30 Before 30

Hello Blog! It's been a while!

If you follow my blog's page on Facebook then you already know that I've struggled since moving to Louisiana in January. Army life has not been easy. It's not that it's been overly hard, it's just taking some time to get used to, is all. Just when I think I'm getting back into the groove here comes another curve ball and I just haven't been strong enough to handle them food wise yet. I'm to a point where I'm sick of the struggle. I'm tired of it being hard. That's life though, right? I've sort of coasted over the last few months until about 3 weeks ago when I did a total face plant...right into diet soda and junk food hell! Even though it sort of felt like heaven in the beginning.

I've always been told that sin is good for a season. Meaning, that in the moment doing wrong feels good! It's later when the dust has settled that we face the consequences and feel the pain that living in sin causes. In the Bible, God says in James 4:17, "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." During my entire face plant, I knew what I was doing was wrong. I was wreaking havoc on my body physically and spiritually. Instead of resting in the LORD I was drowning in junk. And there have been negative consequences...unpleasant body functions, headaches, tiredness, feeling gross, and by far the worst, clothes that don't fit the same meaning weight gain! I'm not saying that if you partake in eating something that isn't "healthy" you are sinning, I'm saying that constantly filling my body with poison and doing it with an unhealthy mindset was wrong! It's one thing to enjoy a treat, it's another to gorge yourself! Gluttony is one of the 7 deadly sins, after all!

So, what now?

I'm tired of the slippery slope. Until I'm strong enough to handle moderation, I have to narrow my focus and by narrow my focus, I mean cut out anything in my diet that can trigger a negative response to my addiction to food.

A year or so ago, I came across a blog. I can't even remember the name now but the writer had just turned 30 and before doing so she had created a list of 30 things she wanted to accomplish before she turned 30 and had incorporated those adventures into her blog. I liked the idea. I had every intention of doing a 30 before 30 list but never got around to it. Just a few days ago, I thought of it again. The only problem is, I turn 30 the end of next month! As I began to realize the depth of the stronghold I was in, I began to look for a way to get out. I had talked to my friend Clara a month or so ago about a challenge she was doing. She had experienced a similar face plant and had found steady footing with The Whole 30 challenge and way of eating. I decided at the time just to keep doing what I was doing. I started counting calories with a program on my phone. I bought a new exercise DVD. For about 2 weeks, it worked for me. I lost a few pounds and was feeling better. Then came the curve ball and that's when I face planted. So, as I am trying to climb out of this hole I've dug for myself, I found myself thinking about Clara and The Whole 30 again. I emailed her some questions, looked at the website, looked up recipes on Pinterest, and waited for her reply. Before she even called me back, I knew I had found what I was looking for but talking to her on the phone yesterday convinced me that this was what I needed...a healthy, real approach to eating.

So, I'm embarking on my 30 before 30 journey! It's not 30 things before I turn 30, it's 30 days of extremely clean eating before I turn 30. I'm starting tomorrow! Tomorrow is Easter! Are you crazy? I know that's what your thinking but we did our traditional Easter dinner and things last weekend when my parent's were here. So, yes, I'm starting tomorrow.  My challenge will end on the 29th of April. One day before my 30th birthday. I decided to do it this way, in case I want to eat cake on my birthday. The truth is, I'm hoping I don't but if I do, I can do it and it will be a treat, NOT a cheat!

For 30 days, I wont' be eating any grains (not even quinoa), dairy, carbs (except those naturally found in vegetables), sugar (except in a small amount of fruit), or additives (processed foods). Besides weight loss, there are other great benefits that come from eating this way and I'm anxious to see some of those results as well. I will be blogging every day for 30 days. I will include pictures of what I ate, how I feel, etc. I will be weighing, taking measurements, and pictures tonight or tomorrow but after that I'm not allowed to step on the scale for 30 days. So there wont' be any weight loss numbers to report til the end. I hope you'll stay with me through this journey! I need the accountability and encouragement!

Peace, Love, and Healthy Living,

Jessica