Celebrate Southern Archives - Page 3 of 7

Celebrate Southern: Whole60 Results

March 2, 2015 by Susan 22 Comments

Okay so I am well aware that this post has nothing to do with anything southern and it may or may not fit the extremely loose guidelines we have in place for this linkup - HOWEVER!!! It’s day 61 of my Whole 60! I did it guys! I DID IT! And I have to share my Whole60 results with you. (I’m so excited I am throwing off my entire blog schedule just to get this post live. It is what it is!)

My mind // Is extremely clear. While I have TONS of things to do (with vacation this week) my mind is feeling pretty sharp these days. I will say, just like I said on almost all of the other quarterly check-ins (Day 15, Day 30, Day 45) I’ve found that my entire body, but especially my mind, is at it’s best when I’ve had A LOT of water. I’m not quite as bad as my mom about drinking water, but I struggle to drink 2+ liters of water a day. I’ve learned that I feel best with 3 liters daily.

My skin // Considering “Aunt Flo” is coming to town this week, my skin is extremely clear. There is not one single zit or blemish on my face!

My weight // I weighed in today! I didn’t lose as much as I was hoping but I did lose a decent amount! The first 30 I lost 8 pounds. For the second half of this adventure I lost 6 more. So my total weight loss in 60 days was 14 pounds. Not bad for two months. (I was secretly hoping for 20.)

My sleep // I’ve found that I can work on less sleep. I can stay up a bit later with my husband and get up early with the pup. Maybe because the sleep I’m getting is better quality??

My cravings // I think I am going to have to do a post on “cravings and struggles” one day. I can honestly tell you I am not craving anything “bad” like I have with past whole30s. I find it amazing. Yesterday (Day 60) I went to a birthday party… they were oh so thoughtful and even bought me gluten-free brownies to enjoy while everyone else was chowing down on cake. I felt horrible saying “No Thanks” to them - but it was day 60. I wasn’t done. And I really didn’t want them.

So cravings? None. Will I partake in anything today that is not-whole30? Wine. I do worry that I haven’t done this long enough because I’m still mentally pulled towards red wine. I realize that no, I’m not craving it at all. I just want it.

My struggles // ~~Still exercising.~~ My husband has created a workout schedule for us. While it gets overwhelming (and my anxiety flairs up quite a bit more learning new gym things) I’m enjoying this Suz+Mike time, despite the fact that my legs are always hurting or feeling like spaghetti.

My loves // This is going to sound so vain, but I love my results. Yes, I could’ve done better (by adding exercise earlier on) but my body is changing for the best. Yesterday, my grandmother (who doesn’t follow this blog or know anything about my Whole60) pulled me aside and said “Suzy, have you lost weight?”

What I’ve learned // I’ve learned that there are certain things (like wine) that I just “want.” I’m not craving it, I don’t NEED it. I just want it. While I was really hoping this would break during the 60 days, I now realize how emotionally attached I am to some foods and drinks. I’ve learned that it’s okay to be the only one at the party without cake. It’s okay to sip sparkling water at the bar. I’ve learned that my body and my health is more important than a snickers bar. I hope this helps me in the future when I think “eh, just one more bite of _____.”

Even when it comes to clean eating, I’ve learned to stop and ask myself “Why do you want this ____?” (Insert almond butter into that blank most of the time!) It sounds silly, but if I have to ponder it, then that’s what I need to do. Am I hungry? Am I bored? Am I feeling sad? Will this bite help me reach my goals?

No Scale Victories:

Results in Numbers:

Overall Weight // -14 pounds

Waist // -3.25 inches

Belly // -2.25 inches

Butt // -1.75 inches

Left Leg // -1.75 inches Right Leg // -1 inch (but now they are the same!)

Boobs // -1.75 inches

So would I do another whole30? Yes. Would I do another whole60? Probably. This whole60 was a good thing for me. With numerous Whole30’s under my belt, I think I learned more with the Whole60 than I have with the Whole30. I learned that I can do it. I learned that it’s about life in the long term mindset, not just 30 days. I’ve learned that some friends will think you’re crazy - but a few will fully support and encourage you.

Wanna learn more? Surf around my blog a bit for clean recipes and tips… but head on over to Whole30.com and check out the ins and outs of this program. It’s strict. It’s built on tough love. It’s not necessarily easy. But if you are honest with yourself and if you follow every single rule, it will change your life.

Now give me a glass of wine and a banana pancake.

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CELEBRATE SOUTHERN PODCAST: Spring Break for Bloggers!

February 23, 2015 by Susan 19 Comments

While most folks are packing up their bikinis and sunblock for spring break… I’m packing my bags for cold weather, fondue and the Swiss Alps. Yeah… I’m kinda a big deal. HA! Jayyy Kayyy.

The “JK” was totes in reference to the “I’m kinda a big deal” line… I really am packing and heading to Switzerland once I wrap up my Whole60! While I would love to say it’s a reward for my stellar healthy ways, it’s actually just really great timing. Either way - I’m ready for vacation!

Since both J and I are heading out of the country, we decided to talk about two things we seriously love: Blogging + Vacay. It’s tough feeling completely caught up on blog work without a vacation, never mind after 7 days away from the laptop! In this episode of The Celebrate Southern Podcast we discuss how we handle our blogs when we are trying to unplug!

You can read the notes and details from this podcast episode here!

So rather than doing a post on all the lame cold-weather clothes I’m taking with me on my winter/spring break, I thought y’all might enjoy a sneak peek into my carry-on bag a wee bit more…

1 // I can’t sleep without a blanket, ergo I always bring one with me on airplanes.

2 // It’s an 8 hour flight. My feet get cold. I hate socks.

3 // Almond Butter is a must. More than likely I won’t be able to eat the in-flight food. This will be my (not-well-rounded) dinner.

4 // A book of some sort! Pleaseeee give me suggestions!

5 + 6 // My contigo and tea bags. I honestly won’t leave home without them.

7 // Headphones so I can tune everything and everyone out. And aren’t these gold ones dreamy and beautiful? Has anyone tried these “beats” before?

Do you have any Spring Break plans? How do you handle your blog when you go on vacation? Can you recommend any good books that I should take along? Don’t forget to linkup below!

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CELEBRATE SOUTHERN: Whipped Coconut Cream

February 16, 2015 by Susan 23 Comments

So I’m really not so sure if this is a seasonally accurate post or not… My plan was to play around with this concept prior to Valentine’s Day, snap some pictures, share it on the blog and all that jazz. However, life happened and I didn’t have time to play with coconut cream until it was actually Valentine’s Day. (FYI - I took all weekend off and did absolutely nothing except watching a few seasons of House on Netflix… It was wonderful.)

Like I was saying though - now that Valentine’s Day has come and gone - unless you are on a Whole30 or you’re simply trying to cut sugar, I don’t see this recipe being all that handy until summer hits and fruit is running rampant all over the south. It’s just so amazing and incredibly easy. It needed to be shared immediately.

In case you’re new here, let me catch you up. I’m obsessed with the Whole30 and clean, paleo eating. I am currently on day 47 of a Whole60… no processed sugar, no booze, no grains or rice, no legumes and no dairy. And honestly, per the rules, no dessert, even if the ingredients fit all the rules. (Come back tomorrow to see my day 45 check-in!) So on Valentine’s Day, when my husband made me dinner and I made “dessert” I was kinda breaking the Whole30 mindset rules… except our dessert was complaint ingredients: fruit and coconut cream. (The Whole30 folks call it S.W.Y.P.O. Google it.)

So while this breaks no food rules of the whole30 - if you’re going BY THE BOOK (WHICH YOU SHOULD BE unless it’s Valentine’s Day and you’ve already done 45 days of the Whole30) technically you cannot eat it as dessert. So eat it as part of your lunch! I’m not a big fruit eater, but with this amazing cream on top of it, you better believe it will be on my menu a bit more frequently.

Homemade Whipped Coconut Cream

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

Author: Susan {2 cats & chloe.}

Recipe type: Whole30, Paleo, Dairy-Free, Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free

Ingredients

1 Can of Heavy Coconut Cream
OPTIONAL: Liquid Stevia
OPTIONAL: Vanilla

Instructions

Put a can of heavy coconut cream in the fridge overnight.
Once cold, open can and drain any liquid.
Put coconut cream in bowl and whip it with a hand blender or mixer. (My hand blender worked perfectly in just a couple minutes!) It may take a few of minutes, but trust me, it will whip up light and fluffy!
If you want to add options to this whipped coconut cream, do it now... I don't add anything to mine and think it's great. But if you want to make it sweeter you can add a few drops of liquid stevia and a couple drops of vanilla.
Use immediately. Put any leftovers in the fridge and use later. (You may have to whip it up again though.)

Since it was Valentine’s Day (and because I’m a blogger) I decided to make my Paleo Whipped Coconut Cream “pretty” with the good old ziplock baggie. (Cut the corner off and squeeze it out!)

In the midst of “making it pretty” though, my husband got tired of me snapping pictures of food so I just dolloped it on the middle of my fruit plate!

Give it a shot! This is a WONDERFUL replacement to cool-whip or any other cream packed with crap. And it’s just so darn easy. I love it when clean eating is easy. It gives my friends less ammo when they criticize my eating choices. Oh, and the leftovers also make the most delicious coffee creamer the next day. You’re Welcome!

I’d love to hear what you think!

I’m linking up here today.

Now you cool kids linkup a recipe, craft, home decor, fashion, travel or any other post you want here! Let’s Celebrate Southern!

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CELEBRATE SOUTHERN: Podcast + Valentine Wreath

February 10, 2015 by Susan 27 Comments

Happy Celebrate Southern Day! Yup, it’s officially a day on my calendar, so let’s celebrate! First things first, there is a new episode of the Celebrate Southern Podcast LIVE! This week, J and I are discussing MEDIA KITS for bloggers! She is a pro on this topic so I can’t wait for you to listen in! I learned SO MUCH! You can listen along on the righthand side of my blog or right here:

If you want to see the notes for this podcast (or catch up on past podcasts) please click here.

Now how about a fun DIY project, right in time for February 14?

Just in case you haven’t noticed… I absolutely adore wreaths. They add a great touch of southern flair to any naked corner of your home, indoors or out. Yes, I said naked. Giggle giggle. With all of the recent cleaning and packing happening around the house - I went back and forth on whether or not I wanted to “decorate” for Valentine’s Day. I decided to just stick with the mantle and then make a cute wreath.

In case you need to check out my wreath resume before proceeding any further into this post, you can see one here, here, and my favorite spring one here!

The best part of this Valentine’s wreath project is that it is really simple and takes very little time. Please don’t feel that just because this lovely, loving Hallmark Holiday is less than a week away that you don’t have time for one last festive project. This project will take you five minutes and really doesn’t even need a tutorial. You just grab your glue gun, your wreath-y supplies, then go crazy!

Supplies:

Grapevine Wreath. The wreath I used was buried in my messy craft closet. I bought about 5 of them last year when they were on sale for $3 each.
Valentine Ornaments (or Clearance Christmas Ornaments in Valentine-y colors!) I found mine at Walmart for $1.24 a piece… not so shabby right?
Hot Glue Gun
Ribbon (preferably wired ribbon)

Directions:

Pick your pattern and plan where you want to lay your ornaments. Again, super easy. I’m pretty sure even Chloe could’ve made this wreath if I let her use the glue gun. Once you have your color and pattern plan - start gluing! Keep in mind that you need to leave space for the ribbon. (I used leftover ribbon from a Christmas project… I feel like the addition of the ribbon really helps make it pop. Oh, and it’s sparkly so duh.) I have yet to master the “real wreath bow” making. You know, those super gorgeous, loopy ones? So I stick to the simple bow tie. If anyone has tips on how to make beautiful wreath bows - please help a sister out.

Ta daaaa! Here is my finished, 5 minute Valentine Grapevine Wreath. It cost me a mere $5 and can easily be recreated. So get on that… it’s not to late for one last valentine decoration this year!

2 cats & chloe: valentine burlap banner // DIY Wreath // Grapevine wreath

And because a have a few more cute valentine-y decorations up… heres a little sneak peek of a couple more projects you can easily recreate as well! I love my burlap heart banner and “Love Letters” that are simply covered in scrapbook paper!

What Valentine’s projects did you do this year? Do you have any plans with your significant other this weekend?

As always, thanks for joining stopping by and joining the linkup fun! Let us know what you think about the podcast! Like I said, I found this information extremely helpful and I think you will as well. Now you know the drill - get to it and have a wonderful week!

*I’m linking up here today!

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CELEBRATE SOUTHERN: Whole30 Results and Must Haves

February 3, 2015 by Susan 17 Comments

Where in the world did this weekend go? I finally got to spend time with my husband but I wouldn’t say it was “quality time.” We worked on our house as if our lives depended on it! To be quite frank, I’ve never seen this place so clean and sparkly! As of this afternoon, everything is official! We signed our names a trillion times, the sign is in the yard, the pictures have been taken and our house will hit the market tomorrow morning.

Of course after an entire weekend of extreme cleaning, Olivia Benson (the puppy, not the fictional SVU detective) ran through every single mud puddle she could get her paws in prior to sloshing back around our entire house. DUH!

I’m coping with the stress. Tearing up over the thought of leaving this I originally house I hated, yet still turned it into a wonderful home. Giddy over all our new house plans. And the mop has become my new best friend. Who am I!?

Today marks day 33 of my Whole60. Yup - you read that right! I have officially completed another Whole30 with the #2catsWhole30 group and I’m moving forward with a second set. From the beginning I knew that 30 days wouldn’t be enough for me to reach my goal. I’m honestly not even sure if 60 will be… but I’m feeling a 100 times healthier already and that’s what matters!

So many of your have reached out to me with Whole30 questions and asking for tips. Thank you for that! I am also thrilled that several of you are starting your your first Whole30 this month! If you would like a copy of the free 30 day Whole30 Meal Plan, shoot me an email and I will send it to you! It’s broken down into three meals a day, for four weeks and it is full of tried and true recipes that my #2catsWhole30 folks have loved.

Today, in addition to my 30 day check-in, I wanted to share a few things that I am learning to love and use throughout my whole60.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

And how here is my 30 day transformation and check-in… It’s not the most drastic Whole30 results I’ve seen (or experienced) but you can definitely see a change!

My mind // Super clear. HOWEVER - I’ve noticed on days when I don’t eat or drink as much as I should be… my mind can easily get jumbled.

My skin // I had one random zit show up last week. Which is really weird because it wasn’t “that time” of the month and I’ve been eating clean. Other than that one stinkin chin-zit though - my skin looks awesome!

My weight // Per the rules, you can only weigh yourself at the beginning and the end of a Whole30. I figured midway through my Whole60 would be okay. I lost 8 pounds and two inches around my chest, waist, belly and butt.

My sleep // It’s getting so much better. I am falling asleep the second a heavy blanket is on me!

My cravings // I’d still love a glass of red wine, of course. But other than that - I’m really NOT craving anything I shouldn’t be eating. Last night for the Super Bowl, everyone was eating pizza and I was chowing down, happy as a clam, on these hot wings.

My struggles // Exercising. I need to move more. I need to force myself to schedule time to do some sort of exercise every day. If I buy the cute workout clothes above (that are totally ON SALE, just click the links above - the top is less than $12!!) I’m thinking that will encourage me to get my booty movin!

My loves // My flask full of Balsamic! (I bet you were thinking I went mad when you first looked at the pictures above!) When we go out to dinner with friends, I bust out my flask full of Vanilla Balsamic for my salads. It is SO MUCH BETTER than plain olive oil and vinegar!

What I’ve learned // I have learned that I was a crazy person for ever doing a Whole30 without making my own dressings and sauces. I cannot live without my hand blender now. I’ve learned that 30 days really isn’t that much time and that I personally needed more time. I’ve learned that my contigo mug needs to always be full of hot, herbal tea this time of year because I can drink that up so much easier than water.

I hope y’all had a lovely weekend! I hope that all my whole30 friends who just wrapped their January Whole30 didn’t crash their system too badly when getting back into “old” foods. I also hope that you all link up with us below!

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