We’re throwing up a special post right before the Memorial Day weekend because it sounds like some of you are feeling the pressures right about now. The excitement of your shiny new Whole30 toy may be wearing off. You feel like you’ve been “good” and deserve a “reward”. (You’ve earned it, haven’t you?) You’re getting a little cranky these days, too. You’re just far enough into this experiment to be feeling like you should be feeling great, but you’re still having some unpleasant side effects (headaches, cravings, perceived hunger) and haven’t completely stepped into the full glory of how good you WILL be looking, feeling and performing. (Which, we assure you, is totally normal at this stage in the game, but still… Grrrr.) And we all but guarantee that you’re feeling a little bit angry (maybe even at us) about how you “can’t” eat some of the foods you used to enjoy during this special occasion weekend.
We also suspect that holiday-inspired events (parties, cookouts, dinners out) may be tempting you to take just the tiniest little break from your initiative.
You listen to us right now – all of you. You are NOT going out like that. You will NOT cave to buffalo wings so processed, they’re not even chicken. The lure of a sugar-bomb pancake or dessert concoction has nothing on your rockin’ energy level and clear-headedness. And an Adult Beverage at this stage of the game will both make you feel like super-extra crap in the morning, and make you mad at yourself for giving in to something so cheap and dirty.
So rally, people. You’ve got this. WE’VE got this, because we’re right there with you. Need a little extra motivation? Take a minute today and list one thing in comments that is significantly better NOW than it was two weeks ago, thanks to your Whole30 efforts. Maybe it’s your energy, maybe it’s a flatter stomach, maybe you’ve PR’d on a workout or maybe you’re happy coming here and seeing 100 comments from people who actually understand what it is you are trying to do. Share something, and remind yourself why you are doing this, and how important it is to push through these difficult times. Because, trust me… once you get over that hill and things start clicking (and THEY WILL, we promise), you’ll be so, so glad you stuck with it.
Motivate, re-dedicate, and then get out there and enjoy your holiday weekend.
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New squat PR, 5 reps at 260. New press PR, 5 reps at 120. And my arms are apparently looking good enough that I get complements from random girls. I’d call that significantly better!
Hang tough everybody, you’ve got this!
Down 10#, Body fat down a whole percent.
We got this!!
I have been following Whole30 for 25 days now and I feel fantastic. My energy levels have gone up and I sleep like a champ. It takes a few minutes to get over the grumpiness [mainly because I’m sleeping so well I don’t want it to end] when I first wake up, but then BAM!, I’m up and ready to go. I have felt so much stronger during the workouts. I’ve lost about 8 lbs and I can see it in my waistline — and people are telling me they see a change, which is way cool. I love treating my body this way and apparently, my body likes the attention.
I have to admit I have had some alcohol and homemade rum cake on my husband’s birthday 2 weeks ago. So I cannot/will not claim to have to have completed the Whole30 because those things count and it’s not fair to those people that did not “cheat” at all. But even with those hiccups, I still feel absolutely amazing and I plan on continuing to feed my body this way even after my 30 days are up.
I would say for those that come across temptation this weekend, just try to think forward into the future and 5 days from now, are you going to remember that you had that cupcake, cheeseburger, or whatever non-Whole30 item it might be? Probably not. But what you will remember is that you conquered the temptation – and that will feel 100 times better!
I love this site! Thanks for all you do Melissa & Dallas!
Notched my belt up one hole and lost 4 lbs. Fighting the good fight!
One rough week in and I finally realize I can break my addiction to sugar!!!! Now I actually feel awake in the afternoon, since I’m no longer downing handfuls of “dark” chocolate after my Paleo lunch, while telling myself it is healthy due to antioxidants ;-(
Thanks!!!
This is one of the best weekends to be Whole 30’ing it. It’s the kick-off of summer, which means GRILLING! I’m excited. I’m grilling salmon, lots of great veggies (all from my new and exciting CSA box) and making some scallop, zuccchini and summer squash kabobs. You’ll just have to be a little creative.
Good luck all and keep stong…eye on the prize
I am so close to a six-pack that I have not seen since I was like 10. PR(ing) the hell out of my WOD’s. Feeling much better daily. Kind of weird, but I can actually ‘smell’ things better and they bring back younger type memories. Sleep….(damn near need a cigarette when I wake up it was so good). Also, I am 15 days deep into this investment and have already passed multiple cheat opportunities – why the hell would I do it now? I have even gone out with friends in a ‘drinking’ set and thought I would have a terrible time – actually felt like I had a better time!!! No Booze, No Crap….
Do it peeps.
Just started 5/24, so 5th day for me. Not the most awesome day of the 30 day challenge historically, but already feeling better mood, more energy, and more positive and productive in general. Turned down jello shots, lemon cake, and cubcakes all today at work!
Love the motivation here! Dallas and I aren’t having a hard time sticking to the Whole30 while on the road, but we are finding it cumbersome, as we’re eating at restaurants often. (We make our waitstaff crazy with the questions – what’s that cooked in, how’s that prepared, is there any butter in that?)
We are both feeling awesome – getting 9+ hours of sleep a night and bounding out of bed with TONS of energy in the morning. In fact, we’re drinking way less coffee than usual, and our energy levels are JUST as good at 9 AM as they are at noon, and 3 PM, and 6 PM! We’re both recovering better from training, and I’m putting strength on quickly, despite our less than routine training schedule. Finally, things that were occasionally hurting (like my right shoulder) have become FAR less inflamed in just 10 days – to the point where I don’t notice it at all any more, even when kipping or overhead squatting.
We’re happy we chose to take this on now, because while we’re excited about going back to the occasional sushi roll or french toast, we see this Whole30 as a reminder of how FANTASTIC we feel when we practice what we preach 100%. We were both eating super clean prior to this, but trust me when I say that it’s that last 1% of dietary clean-up that makes the BIGGEST difference! (So for those who are considering skipping on the program because you already eat “95% Paleo”… you are totally missing out.)
Thanks to all for hanging in with us!
Best,
Melissa & Dallas
I feel phenomenal! That would be enough but it doesn’t hurt that I’ve lost ~11 lbs as well. Clothes are fitting better (without all that pesky water weight).
As much as I’d love to drink a bit this weekend there is an up-side to abstaining – I earned some bonus points with my friends for offering to be the designated driver all weekend long.
Hope everyone has a fun & safe weekend filled with lots of delicious grilled meat & veggies!
I’m sleeping better than I have in years. I had problems with indigestion for about 10 days, but am better now. I like what I’m eating and am enjoying more variety than I did. I can do this for the rest of my life.
I THOUGHT I was eating well until I started this 3 days ago. The other night I was craving sugar like a crack addict craves the pipe, but I held it off!
I’ve been “Paleo” (99%) since May 1, and will start the whole 30 on June 1. I’ve successfully eliminated grains, sugars, and dairy from my diet with the exception of 2 packets of Stevia in my morning coffee, which now I’ve even eliminated that. I quit smoking back in 2005 and substituted sugarless gum for my cigarettes. Sugarless for dental reasons. The past month I’ve been working on reducing my gum consumption and plan on NO GUM starting June 1. The issue I have is my mouth gets pasty and dry and just plain yukky. I had been nibbling on raw almonds but I want to stop doing that, too. I only drink water now (after my cup of coffee with coconut milk and cinnamon). Especially when I am around people – I am pretty self-conscious about the dry pasty yukky feeling in my mouth. I am sure the gum was a crutch for the cigarettes at one point but now it seems I need the gum (or something) to get rid of the aforementioned feeling. Any ideas? Thank you!
Ronna,
This is just a guess, but maybe the gum messes with your mouth chemistry and you might need to go cold turkey on that to rebalance. You might try keeping a toothbrush and toothpaste with you for when things get out of hand. Since toothpaste is sweet, you might try baking soda as an alternative.
Good Luck!
Why celebrate holidays with food that makes us feel like crap?! Would you even consider that drink or jalepeno popper if it werent a holiday aka an excuse to pig out? No way! Lets all celebrate with a hike or a bonfire ( minus the cylindrical meat substance) and rebel against “tradition”! We got this! Paleo convert 9 months and counting….Thanks to Melissa ans Dallas for inspiring the caveman in all of us, you guys ROCK!
Ronna,
First off, congrats on kicking the smoking habit. I respect you for your 5 years of success.
I agree with Matt. I think that your salivary glands are used to being simulated by chewing gum. Stopping the gum leaves the salivary glands without the stimulation they are used to. If you go cold turkey long enough the glands may wake up and start responding to other stimuli. In the meantime hydrate your mouth frequently with water, concentrate on breathing through your nose (keeping your mouth closed) and find snacks that will leave a residual taste that stimulates you to salivate (sunbutter (taste) and strong mustard (smell) are some that do it for me ).
Tom
Matt: Thanks for the reminder of baking soda. I decided to give that a whirl after lunch instead of my favorite Pepsodent.
Tom: I have been sucking on a whole clove this afternoon. Basically keeping it under my tongue. Come Tuesday, I want to ditch anything sweet that isn’t a fruit or vegetable! I can’t believe I’ve made it almost a month without my morning oatmeal with barley and my afternoon yogurt!
Thanks for the encouragement!
Benefits: definitely more energy and sleeping better. I,too, am so close to the six pack…which I’ve NEVER had!!!!! My husband says I look better than I ever have! Day 20 and going strong!!!
@ronna….I had that bad mouth thing at first but it seems to have gotten better. Captain Tom had great advice.
Good luck everyone. It is so worth it!!
I am feeling better than I have in a long time. Energy more consistent, sleep is great, feeling leaner and the scale shows about 3lbs down. One of the biggest things I have noticed and really only in the past 3 days or so is that my appetite much less. I am astonished at this. I have always been someone who would feel “hungry” (read insulin spike followed by blood glucose crash) about an hour after a meal and now I don’t. I eat plenty- even maybe less than I used too and actually feel satisfied until the next meal time when I feel appropriatly hungry. I am also trying to do things in the gym to keep measure of my physical progress. So far:
2K row for time whole 30 week 1: 9:38
Week 2: 9:09
Keep it up everyone!!!
Diana
I’m loving the feeling of being in control around food, rather than being controlled by it. That’s huge.
The mere thought of eating bread/grains again makes me want to hurl.
And I’m fitting into sizes of shorts/pants I haven’t worn since I was in my early 20s (I’m 38).
Day 5 of my second Whole30 and everywhere I go, people tell me I am, literally, glowing. “You’re skin! It looks so good!” That plus down 10 pounds (I am under 130 for the first time in 2 years, without starving myself to death) and my clothes fit so nicely! Memorial Day weekend was a piece of cak… um, I mean, chicken.
I am starting Whole 30 tomorrow – but I’ve been 100% off grains, dairy and refined sugar since May 1st. The only difference from Whole 30 is I took two weeks to wean myself off sweet n low in my coffee and then completely off my sugarless gum last week. I eat lots of salmon, romaine, broccoli, tuna, eggs, etc. I even have homemade turkey chili for breakfast instaed of oatmeal! But I haven’t lost any weight. I don’t feel “different” at all. Am I doing something “wrong” ? So many people seem to feel great and invigorated and losing weight. How much longer before I start noticing anything? The one thing I can say I have noticed is sometimes I don’t have an appetite when it’s time for lunch or supper and I make myself eat something but that’s about it.
Lethargy and body temp issues have all but disappeared. Feeling “sharper” and “even-keeled” throughout the day.
Workout energy is improving. New deadlift PR 265#. “Murph” PR by 8:36.
Seeking some variety, (re) introduced some “new” veggies this week: beets, radishes, zucchini, crookneck squash. Some fantastic flavors all wrapped in beautiful packages ready to eat!
Bought some new reusable plastic containers with the thought that it would help me spend less time washing dishes. Seemed like a good idea at the time.
Holiday weekend brought me face to face with some tough eating out situations, but by asking tons of questions and making a few deletions/substitutions, I fared very well.
Got some extra vitamin D by spending a good deal of the weekend outside planting my flower pots and helping my hubby the farmer finish planting our ginormous garden: spinach, mesclan, golden beets, radishes, spaghetti squash, basil, carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, cucumber…..MMMM.
Keep up the good work everyone! And thanks for all your support!
Best!
Ronna: Hang in there, you are most likely doing nothing wrong. Keep feeding yourself good food and get plenty of sleep. For me it took what seemed like forever to start feeling different. I know it’s frustrating when it seems like everyone else is seeing more immediate improvements. It will happen for you if you keep at it and trust me, totally worth the wait.
@All: Thanks for sharing, and for keeping the motivation level high during the holiday weekend! Glad to hear that things are clicking for some, and for those who aren’t feeling the magic yet… hang in there. You can’t possibly expect to undo 10, 20, 30 years of less than optimal eating habits in just 30 days, and it can take a while for the body to adjust to eating like this. Make sure you’re eating enough, make sure you’re getting good variety in your diet (KimA – nice on the “new” veggies!) and make sure your training and recovery are in line with your new solid nutrition.
Ronna, stick with it and hang in there. The transition for some is slower than others.
For me i have had a clear-er picture of food and the effect specific foods have on my body. This understanding has led to better workouts, faster recovery and now the decision of what hotel me and my affiliate team are going to book when we go to compete in the CrossFit Games this year! We all feel, the WHOLE 30 helped us prepare and conquer this last weekend at the South Central Regionals. Thanks Dallas and Melissa!
David and TO6 (team of 6)
This post is very encouraging… I had recently been criticized for starting my 30 days in mid June. Im a Police Officer in a large Midwest city and having the 4th of July off is like winning the lottery. While all my buddies hit the Lake with more beer than a Fraternity Formal, I stayed in town with my chicken and veggies snagging some extra shifts($$$) and hit up a few extra WOD’s. Big Steps from the guy who thought it was ok to party hard and eat worse, as long as I killed a WOD or two to make up for it.
I hit 3 weeks today, and I’m sure my Sgt. is not gonna be very happy when he gets my uniform request for new shirts, new pants, and probably a new bulletproof vest. Veins are coming out of the woodwork, my energy levels are great, and my WOD’s are getting better everyday!
Thanks Whole9!!!
J
Jordan – glad you found this post helpful. Sounds like you are really embracing the spirit and intention of the Whole30 – and I’m so happy to hear you’re finding success in all kinds of areas. (It’s not often people tell us doing the Whole30 made them a little bit of money.) ;)
Best,
Melissa
Halfway thru my whole30 and feeling strong enuf to make it a whole 45, starting the MDA 30 day challenge tomorrow. My big successes:
I have abstained 100 percent from artificial sweeteners, something I thought was impossible
Ditto alcohol
Broke dependency on icebreaker mints, torani syrup smoothies, Paleo treats, all so called healthy snacks that contain chemicals, cheese
And I’ve gained:
Discovered green smoothies
Eating fruit for first time in almost 5 years
Not obsessed with scale
Sleeping better
And best of all, my mood has been awesome and my body is looking and feeling great!
To make things even better, watch the snacking late night, fewer nuts.
But even without these improvements I am in a great place and don’t ever want to go back to where I was 16 days ago. Wole30 for life!
I know this is an old post but the end of Auguat is here and another three day weekend is approaching. I am just heading into my 3rd week of the Whole 30 and am worried how my friends will react to my decision to eating healthy and abstaining from alcohol. This article gave me the reminder I needed to keep on track. I LOVE how I feel! My body is responding so well to my changes and my confidence is growing as I continue to hold true to the promises I have made to myself.