Well, friends, we are just past the halfway point with the Whole 30 thing and I have good news and bad news. Bad news: I cheated. You are technically not supposed to weigh or measure yourself at any point during the thirty days, but I did. I blame Mark! He weighed himself and announced a small weight loss so of course I had to do it too. The good news: I’m down about five lbs., which means my pants fit properly again and my sports bra doesn’t feel like it’s trying to squeeze the life out of me.
Sidebar: Weight loss is not technically the goal of Whole 30 but the vast majority of people who see it through to the end do report weight loss. It is about rethinking one’s approach to food and hopefully creating better eating habits, and I know I am doing that.
If I had to summarize my Whole 30 experience so far I’d call it an ALL YOU CAN EAT DIET TO LOSE WEIGHT. That is, of course, AYCE meat and veggies, but I am totally ok with that for now. I can’t get over how happy and full my tummy is… all of the time! It’s amazing. I am so pleased that I ran out and bought a stove top egg poacher today. (Poaching eggs is skill I have not been able to master!)
By the way, if you are curious about what I’ve been eating these past two weeks take a look at this page. I update it during the day, mostly after meals.
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Have you ever been to the National Gallery on a Thursday evening? It’s free night (free admission to the permanent galleries as well as the exhibition)! Mark and I went to check it out, and we were not disappointed.
We parked in the Market (free street parking!) and walked over. I was surprised to learn that the windows are being replaced right now. That’s a lot of windows.
Mark and I joked that they should install plaques on the plywood and pretend it’s a new art installation. ;)
The other surprise: it was busy! I was so pleased to see so many people coming out on a chilly weeknight to enjoy some art. We had limited time so we made a beeline to the Canadian Biennial exhibit, which is only on until March 18. I wish we hadn’t left our visit to the last minute because I would like to have had a second wander.
There was so much to take in, and so many creative works. I really enjoyed the recreation of an authentic Quebec dépanneur… but there’s a twist once you step inside. I also loved Nick Cave’s, Soundsuit. It’s a mixed media piece that includes a gramophone horn, ceramic birds, metal flowers, beads, fabric, metal, and a mannequin underneath it all. My photo cannot do it justice. It is a sight to behold.
I wonder if they sell a life-sized poster of it?
The work on display for the Canadian Biennial exhibit is incredibly diverse and offers much food for thought.
The second exhibit we saw is called Gold and Silver: Images and Illusions of the Gold Rush. If you’re a fan of photography, you’d really love it too.
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Something else I am excited about: I have a new gig with one of my favourite Ottawa retailers, terra20! My first post on their blog highlights terra20’s organic, fair trade and vegan Easter chocolate selection. Do you buy chocolate for Easter? Plan an egg hunt? I’d love to hear more about your Easter traditions! I have a post coming up about our own traditions soon.
