Now, about this Whole30. I am happy it is over, but even happier that I decided to do it in the first place. I learned so much about my habits in regard to food, and learned that I CAN actually give up certain food groups without sentencing myself to death by deprivation. The first week was HARD, and I will not sugar coat that. It was probably hardest for me, because my eating had been so out of control and bringing all of that to a full stop was torture. Imagine eating as many sweets and processed foods you can possibly stomach, and washing all of that down with Diet Coke after Diet Coke after Diet Coke. That is what I did, and my body rebelled big time. I felt sick, lethargic, angry, depressed, and fed up. How I managed to get through that first week, I can't say, except that I prayed a lot and His answer was always encouraging. I also had the support of my family, although I did not clue them in on what I was doing until midway through the first week, because they had heard it all before, and without fail, I failed 9 times out of 10 during that first week of undertaking any program in the last few years.
After the first week, it got much easier, but I learned that I had to plan, and as I have stated before, I don't plan. I am a "fly by the seat of my pants" type of gal, and the only time I ever plan is when a beach or the Happiest Place On Earth is involved. I plan for MONTHS then. With food, not so much. Whole30 required planning on my part, and while it was never perfect, I made sure I was not without good whole food at all times. Planning was a necessity when we traveled, and during this 30 day journey, we traveled a lot. We were in B'ham/Tuscaloosa for a weekend, at Anthony's mom's for another weekend where I had to face down a fridge full of my beloved nectar, because I had failed to tell my mother-in-law that I was off the stuff and she just wanted me to have what I wanted. They are still in her fridge, by the way. Planning also became a necessity when my work hours changed, and I found myself having to start my work day at 7, rather than 8, and I don't know about you, but I am not eating eggs at 7 in the morning. That is when the approved Larabars came in handy, although I probably ate too many of those. Weeks 3 and 4 were pretty much routine, and the last few days were a breeze.
Before I post my results weight loss wise, I want to post the NSVs or non scale victories as they are cited on every weight loss forum out there.
In no particular order, except the first one.
1. I did not quit! That is huge for me, because I am good at quitting any weight loss/healthy eating project I undertake.
2. I have not had a Diet Coke in 30 days!! This is huge for me, because they are not good for anyone, but I have always used them as a crutch when dieting and trying to give up sugar.
3. I love water. When you can't have a DC, and you can't have artificial sweetener or fruit juice, and you don't like coffee, you are pretty much stuck with unsweetened tea or water, and as much as I like unsweetened ice tea, water is much easier to get and when you infuse it, it is that much better. I drink water all the time, and never tire of it.
4. Cheese is not necessary. Don't get me wrong. I love cheese, but until I did the Whole30, I thought I should have cheese with every meal. The same goes with other dairy products. Apparently, I don't have to have sour cream. Butter is an exception with the Whole30, as long as it is clarified, which I admit to not always doing.
5. Fruit tastes better when you aren't eating tons and tons of sugar and processed food. That is so true, and the same goes with vegetables. Who knew red bell peppers were so sweet and yummy?
6. My energy levels improved a lot, and I no longer fall asleep at my desk at 3:00 every afternoon. Bike rides have gotten better and my stamina has increased, although the hot temps get to me.
7. I just feel better in general. My gastrointestinal health has improved without giving too much information, and my joints don't hurt as much. Except for my bad knees (way beyond the help of Whole30), I no longer feel like I am falling apart.
I will admit that I did not do everything perfectly. By that, I mean that I did not eat grass fed/finished beef or organic chicken, and I did not always clarify my butter, or eat Whole30 approved bacon. These are minor things to me, although I am sure I would benefit by better meat and poultry choices, and clarified butter is delicious. I did the best with the budget I had. I also did not eat vegetables with breakfast every day. I tried, and I think salsa should count. We did eat more vegetables as a family than we have in years, and that is what I was always going to the store to get, because I love them fresh.
Since one of the tenets of the Whole30 is to stay off the scale, and to leave the measuring tape in the drawer, it was not until this morning, that I discovered the weight loss (or not) associated with the Whole30. Before I post my results, I will say that I was at the highest weight I have been since I was pregnant over 17 years ago. I had gained in the two weeks or so before starting the Whole30, so the fact that no one has commented (except for my wonderful Kingston duo) on any weight loss I achieved is not surprising to me. I didn't do this for the approval of others, although it is always nice to hear the words "you look like you have lost weight." I did this for me, so that number this morning on the scale was important. In all honestly, numbers 1-7 above would have meant nothing had my scale not moved and my clothes were still tight. If you don't have a weight problem, you can't possible fully understand that. I started this because I felt miserable. I felt miserable because I am obese. Plain and simple.
So, here goes:
Inches lost in waist: 2 (I expected more here, so that was a little disappointing)
Inches lost in hips: 1 (again, a little disappointed because I thought I had lost more)
Inches lost in chest: 1/2 (oh well)
Pounds lost: 16.2 (I am pleased since that averages 4 per week)
Here are the before and after shots:
If you want more information about the Whole30, please visit their website www.whole30.com. It is very informative and perfectly healthy.
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