My Whole 30 Experience

Hi friends!!  Today I have a special post for you… something that some of you have been telling me you were looking forward to reading – my Whole 30 experience recap (& results)!

As some of you who follow me on other social media may already know, I completed my Whole 30 the day before Thanksgiving… just in time for Turkey Day.  If you’re new to the blog & don’t know what the Whole 30 is all about, I highly recommend heading over to their website, HERE, & reading all about it.
I also recommend reading their book, “It Starts with Food”… so good!!

Seriously, my 30 days of clean eating (no soy, added sugar, no carrageenan, stevia, preservatives, dairy, legumes, or grains,etc.)… life changing in the best way.

I really had my doubts in the beginning as to if I was going to really enjoy my meals…
but, guess what?  I LOVED them!!  Eating clean, real, whole foods really agrees with me!

Some of my meals & snacks…

I admit, I was skeptical of ever enjoying having veggies for breakfast & eating a savory breakfast, let alone, giving up my beloved flax pancakes and PB.  Yikes!!
BUT – I did, & I survived… & thrived.

So what are some of the things I noticed while doing the Whole 30?

• More energy • Sounder sleep • Better mood • Better skin • No bloating • No nasty gas • Better endurance • No insane sugar cravings (once I got into it a bit) • Flatter stomach
• Weight loss • More self-confidence • Better relationship with food
•Reduced inflammation (primarily knee) • No more calorie counting

How much weight did I lose during the 30 days?

I lost a total of 8.8 lbs.  I suspect that some of this was water weight from bloating & inflammation, etc.  I also did have some weight to lose that had been hanging on since I had moved back to WI.  I still have a bit more I could lose, but I’m VERY happy with my results.  I also need to mention – I don’t feel it should be all about the scale… I didn’t take measurements, but I really feel that my body composition is slowly reshaping & changing. 

I wish I’d taken a before pic.

What have I learned from doing the Whole 30?

I really loved the Whole 30 & it gave me so much.  It taught me how to fuel & nourish my body with healthy, whole foods.  It gave me freedom from calorie counting & taught me that I CAN break free & trust myself with these foods.  Sugar is my demon & my crack.  I do & feel so much better when I keep off of any added sugar.

Is there anything I didn’t like about the Whole 30?

I really didn’t care for the fact that they try to discourage snacking between meals.  I love my snacks & I love to eat.  I understand WHY they try & discourage snacks, but for me, it just made me irritated.  I like to eat small bits every few hours, it’s just what I do.
So… I did it anyway.  I just had to go with what worked for me.
Aside from adding in approved ingredient snacks, I stuck to the plan.

What is my future plan now that I’m finished?

All of the positives are enough to make me want to continue to eat close to the Whole 30 way on a continuous basis.  Probably not as strict with the certain oils and things when eating out, but I’ll try to keep it a clean Paleo as much as I can.

Do I have any tips to share with anyone wanting to attempt a Whole 30?

Sure!  My first tip would be to food prep – prepare healthy food for the week ahead of time.  This is a lifesaver when you’re hungry & short on time and/or don’t know what to eat.  Trust me.  Something as simple as roasting or steaming some veggies saves time & makes things easier.  Hard-boiled eggs are easy & make great snacks & salad topper too.

My other tip would be to purchase bags of frozen vegetables, like broccoli & green beans – it’s cheaper & keeps better than fresh.  I stocked my freezer up with bags of broccoli florets and green beans.  They keep well & are great in a pinch.

I also recommend spending a bit more on some good grass-fed meat, & if you need to cut corners on something – on the produce, buy some of it conventional if needed.  I found cheap conventional produce at Aldi’s.

Also – carry approved snacks with you when you’re out anywhere (fruit, oil-free nuts, approved Larabars, coconut date rolls, Gourmet Grassfed Jerky).

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Have you ever done a Whole 30 or are you thinking of doing one?  What do you think would be the most difficult thing for you to give up?