Happy day, Whole30 is over!
Earlier this month I announced my goal to complete Whole30. Well, I made it 30 days with no processed foods, refine sugars or alcohol. I’m doing cartwheels right now!
The last few weeks have been an adjustment. Not only did I have to
figure out how to make weekly meal plans work, but I had to
figure out how to eat out!
What is Whole 30?
Think of it as slaying your food demons one meal at a time.
Cut out all the
psychologically unhealthy, hormone-unbalancing, gut-disrupting, inflammatory
food groups for a full 30 days. Push the “reset” button with your
metabolism, systemic inflammation, and the downstream effects of the food
choices you’ve been making. Learn once and for all how the foods you’ve been
eating are actually affecting your day to day life, and your long term health.
Eat real food.Eat meat, seafood, eggs, tons of
vegetables, some fruit, and plenty of good fats from fruits, oils, nuts and
seeds.
of good fats from fruits, oils, nuts and seeds. Eat foods with very few
ingredients, all pronounceable ingredients, or better yet, no
ingredients listed at all because they’re totally natural and
unprocessed. Don’t worry… these guidelines are outlined in extensive
detail in our free shopping list.
No: Avoid for 30 days.
More importantly, here’s what NOT to eat during the duration of your
Whole30 program. Omitting all of these foods and beverages will help you
regain your healthy metabolism, reduce systemic inflammation, and help
you discover how these foods are truly impacting your health, fitness
and quality of life.
– See more at: http://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/#sthash.Qkl2vbHR.dpuf
Why did I choose
to do it?
After a week in Mexico and endless holiday parties I started to feel as though I had indulged just a little too much. With that being said, I was looking for something to kick start healthy eating habits. The hubs and I debated between 21-Day Sugar Detox and Whole30, but ultimately picked Whole30 because we felt it wasn’t as restrictive – hello fruit.
What have I been eating?
Food: Nothing but homemade goodness. I really relied on The Clothes Make the Girl/Well Fed, Paleo Comfort Foods, Primal Blueprint, PaleOMG and Primal Palate to build weekly meal plans. Here’s just a sample of what we enjoyed over the month — Chocolate Chili, Power Coconut Blueberry Bites, Chicken + Grape Salad, Paleo Pad Thai
No cheating, at all?
It was tough, really tough. Before starting, I made sure made favorites weren’t hiding out in the house. Eight days in was my first work event. I really wanted a glass of wine, but stayed strong. Instead I enjoyed water with a lemon. When the food came out (prix fixe menu) I was seriously crying on the instead. Come on — lobster mashed potatoes and other “can’t eat” treats. Instead I enjoyed meat, fish and veggies. I’m sure they weren’t Whole30 approved, but I did the best I could.
Fast forward, 25 days in, to the grand opening for The Landing Resort & Spa – a swanky new boutique hotel in town. I cheated and oh it was good. Wine never tasted so good, but the next day I went right back to the Whole30 eating plan.
Did I lose weight?
The burning Question. No! I’m not kidding. However, my body composition changed. I feel leaner and more energized. That doesn’t mean you wont lose weight. I’m a solid 132 lbs size 2/4 and weighed the same on day 30 as I did on day 1. There are only two reasons I can think of.
- I dropped body fat and replaced it with muscle.
- I was already eating extremely clean.
Since friends keep telling me how thin and fit I look I’m going with a combo of the two. Thanks ladies!
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| The Landing Resort & Spa Grand Opening looking fit, fierce and sexy! |
What did I learn?
It’s not all about food. It’s in your head. You don’t need that bowl of ice cream you want it because it tastes good and make you feel good. Cutting out the sweets and wine were hard, but it made me realize I don’t need a glass of wine or three after work. My biggest take away was meal planning. I learned planning out meals for a week really does help keep you on track.
Now that it’s over what am I going to do?
Moving forward my goal is to eat healthy clean whole foods, but enjoy the occasional glass of wine, night out on the town, or a bowl of ice cream.
Would I recommend it?
Yes, I would recommend it to anyone trying to get their eating under control. The last 30 days made me think about what and how I was eating.
Would I do it again?
Yes, I love the concept behind Whole30. This might become an annual January goal. It’s a great way to kick off the year. Next time I might read It Starts with Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways first.
Books I would love to add to my shelf:
- Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source
- Clean Green Drinks: 100+ Cleansing Recipes to Renew & Restore Your Body and Mind
- Make it Paleo: Over 200 Grain Free Recipes For Any Occasion
- Gather, the Art of Paleo Entertaining
- Nom Nom Paleo
- Against All Grain: Delectable Paleo Recipes to Eat Well & Feel Great
- Primal Cravings: Your favorite foods made Paleo
I am seriously SO proud of you for going all 30 days! That is so so impressive! And you look amazing in the photo above! Awesome job!! xx
Thanks! Its wasn't easy, but worth it. It's all about long term health goals.