Over the last two weeks, I’ve shared The Whole 30 Success Guide For 40 Year Olds (And Why You Should Do It) – it went over the basics of the Whole30 as well as the reasoning behind my husband and I completing this eating plan. Last week, I shared Things The Whole 30 Books Don’t Tell You – it went over how we got prepared for the Whole30, as well a diary of my “feelings” week by week. Before you read the post below, I would encourage you to read those past posts first for a better understanding of the Whole30 Eating Plan.
Finally, Hubs and I completed the Whole 30.
And, honestly, it had been awhile since I felt this good.
(And not because it was done. That was part of it. But, because it worked. That is great news, right? Something that actually WORKS like it says it will.)
When my friends “quiz” me about the Whole30, they want the nitty-gritty details. Did it work? How much weight did you lose? Is it hard to give up wine? Is LaCroix good?
So, I’m going to treat you like my friend and give you the “high-hard ones” and my results on Whole 30 from a 40 year old perspective.
Things I Loved on the Whole30
My favorite thing was the food plan was BLACK and WHITE. I could eat as many “yes” foods as I wanted. I wasn’t allowed to eat any “no” foods (not even one little bite). You didn’t have to count calories, points, or servings. When I took the emotional side out of eating, I could focus on food as fuel instead of comfort.
It broke my wine “habit”. I was notorious for having one (or three) glasses of wine in the evening after the kids got home from school. It was my way of decompressing. Now I have alternatives. Usually, it’s a flavored LaCroix.
I realized I had a “sneaky” sugar habit. My biggest “ah-ha” was that I was addicted to “sweet things” and didn’t know it. I wasn’t a HUGE dessert eater, but I loved a good handful of Wheat Thins or flavored nuts. Once I started reading labels, I realized how often sugar is added into things we eat. It’s mind blowing. And it isn’t just sugar, but its sneaky sisters glucose, dextrose, corn syrup, etc. (If you are interested in understanding more about how sugar impacts our health and waistline, watch this movie on Netflix.)
Things I Hated on the Whole30
Good food is more expensive, period. It’s a shame, but it is true. It is less expensive to get a 12-pack of soda, than a 12-pack of LaCroix. A bag of chips is cheaper than two honey crisp apples. Furthermore, if you live on a budget, you have to find the extra money from somewhere. And that requires hard choices.
I missed beans, legumes and rice. I understood why they were excluded, but I really missed having a side a basmati rice with my steak or black beans with my fajitas.
No wine. I was happy to break my habit, however, as a 40-year old entrepreneur with two kids under the age of 13, there were times I just wanted a glass of wine.
My Personal Results
I went down one pant and one dress size. While I didn’t “measure” myself before and after, I saw a drastic reduction in my waist, belly, butt and torso. All the places we want weight loss, right?
I lost three pounds. I will admit, this was discouraging. I had read about people losing 10 pounds on the food plan!!! Three pounds is like a good bathroom break after waking up in the morning. However, when my trainer said he could tell I lost weight, I decided to focus on the inches and not the pounds.
I was sleeping through the night consistently. Regardless of the top two results, the fact I could lay my head down at night and NOT WORRY if I was going to wake up at 2:30 am unable to fall back asleep was worth it. I was shocked at how much more I was able to do during the day with a good night sleep. Added bonus, my attitude and emotions were more regulated as well.
Transition Since Ending The Whole30
If you don’t miss it, don’t bring it back. One of the key messages I took from the Whole30 was “if you don’t miss it after the 30-days, don’t bring it back into your diet”. I didn’t miss dairy (of any kind), processed carbs (like bread, crackers, cereal, etc.), or beer, so they are gone. And I found that gluten messes with my system, so I’m limiting my intake as much as possible. As of this writing, I am probably 70/30 Whole30 compliant.
I’m more cognizant of how food effects my body. I binged on homemade french silk pie a few weeks ago and paid the price for three days. My stomach was off, my joints hurt, I didn’t sleep well, and I was sluggish during the day. It isn’t that I won’t ever eat a piece of pie, but I now weigh if it is worth the cost.
I read every label. Once I realized how much sugar was being added into EVERYTHING, I’ve become like a blood hound about food labels. Just because it says “healthy” doesn’t mean it really is healthy.
Would I Do It Again?
Yes, without a doubt. Detoxing your body is a good thing. It helps you calibrate not only how food effects you, but your emotional connection to it. With that being said, next time around, I will try to incorporate more recipes because I got bored of food by the end of the challenge.
I wanted to write this series of posts to give you a better understanding of the Whole30 eating program and what you need to be successful. The Whole30 isn’t a fad diet, but a lifestyle shift that can help you lose weight, eliminate minor aliments and annoyances, and regulate your sleep. Is it hard? Sure, but most things that are worth it are usually hard, right? But is it worth it, absolutely.
Recommend Resources for Whole30
- The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom
- It Starts With Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways
- Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat
- Cook, Eat, Paleo
- The Whole 30 Success Guide For 40 Year Olds (And Why You Should Do It)
- Things The Whole 30 Books Don’t Tell You
- Results on Whole 30 From A 40-Year Old {The Good & Bad}
