Whole30: Final Thoughts (Round 2)

Yet again, 3o days have flown by and today is Day 1 of what I–and a whole bunch of other Whole30ers–are calling their ‘Food Freedom Forever.’

That’s the title of Melissa Hartwig, the brains behind the Whole30, newest book. These last 30 days, scheduled to correspond with the debut of the book (which arrived on my doorstep yesterday, Day 30), were a much-needed dietary ‘reset’ for me, since my vacation/summer eating hadn’t really ended…and it was pushing September.

Let’s back up.

I decided I needed another Whole30 when it became apparent that my trip to France had derailed the new eating habits I’d learned from my first Whole30 in April. In hindsight, I should have done a Whole15 as soon as I got back (see the new book for more on that) to get back on track. Well, I didn’t, and spent the rest of the summer feeling out of control with my eating and splurging any time I felt like it.

As September approached, it seemed like as good a month as any (it even has 30 days!) to begin, and recruited a friend to come on this journey with me. We joined the #SeptemberWhole30, a large group of Whole30ers who participated at the same time in anticipation of the new book.

I struggle to decide if this Whole30 was easier or harder than my first (back in April). On the one hand, I felt like an old pro; I knew the ins and outs of ingredient labels, what’s allowed and not allowed, and what’s easiest to prepare food-wise for a busy week (of which I have many). On the other hand, this wasn’t a shiny, new Whole30 for me; it was an admission that I hadn’t held onto the healthier habits I’d been so convinced would be life-long at the end of my previous Whole30. It was harder when eating out this time, and there were a couple slips along the way.

But, here we are on Day 1 of my reintroduction, and all I’ve had off-plan is a little half-and-half in my coffee. (SO not as good as I thought it would be. Wondering about my coffee choice, debating whether I want to try 1/2 a tsp of sugar tomorrow morning or not.) I’m also debating about having a small chocolate truffle that’s sitting in my purse this very minute.

I feel fabulous, my clothes fit better and I’d say I have more energy…except that I’m fighting a cold and have been plagued by some recent (and unexplained) insomnia–I blame too much caffeine and stress. I didn’t weigh myself this morning, but probably will tomorrow. I’m guessing I lost about 10 pounds, which is how much I lost last time.

I love all the food I ate, and–just like in my initial Whole30: Round 2 post–I plan to continue along this way, doing the ‘Slow Roll’ reintroduction. It means that instead of doing the structured re-intro, I just eat things as I want them. Like that chocolate truffle.

What did I miss? Surprisingly, not a lot. (Actually, I wasn’t surprised; at the end of my April Whole30, I was shocked at how little I wanted things–like ice cream–that I’d had to give up.) I did miss cream in my coffee, and started that this morning (see above). I also missed gum (I eat most of my meals away from home–at work, in the car–and really like having fresh breath) but didn’t resort to actually using the toothbrush I keep in my purse like I did in April. I get the point about chewing gum and beginning a cascade of hormonal responses preparing the body for digestion, but I think I’ll still chew gum. I missed popcorn, but I’m not jonesing for a bowl right now or anything. I’m sure I’ll have some soon. As for dessert and other sweets? I’ll address those as they come. Fall goodies? Oh yes, I’m sure I’ll indulge a bit in pumpkin EVERYTHING, but only when it’s really worth it. I’ve already stashed a package of pumpkin waffles (I know, how can pre-made waffles qualify as ‘worth it?’ Trust me, these babies are.) in my freezer and plan to have them as part of a balanced meal, with plenty of protein and fat alongside my carby, sugary waffle. And if those were EGGO waffles, or pop-tarts, or some other less-fabulous-more-mundane food item, it would still be OK.

Why? Because if it’s worth it to you, that’s all that matters. I’ve started reading Food Freedom Forever, and it’s phenomenal. Seriously. You CAN have ‘food freedom’ and still enjoy your candy/ice cream/brownie/whatever-you-love sometimes, without the guilt it used to bring before. It’s all about embracing your healthy eating style, allowing yourself that splurge, and–when you’re starting to backslide into old habits–doing a diet ‘rest’ (like the Whole30, or a Whole15 or Whole7) to get back on track. It’s that simple.

More on Food Freedom Forever once I finish it. For now, I’m happy to keep eating all the delicious and super healthy food I’ve been eating, and maybe popping a chocolate truffle once in awhile.

Whole30: Round 2

Today I started another Whole30, this time as part of a larger group doing what we’re calling the #SeptemberWhole30, which is in honor of Whole30 founder and author Melissa Hartwig’s newest book, Food Freedom Forever, which will be released Oct. 4, our day 30.

After having such a great experience with my April Whole30, (yet feeling like I fell back into my old habits this summer after our vacation in France) I was already toying with the idea of doing another Whole30 in September when I found out about a group starting Sep 5.

So, of course, I jumped right on board. I’d already pre-ordered my copy of the new book, and I was looking for more structure to get my diet back on track. In fact, I’m anticipating doing more than a Whole30, perhaps a Whole45 or Whole60. (Or, basically ‘Whole’ but adding half-and-half to my coffee after 30 days or something.). I do best with structure in all areas of my life–exercise, schedule, work–why not maintain structure long-term?

After a slightly hectic day trying to get some food prepped and mayo made, I’m happy to report that I’ve had some great meals today and will eat well all week! I’m not planning to blog every day or week with photos of my meals, but I’ll share some things here and there. Be sure to follow me on social media to see what I’m enjoying this month!

whole30: final thoughts

Well, this is super late. I had kinda hoped to get this out shortly after my Whole30 was finished (more than two weeks ago), but then I figured I’d wait until after I reintroduced all the foods and include that info, and then I got busy prepping for our trip. To France. Today.

So, I’m using the early morning hours today to play catch-up on all the things I can do that don’t require daylight or make too much noise. Vacuuming will have to wait.

Before I get into too much detail, let me just say: doing a Whole30 was amazing. Life-changing. Fantastic. Honestly, it was everything the book said it would be. I ate better. I slept better. I felt better. I lost a little weight. But the biggest thing for me wasn’t physical, it was emotional and spiritual. There was no food guilt. Not once. No feeling terrible that I overate. No feeling ashamed at the size of my bowl of ice cream. No ‘food with no brakes’ moments. It was so freeing.

However, now that I’m on the other side and (unfortunately) slipping back into some bad habits, I can reflect a little more on the experience overall.

Bottom line: it really was amazing. Physically, mentally and spiritually. I would recommend EVERYONE give it a shot–you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. It’s a completely nutritious eating style (it’s not low carb or high protein or all fat), unlike other diets out there. (I’m looking at you, Atkins.)

But, it’s not sustainable. And it’s not supposed to be. The authors themselves aren’t Whole30 all the time, but they’ve adopted a Whole30-ish lifestyle with worthwhile splurges occasionally. And obviously there isn’t any food guilt (if you’re doing it right), because you’re not feeding your sugar dragon or overeating anything or emotionally eating or whatever it is that causes you to have bad relationships with food. Which is why I’m struggling a little now that I’ve reintroduced some things back into my diet.

On reintroduction: At first, I was really excited to follow the plan and reintroduce everything by the book and be Whole30 on the in-between days. Well, I was not prepared for how hard it would be to stay Whole30 once foods were reintroduced. It wasn’t like I was binging on sugar–I did follow the reintroduction–but it was just too easy to let a little rice come in here and there, or some added sugars, or a little milk in my coffee. After reintroducing everything, I can say that while I’m confident I don’t have any major issues with dairy or gluten, I definitely don’t feel as good after eating either of them. I don’t feel bad per se, but I don’t feel as GOOD. And, obviously, a too-big portion of ice cream is going to make anyone feel crappy, so there’s that.

On breaking bad food habits: doing a Whole30 really helped me address some of my bad food habits, like snacking too much. I’m not totally against snacking and believe it can be part of a healthy eating plan if your (healthy) meals are smaller and your (healthy) snacks are appropriate. The Whole30 encourages bigger, more nutrient-dense meals with sufficient protein and healthy fat, both of which promote satiety. I found when I ate those kinds of meals, I could go 4-5 hours without even thinking of food. It was glorious.

Unfortunately, now that I’ve reintroduced everything (certainly in much smaller amounts), I think I’m falling back into snacking and having too many sweets. Need to keep working on those!

On what’s worth it: In principle, this is an easy concept. What’s ‘worth it’ is different for everyone, and it can vary depending on your situation or circumstances. Great example: the other day, I really wanted a cookie. A good cookie. However, our cute little bakery was closed at the time. I drove around town, pondering what I should do: no, I didn’t want a day-old donut from Dunkin. No, I didn’t want anything from the Tops bakery. I pulled into the Yotality parking lot, but no, I didn’t want froyo and I certainly didn’t want it along (I liken it to drinking alone). If I’d stopped there, I would have called it a major victory. However, I went to the one place in East Aurora I knew I could find cookies: they Nyes’ house. Uncharacteristically, Mrs. Nye did not have any homemade, but a few Oreos and milk went a long way to soothe my craving. Was it worth it? No, packaged items are almost NEVER ‘worth it.’ But, was the company? Yes. Sometimes, you just have to eat a little sugar to get a need met. (But not often!)

On grocery shopping: I loved grocery shopping for Whole30. In some ways, it was more expensive–good quality meat and veggies (mostly organic) aren’t cheap. But I was saving money (and time!) by avoiding almost the entire middle of the grocery store, where I usually ended up grabbing unhealthy ‘healthy’ items, like a fun granola or cracker. Don’t get me wrong–I already knew how to shop the perimeter of the grocery store–Whole30 just made me stick to it.

On my sweet tooth: It definitely kicked my sugar dragon to the curb! Thankfully, I didn’t have any crazy sugar withdrawals, nor did I really even miss the sweets while doing the Whole30. But, now that I’ve let some added sugar back into my life, the sugar dragon is rearing its ugly head. (Disclaimer: Admittedly, I’ve been a little lax. Andrew and I are about to jet off to France and I fully intend to eat and drink to my little hearts’ content.)

On going forward: Since Whole30 ended, I’ve continued grocery shopping almost completely paleo (if not Whole30), and I intend to keep it that way. By now, we’ve pretty much eradicated (ha! it’s like I’m talking about household pests instead of food) anything ‘junk-like’ from our house, which I like. I’ve also continued to eat very Whole30/paleo when at home (sweet potatoes and eggs and salad for breakfast, or beef jerky and veggies and fruit for lunch) with a relaxation on the added sugars. I tried a coconut milk coffee creamer but found it to be both too sweet and not have a great texture, so I anticipate going to a half-and-half or some dairy option for coffee. However, I won’t be buying milk or much yogurt, relying mostly on meat, eggs, fruits and veggies, and cooking the occasional grain (like rice or quinoa) with dinners. I won’t buy much bread–if any–and may make my own every once in awhile. Same with pancakes. I think I’ll do a little more paleo-style baking, mostly for fun. Overall, it’s about eating well 80% of the time so that the other 20% (whether you’re out to eat or cooking at home), you can splurge on something truly worth it.

I’ll wrap this up here, but know I’m not finished with Whole30. I’m already thinking of doing a ‘Whole30-ish’ thing when Andrew and I return from our trip. Goodness knows I’ll need it!