Why I’m Starting Whole 30…Again

Alright guys. It’s happening. I’m going down the Whole 30 road one more time and I need all of the support/accountability/courage/cheers I can get. Read on for all of the details on my not-so-successful Whole 30 journey from years past and why I’m putting myself through it one more time.

Before I dive in, let me give you a little background on Whole 30

For those of you that aren’t familiar, the Whole 30 is a program that pretty much mimics paleo, with a little more structure and restraint. It’s not meant to be a “diet” but is instead meant to give your body a chance to reset and empower you to make better food choices in the long run. Long story short, you eliminate the foods/ingredients that tend to interrupt healthy digestion which leads to a whole lot of other issues like inflammation, headaches, joint pain, etc. For all of the science behind the program, I strongly recommend you read their book It Starts With Food. It does a great job of explaining the basics of the whole 30 program, why certain foods effect you the way they do and how eliminating those foods can impact you for the better. It’s a good read and they present the information in a way that isn’t super science-y.

A quick breakdown of the Whole 30 program

For thirty days, you avoid the following:

• added sugars, artificial or real
• grains
• alcohol
• legumes
• dairy carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites

Instead, you eat lots of healthy fats, protein and veggies. Also, no stepping on the scale or eating “cheat” treats like fit the rules but still satisfy that “dessert” craving. The whole point is to train your body to eat for fuel and get rid of the unhealthy habits that lead to health problems.

Now that we got that out of the way…

I’m currently asking myself “why am I doing this for the umpteenth time?” and you might be, too. Let me explain. I’ve completed ONE successful round of Whole 30 and it was my first time trying it. B and I did it about two years ago when we first started dating and it was one of the best things we could have done together. Not only did it sort of force us to bond over health and wellness, but we also got to jump into some of the fun dating things like grocery shopping and cooking together and avoiding all of the annoying non-Whole-30-approved restaurant challenges together. For thirty days we avoided sugars, dairy, grains, etc. and while we still drank wine and the occasional cocktail, we saw results immediately. Not only did we both lose weight but I experience more energy, clearer skin and just a brighter outlook on health. It was pretty amazing.

Fast forward a few months, we tried again. And failed. Twice. I don’t know why – but it has been so much harder to get back on track for another round. I’ve tried a few times over the past two years and always make it a few days before just totally quitting. Maybe it was a lack of willpower or a lack of motivation but I always found an excuse to sort of just ease my way out of it. Well that’s all about to change.

Let’s talk about the why

I’ve shared a few times that I am not feeling my most body confident as of late and it’s not because I don’t love a good tushy or my curves. I love those parts of my body. But to be honest guys – I’m not my healthiest on the inside and that is making me feel like a total slob. Does that even make sense? While I’m finally starting to appreciate my body type – flaws and all – there’s something about knowing you’re not your healthiest that totally impacts how you feel on the outside. And when I’m referring to inside, I don’t mean like mentally healthy. I’m talking leaky gut (read the book – it’s not what you think), shortness of breath, rumbling tummy, etc. I know…I went there. But it’s part of the journey.

I say all of this to say – I am NOT healthy on the inside and I want to change that. I love pasta and cheese and sweets and think I just might consumer all three of those things on a daily basis. I eat like a child and have a really hard time saying no the bad food options. And to be honest, it’s gotten worse since B and I got more serious over the past year (which is ironic since we started our relationship with Whole 30 – but whatever). Now don’t get me wrong. While I do eat the occasional salad and “balanced meal”, it is 100% overshadowed by my love for cheese fries.

I’ve come to realize that I’ve had to overcome a generally unhealthy relationship with food. I used to restrict myself to the point where I weighed 105 pounds…and then like going from 0 to 100, I would do the opposite and just consume all the carbs. I have done a lot of work over the past few years to finally find some balance but I still have some work to do which is why I’m tackling another round of Whole 30. Sure, the aspect of weight loss is in the front of my mind but I’m more focused on eliminating some of those “trigger” foods and gaining a better relationship with foods that can fuel my body in a good way.

So let’s do this.

Believe it or not – I’m hoping this post and the fact that I’m dishing all the things to my readers will help to hold me accountable. I don’t want to fail – I mean no one does – but let’s be real, I clearly lack motivation when it comes to this sort of thing.

My plan for the next month, starting October 1, is to COMPLETE Whole 30 and get back on track with fitness and working out on a regular basis.Wish me luck peeps – and if you want to join in on the fun, we should totally start a support thread. I’ll be sharing my journey over on Instagram Stories but if you guys have questions or want to see more Whole 30 content on the blog (recipes, tips, updates, etc.), please let me know in the comments below!