Since March, I have done the Whole 30 three times. In between, I have stuck to it, staying true to a Paleo lifestyle, with the occasional indulgences. I don’t have any allergies or issues, it just works for me. I feel great when I eat this way. It has changed my whole outlook on food. Each time I focused on something different, whether I intended to or not. For the first one, I just tried to make it through and adjust to the new way of eating. The second time, I focused on expanding my repertoire of recipes. The third time, I focused on helping my parents through it, and finding ways to simplify the W30 for their busy lives. I am going to do another one soon, starting on October 21. No particular reason for that date except that we are planning to take the kids to the State Fair on the 20th, and I am definitely enjoying a foot-long Fletcher’s Corn Dog with lots of mustard when we are there! That is non-negotiable!
For this upcoming W30, I am going to focus on sleep/rest. It might seem counterintuitive to focus on slowing down as I am heading into the busy season of holidays ahead. But, I think that it is exactly what I need. I mean, its early October, and I am already feeling behind! I hate that. I want to be able to slow down, get enough rest, and actually enjoy all that is coming in the next few months. On the plan, it is highly suggested anyway that you get a proper amount of sleep. I feel that this is an area that I tend to put low on the priorities list. Sleep affects so many aspects of how we feel and perform, it should be higher on the list!
Sometimes, not getting enough rest is unavoidable, due to kids, work, etc. However, it is easy to fall into a pattern of staying up too late and waking up feeling exhausted. There are times I stay up late in the name of productivity, getting things done that I did not have time for during the day. Other times, it happens because I waste time watching TV or being online. In addition to these reasons, it can happen because I simply don’t unplug from my phone, email, social media early enough before bed, and then I am too wired to go to sleep. Need to work on that, too!
In preparation, I am going to put together a list of ways that I can make changes in my sleep/rest habits. Stay tuned for that…in the meantime, think about if you would like to join me on this Whole 30. I’d love to have some of my readers along for the ride!
Hi! I just found your blog and am so excited! I am planning on starting my first Whole 30 tomorrow also. I am slightly nervous but excited to see how I feel!
Hi Katelyn! Keep following, I’ll be posting updates as I go…Hope you have a great first W30!