Y’ALL, I AM HALFWAY THROUGH WHOLE30. I didn’t know if I’d actually make it this far if I’m being honest. I am not known for always following through on challenges and I’m trying so hard to stay on track with Whole30 because I KNOW the benefits will be worth the eliminations. If you’re curious what Whole30 is, read my previous post from last summer about it here. This post is going to review how I’ve felt during the first half of this journey, what I’ve learned, recipes I’ve tried, and my plans for the second half! Let’s get into ittttttt….
HOW I’VE FELT
Ok, not gonna lie to you guys… but the first week of this challenge IS HARD. I totally understand why, too. The best thing I did before starting Whole30 was doing enough research to where I was prepared for any and all side effects in the first few days. By eliminating so many inflammatory and sugary foods, your body goes through a hangover phase as it gets used to your new food intake routine. The first time I tried Whole30, I did NOT feel the hangover stage, but I did break that one pretty fast so maybe my body knew from the start that I wasn’t really in it. This round, by day three I was feeling the sugar withdrawals. I woke up that morning feeling sick to my stomach and threw up. I felt extremely nauseous and could barely stomach a banana with nut butter, but still made sure to eat in order to keep the nausea at bay. As soon as I got to work that day, I felt completely fine. After that episode, I only really had sporadic headaches in the first week of Whole30. My boyfriend on the other hand, had a terrible splitting headache all of day two that he could hardly stand. **SIDE NOTE: He also was attempting to cold turkey drop caffeine as well, so IMO, that headache was majorly caused by a caffeine withdrawal vs. W30 hangover. For me, week one was tough not only as your body is learning how to rely on protein, healthy fats and complex carbs for energy instead of simple carbs, but also THE CRAVINGS. I’ll tell ya now, the first week is just a test of willpower, after that it isn’t so hard. Week two felt pretty easy for us. While I still had cravings here and there, they were easy to keep at bay with healthy snacks and filling meals. I’m currently on week 3 and haven’t found myself struggling to stay on track, in fact I’ve been feeling great! 🙂 Here are some NSV’s (non-scale victories) I have experienced so far on Whole30:
- Less bloating
- Clothes fitting better
- Confidence
- Less chronic back pain (shocked by this one!)
- Less headache/migraine (haven’t had any since hangover phase :))
- Less anxious
- Happier :)))))
- Starting to lose binge habits
- Less “bored” eating — identifying cravings vs hunger
- More energy
- Learning more about nutrition
- SPECIFIC IBS CHANGES:
- Less stomach pain/cramping
- Less gas
- Less constipation/diarrhea
- Increased “regularity”
These wins alone make me SO happy. I am itching to start the reintroduction phase so I can find my trigger foods and freakin’ end my IBS pains.
WHAT I’VE LEARNED
- PREP PREP PREP PREP PREP PREP. Oh, and PREP. Seriously, a sure fire way in breaking Whole30 is not being prepared with approved food items.
- I spend a *bit* more on groceries. HOWEVER, I do think this is because I’m buying way more protein and not spending any money on eating out.
- Intuitive eating is my end goal. I am OBSESSED with food. No lie. I love to eat, cook, bake, learn new methods & recipes. I cannot live in a state of restriction. THIS CHALLENGE IS NOT ABOUT THAT THOUGH. They aren’t saying that oats are bad for you? Or that beans are bad for you? The goal is to eliminate foods that are known to cause sensitivity reactions for 30 days to clear your system and prepare to reintroduce those foods at the end. I love this challenge because I’m reminded how my plates should be looking. I was going months without proper protein and veggie portions AND I WAS FEELING THE REPERCUSSIONS. I will always eat what I want and enjoy my food, but I want to do it in a healthy and sustainable way.
- I’m so thankful for a healthy body. We only get one body in this lifetime so we need to be treating her like the temple that she is. With love, exercise, and good food.
- You don’t HAVE to buy Whole30 sauces to make your food taste good. I spent so much $$$$ on the sauces y’all. Find recipes to make your own!!
- I’m learning how to say no. I cannot BELIEVE I brought sparkling water to a couple’s game night and didn’t give in and drink alcohol. I’m so proud 🙂
- It’s not as hard as I thought to follow the guidelines.
RECIPES I’VE TRIED THIS FAR:
- Buffalo chicken casserole -not my fave, didn’t love the consistency
- Air Fryer buffalo chicken salad – simple and easy
- Potato soup – just like panera. so GOOD.
- Dump ranch – easy and love it
- Sausage and egg casserole – pretty dang good. would suggest topping with hot sauce to give it a little oomph.
- No bread turkey club – no cap, effing incredible.
- Zucchini Carbonara (trying tonight!)
- Salsa chicken stew – love a good stew, had this in week 1 and was very filling
PLANNING FOR THE DOWNSLOPE
- Going to try to plan an intricate recipe for only 1x a week. It can get a bit overwhelming cooking within guidelines on a busy night. Gonna stick to the basics for dinners to come: protein, lots of veggies and maybe some taters 🙂
- Using my Air Fryer more! Y’ALLLLLLLLL. I never thought I would be one of those people who are like, “Wait, you DON’T have an air fryer?” but it’s how I feel!!!! I tried it out for the first time last week on a whim. Roughly chopped up a rando russet potato to resemble fries, tossed in EVOO, seasoned and threw it in the fryer. THEY TURNED OUT EFFING AMAZING. Crunchy outside, soft inside. I’m obsessed.
- Going to try to plan my reintroduction phase and document it so I can discover if I have any sensitivities.
- More prepping! I still find myself rushing in the mornings so I’m going to try and prep as much as I can for the next half of Whole30.
Alrighty, that is just about it! Remember, I am sharing my journey to healing my gut. I wanted to share to help anyone who has gone through similar things as I have. Whole30 is not a yo-yo diet, it’s not meant to lead to weight loss (although it does occur) and completing it doesn’t mean your relationship with food is going to be magically cured. I’ve had issues with food and body confidence for as long as I can remember, but it gives me hope and joy knowing that I am committing to a healthier gut and one day a healthier mind!
Any questions? Feel free to ask. Always consult your physician before starting any health journey and do your research:)
Xx,
Alexis
Ps. here are some items I can’t live without on Whole30
No sugar added bacon- Trader Joe’s (Can’t link)
Roasted potatoes with onions and peppers- Trader Joe’s (can’t link)