Guys, guess what? I made it! This past Tuesday was officially the last day of my Whole 30.
Unless you’re new around these parts (which if you are, welcome! so glad you’re here) you’ve probably heard about my adventures in Whole 30-ing. For anyone wanting a refresher, the Whole 30 is a 30 day dietary “reset” where you eliminate all added sugar, dairy, grains, legumes and alcohol. The idea is that these are inflammatory ingredients that can affect your health in numerous ways, and by eliminating them you can discover how they affect your body. Another big part of the Whole 30 is focusing on eating 3 meals a day that are built around protein, complex carbs, veggies and healthy fats. To learn a little more about the program here are the official rules.
I thought the best way to evaluate whether I felt the program was success was to compare how I feel now to my original reasons I wanted to start before I began a month ago:
Stomach Cramps/Feeling Bloated
My stomach cramps and gas was becoming a daily occurrence and it was one of my biggest motivators to re-examine my diet. I still occasionally will get stomach cramps after eating a lot of fruit, but on the whole they’ve gone way down. Before the Whole 30 I’d have at least one apple every day and usually a quest bar. While I’m definitely not saying apples are bad, I think my body has a difficult time digesting them. Now that I’ve cut down on snacks including the cutting out the quest bars and cutting down on the daily apples I’ve noticed a big difference in feeling bloated, especially at work.
Snacks I used to eat daily before starting the Whole 30.
Feeling Unsatisfied After Meals
Before the Whole 30 I’d usually finish a meal and either still feel hungry or feel full but not satisfied. I’m not sure exactly why. I think it has something to do with the fact I was eating lots of small meals throughout the day, but not the right combination of fats, proteins and complex carbs to be truly satisfied. But I’m happy to report that I’ve felt much better after eating. I no longer need a mini dessert or sweet snack after each meal.
Sugar Cravings
This is probably the biggest change I’ve seen. My sugar cravings are almost entirely gone. My morning smoothie routine is definitely the sweetest thing I consume (aside from Bai) during the day. At night I’m usually able to remind myself that I can hold off until morning comes. It feels pretty fantastic not to crave sugar in the afternoon or feel the need to snack for energy. If you’re feeling like you want to kick your sugar habits defintiely consider the Whole 30.
Feeling Sluggish
I’ll be totally honest, I still don’t have as much energy as I would like. I don’t know whether that’s due to my diet or in part due to the bleak weather we’ve been suffering through in Boston. I only drink one cup of coffee a day and I don’t feel like I’m going to crash at 3pm, but I’m definitely not exploding with energy either.
Late Night Snacking
This really goes hand in hand with the sugar cravings but I’m SO proud to say my late night snacking is virtually non-existant. I used to have a small to medium snack usually granola, chocolate, nut butter and yogurt right before bed. It went from being an occasional treat to being a nightly occurrence even when I wasn’t hungry. I’ve been getting better sleep and waking up more refreshed now that I don’t eat right before bed. A big part of cutting down this habit was taking time to make dinners that I really wanted, savoring them as I ate them and then “closing” the kitchen after dinner. Another tip to try is brushing your teeth after dinner, which can help you mentally stop eating for the day.
Jeans Feeling Snug
I didn’t weigh myself before I started because I don’t have a scale and haven’t stepped on one for over a year, but I was hoping that with all these changes I might feel a difference in how my jeans fit. I’m not sure if it’s just mental, but I feel a slight difference. I didn’t really see any changes until the fourth week, so if you’re doing the Whole 30 don’t expect to see results right away, be patient because you’re doing it the right way.
Some of my favorite Whole 30 meals
All in All
I’d say this was a successful program and I’m very happy I did it. More than the elimination of things like dairy and grains, I think eliminating sugar and focusing on eating 3 meals built around nutrient dense proteins, carbs and fats is the most beneficial part of the program. So if you’re looking for something a little less extreme start focusing on cutting down your sugar and focusing on what you SHOULD be eating versus what you SHOULDN’T be eating.
It’s not a perfect cure-all and I think some of their claims are a little extreme at least for people who eat a moderately healthy diet already. I also don’t love how EXTREME they are about all the rules, but I think it’s a good way to keep yourself accountable and really stick with it. I don’t love labeling foods as “bad” because it can be triggering to anyone who has had a history of disordered eating.
What’s Next?
Because of how many great changes I’ve made I really want to keep up this style of eating for the foreseeable future. I may occasionally indulge in some dairy or incorporate unprocessed grains here and there, but for the most part when I’m cooking for myself (which is 90% of the time) I’ll be following the structure of the Whole 30.
Your Turn:
- Do you prefer 3 bigger meals or more smaller meals? (I think I prefer 3 meals)
- What’s one food you’d never want to give up? (for me it would be almond butter or avocados)
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Woot Woot, congratulations, Georgie!!! It freaking takes so much will power to stick to a dietary plan! Were there any things in particular that you had to tell yourself to motivate yourself to keep going?
Aww thank you Kaley! Always makes my day when you comment <3 This might sound crazy, but once I got into the swing of things I got really into it! As long as I can eat almond butter and avocados I won't complain #yayhealthyfats
Congrats to you, G! I am inspired by your focus 😀
Like you mentioned, I am working toward being more conscious of how often I snack (mostly sugary) and gearing up to embark on the ‘reset’ aka Whole 30, myself. I think this time of year is a good time to do it, too; in spite of the bleak midwinter. I will definitely try incorporating the teeth brushing after dinner clean up! I am a just before bed sweet snack-er, so this will help remind me. I am looking forward to/hopeful for the possibility of more restful sleep, and waking refreshed. I’ll let you know when I commence! I think for me, life without berries would be a sad life for me.
Aww thanks Mom! The sugar is definitely the hardest part hands down. I was definitely more inclined to cook when the weather isn’t inviting and it’s a good head start on healthy habits for all of 2015. Fresh berries are so delightful! Glad you always had them fresh in the fridge
I wouldn’t ever want to give up froyo. It’s just too good!
This just reminded me that it’s been way too long since my last fro-yo – I love how customizable it is! No matter what you’re craving it always satisfies
For me it was also hard getting over the mental battle of having a snack at night. I usually have it even thought I’m not hungry! I wish it wasn’t like that. During my Whole30 when I knew I wouldn’t get a snack at night I was like piling up my plate at dinner.
I can definitely relate – there are still some nights I’ll have something after dinner if I’m hungry, but being more mindful with those hunger cues has helped me a lot.
I haven’t ever done a strict W30, but when I do go through sprints of eating mostly W30-ish, this all sounds very much like what I find. The biggest thing: the sugar cravings. Vamoose! It’s amazing the difference taking it out makes – and how addictive sugar clearly is.
As much as I can go on 3 meals (sometimes even 2 massive ones) in a day, my ideal is 3 plus an afternoon snack. I think it’s more a mental barrier than anything, but it works fine for me and my energy is best that way.
Oh totally understand the afternoon snack thing and there’s definitely nothing wrong with it especially when your lunch and dinner are far apart (and even more especially when you add in any physical activity) For some reason I get way hungrier at work than I do at home or on the weekends so the emergency snack is a must.
Great job completing the program and thank you for sharing your experience. I have thought about doing the program multiple times since I have a lot of the same reasons I would begin such as the sugar cravings and night time snacking. I am definitely going to check it out a bit more!
Thanks Brie! If nothing else, check out the book “It Starts With Food” – it was really interesting and put a lot of perspective on the “whys” of the program. It’s crazy how addictive sugar is, and I still have it here and there, but it’s nice not feeling the familiar cravings all the time.
I honestly like 3 bigger meals and my snacks are usually a apple and nuts or a bar if I am on the go. I would absolutely hate giving up nut butter. I won’t do it. I honestly don’t understand the obsession with Quest bars. They are made with a lot of crap and there are just other real foods I would rather eat. And I would 100% say the weather is having a serious effect on your energy levels!
A world without nut butter isn’t one I ever want to think about. 🙁 I didn’t realize how icky the quest bars were making me feel until I gave them up. Now if I’m looking for fast protein or nutrition I’d rather grab some nuts and a hard boiled egg. I think my body is thanking me big time. Today we saw some sun in up here and I can’t tell you how happy it made me. My sister and I went for the longest walk and couldn’t shut up about how good the sun felt. I just keep daydreaming about swimming at Surfside beach <3
I’m glad you had such a great experience! I tend to prefer three meals a day, but I always have a night time snack. But it’s not something I’m too determined to fix. I eat really healthy and don’t want to try to be “perfect.” I don’t know, that might change. I’ve never had a Quest bar but artificial foods don’t sit well with my stomach.
Thanks Emily! Balance is so much more important than attempting to be perfect. Sometimes I’ll still grab some fruit and nuts if I’m hungry after dinner. Quest bars might taste good and have good “macros” but now I see how much they bug my stomach I’ll stick to whole foods.
The meals look so, so delicious. I am on the saaame page with the late night snacking – so glad it’s not just me! I don’t know where the cravings come from, but I always need a night time snack even when I’m not hungry. Gahhh! I think following my plant-based diet is helping in a lot of the same ways the Whole 30 did for you. So glad you’re feelin’ good! =)
I think being able to step back and focus on why I was snacking (habit, comfort, stress) also helped me realize when I did need a snack and when I didn’t and needed to deal with something else.
Hi! Loving this post! I am currently doing a whole30 too! I am finishing up day 13 today! Feeling great and love hearing your re cap about it! I definitely have a hard time eating 3 full meals bc of my school schedule, and am training for a marathon so I still allow some snacks! Also def couldn’t give up almond butter either- so yummy!
That’s so exciting! Congrats on making it half way. The first half is definitely the hardest, after week 2 you’ll cruise through. Marathon training DEFINITELY requires extra fueling so you’re so smart to listen to your body. I had a time in my life when I thought nut butter was too many calories – I know laugh at that past life whilst adding almond butter to everything #YAYHEALTHYFATS <3
Just playing catch up but congrats on successfully completing it- I’m stoked to hear you had positive results from it 🙂
I did it a while back and while I didn’t really benefit from it, It was such an eye opener. Apples make me a pregnant man lol. Stupid apples.
It’s so sad because I LOVE apples.
For me it wasn’t so much the food specifically but HOW I ate it that really helped me see positive changes if that makes any sense – sometimes it’s good to try things just to know you never have to again 😉 (me and meat)
Well I now feel like a fat undisciplined slob ? I eat chocolate every night and was finally not feeling guilty about it but now am reassessing ?
I love your “all in all” portion and keep reflecting up on those points with all whole30 reviews. I’m in it to examine my sugar cravings and the habit of snacking when I’m not even hungry. I got so used to eating a treat after a meal, even if I wasn’t hungry! Love the recap 🙂
This seems like a such a do-able eating plan! I work from 1-10pm at a desk, which means my diet has taken a hit for the last six months. Luckily, meal prepping a little bit helps, but snacking is so tough! Do you think this is practical for someone who works long after dinner hours?