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First things first. If you haven’t read It Starts With Food, you should. This book changed my way of thinking about food.
For 30 days, I removed grains, sugar, sweeteners, alcohol, legumes, dairy, and seed oils. I only ate vegetables, fruits, nuts, eggs, meat, seafood, and seeds.
Why?
The main reason that I did this program was to see if it made me feel more energetic, help with digestions, and all that jazz.
I feel like my diet is pretty healthy, but there is always room for improvement right?
Challenges
We all know I love a challenge.
Honestly, the hardest part about the program was all the prep work involved! I felt like I was always in the kitchen. I spent more time preparing my meals than actually eating them.
Not having my favorite foods was hard at first, but it became easier over time. The cravings stopped around day 20. By then, I was just ready for it to be over so I could have a bowl of cereal. Not because I wanted it, but because it was EASY and FAST.
How do I feel?
I felt pretty good on day 30, but it was definitely a struggle to get there. Throughout the program, I had mood swings, low energy, and extreme tiredness. Everything seemed to randomly vanish in the third week. By then, I felt absolutely amazing. I was waking up well rested before my alarm clock the last two weeks. FYI, my alarm is set for 4:45 AM. I normally have to bribe myself to get up!
My energy was fairly consistent during the day. Of course I had a few slumps, but that’s life.
What’s next?
I sort of went all out on day 31.
Chicken Parmesan
Blueberry Pancakes
Grilled Turkey Sandwich
I don’t think it’s realistic for me to eat “Whole30” all of the time. In our culture, socializing is based on food. That’s not something that I want to miss out on.
I plan to eat a lot of Paleo based meals, but there are a few things I just can’t give up. Peanut butter, cheese, and bread. Oh how I love thee.
My goal going forward is to eat as unprocessed as possible, but I won’t let it get in the way of my life.
It really was a great program to do for 30 days. I’ll most definitely be doing it again in the future!
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
great mindset.
Clare @ Fitting It All In recently posted..Currently I’m…
Great recap! Glad you felt something more substantial for your efforts than I felt going gluten/dairy-free for 30 days.
I agree with the prep. Eating lots of veggies and less “convenient” foods (like yogurt etc), I spent about an hour a week just cleaning and chopping the veggies. That doesn’t include the time it takes each night to pack my lunch!
Lisa recently posted..Nutrition: Who to Trust?
Ah man, I’m not sure I could go 30 days without my beloved peanut butter. I eat it daily!
Anyway, sounds like an interesting experience. I’ll check out that book.
BroccoliHut recently posted..Ellie Workout Apparel—and a Special Offer!
Must have been an intense 30 days! I like your attitude coming out of it – food is social, so being that focused on what you can and can’t eat would interfere with that too much. But trying to keep processed foods to a minimum seems like a realistic goal that won’t interfere with the rest of your life. And you know…bread is awesome. :-p
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles recently posted..Confession Tuesday.
congrats on finishing the challenge! i liked reading about what you learned! love your mindset from here on out
Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean recently posted..Black Bean Meatless Meatballs
I’m glad you made it to day 30, there’s no way I could go that long without peanut butter! I would like to minimize the amount of processed foods I eat, but I understand that the less processed foods you eat the more time you will have to spend in the kitchen. P.s. How is Maddie adjusting?
Nicole @ Fruit ‘N’ Fitness recently posted..Dinner Surprise
Great post! You really did a great job! For reals the prep work is insane. I too just want a bowl of cereal sometimes or a frozen waffle. It’s so much easier. I literally spend most of the day in the kitchen cooking and cleaning up after it.
Kristen@Change of Pace recently posted..Sick Kiddo
Awesome insight! I would totally do this challenge, but it sounds like it is definitely not cheap – student budget does not support that.
Would love to see some recipes from the challenge!
Rachel @ Eat, Learn, Discover! recently posted..Quick Eats. A Series?
Big congrats on making it through the whole 30 days – I’m honestly not sure it’s something I could ever do… I like the idea of eating clean, but putting so much focus and thought into what I’m eating has never done me any good, and I actually find myself feeling healthier when I don’t spend so much time obsessing over my diet.
Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted... guest post – overcoming exercise addiction .
love what you said! we think alike. Great approach! It’s unrealistic 24/7 but we can always incorporate it into our daily living.
lindsay recently posted..Wiggle Room
Great job sticking to the 30 days – I can’t just imagine how tough it could be!
Heather @ Run Eat Play recently posted..Healthy Eats
I’m with you on your attitude towards food and diet. I don’t like to label how I eat, besides the fact that I enjoy whole, unprocessed food the majority of the time. Sometimes it turns out to be paleo, sometimes vegetarian, and sometimes it’s just some delicious food at a restaurant that I wanted to try! I want to enjoy food for it’s social and cultural implications, as well as fueling my body well.
Michelle @ Eat Move Balance recently posted..Steamed Lobster Tails (and preparation how-to)
Yay you did it!! This is how I ended up becoming a vegan. I was going to try it for 30 days and I ended up loving it so much!! I do miss cheese sometimes, but I feel great and nutritional yeast is my best friend.
Brittany recently posted..Running Local
Congrats on completing the challenge! You are my hero in the healthy eating world
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com recently posted..Avocado Hummus
You did it, congratulations! I have a visiting relative starting tonight who is gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, and lots of other sensitivities, so I will be cooking everything from scratch for a while, I know how it is! More congrats on your new dog, how is she doing?
Mary @ Fit and Fed recently posted..Ready for Sectionals!
I think your goal of eating unprocessed is an excellent one! So glad you enjoyed the challenge– sounds awesome
I love books that change my perspective! I will have to check this one out!
luv what you do recently posted..White Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Congrats! I just finished my Whole30 last week and am feeling great!
Kim @ Living, Laughing & Losing recently posted..A new/old plan