The End

by Kristen

I did it. 30 days. Lots of good food.

It wasn't even that hard. Like I didn't feel like I was going to die because I wasn't eating pancakes (oh my word, I love pancakes).

I did slip up and eat some cookies on Day 26 or 27, I don't remember exactly which one. I do remember how bad I felt the next day. My stomach hurt. I felt like I was moving in slow motion. It was awful. One of the rules of Whole30 is that if you slip up, you should start over. The whole point of the Whole30 is to get all of those things that irritate your body, well, out of your body. That way you can really tell how your body reacts to certain things. I didn't start over but technically I should have. Oh well.

So what did I think?

I loved it! Absolutely loved the whole thing. My stomach stopped hurting after every meal. I didn't wake up feeling sluggish. I had more energy (not as much as I was hoping, but still...). I felt more focused. My clothes were looser. I weighed and measured myself at the end and I'd lost several inches and 7 pounds.

There's a reintroduction period that you're supposed to follow that I didn't. Like at all. In my defense there was a holiday (July 24th is a big deal in Utah), a birthday and a family reunion. My father in law put it best, he said "it's like we've all got IV's hooked up to the pantry and the valve is wide open". Yep. Agreed.

Sadly the IV theory didn't work out so great for me. That stomach pain that I had gotten rid of came back with a vengeance. I had heartburn. I was tired. Apparently there is a reason they recommend slowly easing yourself back into your old foods as you discover what works for you. Binging on cookies and birthday cake maybe isn't the way to go.

Will I do it again, this time following ALL the rules? For sure.

I didn't get the boost in energy I was hoping for but that could be partially due to 5 kids and my alarm clock. But I still felt better. I'll take that.

I've been given an incredible body that does amazing things everyday. I don't always love the way that it looks or the way that I feel but I'm trying to be kinder to myself. Right now that means cooling it on the dessert and feeding myself food that makes me happy. I'm going to try and take really good care of my body because it has to last me at least 70 more years! I'm totally planning on being a centenarian.

Halfway there!

It's Day 15 of my Whole 30 and I haven't died.

Which is sort of, but not really surprising because for 15 days I've been eating omelets, roast beef, nuts, mangos, berries, homemade mayonnaise, frozen bananas and my body weight in salads. Plus a bunch of other really good stuff but without any sugar, honey, grains, beans or dairy.

This is the longest I've ever stuck to an eating plan. I've beat my old record by 14 1/2 days. Yes, that is a true statement. Why has this one been so easy?

Well I think it helped that I told all of you guys what I was doing. I didn't want to look like (more of) a loser by failing right away so that kept me going. But really, it hasn't been that hard. Sometimes I'll get a little cranky because I want something off plan, like yesterday when 2 of my friends were talking about waffles and breakfast burritos. I sort of wanted to cry and punch them all at the same time. I took a few deep breaths and was okay.

My family knows what I'm doing and they've been really supportive. Especially my better half. Greg keeps saying that it's not a diet I'm on, it's a reset. I love that. I don't want my kids to think that I'm trying to get skinny, I make sure to always tell them that I'm just trying to figure out how food makes me feel. I think they're understanding what Greg and I are saying.

The first week was pretty brutal. There's a detox period you go through where your body is getting used to going without the sugar and other junk. I think it could have been worse because I'm not a soda or coffee drinker, those would have been hard to quit cold turkey. As it was I alternated between feeling on top of the world and wanting to scream at people for breathing too loud. Pleasant, right? Fortunately I think we're over that hump. People can now breathe around me without fear.

I'm still tired but I have tons of energy. That sounds like it should be an oxymoron but I swear it's true. I'm getting more done, the thought of folding laundry doesn't make me want to cry (at least not out loud), I just feel better.

I'm also getting to that annoying stage where I think everyone should give this a try. Beware if you have a birthday coming up, you might get a copy of the Whole 30 book (only $18 on Amazon (not an ad, just a good deal))!

In summary: Whole 30 might be the best idea I've had all summer. Besides the one where I insist my kids have quiet reading time every afternoon. Translation: 2 hours of quiet.

Enough is enough, I'm doing it.

via

I've gone back and forth. I've heard the great reviews and I've seen the amazing changes. I'm usually pretty resistant to change, even if that change might make me feel better.

But I think I've reached my breaking point. I mean, it's not normal to wake up after 8 hours of sleep and be exhausted. Not everyone has to take a nap every afternoon just to function. Or if you don't get your nap, you're worthless by 6 o'clock. Is that just me?

So what's the plan? Whole 30. You know where you eat lots of protein, fruits and veggies? You do it for 30 days and then begin to discover how food really makes you feel. I usually scoff at anything structured or regimented but I'm hoping this will be the thing that helps me figure out why I'm so tired.

I was talking to two friends who have done several cycles of Whole 30 and they couldn't say enough good things. It was actually a little shocking. When I asked them what they thought, I was expecting something along the lines of it's okay or that it's a lot of work but no, they were raving about how great they felt and the things that changed even after the cycle was over.

They told me about having more energy and feeling healthier. They've both lost a decent chunk of weight. That's not my main focus but I wouldn't turn it down!

I'm convinced. I spent last week reading the book "Whole 30" and preparing. I made my menu for the next week and I'm actually pretty excited. The food looks good and seems like it's not that far of a departure from what we're usually eating.

Today, Monday June 22, is Day 1. I'm telling you this so that you can keep me on track.

Oh but there is one question I have for you. What do I do about Cookie Day? The kids look forward to it every Friday. It's our thing, every Friday we make and eat cookies. I could probably still make the treats just for them but do I want to? Do I want to do that to myself? My willpower isn't made of steel! Ya know what I mean?!