It's Not Even My Birthday

I celebrated my 28th birthday on April 29th. So, I'm a little late getting this up. BUT! Today IS Kyle's birthday, and I thought I’d curate a few things you have to do on or before your birthday! Truth to told, I spend so much time thinking of all these grand birthday ideas, then in classic Kimberly fashion, I wait until the last minute to decide on a plan. Ugh! Maybe one year, I’ll plan a really big party for myself. Although, truly all I want for my birthday is to spend time with people I love + people that love me. Lucky for me, I was pleasantly surprised with just that -- a table full of my friends at Italic for dinner. Dinner was so yummy!

It was the best part of my day! :)

However, scoring some free goodies on your CAKE DAY can’t hurt either, which is why I present the list below. It’s sure to make your day extra special. 

• Sephora Birthday Gift - Be part of the Beauty Rewards program. Then, anytime during the month of your birthday you can claim your birthday gift. There were two options this year. Either a Tarte or Caudlie set - and an option for gents by Jack Black (online only). I chose the Tarte set which includes a mini Taretist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in “Birthday Suit” + a mini Amazonian Clay 12-HR Blush in “Paaarty”.

• Ulta Birthday Gift - To receive Ulta’s birthday gift, you must be signed up for their loyalty/reward program. Then, wait until you get the email from them to claim your gift in-store. This actually annoyed me a little because I stopped in to pick up some other items, and couldn’t claim my gift because I hadn’t gotten the email. I’m still looking for that email, Ulta. :/

• Rewards Programs - You know all those rewards programs you sign up for with some bogus email address. Am I the only one with an email address specifically for promos?! :) Well, your birthday is usually the time to cash in on birthday offers. So, be on the lookout for text messages or notifications from all the programs you participate in.

• Starbucks - If you’re waiting to register a gift card as part of their Rewards program, WHY?! Now, in my opinion, Starbucks isn’t the best coffee. (I’m a total coffee snob!) But, I still go regularly, and I’m not above getting a free drink or food item on my birthday! :)

• Alamo Drafthouse - Austinites, sign up for the Alamo Victory Program. You get a free ticket on your birthday, and even more awesome rewards the more you visit!

• Check Your Email - Payless, Panera, MyoMassage, CheapoAir, Tiny Prints ….the list goes on. All these companies sent me birthday coupons, deals, and offers. So, search “birthday” in your inbox, and don’t miss out on all the awesome birthday-inspired deals.

What do you prefer - a quite lowkey birthday OR do you celebrate the entire month?!
Haha! Also, comment if you know of any other birthday freebies. 

stay tuned... next post, I'm sharing
my trip to CABO! 

XO, Kimberly

My Whole30 Experience

Whole30. What is it?

It's 30 days of no added sugar of any kind (real or artificial), no alcohol, no grains, no legumes,  no carrageenan, MSG or sulfites, and no dairy. That sounds miserable, right? Well, I wanted to share my experience because it was anything but miserable.

First, Whole30 is more about retraining your brain and your relationship with food than it is about focusing on all the things you can't eat. You will not feel deprived. It's a huge mental challenge. You make a commitment to dedicate 30 days of your life to clean eating. If you aren't willing to give it 100% for 30 days, don't sign up. There's no sneaking a cookie, a sip of soda, or a bite of pizza. You will reach day 28 and just think, "whatever, it doesn't matter. I made it this far.". But, it SO does. You must realize that every food choice is your decision.

Learning and developing your relationship to commitment-making is a huge lesson you'll receive from this journey.

Before you start Whole30, I challenge you to go to your pantry and pick five random items. Post in the comments below how much sugar or sweetener is in each item. Did that blow your mind? Manufacturers PACK sugar into things these days, and in turn, we become slaves to these products.

I thought I'd share some of my tips, and how my body changed throughout the process.

Week-by-week Breakdown

Week 1: It's rough. Your body is detoxing all the junk you've been putting into it for who knows how long. You'll feel tired and grumpy.

Week 2: You start getting into your groove. You're meal prepping, and you're not loving it. I'd consider myself a grazer. So, it was really important for me to pack snacks.

Week 3: You're starting to feel good. You start to gain energy.

Week 4: You're in the homestretch. Nothing can stop you. Sugar doesn't even sound fun.

For a more in-depth day-by-day timeline, check out the one provided by Whole30. It's pretty spot on.

Overall, I would probably do it again. You have such a sense of self and control when you wake up on Day 31. I lost about 10 lbs., and my energy is through the roof. 

One of my favorite recipes from the challenge was Chicken Cauliflower Fried Rice. It's so yummy. Once your body let's go of cravings, you don't feel deprived at all. You're not calorie counting or measuring ingredients. You're just eating REAL food. 

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Chicken Cauliflower Fried "Rice"

1 lb organic ground chicken
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces
1 egg
1 c carrots, diced
1 c bell peppers, diced
1/2 c onion, diced
2 tbs of coconut aminos
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp of curry powder
Avocado oil
Cilantro, for garnish

    1. In a food processor, add the broken down cauliflower and pulse until the cauliflower reaches a rice size.
    2. In a bowl, combine ground chicken, salt, black pepper, curry powder, and red pepper. 
    3. In a skillet, add avocado oil to coat the pan. Toss in riced cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, and onion. Sweat veggies until onions are translucent. Add ground chicken mixture, and begin to brown. Add the coconut aminos.
    4. Whisk egg in a bowl and add the egg to the skillet. Scrambled egg until it is fully cooked.
    5. Time to plate, and add some cilantro for garnish. You can also add some additional coconut aminos if you’re looking for more flavor! :)

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If you have any questions about my Whole30 experience, please reach out to me. I'm happy to answer anything that helps as you conquer your challenge too! 

XO,
Kimberly