To change one’s life:
1. Start immediately
2. Do it flamboyantly
3. No exceptions
– William James
This is it, folks. My final report on my Whole30 experience. But, I can guarantee you this will not be my last mention of it, nor will this be my last Whole30. This was an amazing experience that I truly recommend to everyone who wants to learn about their relationship with food.
I’ll cut right to the chase and breakdown how the last 30 days changed me. Some changes are physical, other are deeper and much more important to me. The way I think and feel about food is forever changed.
Reading labels before I buy food or looking up ingredients from my favorite restaurants has become the norm for me. Sure, it takes a little extra time but seeing those franken-gredients help me make the right choice! Reading labels on processed food sure makes me lose my appetite! The best food is the one that has no label to read 😉
Grocery shopping and meal planning has changed. I almost solely shop the perimeter of the store (did ya know that’s where all the good stuff is?!) and I buy harder to find ingredients (like coconut flour) online. Shopping is actually easier! I only have to decide what meats and yummy veggies I want for the week because my list of pantry staples is simpler and I keep it stocked (mainly canned tomatoes, olives, and coconut milk!) The first few weeks on W30 I went to the grocery store armed with my iPhone, ready to look up any questionable items. Now, it’s starting to make sense…it’s starting to become ingrained in me.
My performance in the gym has improved tremendously. I used to struggle to find food that I can tolerate before a work out and lived on protein shakes. Now it is simple– something small like half an avocado and a boiled egg tells my body it’s go-time.
My thinking has changed, too. I am no longer impressed by magazine articles or pins that claim things like “Lose 5 pounds in one week by eating only smoothies!” When I see things like that, I can’t help but think how I was once fooled by those claims. It is so simple now. Eat healthy, real food and you will not only look better but FEEL better, too!
And on to the part you are probably most interested in…
I’m happy to announce that my goal of leaning out while still holding my own was reached! I lost some fat and gained some muscle!
The Whole30 confirmed my suspicions that the headaches and all around cruddy feeling I have been experiencing so often is definitely related to food. The entire month I did not experience any of those awful feelings I have grown so used to!
Though it took a while for things to level out, I got some long-awaited relief from digestive problems. I finally realized that feeling like a blimp after I eat is NOT a normal feeling.
Before the Whole30, sometimes I felt like I was wearing down. I always had some sort of ache here or pain there. Even though I worked out harder than ever I forgot about my usually achy knees and feet.
Unfortunately, the reintroduction did not go as planned. I knew that it would be hard with my first “day off” being Easter weekend. I kept it paleo for the most part, with the exception of a slice of cheese and settled for a gluten-free cider when all I really wanted was a beer.
And I was instantly reminded why I did the Whole30 in the first place. I felt awful. I immediately got a headache from the sugar and my stomach hurt, too.
Then my almost-90-legally-blind amazing grandmother made her peach cobbler for Easter…well, there was no way I was passing that up. This woman makes the most delicious and beautiful peach cobbler I have ever seen.
Grandma’s Peach Cobbler
Even though I did not make it through the proper reintroduction phase, I think I did pretty good by not binging on anything and everything in sight. I had a few treats that I consciously decided to eat. I was not too strict, but I was not too laxed, either. Even so, I started experiencing ALL the symptoms I mentioned earlier that had improved while I was on the Whole30. Well, there’s that reinforcement I was looking for!! Although I don’t know WHAT specifically makes me feel sick, I know that eating like a cavegirl is the right choice for me.
Have I inspired you to give it a try? How did your Whole30 reintro go? Let me know in the comments section!
Coming up next week I’ll share my favorite new food find since starting the Whole30 AND I am going to give one lucky reader a freebie to try!
HappilyEverStronger. 