Whole30 – The Final Wrap-Up

I FINISHED WHOLE30!!

Summary of the Program:

*  Lost 8 lbs!

*  Feel happy, lighthearted, and full of energy

*  MUCH more conscious of what I’m eating

* Paved the way for good habits ahead

YAY! This is my post-whole30 pic! I am feeling preeeeetty good with everything. I’ve spent the past 30 days without ANY processed foods. I’ve cut out ALL added sugars as well as dairy and wheat. The program had its ups and downs, but in the end I’m REALLY happy that I went through with it. It taught me a lot about buying the right kind of groceries. I never used to buy fresh meat/seafood, but now I walk right up to the butcher and get the best kind of meat for my body. I plan my meals and never leave myself in a situation where I have to eat garbage. It’s been a whole uplifting process of taking better care of myself.

The results of the Whole30 span beyond weight-loss. This has been a whole attitude adjustment. When I’m feeling better myself, I’m a MUCH happier person to others. I felt like I wanted to be more social, that I was happy and energized, and just more willing to go with the flow. There was never a nagging voice in my head of “oh, I SHOULD start eating better soon” because I WAS. I was finally taking care of it.

I asked my boyfriend (who is a photographer) to take these studio pics for me for an upcoming website I’m launching. I also thought it would be a great Whole30 wrap-up to feel confident and have an endpoint to look forward to.

Here are the benefits I’ve experienced coming off the program:

Less Snacking/More Solid Meals
I’ve mentioned it in a previous post here, that Whole30 takes the fun out of snacking. If you are a person who likes to munch on something for the pure enjoyment of food (and not hunger), this program can really help get you back on the straight and narrow. When I would ask myself “Am I hungry? Hungry enough to eat broccoli?” if the answer was no, I just waited until the next meal.

No Emotional Eating
I am seriously guilty of this. Eating for reasons other than physical hunger: procrastinating, for pleasure, to avoid something, to sit in front of the TV and not really think about anything. You are forced to put so much thought into all your food choices and really TASTE them on this program. Because I was paying attention all the time, I didn’t use food to manage emotions, which is HUGE. This benefit alone made the entire experience worth it.

Glowing Skin
My skin has been very clear ever since the second week and it requires very little maintenance now (less moisturizing).

Weight Loss
I lost 8 lbs! woohoo! That is exactly the recommended amount: up to 2lbs/week. I also know that because the program forces your body into an efficient fat burning machine, this was the REAL DEAL. Not just water weight. Beyond the number, my pants are loose and I can wear my old dresses again. I feel like I lost more.

Heightened Taste Buds
This part is really fascinating to me. It’s like learning to taste food all over again. I’ve been sampling non-Whole30 foods after I finished, and everything tastes super SWEET! Bread, wine, BACON! These all have a sweetness I never noticed before. It makes me hyper-aware when I’m eating something that has added sugar.

No Heartburn
My heartburn to acidic and citrus foods has vanished. I’m not sure what the culprit was yet, but I previously thought it was the direct food items (tomatoes, lemons, chili). But it’s not! I can eat those now without a problem. I’m keeping a close watch on this as I bring foods back in.

I can’t say it enough that I’m JUST HAPPIER!!! :) I take an optimistic outlook on everything, and I don’t feel sluggish/tired/down.

Right now I’m taking a few days off of any eating guidelines and in January I will be maintaining a mostly paleo diet. The results and the way I feel are too good to turn away from. It’s never THAT hard to say “no” to bad foods, and feeling energized is always worth it.

If anyone is considering Whole30, please feel free to reach out to me. It’s been so positive and I think everyone should experience this. It’s a serious gamechanger and I needed it. Thanks for following along and for your continued support. Have a happy healthy New Year!

-Danielle

(photos by Silver City Photography)