i’ve shared bits here & there about my whole30 journey, but i have yet to sit down & really dive into the details of my experience.
you see, food is such an intimate & personal topic to discuss. it’s as personal as how we choose to raise our children & educate them. homeschool, unschool or public school? vegan, paleo or fruitarian?
i have witnessed so many food debates. so much so that it leaves me wanting to grab the nearest bag of cheetos & hide in a corner while others argue over the positive & negative impacts of eating meat. i have also witnessed the whole30 gang, belittling & criticising others who don’t align with their personal eating habits.
these choices matter – they really do – but let’s step back for a moment & recognize that we are gifted with the privilege to choose. we have the choice of gluten free, dairy free, soy free & gmo free while others are faced with the reality that there may not be another meal.
so, i’m not here to place any judgement or criticism on your food choices because your choices are your choice just as my choices are mine & we are both lavished in privilege to choose.
i am here today to share my thirty day experience of eating ninety meals that are whole 30 approved.
so what exactly is whole30?
i wish i were an expert, but i’m not, so here’s a helpful website to learn the basics. there are sets of rules within whole 30 & reasons for why it might be worth your time to commit to the whole30. when in doubt, i check out my whole 30 approved food list. you are not expected to eat whole30 compliant for the rest of your life. instead, whole30 is an effective way to reset your eating habits, identify possible food allergies & kick that sugar craving.
why did i choose to commit to the whole30?
simply put, nothing else was working. i was beaten down & frustrated by my lack of weight loss despite my best efforts. i tried counting calories, weight watchers & running with very little results. i was frustrated that my body wasn’t responding to these healthy choices even though i witnessed others benefiting greatly from these programs & lifestyle changes. as i was complaining about my lack of results, my friend, erin, talked me into trying out the whole30.
what were your whole30 results?
whole30 is not a weight loss plan, but it often results in such. during my whole30, i lost six pounds & a few inches. i gained confidence, energy & a new perspective on health. i was surprised that i didn’t lose more weight, but i kicked my sugar craving so i was thankful for this experience.
what did i eat?
i leaned heavily on pinterest for meal ideas. i cooked a lot of pulled pork in the crockpot & made salads nearly every day for lunch. i spent a lot of time in the kitchen, which is to be expected. i also recognized that i needed a snack between breakfast & lunch so i allowed myself this.
did you experience any difficulty during whole30?
i was very frustrated my first two weeks of whole30. i was extremely constipated. tmi– i did not go to the bathroom for the first week & i gained nine pounds. i was absolutely miserable & almost threw in the towel. simply put, my body was not used to digesting so much meat. once my body regulated to this change in eating habits, i was better. i still experienced some discomfort throughout the whole30, but this allowed me to seek out alternative proteins for my meals. additionally, i felt left out of a lot of social situations centered around food. i took this as an opportunity to make healthy food choices instead of caving into that cupcake. i ate watermelon instead of cake & savored a larabar instead of pie.
what did you learn from your whole30 experience?
i learned that i have a gluten & dairy intolerance. gluten & dairy leave me feeling absolutely ill. gluten also prevented me from losing weight. i am also much more aware of the way sugar affects my days. i learned to lean on other foods during emotional setbacks instead of sugary, sweet treats.
what has been your experience post whole30?
i have actually dropped about 14 pounds since my whole 30, totaling about 20 pounds. i have added honey & maple sugar back into my diet. i sometimes sprinkle a small amount of feta or parmesan cheese into my salads or on top of my vegetables. aside from the occasional cheese & slip ups, i have almost completely removed dairy & gluten from my diet. i said almost – i am still a big fan of half & half in my coffee. i am eating a lot of seafood & limiting my red meats. i pile on the vegetables at meal times & exercise (running & lifting weights) regularly. i try to eat a smaller meal at dinner & eat a larger lunch.
i am finally finding my rhythm of eating that suits my lifestyle, my body & my overall wellbeing. before going to the beach later this month, i am committing to a whole15 to get me back on track. my friend, kara, & i will be eating whole30 meals for the next 15 days. we started today! i am excited to share my journey via instagram with the #whole30crew hashtag.
do you have any questions about the whole30? what’s your experience in eating to lose weight or better your wellbeing? please share!
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did you miss our announcement? we are offering a canning & preserving workshop on our farm on august 16th! registration opens on july 9th at 8am central time. at 8am on july 9th, send me an email confirming your attendance! the first ten to email & pay will participate in our workshop!
i have so many artists sending goodies for your swag bags & a few surprises up my sleeve. lesley from recipe for crazy will be joining us to assist in teaching! i cannot wait to meet you & share in a day on the farm!
love,
natalie
i am so excited to finally reveal the big news that’s been in the works for months…
i am inviting you to share a day with me on our farm in the ozark mountains of arkansas for a canning & preserving workshop!
we will gather in my home around the farmhouse table as i teach the basics of water bath canning. we will put on vintage aprons & harvest woven baskets full of vine ripe heirloom tomatoes from our garden.
in the kitchen & step-by-step, i will guide you through the process of chopping, processing & canning roasted homegrown garlic tomato sauce. we will produce several jars of tomato sauce, one of which you will take home.
as soon as our work is finished, we will take a break for lunch & share a farm to table meal on our back porch.
you will also have the opportunity to tour our little farm. we will gather eggs from the chicken coop & cut flowers for bouquets.
before wrapping up our time on the farm, i will lead a craft project centered around creating thoughtful, homegrown gifts.
once we’ve finished a bit of crafting, hogshead’s 1970s volkswagen van will pick us up & take us to prairie grove for some junkin’! we will stop by one of my favorite spots where i find the very best rusty, chippy, vintage pieces to fill our cozy home.
won’t you join me for a day of canning, crafting & junking?
here are the details:
– the workshop will be hosted at our farm in fayetteville, arkansas on august 16th from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm.
– an intimate group of 10 will participate in the workshop. the cost is $150 per person.
– registration opens on wednesday, july 9th. i will share the details on how to register here on my blog on july 9th.
– this workshop includes:
+ hands-on, step-by-step instruction on how to water bath can at home
+ a recipe for roasted garlic tomato sauce & one jar to take home
+ farm-to-table lunch & dessert
+ a craft project to complete & take home
+ a trip on hogshead’s volkswagen bus & an afternoon of junkin’
+ swag bag filled with goodies to take home
i am absolutely giddy with what was once a dream is finally coming to fruition. i am so excited to spend a day with you exploring the art of canning & preserving. please email me at natalie.j.freeman(at)gmail.com with any questions!
love,
natalie
when luke & i first married, we didn’t even have hand soap. i was saddened when we arrived home from our honeymoon & i used our first target gift card on cleaning supplies. instead of purchasing cute picture frames for our wedding & honeymoon photos, i was buying mops & sponges with gift cards.
you all know i’m a sucker for a good ol’ handmade gift basket (example: this, this, this & this). i get a kick out of staying within the budget when giving gifts & i love when those gifts are personal & meaningful.
so when we were invited to attend a couple’s shower for luke’s childhood best friend, i went straight to the cleaning isle of target. i don’t know the bride as well as i would like, but i was certain she would rather spend her wedding money on lamps than dish soap.
our budget was $25 & i spent just under that amount. i purchased the woven basket for $2 at a local thrift shop & filled it with fun supplies from the big box stores. i included dish washing soap, hand soap, dryer balls, hand towels, sponges & cleaning spray.
i also made our homemade laundry soap & included the recipe (you can find the recipe here). i spray painted the jar lid, added a scoop from the target dollar section (i purchase those in bulk when they’re available & add them to handmade gifts often) & tied a fabric ribbon around the top with the recipe tag attached.
i tied ribbon around the cleaning products for a pop of color & included a happy flag in the basket. i also added a little chalkboard from my crafting stash with a fun little clothespin. it all came together for under $25 & they loved it.
if you have a bit of extra cash, you could also include: a pack of toilet paper or paper towels, cleaning wipes, bleach, dish scrubbers, handmade crocheted dish towels or a gift card.
what are some of your go-to gift basket ideas? please share!
love,
natalie