Hi friends! It's been a while, hmm? I took some time over the past couple weeks to recharge and get things in order in other areas of my life, and unfortunately with that, blogging was put on the back burner. Breaks can be a good thing, though, and now I am back feeling refreshed with new ideas! I have a few life updates and adventures to share, but first I want to share something I've been meaning to for over a week now: my Whole30 results!
So, as most of you know, in January I took the leap and committed to doing a round of Whole30. I was definitely nervous and unsure if I was going to be able to actually stick to a strict eating plan for 30 days. After doing a lot of research though, I decided I was ready and made the commitment to myself that I would complete the program with no cheating, slip-ups, or excuses. I am proud to say that my official 30 days ended on February 13th and that I kept that promise to myself! (You can read my starting Whole30 post here & my halfway check-in post here)
For those of you who don't know what Whole30 is, it is a 30 day eating program that is designed to change your relationship with food and give you loads of health benefits, such as better sleep, more energy, and weight loss! You strip your diet of things like dairy, legumes, grains, soy, and added sugar of any kind. Instead, you eat simple, whole foods; You get your nutrition through 3 large meals filled with meat protein or eggs, loads of veggies, some fruit, and healthy fats from good oils, nuts, and avocados. Those are just the basics of the program, but I really encourage you to check out the Whole30 site to make a bit more sense of it if you are interested!
I don't even know where to begin to describe what it is like to be on the other side of my first Whole30! I am feeling great! I have been sleeping better, I don't wake up groggy anymore, I believe my skin is more radiant, pains I had have completely gone away, I am more alert and clear headed, I have loads more energy, and my body definitely made some noticeable physical changes.
Most evenings and weekends, Dai would want us to go for a long walk with Marly, but I would usually drag my heels about it because I wasn't feeling up for it. Now, I have the energy to take walks whenever we want and we have been walking multiple miles at a time. I feel like a new person!
Going back to physical changes, I thought I would share some before and after photos, even though it can be totally embarrassing to put myself out there like that! BUT, I think it is important to see the changes that occurred in just 30 days and to show what the Whole30 program is really capable of! So, here it goes...
Can you see the difference? I definitely can! And I feel it too! Overall, I lost 9 pounds and several inches from throughout my body. I am definitely less bloated looking and I feel a lot slimmer.
I didn't think that there would be much of a difference with the before and after of the back view, but I was really pleasantly surprised to see that things are much more "smoothed" out.Isn't it kind of crazy what just 30 days can do? Sure, it isn't always easy to stick to a program like this, but is it doable? ONE HUNDRED PERCENT. Is it worth it? OF COURSE!
I strongly believe that anyone can be successful with Whole30 if they make the committment to themselves. Really, if I can do it, anyone can do it. Before Whole30, I was that girl that would grab a handful of cookies on my way out the door in the morning because I was too l-a-z-y to figure out something actually nutritious to take with me or plan the time to eat breakfast. Of course, I am a pretty busy girl and am constantly on the go, but there are no excuses for fueling my body with such junk! These days, my meals do require a bit more planning and prepping, but it is definitely worth it knowing that I am doing something good for myself. You are what you eat!
Honestly, there is so much I could say about Whole30 and I could shout from rooftops my love for it. The program claims to change lives, and I am definitely a believer in that now because it is changing my life. I want to keep going and keep changing my body for the better. I want to give it the good stuff it needs, and do my best to avoid the bad things. I want everyone to do Whole30 and will talk your ear off about it if you let me. I am even already planning my next round of it, which I may turn into a Whole60! (Maybe some of you would be interested in doing 30 days together???)
There is still a lot of work to be done for me to get my body to where I would like it to be, but so far I have been loving this journey and hope that I can maybe be an inspiration to some of you who are wanting to embark on their own journey!
