I have made it through another week of Whole30, and I can admit that I am counting down the days until it is over. Tiger Blood is here, kind of? It has definitely been a mixed bag of energy and feelings. Some days I wake right up and some days I hit the snooze. Some days I’m sunshine and some days I’m a little moody. It has definitely not been what I was expecting. So let’s dive into a bit of the nitty gritty.
The System
I realized very early on, even before the month started, the planning and prep would be the key to success. Here I am 3 weeks in, and yes, planning and prep is key, but I am getting super burned out. I have been working in about 2-3 day increments. So every couple days, I spend a chunk of time getting meals ready for the next couple days. I need to have things ready to go for when I am hungry. It has definitely helped me get through some times when I would have just reached for something non compliant just because it was there and easy.
The bad news here is all the dishes and cleaning. In order to fight food boredom, I have been trying lots of different recipes, but new recipes means more ingredients, more time, and more money. I am definitely looking forward to getting back to a simpler meal plan.
Non Scale Victories
You are not allowed to use a scale to weigh yourself during Whole30. This is not really an issue for me, because I rarely weigh myself anyway. I try to focus more on how I feel and my energy levels. That is one of the biggest things I appreciate about the Whole30 program. It focuses more on Non Scale Victories. So how you feel instead of just the number on the scale. The biggest NSV I have noticed so far are way less bloating, increased energy in the afternoon and evening, improved sense of taste, greater focus, and I am better listening to my hunger cues.
Growth and Healing
A lot of people undertake a Whole30 to improve their relationship with food. Diet culture in our society has us restricting, counting calories, and avoiding “bad” foods like fat, for example. I appreciate that while Whole30 cuts dairy, sugar, grains it is not restrictive. It makes sure to include the foods our body needs protein, vegetables, fruit, and healthy fats. I can eat when I’m hungry and I can eat an amount that I feel is necessary. It would be interesting to see how past trauma may play into your Whole30 experience a bit more. I definitely have felt a lot more emotional and past trauma stuff bubbling up over the last month. I would be curious to hear other people’s experiences with this as well.
Home Stretch
Only 8 days to go! Then we are on to the reintroduction period and that is where we really find out how foods affect our bodies. I’ll dive in next week to my reintroduction plan.
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