Alright, here is something I have been thinking (actually thanks to my sister Tahni), and I decided to share it with you – October is the PERFECT time to do Whole30. Yep, I said it. Here’s why – summer is over – if you’re like me you went HAM the last few weeks of summer – and it’s your last chance to get your sh*t together before the holidays. Obviously, there is never an EASY time to do Whole30. However, my theory is, if you start October 1st, you will be done in time to eat Halloween candy on the 31st (But you actually might not want it! Crazy, I know. That’s what Whole30 can do to ya!) Scroll below for some of my (lengthy) thoughts on past experiences with Whole30 and a GIVEAWAY to help you get started with your own!!
I wrote the post below over 2 years ago, at the tail end of my first round of Whole30. Now, I feel like Whole30 has become much more well-known and widespread, but the things I felt back then still hold true. So, here I am sharing it with you again:
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I am both excited and hesitant to write this post, as I’m not sure how best to put it into words. There are so many opinions and methods surrounding diet, health, and wellness, and I definitely don’t think there is any one way that works for every one. All of our bodies are different, and require different care and attention.
That being said, I want to talk to you about a specific method called Whole30. You may have heard of it recently, as it has been talked about over several regular media outlets and social media feeds. Today marks Day 29 of my own personal Whole30 journey, and I want to share my experience with you.
First off, a little background on Whole30. Whole30 outlines a clear program for you to cut the “less healthy” food out of your diet and “hit the reset button”. Basically, you put yourself on a strict diet of lean meats, veggies, and fruits for 30 days, and then enjoy some pretty amazing and eye-opening results. I don’t want to go too much into it here, because their website explains it beautifully (way better than I ever could) so, if you’re interested please spend some time on Whole30.com. They will outline 8 very clear steps to get you started, including lists of foods you can/can’t eat, shopping lists, meal plans, and very helpful advice. One of my favorite parts is the timeline they provide to give you an idea of what to expect on each day. It’s kind of hilarious how accurate that timeline was for me! And it gave me hope to stick out the first couple weeks, knowing there were better days ahead! I also love to read the testimonials of others who have done Whole30.
You can find enough information to execute your own Whole30 for free on the website, but for added information and motivation I HIGHLY recommend reading their book, It Starts with Food
My Results:
I have had stomach problems for my entire life, literally. My Mom says I cried straight through my first few months of life because of my stomach, and apparently that never stopped ;). I’ve seen several doctors over the years, but nothing ever seemed to work. This is the main reason I started Whole30. I wanted to see if it helped my stomach issues. And let me tell you, it did. I feel like a whole new me! Let’s just say my past problems with cramping, bloating and stomach pains have improved exponentially.
Although my main goal was to improve my stomach, I experienced some added bonuses. These mysterious headaches I had been having disappeared. I lost six pounds, and become a lot leaner. My energy levels have improved – I no longer have that 3pm crash I had for so many years. I have also ALWAYS had back pain, and in the past couple of years I’ve found that the ONLY time my back doesn’t hurt is when I’m on Whole30. Obviously I need to explore this further, but I have a theory as to what might be causing the pain (AHEM gluten…it’s an inflammatory! But that’s a post for another day…)
One of the BEST things I got out of doing Whole30 – I learned to grocery shop and cook with basic, healthy ingredients. Cooking always seemed to be a big (expensive) ordeal, which resulted in LOTS of eating out. Whole30 taught me how to grocery shop, plan meals, and cook with ingredients I now keep on-hand. It taught me to read labels, and what to look for. This is something that I think will prove invaluable for Blake and me, and I’m so glad I learned it before I had kids!
There ARE great Whole30 recipes out there! You just have to put in the time and work to plan and prep food. Another really great thing about Whole30 is that there are so many people who have done it or are currently doing it right now! They have great results, advice, and recipes to share. And it’s all over social media! Just search the hashtag #whole30 on Instagram or Pinterest and you’ll see what I mean :).
Tomorrow is day 30. I’m not sure where I will go from there, but I know Whole30 has changed my relationship with food in a really big way, and will affect they way I eat/cook for the rest of my life. For some it’s a way to lose weight, for others it’s an effort to cure a specific ailment. The results people see can vary. I can’t tell you what it will do for you specifically, but I can promise you this much – if you make it through a Whole30, you will not regret it!
In future posts, I will let you in on some of my favorite Whole30-Approved recipes. In the meantime, if you have any questions for me, please leave them in the comments below. If you’re doing or have done a Whole30, please share your results!
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This Frenchie Spoon Rest was a gift from my good friend Sydney, and I’m obsessed!! How cute is she?!
Ok so, in honor of October, I’m giving away two of this amazing books – one to you, and one to a friend you want to do Whole30 with!! Head to my post here to enter!
If you have questions on how to get started, your own Whole30 results or experiences, or recipes to share, please email me or leave them in the comments below! I want to hear them all :).
xx
Jen
OOTD
