My Whole 30 experience has been filled with discovery, understanding, and tests of willpower. I've struggled with how to properly fuel my body since I was very young. When I started participating in triathlons a few years ago, I did not adjust my food choices and I added in a lot of "sports nutrition" products such as gels, protein bars, and energy drinks. I assumed since I was working out so much, I could have as much as I wanted. Add in stress and a job that was all consuming and it was the perfect recipe for where I found myself last summer. I had constant heartburn and stomach issues. Also, I was carrying around extra lbs that were physically and mentally weighing me down during races.
Then last July, I landed a new job, quit teaching, got engaged, and finally found enough time to focus on health and wellness. I started my crossfit journey in November and didn't look back. I signed up for the transformation challenge and in 14 weeks, I had indeed transformed my body. However, that ended in April and my wedding is in September. I knew that even though my body may have changed, I still had to deal with the emotional part of my eating habits or I would just fall back to my old ways. Knowing that summer is always my difficult season (think Sangria, frozen yogurt, cookouts, weddings, etc.), I decided it was the perfect time to try the Whole 30 program. On June 25th, I made the commitment to eliminate dairy, legumes, grains, and sugar (except a bit in fruit) for 30 days cold turkey with no "cheat day." I had never tried anything quite this strict and thought I'd be hungry all the time.
Not to "sugar coat" things, I did have some awful headaches in week 1 from sugar withdrawal. It is kind of scary that something has that much control over your body! But those wore off as my body adjusted to the change. Also, I did feel quite tired in the second week, but gradually I gained back my strength and my body responded extremely well to the changes. I had only one instance of heartburn in the 30 days and that was associated with a yucky case of food poisoining that I think I got from undercooking a piece of salmon--I will not be using that recipe again!
Overall, my general observations about the Whole 30 are as follows:
1. I eat so much more throughout the day!
2. Breakfast is my favorite meal (Recipe fav = baked sweet potato egg cups & a piece of organic uncured turkey bacon)
3. Veggies have become a much more important part of my everyday meals (kale, carrots, spinach, and mushrooms are staples)
4. Going to the Farmers Market is so much better than the grocery store
5. The A Market in Manchester has the best selection of hard to find items such as coconut aminos, coconut butter, and organic meats
6. I have not mastered the pre-workout snack piece in order to have enough energy for heavy lifting, so I am still trying to find the right balance
7. The items I removed from my diet for 30 days clearly had been having some negative effects, now to figure out which things were the culprits!
8. It served as a great reset for my body and I will definitely try this again
9. I enjoy cooking more than I thought I would
10. In general I became so much more aware of when/why I craved certain things (stressful day at work = desire for a bag of chips, boredom = wanting something salty)
11. I was relying too heavily on some of my energy supplements to get an unnatural boost, (gels, pre-workout energy drinks)
12. I don't miss a lot of the foods that I cut, surprisingly
13. My skin cleared completely (not that I had major issues, but it is noticeably clearer)
14. I did not have colds/flu/allergy issues
15. My sleeping improved
So what happens after the Whole 30? I would really like to keep my weekly menu using Whole 30 foods. I actually enjoy a lot of the foods and snacks--dates and macademia nuts are some favorites! I might allow myself a few cheats (Bridal shower/bachelorette are fast approaching!), but I can't imagine why I would go back to a lifestyle that my body clearly was not tolerating. I think the most powerful thing that I take away from this experience is that I can say no to foods that my body does not need no matter the circumstance. I did not even have dessert on my birthday or cake at my work bridal shower. I got a lot of the "you're crazy" statements, but I just shrugged those off. I think it is something I will try to follow as often as possible.
In addition to the food adjustments, I tried out Bikram yoga again this July. I really don't enjoy it, but I LOVE how I feel after. And it does get easier each week...I may give it another shot in the winter. It was quite torturous attending Bikram sessions on days that were 90+ degrees and humid. Nonetheless, the health benefits of this practice seem to be worth the effort.
The Stats:
Inches Lost= 9.75 total inches
Lbs Lost= 8.4lbs (putting me just below where I was at the end of the challenge)
Perfect Bricks since January 2012 = 146! (4 more until 150 perfect bricks!
Frequency pushups are up to 5 sets of 30 for 6 days a week
Fasted Cardio = 6 days per week
Bikram yoga 2 X per week
