Almost half of a Whole30

Disclaimer: I feel like this post is all over the place and I am doing too many thing right now to even edit it correctly.  So just enjoy it knowing that this is how my brain works ;)

Today is day 12 of my participation in the Whole30 Program. As I write this I am making a roast in the slow cooker (which I've never done before!), and I just finished making some roast squash in the oven (which I've never done before!).  I also have to say that coconut milk, which should be used in moderation, is good!
 I can easily say that 85% of me loves the Whole30 while the other 15%, well, doesn't.  I'm not suffering or pining away for simple carbs and sugar, but I miss being able to have those things sometimes.  I do have to say with time I have been less and less inclined to even desire anything not on the Whole30 approved list.

So for now I am ok and doing well.  Besides food cravings, or the lack thereof, I have seen other benefits and drawbacks of doing this program.  

Some of the drawbacks include spending more money than I would like to.  It is expensive to maintain this kind of diet/lifestyle, but some would say spending the money now beats having to spend lots of money in later years battling health problems.  To them I would say, "True."  Others would argue, and they have, that it is unfair for us to participate in something like this when so many around the world could not afford it, thus eating the way that they do.  While that is true, should that stop me from eating like this?  I don't know. 

Another drawback is just the amount of time it takes to prepare everything.  But I must say that this is also a plus, because I really enjoy cooking!  Perhaps it is a drawback for my roommate, especially on the nights she has to do the dishes.  Oops!

Of course one of the major drawbacks is not being able to socialize over food.  I feel like in Korea, at least in my little world, eating and visiting over a meal is a big deal.  However, I have found other ways to visit and talk with people.  One way is to talk over a cup of coffee or tea.  When it gets warmer I may invite people to go for a walk.  I've gone to the grocery store with a friend and we talked while shopping.  I am also going to try something crazy and just talk to someone without doing anything else! Crazy, right?!

Now, I think that is all the drawbacks I can think of right now.  So, on to the benefits!

One of the greatest benefits is that for half the time I've been doing this I have had way more energy and been way more focused.  Now some people may think, "Half the time, what?"  The beginning of this program means cutting out all the sugar and processed food your body loves. Well, most bodies don't like it when you take away the things they are addicted to.  Mine didn't like it and I got tired sometimes.  There was also adjusting to time change, coming to Korea and all, and adjusting to teaching again.  But now, I've caught up and I feel pretty good.

Another added benefit is that I can see and feel myself losing weight. I haven't stepped on the scale because they advise against that and because I don't want to make this just about losing weight. I want it to be about killing addictions, respecting food and learning self-control.  

I'm also enjoying the fact that I am stepping out of my comfort zone and cooking so many things that I would have never done before.  

Before this post gets too long, I will end it but not before posting some pics for Luana : ) and adding one more thing. 

I have to say that this came about from a prompting from God.  He has been telling me for some time that I need to let go of the sugar idol.  I have an addiction to carbs and sugar and He is helping to let go of it.  It is only through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit that I have because of Jesus Christ that I can do any of this.  I don't mean to post this at the end as a sidenote. It is very important to make that known.  Because I have never been able to do anything like this.  I always fail.  I am only successful here because I yield to Him.  Do I always succeed? No, because I don't always yield.  But that just reveals to me that I still need my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Ok. Here are some pics of food in case you're interested, or whether you are interested or not.

The middle shelf is mine, all mine!

This one is so small because it is just a snack :)

This is me.

So, it's been a while.  I suppose I have had plenty of "blogworthy" moments to write about, but I haven't had time, or at least I haven't made time.  Today, I am making time.

Basically I want to make public (as many people that read this anyway)  the fact that I am on a journey.  For a long time the Lord has been talking to me about my weight, but more specifically about how I put food before Him and that makes me overweight and unhealthy.  My crutch for when I am sick, sad, mad, bored, stressed, etc., is food.  My reward for when I am happy and whatever other positive emotions you can have is food.  But I'm not reaching for lettuce and broccoli.  Oh no.  I am reaching for ice cream (personal fave), donuts, cookies, candies, bread, rice, and so on and so forth.  And let me tell you that my arm reached far and reached again and again.

So that brings us to today.  What is the journey I have decided to go on?  Well, I'll tell you.

It's called Whole30.

The basics:
-No sugar.
-No grains: flour, rice, etc.
-No alcohol.
-No beans or legumes.
-Lots of vegetables.
-Some fruit.
-Lean protein (meats).
-Good fat like avocado, olive oil, almonds, etc.

This is more than your general low carb or paleo diet.  On their website (wholelife9.com) they talk a lot about dealing with your relationships with food.  One thing they address, which I totally recognize, is what they call a "sugar tantrum."  Your brain wants sugar because your body is going through something in which you would normally give it sugar and so it has a tantrum.  They address this by advising to give it a good fat instead, teaching the body to burn fat instead of empty carbs and sugar (at least that's what I conclude).

There was something else where this woman had said that she replaced her ice cream with frozen bananas and almond butter.  Sounds perfectly ok because these are both allowed on the Whole30.  However, they (being the creators who are Dallas and Melissa Hartwig) were totally against this with good reason.  This woman was still satiating the brains sugar craving/tantrum instead of teaching it new ways. She had replaced "junky" sugar with "good" sugar.  There is nothing wrong with the sugar in fruit, and they encourage eating fruit, but she was still giving into the tantrum one way or another.  This is something I have to be aware of because I have already been tempted to do the same thing.

All in all this is about reconditioning my body as far as its behavior towards food.  I will just say it.  Food is my idol.  Sugar is my idol.  God says I'm not supposed to have those.  I don't want to have them.  I don't want to be a slave to them anymore and the Whole30 is gonna help me do it.

Well this post became longer then I intended. So I will wrap it up by saying that in a few days I will write another post talking about the previous 6 or 7 days including what I ate, how I felt, etc.

 Please please please pray for me.  This isn't about losing weight.  It's about placing God above all else.

Thank you! If there is anything I can pray for you, please let me know!  It will help me through those sugar tantrums ;)