My Whole30 Wrap Up

When my sister asked me late in August if I would want to do a Whole30 challenge with her starting in September, I immediately said yes, but asked if we could wait until after labor day so I could get my grub on at a cookout.  No need to sabotage yourself with a holiday, right?
 

A typical breakfast of eggs scrambled in ghee with a protein and tons of vegetables. Some roasted potatoes on the side.

 She was actually surprised by the fact that I said yes.  See, being a dietitian I tend to not trust most "fad" diets, especially ones that eliminate whole food groups, but I was at a point of desperation.  I was 2 months post-partum and not feeling good about what I was eating, the way I felt, or the way I looked.  I was not sleeping well, had little energy and my body ached. 

Now, I fully understand that these are all normal feelings after having a baby and we moms don't give ourselves enough slack when it comes to getting back to our pre-pregnancy selves.  But, I knew I was not eating as healthy as I should be and I wanted to try something new.  I also figured from a professional standpoint, it was a good idea to see what all the rage was about and to form my own opinion, so that I could share it when asked.

Balsamic chicken and sausage with roasted butternut squash and steamed broccoli.

First thing I did was buy the Whole30 book It Starts With Food and scour their website.  Like any normal food-loving person, I immediately needed to know what can and can't I eat on this plan?  Well, here's the answer:

IN:  Meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts, natural fats (coconut oil, olive oil, avocado, ghee)

OUT: All sugar (yes, even honey), alcohol, grains, legumes, dairy and three preservatives: sulfites, carageenan and MSG

You know what my first thought was...great, I can have coffee!  Wait! What am I going to put in my coffee?? (see below)

BBQ meatballs with roasted spaghetti squash.

By now you're probably asking "Okay so what exactly is the point of the Whole30 challenge?"  The point is that many of the foods we eat trigger hormonal responses in our body that are negative.  I love this quote from the book: "The food that you eat either makes you more healthy or less healthy. Those are your options. There is no neutral."  I have always believed that the food we eat makes us feel a certain way, so this was making sense to me.  This was in fact, why I became a dietitian.  Because, I believe we can heal ourselves (or make ourselves sick) with food. 

So, here are some of the developments and discoveries that happened during my Whole30 challenge:

I lost a total of 10 pounds...I felt less bloated...I had more energy...I tried new foods...I began to enjoy cooking again...I was eating more vegetables...I noticed a lot of my cravings subsided...I could recognize when I was full and when I was hungry....I could drink black coffee and enjoy it...I would not die without cheese...I started running again...I fell in love with homemade mayo

Amazing homemade mayo.

I'm sure what everyone is dying to know is did I cheat?  The answer? Yes, I did cheat a couple of times.  I had 3 glasses of wine over the course of the 30 days.  On day 29 I had a bite of some delicious bread and after dinner on day 30 I had a few spoonfuls of ice cream!  I know, I know, I'm going to hell! No, but seriously, it is kind of sad that I couldn't go 30 days without cheating.  But, I don't dwell on it, because I really feel great!

Turkey burger topped with homemade mayo and garden tomato with tomato and avocado salad
 and a side of sautéed spinach and bacon.

So, there you have it: my Whole30 wrap-up!  Would I do it again? Absolutely!  Is there anything I am going to continue to eliminate from my diet? I don't think so, but I do want to keep grains, dairy and sugar to a minimum.

Healthfully Yours,

Meghan