As I mentioned yesterday, January threw me for a loop…
It was a very busy month family-wise and work-wise. And to top it all off, my children were sick during two of the weeks of this Whole30. I was able to push through and finish the 30 days, but I did not get to write about it as much as I would have liked!
This time around was a great example of how one can still choose to make healthy choices in the midst of the craziness that life sometimes brings! Even though it was difficult, I still felt and functioned better than I would have if I had made less healthy choices. It can be done! So, I want to give you a quick recap of how it went for me in the areas I was focusing on, AND share some inspiring testimonials from readers who completed the program along with me!
My January Whole30 Recap:
- Sleep: I managed to get to bed earlier most nights, but not every night. This is still something I’ll continue to work on and strive to be better about because I realize its importance!
- Kids: Saying “No” to treats is unpopular! But in many cases, it has to be done. I find it easier to manage if I just don’t purchase things that are not the healthiest for my family. If I don’t buy it, then I don’t have to say no. The battle is already won. For us, its better to let them have certain things as a treat in situations outside of our home.
- Caffeine: Doing much better on this one. I took it a step further and decided not to have caffeine after 12pm. I am happily drinking 2 cups in the morning, and decaf if I have coffee or tea later in the day. Success!
- Vegetable Intake: We are continuing to improve on this one, too! Making sure we have ample servings of veggies at each meal and ready to grab for leftovers makes it easy to increase intake.
- Whole30 Quotes: Loved posting these on Instagram and Facebook! It started some great conversations. I did not get to 30 quotes in 30 days, so I’ll continue to post quotes over time until I reach 30…
I’m truly passionate about helping others begin their Whole30 journey.
Because of my results, personal growth, and experience with it, I want to help others achieve the same in their health and relationship with food. These three women reached out to me when they were starting, and I was thrilled to hear from them when they completed the program. Click link below to read their stories and BE INSPIRED!
Jena, Albuquerque NM:
“I stumbled upon Andrea’s blog post about a program called the Whole30. At this time, I was interested in getting my body back to healthy state. It was already going to be a year since the birth of my daughter, so the excuse “I just had a baby” was no longer valid. I researched a little further and thought that the program looked awesome. 30 days of no dairy, grains, sugar or alcohol-no problem! Well…two weeks passed by and I still hadn’t made a move. I came across a friend on Instagram who was starting her Whole 30 journey and that was all it took for me to get serious. This program was getting popular, so it must work. I bought the book “It Starts with Food” and started my Whole30 a week later.
I loved the idea of eating real food and listening to my body. The first 10 days were hard, but it got easier. Food became fuel and I felt amazing. My cravings soon diminished and cooking became fun. I had searched for tons of Whole 30 recipes online and on Pinterest and they all came in handy. By day 20, I was all in and going strong. As day 30 approached, I had lost a total of 9lbs and crazy inches. I felt better inside and my skin was glowing.
I am so thankful for stumbling upon this program, because it has seriously changed my life. The weight loss was a plus. This program works and I will always be a fan! I started my first round in March 2014 and completed my 4th round during January 2015.”
Danielle, Denver CO:
I completed the Whole30 on 1/31/15! I had tried to complete the program a couple times before but never made it passed day 17. Only because I felt pretty amazing after day 15 and couldn’t imagine feeling any better. WOW was I wrong – the best thing I have ever done for myself is complete the program in its entirety. The last week of the Whole30 I felt a change in myself – I became a person that I had no idea existed. This feeling was so much more than physical – I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and self-worth. My energy had sky rocketed and my attitude was vibrant and extremely optimistic. I couldn’t be impatient or angry if I tried! My mind, body and soul was in the most peaceful place I had been in – in a very long time! Every night that week I had such a restful night’s sleep – I’d wake up slowly every morning and realize that I had slept in the same position for 8 hours straight. I couldn’t wait to jump out of bed and get my day started. Not once was I hungry or agitated because of food. I truly feel the Whole30 helped me improve my relationship with food. I finally have control over the ultimate beast. I learned to respect the saying “eat to live don’t live to eat”. On the 30th day I weighed myself and was down 13 lbs!
All said, I got off Super Bowl weekend and indulged. I felt horrible! My anxiety was back, I tossed and turned, could not sleep and my stomach and digestive tract hated me! On Monday 2/2/15 – I jumped right back on the program and have eaten clean without hesitation. I don’t want to call it a program any longer – this is how I will live the rest of my life. Thank you, Whole30, you have literally changed my life!
Andra, Dallas TX:
I just completed my second Whole30! Actually, I was feeling so great from the program that I turned this one into a Whole40. After 40 days, I finally caved and drank a couple vodka sodas, but the next day I was back on track and have been sticking to it once again. There are a myriad of reasons why I love this program: my energy increased, my attitude improved, my body tightened up, my sleep was restorative… the list goes on and on.
While all these changes are awesome, one of my favorite aspects of Whole30 is how it strengthens my connection to the city of Dallas. When I completed my first Whole30 last summer, I loved waking up early on the weekends and going to the farmers market. Unfortunately, finding a market during a Winter Whole30 is more difficult, but it encouraged me to support my local organic grocer. I am very passionate about how much I love living in Dallas, so using my dollars towards food that comes from local farmers and ranchers is important to me.
The biggest challenge for me during Whole30 has been maintaining my social life, especially as a single gal. Try explaining to a first date that you can’t go out for a drink or dinner, but you CAN meet for a cup of black coffee! There are times where your willpower will be tested, but knowing that cheating is not an option (unless you want to start from day one) is a powerful motivator. The sense of accomplishment I felt after making it through several social situations without a beer or birthday cake was so satisfying that I wanted to shout from the rooftops.
Overall, I was thrilled to step on the scale for the first time after 30 days and find out I had lost over 6 pounds. But finishing the Whole30 is more about “non-scale victories,” such as no longer needing to take a pill to fall asleep, completing 10 (assisted!) pull-ups, learning how to roast a whole chicken, and knowing I can survive a date without booze. The results are so powerful, meaningful, and personal that I will continue to maintain this lifestyle!
Thank you to Jena, Danielle, and Andra for sharing your stories…
And of course, Thank You to Whole30 for a sustainable, life-changing program! For more Whole30 testimonials head over to Whole30.com…If you would like to share YOUR story with L&L readers, email me at andrea@loubiesandlulu.com….
