And just like that, the 30 days are up and the results are in – I’ve finished #whole30athome! As with all successful previous whole30s, I’ve literally never felt better, and I’m asking myself, why don’t I eat like this all the time? My energy levels are high, my exercise performance is improving, my skin looks great, my body is leaner, my digestion is more regular, but most importantly, I’ve fallen back in love with fueling my body with healthy, delicious, wholesome foods – and I don’t want to stop. I love the challenge a whole30 presents, I thrive on structure and discipline, that’s the type A personality and (previous) straight A student in me.
But what comes next is the real challenge, life after whole30. I’ll be honest in admitting I have a looming sense of fear. I don’t want to face the emotional and physical repercussions that comes with returning to eating daily, grains, added sugar, and alcohol. I don’t want the bloating, GI distress, acne, and I especially fear the weight gain. Because, let the record show, I’ve literally always gained back the weight I’ve lost on a whole30. In 2015, I lost nearly 40 pounds through a combination of whole30-type eating and exercise and over the past 5 years, packed it all back on. From here it’s my job to be continue to be mindful of my eating habits, to be mindful of the way in which I perceive food, but most importantly, how I perceive myself and my relationship with food. *Takes mental note on the need to re-read Food Freedom*
Non-scale Victories [resource found here]
Numerical Victories
Weight: 183.2 lbs – 173.8 lbs = 9.4 lbs
Measurements: 3 inches lost between chest, waist, hips, and thighs
Resting heart rate: 62 BPM to 56 BPM
Discoveries
1. I love frozen fruit! Specifically mangoes, peaches, pineapples, and strawberries, but I have to be careful in not over consuming and mindlessly eating frozen fruit as if a replacement for ice cream or some other sugary-sweet snack in the evenings
2. I don’t mind eating repetitive meals. During the last 2 weeks of this whole30 I really found my groove with meal prepping. I switched between making a pound of seasoned ground meat (chicken, turkey, or beef) or making various types of meatballs to have with salads, a bed of kale, over a sweet potato, in a potato hash, etc – love the versatility!
3. A compliant sauce or dressing can really help spice up and revive leftovers – I liked to add sriracha, ranch, or barbecue sauce
4. A viral pandemic is definitely a great time for a whole30. Initially I thought the whole30 team was nuts for suggesting a whole30 right now, because who has the mental capacity to change their eating behaviors and habits at a time like this?! But then I thought, well, I do. I don’t have kids to feed, my hours were (still are) reduced at work, and I have the financial stability, so what better way to spend some extra time than focusing on a whole30? Plus, it was easy to stay on track since most restaurants were either closed completely or carryout only, pretty much eliminating the temptation to eat out.
I’m nervous for what’s next. My plan is to keep eating whole30 during COVID-19 quarantine. Maybe the occasional pat of butter here or there (Kyle’s preference is to cook with butter) but my goal is to just keep fueling my body how I had been and prioritizing healthy movement. In the future, I hope to be able to look back on my life and reference this period as the time when I lost weight, built muscle, created healthy, sustainable habits, focused on my health and well being, and treated myself with loved and respect.
Until tomorrow, Meryn
MERYN MADE 