Love Actually is All Around

Final installment. Part III.  In Part I, I explained what the Whole30 is and why I did it.   Part II addressed what the 30 days looked like for me.  Here, I'll share my results and what I learned (and some extra credit if you read all the way through). The Numbers This is the good stuff, right? Well. It is for me. I like numbers and stats and quantifiable things.  So here they are. I lost 15 pounds during the Whole30.  The program strongly advises against weighing yourself during the program. I broke this rule.  I weighed myself every day because I wanted to see how my body was responding.  It was especially interesting to see the role my hormones played in my weight loss.  And they definitely played a role!  I lost 15 pounds when all is said and done. My weight fluctuated day-to-day, but I consistently lost about 4 pounds each week. Inches.  I dropped one pant size.  I lost about 2 inches off my hips, 4 inches off my waist, 2 inches off each thigh, 1 inch off each calf, 2

In Part I, I explained what the Whole30 is and why I did it.  Here is what I experienced during the 30 days: How did I feel? I felt pretty normal. I didn’t experience a sudden burst of energy or this wonderful feeling like my body was healing. In fact, I was tired most days.  The program is supposed to help set your body clock so you are tired at night (which, as a night owl, was really attractive).  Maybe it did that? Or maybe I was just so tired from the lack of calories.  In any case, I was ready for bed earlier than I have been since 3rd grade. It was a welcome change.  I noticed a bigger change in how I felt after the program – more on that in Part III. They talk about the "carb flu" in the book which hits you at the end of the first week.  I had a headache (and I never have headaches) and I was generally more crabby.  I am not sure if this was the carb flu or caffeine withdrawal. Coffee is allowed, but cream is not.  I can drink black coffee, but decided just

Many people have asked about my Whole30 experience, which I completed last week.  Given the level of interest, I thought I would blog about it and answer all their questions – in 3 parts. Yes, 3!  Who knew there was so much to say?!  This first part is the intro explaining what the Whole30 is and why I decided to do it. Here is the disclaimer: this may seem preachy. IT IS NOT.  I truly don’t care what you put in your body, and I really don’t think what I put in my body should have any impact on you.  Can we agree on that point?  To get started... What is the Whole30? The Whole30 was designed by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig.  In essence, it is a diet (meaning a way of eating, not a “lose 30 pounds in 30 days” gimmick) that focuses on eating whole foods.  It removes all grains, sugars, booze, artificial everything, and dairy (among other things) from your diet.  It lasts for 30 days and you must be strict to have the complete experience.  You can read all about it on their site

When I turned 30, it was like a switch had flipped. The angst of my 20s were gone. I knew who I was and stopped apologizing for it. The pesky “Who am I? What am I supposed to do with my life?” questions were answered.  Life was good and the future was brighter than ever before. Photo with my besties from my 30th birthday party Fast forward a few years and Bam! I feel like I’m back in the same place again. I am angsty and questioning my identity…again.  It feels different this time, but frustrating nonetheless. It’s like the ground I worked so hard to gain is slipping under my feet. Like I’m on a treadmill that’s going too fast and I keep falling back to the end of the belt, about to fall off. There is a lot that factors into this season – some life changes. Some unmet expectations. Dreams that haven’t been fulfilled.  Sorry I won’t be more specific, but I’m honestly not comfortable voicing these tender things to the world. My guess is you can relate.  So what do we do? Is

Before and After My dining room doesn’t have much natural light in it. It’s on the interior wall of my small condo and there are no windows. As a result, I don’t really like spending time in there. When I have people over for meals, we eat in the living room.  My poor dining room (the first room you see upon entry) has become a glorified closet over the past 6 years. It’s where I leave my shoes, throw my mail, drop my keys.  And I hate it.  I hate how messy it gets. I hate not having a space where I can eat with guests. As Jimmy Fallon would say: Like. Ew. I’m not really gifted in interior design. I need help and inspiration.  I invited a couple friends over (Sarah and Sus) to help inspire me.  We ate in the dining room – one of the few times in 6 years I’ve eaten in there. We talked about the space and how I felt there. How it could be changed.  And off we went!  In the span of one week, I painted the hutch and table. I made a new tabletop which is amazing – and thanks large

I recently watched Newsies  with my friend, Juliet.  It brought me back to my 13-year-old self. I watched that movie so many times as a teen. Yes, mostly because of my crush on Christian Bale (which is still alive and well today, thanks for asking).  I’d like to think it also had something to do with the themes surrounding justice and family and dreams. The main character, Jack Kelly, finds himself controlled by "the man."  Struggling to get by and survive in New York City, he has no family to rely on and he creates a fantasy world to which he can escape. For Jack, this fantasy is Santa Fe – a place where he can be free, like the wind (the song explains it well) .  I find myself doing this, don’t you? I have a very wild imagination and have multiple alternate realities swirling around in my head. A few examples: working in the Civil Rights division at the Department of Justice; working on the communications team in the West Wing (both on the TV show and in real life!); b

Here are TV characters with whom I would like to have an americano or beer.  I tried to narrow it down to 10 characters and had to settle instead on 10 shows (in no particular order): 1. Josh Lyman, President Barlet, Leo McGarry and CJ Cregg ( The West Wing ).  I could go on and on for my reasons why, but suffice it to say my interest (and idealism) regarding politics makes me so excited at the idea of sitting around the table (or the Oval Office) with these people. 2. Dan Rydell ( Sports Night ) – Yes, another Aaron Sorkin character.  Dan is funny and thoughtful and knows a lot about sports and friendship. I could learn a lot from this guy, and would really enjoy the conversation 3. Leslie Knope ( Parks & Recreation ): We could talk about how great Pawnee/Muncie is. And I am dying to hear about her encounter with Joe Biden.  Of course, we would chat over waffles. 4. Starbuck/Kara ( Battlestar Galactica ): No spoilers here. I’ll just say it would be a fascinating

Disclaimer:  If you are not "religious," please bear with me. I think you will still find this post interesting. Today marks the beginning of Holy Week - the final week leading up to Easter.   The last week of Lent.  On Friday, I will attend a Tenebrae/Good Friday service which reminds me of and invites me into the death of Christ.  On Easter morning, I will gather with my church family at sunrise around a bon fire where we will celebrate the Risen Son. But what is all this ritual about?  Well, too much to write here.  But I was reminded this morning of a few aspects of this season that challenge me. I love living in the Northern Hemisphere and in an area that experiences all four seasons.  After the worst winter I can remember, I have never longed more for Spring.  Anything that was left exposed to the brutal elements this winter most certainly died.  And yet trees have buds on them and the grass is turning green again.  From death comes new life. Beauty rises from as

Sochi in Summer I love watching the Olympics.  It has been especially fun seeing them in Sochi, where I had the opportunity to visit in 2005.  I spent a couple weeks in Russia with my friend, Tina, visiting her parents who were living there at the time.  There are so many things I could share about my time there, but I have narrowed it down to one story. Tina's parents did all sorts of good work in their community there. Her dad was a pastor and her mom was a nurse by trade.  But really, they were simply great at loving people.  They somehow got connected with an alcoholic rehab center and took Tina and I there to visit.  The center was for men who were looking to turn their lives around. It was in the country - what appeared to my foreign eyes as the middle of nowhere.  The center was run by 2 former Olympic athletes who had devoted their lives to helping these men. The center itself was essentially a farm.  The men were learning to live on the land and the goal was for the