This year, you might be working on ways to sleep more, sneak in more fruits and veggies, or get a few more steps in. And, while those are all healthy pursuits we applaud, the one thing you need to make them a reality is to have more time set aside for you. Just. For. You. via GIPHY So today, we’re sharing seven tips to do just that. (And, yeah, it can mean time to take a bubble bath, but it can also mean ANYTHING you’d like to do and enjoy!) 7 Ways to Make More Time for Yourself as a…
It’s a new year and there are A LOT of click-baity articles out there on what it takes to get healthy and lose weight. And that’s exactly why we want to share our best pieces of weight-loss advice with you now. We pretty much guarantee you haven’t heard them 1,000 times before … 25 Pieces of Weight-Loss Advice and Truths You’ve Never Heard Before Don’t diet. Don’t restrict. Love yourself unconditionally. Make peace with your body. Remember that you’re more than the number on the scale. Keep in mind that weight-loss doesn’t equal happiness. Know that size doesn’t equal health. Size…
Okay, paleo people—who’s planning to kick off 2019 with real, clean eats that are healthful, nomtastic, and Whole30®-compliant? It’s close to the New Year, which means it’s time to get ready for the January Whole30! This post is packed with tips and tricks on how to prepare for a successful Whole30!
To some degree, we’re all suffering the aftereffects of falling into a monthlong series of deliciously dangerous food traps. After all that eggnog-guzzling and cookie-chomping, it’s no wonder we’re waking up with some bloating, achiness, splotchy skin, and just a teeeeeny bit of extra padding. I think it’s about time to gear up again and get mindful about the foods we’re putting in our bodies. Wanna join me?
Preparing for #JanuaryWhole30
Once again, starting January 1, I’ll be posting Whole30-friendly paleo recipes and tips EVERY DAY right here on Nom Nom Paleo! Some will be culled from my extensive archive of Paleo recipes, while others will be dishes that are brand-new to my blog. Yes, I’ve done versions of this in years past, so if you’re too impatient to wait for this year’s edition, go check out my previous collections of Whole30 support and recipes.
Stick with me this January, and I’ll stuff your brain with all sorts of hacks for surviving a Whole30, and keep you on track as you figure out how different foods affect your health and well-being. In January, you won’t ever be left wondering what to cook or eat next.
Here’s the twist: this year, I’m going to make sure all the January recipes I share with you are CHEAP, FAST, and/or EASY. (I mean, they won’t be as cheap, fast, or easy as, say, picking up a greasy bag of fast food from the local drive-thru, but that would defeat the whole point of a healthy January reset, right?)
And as always, before jumping into a January Whole30, we’re going to do a little prep. Only this time, in keeping with our theme, I’m going to keep our prep as simple as possible. Ready?
What’s a Whole30?
Let’s start with the basics. The Whole30 is a tried-and-true 30-day dietary reset that eliminates all the foods that may keep you from your true superhero potential. Specifically, for a whole month, you commit to cutting out the bad-for-you stuff: the foods that are most commonly problematic, like sugar, dairy, grains, legumes, alcohol, and junk foods—including those made with “healthy” ingredients. Instead, you commit to eating whole, nutrient-dense foods for 30 days. For more information about the Whole30, go check out the program rules over here.
How Does Whole30 Differ From Paleo?
I know what you’re thinking: Isn’t the Whole30 the same as eating paleo? Well, yes…and no. Both ways of eating are similar, in that they’re about prioritizing whole, unprocessed, nutrient-rich, nourishing foods. I pretty much eat according to the Whole30 rules most of the time, which is why the vast majority of the recipes on my Paleo Recipe Index are entirely Whole30-friendly.
But the Whole30 is stricter than regular old paleo. Some people think of Whole30 as paleo without the treats, but the primary distinction is that the Whole30 has specific nonnegotiable rules and guidelines that you must follow for 30 days to complete it successfully. When you’re on a Whole30, certain foods that may be seen as “Paleo-friendly” are out, so don’t even think about making “paleo” Bacon Pancake Sandwiches even if the individual ingredients are technically compliant. Unfortunately, that also means that my super-yummy Paleo Pot Stickers are out until at least February 1st. Good thing you can still make my Potsticker Stir-Fry in January! (See? I got options!)
I know—it can be difficult to stick to specific food rules for 30 days. And yes, depending on what you’ve been eating up ’til now, it may take you a couple of weeks to adjust. But believe me: you will. And you’ll feel great. By Day 30, you’ll feel like a brand new person—and you’ll have a much better understanding of how different foods affect your personal wellness. After the Whole30, you’ll be able to systematically reintroduce foods back into your diet to see how each of them makes you feel, which’ll help you develop your own nutritional blueprint. Remember: you’re a special snowflake (just like everyone else!), so it’s important to learn what foods make you feel like the best version of you.
Prep For Success
Is the Whole30 really hard? For some, yes: Sticking 100% to the Whole30’s program rules for 30 consecutive days can be a struggle. Frankly, for many folks, sticking to ANYTHING for an entire month is super-tough. But listen to Melissa Hartwig, the headmistress of Whole30:
Your only job during the Whole30 is to focus on making good food choices. You don’t need to weigh or measure, you don’t need to count calories, you don’t need to purchase everything organic, grass-fed, pastured, or local. Just figure out how to stick to the Whole30 rules in any setting, around every special circumstance, under any amount of stress… for 30 straight days. Your only job? Eat. Good. Food.
You can do that, right? Besides, it’s a Whole30, not a Whole365 or a WholeForeverAndEverAndEver. It’s just 30 days, and I’ll be helping you along each step of the way!
To be perfectly honest, the biggest challenge you’ll face during a Whole30 is bland, boring food. If you try to tackle a Whole30 by eating nothing but boiled chicken breasts and steamed broccoli, by Week 2, you’ll be waging a full-on assault on a donut shop. That would violate the Whole30’s program rules (not to mention numerous laws), so instead, follow along with me this January, and I’ll keep your palates tickled with dozens of easy, flavor-forward, and super satisfying recipes!
Whole30 Resources
Wanna learn more about the Whole30? Start by devouring everything on the Whole30 website. Craving even more details? Get your hands on a copy of The Whole30—the bestselling tome that lays out the science behind this awesome dietary reset.
If you’re a completist and avid reader, you should also pick up the other Whole30 books, too: The Whole30 Cookbook,The Whole30 Fast & Easy Cookbook (which includes recipes by a number of contributors—including me!), and The Whole30 Slow Cooker. These recipe books are crammed with tasty, clean eats. In addition, Melissa penned the Whole30 Day by Day, a daily handbook to keep you engaged, motivated, and accountable during your month of mindful eating. And finally, Food Freedom Forever will help you develop a personal dietary template that’ll last you well beyond your Whole30.
Get Inspired!
If you’re starved for inspiration, chin up! It’s your lucky day: I’m a walking, talking Whole30 recipe generator.
For recipe inspiration and to whet your appetite, visit my free Recipe Index, which includes tons of step-by-step Whole30-friendly recipes. (Pro tip: For a complete list of my Whole30 recipes, scroll to the bottom of my Recipe Index page, and click on the Whole30 button. Or just bookmark this page!)
And definitely follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for all sorts of Whole30 goodness in January (and beyond), too! You don’t have to stop being paleo on February 1st!
Oh, and if you like to check off the days of your Whole30 on a wall calendar, don’t forget to pick up my One and Done! 2019 Nom Nom Paleo wall calendar—it even comes with a sheet of cute stickers to keep you cooking! Plus, all the recipes in the calendar are Whole30-friendly and can be made in just one pot or pan!
If you’ve got an iPhone or iPad, download my Webby Award-winning cookbook app, which contains over 200 (and counting!) step-by-step Whole30-approved recipes! Get the app here!
(Note: If you already own the app but recently updated your device or iOS, the app may act up or show only a few recipes—but there’s an easy solution: Completely delete the app off your device, and re-download it for free from the App Store. If you continue to have any problems, shoot me an email so I can help you troubleshoot, ’cause I want to make sure you can get cooking!)
In my experience, it’s infinitely better to do a Whole30 with others than to go it alone. Get your family, friends, and co-workers to join you on a monthlong challenge of healthy and adventuresome cooking and eating—and you can all help each other through it. You can coach and support your pals through the many ups and occasional downs, and best of all, you’ll never get bored with your food if everyone shares their Whole30 eats. Accountability works wonders!
And if no one in your immediate circle is willing to accompany you on your January Whole30, visit the Whole30 Forum, where you’ll find free support from others who are on the same journey.
Stock your Whole30 pantry!
Let’s start filling your kitchen with healthy food! I gave a talk at Lawrence Livermore National Labs with lots of tips on how to paleo-ize your pantry and fridge, and you can watch me do my thing over here:
Also, click here for my epic post on how to stock your paleo kitchen and pantry like a boss.
Stock your kitchen with tools!
My cookbooks discuss the gadgets and tools I keep in my kitchen to make super-nomtastic grub, but if you want an up-to-date list of my favorite ones, head to my Amazon shopping page. These aren’t arbitrary items I’m recommending— I’ve bought every item on the page myself after reading extensive reviews on trusted sites.
Most importantly: Cook! Trust me: It’s really, really hard to try to do a Whole30 without getting acquainted with your kitchen. The point of doing a Whole30 is to learn about how different foods affect you—and how can you possibly do that if you don’t know exactly what’s going into your mouth? As I said in Ready or Not!:
Knowing how to prep meals from scratch doesn’t just make you a more rounded individual or hearty survivalist—it makes you more mindful of the ingredients you’re putting in your body. By cooking at home, I know exactly what goes into my food. I never have to guess whether my dishes were cooked with ingredients that don’t sit well with me.
Also, before I forget: Do you aspire to be a meal prepping maven? I have four weeks of meal plans and shopping lists in our new cookbook, Ready or Not!
If you want ultimate flexibility and customizability, subscribe to Real Plans—the most amazing meal planning program around! Seriously. It’s the bee’s knees. There are even add-on recipe modules by yours truly, Nom Nom Paleo, as well as the Whole30, too! Check it out here!
Leftover Makeovers FTW!
“Leftovers” is not a dirty word—especially if you know how to transform your extras into exciting new meals (a.k.a. leftover makeovers). My latest cookbook, Ready or Not!, includes a big section on leftover makeovers, so definitely grab a copy and bookmark the “Kinda Ready” chapter. Prefer to simply reheat the awesome dishes you couldn’t finish last night? That works, too, and is a fantastic way to stay sane on your Whole30 without feeling like you’re spending the entire month in the kitchen. So remember: don’t be afraid to make extra!
Okay, enough chit-chat. It’s time to gear up for an awesome January! As I’ve said before, keep your kitchen adventures fun and your taste buds excited, and you’ll cruise through the Whole30. Aren’t you excited to see which foods make you feel amazing?
Ready to go? I’m all about hand-holding, encouragement, and most importantly, PEER PRESSURE—so find a buddy to take the plunge with you, and let’s do this thing! Tune in here EVERY DAY in January and I’ll cheer you on!
P.S. Got questions for me or tips for your fellow Whole30 participants? Please post ’em in the comments!
A note to my Nomsters: This is one of a series of daily blog posts I’m writing in the month of January 2019 to help those doing a Whole30 to kick off the New Year. Not sure what the Whole30 is, or want info on how to get started? Read my Whole30 prep post—and then come back to Nom Nom Paleo every single day for recipes to inspire, delight, and sustain you on your Whole30!
I’m away on vacation, but didn’t want to leave you without your meal plan! Also, if you don’t have the Skinnytaste Meal Planner, now would be a great time to get one to get organized for 2019! There was a print error last year, but it’s perfect now! You can order it here!
The Skinnytaste Meal Planner
If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing these free, 7-day flexible healthy meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc or swap recipes out for meals you prefer, you can search for recipes by course in the index. You should aim for around 1500 calories* per day.
There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.
Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing!
THE DETAILS:
Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated Weight Watcher Freestyle Points for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!
The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.
And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them!
*This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc.
**Prep Monday or Tuesday for breakfast and lunch all week
This post is sponsored by BewellConnect. For our sponsored post policy, click here. When living a life full of adventure and activity is truly your jam, it makes a healthy lifestyle so much easier. After all, if sitting is the new sugar (which, of course, is the new smoking), then those of us who crave movement and seek out new ways to challenge our bodies are really ahead of the game. But lots of movement — especially the type that so many of us love because it really pushes our limits and helps us become stronger, both physically and mentally — often leads…
A copy of Enjoy Time: Stop Rushing, Get More Done by Catherine Blyth landed here at Fit Bottomed Zen HQ, and we are obsessed with it. So much so that we booked the author as a guest on our podcast (ep coming up in 2019!) and immediately asked if we could share a few research-based tips from the book on the site. Thankfully, she said yes! Blythe pulled together theories and research in behavioral studies and psychology to drill deep down into why we procrastinate — and practical ways that we can curb it. Tackling Procrastination by Catherine Blyth There are five reasons…
This Colombian classic breakfast dish known as Huevos Pericos made with eggs, scallions and tomatoes is one of my favorite ways to prepare eggs.
Typically enjoyed with hot chocolate and arepa, I usually just serve it with some avocado on the side. This also happens to be a keto, whole30 and gluten-free friendly recipe.
Every year, millions of well-intentioned people set resolutions. via GIPHY Resolutions to get healthy, lose weight, work out regularly, and eat better. via GIPHY And about 80 percent of people who make resolutions give up on them by February. via GIPHY But does this stop us from trying again, and again, and again each time January comes around? via GIPHY Why do we put ourselves through this madness? Why do we keep doing the same thing — and trying the same approach — year after year after year? via GIPHY Is it because we’re stupid? via GIPHY Is it because there’s…
When you first get that double line on a pregnancy test it can be all kinds of exciting and scary and everything in between. via GIPHY And soon — lots of planning and preparing begins. Picking a name. Starting a registry. Getting the nursery ready. via GIPHY And, if you’re planning to be a working mom (or just want some extra help with childcare — um, full support for that here!), now is also the time to start your childcare search. The childcare search may seem overwhelming at first, but if you start early and plan ahead, you’ll save yourself…
Are you looking to get more more pre- and probiotics in your life? Do you even know the difference? Well, we have you covered in this enlightening interview with nutritionist extraordinaire Ellie Krieger. Ellie is also a spokesperson for Renew Life and shares with us all of the essentials to get your whole self (not just your gut!) healthier. (She likes to think of probiotics as amazing house guests for your body!) Ellie also dishes on what items you will always find in her fridge and pantry, her favorite go-to meals, the sheer loveliness of chewing, and the one food…
Wishing you all a wonderful Holiday! For this week, I separated the Christmas grocery list from the rest of the week. Those of you who plan to use the entire weeks plan should cross check both lists to make sure you don’t over buy (mostly applies to things such as herbs, grains and miscellaneous).
Christmas Eve/Day lunches are appetizers. You can mix and match or pick and choose but the grocery list does include ingredients for all listed. It’s worth reviewing the Christmas Eve/Day recipes to adjust recipes/ingredients accordingly based on the number of guests they are serving.
If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing these free, 7-day flexible healthy meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc or swap recipes out for meals you prefer, you can search for recipes by course in the index. You should aim for around 1500 calories* per day.
There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.
Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing!
THE DETAILS:
Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated Weight Watcher Freestyle Points for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!
The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.
And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them!
THURSDAY (12/27)
B: ⅓ cup quick oats (3) with 1 teaspoon honey (1), ½ cup blackberries (0), 1 tablespoon skim milk (0), 1 tablespoon chopped pecans (2), pinch salt.
L: Leftover Ham Bone Soup with Potatoes and Cabbage (2) with 2 ounces multigrain baguette (3) and an apple (0)
D: LEFTOVER Beef and Mushroom Ragu with Spaghetti Squash (4)
Totals: Freestyle™ SP 15 , Calories 863***
*This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc.
**Fruit salad includes 1 cup grapes, 2 oranges, 2 apples, and 2 bananas.
***Green salad serves 4 and includes 6 cups mixed greens, ½ cup each: carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, and 2 scallions. Increase amounts if desired, to serve more.
This simple, healthy Baked Salmon dish is made with fresh lemon, and lots of fresh herbs such as dill, parsley, chives.
Salmon is one of my favorite fish, and nothing is quicker and easier than roasting a side of salmon in the oven. I slice some lemons and add a few sprigs of herbs such as parsley or chives, then lay the salmon on top, skin side down.
There’s just a little more than a week left of the year, which has us feeling all the feels and doing all of the reflecting. Because it has been A YEAR. We celebrated 10 years, we redesigned our site and logo, we launched new online courses, and we’ve had the privilege of being in your inboxes and in your social media feeds for another trip around the sun. We’ve also had the chance to be a Brooks Running blog ambassador again — and, man, we’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again: Brooks not only creates high-quality and incredible…
The universe is talking to you. Are you listening? We are. Not sure what we mean? For example, when buying my first house, it seemed like every TV show I watched had an episode with characters buying, selling, house-hunting, or moving. When training for a race, suddenly people I hardly knew — and who I definitely didn’t know were runners — started coming out of the woodwork to share their experiences. It’s a lot like the whole Facebook ads thing, where you just sooooort of think about how you could stand to buy a new bra and — BAM —…
I always feel better when I start my day with a good serving of protein. I remain satisfied for a longer period of time, my energy levels are higher … it’s just a really simple way to show myself a little love before the demands of my day take over. Except, well. It’s not like most of my typical breakfasts are exactly complicated, but even a basic smoothie requires a few ingredients, plus the cleaning of the blender, so although I can whip one up in very little time, it’s still a far cry from grab-and-go. And sometimes, I really just…
