Have you heard of Whole 30?
It’s a diet/detox/way to kick your bad eating habits to the curb.
I don’t know the best way to call it. It’s not a diet because the real intention is not to lose weight. Although that typically is a happy side effect. It’s a sugar detox to help you slay that ‘sugar dragon’. But most importantly, at least to me, it’s a way to reset your approach to eating in order to train yourself to pick the best for you foods.
Whole 30 was created by the husband and wife team behind the Whole 9 Life website and blog, which details their 9 factors to lead a whole life. Truthfully, I haven’t really checked that out as I have been more focused on Dallas and Melissa’s Whole 30 program. But… I’m sure their factors are well thought out as their Whole 30 program is.
Okay, okay, so what is Whole 30?
Well, I’ve been finding it best to explain it with “It is the Paleo diet + a few more restrictions + NO SUGAR. For 30 days.”
Why do I emphasize the NO SUGAR? Well, sugar is in everything! Okay, just about everything. No, they don’t say ‘ Apples have sugar… No apples!” No, it’s about cane sugar, white sugar, maple syrup, honey, stevia, High Fructose Corn Syrup, etc.
They purposefully have created this sugar restriction as sugar does some funky, funky stuff to your body. It’s all science-y and complex (and still a little over my head) but they do a good job of explaining it in their New York Time’s Best-Selling book It Starts With Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways
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It Starts with Food spells out what happens in your body when you eat different things from apples to low-fat yogurt and steak to pasta. As a result of all their science-y investigating they developed the Whole 30 program. I could go on and on but their book is really good so if you are curious just get it and check it out as it was a big eye-opener for me. Especially, reading the testimonials of people who completed the program and noticed dramatic improvements in their health from the reduction of allergies, more energy, elimation in stomach issues, and much more. Pretty Cool.
So back to the WHY I am doing this?
Since having Autumn in November 2013, I’ve lost over 50 pounds. Woohoo! I hover around the 53-54 lb mark. And that’s not talking weight I gained while I was pregnant. I’m talking prepregancy weight – 53ish pounds.
I watched what I ate while pregnant, resulting in (thankfully) only gaining just shy of 15 pounds, and afterwards but I know that the majority of my weight loss was from breastfeeding. And now that I have wrapped that up after 14.5 months I need to not back slide. Plus, I’d absolutely love, love, love to lose another 15 pounds. And preferably by our June wedding. #nopressure.
So this is a way to reset my eating habits. But losing weight isn’t the only thing. I want to better my body over all so I can feel and look great without being so tired or moody or whatever. I don’t want to feel sore and drained for no real reason. I want to have great energy! I want to make smart food choices! I want a golden egg… oh wait, nevermind…
We have been eating more and more paleo style foods but ever since getting pregnant I’ve been craving sugar. Prior to my pregnancy I was a ‘salt’ person and perfectly fine without dessert but now I’m constantly thinking about chocolate chip cookies. Warm from the oven browned butter chocolate chip cookies with a sprinkling of sea salt on top. OMG.
I need to beat that constant voice in my head saying “You know, 2.30pm is the prefect time for a cup of tea. But you know what goes well with a cup of tea? A cookie! How about you go down to the cafe and get a mocha double chocolate chip cookie!!!!!! AMAZING IDEA, NO?!?!?!”
Thankfully, I say no most days but those mocha chocolate cookies make me weak in the knee and I do succumb to that little voice in my head more often that not. ugh/yay?!?!
I’ve been looking forward to this month-long challenge for a while now. I’ve cleaned the cabinets of non-complient foods (damn you Ritz crackers!), searched all over Pinterest for yummy foods, bought Paleo cookbooks, and given myself a big ol’ pep talk. Wish me luck 😉
I will be documenting the journey on the blog and on my Instagram account. I am also a member on the Whole 30 forum so find me there and say hi!
Post Conatins affilate links.
I’m 10 days into a whole 35 and I feel GREAT!!! I will be posting some really yummy recipes soon as well. Looking forward to seeing your journey : ) Thanks for sharing!
Michaela
So excited for you! Just finished my 2nd round & feel so much better- Much more awake in the am which after having 2 kids is a miracle! I also found lots of healthier subs for things like pasta which I still eat even not on whole30. At the end of the first week you will feel a little crap, but hang in there! Im excited to hear about your experience!