In October, I shared with you my quest to get back on the health wagon with the Whole30. Since then, several of you have asked about my experience, so I thought I’d share a little update.
As I said in my original post, I’ve tried so many diets over the years that I’ve lost count. I seem to be perpetually in search of something that will help me stabilize my weight. And for that last 5-10 years, I’ve been in a pretty consistent cycle – I’d be really good during the week and drop a few pounds, only to gain them back over the weekend. Sound familiar?
When a director at work shared with me his experience with the Whole30 and I expressed an interest, he insisted that I read the ENTIRE book. Usually I’d just skim the book to get the gist of the plan, but this time I took his advice. And it all made such sense!
To recap, the Whole30 is a 30-day, clean eating plan that’s meant to eliminate certain food groups that are known to cause issues (sugar, dairy, soy, grains, legumes and alcohol). Then, after 30 days, you can reintroduce food groups one at a time to determine which make you feel bad. That’s the technical side of the plan – but really it’s about changing the way we think about food and eating.
Of course the idea of losing a few pounds appealed to me, but the other touted benefits sounded good too! For my entire life I’ve struggled with fluctuating blood-sugar levels, and if my blood sugar drops … you better pull over and get me something to eat, quick! That panicky feeling brought on by these dips had me always carrying hard candy in my purse, and it led me to a lot of snacking. I was the one in the check out lane who got hungry and bought the candy bar because it was the closest thing. So the idea that the Whole30 could help with that, eliminate cravings and improve digestion were really appealing. And like I said, if I lost weight – great.
I started my Whole30 in October and I have to tell you it’s made a HUGE difference. First, I’ve lost 10 pounds, but more importantly I feel so much better! I’m sleeping better, I have more energy throughout the day and the bloating that some foods seem to cause is gone!
I followed the Whole30 rules pretty strictly for the 30 days, but I felt so good that I’ve maintained that way of eating ever since. Sure, I had some “non-compliant” foods over the holiday – I had cheese, I drank cocktails and I ate some holiday sweets. But, I have to tell you – I felt their effects big time! Which made it even easier to get right back on track. And despite the holidays and a few non-compliant weekends, I’ve managed to maintain that original weight loss.
When you first read about the Whole30 (or Paleo eating in general), it can seem daunting. But it’s actually a very easy way to live! I was never a soda drinker, and was already a pretty healthy eater, so for me it was really just some simple modifications. The book gives you parameters, and I find those pretty easy to stay within.
A typical day for me starts with a big, filling breakfast, which might include a half of an avocado, two eggs and some compliant bacon or prosciutto. That will carry me all the way to lunch, when I’ll usually have a giant bowl of this delicious sweet potato chili, which is filling and easy to make. For dinner, I’ll typically have a piece of meat and some vegetables, and maybe even a potato. And on the weekends, I do sometimes have wine or a cocktail.
Since transitioning to this way of eating, I very rarely feel the need to snack, and if I do I’ll grab a handful of almonds. Or, on days when I’m exercising, I will sometimes have a sweet potato on the way – they’re so easy and portable, and they pack some energy! And because this way of eating doesn’t require any special foods, it’s been easy to do even when traveling or eating out.
Whole30 doesn’t require any strict measurements or calculations, but I do find it helpful to do some basic preparation on the weekends – especially before busy weeks. So on Sunday nights I’ll usually make the sweet potato chili, some of the nutty carrot flatbread and few other things that might make for quick, on the go lunches or easy dinners.
I love cooking and experimenting with different recipes, so the Whole30 has also given me some fun, new dishes to explore in the kitchen. But, for those who don’t like to cook, this way of eating doesn’t have to mean hours in the kitchen. Earlier this week, I put a bunch of chicken breasts in the crockpot, threw in some mushrooms, onions and salsa verde, and then let it cook for about four hours. It was delicious and required very little time or attention on my part.
Like me, the daughter of a friend of mine has tried a ton of diets. Most recently she’s been doing a strict diet that requires a bunch of food prep; and while that was possible for her to do while on break, when she goes back to work I know it’ll be harder for her to sustain. So for Christmas I gave her the Whole30 and shared with her how it’s worked for me, and why I think it might work for her too. And the same goes for all of you too! If you’ve considered it, I encourage you to give it a shot. Or if you’re curious but have question, let me know … and if you have tried it, please share your experiences here!
I think there’s a bigger picture in all of this too – and that’s how important diet is to our overall health, longevity and quality of life. I am proud to say that, at 55 years old, and at a time when nearly 70 percent of Americans are taking at least one prescription drug, the only pills I regularly take are vitamins (multi-vitamin and biotin) … when I remember to take them. Of course I realize there are illnesses and issues that require prescription medication, and I’m not opposed to that. I also know that a healthy diet, coupled with activity and adequate sleep, can go a long way in curing what ails us. And preventing disease is preferable to treating it … so, I’m happy to hold off on the prescriptions for as long as I can.
Here’s to happiness & health in 2017!
Any suggestions for doing whole 30 as a vegetarian?
I need to redo the whole 30, as I actually gained from indulging in too much fruit! BUT… I never felt better. It was healthy eating. My skin was glowing too. It works. And you don’t need to eat much meat with it either. I only eat organic chicken. My spirulizer is very helpful too!
Actually I tried most diets watched carbs for a long time BUT the best thing I did was insure that I walk at least 90 miles a week! I lost some weight, I can eat just about any food for dinner and its been good. Had to buy new jeans though
Had to add I am addicted to my Fitbit
Thank you for sharing your whole30 experience. I have been on it one week. Our cafe has whole30 lunches. My lunch smelled so good that co-workers came over to my desk. The chef made stuff peppers, sweet potatoes cut in cubes and green beans with mushrooms, a little fresh garlic and onion. No snacking after that meal!.
I bought whole 30 and the cookbook. I was just scanning the book but now I will read it cover to cover. I also bought some dried fruits (made in nature) at Costco with no sugar or sulfites. So good. At Whole Foods they had a portobello mushroom salad made with olive oil and no sugar- yum!
Thanks for sharing and being so encouraging. I also took some of your advice. I started going to Friday night services because I will never find what I want sitting at home. Thanks, barb
I’m going to try out this eating program. I have struggled to drop weight gained after ankle reconstruction surgery last June.
I tend to rely on lots of exercise to control my weight. Losing the ability to burn off all of the extra calories has forced me to get serious about healthy eating.
Having two teens in the house doesn’t make it any easier. Both of them inherited their father’s high metabolism, thank God. But, that means big dinners and lots of snacks available in the house. It will be challenging because there is no way they will eat some of the recipes. Those two are strictly meat and potatoes. I’ll need to be creative with my cooking.
But that’s the best part — they can have meat & potatoes! When I did the Whole30 for the first time, white potatoes were off limits. You could only have sweet potatoes. But they’ve since updated it to include all forms of potatoes (except the chip and fry variety)
I just ordered the book So, I’ll have a chance to read it soon. Thankfully, my ankle is finally allowing me to get on the exercise bike and do my yoga.. I don’t track weight. But, I’ll update you on inches/sizes. I hope other people will too. It’s more fun to do this kind of stuff together…
I’m on day 11 of the Whole 30. It’s going well. I have to say that, other than the Whole 30 books and recipes, the most useful tool that I’ve found is a pressure cooker. I tend to be the person that has great intentions about using my slow cooker, then in the middle of the morning–oh (insert expletive here)! So the pressure cooker is basically my slow cooker for procrastinators. Whole chicken in 35 minutes! Soup in 15! Thanks for the inspiration to start this. It’s been energizing, motivating and hopefully, a springboard for a healthier family and healthier me!
Thanks Mary Beth for sharing your experience with whole30!….I really want to get this book and read it!…I’ve struggled with my weight my whole life and I think this whole30 would be good for me!….Thanks for all your tips and recommendations!
Thank you Mary Beth! I love hearing success stories. I only know one other person who does the Whole30. She happens to be my best friend and her husband is a doctor. It has worked out great for them. But she’s already a marathon runner and ate pretty healthy. But there were still a lot of changes she had to make. Example…occasional sweets, sodas, alcohol and dairy. Some of those where harder than others.
My husband, son and I are really trying to stick to it. We didn’t do so well over Christmas but are trying to get back on track now. I love hearing you talk about it and all the great tips you give! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your experience with this diet and your tips Mary Beth! I was very surprised with the amount of food you can eat.
it was very encouraging to know how good you feel. I have had Type 1 diabetes for most of my life and was wondering since you read the book cover to cover if it mentioned anywhere that this diet could be adapted to someone with diabetes? I was a bit concerned about the elimination part of the diet. I strive to eat healthy every day but I know that at times I could feel better if I probably avoided certain foods. Thank you!
We are doing the Whole 30 at work this month as a challenge…of course I was in with the possibility of a free spa day! I don’t necessarily need to shed pounds, but I noticed how unhealthy I had been eating and wanted to change that. Like you, my blood sugar often gets out of control and diabetes runs in my family. I’ve noticed a difference in that since starting! The biggest challenge for me was the prepping. I love trying new things in the kitchen and this has given me a good reason to experiment! I have found Pinterest, Instagram and their book to be the biggest help in getting recipes! Thanks for the update!