Emily submitted her story to us through email, and we were so moved by her results that we just had to share it with the community. She has graciously allowed us to do just that. So without further ado…

My Whole30® Discovery

Since I was 2 years old, I have suffered from chronic asthma.  This meant hospital admissions, terrifying attacks, slavery to inhalers, antibiotics and steroids. Running a block would result in panicked gasping, red face, burning lungs and a feeling of defeat. Not being able to join in with my friends with strenuous exercise made me feel like a failure and a bit pathetic.

My weight never was really an issue for me, until I moved down to Arizona – from a life of walking everywhere and eating lots of fish, to moving to the desert, where everyone drove and there was all this awesome new Mexican food! I quickly started piling on the pounds and experiencing depression for the first time in my life. Over the next 13 years I’ve gone down, then back up so many times, and each time was a big struggle, threaded with feeling hungry and guilty all the time. Then came the massive sense of failure when the weight crept back on once I started eating “normally” again.

Last August, I saw a documentary about intermittent fasting and tried it out. Eventually I started reading stuff by Gary Taubes and kept coming across sites that talked about the caveman diet. I “Stumbled Upon” Mark’s Daily Apple and through him found the Whole9 and Whole30.

I’m a chef (pastry chef, but shhhh!) and being on my feet all day, running around, beating, whisking, carrying are important! I’d given up grains and sugar after Christmas (thanks to Mark Sisson and Gary Taubes) but was still munching on beans, cheese and PLENTY of wine. In fact, over the past ten years, my relationship with alcohol was definitely NOT under my control any more. I could polish a bottle of Jack off in two nights, a bottle of wine in an evening, no problem. I knew I needed to cut back, but couldn’t seem to.

But the Whole30 kept poking me in the back of my mind….

On the morning of January 11^th, I was at work and I just decided. I threw down my apron, grabbed my wallet and went in the office to sign up. I text messaged my Mum and told her “Google the Whole30. We start tomorrow!” She’d been along the ride with everything else so far and had lost a lot of weight, and I think she thought “it’s only a month right?”

I got home and went into my pantry. Filled two big bags with pastas, rices, beans, sweet sauces, vegetable oil and gave them away.  I was fully committed.

The ways in which my health has improved since are so numerous, it’s like I’m discovering new ones improvements day:

• I’m no longer using ANY asthma medication. AT ALL. That alone is miraculous.
• I’m off antidepressants after three years.
• I’m no longer taking the Ditropan for overheating/hyperhidrosis that I was taking for 13 years
• I no longer rely on sleep aids every night.
• My joints don’t ache any more, at ALL.
• I wake up before my alarm every morning and have boundless energy all day.
• The skin all over my body is soft and dewy. Even on the soles of my feet and I’m on them ALL DAY.
• I’m hardly ever hungry and when I eat I get a clear “Ok, you’re full now, you can stop” message and don’t feel the need to “clean my plate because it’s just so good!” (Hello Spaghetti Bolognese!)
• I have totally regular bowels, never constipated any more (as I was sometimes while fasting).
• I never feel bloated or so full I can’t sleep.
• I have stopped walking into rooms and forgetting why I was there. I did that at work ALL the time. I’d walk into the pantry, the pot store, the fridge or freezer and just stand there staring blankly.

I just feel in control of my health, my body, and my future.

I thought I’d never have children because I was always so tired and lethargic (and tipsy) but now my husband and I are seriously talking about trying and I’m excited as hell. I run up the five flights of stairs at work every morning, I do body weight exercises and yoga when I feel like it (which is often these days) and my hubs and I start ballroom and latin classes in two weeks. I’ve even signed up for a burlesque dancing class this summer. I’ll be honest. I started all of this because of my weight, but that has lost significance entirely when compared to the extraordinary, miraculous health benefits.

I went to see my doc last week about coming off my meds and she was stunned when she saw me. I told her it’s like I’ve found a magic pill. I’m in control now. You said you would change my life, but I didn’t understand what that meant. There’s no doubt in my mind that this diet is sustainable for me and no longer takes more than a gram of willpower to maintain, as I’m so easily satisfied with the yummy food I get to eat.

A bazillion thank-you’s from the bottom of my heart.

Emily M.

Recently we received an email from Whole9 Nutrition Partner Chris Roche of Circle City Strength and Conditioning in Brownsburg, IN about his oldest son, Dylan’s, experience with the Whole30.

Dylan, who struggled with depression and weight gain, has completely turned his life around in the past year, thanks to his Dad’s smart advice and the Whole30 program. Dylan, is now 22 and in college, has lost almost 90 pounds, is in the best shape of his life, has a clear head, and is loving life.  He credits his success to the Whole30 and to his Dad for sparking his interest in the program.

In Dylan’s Own Words

A little over a year ago at the age of 20 I hit what I like to call “critical mass”. My lifestyle and eating habits were so out of whack that I had reached an all-time high of weighing 280lbs. For me this was a huge shock when I stepped on that scale. How could I have let myself get this out of shape in just two years? In the middle of my senior year of high school I had been on the wrestling team, was down to 185lbs, running every day, lifting weights, and getting extreme amounts of exercise into my daily life. Now, just two years out of high school, I hadn’t run or done any sort of lifting in over a year. To be honest, I was ashamed of myself – not because I didn’t like what I saw in the mirror – but because I was no longer taking care of myself for no apparent reason.

The Catalyst

That summer things changed dramatically for me. One night my dad told me that he and my step-mom were going to go start this new “lifestyle” called the Whole30. He asked if I would be interested in giving it a shot and it really didn’t take me long to reply with a huge “yes”! I was more than ready to get back into shape and live a healthy life again. I’m not going to lie, the first week was by far the hardest. I had to give up so many unhealthy food choices I had been making. I had to drop caffeine, mainly because I don’t care much for coffee or tea, and was heavily addicted to Red Bull and soda which resulted in monstrous headaches! I also didn’t realize how much I loved bread and how “addicted” to unhealthy foods I had become.

A few weeks into the Whole30 that all passed, and before I knew it I was feeling the best I had felt in years. I could finally go to sleep when I was ready instead of fighting it throughout the night. My energy levels were coming back, and I felt much happier than before. At the end of the first 30 days I had lost 35lbs! I couldn’t believe it. It was a huge stepping stone, and being so strict with the program, the results were just amazing.

Keep It Going

Since then, I’ve done the Whole30 four times, and throughout the last year have followed the Whole9 lifestyle very closely. Since beginning this program is I’ve finally started to incorporated workouts back into my life. This has been what I call “turbo charging” my weight loss and all around health. I am currently at 194 pounds, a total weight loss of 86 pounds, in just over a year! I now enjoy rock climbing, swimming, running, and working out in the gym.  I am happy I no longer have to say, “well back in high school I used to weigh blah blah, and do blah blah.” I’m now living it, and with the progress I continue to make, I don’t see any turning back. The worst part about all of this is that I need new clothes that fit me better. (Bummer right?)

I highly recommend anyone to give the Whole30 a shot as I’ve had nothing but positive results from doing all this. I will say, it’s not easy, but at the same time it’s really not that hard either. I’m thankful to my dad for introducing this into my life. Without him and the Whole30, who knows where I’d be today!

When we first read of April V.’s Whole30 results, we took special interest. Turns out April started her Whole30 while eight (8!) months pregnant – and had the most amazing experience. We knew we had to turn this into a feature, to encourage other pregnant moms (and their partners, boyfriends, and husbands!) to consider our healthy eating plan for their mental and physical health, and the baby’s health, too.

Of course, you should always check with your doctor before beginning any dietary or exercise plan, especially if you are pregnant and/or have existing health conditions. But for those of you wondering if the Whole30 is safe for pregnant women, here is what Dr. Michele Blackwell has to say:

“I have personally experienced the benefits of the Whole30 program, and I wholeheartedly recommend the Whole30 plan to my patients to optimize a woman’s health during pregnancy and lactation. The nutrient-dense foods recommended provide ample vitamins and minerals without the need for the standard prenatal supplement. Eating real food Whole9-style will also help regulate blood sugars, alleviating hypoglycemic spells common in pregnancy. In addition, the Whole30 will reduce the likelihood of gestational diabetes, excess pregnancy weight gain, and possibly macrosomia (large babies) and polyhydramnios (excess amniotic fluid).”

Michele Blackwell, M.D., F.A.C.O.G
Board Certified Obstetrics and Gynecology

In April’s Own Words

My nutrition journey began in earnest when I was about 22 years old and had a scare on my annual feminine check-up. I started looking for answers and a natural way to become healthier and more fit. A few years ago I found Whole9 and was completely impressed. I started dabbling around in Paleo and working towards giving up grains and legumes. I’d already cut out most sugar and pre-packaged foods.

I am a fitness professional and my clients began asking me about Paleo and if it was just a gimmick. It was at this point that I became hungry for more knowledge and thought if I was telling my clients it’s not a gimmick then I really should embrace it in earnest and feel the full benefits. This led to my embarking on my first Whole30. And I must say, WOW, I am sold!

Eating Good Food For Two

I now eat about 75% Paleo, but like any human being, I stray from the path and then have to reign it back in from time to time. In June of last year I became pregnant. I was miserable that first trimester with constant nausea and nothing seemed to help. I began to feel desperate.

I started to succumb to the SAD way of dealing with first trimester nausea by eating white potatoes, crackers, bread, etc. After all, this is what all of the books on pregnancy advocate. But that only made me feel worse!

Then it hit me: I felt bad no matter what, and lack of exercise and eating grains was NOT helping! (I had been so nauseated that at this point I was not able to do my normal exercise protocol.) This was not working, and not sustainable for me. So I threw out all of the crackers, white potatoes, bread, and junk food and started moving back towards Paleo.

I wasn’t a perfect eater, but it was an improvement. By about 12 weeks pregnant, the nausea was diminished and I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. In the weeks that followed, I felt better and better. I was having a few aversions (chicken) and a few cravings (bacon and ice cream – not together!) but nothing crazy.

However, after a sugar frenzy during the holidays, I said enough is enough, and committed to starting another Whole30 on December 26, 2012. This time my husband Thomas committed to doing it with me. (He realized that he was consuming 1/4 cup of white sugar daily in his coffee alone!)

Thomas felt improvement quickly. And despite being nearly eight months pregnant, living in the South, and with all the pregnancy excuses in the world to eat whatever I wanted, within days of starting the Whole30 I felt fantastic! My acid reflux and heartburn vanished; depression was replaced with energy, motivation and a sunny mood; sinus issues greatly diminished, weight gain slowed; and puffiness mostly evaporated.

We completed our Whole30 on January 24, 2013, and I feel and look fantastic for a pregnant woman at 36 weeks. Thomas reported immediate improvements as well. In less than two weeks, he reported feeling sharper, increased motivation at the office, and less general fatigue throughout the day. (For the record, I am 38 years old, fast approaching 39, and I constantly have people assume I am in my late 20s. Thomas is 42 and experiences the same.)

I wholeheartedly believe that embarking on a Whole30 at any stage of pregnancy can and will be a positive experience. During the Whole30 I still had the occasional sugar craving, but I was able to recognize it as simply that — not a need, just a craving. The Whole30 has restored the clarity of mind to ask myself, “Do I really want a donut or am I simply hungry and needing a nourishing meal?”

Being pregnant has been a bit of a mind trip for me, but doing the Whole30 provided me with a renewed since of self confidence, empowerment, and love for my changing body. I looked in the mirror yesterday on day 30 and saw a strong, fit woman, and a beautiful, healthy baby belly!

When Kari H. of Waunakee, WI shared her story, the thing that stood out to us was the clear and dramatic change in her perspective on her own life.  In 30 hard-but-incredibly-worth-it days, Kari moved from accepting pain and sickness as a part of who she was and how she lived to pursuing health and happiness as her goal.

In Kari’s Own Words

“I went from completing a sprint triathlon in August 2011 to barely able to tie my own shoes within twelve months. I had iron infusions every three months because I wasn’t absorbing what I needed and joint pain from inflammatory arthritis.  My bowels hadn’t worked right in years, and I had diarrhea four to five times a week.

I guess I couldn’t grasp that this was not normal.  It seemed to be my normal. 

Several doctors later, someone finally listened to me. She couldn’t figure out why this 40-year-old body was falling apart, but she promised me we would figure it out.  Suggestions from her and my GI doctor to go gluten-free were heard but not carried through.  My aunt mentioned the Whole30® plan, as she had completed it in October 2012.  I got the book It Starts With Food and decided to start in January 2013.

I needed to make a choice.  I couldn’t continue like I was.

The pain was leading to an increase in depression, but this plan sounded like something I could do–and continue, if it really made a difference.  My best friend was a great role model for me during this time.

I focused on food the first thirty days because I was unable to exercise yet with my knee pain. As early as days seven and eight, people started noticing that something was happening.  I couldn’t see it, so I took a picture again… and I couldn’t believe my eyes!  I was less puffy and bloated–my inflammation was down!

Here is an excerpt from my journal on Day 8: ‘We had a date night – went to a movie premiere that will be released on Friday.  When we have gone to the movies (which isn’t much anymore) we have always gotten the big popcorn and soda then refilled at least once.

This time, I went in with a plan. 

I took a container with clementines and cashews, along with my big thing of water.  As I sat watching all the people eat popcorn (including my husband)  I realized that right now where I am, nothing tastes as good as healthy feels.  I can’t think of one thing that I wouldn’t be able to say that is not worth me feeling like **** for.  The difference I have seen in just 8 days is huge and I want to keep going.  How good can I feel?  I can’t remember the last time I can say I felt good.’

Then came a trip to Texas during Days 16-20, and my devotion to stay on track kicked in.  It wasn’t that hard to make it happen–I had to plan, and look at my menus closely. I am really not sure I missed anything too much during the 30 days, but I had to conquer the sugar demon for sure.

And as I sit here on Day 29 reflecting on my Whole30 experience, I am so proud of what I did – and I can’t wait to see what another month brings.”

Want to share your Whole30 transformation with the world?

Email whole30@whole9life.com with your story and photos, and we’ll give you the credit you deserve.

Earlier this week, Gerry C. from San Jose, CA wrote us a quick note about her Whole30 experience… and the entire Whole9 team promptly fell in love. For those of you who think, “It’s too late for that” or “I’m too old to make any changes” or “Will this really make a difference at this point?”, this article is for you.

Rock on, Gerry!

In Gerry’s Own Words

I am an almost 71 year old granny who has been diabetic for more than 24 years, taking pills and insulin for more than five years. I’ve had aortic valve replacement and bypass surgery, have arthritis, high blood pressure, and third-stage chronic kidney disease.  I’ve been fat most of my life, and have had migraines since I was six years old.

I started the Whole30^® program on November 5, 2012,  twelve and a half weeks ago.  At the time I had been having almost constant migraines for more than six weeks.  Since that day, I have not had a full blown migraine.  The few that have threatened me just don’t seem to develop.

In December 2012, I began having problems with low blood sugar—so I started decreasing my insulin.  In a few weeks, I was able to come off the insulin altogether.  Recent blood test show that my A1c (a test of blood sugar levels over six to eight weeks, and a marker of inflammation) is lower than it has been in years.  I have cut my blood pressure medicine in half.

My arthritis pain is not as awful. I now feel like going walking.  My husband got me a cat stroller for Christmas so I can walk comfortably without having to take my cane.

Oh, and I have lost 22 pounds.

And we are doing the Whole30 on Social Security.

Not only can old people do this, you can do it with less than “perfect” food choices.  I appreciated your Paleo Poor guidelines and we have become rather good at shopping for the best we can get under the circumstances.

I keep referring back to It Starts With Food.  My whole family is benefiting from this program, but I will let them tell you about it when they are ready.

Thank you!

Gerry C., San Jose, CA

A few months ago, we got this note from Whole9 Nutrition Partner Stefanie M., owner of CrossFit DNA. Her email inspired us. We had to share her Whole30 story with our readers, and Stefanie graciously agreed. Read, be inspired too, and pass it on.

In Stefanie’s Own Words

My name is Stefanie, and my husband and I own CrossFit DNA in Dyer, IN.

Our facility has been open for two years.  There is no doubt that CrossFit has changed my life, but only because I first discovered the Whole30^® program, and the Paleo lifestyle.  To simply say that I am a different person and that it has changed my life is such a gross understatement.  It almost saddens me that I cannot adequately express my gratitude for your program and this discovery of my “new” self.

To go from being the girl who ate Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish, and Laffy Taffys for a mid-morning snack to being a bell pepper, avocado, and almond-lover is a miracle beyond my wildest dreams.  It sounds utterly ridiculous to be thankful for something so seemingly small.  But the foods that I used to avoid at all costs, I now crave.

Then

I have struggled with depression for a good part of my childhood, and all of my adult life.  Attributing the “melancholy” to some incredibly difficult times in my life, I frequently turned to food as a cure-all.  I was always considered average weight for my height, but I could probably have been described as “skinny fat.”  Pastas and cakes and ice creams, oh my—sugary treats were my happiness.   Cupcakes were things I shared in blissful mother-daughter moments, and they would be the things I turned to most after my mother passed of pancreatic cancer in 2005.  Sounds so silly that a person would turn to such a thing for support, but I did.

Though I was typically thin, I couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs without losing breath.  I had a constant “heaviness” in my chest and body.  There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t feel sluggish and slow.  I always had the nagging feeling like there was something better, a better me somewhere that I just couldn’t find under all the layers.  There were panic attacks and heart palpitations and horrendous mood swings.  Anxiety that gripped my every move.

The relationship I developed with my body was the worst part.  Starving and binging and starving myself again.  Hating and feeling disgust over what I saw in the mirror.  It makes me cringe to remember feeling such negativity that I toward my own body.  I’m ashamed to have been so unkind to myself.  It was all just so debilitating and uncontrollable—or so I thought.

Now

After another personal loss early this year, I unraveled again, but decided that this was now the time to take care of myself.  To cherish this adulthood and to put the effort toward becoming that better me I had dreamed of being.  So in May I said to my husband, “How do we own a gym  and promote a healthy lifestyle, and yet I haven’t done a 30 day challenge with our members?  I need to know what they’re going through.  Let’s do it together.”

And so began my Whole30, and my journey to freedom.  To health.  To happiness in healthy eating and healthy living.  To cherishing the conscious decision making ability to change my life instead of being held hostage by my poor habits.  I cannot believe my thinking for so long that I am an innocent bystander of my own life.  And nourishing my body has taught me to nourish my mind with positive thoughts…which is a crap-ton harder said than done, but totally worth the effort.

Strength in my mind transfers to strength in the gym.  I am a work in progress, of course.  And these past few months have not been without a glitch or two…or maybe four.  But they don’t scare me.  I know these glitches are just reinforcing my reasoning for continuing these new, healthy behaviors.  The tremendous shift I have felt in every aspect of my life because of my improved eating habits has given me a newfound power that I embrace every day.

Share the Good Food Word

And so this is what I want to share with our members.  This feeling of attainability toward health and happiness.  I won’t lie, it makes me slightly dizzy to think about sharing such a personal story.  But truly, I think this has to be part of my journey and part of my taking responsibility for my choices and life.  If even one person is provided with some solace in knowing they aren’t alone or is motivated to take this journey themselves, then that is just fabulous by me.

I can’t say thank you enough – again -  for all of your support.  Sharing this incredibly personal journey has really helped me to see the importance of this new path, not only for myself but also for friends, family, and our CrossFit DNA members.  Being able to showcase our affiliate and even a few of our members means the world to me.  I am so incredibly grateful to be a part of their lives, and this is such a wonderful opportunity to show them how I feel.

In May 2012, Whole9 held a Foundations of Nutrition seminar at CrossFit Eminence in Thornton, CO. The seminar resonated so deeply with gym owner, Lindsey Marcelli, that she shared her Good Food knowledge with her members. Brian M. is one of those members, and he credits his Eminence coaches and the Whole30® program with helping him take his health and fitness to the next level.

Stories like his are the reason we are determined to continue to spread the Good Food word.

In Brian’s Own Words

Upon starting the Whole30 program, I never would have imagined it would be the extreme mental challenge it ended up becoming for me. I literally had shakes, tremors, many headaches, and constant thoughts about food. By the third week, I even found myself in parking lots of food places, craving things my mind was telling me I just had to have. I sat yelling at myself, pounding the steering wheel in frustration, wondering why these thoughts wouldn’t leave me, and trying not to give into the urges to cheat.

All the while I could tell that physically I was feeling better than I ever had. I could tell I was dropping weight, I could feel my muscles getting bigger, my acid reflux was gone (and so were the medications to control it), my skin was healthier, and I was seeing performance gains and results in the gym that I hadn’t seen previously.

But I couldn’t figure out why, with all this increased energy, deep and restful sleep, visible and noticeable overall success, I was still having these mental struggles. It was confusing and depressing, honestly, and I was having a very hard time. I nearly gave into the psychological pressure many times, in particular over Labor Day weekend, which seemed to be the biggest challenge I faced.

Then one of my CrossFit friends gave me the book It Starts With Food. The first few chapters were eye opening – I felt like I was reading my own personal story. The initial chapters of the book talked about the hormonal imbalances I was having, and reasons for it. They helped me understand where these thoughts were coming from, why I was having them, and that ultimately it wasn’t my fault.

Once I understood the “why” of how I was feeling, and that I wasn’t the only person who felt this way, everything seemed to get easier and more manageable. I really started to get a handle on my feelings and hormonal changes, and I learned how to deal with them. From that point forward I began to really understand the challenge, and grasp the fact that long-term, this was going to have to be a new way of eating for me. You couldn’t argue with the physical and mental results I was getting from the Whole30, and I had never felt better.

In the end I lost nearly 40 pounds and 5% of my body fat. I lost 5.5” on my waist, 1.5” on my upper bicep region and 2” on my upper leg. I sleep deeper and better than I have in years, my wife says I barely snore anymore, my skin is a soft as a baby without the use of lotions, my hair and nails look stronger then ever, my acid reflux is gone, I can jump higher then I ever have, I just shattered my PR for a back squat (at 305 lb.), and I rowed 500 meters in 1:42. This all coming from a guy who still weighs just shy of 350lbs.

And the best part is, I did all of this in 30 days.

I’m so glad for my trainers Lindsey and Kris for giving me the advice and encouragement to try the Whole30. This has truly been a life-changing experience for me, and has given me even more motivation to continue on and spread the word… because it works.

Just look at my results.

Great work, Brian!

Our kudos to Brian for his hard work, dedication, and persistence – and his rockin’ results! Thank you to CrossFit Eminence for hosting one of our most successful Whole9 semianrs ever, and for facilitaing these kinds of amazing life transformations.

Do you have a Whole30 Success Story you’d like to share with us? Email whole30@whole9life.com.

Lisa Rehm recently posted her “WHOLE 100 – DONE!” success story in our Whole30 forum, and has graciously allowed us to share her experience here. Lisa started her first Whole30 on July 1st, attended our Whole9 nutrition seminar in Hoboken, NJ on September 9th, and completed her 100th day of our Whole30® program on October 8th.

Her story only serves to illustrate one point we were trying to make in our recent article, Six Reasons the Whole30 Didn’t Work For You… maybe, just maybe, you didn’t give it long enough. Because when it comes to a lifelong, unhealthy relationship with food (and the health complications that follow), thirty days may not be enough time to create new habits, and solidify new thought patterns. But Lisa’s dedication and persistence paid off in the end – and when it comes to changing the rest of your life, isn’t 100 days of effort worth it?

In Lisa’s Own Words

For years I’ve been struggling with inflammation related illnesses, sinus infections, IBS-C, allergies, joint pain, fatigue, brain fog, depression, binging, eating disorders, and hypthyroidism. I lost my thyroid to cancer in 1991, and as I get older it has become increasingly difficult to maintain my health and keep my thyroid levels stable. My weight was up, my energy was down – I was a hot mess.

In January 2012, I began working one day a week with a personal trainer, who told me losing weight and getting in shape was 80% diet. I smiled and nodded, certain that rule didn’t apply to me. For years, I could eat Peppermint Patties for dinner and still drop pounds. Clearly she was not aware of my ability to lose weight easily – just as soon as I mastered this exercise thing.

Over the next few months I struggled through my workouts. I was dizzy, nauseous, and felt like I would pass out all the time. And I never lost an ounce, no matter how many Lean Cuisines I ate.

Finally, my trainer talked to me about giving up sugar and starches. For the next few weeks I cried at my desk as I mourned the loss of pizza, muffins, and energy bars. The cravings were so bad that I would shake. My jaw would tingle, and my whole body just hurt. Thank God I still had my Diet Coke and coffee with three packs of Sweet n’ Low to help me cope. I lasted a little over a month on my no-sugar, no-starch plan, but gradually went back to my old ways.

Enter the Whole30

Then during Easter while visiting some friends, they began telling me about this program where I could change my life by changing the way I ate. As I listened to them rattle off a list of all the program restrictions, I tossed another chocolate egg into my mouth, crossed my arms, stamped my foot, and said “Hell, no.” There was no way I would ever give up artificial sweeteners, Diet Coke, or half-and-half in my coffee. After an hour of talking, they gave up and left me alone to finish off the chocolate.

A few days later, after feeling dizzy (again), I decided to research this Whole30 thing, and for some reason, decided to pre-order It Starts With Food. It arrived on June 26, and on July 1st I began my Whole30 journey.

The first week was rough – I felt weak and tired all the time. My workout session with my trainer on Day 2 was pretty typical of the last few months; I struggled, I was dizzy, and I couldn’t wait to be done. But the following week’s session (Day 9) was interesting. I was still tired, and weak… but strangely enough I didn’t experience any nausea or dizziness at all. And then came Day 16… it was magical. I made it through my most challenging workout since January, strong and with just as much energy at the end of my session as I did at the beginning. Those subsequent days, I could tell I lost some weight and my skin looked better. People also started noticing that I just seemed… happier.

Lisa Keeps On Going

As the weeks passed, I continued to feel so much better, and really wanted to continue the program. I had just too many health issues that I knew needed more than 30 days to heal. Soon a Whole45 became a Whole60, then a Whole75, and then finally I challenged myself to go all the way to 100 days. I definitely noticed a lot of changes in the first 30 days, but it wasn’t until I hit Day 65 that I really began to see huge changes. By the time I hit Day 100, eating this way had become part of my life. Second nature. And I knew I wanted to eat like this forever.

In the end, the Whole30 helped me recover from so many ills and issues that I’ve been struggling with for over 35 years. I now have a healthy relationship with food , and my co-workers no longer have to hide their candy from me. I’ve been freed from food jail! My advice to anyone struggling is keep going. The results may take some time, but they are worth it.

Lisa’s Results

• Depression has lifted
• No more binging
• No more cravings (except for avocados – I love them now)
• My disordered way of eating and obsessing about food is gone
• Food is just food, it does not control me
• Years of neck pain – GONE!
• Cholesterol dropped more than 36 points
• Moods even and stable
• Headaches and overall achiness – GONE!
• Skin looks great; no more dark circles under my eyes
• Feel stronger and healthier than I’ve ever been
• More energy than when I was a kid
• Smile more
• Lost 10 lbs
• Lost inches and really leaned out
• Reduced inflammation and allergies
• Sleep better…..I actually sleep
• I feel good about myself in a way I haven’t in all my 45 years

Have you completed a Whole30+? Share your story with us here in the comments. Need additional inspiration? Here’s one more Whole100 success story that might help change your mind.

Today’s post is a guest editorial from AJM, a Whole9 reader in New Jersey. She originally shared her story via email to Melissa, but graciously agreed to share her story with our readers. We think that many of us who come to this site to change their lives can relate, and we thank AJM for her generosity and honesty.

In AJM’s Own Words

AJM, who learned during her Whole30 that what we feed ourselves keeps feeding us.

The other day I started to try to write a sort of testimonial about Whole9 and the Whole30®. It turned into a sort of overly-analyzed, overly-nuanced account of, oh, everything. Focusing on one aspect of your life, especially with the emphasis on health and optimizing our own selves, brings more than just hormonal dysfunction to the surface.

I had a fairly healthy diet before jumping into the Whole30, but I knew my weak spots were indulging in creamy, sugary, bread-y treats when I was stressed.  Or bored.  Or tired.  Or bored.  I would know before the first bite that I’d feel awful by the third, let alone the thirtieth. During the Whole30 I started to see this behavior as maybe, almost doing something that was, on purpose, more uncomfortable than whatever emotion I was currently feeling.

The first weeks of the Whole30 were typically typical. It felt tough at times, then I figured out I wasn’t technically hungry and truly began to understand some of my food habits and compulsions. I had such a clear head during the Whole30—I felt calmer and more in control about everything.

I’ve been seeing a pretty terrific guy for a while. However, he takes terrible care of himself.  Super stressed, not enough sleep, devoted to clients but no downtime for himself, poor nutrition habits, and a pre-diagnosis of hypertension, all of which leads him to…  being super stressed, not getting enough sleep, etc.  And this has been going on for all the time we’d been together, and long before then, and it upsets him.  He’s not happy with his life.

But I think the strongest piece of the Whole9, and any swooping lifestyle reconfiguration, is an intense personal desire to commit to trying.

It’s one thing to acknowledge how uncomfortable you are in these areas.  But it is another sorta scary thing to commit to eliminating the discomfort.  Sometimes, maybe, the discomfort—the stress, the guilt, the neglect of self—is the biggest crutch of all. Do I think a Whole9 lifestyle would make a world of difference in my fella’s world?  Yes, totally.  Do I also think he would implode if he took away his crutches of bourbon and burgers and running on fumes?  Yeah, I do.

So this is not a testimonial about how I changed someone else’s life with Whole9 or the Whole30. But I am changing my own.

Because I learned this:  When you take such care with what you feed your body, you can’t help but take equal care with what you feed your heart, soul, and mind.

After that first week or so of the Whole30, taking care of myself became routine. I knew what to feed my body because I knew what would feel best. So I just did that. And, with all my ‘extra’ time that used to be filled with (over)thinking the nutritional vs. emotional (guilt) content of what I was going to eat, I found it so much easier to participate in life.  It wasn’t about saying ‘no’ to things, as in, ‘Sure I’ll meet you for a drink because I’m not drinking and therefore not scared about making poor choices.’  For me, the Whole30 introduced me to saying ‘yes’ because I was in control of the decision.  I went out more because I wanted to genuinely spend time with people; the environment no longer mattered.

I wasn’t just choosing things that nourished my digestive tract and hormones, but nourished my whole life.


So, as much and as deeply as I cared about my relationship and my guy, he wasn’t caring for himself.  And because of how much and how deeply I cared, his stress and his hurts were affecting me.  If he can’t take care of himself, how can he take care of me?  And if he doesn’t want to care for himself, how can I make him?

Eh.  Maybe this isn’t a very good testimonial.

I’m sad and I’m hurt and I miss him, of course.  For sure, the Whole30 itself wasn’t the reason for the break up. (Which is good, as I can’t really see that working as a marketing pitch for you guys.) I didn’t wave the book in his face, demand he renounce all legumes, and tell him if he wants me to stick around I need to start tracking his cortisol levels. It wasn’t an revelation, it was a resignation. Resigning myself to how our lives just didn’t connect with regard to my wanting—whether it’s through Whole9 or not—the very best way to support, enhance, and nourish our lives.

There is so much we can’t influence or expect. Why wouldn’t we want to feel and do our best in the ways that we can?

For me, the purpose, the mission of Whole9 is to encourage others to make whole, strong, enhancing choices about the most basic life function:  food, our fuel.  Our hearts, minds, thoughts, and feelings follow along with those choices.  Conversely, though, the stronger, clearer, and cleaner my emotions and beliefs are, the more I want to keep making the best choices I can for the rest of my life.

What we feed ourselves, from lettuce to love, keeps feeding us, so we always have to choose the very, very best.

With kind regards,
AJM

Share Your Story

Have you made significant changes in your life as the result of your healthy eating commitment? Have you made changes to personal relationships because of a newfound desire to nourish not only your body, but your entire life? Share your story with us in comments.

We are thrilled to feature this story for two reasons. First, Summer is the first real-life example we’ve encountered of someone who has cured their autoimmune disease. That’s right – cured her autoimmune disease. Second, she did it with the help of a Paleo diet, our Whole30® program, and the tremendous coaching and guidance of Eric LeClair of Team CrossFit Academy, an esteemed Whole9 Nutrition Partner.

Read. Be inspired. And share the hopeful message of Summer’s story.

Summer’s Story

I was 19 years old when I was rushed to the hospital the spring after my freshman year of college, with 107 degree fever and severe joint pain.  Although barely conscious, I remember the night well.  My dad was uncharacteristically driving way over the speed limit and my mom was crying in the front passenger seat.  I was admitted to Emory University, put in my own wing, and within a few hours I already looked like an IV drug user with the amount of needles that had gone into my arm.  After a night in the hospital and numerous tests, my doctors had narrowed down my condition to either lupus, rheumatic fever or JRA (juvenile rheumatoid arthritis), all autoimmune diseases that are very closely connected.  Although my symptoms never 100% matched any of the three, they finally settled on JRA.

I was in bed for three months, barely having the energy to walk from my room to the bathroom.  Having lived in pain for years leading up to this point, I literally thought this was leading up to the end of my life. When I made a turn for the better, just before I was scheduled to return to college for sophomore year, my doctor agreed to let me go back with the understanding that I would do nothing but go to class and go to bed, I would not try to work out, and I would eat healthy.  So I cut out all meat and became a vegetarian.  Although functional, I felt terrible all the time.  I never had any energy and took so much Advil that I developed stomach ulcers.  My small frame had put on 30 lbs, which I just couldn’t understand since I was eating so ‘healthy.’  I eventually just found a way to live with the pain.  My doctor forewarned me that this was one of the worst cases he had ever seen, and that I could expect my hands to start deforming in my early 20s.

Born to Run…and Eat Meat

When I graduated from college, I decided to go on a road trip from Atlanta to Los Angeles.  I loved the city, and stayed.  Among it’s other perks, the atmosphere and lack of rain was much easier on my joint pain.  Before too long, I realized I had to start trying to do something physical.  My doctors had told me that I would never be able to run, but one day, a friend invited me out for a three mile run with him and I accepted.  I finished the run, went home, threw up, and immediately signed up for the LA Marathon.

As I started running more and more, my body started craving what it needed, one of those things being meat.  I went back to chicken and fish and immediately started dropping weight.  The pain that running brought with it was excruciating at first, but became a little better over time.  I went on to complete a dozen marathons before I made the switch to ultramarathons (31 miles and above) and completed my first 100 mile race before I started searching for even more answers.

That is when I landed on the doorstep of Team CrossFit Academy. My new coach, Eric LeClair, suggested I check out this thing called a ‘Paleo diet.’ Under his expert guidance every step of the way, I immediately implemented his dietary recommendations.

Within six months the pain was diminished to next to nothing.  I went on to complete a dozen more ultramarathons with improved performance, due to a significant decrease in pain. I became what I would call ‘gluten free’ (with no exception) and ‘mostly’ Paleo, because I felt my body still needed rice for more carbohydrates, and I didn’t really understand the downsides of drinking milk.  However, after attending the Whole9 Nutrition Workshop, I finally made the switch to cutting those out as well.  Immediately, my skin cleared up, telling me that obviously I had some kind of inflammatory reaction, and my energy has increased significantly.

Recently, I went in for a complete blood count and discovered my rheumatoid factor was negative, with zero indications of an autoimmune disease.

A Work in Progress

I am still a work in progress on a lot of levels, but it is because of the work that Dallas, Melissa and Eric do that not only allows me to live a life of with less pain, but could actually be the reason that I am still alive.  Every day I am grateful for the things that my coach Eric has taught me, and the guidance that I have received by programs like the Whole9 that have completely changed my life.

We could not be more proud of Summer, Eric LeClair and the entire Team CrossFit Academy team, and to have contributed to Summer’s journey. Use these buttons below to share Summer’s message of hope and determination with others suffering from autoimmune disease. To read other Whole9 inspiring testimonials, click here. As always, comments are welcome.