Tag Archives: whole30

Scotland Recap & 25 Day Challenge!

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I’m baccckk!! It feels like I’ve been gone so long, but in reality, vacation flew by. Why does that always happen? You get somewhere, and you think “Ahh.. I have 9 days of this…” and then it seems one day later you’re flying home.

I had such an amazing time. I can’t even begin to describe how beautiful Scotland was, and how relaxing it was.

View from our room… sighhhh

Golf course where we were staying. I’ve never seen such a crazy course! I don’t know much about golf, but this was traditional Links style… which means no nice groomed fairways like we have in the States- the course is au natural. Also- no golf carts!

Felt like we were at the edge of the world

Islay- home of many glasses of scotchy, Scotch Scotch

We stopped in Iceland on the way home- some of the best seafood I’ve had! So fresh. I also tried puffin, which was delicious.. but those things are too cute to eat on a regular basis

I won’t bore you to death with my millions of pictures, so you’ll have to trust me when I say it was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to. We did a lot of driving around the coast, checking out old badass castles, golf courses, nearby islands, whiskey distilleries, and also did a whole lot of eating and sleeping it. It was the perfect vacation.

Minus the fact that I wasn’t exactly a poster child for Paleo…

I totally prepared myself with an unnecessary amount of snacks to keep me on track (sidetrack: the morning that we were leaving, I had a stomach scope to try to figure out this weird illness that I keep getting. It’s a simple procedure, but they sedate you, so you have to have someone drive you to your appointment. My BFF Victoria was awesome enough to drive me, and on the way back I requested we stop at Trader Joe’s so I could load up on goodies. At the time, I thought I was totally fine and lucid, but about 6 hours later when I was finishing packing I realized I must have still been high because WTF I BOUGHT SO MANY SNACKS!!)

Really, I would have needed an extra suitcase to bring all of this. Tip- do not grocery shop when you are sedated.

Anyways, I had every intention of being super healthy all week, but unfortunately it didn’t pan out that way. We were staying in this tiny town, population maybeeee 300 people, and there were limited food options. Not trying to sound ignorant or judgmental, but Scottish food isn’t exactly the healthiest! Lots of potatoes, bread and fried stuff.

“Back by popular demand”!! Would you like that battered, battered, or battered with BEER?

We were also in a few situations where we what you were served, was what you got. I didn’t want to be insulting to people who had cooked all this amazing food, and didn’t want to bore them with my woes of the Paleo diet (they would have looked at me like I had 10 heads and told me to STFU and have a beer). So I splurged. I wasn’t strict about what I was eating, and I lived to tell the tale. Mind you- I didn’t feel so hot after some meals (my boyfriend told me I was a horrible road trip companion because I would immediately go into a food coma and fall asleep after lunch). After eating super healthy for a year, I forgot about how shitty eating certain foods make you feel. But, it’s also crazy how quickly your body starts CRAVING those shitty foods. I’m not making excuses for myself- I definitely could have had more self control and been more strict, butttt… oh well. I did manage to get a few workouts in, we did a ton of walking, and I challenged my boyfriend to do sprint intervals up this giant mountain we hiked down.

Blazer, scraf, jeans and Toms. Not exactly the best running attire but I made do!

Anyways, it’s good to be back and back on track. I taught this morning, which was a semi struggle, but am going balls to the walls this whole week with workouts and eating clean. I’m also doing a little 25 day challenge (I’m going away again in 25 days… tough life I know) and want to reboot my system. So- eating super Paleo (no treats!) no booze, and limited sugar (I’m trying to cut back on my fruit intake since I usually have a lot) and working out 6x a week. I’m actually really motivated and excited about doing this, and my brother and Victoria are doing it with me as well. Definitely helps when you have a support system!

Wow. What a long effing post. See what happens when I go away for 10 days? I word vomit all over your monitors. Didn’t you miss me?! :)

Who’s up for a little 25 Day Challenge? Only a month left in summer.. still time for that beach bod!!

-Emily

 

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Food Diary: Week One

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So, our Couples Challenge officially started on Friday. Unofficially, I started last Tuesday after a gluttonous Memorial Day weekend. Which means, I’m 8 days in. So, instead of a 23 day challenge, it’s really the legit 30 day challenge. Are you bored yet?

It’s frigging AMAZING how quickly your body responds to eating good food. Even though I’ve been eating Paleo for awhile, I was being not so good the past month. The weather has been nice, lots of beach time, lots of ice cream, excuses excuses. In some ways, I’m glad I was cheating because it gave me that much more incentive to get back on track. And, it’s sort of fun doing it with other people, knowing that you’re being held accountable and you’re all in it together.

Sam and I started a mutual food diary (entitled Sammy + Embo’s Belly Diaries) and it’s been an awesome way to stay focused and stay on track. Every time I eat something I just throw it in the doc (not to be confused with Fabolous, who throws it in the bag). I’ve been feeling great the past week- lots of energy, sleeping like a rock, and working out a ton. It feels goooood to be back! The boys have been doing really well too.. they’ve been sticking to their goals and it will be interesting to see who the winners are in the end!

Soo wanna see what I’ve been eating?! Sure you do. This past week and this upcoming week are a little nutty (I’m subbing a bunch for spin, and work has been picking up) so I’ve been concentrating on making bulk amounts of quick, easy recipes so I’m always prepared. As a result, I end up eating the same thing for a couple days in a row but whatevaaa! Also- I discovered all natural, non processed sweet potato chips and plantain chips at Trader Joe’s that have changed my life.

If you’re starting the Whole30, or ate an excessive amount of sweet potato chips in one sitting, this tea by Republic of Tea is amazeballs. Don’t worry, it won’t make you poo your pants, but it does settle your stomach and make you feel.. uhhh.. lighter.

 

My go-to breakfast smoothie

Another life changing food that I discovered this week- sashimi salmon and tuna rolls wrapped in cucumber…no rice! Ah-mazing. Thank you Haru

Veggie night- sauteed brussel sprouts, onions, pine nuts, and lemon

My mom is the best cook. Probably in the world. Not even kidding. These are homemade lamb burgers over oven roasted veggies. I can’t even begin to tell you how good these are. Like, my mouth is watering looking at them now. I need to stop. And move onto another photo. But I can’t!!! OMG so good.  I’ll get the recipe from her and post it on here, once I stop drooling all over my keyboard.

Ginger salmon with a cucumber orange salsa (recipe from PaleOMG.. duh) served with some bomb-I’ll-make-yo-pee-stink-fo-days asparagus.

So those are just some staples I’ve had the past week. Some other lifesavers have been grapefruit, avocado, Al Fresco chicken sausages, spaghetti squash, and sweet potatoes. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- the key to eating clean is PREPARATION. So do yourself and your body a favor and get up a few minutes earlier or go to bed a little later and plan your meals for the day! It is worth it, I promise you :)

I know there are a ton of June challenges happening right now. How’s everyone doing with their progress? Any tips for newbies?

-Emily