We’re about a week out from the completion of our Road Trip Whole30, and it’s time to start thinking (and talking) about what some of you are going to do when your 30 days are up. More on this topic as the big day approaches, but today we’d like to hit on a question reader Diana posted on our site last week. Diana wrote:
I was just looking for some input from those of you who have completed the Whole30. My 30 days are coming up on a week from Monday. I don’t want this to sound like I am going to jump back into old habits because I don’t plan to….this has been an incredible experience. But I am honestly just wondering what it was like for those of you who have completed the program when/if you reintroduced non Whole30 foods back in. I mean, while I don’t plan to drink wine as much as I did before Whole30, I’ll likely have it again… and what about sugar? How did that affect you and do the effects now solidify new habits (i.e did sugar make you feel yucky so now you don’t eat it)?
I think one of the biggest things I wanted to change with the Whole30 was the “cheat” mentality, but I am not sure how or when to reincorporate these things without that mentality…..it’s been with me for so long.
So today, we’re throwing Diana’s questions out to YOU, our readers. If you’ve completed a Whole30, share your Life After the Whole30 experiences here. Talk about how and when you introduced non-30 foods back into your diet, and how it made you feel. Did it send you off the rails back into old habits, or were you able to better manage your food choices after completing the 30 day program? Have you maintained that happy, healthy mentality going forward, or did time and life factors erode the consistency of the good habits you built here? Did you have to go longer than 30 days to reap the full benefits, and (for those of you who have been with us since the beginning) has your second or third time around made the most difference?
We’ll share more here about life post-Whole30 in the coming weeks, but for today, we want to hear from the real experts – those of you who have talked the talk and walked the walk. Thanks for sharing, and thanks to Diana for the excellent question!
I finished my first Whole 30 on June 1st! And to be honest, not much has changed since then. I have created new habits and am feeling good, so don’t see a need to go back to old ones…
Let me tell you – I was a sugar freak before this. Seriously, I had sugar cravings every single afternoon and evening, and I almost always gave into them. Now, I just don’t have the cravings anymore….I know this sounds crazy but it’s true. I couldn’t believe that I went 2 days without sugar, now it’s been almost 40!! I must admit that I had one SMALL cheat during the 30 days…..I made my friends wedding cake and tried a bite at the reception. But the fact that I didn’t lick my finger once while baking was a small miracle!!
I had some ice cream last weekend….and WOW, it was not worth it. My body was not happy. My boyfriend also did the Whole 30 with me, and he had a cupcake on Sunday, and almost instantly had intense stomach pain. It just shows how immune we were to this crap before. And now that we are eating clean, our body tells us the truth when we put bad things into it.
Sure, I will have a glass of wine with friends, and maybe some chocolate here and there. But dairy & grains are out for me. And I don’t miss them.
One question for Dallas & Melissa – the main reason for doing this for me was to increase my energy…and I am not really seeing this yet. I still get super tired throughout the day. I am also still getting daily headaches. Any tips/coaching for me?? Is it possible that it’s just taking alot longer for me than for other people??
Thanks!!
Great post…
For me, the idea of 30 days is cool, but it’s really just to get people on the right path. I think I can echo the comment above where after the first 30, nothing did (and should) change. The reality is, this is a lifestyle change, not just some gimmick diet to drop a few pounds, etc.
I started a very strict regiment of the “paleo” concept while going through treatment for Melanoma (cancer) that could have killed me. It became crystal clear to me that I was due for a lifestyle change, and fast.
I have been going strong for about 2 months now, and it was about 8 weeks until I even considered a “cheat” meal – let me tell you that grass-fed beef burger with garlic fries, a Guinness and a brownie & ice cream sundae was pretty darn good, but that’s the thing… “before” that was nothing special – but after the strict diet, it was really something special and only something I would consider every once in a while, like it should be.
Anyway – I think the challenge and the position I am in after a couple months is really along the lines of mixing it up and getting creative with what I eat. Sure, I can eat a chunk of meat and a bunch of veggies plain, but if you don’t get creative with your food prep and recipes, you are going to start wanting to stray – for no other reason than just variety.
That said, the recipes here and all over the net are “money”! They really allow you to take this eating concept to the next level.
On a side-note I made another post earlier about these noodles I have been reading about – maybe M or D can sound off about them… they are called Shirataki noodles (or miracle noodles), and they are made from the Konjac plant? which I understand is a root similar to a yam – they are almost “everything” free – are they good to go or not?
-Dave
WOW!!! I know that we are only a microcosm of internet land but my question on the whole9 main page blog…..I feel like a rock star
No seriously I am really excited to see what people say about this. Thank you again Melissa and Dallas!
After my first Whole30, I decided to give up gluten entirely. Not even as a ‘cheat’ meal due to the havoc it now has on my system (my body can now distinguish grass-fed vs. grain-fed beef … not sure if that’s a good thing!) In doing so, I’ve found that this cuts out all processed foods/most packaged foods (with the exceptional Lara bar when I’m on the go w/ toddler in tow). The result? I feel awesome and my body feels fresh and clean. I have more energy throughout my day, and I’m consistently putting up personal bests at the gym. I feel better, I look better = I’m more confident about myself and have noticed added benefits in my marriage (you get the idea!).
The First Whole30 I did was the biggest for me, because it redefined how it was possible for me to interact with food. I found out that after going without… “everything” I thought I loved for 30 days… there wasn’t much allure to going back. I knew, beyond a doubt, that I was healthier. I felt better, I performed better, I looked better (That’s the Robb Wolf Hat trick)… what else could I want? It was several months before I had a cheat bigger than Parmesan cheese on my salads.
The one exception was when I went from strict, squeaky clean… to eating pizza, chocolate, and milk in one night. I was in agony for two days. Bad idea kids. Reintroduce trouble groups one at a time, spaced out, if you have to. Even after everything, I stayed relatively on the rails with Paleo, and I had the knowledge of how to make myself healthy with food that has stuck with me since last summer.
I’ve also noticed over the past… almost year now… that I still associate certain foods with certain habits. Even if my system isn’t thrown into a giant shock by oreos… I still get into a mental pattern that reverts to my years and years of bad habits when I eat them, baring difficult conscious self control. It’s like there’s a switch in my brain that’s flipped off when I eat healthy. Whenever I eat certain stuff it flips on, and I just get bad mental vibes. It sounds kind of crazy when I write it like that, but I’m just happier when I eat healthy.
Going through the Whole30 2.0 has been excellent for me. 1- it really helped me get back on my game from life stress. 2- I was amazed at home much my “little cheats” had ballooned into unhealthy habits again. 3- it enabled me to meet my performance goals for my training, by shooting my recovery through the roof. Now that I’m back on the wagon, I plan on staying with it full hog (with some tweaks, that include milk, sorry Dallas!). Even after the month, staying away from the ice cream, chocolate, and god forbid… breads.
Completed my first Whole30 in October and was a changed woman. We atr pretty clean anyway but cutting the dairy and grains for good not to mention the sugar was a huge eye opener. I was very strict not even a cheat for months! I never wanted one! Then in January it happened…….I cheated once a week for a while then twice. While it was fairly clean cheats I felt fine so allowed myself to indulge a little more…..Then I had a dirty cheat. Mexican food. Tortilla chips. Corn tortillas. Rice. We also had homemade fudge that night. Felt okay until I woke up the next morning to a hangover! I didnt even drink! Run over by a mack truck.Destended abdomin, GI discomfort, headache, lack of mental clarity, nausea, fatigue. It took almost a week to get back to normal. Started my Whole 30 again after that and got straight. Whole30 2.0 has been great because there were a few little things that had snuck back in for sure. I am back on the horse and my husband even jumped in on the Whole30 for the first time three weeks ago. He loves it. Thanks Melissa and Dallas for all your motivation and support! Everyone out there keep up the great work!
I am going to stay as clean as possible after these 30 days are up. I won’t being chewing gum anymore or drinking coffee. Thoses things are out of my diet for good! I may go out for seafood or a good steak, because that is what I am craving. Just a good cooked meal. I’m not really the best chef/cook, so some meat, veggies, a good salad prepared by someone else sounds great to me.
I won’t be re-introducing any dairy, breads or sugars because they just make me feel like crap. This is the best I’ve ever (yup, EVER) felt and I’m staying this way. The lady at the grocery store is going to have to get use to my face buying 3 bags of spinach every 3 days. She always has a comment, right before her smoke break.
Being super strick this time has helped with temptation and peer pressure. I’ve put a hirachy of my favoirte foods together so that if something comes up (birthday party, wedding) I can see if the “cheat” food is really worth it.
Keep up the good work all!
I did the original Whole 30 last summer, and when it was done I cheated big time. My food quality in general swung back towards the old days for a while, and I did NOT feel sick from sugar or grains. However, after the excitement of finishing the 30 days and having some cheat meals wore off, I slowly steered myself back to a stricter diet again. I’ve found over the last year that each time I veer off the path, it gets worse. Like my body is getting used to this awesome diet, and gets more pissy every time I try feed it something it’s become unused to. So now I -do- get sick/feel shitty from eating grains, and I never bother cheating with gluten anymore. But that’s okay, because dark chocolate and lara bars now seem super sweet and bacon is just so awesome I don’t need much else
I completed 30 day challenge, but did strict for 40 days. It was after my husband went to basic, so it was easier to prepare the meals, stay home, and not cheat. However, I did have days after that when I would have a piece of chocolate, but turned down pizza, donuts, and potlucks at my work. People were constantly asking me, what is that your eating?!? I love trying to explain the concept of the diet. After 40 days, I had lost 30 pounds and felt better about the way my body looked. My husband and I moved across the country to a military base that does not really support our grocery needs. We first stocked the fridge with pale-oish foods. But slowly went back to bad…bad foods. I would start the paleo challenge, and then be ambushed by a pizza that my husband ordered. My willpower was not on par. I re-started in the beginning of May, and cheated before this challenge with a piece of pizza, sooooo not worth it. My stomach and body were overall pissed off!! I ended up going to bed, I was feeling so bad. The next day I started the Whole 30, more strict than I have ever been. Craved chocolate once…but otherwise have no desire to cheat at all!!! Good luck to the others and stay strong, regardless of how many days you have left.
I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ve been paleo – no grains, legumes, dairy, sugars, processed foods, since May 1 and then three weeks ago cut out completely ALL forms of “sweet” including gum and even toothpaste! I have yet to notice any change. I feel tired and lethargic, like Jenny mentioned, above.
I, fortunately, don’t get headaches. I have never had any issue with any food bothering my digestive system, other than some foods would make me drowsier than others, i.e., bread. But I’m still quite lethargic during the day, more so than prior to May 1. I have not lost any weight. It’s kind of bumming me out that I am simply not seeing any visible results. I am 51 yrs old, have been at 160 pounds for the past 5 years where before I was between 120 to 130 since 1990. I am starting to go through “the change”. My life literally is stress-free. I work at home and I have the luxury of being able to eat healthy 100% of the time. I have been able to stop taking meds to help me sleep. Lights out by 9:30 pm, I am up and working by 4:30 in the morning and work until 5:30 pm. I do take a break during the day to go to the gym four days a week for strengthening and I also volunteer 90 minutes a day for 3 days at a local thrift shop. I work 7 days a week so my sleep/wake cycle is pretty consistent.
I hate to be the sour grape in this group but I really wish I’d start seeing SOMETHING change!! Losing the lethargy and some weight would be awesome! I don’t foresee going back my former diet that included grains, dairy, or legumes although I might go back to using some brown sugar in the marinade for my salmon! I never was big on processed foods or sweets to begin with so that really is a nonissue for me.
Suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!
Ronna-
Are you eating enough? Similarly, I didn’t see a big change when I went paleo, except less inflammation, and an intolerance to gluten. I decided to count calories just fo kicks, and I was only eating around 1500 calories a day! For a 6′ 200 lb CrossFitter, thats no good. My body was in “starvation” mode. I was pushing it hard, and not fueling it enough, so it SAVED EVERYTHING.
I would suggest (take this as you will, I’m no expert!) analyzing how much you are eating; Maybe you aren’t eating enough!
Ronna- Ditto to Ben’s comment. I too struggle with getting enough food- especially protein. I would bet that if you kept a food log in fitday.com or another similar site for just a few days you could get a clear picture of how much you are actually eating…it might surprise you. Worth giving it a try. Stay focused, everyone’s results are unique and the health benefits of what you are doing for yourself are real- even if you can’t “see” them!!
Thanks Ben. For the first 3 weeks in May, I faithfully recorded every bite I consumed; my habits have remained pretty much the same since then and so I stopped recording the data. For the 3 weeks I logged the data, I consumed an average of 1400 calories per day with 42% Fat (67 grams), 28% carbs (106 grams) and 30% protein (105 grams). I am very conscious about carbs so I try to limit those as much as possible (only an occasional banana or apple). I eat lots of romaine with a homemade garlic “cesar” type dressing. I’ve always eaten “like a bird” throughout my life! When I get the munchies, I have berries with coconut cream, or almonds, or black olives (doesn’t any sell black olives WITH pits any longer? I think I could suck on an olive pit for a while to substitute for my recently discontinued gum habit, but have settled on sucking on a clove instead!). I guess maybe I’m NOT consuming enough calories – ugh! It’s so hard for me to eat more! LOL. I’ll start recording again and making an effort to eat more – sigh -
After my first Whole30 last July, I slowly started trying out some of the old vices, and that was the beginning of the downward spiral, back into blah (well, not totally blah – I kept out grains, but ate sugars/dairy/the occasional rice & beans…). It did erode what I gained physically, although I kept some of the mental shift.
I did a “Whole15″ or so somewhere between then and now, but my heart wasn’t in it.
This time, I’m on Day 38, and don’t plan on stopping.
Here’s the thing: Once I went “back”, in my head, it was all over. Eating clean wasn’t just what I did anymore, it was a step above normal. And that just doesn’t work.
Now, “normal” is clean. And while a deviation might happen again sometime (I’m sure I’ll try some ice cream again someday), I have no plans to lower my standard of normal to anything other than what I know is 100% healthy. Why would I?
So, I’d say it was the 3rd time that was the charm – and attending the workshop helped a TON.
@Ronna – I wish I had suggestions for you. I’m also not seeing much fat loss; it’s the biggest point of frustration for me in the whole thing, simply because I don’t really know what else I’d try aside from this. I’ve heard that hormonal issues can be a contributor (thyroid, estrogen, etc.), but I’m no expert there.
I do wonder if it has something to do with sleep, though; it’s one common denominator we share (I average about 7 hrs a night, and often wonder what it’d be like to get 8-9 like people talk about)… and I’ve heard that not maximizing sleep can jack up one’s cortisol, causing them to retain body fat.
Re: eating more – yeah, I tend to come in pretty low, too (FitDay had me at an average of 1800-2000 cal/day, and I’m 6’4″ and Crossfit 4 days/week with a strength bias). Ugh – it’s hard to think about eating more; I feel like I eat tons already!
I guess I just found my next goal…
@Ronna & Adam-
I say go for it! I started eating 2100-2500 calories a day (of GOOD food) and I feel more energetic and STRONG.
Yeah, I just punched a normal day into FitDay, and came up at 1900 calories, with a 65/25/15 breakdown (fat/pro/carb). I’m only at 120g protein/day, though, so I can imagine that should be higher. It’s hard to imagine eating more… I eat a big breakfast, a solid lunch, and I’m barely hungry for dinner. At all.
My energy levels are good, my performance numbers are good (I could get stronger, for sure)… it’s fat loss that’s my main goal (I’m right around 14-15% bf). And I know I’ve got some old bad programming in my head about eating too much – but I’m just never really hungry, it’s crazy.
I’ll give it the ol’ college try, though!
Well, I’m with you, Adam. I’m going to try to eat more, too! Its just been for so long I’ve been so mindful of every calorie going into my mouth! It’s hard to shake that mentality! So right now I’m having my afternoon snack of blueberries with coconut cream – and I’ve doubled my usual “snack portion”. This weekend I’ll bake up a bunch of chicken wings/drumsticks (after marinating them in soy & ginger) and have them available for snack, too!
I don’t know that I need much more than 7 hours of sleep. Typically on weekends I don’t set my alarm and I’m usually awake naturally 7 or 7.5 hours after bedtime. I have blackout curtains in my bedroom so it’s not the morning sun waking me up. On occasion I’ve gone back to sleep but I know if I sleep too many hours I feel really crappy the rest of the day!
Hey Melissa
I hope you do not mind if I re-post my post your old blog:
“Steve said…
I am away from home and will not return until my 30 Day Challenge is over on this Tuesday. But it is no longer a challenge rather it is a way of life for me now. So my first chance for a legal cheat is this Tuesday and I am not really looking forward to cheating this Tuesday. Nothing is special about Tuesday just another day in my life. In fact the first day I see a reason to cheat is not until the following Saturday when I go to a social event. My cheat will be some wine. I mean some really good wine. I meant to say some great wine.
I have no desire to eat beard, rice, potatoes, candy or any other junk food. This lifestyle is allowing me to lose inches off my waist without going hungry. This lifestyle is saving my life. For about 25 years I have been getting fatter and fatter. I joined weight watchers and I was able to starve myself down 40 pounds, but the weight slowly came back. Before I found the 30 day challenge my weight peaked to 305.
I stood looking at the scale in disbelief. How I did I allow myself to reach 305? I tried eating less but I didn’t lose a pound until I got a really bad stomach virus that didn’t allow me to eat for three weeks and my weight during this illness dropped to 285. I thought to myself this is the jump start I needed to get my weight under control, but three weeks later in spite of starving myself I was back up to 292 and rising. So I brought a subscription to the CF Journal and started to read the nutrition articles. One of the articles I read was Melissa Byers article “Zone Gone Bad”. I thought to myself here is interesting person.
Then I searched the CF boards and I found out Melissa had her own blog and I decided to check out her blog. At the top of her blog as everyone reading this knows is a linked called “Change your life in 30 Days.” I knew I needed to change my life in order to save my life. With the direction of my weight I had serious doubts that would live another ten years. I am only 50 and I doubted I would make to sixty or live long enough to see my Grandchildren or see my son get married. So I took the challenge and it saved my life. At my last weighing I was down to 279. To many that may sound awful to weight 279, but I haven’t been that light for over five years. I am down to 279 without being hungry. Each day I feel better, have more energy and become leaner. Why would I want to trade that for potatoes, corn, pasta or any the other junk I used to believe was healthy food?
Melissa Byers and her “30 Day Challenge” not only changed my life, it saved my life. I was on a path to an early death and now I am going live long enough to see my son get married and to see my Grandchildren. I can’t thank Melissa enough for saving my life.
So I will end this long post by just saying Thank You Melissa for saving my life and I really do mean it when I say “Saving.”
September 12, 2009 4:45 PM ”
And as today I never went back my old way of eating. However, I do enjoy some really good wine from time to time. OK more than once a week. Besides wine I rarely have a cheat. Maybe once a month. Feeling well and alive is much better than eating stuff which taste good but isn’t real food.
As of today I am down to 257 not thin, just thinner and much healthier than I have been for last twenty years of my life. I need to get down to 230 to get below 20% body fat. That is my long term goal. At age Fifty with a loving wife I do not need a six pack; just a long and healthy life so I can enjoy my time with her and my child and someday my grandchildren.
The whole 30 saved my life, so why would I ever stop?
I’m interested in why some people feel totally drained with the Paleo diet. Since starting Paleo in April, I am having a hard time staying awake driving home from work, commuting 50 minutes, and my energy is not quite what I’d like to see at the gym. Our coach mentioned that she could tell that another lady had started strict Paleo because she was dragging through the WOD. Does this just mean that we are not getting enough fruits & veggies? How could we tweak our diets to give us the energy boost that you would expect from a healthy lifestyle of clean eating and WODs?
Thanks,
Karyn
member of CrossFit Bay Area
Webster, TX
I have struggled with my weight my entire life. I have to say the strict 30 days is what helped me to get into better shape. The key to this lifestyle change is eating enough foods. Lots of veggies. In one day I eat, for veggies, 1 bag of baby spianch, a red pepper, an european cucumber, raddishes, carrots, celery, a bag of broccoli…You have to make sure you are eating enough. Good fats- avocados, olives, coconut, nuts, plus proteins and a couple of pieces of fruit. Make sure you are eating enough. Take it from me, I’ve struggle with my weight. But man, the second I start eating all this great food, in the right quanities, I look great, sleep great and my workouts are amazing. It’s scary at first because we’ve grown up in this world where less food equals smaller body, but not in this case.
Just this week I’ve notice a small change because I haven’t been eating enough…a little bloat. Work got crazy and I wasn’t getting all my calories in. Bloat, crappy workouts, tired… Well, this Sunday I’ll be sure to prep more food so this doesn’t happen again.
So eat more clean food!
Ok. Short post but I felt the need to share this with you. I grew up eating all kinds of dairy (cheese, a ton of cottage cheese, heavy cream, whole milk). All if it was raw and from a grass fed cow b/c that’s the only one that was available and cheap (believe it or not). Yes, from that you can deduct that I did not spend my childhood in the USA. Hence, I love dairy but I had no trouble giving it up for past 6 months or so (that’s when I went full Paleo). I’d occasionally have cheese here and there, maybe some heavy cream in coffee once in a blue moon…after the initial 45 days. Those little amounts never caused me big issues.
Today, all of a sudden I got a craving for cottage cheese. I thought since I haven’t had it in a long long time this would be a day for a test run. So I went to the local store, got the best cottage cheese they had, in the smallest container they offered. Got some fruit and decided I’d eat it for my lunchtime snack about 3 hours before my workout. OH MY! About 2 hours after consumption my stomach let me know that it DID NOT enjoy the cottage cheese at all, and it let me know that VERY clearly. It’s been six hour now and it’s JUST settling down. Lesson learned. Cottage cheese up on the F-off list.
Keep up the good work, I really enjoy reading the updates
.
Karyn, I have mentioned this several times myself – feeling tired – actually more than just tired – drained! I thought it might be seasonal allergies because in the past feeling draggy seemed to coincide with high pollen/grass/molds and I’d pop a Sudafed or two throughout the day and as long as I started BEFORE I got draggy, I would feel fine throughout the day. But I have been feeling downright drained since going paleo. In fact, I’ve even been skipping going to the gym on my lunch hour so I can take a nap, instead.
If anyone could enlighten us about this, I’d appreciate it, too. I’ve have also noticed if I eat anything starchy (sweet potato) or too sweet (apples, prunes) then I simply crash so I’ve cut those out. I haven’t been taking any OTC meds since June 1 other than a multivitamin and my fish oil …
@Karyn M
I totally understand the whole drained feeling you and others might be experiencing on the initial run at Paleo diet. I’m no expert at this but I’d chalk that up to your body adapting to the diet/becoming more fat adapted. Most of us before going Paleo are used to running on carbs and after the switch our bodies need time to adjust to run on fat. Many people experience about 2-3 weeks (some even longer) of lethargy, terrible workouts while it takes your body time to adapt. You can check out Robb Wolf’s website, he covers some of that topic in his podcasts. Just keep at it and trust me it’ll only get better!
I’ve been pretty strict Paleo since March 27th, so I would think that my body has had more than enough time to adjust. I feel GREAT except for the extreme drained feeling. I sleep close to 8 hours a night, sometimes more, and I have thought that being tired was due to the extreme CF workouts. But talking to my coach, I might need to really ramp up the veggies. Having had weightloss surgery 10+ years ago, I can only eat so many and certain varieties of veggies… hard to digest… BUT, I eat them, as much as I can. I just want to find the perfect combination (add in sweet potatoes, more fruit) to maximize my output. Truly, my deadlifts are up to 231# from 205# in April, but the tiredness is taking its toll. Thanks!
Karyn – I know people who have had weightloss surgery often don’t absorb enough vitamins from their vegetables due to the changes in their stomach (less surface area I believe). My mother has similar issues, and has take more than the normal recommended supplements, as well as go to the doctor regularly for B vitamin shots or she reports the same symptoms of drowsiness and lethargy. Could this be an issue for you?
I’m not saying that it’s not an issue with me, but it is a new issue. I take multivitamins and fish oil, and I digest much better than when I have eaten differently in the past, i.e. starchy carbs, dry, fatless meats, or junk food. My skin is much clearer and my performance is improving mostly, but I’m not losing any weight and the tiredness issue are the problems. I didn’t mean to highjack the blog, but I noticed a couple of folks who had the lack of energy issue, and I’d just love to get to the bottom of it.
@Jenny: We’re going to take the tiredness/lethargy/poor workouts complaint main page either tomorrow or Monday, so stay tuned. In the meantime, thanks for sharing your experience here! I had the same reaction to dairy (cheese) after my first Whole30. Made me mad, because I love cheese, but it’s NEVER worth including in my diet at this point – not after how sick it made me feel.
@Dave: Did some research on the shirataki noodles… they seem okay, content wise. The marketing makes me crazy – “Miracle Noodles”? Be skeptical of health claims on packages… but you already knew that, and you’re interested in including them in your recipes for variety, I get it. If you want to add the non-tofu style of noodles to dishes, I don’t see any issues. Let me know how you use them, and how the dishes come out!
@Diana: Thanks again for the great discussion topic!
@JFLood: We wish we could open discussion up to how the Whole30 provides “benefits” to relationships, because you’re not the first person to tell us that. We love it – thanks for sharing, and thanks for sticking with us all this time. See you in Beaverton!
@Jesse: Helping you manage life stress is a HUGE point that so many people overlook! Excellent point, you really are a Whole30 superstar. Thanks for continuing to provide support, motivation and guidance to all the new people around here. How goes the job search?
@Meredith: That concept of a food “hangover” is a commonly heard one – and not fun at all. So glad you’re back, and thanks for sharing.
@JSpice: You can talk the talk just as well as we can – and I love hearing how things are just clicking for you this time around. It’s wonderful to break some of those old habits and patterns, and we’re thrilled to see it happen. SO much to fill you in on – call you tomorrow (Sunday)!
@Chelsea: Smart girl, that’s EXACTLY what happens. We talked about this during our Podcast with Robb Wolf… the more you allow your body to heal, then reintroduce those inflammatory foods, the more your body literally revolts in response. Larabars are MY treat too, and you’re right… they’re plenty sweet, once you change your taste buds. Thanks for contributing.
@Tamara: Glad to hear you’re back on board! Thanks for sharing your experiences – it’s good to hear that it’s now all “flowers and ponies” all the time. Keep posting and let us know how things are going!
@ALL: Sorry to bail half-way through comments, but we have a workshop in an hour, in Medford OR. We’ll jump back into this tomorrow, with a special post to address those tiredness/lethargy/poor gym performance questions.
Best,
Melissa & Dallas
Is anybody else having issues with bloat? I’m on day 12 and I was feeling amazing for about 9 days but then out of nowhere I became really bloated and uncomfortable. Is it possible that I’m eating too many raw vegetables and my body is not handling it well? Also, I am having a problem with the perceived hunger still. I sometimes catch myself snacking in between meals when I really shouldn’t be hungry. I eat plenty of fat so I don’t think it’s that. I just love food and i feel like I’m eating all the time. Just wondering if anybody else had experiences like this.
My first 30 was hard from a convenience POV. I did allot of shakes and drinks and relied more on supplements. When I focused on food quality everything started to click for me. When I started getting enough protein it really became easy. In my second 30 I did not weight and measure anything, and my workouts and recovery were both good and I am slowly leaning out. I am looking at eating 100% clean 90% of the time. A Caprese Salad or some Mexican food once in a while, but I can’t see Milk or Potatoes coming back really ever. This is such a shockingly simple and sensible way to eat. Thanks guys!
@Ronna,
We decided to provide a little individual attention instead of taking the lethargy/fatigue questions main page as Melissa previously mentioned. First and foremost, this is not a weight loss diet, so I’ll gently suggest that using weight loss as a measuring stick or as motivation to “go Paleo” is missing the point. As far as energy levels are concerned, you need to eat MORE. You mentioned eating “like a bird”. Mercy! Your 1400 calories isn’t NEARLY enough to support the lean, mean machine you want to be. Remember, food IS energy, so if your food quality is spot-on (like yours has been during the Whole30), and you’re still draggin’, EAT MORE. Get enough protein first and foremost, then add fat. Notice that I didn’t say “eat more fruit” or “eat more nuts”. Use avocado, coconut, and olive fats to give your body adequate fuel.
@Adam,
Dude… eating IS training. Getting adequate calories from high quality sources is hard work, sure, but so are deadlifts, OHS, and 400s. If you can gut it out on the erg, you can eat more. I believe in you. Be well.
@Karyn M,
Yours is a common misconception about “going Paleo”. The Whole30 is not – and should not be – a calorie-restricted diet. But… if you pull out the calorie-dense, no-good food you were probably eating before (sugars, grains, legumes, dairy, processed food, etc.), you need to replace those calories with clean calories. In short, make sure you’re getting enough protein, add more good fat to your diet (more!), and make sure you’re hitting a post-workout meal immediately after completing your workout. If you’re hungry or your energy is flagging, eat more! (Adding fruit is NOT the way, though.) And as far as your bariatric surgery is concerned, you might have to work hard to eat smaller meals more often to get enough food in you now that you’re demanding more of your body during your high-intensity training.
@J Spice,
We’re so happy for you. Miss you guys. Looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks!
@Leah,
You could have stumbled onto something you don’t digest well, but it’s much more likely that your gut is taking a while to heal from the assault of your old dietary choices, and the “transport time” often takes a little while to adjust to this new, cleaner diet. Meaning… stay the course, let your gut heal properly, and you should be okay. Some magnesium citrate (200-400mg) at bedtime might help, too. It might not be a bad idea, though, to also take a look at what you ate on Day 10 and 11 to check if you’ve recently introduced something new. Hope this helps. We talked about this issue on Robb Wolf’s podcast, #26, as well.
@David,
Glad you’re doing so well! Hi from the other coast.
Dallas, I appreciate you guys taking the time to address the issues on the blog personally. I understand that it’s not a calorie restricted diet, which is why I don’t track calories, although I DO still try to make sure I eat “reasonable” portions of protein and fat. I’ve dieted for many years, and since I was formerly obese, I believe I may be insulin resistant. That being said, I am not hungry all of the time while eating Paleo, and I am happier with this way of eating over any other way I’ve tried in the past 10+ years post surgery. While my issue here is the fatigue, I have a hard time believing that I cannot lose under my current weight (in the 160s at 5’3″ for 3 years) with this lifestyle with as much protein/fat as I eat (meat, olive oil, avocados, nuts) and as hard as I work out now… and as much as I worked out prior to CF (hours of running, spinning, etc.) I might just be an anomaly.
Thank you, Dallas for taking the time to address me individually! Before I embraced the Paleo lifestyle, I googled and read as much as I could get my hands on about it and so many people had weight loss as a benefit. My trainer suggested I ditch the grains, dairy, legumes, etc, and was the one who had introduced me to Paleo. In fact he linked me to your fish oil calculator in late May, after I had switched to the Paleo concept and when I saw your Whole30, that’s when I made the decision to try ditching ALL remaining sugars which included my gum and toothpaste! I used to have an apple or two a day, and now rarely have those. I had really hoped this time something would “click” and I’d be one of those people whose weight started melting away! Since June 10th, I have made a definite effort at eating more protein by basically doubling my portions of meat, and also I just today added coconut oil to my regimen.
I’d love to lose about 30 pounds and now am simply at a loss as to how to do that. I’ll discuss with my trainer when I meet with him next week. But I am beginning to wonder if not having healthy eating habits all my life coupled with 50 years of inactivity is irreversible.
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Ronna-
You are your own science project. What you are doing is not producing the results you seek. You want change. Change requires ENERGY. In this instance, your energy is FOOD. You need more of it. Do not be afraid. Go ahead and eat just like Dallas said – more protein and good fats. Take your intake up for a couple of weeks and see what happens. If you don’t like what how you feel or what you see, get ready to try plan B.
Thanks Kelly. I switched to Paleo because I wasn’t getting results with what I had been doing!!! LOL. I guess I am my own science experiment! I’m not afraid of eating more per se – it’s just hard for me to do so! I definitely want to see change so I will increase my energy and see what happens.
I’m still a bit confused over Dallas’ consistent posts about increasing fats like oil, avocados, but not nuts. What’s so bad about fat from nuts — is it simply that we are more likely to overindulge on nuts vs. avocados or straight oil?
And if we’re still hungry or notice low energy at times, what’s wrong with adding an additional apple, banana, strawberries or red grapes, etc. into the mix?
@AK,
The deal with nuts is that they are overwhelmingly a source of omega-6 fatty acids. and omega-6′s tend to be inflammatory in the body. More accurately, a diet that favours omega-6′s over omega-3′s tends to put you in an inflammatory state. The omega-6:omega-3 RATIO is what’s important. Ramp UP your omega-3 intake, and carefully manage your omega-6 intake.
The problem with using “quick and dirty” carbs (especially sugars) to bump up your energy levels when you’re hungry/cranky/lethargic is that they only promote that spike-and-crash pattern of blood sugar levels. Besides, fruit isn’t very satiating compared to protein and fat. So… add fat to meals or snacks when you’re hungry, and it’ll burn slow and long and clean. Eating more dietary fat makes your body better at using fat (both dietary fat AND body fat) as fuel. Sounds good to me! Hope this helps.
Dallas, you mentioned “The problem with using “quick and dirty” carbs (especially sugars) to bump up your energy levels when you’re hungry/cranky/lethargic is that they only promote that spike-and-crash pattern of blood sugar levels.” Is this effect more pronounced the longer one abstains from sugars, fruits, etc.? You also mentioned “Eating more dietary fat makes your body better at using fat (both dietary fat AND body fat) as fuel” – what would be your take on an occasional 1 tablespoon of coconut cream mixed with about 1/2 teaspoon cocoa instead of nuts or apples, bananas, etc. ?
Ronna,
As you continue to make good food choices and continue with your high-intensity exercise program, your insulin sensitivity should improve. The fructose in fruit doesn’t become blood sugar as fast as, say, white bread or table sugar, but it still bumps up your blood sugar notably and forces your liver to work really hard to process and store the fructose (especially if you eat a bunch of fruit at once, which is really easy to do). It’s not that fruit is the enemy, or entirely off-limits… just think about WHY you’re eating it. If it’s because you’re craving sugar, that’s not a good enough reason. In that case, eat protein and fat to satiate your appetite, and fight off the Sugar Demon. Concerning coconut: while coconut milk/cream/oil is an excellent source of fat, if you add fruit or even 100% cocoa to it, it seems like you’re trying to replicate a “dessert”… which just plays into your Sugar Demon’s plans for metabolic disruption. So… add coconut milk/cream/oil to veggies instead, like in curries or soups.
@ Dallas – thanks for the advice & encouragement. Since I posted on the 10th, I’ve been working hard to eat more protein (like a couple boiled eggs in the afternoon), and add a bit more protein, vegs, and good fats (avo, grass-fed butter, coconut oil) to each meal. We’ll see.
I definitely feel in limbo when it comes to having a sense of how much I “should” weigh, since us 6’4″-ians can easily, while having a favorable body composition, land anywhere in the 200-240 range, it seems, depending on our frames. I honestly have no idea where my weight will normalize, since I know I need to get stronger as well as lean out, and I don’t really care what the scale says – it’s so not important to me, other than as a gauge of body composition.
I do know this isn’t a “weight loss plan” — I’m more interested in health than anything else — but dang, I can’t help but want to look good nekkid, too.
I would like to add my two cents here. I don’t frequently write, but always read the posts. It is a great inspiration to see this many other people going through the same crap I am: tired, cranky, and getting guff from non-paleo friends! However, I loved my first whole30. Ice cream is my absolute weakness. It was the first thing I ate after the 30 days and made me sick. I was devastated! It did, though, make me realize I probably don’t need to eat ice cream once a week. My fiance and I decided to have our own little challenge again. We took before pictures, because we aren’t going to base this on weight loss. We are on day 10 and it’s going great! My energy is already picking up. I fell off the workout wagon, but am trying to get back on. I am sleeping better. It is unbelievable how much my body changes within 2 weeks. Between Paleo stints, I would get a “bomb” in my stomach any time I ate grains. It just isn’t worth it! That was a huge realization for me.
The cheat mentality has stuck with me since the first 30. What’s funny is what I consider a cheat now compared to the first time around. Now, a drink of Natural Naked Juice, Kumbuca, or honey makes me feel like I jumped off the deep end. Every once and a while, I indulge but it’s getting easier to say no when someone offers candy or an adult beverage. (This weekend is College World Series in Omaha, and I know I am going to dive head first into a vat of cotton candy and ice cream. It’s a tradition that I can’t stop now after 23 years!)
Good job to all of you finishing your 30! It’s a huge feat. Stick with it. The increased energy and self confidence is well worth turning down grains and dairy!
Ok….This is my summer of 30….I am staring my second whole 30 TODAY! I may have a little something sweet on the weekend on July 4th (4th is my one year wedding anniversary and the 5th if my 35th birthday)….but maybe I won’t. Why another 30-just feel like 30 more days can only be more beneficial and the few things I have had in the past 2 days have been devastating to my body. I may go into details at some point but for now lesson learned. Also I just injured my stupid knee so I see this can only help.
So here’s to 30 more…..
Day 31: Feeling great and fully intend to keep riding the rails maintaining my happy healthy mentality going forward because I’m. On. A. Roll! When (not IF???….well it IS practically summer) the opportunities to re-introduce non-30 foods back into my diet present themselves, I will first carefully assess WHY? and then do so pragmatically, if the reason warrants action. I can state with a great deal of confidence that I’m done with sugar, grains. legumes and processed foods. I haven’t had the need nor desire for them in a long while, plus complete avoidance is due to the known systemic response from consuming these things. Thanks Melissa and Dallas for all of your knowledge, support and encouragement!!! Great job on following your own darn program while on the road! And congratulations to all the Whole-30ers out there!
@Hannah: We’re glad you shared! Best of luck on your next go-around… Dallas and I have done this plenty of times, and it gets easier, better and more fun every time!
@Diana: Way to go! The longer you can easily continue this way of eating, the easier it gets to just keep right on going. We both feel so amazing we don’t WANT to go back to any of those foods that we know are going to make us foggy-headed, energy drained and potentially stomach-bombed. And if you’re recovering from injury, per D’s “All Banged Up” strategy, now is the MOST important time to keep it squeaky clean. Keep us posted, and keep posting!
@Kim: Love the intention, love the spirit! Happy, healthy mentality is where it’s AT, right? Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm.
I just finished my first whole 30 and found it to be a worthwhile experience. I am a 54 year old physical therapist who had really gotten out of shape and put on a lot of weight over the last number of years. I was absolutely faithful to the program. The result was a weight loss of 12 lbs. and a significant drop in blood pressure. I feel better, but have not really experienced a total transformation probably because I am not sleeping or exercising nearly enough. The program was not hard and I never felt deprived. One of its great values is that it made me think about what I was eating and about food in general. I plan on continuing the program with a few exceptions ( I would like a glass of wine or a beer) and will adjust my schedule to allow more time for sleep and exercise. Thanks for supplying a well reasoned springboard for change.
@Joe: Nice to hear from you! I’m glad to hear you’ve had such success with the program – your description of the Whole30 as a “springboard” is perfect. That’s exactly how WE think of it – Whole30 first, then Whole-Rest-of-Your-Life (as it’s been described by a few of our readers). Thanks for sharing your experience!
Ronna,
As I read through your posts, I have to wonder if you have had your thyroid checked? If you have increased your calories and are eating clean and still feel fatigued may I suggest you have some blood work done? Hypothyroidism is very common in women and it sounds to me like this may be your issue.
I hope you are feeling better,
Meghan
Thanks, Meghan. I really think it is more in line with seasonal allergies than anything else. If I pop a couple of sudafed first thing in the morning I don’t feel tired/draggy at all, and this has been the case for at least 15 years. Since I’ve gone paleo, however, I have also been trying to limit my intake of meds unless absolutely necessary!
I think the combination of starting paleo at the beginning of May, spring allergies, and elimination of meds is probably what was going on here. I believe I have acclimated to the paleo lifestyle plus spring allergies are pretty much done because the past three weeks or so I haven’t felt nearly as tired. With humid summers, the mold has a tendency to affect me the same way and I think I might go ahead and take Sudafed if that starts to affect me instead of feeling so lethargic all over again, although it has been awfully humid here lately and I have been fine without – that’s why I think it was the initial getting used to paleo plus allergies minus meds more than anything else. I get no other symptoms, oddly or thankfully enough, except the lethargy! As recently as last year, all my blood work was within normal limits including TSH.
I suppose I could have my doctor run blood tests again but it seems like the lethagy is under better control now!
@Ronna – I second the thyroid comment. Check out http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com. It can be difficult to find a doctor who actually knows how to treat thyroid issues – TSH is not a good test for your thyroid (is is ok for your pituitary).
I was tired for years until I finally got my thyroid straightened out… life has only improved since then!
I’m not trying my first Whole 30 in an effort to be healthiier AND to not support GMOs or the rest of the horrible big food industry!
We went through the Whole30 and kept fairly strict for another 3 weeks. Then we had a week at the beach with family and made a conscious decision to relax on the diet. Maybe 50% on. I had pizza, alcohol, italian hoagie, bread, Cheerios, milk, sugar, caramel popcorn, etc. Nothing bothered me.
However, we went back on the diet when we came home and I had the same extreme lethargy on days 3 and 4 that I had the first time, which were brutal. And I even ate a ton of veggies to try and counteract, but my body just wanted the efficient stuff to burn (read the bad stuff).
So that’s my heads up to folks. If you went through some initial pain at the beginning of your Whole30, it doesn’t take too many days off the diet to have to go through that again when you get back on. And you will want back on the Awesome Train. Your ticket will just be that much more expensive.
@DaveA: True story – thanks for sharing! Glad to hear you’re back on board.
I was on day 20 of the whole 30 program when I decided to put the heavy cream back in my morning coffee, this lead to diarrhea alllll day long. I have NEVER been lactose intolerant or had any adverse reactions to dairy in the past. I don’t understand why I would react this way after only 20 days of going without dairy. Am I making myself dairy intolerant or allergic by not eating it?
Carrie,
No, you’re not making yourself allergic, but your body has adjusted to NOT being assaulted by the stuff in dairy (inflammatory proteins, growth factors, etc.), so the reintroduction can be eye-opening to say the least. Your best policy is to learn from the effect that dairy actually has on you, and to not reintroduce it at all now that you know how it affects you. P.S. It’s not a Whole20, silly. It’s a Whole30!
Wow…great post format! On the whole30 blog, I think I gave a pretty good case for continuing on and going “whole the rest of your life”. The process continues and the benefits accrue and have a sort of exponential reward system. Like saving money in the bank. Would you sabotage your financial goals by going on a shopping spree after only saving a small portion intended? Our bodies are priceless! I finished my first W30 on Sept 23 and am committed to another “by the book” 60 and on from there.
I also think our tongues go through withdrawls as we cleanse. And its almost always the bad food that feels addictive to the tongue: SALT, SUGAR, BAD FATS, CRUNCHY OOZEY… AND MAKE THAT A DOUBLE ON THE DEEP FRIED OREOS!! If our common sense ends there… Hello cravings!
Instead, lets focus on the deeper needs of our zillion little cells. Then we can go back to retraining the tastebuds and NOT be a SLAVE to the mega food industries and misinformation out there.
Here’s to Salmon Salad for breakfast!
Finished the Whole30 on Tuesday, October 19th. I have been AMAZED at how well I could balance nutrition, working out, and sleeping habits. Even my parents were astonished that I have been preparing/cooking meals in the kitchen…..”HALLELUJAH, that girl can cook!”
I truly have loved eating everything in the Whole30 and I found it easy to do…when I was at home. But towards the end of the Whole30, I traveled to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and cooking/eating out was much more difficult. But I did not cheat….and I have lost weight, gotten leaner, and I feel GREAT too!
I know that the Whole30 is not just a diet…it is a lifestyle. And I want to embrace it with hands open now, but how do you handle this with the holiday season coming up…Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas? You grow-up with all of these treats around the holiday, which many do, and then you start something new which eliminates all of these treats. I literally feel a little scared to reintroduce certain food items from what I have read and I don’t want to give up how well I feel…and I was wondering if others have felt this way? And how did you get past this? Thanks! Katie
@Katie: Thanks for sharing – consider reposting your results on our Testify post, on the Whole30 page too! Check our new “Resources” page – there’s a whole reference guide dedicated to “Post Whole30″. Hope those articles help.
Best,
Melissa
Katie,
Don’t be “scared” to reintroduce “off plan” items. Treat it as a learning experience. But we make the case that if you don’t absolutely love a non-Whole30 food, there’s no reason to reintroduce it… ever. The only reason you should “go off” the W30 is if you really, really want something that’s delicious and “worth it”. But when you do, make sure you introduce ONE group of food at a time (dairy, grains, etc.) and PAY ATTENTION to how you feel. Take some mental notes, and decide if it’s worth doing again. Otherwise, keep on eating this clean, and continue to experience the benefits of your good eating habits.
One question: if I take out sugary stuff like maple syrup, and no dairy means no yogurt, what can I put on my almond-flour waffles? And I’m not kidding, here. For many moons I have started my day with buckwheat waffles or pancakes with fruit and yogurt on them, along with 2 slices of turkey bacon. More than willing to switch to a nut-based waffle or pancake and give up the gluten-contaning turkey bacon, but I need a topping for my waffle!!!
I’m one of those people who still want “breakfast food” for breakfast, and eating eggs every day isn’t good for you, either.
Thanks!!
Cori
Find an alternative for your waffles entirely, for starters. I had oatmeal for years and years and at first it was difficult to “give it up” but I used the BandAid approach – just rip it off all at once and deal with it! I ate turkey chili for breakfast during my first Whole 30. I used the same soup mug that I had used for my oatmeal for familiarities’ sake. I’d use real bacon, too, rather than turkey bacon!
One topping idea for your almond-flour waffles however, would be blueberries or sliced strawberries topped with coconut cream.
Cori,
Ronna’s probably right – set aside the idea of “breakfast food”. Generally, “breakfast food” = lots of sugar/carbs (think cereal/granola, fruit, oatmeal, toast, milk, etc.). We think starting your day with a protein- and fat-rich meal (and steering away from really sweet stuff) is your best bet. Try chicken sausage or chorizo with chimmichurri sauce. (You’re right that eggs every day aren’t optimal, yes.) Good luck!
Dallas
I live with 2 grown men, my husband and his brother, my husband was going to do this with me but opted out. This is going to be Very hard for me but I’m determined to do this… Any advice, warnings, what will I experience.. How do I resist when they’re eating normal foods etc…
@Brittany: Check out our “Resources” page – the post called “A House Divided”. That might help. Also, joining in on our Whole30 community (contributing to comments) also seems to really help people stay on track and motivated. It’s always good to know there are others sharing your experience, so please consider jumping on board and getting involved with the amazing people who post on our Whole30 Version 3.11 post daily.
Best,
Melissa
I finished my 1st whole 30 the beginning of this month. It was phenomonal. Somewhere on whole 9 I read that fueling @ 80% strict paleo provides 20% of the results and I experienced that the first couple weeks of just little cheats. My 1st cheat was a coke zero and the next day I felt hungover like I drank a 12 pack of bud. F – pop it’s no good for me. Next day had one glass of wine, got up at 4am to pee. Wine=less sleep for me. I race sailboats on the third coast and it’s customary if not required as a sailor to drink so we’ll see how that goes this season. Anyways, over a few days I had some waffle soufle thing and a Jimmy Johns sandwich and other grains and my sinuses clogged a bit. F-the grains. I wanna be strict! Take me back! Moderation sucks! Hot or cold, black or white, both are much better than luke warm and shades of gray.
I guess the idea of this blog is how to remain and persevere. For me it comes down to desire. Why?Because desire is always stronger than satisfaction. Don’t think so? How long can you remain satisfied from a paycheck, a bowl of ice cream, a great workout before you desire another one? Desire is always stronger than satisfaction. For all you whole 30 finishers myself included what is your ultimate desire in regards to your health? Not sure? Need a reminder? Walk a hospital floor and look at the patients, especially in the cardiac ward. Notice any similar traits? Are you willing to compromise your healthful desire for a fleeting moment with sugar/pasta/bread/booze whatever junk it is, which may lead to further binging in a downwarding spiral in which you’ve wiped out all of the healthy gains you accomplished in eating clean for the past month? I don’t want to lose what I’ve gained I want more!
As i said in my previous post eating clean for 30 days can’t wipeout 35 years of gluttony, cravings, drunkeness and poor eating but it’s a fantastic start. More importantly it created within me the DESIRE for more of the person I was becoming. Like many have said on here there are certain foods they don’t care to eat because they know how it affects them. They don’t have a problem saying no because they have a deeper yes to something else. That deeper yes comes from their desire. In order to really say no to something you need a deeper yes to something else. On the flip side, if you can’t say no to something your yes to it is meaningless.
It’s an adventure finding/trying new foods and recipes. I gleam in the grocery store not having to go down all those middle aisles. It’s about attitude, mindset and desire. Don’t have a literal all or nothing attitude-it can back fire. Don’t rationalize, bargain or barter with yourself-you get the short end as well. Don’t beat yourself up-you’ll end up in despair. Do know your desire. Do meditate on it, delight in it and embrace it each day, moment by moment, while savoring every bite in confidence and joy knowing you’ve done your body, mind and soul well.
Gregg: Beautifully, wonderfully written. We just shared a portion of your comment on our Facebook page, so others could benefit. Thank you for sharing – you couldn’t be more on point, and your words are certain to inspire others, too.
Best,
Melissa
I am on day 21 of my first Whole30, and I can’t tell you how happy I am to be reading these comments. Thank you to each and every one of you who shared their srengths and struggles. My husband and I are doing this together and we’ve been discussing what our plans are for Day 31… and forward. Stay tuned for more from us!
p.s. This has been an amazing experience thus far. My eating habits prior to this were just about as bad as they could be, and I have to say how proud of myself I am (sounds weird to say something like that). I haven’t cheated once, and I NEVER would have thought this would have been possible!!
Aundrea,
Make sure you visit our Whole30 Wrap Party post when your program is done. There’s lots of good resources (and some homework) for you, to help you stay on track when you kick off the training wheels of the program. http://whole9life.com/2012/01/youre-invited-to-the-whole30-wrap-party/
Best,
Melissa