Whole30 Halfway + being a picky eater

So today marks day 18 on the Whole30, and I have to say, I've surprised myself by making it this far.

I bought the book It Starts with Food way back last summer and read the whole thing in less than a week! But then life happened.

and our house buying was held up, and I started a new job, and I came up with a million and one other excuses about why I couldn't do it.

so it sat on my shelf, and we cooked a recipe from the back every now and then.

In the end of July a friend texted a group of us girls asking if anyone wants to do an end of August Whole30 along with her. After the normal grumbles of why we can't eat Entenmann's pastry and drink tequila, the convo stuck with me and for the next week I was nagged by the "maybe its time" feeling.

And then surprisingly Luke was 100% on board, which is not usual.

We both think that the "science" of it is really flimsy but we had been eating like straight crap all summer between vacations and visitors that we started to talk about it as just a kick start to get back on track.

We picked a date (the day after our last house visitors left) and away we went to plan.

(week 3 menu)

The thing about it is, its just eating right. How we should be eating.

But it involves a LOT of planning...and really intricate menu planning on our fridge.

Eating out is tough so I've only done it twice when it was necessary for work..and even then not entirely enjoyable.

So I've definitely hit some cooking fatigue.

And here's the biggest problem.

I am (and always have been) a picky eater.

So this plan limits the foods I like (breads, cheese..etc) and I've really had to stretch myself.

I also eat a lot of the same thing over and over.

Which I'm ok with, because, 30 days. 

You can do almost anything for 30 days.

This first half has been eye opening. I went through the "detox", I've lost the most lbs I've lost since right before I was married (or, ok, went through the birth of children. But that doesn't really count), and I generally feel really excellent.

This tiger blood they talk about? Yeah. I don't think I have that.

But my energy and mood is generally stable, so thats a success in my boat!

I don't feel like I want to nap every afternoon.

The other thing I've definitely learned (and sort of knew already) is that I am a Textbook emotional eater. Stressful day at work? It took all that I had to not stop at Wawa's for a shortie on the way home. My kid starts kindergarten (did i mention that we chose to do this as OUR KID STARTED KINDERGARTEN?)? All I've ever wanted this bad was a bite of brownie.

But cheating in this first half hasn't even been an option.

I know we don't eat 100% compliant in everything I eat every single day, but overall we are compliant. And I try at all times to eat compliant.

Being 12 days out I've started to think a little bit about what happens after this experiment is over. I haven't decided yet and have decided instead to live in where I am...which includes some pride in having made it this far.

Maybe there is some Tiger Blood after all.

Have you tried the whole30 trend yet? Any recipes to share?