Whole 30: Completed!

You can do anything for 30 days, I told myself.

And I did.

No sugar.
No carbs.
No peanut butter(!)
No beans.
No grains.
No dairy.
No soy.

Thirty days. 

So what happened? I mindfully ate foods that I prepared, and I saw quite a few benefits. I was encouraged AND teased. It was easy at times, and it was difficult during other times. But it was worth it.

I feel more physically fit. I also feel healthier in other ways – mentally, I feel like my concept of healthy has changed. I’ve noticed how so many foods I used to think were “better” or “healthy” actually contained 4-5 different types of sugar and not much actual nutrition.

I had to say no and make alternative accommodations during work events (turning down 2 work-sponsored lunches and 3 work-related celebration cakes). I had to resist Epcot food & drink with friends. I was the one nibbling on carrots at my husband’s work holiday party and saying no to the delicious smell of Mexican food. I did not celebrate National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day, National Drink Wine Day, or National Tortilla Chip Day. I got accustomed to an after-church meal of salad & veggies with grilled chicken and oil & vinegar.

Would I recommend it? Yes. You never know what you’re capable of until you take complete control of your food intake.

What’s next? The reintroduction phase is 10 days of testing out the food groups I’ve removed and finding out if any food is causing unwanted side effects. My results should reveal more than the diet itself!

Edit: A special shout-out to my husband for doing most of my dishes for the last 30 days!

The full list of my Whole 30 Victories can be found below.

Decisions.

She sat in the darkness, conflicted. It was just a quick glance, but it told her more than she wanted to know. She was no longer the chosen one. She was no longer wanted.

What to do with this information? Should she run? Should she go back out there, resume her duties, and pretend that everything was fine? She felt the weight of the crown on her head. Sighing, she remembered that her decisions were not her own. She had a family – and a kingdom – to please. Her entire life had given her the training, yet when her heart was involved, it was no longer straightforward.

For a moment, heavy footsteps caught her attention in the hallway. She held her breath, waiting for them to pass, praying they didn’t stop in front of the door. Nobody would suspect she had disappeared into this wing… would they?

Thankfully, the steps did not even pause and faded out as the intruder continued down the hallway.

A decision must be made. She couldn’t hide out forever. Running may indicate freedom, but it would also bring loneliness and shame. Pretending might steal her soul, but she would rather have some of him than none at all. With a longing glance through the window, she knew what she had to do. She stood up, straightened her crown, and opened the door.

Audience Selection

The first rule in writing: Know your audience. It doesn’t matter if you’re writing a blog, a thesis paper, a newspaper article, or a speech – you must know what you are writing, and for whom, in order to create an effective puzzle of words.

Who is my audience? I’ve connected my WordPress blog to my Twitter and to my LinkedIn, so perhaps my audience consists of those people who have seen me in 140 characters at a time or have read about my professional accomplishments, but have clicked through to read more. What value can I offer to you?

Go Magic!

I love basketball and I’m a fan of the Orlando Magic. Tonight, however, I am a bit irritated that the game starts at 8:30 PM and I therefore fight the battle between sleep and staying up to watch one of the last basketball games of the season. If only we had 30 hours in the day, we could fix this predicament!