On June 22 I decided to wholeheartedly throw myself into a 30-day challenge. I had just eaten a philly cheesesteak for lunch. I was sitting at my desk. My belly was tied in knots, which is something that had become par for the course. Thank heavens to Betsy, something caused me to type www.whole9life.com into my browser. It's a site that I browsed about a year ago. At the time I was definitely intrigued, but something between skepticism and laziness stopped me from taking it any further. On this day, however, after reading about the Whole 30 and immersing myself in all the testimonies from people who had much more enjoyable lives as a result, I texted to my sweet friend, D: "My next snack is going to be Paleo."
We cannot possibly put enough emphasis on this simple fact – the next 30 days will change your life. It will change the way you think about food, it will change your tastes, it will change your habits and your cravings. It could, quite possibly, change the emotional relationship you have with food, and with your body. - Melissa and Doug Hartwig, founders of www.whole9life.com and creators of the Whole 30 challengeFueled by the idea that this new way of eating could change my relationship with food [!!!!], stop my stomach pains [!!!], and help me to lose some pregnancy weight [!!], I was ecstatic and teary-eyed. Using the Whole 30 as a guide, I cut grains, dairy, legumes, and sugar from my diet...and I went cold turkey. One minute I was Philly McCheesesteak, and the next minute I was Broccoli McSteamerson. I can happily say that it was only occasionally that I found my new lifestyle limiting. I will definitely concede that I could have been more strict during my Whole 30. For example, try getting grass-fed beef and pastured chicken on a whim in SWLA. And I may have relied a little too much on bacon and almond butter [separately, natch]. Nevertheless, I feel like I was still able to benefit from my complete dietary overhaul. Now, being a working mother, I didn't want to spend too much time devoted to scouring recipes and experimenting with ingredients. So, I just cooked the ingredients and put them on a plate! Steamed broccoli and grilled chicken? Check. Roasted asparagus and hamburger steak? Check. Bacon and Eggs? Check...and check and check.
How do I love my new lifestyle? Let me count the ways...
1. I have not experienced stomach pains since beginning the Whole 30. This one fact alone sells me on the benefits of eating clean. Just prior to beginning the challenge, I was experiencing intense stomach pains up to 2 times a week, stomach pains that would leave me curled up in a ball on the couch, grouchy, and not a whole lotta fun for my family.
2. I lost 10 pounds in 30 days. While I'm aware that the purpose of the challenge goes way beyond the numbers on a scale, I do have 40 - 50 pounds to lose before becoming my most healthy self. So, I do appreciate the nice little jump start.
3. What? I don't have to count calories?! This still amazes me. Every other time I've tried to lose weight and be more healthy, it involved logging every. single. bite. I put in my mouth. What a downer! Not only does counting calories cause me to become a bit obsessed with food, but it takes a matter of days before I start resenting the whole process. It is so freeing to know that as long as I eat whole foods, including healthy fats, there's no need to have a pen and paper handy at all times.
4. I have not felt bloated since beginning the challenge. Yea for being able to suck my stomach in! And woohoo for not feeling 8 months pregnant...3 months after giving birth.
5. Grocery shopping is a breeze. I shop around the perimeter of the store, hitting the veggies, fruits, nuts, and meats. I zoom down the coffee aisle for my Community Dark Roast. I shoot over to the frozen section for a few more vegetable selections. Thanks to Subscribe and Save on Amazon, I've got my Justin's Nut Butter and a variety of coconut products coming to me automatically, every six months.
5. I have more energy. I stayed up until midnight last night! Do you know how long it's been since I've done that?! Well, I'll tell ya, it's been a really, really long time; just ask my husband...and all my friends. And I have yet to have one of those days where you don't feel like you could possibly pick your head up off the pillow, even if it's just to click "Next Episode" so your Cheers-a-thon can continue.
6. I'm not hungry all the time. I eat three tasty meals a day, with a couple of snacks thrown in for good measure, and I stay satisfied throughout the entire day. I've also noticed that I don't watch the clock, anticipating when I can eat next. ["Hmm. Is 10AM too early for lunch?"] Instead, my stomach tells me when I'm hungry and that's when I feed it.
7. My relationship with food has changed. This can not be taken lightly. And of all the good things that have come from my dietary changes, I hope it's this one that is around for the long-haul. I no longer see food as a reward or a comforter. Instead, food is fuel! And it can be incredibly tasty fuel! I still enjoy eating and I savor flavors and different textures, but it's different now. Thank goodness it's different. Of course, there will be times when a piece of cake will be completely worth every single bite, and I'm looking forward to my next ice cold brewski. But, man, that beer better be damned good and so cold it hurts my throat when I swallow it. And that cake? It won't be from Jo's Party House or the Wal-Mart bakery. It will be special and rare and...somebody make me a cake!
8. I sleep more soundly. It may have something to do with drinking less coffee [since black coffee doesn't exactly make my heart all a-twitter] and it probably has a teensy bit to do with cranking up with CrossFit again, but I don't wake up 3 or 4 times a night anymore. Yee Haw.
Here's hoping I've made a life-long change.
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