We’re almost done! Holy crap! I’ve said this before, but this feels completely normal now. I haven’t had a craving in weeks. Well, that’s not entirely true. If I go more than 2 days without eating a big salad, I crave a salad. That’s not Whole30 specific, I just really like salad.
Besides having incredible digestion (probably the best digestion in the world, ask anyone), this round of Whole30 has given me more consistent energy throughout the day and much better sleep at night. Having consistent energy is new for me. I used to be the queen of the afternoon crash. I never noticed my crashes until I cut back on the caffeine that was masking them. But my god, they’re awful. The sleep thing is also new to me. I think it’s mostly from the dietary changes, but I’ve also implemented new evening habits as part of my year focused on self-care.
Those habits have changed my overall wellness for the better, so I thought I’d share some of what I’ve been doing.
- Eat an earlier dinner. And by earlier, I mean like 8pm. I’m still a fan of the late dinner, but I used to eat at 10pm or sometimes 11! Then I couldn’t fall asleep because I was too full to get comfortable in bed.
- Under no circumstances should food come into the bed. I live in a studio apartment, so it would make sense that I sometimes eat in bed. But I put an end to that. For me, eating in bed became mindless and I’d eat way more than I’d intend to. I also think it’s important to separate living space from resting space. Plus, your chances of spilling queso dip on your new sheets is drastically reduced if you’re nowhere near your new sheets. Also, don’t eat velveeta. What is that.
- Tea! I love tea. Almost as much as I love coffee. But not that much, because let’s be real. But I’ve made it a habit to drink ginger tea before going to bed. Not only is it delicious, but I attribute my amazing digestion partly to my ginger tea habit in the evenings.
- Heated blanket. Need I say more?
- Put your phone across the room. I’ve often found myself scrolling through social media late at night for no reason whatsoever. I’m usually looking at pictures of donuts. But really. The light from your phone (or any screen for that matter) tricks your brain into believing it’s daytime, thus making it harder to fall asleep. Try reading a book. I know they’re hard to come by these days, but they’re good for ya. Promise.
Looking forward to starting my evening routine now! Are there any good habits you’ve added into your routine? Or any bad habits your dying to break? Share with me! I’d love to hear 🙂
Meal 1: scrambled eggs with salsa, fried plantains, steamed broccoli
Meal 2: spinach/kale salad with crock pot chicken, avocado, red onion, mushroom, cinnamon tahitian squash, and homemade balsamic dressing. small bowl of squash soup on the side
Meal 3: turkey vegetable chili with tessemae’s ranch and a side of steamed cauliflower