Many friends have been raving about the Whole30 Program, and how it has positively affected their lives. Their results range from feeling better, looking better, having more energy, etc. After doing some initial research, I admit that I was pretty intrigued and asked Justin what he thought about giving it a shot. I didn't really think that he'd be keen on it, but I forgot how he had been a gung-ho Body for Life-er before our wedding so extreme "dieting" wasn't new to him.
We both went into it hoping to hit the "reset" button after our crazy eating frenzies in DC and in general. Yeah, we hit the gym and exercise at least three times a week, but our eating habits could definitely use some changing! I am the first to admit that the reason why I run long distances is because it sort of gives me a "green light" to eat whatever I want!
So, being up for a challenge, we decided to devote the month of July to Whole30 - we'd give up dairy, gluten, sugar (real or artificial), legumes, and preservatives. We didn't snack. We couldn't even re-create "junk food" using Whole30 approved foods (i.e. like make paleo pancakes).
Then I did some more research and read that the first seven days are the hardest - you feel lethargic, cranky, and it's not the best time to try and run a race.
So we decided that it would be in our best interest to start on July 5th, the day after our Fourth of July 10K. But with travel plans already set to visit friends in Indianapolis the weekend of July 31st and not wanting to worry about finding Whole30 approved foods there, we decided to cheat a little and just do a Whole26 instead of 30.
I'm not gonna lie - this.was.HARD. Yeah, I've always cooked at home, but I felt like I was devoting a ton more time to meal planning and making sure that everything was Whole30 approved. I felt like I was cooking or prepping or grocery shopping pretty much the entire month. I was buying things that I never knew existed or thought I'd ever buy: avocado oil, clarified ghee, and a gigantic tub of coconut oil?!? Never would I have ever guessed that I would be making my own mayonnaise (which was quite tasty when I don't mess up and make it too runny!) or spend time chopping and blending cauliflower into rice (which was a crazy delicious substitute!) or buy eggs by the bulk at Costco. Oh, and you try spending twenty minutes in the bacon section of every grocery store trying to find a preservative free and sugar free bacon!
And while the kids ate some of what we ate, we weren't nearly as strict with them, and so the temptation to cheat was always around. Add in trips to Lola's house with all of their delicious goodies - whew, it was rough! We even went to a few parties, and just the smells of all of the yummy treats and dishes was almost hard to take. Not to mention going out to eat with a few friends and being very limited in our choices! And the no snacking! I never realized how much of a grazer I was and how often I would eat things- anything- just because it was there. (Even the first day of the diet, I gave the kids a skittle for some reason and, without thinking, popped a few in my mouth. Only to be highly reprimanded by Justin. Haha.)
BUT, despite all of the tedious and difficult work, Justin and I truly did start feeling better. I felt cleaner and healthier. I slept better. Justin didn't have his tension headaches or weird heart arrhythmias that he gets after working out. I started to look at the foods I eat and how it affects my body, and I started seeing lots of positive results!
We did an initial weigh-in and measurement on the morning of July 5th and didn't touch a scale until our last day on July 31st. I lost nine pounds and at least 5.5 inches, and Justin lost six pounds and over 5 inches! (And, just a few days off of the diet has made me realize just how negatively processed foods affect me - I was sluggish and needed naps and didn't feel as much pleasure in eating the junk that I normally would've enjoyed.)
In all, this Whole26 has been an amazingly positive experience. It has taught me to think more about what I choose to put into my body. And while we aren't going to follow Whole30 as closely all of the time, it has given us a good foundation as to how to eat and what to look for in foods. Will we do a complete Whole30 again? Absolutely. It truly was a good way to "reset" my metabolism and body and start eating in a way that nourishes my body.
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| My "after" shot |
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| I even tried my hand at PiYo! |
- Turkey Breakfast Sausage Patties
- Chicken Apple Sausage Skillet
- Southwest Chicken Salad
- Paleo Nachos
- Crispy Chicken Buffalo Fingers (with chicharron, y'all!)
- Crispy Italian Chicken
- Slow Cooker Kahlua Pork
- Zoodles (Zucchini Noodles) with avocado cream sauce
Enjoy!
