Whole30 begins

If you are wondering what happened to keeping you up to date with my Whole30 Challenge I promise I have not forgotten.  The diet began Monday and I'm still going strong.  I've sat down so many times to write this post but it has been a heartbreaking week in our house and I just never finished.  We are preparing to say goodbye to Grandpa B as Heaven is waiting to welcome him with open arms.  We have been spending evenings in the hospital and now hospice and I've been too exhausted to do much else.  Please keep us all in your prayers these next few days we would really appreciate them.
WHOLE30
The first couple days were pretty rough.  I found myself craving things that normally wouldn't appeal to me.  TV commercials, Pinterest recipes and even the bakery section at the grocery store were torture!  I have sugar and carbs on the brain BIG TIME.

I got intense headaches from going cold turkey with all forms of sugar but quickly discovered that increasing my natural sugars by eating more fruit than veggies the first week helped dramatically.  I do need to expand my recipe selection if we are going to last the full 30 days. 

So far I have been making spinach, kale and fruit smoothies for breakfast with a hard boiled egg followed by a variety of approved snacks to hold me over until lunch.  Lunch has been my greatest challenge and consisted mostly of shredded chicken, avocado and blackberries this week.  My afternoon snack was usually almonds or pistachios and then home to make dinner!
For dinner this week we have enjoyed:
Homemade chicken patties with green pepper and sweet potato fries, also homemade
Baked lemon pepper Tilapia with left over fries and steamed broccoli
Bean less, vegetarian chili
Homemade Hawaiian meatballs with green pepper, pineapple and rice substitute
I think tonight is going to be leftovers.
Most importantly here is that other than perfecting my portions to avoid hunger I am feeling fantastic.  They aren't kidding about this being life changing!  It's not too late to join me.