Whole 30 / The End

It's official: I am finished with Whole 30!!

After my 15-day recap, I stepped away happy and proud of myself for continuing on the Whole 30 path, but by day 27 all I could think was: WHOLE 30 IS HARD.

It can be unpleasant. It isn't always fun. It isn't ever convenient. It's not for sissies.



What I enjoyed...
The hard work and unpleasant moments and stress were all worth it when I stepped on the scale Monday morning and saw I had lost 15 pounds. It was worth it when I realized my skin was clear and my hair was shiny. It was worth it when I felt good and could feel my ribs and see my stomach flattening before my eyes.

The sense of accomplishment was so great by day 28. I successfully did not eat grains, dairy, legumes, sugar, MSG or alcohol for a month. When the new year rolled around, I was frustrated. I decided to do Whole 30 to kick-start my year and to help remind myself that hard work does pay off. It was by far the best decision I could have made.



What I didn't enjoy....
My social life took a pretty bad hit. My husband was often frustrated with me, since he wasn't doing Whole 30 and it affected my mood. I had to re-think how to celebrate, how to relax. There was so much planning, so much thinking ahead.

I also discovered how picky/particular of an eater I really am. I don't enjoy eggs. Chicken became my new enemy. Protein in general just became difficult to keep eating. And breakfast was darn near impossible to stomach by the end! But I've always had a lot of problems eating breakfast and getting protein in my diet. In the "real world" I supplement my diet with protein shakes. But once that option wasn't available, it was a great struggle that I never quite succeeded at.

I'm not sharing any recipes or meal plans this time around, because I never found that perfect thing that worked. It was a struggle for me. It was a lot of sweet potatoes, apples and almond butter. But, in the end the struggle was definitely worth it! Hopefully next time it'll be easier... (My friend Chelsea just finished her second time.)



Would I do it again?  
Absolutely. I think this is the perfect January tradition. It's a great way to kick off a new year, and the second time can only be easier, right?

What I learned...

1. The scale should be used sparingly and with caution.
2. Eating whole, nutritious food takes effort.
3. Good food is good. Food to make you feel good is bad.
4. Take emotions out of eating.
5. You have to take control of your food, and not let it control you.
6. If you're frustrated, do something bold. (that's healthy!) The results will surprise you.
7. Whining and complaining about your weight without actively and honestly trying to make a change will not make a difference and is a waste of time.
8. Everybody can do Whole 30, and I believe everybody should at least once.
9. Shopping local is more fun. Our local butcher's quality of meat was shockingly high.
10. It feels good and empowering to take control of your life and be purposeful with it.

Now I just have to figure out how to get back to "normal" - and what my new definition of "normal" is. Wish me luck ♥

ps: my whole weight loss journey