Eat breakfast. Lose Weight.

In August of 2012, my family and I took the Whole30 Challenge. For 30 days, we ate real food - no sugar, no alcohol, no grains, no legumes, no dairy, no white potatoes - just healthy meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and oils. (Here's what we ate.)

In 30 days, I lost ten pounds. Over the course of the next two months, as I learned how to incorporate some of those prohibitions back into my diet (and discovered ibuprofen makes me sick, sick, sick to my stomach) I lost another 10 pounds.

I have maintained that weight loss for over a year.

After our fiery discussion on mom bodies two weeks ago, I began to think about what lead to my weight loss and how I’ve been able to maintain a relatively healthy lifestyle.

I say “relatively” healthy because here’s the thing. I went back to mostly my old ways. I eat sugar. I eat grains. I eat dairy. I never pass up pie or candy or cookies if they are in the offering and I still eat pizza. 

If I’m being very honest, I’m a little surprised I haven’t gained the weight back. I thought I’d gone back to my old way of eating so the weight would come back. It’s not that I wanted that. It’s not even that I didn’t love how I felt while on the Whole30. However, at the end of the day, eating like that (and by that I mean zero tolerance) is incredibly time and energy intensive.

If I’m going to church on Wednesday nights with my family, I’m going to eat the pizza is what I’m saying.

It was only after a few months that I realized I had changed the way I’d eaten. I’d just hadn’t done it for all three meals.

I’d changed what I eat for breakfast.

Ninety percent of the time, I’m eating Whole30 approved for breakfast. No sugar. No carbs. No dairy. Vegetables. Fruits. Meat.

The funny part is that was the hardest part of the diet for me to accept at first. The Whole30 team is constantly advising participants to treat breakfast like any other meal. “Hamburgers for breakfast!”

No. Way. You can pry those pancakes from my cold dead hands!!!

Except…I feel much better when I eat healthy for breakfast. It’s the easiest meal for me to control. It’s an easy meal to make. 

Plus, I really, really like being twenty pounds lighter.

So, without realizing it, I had changed my diet… my breakfast diet. Most mornings here’s what you’ll find on my breakfast plate.

• Frog-in-a-hole
• Sweet potato hash and fried eggs
• Baked spinach and eggs
• Eggplant Hole in the Head

I make one for a week and then switch it out. Again, I won’t claim perfection. If my husband wants to wake up and make drop biscuits, I’m not stopping him. However, even if there’s a carb fest on one side of my plate, there are eggs on the other. I never, ever skip protein and I feel a thousand times better for it.

I also won’t promise that if you change what you eat for breakfast you’re going to lose 20 pounds. I don’t drink soda. I exercise regularly. I rarely eat out. 

I do believe it can make a difference. Small changes add up. Changing one meal at a time might not be the destination but it can be the first step on the journey to healthier living.

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Sharing at A Southern Fairytale

Y'all, I am SO thrilled to be guest posting today at A Southern Fairytale.  If you've never visited Rachel and her charming blog about food and family and photography, then there is not time like the present.

Inspired by Rachel's love of Texas, my love of Kentucky, and EVERYONE's love of chocolate, I created a new popsicle that is delicious if I do say so myself! This is my first popsicle recipe since the bourbon and Ale-8 popsicles I created for herKentucky last summer.

I swear I can create popsicle that don't contain bourbon...I just chose not to! 

Click on over to A Southern Fairytale for the complete recipe!

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Patti's 1880 Settlement

Today I'm over at herKentucky talking about Patti's 1880 Settlement. It's an institution in my neck of the woods complete with giant pork chops and pies entitled "boat sinker."   

It is NOT to be missed. 

Head on over and check it out...

Roasted Summer Vegetable Penne

I love to eat. I live to eat. I truly believe it is one of the fundamental joys of life.

Only one problem, I do NOT love to cook. I like to bake. I like to make a warm breakfast for my family. I like to make popsicles and cocktails and all manner of optional treats. 

But cooking? No thanks.

Luckily, I’ve found a solution. Marry a man who cooks! Not just a man who likes to barbecue or who will cook when he feels like it, a man who plans out the week’s menu, goes to the grocery store, and cooks a delicious and nutritious meal most nights of the week. 

My husband is a fantastic cook. In an effort to share this amazing man with all of you (and reduce the amount of resentment you feel towards me!), I’ve convinced him to share some of his recipes - starting with this delicious pasta dish he made last week!

Roasted Summer Vegetable Penne

Ingredients

2 zucchini and/or summer squash, cut up into 1/2” rounds

1 red onion, chopped

1/2 cup loosely packed basil, cut

12 oz penne

1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes

1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Toss vegetables with olive oil and salt and pepper. Lay out flat on cookie sheet.
3. Roast for 25-35 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to directions on the box.
5. Drain pasta and add the now roasted veggies to the pot.
6. Add tomatoes and return to heat. Stir.
7. Season to taste.
8. Add cheese and stir.
9. Garnish with basil. 

Enjoy!

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