5 things I love about myself

Is it just me or did January seem to have 365 days in the month?

I’m so glad to see that February is here – the month of love. This year is my butterfly year, so although I’m enjoying the holiday as a solo woman that doesn’t mean I have to throw a pity party due to a lack of companionship.

After all, the best relationship I’ll ever have is the one I have with myself.

So today, on this day of romance, my love letter is dedicated to me.

• I love my eyes. I receive compliments frequently about my eyes, but they are so much more than their shape and color. These eyes have seen amazing experiences, as well as terrible tragedies. These eyes have such an incredible story to share, and I am so grateful for them. 
• I love my ability to see the positive in every situation. Bad things have happened – things that are out of my control – but the one thing I can control is how I react. That was a challenging lesson to learn, but one that has allowed me to cope with the bad things. 
• I love my transparency. I have a confidence in putting myself out there to help others feel comfortable.  I am an open book, and if I am able to share something to help someone else then I will share it – even if it makes me look weird. 
• I love my curves. I am not one of those skinny girls, and likely never will be. I remember in my early 20s, someone I considered a friend called me fat in the middle of a fight. That still sticks with me. But rather than dwell on what others think about my body, and me I can embrace it. My body is my friend, and in treating it that way I’ve been able to change so much about it and how I feel about it. 
• I love my heart. When I love, I love with every ounce of my being. Regardless of how many times I’ve been hurt in the past, and how many more times are to come, my greatest joy is when I can show others how much I care for them.

Whether you’re spending today with your heart and soul, enjoying a bottle of red paired with a great meal or you’re spending it solo with a face mask and your dog (like me), enjoy it.

Every minute of every part of the day.

Whole30: The Review

It wasn’t perfect, but it’s done. It wasn’t as hard as I thought but does take time. And I learned a lot.

That’s basically what I share with people when I tell them that my Whole30 experience is over now.

The results
I lost 12 freaking pounds. And feel amazing about it.

I mean, I wasn’t supposed to weigh myself throughout the program, but I did anyway. So, I lost 12 lbs and then stayed there for almost 2 weeks. If I didn’t weigh myself throughout, I wouldn’t know that I plateaued. But still, I’m down 12 freaking pounds.

I can cross my legs comfortably. Like, this is huge. Previously, I’d need to put my foot on something for resistance. Not anymore. And not even in jeans! Boom.

I bought a size 12 dress last weekend and can zip it and breathe in it. Incredible. I was a tight size 14 or a very comfortable 16 and was SO hoping to not have to go any bigger. But, I am now wearing pants I haven’t been able to button in 2 years, and they are loose on me.

Man, what a good feeling.

I’m more knowledgeable about what I put in my body. I read labels a lot and am very cautious about the amount of sugar I am consuming. I’m also making wiser choices when I go out. Last night I met a colleague for dinner – my first night off – and I opted for a salad instead of the pizza options or a burger. I did have cheese, but it was just enough.

The cons
This program takes A LOT of prep work. Between planning out your meals, grocery shopping, and then prepping your food you really need to put aside time. This is not the type of program where you can just wing it. And if you can, then I praise thee.

It’s pretty restrictive. Yes, there are compliant options for salad condiments and the like, but you’ve really got to research ahead of time if you’re going to a restaurant. And, you must read ALL labels of anything you purchase outside of fruits and vegetables – this includes meat labels!

Because I’m such a creature of routine, my “day food” was the same this entire time. Which made me get sick of eggs and avocado, but also get bored. This is something I’d change in the future – but I do know it will take more prep work if I’m not prepping in bulk.

The pros
12 freaking pounds. I’ll just say it once again.

Joking aside, I’m sleeping more soundly and getting more sleep time in. It was a goal to sleep 6.5 hours and according to my Fitbit, it wasn’t frequent that I’d meet that. Lately, it’s been at least 7 hours of consistent sleep.

I’m more energized during the day, overall more positive and patient, and I’ve been the most productive at work than I’ve ever been. I literally slayed my to-do list almost completely.

After Whole30
Will I do this again? Hell to the yeah. I absolutely intend on doing this program in its entirety at least 2 more times this year. So, if you’re interested in doing it alongside me, I’d love for us to connect for support.

My view on how I take care of my body – both with exercise and food – has really changed from this. So, in addition to exercising, I’ll likely continue eating this way 80% of the time.

But, right now, give me all the cheese and vino.