nuts and banana chips. The banana chips do have some sugar but we do our best.

Pistachios are a must around here and they are not cheap.

The kids finally had me try one the other day and they are good. I usually don't like food that makes me work to get to it. That's why I'd never tried one. Now that I know they are good, I've been eating them too. SHHHHHH......don't tell Brad.

Even though it's gone up, there are other areas that things go down. We haven't eaten out as a family at all this month. Plus Brad and I both take an allowance if we want to eat lunch out or Brad likes to buy a pop at work or other small things. We aren't really needing that this month either.

I do end up at the grocery store a lot more than I used to but my visits are shorter and less items. I'm learning what is cheaper at which store and which stores have the best healthy options. Once I get that figured out, I will know what to stock up on and things should get easier.