The Whole 30 Begins: Life Updates and Such

A couple of weeks ago, I shared with you all some of my goals for transitioning back to life in the US of A. Since I haven't actually posted anything since then, I figured that now was probably a good time to check in and let you know how I'm doing with all that. (And I promise, I will still write about Cardiff and Ireland and all that...sometime.)

Yesterday, I started the Whole30. It's one of those things that has been on my radar for a while, mostly because I'm slightly addicted to lifestyle blogs. During the Whole30, you eat fruits, veggies, seafood, and eggs (and meat, if you're not a vegetarian), and drink a LOT of water. You don't eat (or drink) added sugars, dairy products, alcohol, legumes, and grains. Pretty strict. But there are a lot of benefits to the Whole30, like increased energy levels, clearer skin, and just all-around health. Plus--and this is my main motivation for giving this crazy endeavor a shot--you become more conscious of what you're eating, and its effects on your body.

I'm thinking of the Whole30 as a reset for my diet.

I definitely didn't eat so healthy in Europe. But that was kind of the point. I was eating foods that looked (or smelled!) good, foods the locals recommended, foods I'd never tried before. I was enjoying the heck out of it.

Sachertorte and a Mochaccino at the oldest coffeehouse in Vienna

Then when I first got home, my priority, food-wise, was Chipotle. I then followed up with the foods that I missed the most while I was in Europe: Old Bay mac and cheese, Dunkin' Donuts (coffee and double-chocolate donuts), and white-cheddar popcorn. Ben and Jerry's would have also been on that list, but that is one of the few American junk foods that you can find pretty easily in Europe. (And thank the Universe for that.)

So to cut a long story a little bit shorter, I felt that a "dietary reset" was very much in order.

Day 2 of the Whole30 is going well so far. Definitely should have done a little more preparation before starting, but my self-imposed start date snuck up on me. Oh well, I'll go grocery shopping this weekend and maybe even plan some meals.

Aside from food, I'm still struggling with establishing healthy habits and banishing unhealthy ones. Since I'm not regularly working yet, I don't have much in the way of a routine going at the moment. I'm working up to my goal of getting an exercise regimen going, though. I'm using an app called Runkeeper to track my runs. It tracks my pace, distance, elevation, and a whole bunch of other stuff, plus sends motivating messages in the morning to get me out of bed and running. (They work about half of the time.)

You can access your info online as well as through the app!

It's a little bit discouraging to see my pace and mileage at the moment, knowing what I used to be able to do. But I'm taking it a little bit at a time and looking at it as baby steps for getting back to where I was, fitness-wise.

Once I get a regular running habit going, I'll add in the yoga and the strength training. Right now, my priority is just establishing that workout routine, so that I can get back to the point where it's more unusual for me to take a day off than it is for me to work out.

In terms of my mental health, I've gotten in the habit of plugging my phone in across the room at night, so that I'm not tempted to use it. Instead, I read for about an hour before bed, like I used to before I had a smartphone. Now if I could just break the habit of checking my phone as soon as I get up...that would probably be easier if I didn't use it for my alarm in the mornings.

Cleaning out my closet and my room is an ongoing project. It's something that I'm not used to doing anymore; one of the perks of staying in a new city every few days is that your few belongings pretty much stay in your backpack, and the hostel staff does the cleaning.

Last little bit of news for today: I finished job applications for two school districts, and I'm hoping to hear back from them soon! So send some employment vibes my way, if you can spare them.

Keep your eyes peeled for those Cardiff and Ireland posts. I'm also working on a travel-tips post, so be on the lookout for that, too.

Peace out, Girl Scout.