Subtle Things & Another Round of Whole30

Despite all the wonderful things that have happened in my life over the last few months, I feel like I am in a deep rut. Graduation was exciting, but ultimately anti-climatic, and now that some time has passed, I feel unchanged. I question my decision to not go straight into a year long Master of Arts in Teaching program. I question my decision to attend a university that does not offer teaching certification within their baccalaureate degrees. I question myself for feeling let down after reaching such a huge and momentous accomplishment.

After my May Whole30, I went back into my life hesitantly. So many exciting things were happening, and there was so much to get done. I thought little about the food I was eating, and was able to stay relatively paleo with some fun celebratory eats.  However, three weeks post Whole30 is a different story. I am back to working full time at the Market. Back to having free time. Back to having more temptations and time to eat.

I've decided to start another Whole30 beginning tomorrow -- I don't want to wait and give myself time to think about the cons. I want to do this wholeheartedly and get back to the confident and happy person I was just a couple weeks ago.

I would, however, like to do things a bit differently this time around. Here are my Whole30 Round 2 goals:

• Eat more green vegetables. This is my highest regret from my previous round. I ate vegetables, but mostly ones that I was very comfortable with like carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, zucchini, and (so many) brussels sprouts. This time, I want to make sure to get a couple leafy veggies in a day. I just bought and chopped a bunch of rainbow swiss chard to saute into my breakfasts!  

• No more dried fruit! This shit is like candy. Especially the dried strawberries. I could eat a whole bag in one sitting, and that binge eating desire is something I want to stay the hell away from on the Whole30. 

• Follow the Whole9 Principles. The Whole30 creators' original company was Whole9. They have nine specific principles that they believe are integral to a well rounded and healthy life. Last time, I focused solely on food, which is only one aspect of my life. This time, I want to reign in other areas too, like Socialization, Natural Environment, and Personal Growth. 

• I want to give myself 30 minutes of activity each day, for obvious and important reasons. I'd like to do this in the form of things I love, like hiking, swimming, dancing and yoga. I'm not a gym person, and I don't believe in doing the StairMaster until the point of vomiting. I think that exercise should be fun, involve the world around me, and foster a sustainable and spiritually connected future. This isn't about the "gains" for me. It's about changing my life, losing weight, and looking forward to doing that healthy way of life long term. (I'll probably throw some squats in there though, because: dat ass.) 

• Also, maintaining a supplement and facial care regimen, and keeping acupuncture in my life. Anxiety and acne are two obstacles I really struggle with, and I'd like to keep a handle on those things. (I've been doing Aztec clay masks a couple times a week and really enjoy it!) 

July is filled with a lot of exciting reasons to celebrate, Independence Day, my brother's birthday, and my second wedding anniversary (!!) among them. I think it will be a great opportunity for me to realize that celebrations don't  have to be accompanied by food or actions that make me less healthy and less happy. Celebrations are for spending time with people you love, doing things that create memories and smiles, and eating things that enable you to live happily. 

Here are some photos of a couple weeks ago when T and I hiked Eagle Creek up to Punchbowl Falls. I want my life to include a lot more of days like this. 

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!