I finished my whole 30 on Sunday! Woohoo! I survived! I don't know what it is, but I love a challenge. The whole 30 definitely proved to be a big challenge to me, but I learned so much during my 30 days.
1. Either before or during your whole 30, read the book "It All Starts With Food" which was written by the creators of whole 30. Some parts are a little scientificy (I realize that's not a word), but it really explained the why's of doing it.
2. Have a go to meal. A quick and easy meal that you can use on nights when it's busy.
3. The first week is hard, feel like you have the flu hard, but if you power through it, you will learn so much.
4. I kept checking #whole30 on instagram. It really helps to see pictures from others that are going through the same thing.
5. Make it work for your family. Most nights, Shad would eat what I ate, but I would usually add a grain for him. If I ate beef, peppers, and onions, I would make some rice to add to it for him. The boys usually ate a quesadilla, grilled cheese, or whatever meat we were having. We decided that for 30 days, this would work for our family.
During my whole 30, Shad really surprised me. He cut the caffeine and sodas way back. If we had to eat out, he would complain, "This isn't as good as what we've been eating." I was shocked at how much he liked eating this way with out me ever pressuring him.
6. Pay attention to how you feel. When you are done with your whole 30, take the time to add back different foods groups one at a time. You never know what you may be allergic or sensitive to. A year ago, I laughed when my doctor told me to try quitting dairy, and I am now amazed at just how allergic I am to it.
7. Do what you can.
The whole 30 suggests buying really good, organic meat, and I couldn't afford those meats right now. However, that doesn't mean I can't try whole 30. Sometimes we look for excuses to stop, but just do what you can.
8. Make a bet with someone.
That dumb bet that I made with Shad really encouraged me when it got tough. Even though I lost, I'm so glad I did as good as I did.
1. Artificial sweeteners aren't aren't a free pass just because they have no calories. I talked about that here, and it blew my mind!
2. Vegetables are not nasty.
I really enjoyed trying a new vegetable every week. I learned that I like avocados, asparagus, and spaghetti squash. What have I been missing out on all these years.
3. I forgot about my dairy allergy during whole 30.
When I first went 100% dairy free, I tried to do some substitute cooking, but I always just end up feeling deprived. When I cook simply with meat and veggies, I don't feel as deprived. I don't focus on the foods I can't have, but on the foods I can have.
4. I love how pretty my fridge looks filled with fruits and veggies. Aldi was a big help to keep the cost down during my whole 30.
5. This month, I had tons of practice with not emotionally eating. I am so proud of myself for staying focused while Collin was in the hospital and sticking to the whole 30. I really believe that is why I didn't get sick with all the stress and no sleep.
6. The biggest lesson I learned is, sugar and I aren't as close of friends as I thought we were.
Sugar was a beast to get off of because I loOoOoOove sugar. Now that I've added it back some, I see how much it affects me. During the whole 30, I liked a day without the highs and lows of sugar. Now, I am much more conscious to how much sugar I am eating.
Overall, the whole 30 was a really good, eye opening experience. I would recommend it to anyone who is struggling with energy and their health. A year ago, I would have thought this was crazy, but now, I really do believe that many illnesses and problems can be controlled or helped by what we eat.
On Monday, I weighed myself and found out I lost 13 pounds through the whole process. That's not a bad perk, but I'm glad whole 30 has opened my eyes to the fact that food is more than just calories.
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