Today, I decided to share an old post. I first wrote this last February after I finished my second Whole 30 (I’ve done four). This year, things are a little bit different since I started counting my macros (more on this really soon). But it’s really hard for me to hit my numbers while strictly Whole30 so I am going to modify it just a little bit (still no gluten, dairy, sugar, or alcohol). But I will be adding in things like oatmeal, rice, and quinoa so I can hit my carbs for the day. I’ve updated this post with some links to my favorite Whole 30 products (RX bars, I would die without you).
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Check out my very first Whole 30 post here; and you can always search “Whole 30” in our search bar for all of the posts.
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The Five Things I Learned about my Body during Whole 30:
2) I don’t need coffee. That still seems hard for me to even admit. I used to dump vanilla, or pumpkin spice, or caramel flavored creamer into my coffee every single morning. The idea of having to have it plain every day made me really nervous. Then I realized, I don’t even need it. My energy levels are so high I barely notice the lack of caffeine. I have been drinking it more recently- out of habit. But, I have learned to appreciate a nice cup of black coffee. Sometimes I add almond milk & pumpkin pie spice for an extra treat. Update: Nutpods are now Whole30 approved!
3) I had no idea how closely performance in the gym was correlated to eating. The past few weeks at Barry’s I have been in a very competitive competition with myself. I have been running my miles faster than ever (and uphill), I don’t have to walk during the endurance runs, and I have been using heavier weights. Before, I would always have an afternoon slump and feel sluggish before even walking into the studio, but now I can make it through an entire class not wanting to die. Which, if you have taken Barry’s before, you know is a huge feat in and of itself.
4) Eating healthy is the fastest way to have your best skin ever. I have always been a huge proponent of a good skin care regimen. I have ALWAYS washed my face before bed, I never skip moisturizer, and I try and do a mask every Sunday. Well, I still suffered from the occasional breakout, uneven skin tone, and dark circles. About two weeks into the program, all of those went away. It was like a miracle. I am already thinking of what I can do with the money I save not having to buy my Cle de Peau concealer.
5) Your food affects your mood. Normally after lunch, I would get so tired and so grumpy. A lot has changed since I published this post initially. I was working as a high school teacher, and I would always struggle with my classes after lunch and dread going to the gym. Now that I work from home, it’s still true. The healthier you eat, the more energy you have. Plain and simple.
The Five Things I wish I Knew Before Starting Whole 30:
1) My ass would go first. I have talked about this so many times before. I pride myself on my Kardashian like booty– and I work my ass (no pun intended) off every single Tuesday to keep it nice & plump. One of the downsides of Whole30 is booty shrinkage. But I see this as a good thing, after my body is done leaning out I will just have to work extra hard to build those glutes back up!
2) How to budget at the grocery store. In the beginning, I kind of over-prepared. I bought every single spice, dressing, compliant condiment and a huge box of RX bars. This made my grocery trips veryyyy expensive. Note to anyone doing Whole30: one flavor of Tessemae’s dressing will suffice. I haven’t even made my way through half of one yet.
3) Food doesn’t have to be elaborate to be good. For the first few weeks, I was making a new recipe every single night. This got expensive– instead of buying staples I was buying ingredients that were specific to each recipe. I think I bought every spice imaginable, But halfway through, I figured it out. Narrowed down my favorite recipes and my staple grocery items. A few of the recipes I make over and over again are: crackling chicken, lemon chicken, curry, and chocolate chili.
4) Fats keep you full. The hardest thing for me was making sure I included fats and veggies into every meal. Some days I would forget to eat fat and would have to scramble so I wouldn’t be starving. I always had olives & avocados on hand for this reason. And I keep a packet of almond butter in my purse (don’t judge me)! Update: I still struggle with eating my veggies, but my goal is to eat them at least once every single day.
5) It’s ok to eat out. This one was really hard for me. I ate out a total of 4 times in the entire 30 days. Which was actually really empowering. But eating out is a reality of life and it’s ok to eat out on Whole30. There is always something you can have– you just might have to be a huge pain in the ass asking them to modify things. Everywhere I went was more than happy to oblige my requests and answer any and all questions I had about the menu.
The Five Next Steps:
1) Reintroduce foods. Whole 30 gives you an exact schedule on how to reintroduce foods. One of my friends said, “well, how are you going to go back to eating normal foods?” But the entire point of Whole30 is for you to realize that the way you were eating before wasn’t normal. Eating processed and unhealthy foods shouldn’t be the norm. Ever since my first Whole 30 stint back in 2016, I can probably count the number of times I’ve eaten dairy on my hands. It really does change your view on everything.
2) Become paleo. You can’t do Whole30 forever. It’s unrealistic, but following a mostly paleo diet is my next step. Of course, every once in a while I will want a burrito, and if it’s really worth it, then I will have it.
3) Maintain a healthy relationship with food. The most important thing I gained from this whole thing was a healthier relationship with food. I no longer have to eat food because it’s there, or free, or because I don’t feel like cooking, or because someone else is eating it.
4) Train for 10k. I have run a 10k before- but I was super unhealthy, just had surgery, was hungover, and had never actually run 6 miles before. This time, I want to train and actually try and set a personal record. Update: I ran my 10k and trained for a half-marathon that was canceled because of air quality. I will definitely do this again in 2018.
5) Help my friends who are now doing Whole30. Okay, so maybe I bullied some of them into it but it’s all for a good cause. Since I am pretty much staying on the Whole30 track anyways, I am going to help with their shopping, cooking, and the proper way to cut a sweet potato. I wouldn’t have been able to survive without the help of the people I texted constantly, so I feel like it’s only the right thing to do. I am proud to say, that out of everyone that started Whole 30 with me, I am the only one who made it the entire way without cheating. I am incredibly proud of myself and just want to emphasize that this is NOT HARD, you just have to want it bad enough!
