So last week I decided to start
The Whole30 cleanse. It's a pretty big thing now and in case you guys haven't heard of it yet, you should go check it out. Basically, it's a way for you to detoxify your body of all unhealthy toxins (they emphasize the fact that this is not a diet although losing weight will probably be one of the side effects). It's supposed to "change your life" in terms of your health, fitness, and cravings. The main rules include no grains (any kind of carb etc.), dairy, sugar, or bean products. You can eat any type of meat, eggs, veggies, fruit, nuts, and avocado (because it's the best!). To be honest, I'm not really following its rules
100% because I don't really believe in some of the things they're advocating for. Relying too heavily on meat and eggs for protein neglects the protein that comes from plants such as soy and bean products. That's why I've been eating tofu and drinking soy milk as usual.
I decided to try it out since although recently I've been eating somewhat healthily, I still feel like I wanted to cleanse myself of all the unhealthy things I've had in the past few months. I know it'll be pretty hard for me because I can't stick to
anything and I have a major sweet tooth (you probably don't know this but my favourite food are donuts and they're all I dream about). Plus, it doesn't help that I love all carbs, especially bread.
I just finished the first week of it. It helped that I kept a list of all the things I've been eating every day. I've accidentally (haha) had some sugar when my coworkers offered me some Chinese food but that was the only time I broke a rule I think.
Some groceries that I bought:
In the mornings I just have an egg or two with some fruit and unsweetened soy milk. It does feel like it's not completely filling without a thin bagel or an English muffin or something but the eggs fill you up. Try to have a banana or something because it's pretty solid too.
I love sausage but I usually try to stay away from red meat so when i saw these pesto chicken sausages at Whole Foods I just had to get them. They're super yummy!
If you guys haven't had frozen grapes yet, you're missing out.
For lunch I usually have a salad with either spinach or kale plus some tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, avocado, and some sort of protein like chicken or salmon. Since sugar isn't allowed, I usually use olive oil and lime juice as my dressing topped with some pepper if I'm in the mood. You can't really see the avocado or the protein here but it's super important to have both!
On the weekend I decided to make these pancakes since I usually don't have time during the week. The website says not to imitate any type of junk food craving you may have with other "healthier" ingredients but I've never been a huge pancake person and I just needed some variety in my breakfast options. All I did was mix 2 eggs with 1 banana that I mushed up with a fork (I don't have a blender or nutribullet with me) and poured the mixture on the skillet. Afterwards, I just topped it off with some strawberries. They actually taste really good for being carb-free and sugar-free so definitely try them at home some time! I got the recipe from blogilates.
Something like this is usually what I have for dinner. It's a tofu, chicken and broccoli stir fry. It's pretty easy to make. Just marinate the chicken in whatever sauces and spices you want, sauté it on the skillet, and then add the veggies!
For dinner on the weekends I try to make something nicer. Here I made some tilapia, which was made on a skillet in a mixture of olive oil, tomatoes, peas, and garlic. Make sure you marinate the fish in something first to make it even more tasty. I might have slightly overcooked it here but that's how I like it. Fish is really high in protein and healthy fats so be sure to at least eat it once or twice a week!
I indulged in some spicy garlic shrimp here with a side of some zucchini and asparagus. Delicious!
Hope you guys found this interesting/helpful if you're looking for new cleanses to try.
Lots of love,
Francesca.
