My Whole30 Journey- Round 3
So the day has arrived. I have just completed my third round of Whole30. I am proud, I must admit. I never thought this would be something I could stick with. I have been on every diet/ weight loss program/health lifestyle program out there. The parameters of Whole30 have given me control; the changes I see in myself are immeasurable.
I am going to just put this out there for those that do not know much about Whole30. It is not a diet or a weight loss program. For me it has been a lifestyle change; a reset in so many ways. That being said, I have lost weight. I know that is not the focus of the program, and I do not believe it should be. In fact, for the first time in as long as I can remember, I have not weighed myself like a crazy person (sometimes several times a day). I actually have my scale out in my garage so I will not be tempted to go out there…lol But, I have noticeably lost weight over time. I have changed sizes in clothing, my clothes are continuously loose which is a foreign concept for me. So, after 3 rounds…I finally did weigh myself. I have lost a significant amount. Now, let me be very clear. I have A LOT of weight to lose to get to a healthy point. For years no matter what I tried, I was not able to keep the weight off long term. I would lose some and then gain it back and then some. I am also in my early 40’s and it is harder to lose weight. However, believe it or not, the other benefits of the Whole30 that I have seen in myself outweigh the weight loss.
I cannot begin to try to describe how I felt for years. I was able to “fake it’ really well. I felt completely different from everyone around me. My life was exhausting. I was always having some sort of symptom; bloating, mouth swelling, hair loss, reflux, insomnia, chronic pain, inflammation, acne, eczema, depression, anxiety, panic attacks , mental fogginess. ..just to name a few. I often felt like I was in a “gray space” where everything was going on around me. I was part of things, but not completely. I now recognize how much food sensitivities and allergies have impacted my life and well-being. Whole30 has helped me identify many more “triggers”. I feel like a veil has been lifted. My mind is clear, and my body is functioning more productively. I have more sustained energy throughout the day. I am more in tune with myself than ever. I do attribute this to Whole30 as well as other healthy habits I have incorporated as well.
I have had hormone issues for years. Since the age of 17 to be exact. I have had cysts, fibroids, imbalances, numerous procedures and surgeries. My cycle when not on a pill has always been erratic and to be frank, my time of the month was often; hellish. I feel like my hormones are more in check, I am regulated, and don’t have debilitating pain that often ensues when a cyst forms , bursts, or feel terrible during a period.
My skin is better. I have actually gone out a few times without foundation on, which is craziness. I have been wearing a tinted moisturizer most other days. My rosacea is better, I have not had any bad breakouts, and my eczema has been better. With Celiac Disease, often comes hair loss. I have a crazy amount of thick hair so while this never impacted me from a balding standpoint, but hair is always shedding all over the place. I still notice some, but not nearly the amount that there once was. I am not pulling handfuls of hair out anymore after running a brush through it.
Last but not least, but, for me the most impactful. I am sleeping better than I have in …maybe forever. While I do not get 8-9 hours a night, the hours that I do get are with further interruptions, restlessness etc. I feel more rested. This is an area that I will continue to work to improve on. Insomnia was once such a debilitating part of my life…to have some handle on it without the use of any kind of medication, is amazing!
So, all in all… a positive experience. I did tweak things a bit this round.
- I eliminated fruit for the most part unless it was an ingredient in a recipe. The only exception was blueberries which I would sometimes have with breakfast or in a salad.
- I started making Bulletproof Coffees a few times a week with ghee and Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides. The other days I had my coffee with Collagen and Nutpods.
- All water that I consumed at home, had lemon in it.
- I changed my bowls to a smaller size when eating most meals so my portion size dropped a bit. I did allow myself to have seconds but, only if I was feeling hungry
- I did more Self Care throughout my week (baths, face masks, walks, reading, listening to music) and didn’t just save these things for Sunday.
- I added a 5 minute meditation to some work days during my lunch break. I would put in my earbuds and my @headspace app and disconnect for a few minutes. I do think that this helped center me.
I do plan to continue with another round of Whole30. I will be documenting my journey (especially the yummy food) on Instagram @eternalworkinprogressgal , and on Twitter and Facebook as well. Everyone has their own path. Some of us tread water for a really long time. It is nice to finally feel like I am swimming again.
EternalWorkInProgressGal 