My First Whole30 Review & Results

As you know, I started Whole30 on January 2nd and ended January 31st. [You can see my Week 1 Meal Plan here along with 5 Things To Know Before Starting Whole30]. I was eager to share my Whole30 review & results with you upon completion, but figured I’d wait a week in order to provide some details on what my eating habits are like now that I’m officially done with the program.

So here it goes…

How do I feel?!

Proud. Accomplished. Really good! Skinny!!

I did it!! I can’t believe I actually did it!! I’ve never had such control over my food choices in my life. I’ve been an emotional eater, a social eater, and someone who rarely had self control. While I have always enjoyed eating healthy whole foods, it was uncommon for me to pass up chips & salsa at a party, popcorn at the movies, or any chance to eat pizza. Whole30 changed that for me. Saying “no” to certain foods and beverages became empowering, not disappointing.

Now, in regards to feeling skinny, I don’t want to mislead you. I didn’t lose a ton of weight on Whole30. In fact, I may have only dropped 3 to 4 pounds at the most. In my Week 2 Recap, I bitched expressed frustration with what the scale showed, as losing weight was my primary motivation for starting this entire program. By the beginning of Week 4, I didn’t even care about that. I felt good! Like reallyyyyyy good!! I wasn’t bloated. My stomach was noticeably thinner. My energy was up and so was my confidence.

Was it hard?

At first, yeah, it was…but not as hard as I thought it would be. I certainly had my moments. However, after the first two weeks I knew what foods I could have or not have. While food prep is always a good idea and recipe for success, I didn’t feel like I had to plan ahead every single meal. I was able to open the fridge and on the fly create a yummy lunch or dinner. I never felt like I was “dieting.” There was no calorie counting or limiting portions.

Dining out was the most challenging part for me. Not because I was tempted to eat poorly, but I felt like my options were really limited. Things like salmon, grilled chicken or even veggies were possible no-no’s due to the way they were prepared. I became that annoying person requesting no sauce and no butter to the waiter. So while yes, eating out is possible, it was a little stressful for me and I much preferred cooking my own meals at home.

Whole30 Taco Salad

Baked Salmon with Cauliflower Rice and Broccolini

Fresh Sashimi and Cucumber Wrapped Sushi

Did I miss anything?

Wine! I probably sound like a complete lush right now, but I really enjoy a good glass of vino. I don’t need it. I can survive without it. I went an entire 9 months without it when I was pregnant with Harley. Pita bread with tzatziki sauce is also something I missed! It’s not even an appetizer I commonly eat, but it was hard to pass up when I was at my favorite Greek restaurant. Random, I know!

So what now?!

Well, I will admit that I celebrated the end of Whole30 with a glass of wine and quinoa mixed into my stir-fry dinner. And, just yesterday Casey and I had a little lunch date where we shared a fried eggplant caprese stack drizzled in balsamic at a local Italian restaurant. You may have seen in my Instastory…it was quite delicious.

My goal is to eat paleo meals as often as possible when cooking and eating at home. In general, Casey and I try to limit the amount of times we eat out or order take-in, but I don’t want to feel stressed out when making lunch or dinner plans with friends [which is what I felt during my Whole30]. For me it’s all about balance, so I’m going to live by the 80/20 Rule.

The 80/20 Rule. What’s that you say?

“The principle behind the 80/20 rule is simple: Eat nutritious foods 80 percent of the time and allow yourself to indulge a little the other 20 percent of the time. Proponents of the diet disagree on how to determine the 20 percent when you eat less healthy foods, however. Nutritionist and personal trainer Teresa Cutter, the author of the book “The 80/20 Diet,” claims that the 20 percent portion of less healthy eating should occur once per week, and not consume 20 percent of what you eat each day. Another way to follow the diet principle is to cheat four meals per week, assuming you eat the typical three meals per day.”

“Healthy eating on the 80/20 diet includes eating mainly whole, unprocessed or minimally processed foods, including fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole unprocessed grains, as well as plenty of water. Fruits, vegetables and other foods high in water and fiber are low in energy density, or calories per gram. This means you can eat large portions of them to help you fill up without eating too many calories at meals. It’s possible, however, to eat too many calories while still eating nutritious foods like those recommended for the 80 percent of the time you’re eating healthily. Listen to your body’s hunger cues and avoid eating when you are not truly hungry.”

[source: Livestrong.com]

[see the full post to this athleisure look here]

Would I recommend Whole30?

Yep, I would! Read It Starts With Food first to understand what Whole30 is all about and to also learn how different food/beverages impact your health. Knowledge is power. My relationship with food definitely has changed for the better and again, I’m so proud of myself for starting and sticking with it. This cook book is a great resource to keep in your kitchen, and of course there’s always Pinterest! Good luck if you decide to give it a go and please keep me posted on your results!