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March 31, 2015

Whole30 Food for Thought

Morning, ladies. So today's the day, the Whole30 recap day. If you're not interested in my Whole30 experience feel free to click the red X. I know this might not be everyone's cup of tea and hopefully nothing I says offends anyone or comes off preachy. But, I've had many of you ask questions about Whole30 and I figured I would answer everything in one post. Even if part of it is for me to remember everything, too.  Full disclosure: I am in no way licensed or certified in nutrition or fitness, everything in this post in my opinion unless otherwise sourced.

I started my Whole30 journey on February 23rd on a bit of a whim, but with a decent amount of research. I did not buy the book but found all of my information online at Whole30.com. I do plan to buy the book to dive into the nuts and bolts of why this style of diet works and to learn the science of how our bodies react on certain foods, but the book isn't necessary to attempt the program.
[source]
First things first, a lil bit of a refresher on Whole30. The WHOLE point [haha] of this program is to get your body off the sugar dragon and off of bad cravings. Huuuuuuuuuge undertaking right!?!? But, if you consistently plan you will be okay. There will be days you crave something you aren't supposed to eat, but you'll get through it and by the end won't NEED that coke, cupcake or afternoon coffee. So, let's refresh the Whole30 rules.

"Yes: Eat real food.
Eat meat, seafood, eggs, tons of vegetables, some fruit, and plenty of good fats from fruits, oils, nuts and seeds. Eat foods with very few ingredients, all pronounceable ingredients, or better yet, no ingredients listed at all because they’re totally natural and unprocessed. Don’t worry… these guidelines are outlined in extensive detail in our free shopping list.

No: Avoid for 30 days.
More importantly, here’s what NOT to eat during the duration of your Whole30 program. Omitting all of these foods and beverages will help you regain your healthy metabolism, reduce systemic inflammation, and help you discover how these foods are truly impacting your health, fitness and quality of life.
  • Do not consume added sugar of any kind, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, coconut sugar, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, stevia, etc. Read your labels, because companies sneak sugar into products in ways you might not recognize.
  • Do not consume alcohol in any form, not even for cooking. (And it should go without saying, but no tobacco products of any sort, either.)
  • Do not eat grains. This includes (but is not limited to) wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgur, sorghum, amaranth, buckwheat, sprouted grains and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains like quinoa. This also includes all the ways we add wheat, corn and rice into our foods in the form of bran, germ, starch and so on. Again, read your labels.
  • Do not eat legumes. This includes beans of all kinds (black, red, pinto, navy, white, kidney, lima, fava, etc.), peas, chickpeas, lentils, and peanuts. No peanut butter, either. This also includes all forms of soy – soy sauce, miso, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and all the ways we sneak soy into foods (like lecithin).
  • Do not eat dairy. This includes cow, goat or sheep’s milk products such as cream, cheese (hard or soft), kefir, yogurt (even Greek), and sour cream… with the exception of clarified butter or ghee. (See below for details.)
  • Do not consume carrageenan, MSG or sulfites. If these ingredients appear in any form on the label of your processed food or beverage, it’s out for the Whole30.
  • Do not try to re-create baked goods, junk foods, or treats* with “approved” ingredients. Continuing to eat your old, unhealthy foods made with Whole30 ingredients is totally missing the point, and will tank your results faster than you can say “Paleo Pop-Tarts.” Remember, these are the same foods that got you into health-trouble in the first place—and a pancake is still a pancake, regardless of the ingredients. " [source]

Again, I know it looks daunting and the no dairy and no alcohol were the hardest rules for me to follow. I love me some half and half in my coffee and who doesn't enjoy a glass of wine every now and then? I know I sure do! But, I substituted Thai Kitchen unsweetened coconut milk for my regular half and half and it worked out fine for me. I'm debating on not going back to half and half now that I'm done with Whole30, however I haven't fully decided what program I'm going to follow post Whole30. Honsetly, day 31 was pretty scary because the rigid rules were my crutch and now it's all on me if I choose to eat unhealthy. Luckily, I found this great article on life post Whole30 and am slowly finding my way with food choices.

So, let's talk about my results. I honestly hadn't planned to share my full results, because putting your weight out there on the Internet is a bit scary. Everyone has an opinion and they can say anything behind a computer screen, but you know what I'm gonna be brave today and share everything. One of the none-food rules of Whole30 is you aren't allowed to weigh yourself until you finish the program and man was it hard not to step on the scale. But I loved seeing the big drop in weight at the end instead of just a few elbees here and there.





As you can see, I lost seven pounds and a total of eight inches overall, which to me was a phenomenal result. I've been at a huge plateau for the past year and this was the kickstart I needed to get back to where I feel happy. NOW, this program is NOT designed as a weight loss program, but most people see a little bit of change in their bodies because they have cut out a big group of processed foods. Watching numbers decrease is amazing but even more amazing are the None Scale Victories [NSVs]. My NSVs were better sleep, healthier skin, lack of cravings, more energy and a better understanding of what good food can do for my body. Experiencing the 'tiger blood' was pretty epic, too!

You can do this, I promise. It won't be easy and there will be days it's not fun, but the finish line is worth every moment. I cannot describe the pride I experienced on day 31. I set a goal and accomplished it and y'all can too. Yes, the do not eat list is big but you can still eat really delicious food while on Whole30. I plan to continue to share more Whole30 recipes as I cook them, to show you clean eating is still yummy eating.
Fresh arugula, chicken, grapefruit salad; salmon with avocado-mango salsa and compliant dimsum stuffed mushrooms; sliders with sweet potato fries an green beens; cracklin chicken with zoodles and smashed cauliflower.

Here are a few of the recipes I have on my radar right now. Hopefully I'll have a few of them for you in the coming weeks. There are so many out there, I can't wait to try them.




Everyone is different but here are my tips for completing Whole30:

Have someone to hold you accountable or to do the program with you. - I am 90% sure I would have failed if Le Husband hadn't participated in Whole30 with me. There are multiple people that I've seen finish the program without their spouse/significant other participating but that can make the program harder. I would suggest enlisting a trusted friend or family member as your go to when you're feeling weak or when you just want to complain. Having someone that knows what you are going through is immensely helpful. ***If you need someone, I'm here for you, promise***

Prep, prep, prep, and plan, plan, plan. - Failing to plan is planning to fail. Even when you are tired and just want to go to sleep, drag your butt to the kitchen and make your lunch for the next day. Failing to prep breeds feeling overwhelmed when it's time to eat and increases your chances to cheat. Eating out on the road is tough, but if you look at the menu and talk with your server you can easily find compliant food.

Believe in yourself and reach for carrots/fruit when you feel down. - Even though snacking is 'discouraged' if you're hungry eating a bag of carrots or a banana will NOT derail your success. Eating whole foods is better than reaching for something isn't compliant, so just eat the snack.

DON'T QUIT! - No matter HOW tough it feels, no matter how many people say 'just give in' DON'T DO IT! The high feeling at the end of the program is worth every single lil doubt and missed 'meal'.  You will learn so much about your body and will feel soooooo fulfilled when it's all said and done.

So there you have it, my Whole30 experience in a nutshell. I tried to cover all of the quetsions I received but if I didn't please do not hesitate to email me or leave your question in a comment. I am a huge proponent of this program and would love to help you succeed. #wholefoods #youcandoit

Ps.com: Most of this post was written last week, but I did some finally editing on Monday. I also decided to try the Starbucks Birthday Frappucinno yesterday because it sounded pretty amazing. Well, I was only able to get halfway through a tall before I was hit with a huge headache and a slight tummy ache because of the sugar bomb. I couldn't even finish it because I felt soooo off and the drink started to taste fake. I used to be able to drink these things like water and now they don't even taste good. Talk about a tastebud reawakening.

Linking up *here**here**here* and *here*.

30 comments:

  1. Knowing that the drop in weight wasn't due to water weight is the best...which is what you get when you do fasts or even juice cleanses!! Congratulations again on finishing the program!! I think when we get back from vacation I'm going to ask Gary if he wants to do it with me...I'm not sure I could do it alone!! xo, Biana - BlovedBoston

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  2. Love that you did this and are now encouraging others! It's amazing to see how much your body can change in just 30 days - especially when you go to drink something like that Starbucks drink, and your body literally rejects it!

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  3. 7 lbs and all those inches that is incredibly and you are eating the whole time. That is always my problem whenever I try to watch my weight/diet is that they are usually so restricting. The dairy will probably be the hardest and it's mainly just cheese. Can you do cheese substitutes?

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  4. i don't think i could do it! hehe. i would have to get in that mindset of success first. but it's on my must-try list. love how you took the time to break it down for us and everything.

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  5. The do not eat grains, dairy, or alcohol would be my downfall. But I am all for eliminating more of the processed crap we eat. We've gotten a lot better the past few years, but still have a long way to go. I went to a nutrition lunch and learn yesterday at work and it was a huge eye opener.

    So inspired by you, you did awesome gurlie :-D

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  6. based on your list, i've been doing the whole30 for a month now. however, does that mean no coconut flour? because i cut out grains entirely and have been making paleo recipes using coconut flour instead of whole wheat flour.

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  7. Congrats on completing Whole30! That's serious dedication and you got some killer results from it! I'm a dairy fanatic + LOVE a glass of wine, so it would definitely be a struggle for me. :)

    -Ashley
    Le Stylo Rouge

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  8. Way to go girl!! You are an inspiration for others to try this same thing. :)

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  9. These are amazing results! Good for you for sticking with it. :)

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  10. so interesting1!thanks for sharing

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  11. Congrats on finishing!! And how awesome to really see and feel the difference in your body. We haven't gone as far as doing the Whole 30 or anything yet but after really cleaning up our eating, it's crazy how terrible the old "crap food" makes you feel.

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  12. Love this recap! Whole 30 just isn't for me right now, for obvious reasons, but I really do love how it resets the body and gets taste buds back on the right track! Just the other night I told Eric to pick me up a donut on his way home from the gym (ha ha, don't judge! I'm weak when I watch Gilmore Girls at night!) and the bakery didn't have any set out so he bought a bag of hostess donuts. I used to eat the whole bag in less than a day, I thought they were so addicting! This time? I ate a couple then threw the bag away because it all tasted so processed and FAKE! So I know that if my simple cut outs and healthier eating is working for me that way, then whole 30 is sure to do the trick!
    I'm so proud of you for doing it (and have no clue why people would tell you to quit?! Lame!) Good job, girl! Don't be scared of being in control of your diet now! You will make the best decisions for yourself and when you do cheat? Don't beat yourself up because it's obvious you won't be cheating too often with how your taste buds have been reset! Or else you'll be cheating with a real donut rather than hostess donuts- which is obviously SO much healthier for you.... bahaha ;)

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  13. You GO girlfriend!!! :) I'm glad you shared the numbers and actual results, bc I'm a number gal and you did amazing! I don't know if I could do this challenge, but I'm slowly cutting out the processed crap, and definitely trying to cut out dairy. It honestly makes me sick and is just never worth it!

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  14. I'm still so amazed at you... &anyone that does this. I live off of beans & legumes being a vegetarian so I know this isn't for me... but I'm still so impressed you took & DID such a challenge!

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  15. please explain the dorito measurement, lol. i'm confused!!
    congrats girl, seriously you did so amazing and i bet it was hard to share the numbers but holy amazing, way to go! i know i am addicted to sugar and stuff so i would like to do an altered version of this - rarely eating meat i just can't survive without my grains and legumes (which i've told you before) but i know i have an issue with sugar and dairy! the coconut milk in your coffee sounds interesting, i might try that in my tea - i normally use milk but we don't have milk at work so i use these half and half things that have carrageenan in them, which i don't know much about but it sounds scary!
    anyway, congrats again girl and thanks for taking us on this journey with you!

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  16. So much good advice in here! I think Whole30 is AMAZING and you are a great resource!

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  17. Wow congrats on the weight loss girl! All of your recipes look healthy and delish! Eating healthy is now always boring with meals like those.

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  18. I've told you this already, but I'm so proud of you! This is such an amazing thing you accomplished! :)

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  19. I'm very proud of you for all of the will-power, wont-power and want-power you displayed through this whole process. You're amazing and you knew that already! :)

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  20. WOW!! COngrats! Amazing WILL power!!! I can do a week but 30 days!>? You go, girl!!

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  21. Way to go! When I participated in a Whole 30 I saw the same big result in my mid section. I totally believe in this program but it sure is easy to fall right back into old routines especially when the husband isn't on board. Good luck with your transition...I try to eat as much as possible "real" food but I have never again cut out alcohol. :)

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  22. Huge kudos to you for doing this program and sticking it out until the end. You had some amazing results!!! I really am interested in trying it..but I just dont know if I can be that restricted. When I restrict myself drastically like that, it never bodes well for me. I am trying to reduce the processed foods much more these days, so I guess that is a start! Congrats to you!!

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  23. Those are awesome results. Just getting rid of the cravings are worth it!

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  24. Wow great results! The no legumes thing always throws me off, especially with the paleo diet... legumes seems healthy! And that birthday frappe...everyone is talking about it, but I think it sounds like a gut bomb!

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  25. You did great and got great results. Good job!! I really like how you've set up this post and it makes me feel to try whole 30 although I quite like the regime I have going on. Might give it a try!

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  26. Good for you, girl! We've been eating more whole foods lately now that Will is finally on board, and we both feel great! It's amazing the positive effects it can have on your life, and you look amazing!! I almost got one of those Birthday Frapps, but then decided on some Froyo instead. Healthier and more filling.

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  27. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! I'm starting Whole 30 on June 1st and am going to look over the recipes you recommended. That Salmon with Mango and Avocados looks incredible! I'm not so excited about giving up wine and cream in my coffee but I really hope to have a similar reaction to sugar and cravings for it as you did!

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