Well hello there, friends! Notice anything different about me? (Aside from my happy-January-Whole30-glow?) I chopped my hair off, yes, that’s right!
New year, new haircut, quality over quantity, etc. In fact, the whole “quality over quantity” has become my motto for the New Year thus far – I won’t go so far as to say resolution, but, something right along those lines 🙂 Maybe that was the unconscious reason I decided to get rid of my long hair. That, and I was sick of dreading the washing/styling and figured if I truly hated it, in a year it would be back. One of the very convenient things about hair.
But moving on! I have a few thoughts on Whole30 (oh man, I have more than a few actually but will save them for other posts), a few photos to share from our trips and a couple of recipe ideas to run by you.
1.) My Whole30 Versus Your Whole30 – What’s in it for You?
As you might know by now, I’m a BIG fan of the Whole30 (it’s how I started out with Paleo) but I also can’t predict what will happen to YOU if/when you complete the program.
I do know that no two experiences are alike – and even comparing my current month (okay it’s been 3 days, but still) to 3 years ago because life has changed (a lot!) – they don’t feel the same at all.
Will this Whole30 “change my life” in the same way my first did? I highly doubt it – that said – I think this one can be just as valuable, as long as I’m willing to address 1.) the reasons I’m doing it 2.) the “issues” that come up during the 30 days and 3.) The “results” of my reintroductions after the 30 days is complete. I firmly believe the reintro phase is SO important for both our bodies and minds.
What motivates you to take on the Whole30? What do you want to accomplish? I admit – even for someone who eats 90% Paleo, the Whole30 is most definitely a challenge so there is always clear motivation, even if you’ve only half admitted it. (True story – part of me is too competitive to NOT do a Whole30 if Adam does it. Just being honest!)
Do you want to heal your body? Heal your mind? Lose weight? “Prove yourself” to someone/yourself? Love your body? “Detox” your body? Address disordered eating? Kick a sugar dependency? Get back to basics? Learn about how foods affect you? Jump on the bandwagon so you can tell people about your experience? (LOL.) Think about the REAL motivation behind taking on this challenge and then face whatever comes up during the month.
Example – during my first and second Whole30 (they were within months of each other) I had to face the fact that I was scared to fill up on carbs and fat at the same time. I wrestled with eating too low carb (for me) while I was filling up on fat, and that was definitely not right for me. In fact, I chose to face several disordered eating thoughts/beliefs that I didn’t even realize I was hanging onto since high school. You never know what might come up, and, it’s then up to you to either address or avoid the issues.
2.) Our Trip(s)!
I have a lot of anxiety about traveling in general (mainly that someone will get sick/something will go horribly wrong) but I have to say we had two really awesome trips and the kids really enjoyed their December. It feels like FOREVER since I’ve shared non-recipe related photos, but I couldn’t let the whole thing go by without sharing any!
We were in L.A. first for a family wedding (actually a family friend but a very good one!) My parents were with us for the whole trip including Disney, which made it extra special (and easier) for all of us. I was a bridesmaid in the wedding and had been waiting until right after to do the hair-chop 🙂
My family (minus Drew who was pouting outside the photo) at the Santa Monica Pier. An extremely rare photo and location for us!
I’m so glad we did Disney now – while they’re still young enough to want to meet every single character. So much more fun that way.
Being there for the holidays was pretty awesome, even more awesome that it was before the official holiday break so the crowd wasn’t completely unbearable. We were in California for a total of one week, home for just under a week, and then up to the Berkshires with our friends for New Years.
Does it almost look like I’ve ever been on skis in my life? Because I haven’t – and I’m not about to change my ski status. I was there for moral support though (and a helping hand of course) and my kids did amazing!
3.) I’m stumbling with recipe creation!
I had a burst of recipe inspiration that resulted in a few new ones (the twice baked sweet potatoes above might be the favorite!) but now I’m all confused.
Part of my wants to go a bit “fancier” and “fun” with Whole30 compliant recipes (stuffed dates? tostones with dip? creamy baked spinach artichoke dip?) and part of my just wants easy and convenient – like one skillet meals, more hash, another breakfast casserole. What do you guys think would be most useful for you/others?
And that’s a wrap! Thanks to my awesome friend Amanda for her Thinking Out Loud linkup!
Tell Me!
Do you have a New Year’s “motto”? Are you making a resolution?
What recipes would you love to see more of? Any new ideas?
If you’ve completed a Whole30, what was something surprising you took from it?
Hi! I'm Michele. Paleo eater and recipe creator, runner, and mom of 3. Welcome to my blog, where we obsess over all of it and love every minute! (It's way fun over here, promise.) Stay a while to eat, run, and rant with me! 
Love your haircut and all the pics from your trips! I cant believe its been 2 years since i did the Whole30. I don’t think I would do it again but sometimes I go back to eating mostly that way for a week or two when I feel like I need a reset. I didn’t make any new years resolutions, but I like the idea of quality over quantity- it can apply to so many areas of our lives!
I wasn’t planning it until Adam decided to do it. Since I do the cooking anyway, it seemed like the perfect time to reset! And thanks about the haircut 🙂
I can’t believe you cut your hair!!! It looks so pretty and must be easier to manage. we love Disney this time of year, glad you guys had a great time. and yes to bringing the grandparents. we went with my parents one year and it was much easier when my son was younger. and I was able to escape for a massage in the hotel lol
So much easier to deal with my hair this way! I don’t mind short cuts at all. In my opinion Disney is only doable with the grandparents!
Love the haircut! I’m not doing Whole30 but certainly trying to get back to more veggies and Whole Foods after the plethora of holiday goodies.
The holiday goodies knocked me out! Especially since we’ve been making them for our blogs since the summer, lol!
OMG I LOVE YOU HAIR SO MUCH> SO SOSOSOSOSO MUCH. Sorry for the caps, but it was so necessary. It is amazing. You are gorgeous with long or short hair, but this is just so fun! I have an appointment for a chop in my near future and I am so excited.
I’ve never done a Whole 30, and unless my body tells me that it needs me to, I probably won’t. I need my dairy (in the form of yogurt and such) and you know I can’t do without chocolate… but good luck!
Haha thank you. I’m a short hair fan and love it this way! I’ll be back on chocolate in time for Valentines Day goodies thankfully 🙂
Your hair looks awesome, but you have a face that could rock any hairdo! Your children are beautiful and boy have they matured! What a lovely pic with your parents–a real keepsake. I so appreciate your recipes and your personal thoughts because the two together make it more fun and always make me think outside myself which helps us grow and preserve. The blogs that have a combination of both are more enjoyable and stimulating to read on the daily. Have a wonderful health, happy and love-filled New Year🌈
Hi Michele!
I’ve been reading your blog for a while now and felt inspired to pop in a say “hi” today 🙂 I quite enjoyed reading this post. I have done my own version of a Whole 30, but never followed it to a T. It’s hard! I love all your family photos – Disney is one of my all time favorite places to go and I cannot wait to take all my children some day. And your hair looks gorgeous! Mine is getting so long but I get really anxious about cutting my hair because I almost always hate it at first. Perhaps that’s something I need to overcome in the new year 😉
I can’t wait to hear more about your Whole30! And your new haircut looks amazing 🙂
Super cute hair! Love it!
I’m not doing whole 30, but am focusing on as many unprocessed food as possible right now.
Doing a whole 30 starting tomorrow , my fourth! Really appreciate your recipes!
I’d love to see a little of both kinds of recipes!
Be sure to go into detail about your whole 30 this time! They are all so different !
Happy New Year!
Awesome! And thank you – glad the recipes are of help 🙂 I will update weekly on Thursdays along with other thoughts most likely. Should be an interesting month 🙂
Ooh you’re one of those cool families I see on the slopes that is skiing all together; they are so fun to watch. The kids are always really good, as I’m falling over and over my snowboard.
And I love that you shared the reasons behind your Whole 30. <3 It sounds like you're in a really healthy mental, physical place.
They are cool – I am SO not cool lol!
I’m doing whole30 and i am seriously dying.. my head is caving in and im sluggish.. its amazing what the detox feels like..
It will get better! I had a bad headache yesterday which definitely surprised me. I guess the sugar had an impact!
Hi! New to the blog and loving it! You are so beautiful (love your smile), so your hair cut is adorable on you! Love it! Your trips look fantastic, too. We did Disney World at the beginning of Dec. and spend NYE weekend with friends at a cabin about 2 hrs away from our house — deep in the snow woods. So pretty! I stared whole 30 on Mon (Jan. 2). I’m doing so well. My reasons were to kick sugar (I’ve been having a lot and craving a lot the last few months), hopefully clear my foggy mind, transition to Paleo (if I feel that’s what’s right after this), and to finally COMPLETE something! I’ve started many fitness challenges, and haven’t completed a single one. I desperately want to finish this so I can say I did. I’m won’t call it a challenge or a diet or a detox or a whatever. To me, it’s the Whole30 — 30 days to clear out all the icky, test my self control, regulate my body and mind, and lighten my load (physically and mentally).
I think your blog is going to help me a lot (it already has!).
Welcome and thank you! Sounds like we had very similar months, lol! I love your approach to Whole30, sums it up perfectly 🙂
Your hair is so cute. You look like 16 again. I am not crazy about paleo food but have found some really great recipes for treats which helps us to consume less sugar. I am 72 and still care about eating right. I guess I am a modified paleo as I am not crazy about most of the main meal recipes, but I eat a lot of salads and vegetables and fruits and a regular dinner. Thank you for you time making and sending these recipes to us.
That sounds healthy to me! I think some of the Paleo treats are better than the original anyway 🙂
I’m excited to try the whole30 once my gymnastics season is over! I’m a big fan of making whole30 friendly recipes too! Love your hair 🙂
Thank you! I think you’ll create some great Whole30 meals 🙂
Loving the haircut!! I know a million people doing Whole 30 but…I just can’t 🙂
Luckily I didn’t eat like crap or over indulge for the holidays at all so I don’t feel the need to clean up in the new year (which usually drives people to do it).
Starting the year that way is a bonus I think! I definitely think the Whole30 is bigger now than it was a few years ago, seems like I know more “regular” people doing it lol 🙂
I love your hair! I toy with cutting mine off but I worry I’m going to have to wash it more! I also made your twice baked sweet potatoes and they were heaven. I always want more cast iron recipes (we love your bacon wrapped chicken). I have young kids (4 yr old and toddler twins) so anything kid friendly is also a bonus.
Thank you! Since I cut it I’ve washed every other day which is pretty much what I did before, save for a couple of greasy pony tail days lol 🙂 Kid friendly is always on my mind here obviously! Mine all like different things though – eek!
I’m all for easy and convenient! The one skillet meals sound good. I would also enjoy some crock pot recipes. I love coming home and dinner is ready.
I’ve been lazy with the crock pot but need to get it going since it makes my evenings a whole lot easier!
I love you hair SO much! And I’m sort of the same way with recipes: I feel like I should make something different/creative/fancy, but I usually stick to variations of the basics.
Yup, that wound up happening with me today! Probably because I typically just make the stuff I want to eat, lol!
I love your hair! It looks so nice.
Aw, thank you!
I’ve thought about doing Whole30 but haven’t been able to get myself to do it. I’m trying Paleo right now. My son has been on it for several years and swears by it. I know I need to cut the carbs because of several health issues. Just joined Weight Watchers and trying to stick to Paleo and still stay under my points. No gluten, no sugar and no dairy (a little goat cheese because I love it).
I’m really glad you shared your pictures of your vacation.
Haha I love goat cheese too! I definitely think with a bit of experimenting you’ll find meals that you love and that really work for you 🙂
Hi, Michelle! Love reading your blog and the great recipes you share! I completed my first Whole 30 this fall and am doing another round in January, so your Whole 30 compliant recipes are a godsend! A surprising take away for me from my FIRST whole 30 was so simple, yet so profound – I did it! I know that sounds super cheesy, but I felt like Elle Woods at the end of Legally Blonde when she shrieks, “We did it!” to her graduating class at Harvard. I was a shocked that I completed Whole 30 as if I myself had a Harvard Law degree. And that was empowering. If I could do that, what else could I do? That boost to my self esteem was the best result, I think! Keep up the good work!
That’s such a great reminder that just seeing it through to the end is a big accomplishment! So glad to hear you’ve enjoyed some of my recipes and that they can be of help!
Your hair looks amazing! Happy New Year!
Aw thank you! Same to you!
Hi Michele! LOVE your haircut, looks great on you! New do’s are do fun aren’t they? To answer your question of what we would like to see more of, or continue seeing…for me I LOVE that your recipes are so easy and practical. I don’t go running away because of super long ingredient lists (as I do with some other blogs). Your recipes are simple and manageable and that is what I love about your blog! I am a mom of three also and I would love to see more of the one skillet dishes or casserole type dishes as those make it SO easy to feed everyone easily and have leftovers for lunches or other dinners.
Thanks for all the yummy and easy recipes all the time! 🙂
i LOVE your hair !!!!!
i have a lot of rez’s which i like cuz im a goal person. i’ve never done whole 30 cuz i’m lazy and scared to find out more foods need to be taken out of my diet. thats truly the honest reason. i just know i cant commit to 30 days with no booze, cheese, grains, etc.happy happy happy new year !
I really like your new hairdo! I kept looking back and forth with your pics, and I think the shorter hair makes you look younger. Thank you for your wonderful recipes, and Happy New Year!
Thank you! Younger is definitely not a bad thing 😉 Happy New Year to you!
I love the new hair Michele! It is adorable! I want you to know that your recipes have become the basis of my Paleo lifestyle! My favorite is the Bacon, Kale and Plantain Breakfast Scramble! I make it weekly! My latest obsession is the Burger and Fries Breakfast Scramble! I make it on Sunday and reheat it for a quick breakfast (or dinner!) during the week! I love that your recipes are simple and usually include bacon! Haha! I am sure you will make amazing fancy recipes as well and I say go for it!! But please include a yummy simple bacon recipe now and then too! Thank you for all you do and Happy New Year!!
Oh wow I’m so thrilled to hear you love all those recipes! Happy New Year to you (thank you regarding the hair :))
Your hair looks really great, lady! I’ve had long hair for as long as I can remember, and I totally know what you mean about hating the hassle of it. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve thought about doing something drastic and going short, but I always chicken out at the last minute.
Thank you! It’s so much easier this way, I’m thinking it’s a keeper as long as I can keep up with getting it cut 🙂
The hair cut looks fabulous on you. It frames your beautiful face so well.
I’m glad the trip ended up going so smoothly. Happy New Year Lovely Lady.
Oh my word Michele you look ADORABLE! And your girls are so BIG!
Aw thank you Laura!!