As most of you who have been reading L&L for a while know, I have talked about the Whole 30 quite a bit. It has been such a great thing for me and I have seen several benefits from sticking to the plan. A couple of weeks ago I decided to do half of a Whole 30, a Whole 15, to refocus my habits. Just a few thoughts/updates on that…
1. It ended up lasting 9 days instead of 15, and that is okay because it served its purpose. I wanted to get back on track, and curb those cravings for sweets. Nine days of strict Whole 30 eating helped me do that. I was able to renew, refocus, and reset. If you are wondering why I cut it short, basically, I was at a friend’s ranch on Friday night. It was a perfect, beautiful Texas evening. It just felt right to enjoy a glass of wine on the patio before dinner! Dinner was W30 compatible, steaks and grilled veggies;-)
2. It really never ceases to amaze me how the body responds to clean, whole foods. For me, I feel satisfied, and my cravings for sugary treats are laid to rest. Fruit tastes delightfully sweet enough. Digestion is smooth, no bloating!
3. I can truly say that I am happily “off-roading.” For me, it is sticking close to Whole 30 guidelines most of the time, and indulging in favorite or special foods occasionally. It has become very comfortable for me, and I love it! One of the best attributes of this program is that it is sustainable. It is not a quick fix, it is a healthy lifestyle!
4. If you are thinking of doing a Whole 30 for the first time, I would not recommend doing an abbreviated version. For your first time, you should (in my opinion) give it a full 30 days to see how your body feels and responds. Then, after that you can experiment with what life looks like after Whole 30. My nine days is just an example of how you can go back to the guidelines to get yourself back on track when you need it!
5. I think I want to do another complete Whole 30 soon. Not sure when I will start, maybe sometime in May. I’ll keep y’all posted!
My husband and I are starting our Whole 15 today. We did the Whole 30 and it changed our lives. We have been doing Paleo now and love it…but we wanted to reboot ourselves again…ie no sugar or alcohol so we are just doing it for two weeks. Your story inspired me. Thank you!
Hi Julie! Ah, so happy to hear that! My husband and I just had this conversation last night. He wanted to start a Whole15 today too…I think we are going to do it. It always feels good to reboot/refocus, especially right before the holiday season comes:-)