My Whole 30 Experience

What is Whole 30?
I'm not an expert at explaining the whole program. You can read the full details of the program on their website: http://whole30.com/.

How did you learn about Whole 30?
Through my cousin who visited in December. He did the Whole 30 and said it was a great experience!

Why did you choose to do the Whole 30?
As the year ended and the new year embarked, I really felt the urge to just throw myself into a challenge! A HARD challenge! My husband and I were talking about this and decided that the Whole 30 could be the challenge. It was something I've never done before or never thought I would ever do. Reading the program information on the website screamed 'challenge' to me.

Secondly, I wanted to be a little more toned in my body. Up until this point I've always felt that I've eaten healthy and I've been going to the gym fairly frequently. However, I could never achieve my desired weight/body type.

How did you prep for the Whole 30?
I bought the book :) I would highly recommend buying the book for anyone who is interested in doing this. The book goes over the rationale, tips, advice and many recipes that can't be found on their website. While you could do the entire program by reading the website, the book pumps you up and encourages you even more!

Another key thing to prepping was going through my fridge, freezer and pantry and throwing away food that was not compliant. I knew that keeping certain foods around the house was not going to help.

I also meal prepped the hell out of my week! On weekends I always dedicated some time to meal prep. I made sauces, mayo, chopped, marinated etc.. I also always planned my meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner), snacks and emergency foods.

Yes, I was even prepared with emergency meals in case for whatever reason I was unable to make my planned meal. Best lifesaver as it stops you from eating non compliant foods and encourages you to not break the 30 day challenge.

Results of the Whole 30
I lost 6 lbs! My pants were loose. I had higher energy levels. I was awake and ready to tackle the day when I woke up in the morning without hitting my snooze button. Sometimes I would wake up before the alarm. I no longer had the 3pm 'need a pick me up' feeling. My skin looks brighter, cleaner and I had no pimples throughout the 30 days! My face and hair were less greasy. I was a lot more positive (than normal) and I had less disagreements with my husband (win-win for everyone)! For those wondering, my husband also did the Whole 30 with me and lost 14 lbs.

What did you learn from the Whole 30?
I have learned so many things! I didn't really discover any food intolerances. I did discover what foods make me feel bloated and cause me to have less energy. I also discovered what foods I really love, what foods I 'thought' I loved but really don't and what foods trigger unhealthy eating habits. I have learned so many new recipes! I've learned specifically how to be creative in the kitchen and that I don't necessarily need bread, rice or pasta to make a complete meal. I've learned that having a good, large breakfast is just as important as having a lunch and dinner.

I've also learned that I could achieve something I've set out to do. To be honest, when I first started this challenge, I was so scared! I was having nightmares about the Whole 30 before starting, that's how scared I was. I was scared to change my eating habits for 30 days and I was scared that I wouldn't be able to commit to the entire 30 days. In fact, I told myself that if I could do at least 1 week of Whole 30, I would be happy - and I ended up doing 30+ days of Whole30! I'm super proud of myself for this accomplishment.

Life After Whole 30?
I didn't have the perfect Whole 30. I ate so many snacks throughout the whole thing (all compliant). That was one thing I just couldn't stop but maybe something I try to bet better at during a future round of Whole 30. Adopting a complete Whole 30 lifestyle is just not for me. I'm glad I did it for 30 days and I've learned a whole lot! However, I LOVE ice cream, chocolate, cream, desserts, rice and pasta way too much to completely give this up entirely. It's just not realistic for me. Instead, I eat Whole 30 about 80% of my time. The other 20% is non compliant. I also choose to eat non-compliant food when I want to and when it's worth it. I think I've learned to stop overindulging and to know when I've had enough of something. For example, I love chocolate and I can be satisfied by eating a tiny square. I just couldn't eat a whole chocolate bar.

Have you done the Whole 30? Do you have any other questions that I have answered? Let me know in the comments below!

~Usha