Whole 30 - Week 2

Week 2 of the Whole 30 went well. The first week, I really missed cheese. This week, I was craving all things chocolate but resisted until the weekend when I treated myself to some ice cream. My grocery bill was a little higher than normal this week but I stocked up on almond butter and chicken and also bought salmon. 

Breakfast
I added Canadian bacon to my breakfast menu this week. Most days, I had a hard boiled egg with a banana and a slice of Canadian bacon. Saturday, I added half of a sweet potato with almond butter and cinnamon to the mix. I liked the combo and it keep me full until the early afternoon.

Lunch
I continued to eat big salads for lunch. I added in roasted sweet potatoes for more variety a few days. I also baked salmon for dinner one night and had the other piece over a salad for lunch on Saturday.

Dinner
On Monday night, I had steak, roasted sweet potatoes, and a big kale salad. I used this recipe to make a sweet and spicy balsamic vinaigrette.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, I made this herb chicken saute served with roasted green beans and spaghetti squash.

Thursday, I had salmon over a kale salad with roasted broccoli and cauliflower. Normally I like roasted cauliflower better than broccoli but the broccoli stole the show with lemon juice and red pepper flakes.

On Friday, I went out to sushi with some friends. Thank goodness for rolls without rice!

Two weeks down, two more to go!

The Friday Five

1. Reading:

From Amazon: Twelve years ago Matthew "the Rocket" Rising had it all. Married to his high school sweetheart and one of the winningest quarterbacks in the history of college football, he was the number one NFL draft pick. But on the night of the draft, he plummeted from the pinnacle of esteem. Falsely accused of a heinous crime with irrefutable evidence, it seemed in an instant all was lost--his reputation, his career, his freedom, and most devastatingly, the love of his life.

Having served his sentence and never played a down of professional football, Matthew leaves prison with one goal--to find his wife, Audrey, whom no one has seen since the trial. He returns to an unwelcoming reception from his Gardi, Georgia, hometown to learn that Audrey has taken shelter from the media with the nuns at a Catholic school. There she has discovered a young man with the talent to achieve the football career Matthew should have had. All he needs is the right coach. Although helping the boy means Matthew violates the conditions of his release and--if discovered--reincarceration for life, he'll take the chance with hope of winning back Audrey's love.

2. Watching:

My two favorite women have finally returned to television. I missed both the premieres this week but can't wait to catch up. 

3. Listening to:

Luke Bryan - "Roller Coaster"

4. Recipe I'm bookmarking:

source

This recipe for Baked Salmon with Creamy Lemon Dill Zucchini Noodles. So light and healthy. 

5. Things making me laugh:

Happy Friday!

Whole 30 - Week 1

Like I mentioned yesterday, May Lo and I are doing the Whole 30. You basically give up all things bad for you (diary, alcohol, grains, sugar, anything processed, etc.) and focus on making good food choices for 30 days. You eat meat, seafood, eggs, a ton of veggies, some fruit, and nuts/seeds. The premise is pretty straight forward but you do have to plan ahead. Here are my eats from the first week.

Breakfast
Pretty much the same everyday. Two hard boiled eggs with fruit (either a banana or blueberries). I am still trying to figure out what to eat when I'm not in the mood for eggs since yogurt is out. Saturday, I made paleo pancakes  by blending two eggs with a banana. I thought I would miss the syrup but the blueberries were plenty sweet.

Lunch

Lunch most days was a big salad with lots of veggies and chicken. Twice last week, I made an Asian Chicken Salad topped with sriracha. I know the wontons in the package aren't paleo but I wanted the crunch. 

Dinner
One night I made a grilled pork chop with sauteed brussel sprouts and roasted butternut squash. Another night, I made spaghetti squash spaghetti with a big kale salad.

Eating Out

When I saw this blurb in the Skimm I laughed out loud but I was actually nervous about eating out while on the Whole 30. Fortunately, it is not hard to stick to the guidelines. For dinner one night, a group went to El Mexicano and I ordered a guacamole salad with two beef tacos (minus the cheese and tortillas). Sunday at brunch at Willy Taco, I ordered the Breakfast Skillet with two eggs, chorizo, potatoes, pico de gallo, and guac. 

My energy levels are up and I feel better all around. One week down, three more to go!

Lately

This post is long overdue, so I will try not to overwhelm you and only hit the high notes.

We had a cousins beach weekend back in August. It was the first time we planned a getaway without any of the aunts or uncles. It's crazy to think that we have reached the age where we can do that - but with three babies under two and three dogs I guess it is safe to say that we are now officially grown up.

I accepted the position of Director of Student Activities in Student Affairs. On September 8th, I officially moved across campus. I am loving my new role and working with the students to plan events. My office is a work in progress but I will make sure to do a reveal post once everything is set up.

Some big names on campus, including our president and athletic director, participated in the ice bucket challenge. These photos were too good not to share.

I spent Labor Day weekend with these two crazy people at one of my favorite places, Litchfield Beach.

I celebrated the marriage of these two with this guy and can now cross going on a blind date off my bucket list.

I asked Ashley to create this for my new office and it turned out better than I could have imagined. This is one of my all time favorite verses. Firm and secure.

We celebrated Mom's birthday as a family, minus one. 

May Lo and I started the Whole30.

And these are just a few things that have been happening lately!

Fun Facts Friday

1. Hi friends! Long time no chat. Sorry for being so mia, things have been a little crazy. I'm working on a Lately post to fill you in but figured I would stop in for some fun facts in the meantime. 

2. This week I have misplaced both my Starbucks gold card and my black pencil skirt. I used my card before going to the beach but haven't worn my skirt in while. I realize these are both first world problems but for someone who rarely misplaces things this has thrown me for a loop. 

3. I had a Junior League meeting Monday and one of my committee members asked if I could bring a corkscrew for the wine. I was at happy hour so I responded that I may have one in my car, if not I would pick one up. It did not occur to me until later that it probably isn't normal for people to have them in their cars. I wasn't a girl scout but I always like to be prepared. 

4. It's hard to believe it is already September. I certainly soaked up as much beach time as I could this summer. My sister is jealous of my tan.

5. I'm loving Taylor Swift's new song. It took me a few times to fall in love with it but it is the perfect song for a kitchen dance party. 

6. Speaking of T. Swift, I have also been listening to her Grammy performance of "All Too Well" on repeat. I love the live version more than the one on the cd. 

7. On Monday, I am starting a new job. I will still be at Wofford but I am moving across campus. I'm super excited about it!

8. Part of my new job is teaching the freshman in conjunction with their PE classes. Yesterday, I was running late for class, slipped on the wet floor, and totally busted it in front of a group of students. Once I recovered and made it halfway down the hall, I realized that those students were my class. Talk about a great first impression. 

9. I have more fun wedding plans this weekend. I may not be crashing this one but I'm definitely going out on a limb. 

10. Happy Friday!