Preparing for a "30 Day Challenge" or Lifestyle Change

As I sit in my hot un-airconditioned apartment thinking about the past week of festivities  I wanted to begin documenting this 30 day challenge in a different way. Not only am I participating in a Whole30 with friends but my Crossfit box is beginning a 30 paleo challenge next week. My goal is to maintain the blog as a roadmap for a successful diet challenge. These tips are great for anyone who is ready to make a change. You do not have to be paleo or do a Whole30.

My hope is to document my meals and workouts for everyday. I will be putting before and after measurements and pictures on the blog as well. For me the documentation of measurements and pictures are critical for success along the way. It is so easy to get discouraged during a challenge but being able to compare those before and after pictures is critical. 

Tip #1: Take Before, During and After Pictures

My suggestion would be to take a clothing picture and a bikini picture. 

Make sure that if you have someone take the picture for you that you have them take your progress pictures as well. It is hard to judge progress when you have different angles. 

NOTE: please no bathroom selfies. 

During my April Whole 30, I took a picture every week and would use the app Pic Stich to compare them. I still look back on those pictures to judge my current progress. It is important to wear the same thing every time. 

Tip #2: Clearly understand the food guidelines and clean out your KITCHEN!

Lets be honest. You can SAY you are going to do a challenge but if you have those tempting foods in your kitchen you WILL eat them. Just get them out. These challenges are meant to help you make a lifestyle change and those "cheat" foods will not help you get there.

"Having cheats is like going on a road trip and taking pit stops. You will still get there but the more you stop the longer it will take you."

Fill your fridge and cupboards with compliant food. Don't be afraid to buy too much. You can always make more than you need and freeze it. 

Some of my favorite Whole 30 snacks are...

- Apples and Almond Butter 

- Applegate Farms Deli Meat and Berries

- Dried Mango

- Nuts

- Jerky 

Tip #3: Plan out your meals. 

You do not need to be Juila Child to  participate in a paleo challenge. However, you do need to prepare food and cook A LOT. If you are not someone who can just throw something together then I would highly recommend planning out your meals. I use the website Chowstalker because it has a tab for Whole30.  I also have a google spreadsheet where I plan my meals for the week. I make a list of what I need and what I have. 

During the school year I use Sunday as my food prep days. This means I chop/cook 89% of my food for the week. Since it is summer I will have more time to prepare meals during the day. 

Again, you do not have to create a culinary masterpiece every night. Most nights I have salmon, kale chips and sweet potatoes. However, if you find yourself starving when you get home from work I would suggest making plates of food ahead of time so you have something easily accessible. 

Tip #4: Do not try and start any other new lifestyle changes. 

I am the number one culprit of this. I often think...."Okay, I am going to do a whole30, floss my teeth everyday, train for a marathon, start crossfit and finish a 92345093 piece puzzle." Guess what happens...I fail. Take it one step at a time. I feel like I have a really great grasp on my own nutrition and fitness. But if you are not someone who works out a lot, I would not suggest working out the first week of Whole 30. You will get carb flu and you will want to put your head down and sleep. Once you get into the swing of things (say week 2 or 3) then adding in a small walk or run is awesome. 

I will be posting my crossfit workouts and my running schedule. Again, I am crazy person and literally climb the walls if I don't workout. DO NOT FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO DO THIS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. 

Tip #5: Get a lot of SLEEP. 

I love sleep. I am an old lady who loves going to bed at 9:30 and getting 8-9 hours of sleep. This is because I notice a huge difference when I don't. Your body needs rest and with a diet change you will feel it more. Sleep is one of the key ingredients to letting go of fat and increasing your energy levels. I realize that some of you reading this blog have adorable nuggets of sunshine that do not let you sleep for that long. It is important that you are getting as big of chunks of sleep as you can. 

If you did not have a good night of sleep then I would recommend NOT working out the next day and being very mindful of the sugar cravings you will get. You want to make sure you get LARGE servings of protein and healthy carbs. 

Tip #6: Surround yourself with supportive people. 

I will tell you right now people will NOT understand why you are doing this. They will try to convince you it is okay to cheat or have just a little. They will not get that eating a diet high in protein and fat will help you lose fat. 

Please feel free to recommend It Starts With Food and explain that eating this way makes you feel better. Leave it there. 

I have found the most difficult thing is to justify to others why you are doing this. WHO THE EFF CARES WHAT THEY THINK? You are doing this for you. But that means you have to be strong in your values and take pride in your decisions. 

That being said. Please reach out to people who are completing similar challenges or lead a similar lifestyle. It is easy to vent to someone who is doing the same thing. There are several Whole30 and Paleo groups on Facebook along with the forum on the Whole9Life website. 

The more people you have behind you, the more successful you will be. 

If you do not have someone who you can talk to. Please leave your name and e-mail and I will personally e-mail you. 

Tip #7: Remember, it is only 30 days. 

You can do this. The only thing you have to lose is fat, dull skin, dry hair, shitty moods and a lack of energy. 

So ready or not, here we go!