You guysss! It’s the final days of the January Whole 30! I am oh so excited. As I’ve mentioned before, this is my 6th (almost 7th) full time doing this. I’ve done the reintroduction phase before so I know how things affect me. Therefore, on day 31.. I’ll be celebrating! With wine and pasta. OH YES! I plan to go back to Whole 30 eating for a few days, then indulge in some Super Bowl Sunday fun, and then go back to it (minus a glass of wine or two) until Valentines Day. Saying it here will keep me accountable, so there. I said it.
Last week I made one of my bi-weekly Whole Foods runs and grabbed some sweet potatoes for the first time this round. I decided I wanted to make some sweet potato fries and they were so darn delicious (and easy) I knew I had to share the recipe with you all. The recipe is included in this post below, but first I want to do a little check in on my Whole 30 this round. Also, make sure you go to the bottom of the post because I’ve teamed up with some other Whole 30 bloggers to give you all a seriously awesome giveaway that will help get you started on your own Whole 30!
I had a lot of social distractions pop up this round, but I held strong. I even found a few new places where I could find some compliant food to eat. I’m feeling great, sleeping better, and have more consistent energy throughout the day. My skin is looking way better and my pants are loser! Yay! I have a ways to go in terms of toning up and slimming down until my wedding, but this was a great kick off and reminder that when I eat better, I feel better. I truly believe the quote below because the proof has been in how I feel when I eat well. 
I definitely get off track at times and need reminders (such as my bi-yearly Whole 30) to get back to eating and feeling good. I must say, I love how ‘widespread’ the Whole 30 has become. When I first did it I felt like no one had ever heard of it and it took so much explaining. Now, I feel like many people have heard of it or knows someone who has done it, which I love. I absolutely love how many people I have encouraged to do this and have felt success with it. It’s truly been a life changing experience for me!
One thing I hear the most on the Whole 30 from other people is “I could never go that long without drinking.” Okay guys, here is some #realtalk. Of course, this is just my humble opinion, so take it or leave it. But, it’s food for thought. If you TRULY cannot go thirty days without drinking, it may be time to reevaluate. Whether that be your friendships, your self, your priorities, etc. Thirty days is not THAT long. You can do it. If you can’t, there may be a problem there. I will say, that has to be one of the most challenging parts of the Whole 30. I LOVE challenging myself though. I sat at home and was productive, I did puzzles and challenged my mind, I worked out, I caught up on sleep, I ran errands. I did so many other things that make my life better other than drinking. Don’t get me wrong, I love wine or champagne brunches as much as the next girl. But, the Whole 30 reminds me that I don’t need it and that a break is good! It also reminds me that I can continue a lot of friendships without the need for that social crutch. I’ll be honest, some I realize are just centered around that. However, I love gaining that perspective. I honestly have people who don’t want to even ask me to hang out when I’m doing a Whole 30 because ‘I can’t do anything.’ FALSE. I can go on walks, I can grab a juice or black coffee somewhere, I can talk, I can workout, I can play games, I can watch television. All without alcohol or eating certain foods. I just want to leave you all with a personal challenge: Even if you never try the Whole 30.. try a 30-day detox without drinking. You may learn something about yourself or your life and be able to make some positive changes for the better.
Anddd now, on to this delicious and easy sweet potato fry recipe. 
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into even matchsticks
- 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of chili powder
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- salt+pepper
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with foil. Add parchment paper if you have it for really crispy fries.
- Peel and cut your sweet potatoes into even match sticks.
- Melt coconut oil in the oven.
- Toss sweet potato fries in coconut oil and seasonings to evenly coat.
- Spread fries out evenly on the baking sheet.
- Cook for 15 minutes, flip, and cook 15 more minutes.
- Serve HOT with delicious homemade or Tessamae’s Whole 30 approved ketchup + Enjoy!
Andddd finally, for the Whole 30 giveaway to get you started on your own life-changing experience.
I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve teamed up again with my favorite #Whole30Jan bloggers to bring you an AWESOME Whole30 giveaway. Make sure you check out their blogs below and enter to win the Rafflecopter giveaway below!
You can use #Whole30Jan on Instagram to find the bloggers I’m teaming up with on this Whole 30 challenge: Life in the Green House, Taz & Belly, Life Lutzurious, Lauren McBride, Sunflowers & Stilettos, Fleurdille, A Lo Profile, Makeup Life & Love, Two Peas in a Prada, Stilettos & Diapers and Citizens of Beauty.
Our giveaway includes:
$75 Whole Foods gift card
Whole30 Book
Case of RX Bars
Primal Kitchen Whole30 Pack
Clearly Kombucha
Kasandrinos Olive Oil
The very BEST post ever !
Aw thank you!!