No Words Necessary!

Brandon's successes, Mandy's pregnancy

Several things of note: My husband lost five more pounds. High five, fist bump y'all.  I am amazed by the changes that have occurred since we began the Whole30.

One of the difficult things about overhauling your diet and seeing amazing, ah-may-zing, changes is that when you see others suffering from the same things you once did, you want to swoop in with a packet of Paleo information, cook them meals for a week, and rid their pantries and fridges of all that nastiness they've been consuming.

But really, while we really do enjoy sharing our diet lifestyle and how it has changed us in many, many ways, we also recognize that people have to be willing to make the changes themselves.  When they are ready, they  will ask for help or advice.  For now, we are happy just to share our success stories with others and tell how we've been changed.

We've been on the other side as well. We've looked at people cross-eyed when they suggested we give up bread. (And we even tried it for a while, and boy that sucked.) But we also saw that we were headed in a direction we didn't want to go.

Brandon went to the doctor and was classified as "morbidly obese".  He was having to lean on medications for pain and was trying the natural methods of chiropractics and massage to relieve pain.  It seemed the solutions offered to a lot of his issues were in reality just bandaids.  Over and over people recommended that he get a CPAP machine because, don't we all want to sound like Darth Vader when we sleep?

His doctor had a lot of negative things to say. High cholesterol. Bad this. Change that.  Lose 10 pounds before I see you again.  Brandon walked away with his doctor-loathing-beam still firmly intact.

He felt like his body was falling apart, and had been for years. We had tried so many things, but hey, one last thing can't hurt, right?  We are so grateful that the Whole30/Paleo diet was that "one last thing".

My husband's posture is straighter. I can wrap my arms around his waist and clasp my hands together behind him.  He no longer snores like a freight train every night (or, you know, forgets to breathe when he's not snoring). He wakes up rested because he's getting REM sleep. He smiles more often. He's not consumed with pain all day.  His bicep, which he injured pretty badly at work months ago, is not giving him as much trouble and is feeling better and healing quicker than it did with chiropractics and intense massage. Some of his other allergies have disappeared (so he can now enjoy black pepper liberally sprinkled on every meat and vegetable).

His biggest issue is that he needs smaller pants, but he refuses to buy new jeans until he hits a certain size.  For now he's just cinching up his belt tighter and tighter.

But you know, while there is a lot of amazing things happening in our home and in our bodies, there is also a struggle as well.

Because I'm pregnant (9 weeks today). And I have these cravings that are so strong it's hard to ignore them.  Shipley's Donuts call my name over and over until I just can't ignore it anymore, and I scarf down a glazed donut only to regret it by lunch time as I lay on the couch with a headache feeling like I'm going to barf up the brick in my stomach at any moment.

And I will go on and say it. It really sucks sometimes to be Paleo. Because there are pretty much no convenience options for people who chose to eat as we do. At least none that don't break the bank or cause the budget to run screaming. NIL. NADA. ZIP. ZILCH.  Well, tuna salad and nitrate-free hotdogs, and both of those make this pregnant lady want to gag.  Ew.  (Although, I do buy this stuff, and I feed it to my children who love them and give me Good-Mom-Brownie-Points.)

Gone are the days of freezer nuggets and Dominos Pizza.   This is not to say that we don't have our cheats now and then, but, really, a cornbread mix and redbeans and rice were an easy staple in my previous pregnancies.  And now all of those items are off the menu.

That means I actually have to use my BRAIN, which is really hard to do when one is pregnant. (Well, it's not that it's not being used, it is actually on overload so thinking about having to actually make lunch is can be overwhelming.) I always forget how exhausting pregnancy can be in the first trimester.  Turns out forming a baby in my womb is hard work!

I mean, for the love of grapes, I could really go for a basic PB&J sandwich.  And those things haven't sounded appealing since I was, like, eight.

So this means I have to actually force my brain to work at creating a meal plan that is doable, even when I feel all icky and sleepy and weird. (Thankfully, I am not hugging the porcelain throne, but I come very close if I have an affair with wheat or get too much sugar in my system.)

This is where I openly proclaim my love for my Crock Pot and One-Dish-Wonders, and The-Husband-Who-Cooks-Better-Than-I-Do.

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to have some really good slow cooker recipes in your arsenal, along with a few of your favorite casseroles and one-pot dinners.  Also, you will find that soups and chilis will work for summer meals too, and storage containers will be your best friend because you should definitely make extras to store away (in the fridge for lunch tomorrow, or in the freezer for next week).

And don't forget our suggestion to fire up the grill one day and toss on every kind of meat you can think of so you have "fast food" for meals throughout the week.

Really, by the time 4pm rolls around, the thought of making supper seems like a lot of work.  Am I right? You're not even pregnant and you're nodding in agreement, aren't you.

So do yourself a favor and use that slow cooker.  Toss in a roast in the morning after you pour your morning coffee, and pat yourself on the back for having dinner on.  Go you.

Mmm, Roast, potatoes, and carrots.

Two Months In: How are we doing now?

It's been about two months since we started the Whole30 challenge. You may be wondering how things are going now.

First of all, we are so grateful that God has freed us of so many food idols. We were soda guzzling, fast-food burger chowing, sugar inhaling folks and all of that has changed.  We haven't had a single soda in these last two months.  We actually don't mind drinking unsweetened iced tea (which, previously, we felt unsweetened tea tasted like pond water).  And while there was a huge struggle in the first few weeks to do without bread, rice, and queso, it's actually become no big deal.  At some point, the focus shifted off what we couldn't eat because those things no longer held us hostage.

Since completing the Whole30, we have allowed ourselves little treats, but those treats have left their own little treat behind- one that's not very enjoyable.  On a trip back to Brandon's hometown in Louisiana, we had a link of boudin (contains rice) which caused Brandon to gain 15 pounds in one day. (Once it passed through his system, the 15 pounds disappeared.)  No kidding.  And rice is actually the one grain that causes the least issues. Corn causes us all to break out in bumps and hives, some worse than others. (Although, I, Mandy, admit my favorite treat is to have some corn chips with guacamole. I just have to put up with itchy legs for a day or two.)

When you see that these foods really do cause pain, inflammation, bloating, stomach cramps or other less desirable digestive issues, rashes, brain-fog, and a variety of other ickiness, it's really not that difficult to steer clear of them.

Last week, we went to a Mexican restaurant where our youngest (Molly Jo, 14 months) had a few bites of a flour tortilla which caused her to feel very sick and.... puke all over her bed in the middle of the night.  The good news is that she felt much better and slept through the rest of the night!  I had a few bites of the fried flour tortilla bowl my salad came in, and I was nauseated for several hours following. Yuck.

Molly Jo has been far less fussy, probably because she's no longer consuming those organic Wheat-O's that seem like a good baby snack, and likely because my breast milk is no longer tainted with gluten, dairy, and other foods that didn't go over well in her system.

All of our children pretty much follow a Paleo diet. We do allow them little treats, like basic rice crackers with their tuna salad.  At first, we allowed them to have grain and dairy "treats" at our weekly potlucks, but their systems were screwed up the rest of the week, so we have definitely reigned that in.  It is tough for some children to adjust, and, of all our children, Keagan (5) has had the most difficult time adjusting.  It's mainly because he's old enough to pick his own food from the potluck buffet but not old enough to really think things through.  Our older two can process, "Well, this probably will make my stomach ache later, so I think I'll do without."  If they are tempted by it, they will ask us first, and we can help them make that decision.  (Sometimes we all want someone to make that decision for us, right? Sometimes it's nice for someone to say, "No, I think it would be best to choose something else.")  Keagan is doing much better, and no longer asks one-thousand-times for things he cannot have. Now it's more like a dozen times, which is far less grating on the nerves. Ha!

Mother's Day 2013

I confess, I (Mandy) held on to some items when we went on the Whole30 because I figured they would do in a pinch.  I mean, one day when I'm exhausted, those frozen corndogs will come in handy.  Do I really need to throw out this enchilada sauce that has all kinds of weirdness in it? I ended up loading up a good bit of thing, intending to donate them, but... the box of canned good are still sitting in my car because I just can't fathom giving such crap to anyone!  It's not real food!

So, obviously, we are doing quite well and enjoying this lifestyle of eating.  In fact, as we suspected, this diet paved the way for yet another pregnancy (this always seems to happen when I am grain-free, dairy-free, and legume-free)!  We are expecting our 6th child in January 2014!  Eating this way has also caused me to go through pregnancy relatively morning-sickness free (as I believe I wrote about before).  Having gone through three pregnancies with HORRIBLE all-day, keep-nothing-down "morning" sickness, I know what a blessing it is to not be hanging over a toilet throughout the day or always searching for the best place to throw up when we're out running errands.  (And, for the record, Whole30/Paleo has not negatively affected my breast milk supply at all. The key is keeping hydrated, which, yes, I do have a hard time doing now that I am both pregnant and nursing.)

I (Brandon) always feel inspired to keep going when I look in the mirror and see the progress I've made. It's like, "Hey! I'm pretty stinkin' skinny!"   (Mandy here: Seriously, he'll come out of the bathroom and say, "Who is that handsome man?")

Everything actually tastes more flavorful when it's not wrapped in bread. Hamburgers are far more delicious without bread. I don't miss the bun at all. I'm not really missing cokes at all, but sometimes I want a little something sweet to drink so I go for some orange juice.

People offer me stuff and I think, "I don't eat that stuff. It's bad for me," whereas before I would have felt like it would be a sacrifice to turn it down.  For example, turning down a coke and going for water in the beginning was a sacrifice. Now water is my first choice. No big deal. No internal wrestling or feeling deprived.

I like that our kids are learning better habits and making better food choices.  We're no longer telling them about good habits and then having a bunch of cheats which say we don't really mean what we say.

A week ago I went on a 36-hour fast to break my plateau. I have been on fasts before, but usually, within the first five hours I was crumbling. I was hostile, cranky mess... just ask my wife. (True story.)

This time, I was able to go 36 hours without feeling moody, extreme hunger, or obsessive cravings and the mental gymnastics involved with that.  I am no longer completely controlled by food.

Before, I was addicted to breads and such, so these things made my blood sugar rise and fall, rise and fall. Fasting was a horrible experience then because my body was experiencing such lows during that time, just aching for another high, another hit... like a drug!  Now I feel steady and clear-headed when I fast. (Although, in the last hours, I was feeling a little "high" in a totally different way, and I was starting to feel hungry.)

Pretty soon I'm going to have to buy a new belt.  I've had this one since junior high, so it's going to be tough parting with it! It's very well broken in by now!

How to season meat so it blows your face off with flavor.

If you've been around us for even a small amount of time, you know we like to grill. Brandon is the undefeated grill master, mainly because he grew up in the grilling/smoking business. In case you forgot, Brandon's family owned a barbecue restaurant which we eventually took over before we moved to Houston.

Some men dream of having a man cave. I (Brandon) dream of having a brick lined pit with a real chimney.  My grill would be big enough to fit three or four briskets on it.  It would all be built into a pit house featuring a prep table, sink, and a big stack of woods like oak, mesquite, and pecan ready and waiting for use... plus a smoke room at the end for hanging sausages and meats.

One key to having the tastiest grilled and smoked meats is learning to season your meat well. The average person loves flavorful food but does not know how to properly season.  I get it, you're scared of over-salting, and it probably feels like you're really putting it on thick.

Put it on thicker.

Here's a starter recipe for those of you looking to jazz up your burger recipe. This is just a basic burger recipe. We add various other seasonings, and you can too, but first you need to grow accustomed to pouring on the seasoning.

Mandy doesn't like digging her hands in the meat, so the job of seasoning the ground beef usually falls to me. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty, but if the thought of getting them all beefy grosses you out, find a big spoon to mash it around and mix it up with. But really, it's best done by hand.

What you'll need:

• 1 pounds ground beef
• 1/8 cup of garlic powder (Really. If you can't stand to put that much in, put half of that. Make sure it is NOT garlic salt or this will be really salty and gross.)
• 1/8 cup onion powder
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 TBSP hot sauce (They won't be too spicy. It's a small amount, relatively speaking.)
• 1 TBSP mustard
• 1/2 tsp to 1 teaspoon salt.  You don't want to over salt, so you might want to start with 1/2 teaspoon. Everyone has a different amount of salt they prefer.
• 1/8 tsp cayenne for a spicy kick, which, obviously is optional.

So, dump it all in a bowl in the order listed, and start mushing it around with your hands.  Once it's all mixed in, form patties, and put them on the grill. Then chase your wife around with your gross meaty hands.

Make extra hamburger patties so you can throw one in your lunch of have one for breakfast with an egg on top.

How to season chicken breast:

I wish I could just give you a simple specific recipe, but that wouldn't work because the size of chicken differs. So, I'm going to tell you how to really season a chicken breast so it's super flavorful.

First of all, we want this chicken breast to really stretch because we're frugal. Take each breast and lay it down.  Starting at the fattest side of the chicken, butterfly the chicken from one end to the other.  You are basically making two really thin chicken breasts out of one piece.  The video below shows you how to butterfly a chicken.  Technically, you don't cut it all the way through, but in our house, we do.  This means each person gets half of the breast, and it usually fills them up, allowing the chicken to go further. (Remember, we have a family of seven, so making food stretch is important.)

Another thing we do, which you could take or leave, is pound each of the butterflied pieces with a meat tenderizing "hammer".  If there are uneven thicknesses, this will even them out.

Now it's time to season.  People typically lightly sprinkle seasoning on, and then they feel like it's just not very flavorful after it's cooked. My technique is pretty much to crust the chicken with seasoning.  We call it "seasoning-crusted chicken". Actually, we just call it chicken.

One of the reasons people over-salt meat is because they have various seasonings that are loaded with salt.  Tony Chachere's and various other seasoning already have a good bit of salt, so you may want to buy salt-free seasonings so you can control the amount of salt.  Liberally sprinkle on garlic and onion powders. Make sure you are not using garlic salt. DO NOT BUY GARLIC SALT. It is the devil. Not really, but, we've ruined some good dishes because someone bought garlic salt without realizing it and... anyway. No blame. I'm not bitter about it. Really. I've moved on.

When I say liberally season, I mean DUMP THAT STUFF ON THERE. Cover every millimeter of that chicken with it, both sides.  Buy a good steak seasoning that doesn't have salt (or only has a small amount of salt) and really go to town with it.  Our favorite steak seasoning is from Saltgrass Steakhouse, but, unless you're from Texas, you may not have heard of this place, even though they do have a few locations in Nevada, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Colorado. But, hey, you're in luck because TexJoy sells it on their website. (Yeeeehaw, y'all!)

Saltgrass' 7 Steak Spice has the perfect amount of salt. You can really season up the food, every millimeter of it, without over salting.  We're working on replicating this spice recipe ourselves, but you can't use cheap seasonings. It's got to be good quality stuff.  The only downside to this seasoning is that it's probably made with table salt, which is why we're working on a mixture that caters to our favorite flavors and is made with sea salt. And, that's yet another reason why it's best to buy salt-free seasonings!

Since you made the chicken thinner, it's going to grill quicker.  So, watch the pit closely.  You won't have to worry about part of it being under cooked since it's all the same thickness.

Grilled meat is a must when you're on the Whole30, and grilling up a bunch of extra food to have later will provide you with "fast food" without running through a drive-through. Today, my wife and I prepared about 20 pounds of meat to eat throughout the week.  Chicken, fresh sausage, hamburger patties, and breakfast sausage.... it's all ready and waiting, which means meals won't be frustrating and time-consuming because the hard work is already done! Plus, tomorrow she'll throw some things in the crockpot so we have shredded chicken or pulled pork on hand.  You could also use this time to make some hard boiled eggs. Always nice to be prepared and having something to grab on your way out the door in the morning.

1 Month Transformation Photos

I have so many things I want to blog about, but I think I'll start here, with photos.

First, I (Mandy) want to show you the fantastic transformation has gone through in such a short period of time.  I know how hard he has struggled to change his health. We have tried so many things, so I don't think I have to explain how awesome it is to have found something that has worked!

These photos span from the start of our Whole30 challenge to the end of our Whole30 challenge (March 26th to about April 23rd or so).  As the woman who sleeps beside him every night, I am excited to tell you that his freight-train like snoring has disappeared. Most nights he doesn't snore at all, although last night there was a little light, soft snoring, but nothing to be concerned about.  Brandon would often stop breathing and then snort really loud as he gasped for air, snore for a few (loud) minutes, and then stop breathing again.  This made it very difficult for me to sleep, not only because it was really loud but because I was worried he was dying!  We were told by many people that he had sleep apnea, and we were repeatedly encouraged to get a formal sleep test and buy breathing machine.  I can assure you it isn't just the weight, although that has certainly helped... it's his overall health.  I have stayed awake some nights checking to see if he's even breathing (since, previously, no snoring meant no breathing!) and was so relieved to find he was breathing like a normal human being!  Tests, medications, and machines cannot do what good health can! They only treat the symptoms.

Another great benefit of being grain, legume, dairy, and junk free is that Brandon's energy is soaring.  Yesterday he had to go to work extremely early (he had to wake up at around 3:30am!).  I (Mandy) had a women's meeting to go to, so he was left in charge of all the children.  He did some cleaning around the house, took them outside and actively played with them for a long time (running, exercising, swinging), then returned to the house to clean some more. (What a great hubby and father, right?)  He told me he was really surprised that he had the energy to do that.  Typically he'd be completely worn out after supper, especially since he woke up so early.  It has been a long, long time since he's had energy like that. In fact, I've never witness him have that sort of energy in the entire time we've been married (over 10 years).

Top left, March 22.  Bottom right, April 25th!

I'm a petite person to begin with, so I always feel like people are rolling their eyes when I post of the body transformation I've undergone so far.  My progress definitely isn't as impressive or noticeable as my husband's, but I know that there are other women out there with bodies similar to mine.  

I was often told that this was just my "new body", and I should get used to it. After all, I have birthed five babies so it's "normal" that my belly would begin to grow that mommy flap.  Over and over I heard that neither diet nor exercise would help. I actually began to believe it.  I mean, come on y'all, I do have FIVE kids.  Many people told me I should be happy with how my body is- I have a minimal amount of stretch marks on my stomach, and I didn't gain a terrible amount of weight.  As one woman told me, "Well, you didn't blow up like a blimp. You should be thankful that you're still thin."

It's not that I wasn't thankful for my body, or how amazing it is to carry five children.  I just felt so uncomfortable in my own skin and had resorted to wearing extremely baggy shirts to hide the "Are You Pregnant?" gut.

It's true- exercise will not transform that mommy pudge.  You may have heard the saying, "Abs are made in the kitchen."  It's true.  You may work out your abs, but if you still have a layer of fat over the top, you will never see those beautifully sculpted muscles.  One thing I have seen in both me and my husband is that as the weight falls off, the muscles that were there all along begin to show. It's really amazing. (And that means I get a gun show every day from the hubby- hey hey!)

It's not all about weight and slimming down.  It's so exciting to have energy to keep up with the kids- to run with the dog, to jump and skip and wrestle.  I was beginning to believe that "low energy" was just who I was, but week after week I find myself gaining more and more strength and energy.

Our whole family is involved now.  We're seeing benefits and our kids are too. The main rule in the household is no dairy and no wheat. Sometimes the kids do have some grains, but mostly, they eat what we eat.  Our older two have noticed such a difference in how they feel (and, for Merika, the rashes on her skin had greatly improved), that they have become pretty committed to Paleo eating.

Merikalyn loves to help in the kitchen. She's quite the chef, and made some really delicious meatballs the other night.  (She's also a guacamole pro!)

Eating Paleo/Whole30 isn't as difficult as you may think. Sure, it's hard to cut out the things you have been addicted to for so long... things that really take a toll on your body and mind, but Paleo meals are so filling, rich, and sustaining that we really don't miss the rice, beans, and bread we used to consume in massive amounts. 

There are such a variety of foods we can enjoy, like leftover crock pot rose with Hatch chilis, salsa, avocados, cilantro, and a salad.  It was so filling, I couldn't eat it all!

Sure, sometimes we find ourselves in a breakfast rut. (Eggs, eggs, more eggs) But really, I have come to enjoy eggs and have found that changing up the sides makes a world of difference.

Today's breakfast featured bacon and eggs with banana boats. (Take slightly green bananas, slice them length-wise, keeping the peel on.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes.  I put pecans on top when they were finished.  SO yummy.

We hope our progress encourages you in your health journey.  We're thankful for those who have been open about their diets, struggles, and hard work! You have inspired us!

W30- Day 30!!!!

Day thirty snuck up on us!  We don't have any comparison photos for you today, but we did want to share our current stats.  (You can see comparison photos we took on day 26.)

Brandon:

Weight: 267 lbs (that's 18 pounds down!).
Chest: 52 inches (one inch slimmer!)
Belly: 50 inches (a whopping six inches thinner!)
Belt area: 45 inches (one inch skinnier!)
Thigh: 29 inches (one inch dropped!)


Mandy:

Weight: 120 (5 pounds gone!)
Chest: 33 inches (3 inches of that back fat, gone!)
Waist: 31 inches (5 inches slimmer!)
Hips: 37 inches (3 inches disappeared!)
Thigh: 21 inches (2 inches kapoof!)

It's really amazing to see the results of only one month of healthy, clean eating.  Mandy's goal is to start toning, while Brandon's goal is to continue losing weight and healing his body.  We will continue using the Whole30 as our guidelines, because we are all benefiting from it!

W30- Day 26, PHOTO UPDATE

If you're considering taking on the Whole30 challenge, do yourself a favor and take photos.  I realize that most of us don't want to take photos because we want to spare ourselves the embarrassment (oh hi, back fat!), but seriously, do it.

On days when you feel like you haven't made much progress, do some side by side comparisons.  The changes may be small or they may be major, but hopefully you'll find yourself encouraged.

We wish we would have taken more photos of ourselves (some backside photos would have been nice), but we're thankful for the photos we did take because they prove the Whole30 has made a difference.

We haven't taken measurements lately, but the pictures speak for themselves.

When I (Brandon) look at this photo, I see an incredible difference. I didn't even realize I had slimmed down that much in my face!

Like Brandon, I (Mandy) didn't feel like I had lost any chub in my face. After all, my face is not all that chubby to begin with.  I did notice my skin was looking much clearer, but when I look at this photo, I can see the lower part of my face has definitely changed.  I don't usually wear a lot of makeup, but lately I've been skipping the concealer, mascara, and eyeliner more often! Who needs make-up when your face is already glowing?

I (Brandon) can look down (without leaning over) and see my toes now. Looking at this comparison motivates me to keep going!

I'm a small person, so obviously the changes will not be as drastic on my body. The photos on the left were taken in the morning before I began the Whole30. By lunch time, I would be even more bloated. I was so tired of getting, "When are you due?" comments.  I realize I have five children and people often suspect I am pregnant again just because, well, I've been pregnant a lot, but it also doesn't help when I look 4-6 months pregnant!  My tiny frame does not put away extra weight well, and because I'm small chested, extra chub around my midsection stands out even more.

I've often heard, "Abs are made in the kitchen," and now I'm seeing proof of that.  It's really amazing to see my abs begin to emerge! (And we have only JUST started working out, so these are the results of our diet changes, NOT exercise.)

We're glad we didn't put off the Whole30.  We're thankful we took the leap.  A month is going to pass anyway, might as well make the most of it! I realize Paleo isn't for everyone. We tried a lot of different diets (not fad diets, but "lifestyles") to improve our health.  There are so many different methods out there (raw vegan, vegetarian, paleo, etc) and some very conflicting evidence.  While some people may think we chase after fad diets, we know the reality is that you usually have to test things out to see if it's true or works for you.  Raw Vegan, Vegan, and Vegetarianism did not work for us.  We tried it! (We did see some benefits, but still felt VERY hungry, etc. You can read our post, "But weren't you guys vegetarians once?" if you're interested on how that went.

Maybe the Whole30 won't work for you, but I think most of us could greatly benefit from fasting from grains, dairy, and, obviously, sugar.  Brandon has always loved dairy products and never thought he had an issue with it until about two years ago when we cut it out of our diet for a period of time.  Sometimes we don't realize our bodies don't tolerate certain foods very well until we go without them for several weeks or months. It usually takes at least a month for you to notice a difference. I (Mandy) cut out gluten for two weeks, didn't notice a huge difference, and went back to it. But having been without gluten for nearly a month, I can see that my body functions much better without it!  (I, Mandy, have always known I had issues with dairy, so, that was not a shocker!)

If you're considering a Whole30 journey of your own, go for it! Don't keep putting your health on the back burner! What do you have to lose except weight, bloating, and some other nasty side effects of poor health?

We know it's hard to break habits. Processed foods are engineered to be addictive. Many of the ingredients within these foods are chemicals designs to send messages to the brain so that you want more and more and more.  We highly suggest you read the book, It Starts With Food.  We found it so helpful, especially on tough days, to know how our bodies work, why we feel the way we feel, and why it's so hard to break the cycle. 

Our 30 days may be coming to a close, but we're continuing on.  This is not a fad diet, this is a lifestyle. We are no longer slaves to sugar!  

W30- Day 25, Brandon's view

Well folks, we're nearing the end of our Whole30 challenge.  It's been such a reminder of what a huge impact food has on the way I feel. Before taking on the challenge, I was feeling extremely fatigued and always bloated.  I've gained more energy over the course of this challenge, and I've come to enjoy eating the Paleo way.

Looking through this new lens, I've come to see that restaurants are seriously lacking in serving food that measures up to Whole30 (or real food in general), and I've grown tired of salads and simple dressings (oil and vinegar) since that is typically the only thing I can have when I'm at a business lunch.

I could really go for some pizza, mainly for the cheese. I like cheese.... a lot, but I know cheese is going to hurt my stomach. I've come to appreciate the natural sweetness of foods. Sugar has been the least of my struggles on this journey since I'm not a big sugar person, but dairy, dairy has been the thing I've missed most.

I plan on sticking to the Paleo diet except for some small treats now and then. I don't want these thirty days to have been a waste. I really want to lose weight and tone up, so I do not want to return to my old way of chowing down.

I could stand to have a little cheese on my taco wrap or hamburger patty, or chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant.  My treats would not typically be of the sweet, sugary kind.

I'm ready to start working out and looking forward to losing more weight and being able to keep up with my five kids!

W30- Day 21

Wow, day 21! I can't believe we are nearing the end of our Whole30 Challenge!  I figured it was time for an update, including photos, although photos really do not do justice to the changes we've noticed in our bodies.

I (Mandy) have seen significant changes in Brandon's appearance over the last few days, even since the I took these photos of Brandon below.  I was checking him out (as I often do) from across the room the last night when we were at our fellowship gathering/potluck, and I couldn't help but notice how his face looks slimmer, specifically around the ears, as does his neck.  

Brandon and our youngest (of five) children, Molly Jo.

I (Brandon) am amazed by the quality of sleep I'm getting. I feel so much more alert in the morning, no fog brain. I once had a perpetual hunger, and now I actually feel full for a while after I eat. I also don't feel as gassy and bloated as I once did (which is to say, I used to always feel gassy and bloated). 

I (Mandy) feel like I've been really, really, really emotional and hormonal which has probably been one of the most difficult challenges of our diet change. I know food has a huge impact on our hormones, and all of that is getting worked out during this time.  I'm sure many people fly through the Whole30 without ever feeling these things, but I have felt so, so down at times.  It's been hard not to turn to food, but I have committed to ruling that out as a coping mechanism so I've found myself pacing the floors not knowing what to do!  I've come to realize that, in the past, I usually turned to food for comfort and rest/relaxation rather resting in my Savior and turning to His peace.  I would pop a few pieces of chocolate in my mouth or, during a really trying time, make myself a "mini" chocolate cake (which should have qualified as 3 or 4 servings) and down the whole warm, gooey, chocolatey thing.  I would always find excuses to give myself little "pick me ups" when I was running errands- a Sonic slush, Chick-fil-a nuggets, a caramel frappucino.....  I had no idea how often I comforted myself with food, and with clearing out that option left me feeling weird.  

Food keeps the hands busy.  It gives us something to do.  It occupies us for a while, distracts us, and yes, even soothes us for a bit so that we can avoid the real issues.

I feel like another reason why I have been so emotional is that normal coping methods were gone so I felt even more sad.  That sadness turned into feeling lonely and abandoned, even though that certainly wasn't true.  Honestly, I'm still working through a lot of that right now. 

I projected a lot of that onto God as well. I felt like He was distant (Which is not true- God is never distant.  Jesus Christ is in me, and I am in Christ, and Christ is in the Father.  We are never distant because, reality is, we are inseparable.), and I felt very unloved.  During my sickness and detox, I felt like He had abandoned me.  It shocks me to see how I projected my issues with food on my Heavenly Father.  Just goes to show you how many issues food can cause in our life- even spiritual issues!

Physically, I'm feeling good. I'm sleeping very soundly. I no longer wake up feeling sluggish.  I have been having some issues with my anemia these last couple days, but I'm pretty sure that's because I haven't felt very hungry so I've actually skipped some meals (whoops, bad I know).  As a mom, it's easy for me to forget a meal. I might have a cup of coffee in the morning and trick my stomach into thinking I've actually eaten something.  I get the kids dressed, start on chores, and then it's lunch time!  I've been much better about breaking that habit since being on the Whole30, but being sick threw me off a bit.

I'm really excited about being able to wear certain clothes in my closet!  I have a few pairs of jeans that were my favorite that had been tucked away indefinitely! There's about a dozen shirts I haven't been able to wear because I feel so uncomfortable in them.  They are some of my favorite shirts (and the cutest in my wardrobe), and now I can wear them without feeling like a stuffed sausage! Yay! 

W30- Day Seventeen

First, photos of some of the yumminess we've been eating:

Chili and Baked Sweet Potato

Pork, Fruit Salad, and Guacamole Slaw

Tenderized Steak and Mexican Cauliflower Rice

Pulled Pork Tacos

Brandon:

How am I doing on my Whole30 challenge?  I feel like I have more energy, but I'm a little disappointed that I haven't lost weight, and I haven't felt all that "thinner" in the last few days even though I obviously have lost inches judging by the notches on my belt.  I really want to lose weight, so I feel a little discouraged that it hasn't happened yet.

It's kind of miserable not being able to eat what you want and to not lose weight on top of that is even worse. I know I didn't put it on in two weeks so it's not just going to fall off in two weeks, but it would be good to see a little weight loss. 

Really, I want to eat some cheese, dagummit.  I really miss cheese.

I am not feeling positive about my diet right now.  I'm just pressing through.  That's just the honest truth.

Mandy:

I was feeling really negative last week when I was going through major detoxing, but I am feeling pretty positive now, except for these horrible chocolate cravings.  I could really go for some chocolate pie, or my Granny's fabulous Chocolate Crunch Cake... or her delicious chocolate chip walnut cookies. Or just a vat of chocolate.

On the upside, I measured around my natural waist this morning (belly button area), and realized I have lost 5 inches since the start of our Whole30! I am fitting into my two favorite pairs of jeans which I have been unable to wear for some time.  Which reminds me, there's another pair of jeans I haven't been able to wear in over a year! I bet they fit now! 

My energy levels are not so hot today. I feel good inside, but I also feel a little tired. Obviously my body is still recovering, so this is normal.

I know Brandon is discouraged (this is probably why the people behind the Whole30 discourage weighing yourself during the challenge), but I can see he has lost inches.  The scale can be so fickle, but it is clear he is slimming down. His pants are fitting much looser!

I do have times when I just want to eat "normal" food.  I want to sip on a Java Chip frappe.  I want to consume pie crust dough in ridiculous amounts.  I'd like to have some Fritos on my chili. 

I've read and heard a lot of people's Whole30 stories, and I have to remind myself that everyone is different, and our journeys will not be the same.  For some, 30 days isn't enough.  For others, 30 days is a perfect "body reboot".

At this point, I feel like we will continue to follow many of the Whole30 principles after our challenge ends.  I definitely feel like limiting dairy and grains would be good long term, and of course, we could all go without MSG and other nastiness for the rest of our lives.  I am eager to "Paleoify" some meals (grain-free cookies, dairy-free chocolate pudding, cauliflower pizza crusts), so I am looking forward to that once the challenge ends.

The kids are not following the Whole30, but we have removed wheat and dairy from their diets.  Our oldest, Merikalyn, had such rough, icky rashes on the tops of her hands... and now the rash is almost completely gone.  Her hands are almost soft and smooth once again!  We have always limited dairy from Evangeline's diet because she is pretty sensitive to it.  She looooves Mac 'n' Cheese though. 

Stats & Day 5 recap

We have a little stat update!
Five days into Whole30, and here are some of the changes in our measurements.

Mandy: 
Waist (around belly button): 33 inches.  (That's a 3 inch loss!)
Hips (widest part of my hips): 39 inches. (a 1 inch loss!)

Brandon:

Waist (around belly button): 51 & 1/4 inches. (Almost 5 inches!)

Where he wears his pants/belt: 45 1/2 inches.  (1/2 inch loss!)

---

Day 5 was difficult for me (Mandy). Detox hit me pretty bad, so I feel like my allergies are out of control.  Plus, I have a sty, so... I look particularly lovely.

Nevermind the Saint Patty's Day nails that need to be redone.

So, yesterday, I really wished I would have just gone Paleo rather than jumped into the Whole30 (which is a stricter form of Paleo).  Then I could have Paleo-fied my favorites (cake, for one) and fed my cravings.  But I realize one of the reasons we decided to do Whole30 is to slap that sugar demon down and overcome those fierce cravings... not satisfy them with something "a little healthier".

I made it through, and I am thankful.  The weird thing about being on this diet is that even when I feel cruddy, I feel good.  It's hard to explain it because, I know, that doesn't make much sense, but inside my body, I feel really good. My guts feel good. My heart feels good. My lungs feel good.  My eye may be swollen, my nose may itch, I may have a headache, and my hips may need a major chiropractic adjustment, but inside, I FEEL AWESOME. 

That's a strange feeling because, usually, when I feel bad, I feel bad all over. 

W30- Day four

We are cooking in the kitchen today!

We love working together in the kitchen, so you'll often find us working side by side.  Tonight we were thinking about chicken and dumplings, which, obviously, are not Whole30 approved.  We thought we'd go with that idea though and make a soup that has similar flavors, and chunks of cauliflower instead of biscuity-like dumplings. And, we figured, while we at it, we should make two pots. One for now, one for later.

It's always smart to make extra. Plan on having a day or two or three when you will not feel like cooking and will wish you could just run to Chick-fil-a or Taco Bell.  If you make a little extra every time you cook or bake, you can freeze it or pack it for lunch the next day to avoid extra work.

Brandon:
I've been sleeping really well for the last few nights.  I slept really long, for one thing, which was nice.  I don't know if it's the length or the quality... or both.. but man, that was nice.  When I woke up, I felt like I had a lot more energy and strength. At the job I'm currently working (I'm a superintendent for a commercial construction company), there are three huge, heavy overhead doors that have to be lifted manually every morning. Previously, I was wearing out after the second door, but today I "beast-moded" all three doors like they were tin cans.  Even shocked myself!

Lunch filled me up, and I actually had a lot leftover.  I was completely satisfied 2/3rds of the way through, and Mandy actually didn't include as much meat as she normally does (but to her credit, since I picked on her last time, she made sure I had plenty of her homemade dressing!), so I would have never guessed it would have been so filling. (But she did put in lots of olives this time.)  I thought I would finish it later in the day, but I never did.  Later, I went to James Coney Island and got a water and an unsweet tea.  Avoided the junk.

I didn't feel as groggy as I usually do today. A lot of times, after lunch, I feel like I'm going to fall asleep but I didn't feel that way today!

Think I may be allergic to eggs.  Sometimes when I eat them I feel like I'm having heart palpitations.  So we are going to eliminate them from my meals for a few days and see how that works.

Oh, and I was able to go down a notch in my belt! Yes! My pants were falling down all day. [Gonna have to get that man some 'spenders! -Mandy]

Mandy:
I felt really good when I woke up this morning to make Brandon's breakfast (at 5:30am). I usually go back to bed afterward, and I'm glad I did because today was the day that the sludge hit.  I actually had plenty of energy most of the morning.  I went grocery shopping with all five kids in tow, and was, once again, excited to find that my total was STILL half of what I normally spend a week.  *Fist pump*

I joked with Brandon that our vegetarian/low-meat diet was not only killing him but killing his wallet. Poor guy. I was excited to find a lot of organic chicken on manager's special because the "sale by" date is tomorrow. Loaded up on that stuff!  Anyway, after grocery shopping and lunch, the achy-ness hit me. I'm not sure if it's just the effects of changing my diet or if I need more water.  I think I've been pretty good about staying hydrated, so.. who knows.

I still feel pretty clear-headed, which is good.  Usually my body and my brain are both breaking down at the same time. I also noticed that my face is MUCH clear, so that's awesome! Love having glowing skin!



Happy Almost-Friday, y'all! :)

W30- Day 3

Day 3 of our Whole 30 Challenge!

  Brandon and I had different experiences today.  After making Brandon his breakfast and lunch, I went back to bed and, later, woke up to find two of my children feeling sick to their stomachs- likely that virus that has been going around.  Only one was throwing up, and after breakfast he was feeling much better. I figured it would be best for them to lay around and do very little, but I had a ton of energy, even though I had a relatively small breakfast (2 eggs, one slice of turkey, and a couple grapes).  I also had a pretty small lunch- a few bites of leftover steak, more turkey slices, and.. what else did I eat? Oh, right, sugar snap peas and carrots.

Like I said, I (Mandy) had a good bit of energy, although I admit I struggled this morning because it seemed easier just to have a slice of toast or skip breakfast altogether.  I'm glad I didn't because I surely would not have had the energy I did (and still do) have so I wouldn't have managed to accomplish all I did.

I ended up cleaning the whole homeschool/playroom, which also meant a lot of rearranging, organizing and purging (not the throw up kind. I mean the throw out/donate kind!), ditto for the living, dining, and kitchen areas.

So, I spent pretty much the whole day cleaning, from morning until evening.  I'm not sure if that was just one of those freak circumstances where I have lots of energy and feel motivated to overhaul the house (possibly driven by the clutter that seems to accumulate when one has five children), or if it is diet related.

Brandon, on the other hand, said he never felt satisfied today (even though he had a big breakfast and lunch). He was very hungry when he got home and was really exhausted and achy. This sounds about right since, in past whole30-like cleanses, he has felt similar around days 3-5.  Plus, he had a mentally exhausting day at work.  Therefore, the result was "GRUMPY GRUMPY GRUMPY HUNGRY" (his words).  "I'm determined to press through, though," he stated.

Because I was still busy putting the finishing touches on the house-overhaul, my husband made a delicious dinner of gumbo, which, yanno, we're Cajuns, so....

Before you say gumbo isn't Whole30/Paleo, I assure you, we adjusted the ingredients to make a dish that tasted very similar to gumbo (I've never liked that thick roux taste anyway).  Instead of rice, we used cauliflower.  If we had fresh cauliflower, we would have made cauliflower rice, but we only had frozen so Brandon placed pieces of cauliflower in the gumbo toward the end, and it soaked up the flavor nicely.  I didn't even miss the rice!  (He thickened it with arrowroot. I know some people feel it's not Paleo because it contains starch, but.. meh.)

I'm thinking I will use cauliflower to make a chicken and dumplings-like soup.  Wouldn't that be tasty?

Before Whole30 Stats

Brandon



285 lbs (appx 130 kilograms)
Chest: 53 inches
Waist (belly button): 56 inches
Where I wear my belt/pants: 46 inches (typically wear a size 42-44 in jeans though).
Thigh: 30 inches




Mandy



a little less than 125 lbs (appx 56 kilograms)

Chest- 35 inches
Waist - 36 inches  (oh, great, my baby bulge is bigger than my boobs).
Hips- 40 inches
Thigh- 23 inches

W30- Day 1, Brandon

How I felt about going on the W30: 
I've actually been really wanting to get healthier because I've been feeling really lethargic. When I started this current job, I was eating fast food pretty heavily (two meals a day), and I could feel my body being poisoned. I just got to a point where I felt like my body needed a reset. That's why when Mandy came to me and said she wanted to do this diet I was down with it.

Biggest struggle on Day 1:
Not having enough of Mandy's homemade salad dressing for my salad.  My breakfast filled me up and kept me full, as did my lunch.  So it really wasn't a huge struggle today.  I was hungry by supper time (which was running late since we had some things to do in town), but I wasn't losing my mind like I usually am when hungry.

I had cravings for:
I thought about food.  I thought about McDonald's, but it was more like I stopped to pump gas by a McDonald's and thought, "I would sure like a large fry right now. I could probably justify a large fry. It's just potatoes and fat!"  But I decided I would just stick to the diet.

By the end of the day I felt like:
Sleepy.  I felt extremely tired, but I've been really tired for the last couple weeks. I was kind of irritable after supper, but I think that was because I was tired, and I didn't want to get up and deal with anything.  I feel like I am already getting better sleep and having a bit more energy (since I have already been changing my diet before we started Whole30).

On the positive side:
I feel like, since I'm getting such good rest, if I get a few more days of that I might be completely recharged! (It's been a long time since I've gotten good sleep or felt recharged.)

Pre-Whole30 [The Befores]

Today I am posting our "befores", which is what we look like now, as I write this post.  We are hoping that, in thirty days, our "after" picture will show a major difference- not just only in weight, but in our posture, our skin, and our smiles!

Hi, we are Brandon and Mandy. Mandy is Texas born and raised, and Brandon is a good ol' Cajun boy (Louisiana). Once upon a time, we owned a barbecue restaurant in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Benefits? All the chopped beef sandwiches, french fries, onion rings, and snowcones we could eat! Down side? All the chopped beef sandwiches, french fries, onion rings, and snowcones we could eat. :-/

We have five beautiful children, currently ranging in age from nearly ten (in May) to one year (just celebrated on Saint Patty's Day!).

At the time of this post, Brandon is 31, and Mandy is 28. (We both have summer birthdays, so we'll be pushing that number up a bit in a few months!)

Here are some recent shots of what we look like now:

Brandon's goal: To lose 40 pounds short term goal (100 lbs, long term), defeat inflammation and overcome pain issues, repair gut, strengthen body, gain energy, sleep better, and breathe better!  I'd like to not feel exhausted at the end of the day so I can really spend quality time with my wife and kids.

Mandy's goal:  To lose the baby pudge,  get my hormones straightened out (these hot flashes, oi!), have more energy, and to feel alert and clear-headed.  It'd be really nice to be able to fit into all those cute clothes I never wear because of how they hug my belly.