Whole30 | Pittsburgh Lifestyle Photographer

As soon as I heard about Whole30 plan from Holly, one of my oldest friends, I decided I needed to try it! I began in May because I needed to "push the reset button" on my health and my habbits. 

Benefits

Honestly, I just wanted to lose weight but Whole30 did so much more! Not only did I lose over 20 pounds in 2 months, but I also increased my quality of life! I sleep more soundly and am more rested while needing 2 hours less sleep a night! My nails, hair and skin are stronger and healthier. I feel younger because I no longer have aches in my joints. The dark circles under my eyes have decreased. I think my favorite benefit is having more defined muscle tone (this is without exercising). I could go on and on. I am overall healthier today!

Rules

There are 8 rules. Five of the rules are as follows: No added sugars, No alchol, No grains, No legumes, No dairy.

To complete the Whole30 you need to commit to 30 days of following the rules. If you break one rule you need to begin again. It's as simple as following a few rules! But can you image? You can't really eat out. There is sugar in everything, even bacon!

Food/Meals

About three times a month I cook several pounds of ground beef and boneless skinless chicken breasts. I keep a couple pounds in the refrigerator and freeze the rest. That way I can cook a healthy meal in around 30 minutes (because I precooked the meat). We've been eating taco salad, chicken salad, chicken curry with riced cauliflower,  inside out egg rolls, shepherd's pie with baked potatoes, ground beef with riced cauliflower, zucchini pasta with tuscano marinara sauce, ratatouille, lettuce wraps, omelettes and egg bakes. New staples in our kitchen include,

• Coconut aminos (a soy sauce alternative)
• Sugarless ketchup
• Homemade mayonnaise 
• RXBAR and Lara Bars (I've found Target has the best prices)
• Guacamole
• Sugarless salsa
• Sugarless bacon
• Cashew and almond butter
• Organic coconut milk
• Ghee
• Homemade kale chips

Family

My family has been very supportive of my journey and I'm thrilled I don't have to cook a separate meal for my husband or children! Although my family isn't officially eating a whole30 diet, everyone eats what I prepare. However, they will add whatever they'd like to the meal, maybe a glass of milk, a slice of cheese or add a dessert at the end of the meal, etc.

Conclusion

It was not always easy. Holly and I texted often in the beginning. I needed advice and encouragement. It's really helpful to have a mentor. There are Facebook groups like Keep Calm and Whole30 On. I feel so good that I want to continue, but I don't want the stress of never making a mistake so I've continued after 30 days of an 80% Whole30 diet. I continue to avoid all dairy, I didn't know I was lactose intolarant (how is that even possible?) until now! Most days I still avoid grains and added sugars. It's empowering to overcome food/sugar addictions. If you decide to try the Whole30, I reccomend buying the book "The Whole30." I bought it on Amazon. 

Laura Mares is an experienced photographer specializing in capturing timeless family keepsakes. Laura works on location and in her fully equipped home studio, located in Mt. Lebanon, eight miles south of Pittsburgh, PA. Laura’s style is creative, natural, and timeless. Would you like beautiful portraits of your newborn baby, to update your child and family portraits or to document a milestone in your life such as a wedding, graduation, birthday or reunion? If you are interested in high quality, timeless photographs, book your session today, call (412) 654-3367 or email [email protected]. To view a wide range of gorgeous portraits and to get great tips, advice and beautiful inspiration follow us on Instagram and Facebook.