Update: I survived. Check out my post post-30 days as well as our Whole30 Survival Guide!
In keeping with my theme so far in 2016 of only writing about New Year’s Resolutions (we checked in on my quest to eliminate bad chemicals) or TV shows I’ve recently binged, I’m back to check in on one of my other New Year’s Resolutions: The Whole30.As I write this post I’m on Day 7 of the Whole30, my stomach is cramping, I am so incredibly crabby and unfocused and I just finished crying.
So yeah, it’s going pretty well.
What the H is the Whole30?
The Whole30 is a food life-style that works to identify certain food groups that may be having an adverse affect on your health. The creators of the program believe that your energy levels, your weight gain, your focus, your hormonal balance and a myriad of other health-related problems can be directly linked to foods we consume on a daily basis. They say:
Cut out all the psychologically unhealthy, hormone-unbalancing, gut-disrupting, inflammatory food groups for a full 30 days. Let your body heal and recover from whatever effects those foods may be causing. Push the “reset” button with your metabolism, systemic inflammation, and the downstream effects of the food choices you’ve been making. Learn once and for all how the foods you’ve been eating are actually affecting your day to day life, and your long term health. The most important reason…?
This will change your life.
Pretty, awesome right? I thought so to. Read on, my friends. Read on.
So, whatcha eating?
Nothing. I’m eating NOTHING.
The Whole30 cuts out: Grains, Carbs, Legumes (BEANS, including Soy), Sugar, Dairy and Alcohol (kill me).
You’re allowed as much protein, fruits and veggies as you’d like. Lots of oils and vinegars and spices are okay. You just have to read your labels and make sure nothing is added.
I’m a vegetarian (pescetarian, actually- I eat seafood occasionally), and I can’t have fake meat for 30 days. I am NOT happy.
After 30 days, you slowly reintroduce these foods into your diet to see how they affect you.
Why the H am I doing this to myself?
I watched a friend (shout out to A) go through this on Facebook. I saw her complain. I saw her say exactly what I’ve said so far in this post. And then I saw her LOVE what the Whole30 did for her system.
Apparently, supposedly, WHAT THEY TELL ME, is that once the “bad stuff” makes its way out of your system, you are focused, energized, clear, on fire, excited, feel amazing- TIGER BLOOD is what they call it.
I want TIGER BLOOD. Tiger Blood sounds like a great kind of blood.
For the most part, I’m fairly healthy. I drink more than my Dr. recommends (shout out to my ladies in our 30s). I work long hours and end up getting take out more often than I’d like. I crave carbs like it’s going out of style, and I’ve never said no to a cheese plate. But usually I eat a balance meal with lots of healthy stuff, and I limit what I eat.
But sometimes I feel really bad after I eat.
I bloat easily (typical of vegetarians), I get stomach cramps. My face hasn’t gotten the memo that we’re not 14 years old anymore. I have to think there is something in my diet that my body wishes I wasn’t eating. If it’s alcohol or tacos, I’m just ending it.* No question there.
So…. is this worth it?
Hell no. Not yet. But, apparently it’s not unusual to feel this way. Some people feel great by Day 5. Others take a full 2 weeks. I think I might be in this latter group.
A photo posted by Bekah Buttons (@bekahbuttons) on
My days start out okay. I’ve been eating fruit and eggs more in the morning, and I know starting my day out with breakfast is a positive change for me. But by dinnertime, I’m craving something BINDING (cheese, carbs, ANYTHING) and grilled salmon and steamed broccoli and spaghetti squash as a stand in for pasta are NOT doing it.
I’m in the “bloating” stage of the program which sometimes last a day and sometimes lasts a full week. It’s been 3 days with no end in sight. Guess I had more toxins in my system than I thought…
Tips if you want to join my pain
I know I’ve sold it really hard. And I know you’re like “Oh MAN, SIGN ME UP.” I actually REALLY HOPE a week from now I’m doing a check in on this post to tell you I was wrong, the Whole30 is a life-changer. Check out the Whole30 Forum for all the stories of people who LOVE this system. Follow their Instagram and you’ll be convinced. And if you do want to give it a try, here’s my advice
- Plan, Plan, Plan: Plan your meals. Shop in advance. Plan what you’re eating every second of every day. I have done this, but I haven’t had time to shop, nor time to cook. So this might be my downfall. Here’s my pinterest board of recipes to get you started
- Get a sponsor: I have two. And they have been really encouraging. You NEED encouraging.
- Do it with a friend: My husband is doing a modified Whole30 so that helps because we can’t eat the same things, and another friend is 2 days ahead of us. She brought me SNACKS to a get together we had at a mutual friend’s house this weekend. She’s my SNACK buddy.
A snack you can eat. They are mediocre, at best.
- Always carry a Snack: In case you don’t have a snack buddy, always have a snack in your purse. I eat Apples with Almond butter daily. I have roasted, salted almonds in my bag. You can have SOME Lara Bars. With names like “Apple Pie” and “Cashew Cookie” you’ll be excited you can eat them. Don’t be excited. They’re disgusting.
- Sparkling Water is your BFF: Shockingly, alcohol is NOT the top thing on the list that I miss (I’m looking at you carbohydrates), but I do miss the ritual of drinking a glass (or 3) of wine every night. Sparkling water is my new ritual. It’s not the same. But it’s 30 Days. I can do this. I think.
- Limit your Social activities: Seriously. This one is for real, especially in the beginning. It’s HARD to be around drinkers when you can’t drink. It’s HARD to be around snacks when you can’t snack. I had to go away for work this week and I just stayed in my room and ate an apple. It was pathetic. And I went to my first girl’s get together this weekend and I was distracted, constantly thinking about the cheese plate in the other room, calculating how long it would take me to get home, what ingredients I had in the fridge and how long dinner was going to take. I wasn’t at my best.
This week has been tough, guys. Ask my friends, I haven’t stopped complaining. Ask my business partner, I’m not focused. My husband and I made an agreement that anything we say or do cannot be held against us in a court of law, even if we murder each other. We’re off the hook. We wrote it down.
But I am in this for the long hall. I’ve challenged myself with exercise before and I’ve challenged myself in my career, but I’ve never done anything with food. This is important for me to see through. And I am constantly reminding myself that there’s a reason I wanted to do this in the first place. And apparently, supposedly (AND IT BETTER OR MURDER) it gets better.
Follow along with my journey on Instagram @Bekahbuttons. I promise I’ll tell you the minute I change my mind that this is the worst decision I have ever made in my life.
