We live in a world that constantly has a new diet on the market. I wasn’t totally sold that Whole30 was going to be THAT beneficial, even though a few of my friends swore by it. Whole30 isn’t described as easy. On the website they even give you a warning that it is HARD, but worth it. You may even be wondering, what is Whole30? I linked the website for anyone that wants more information, but I can give the summarized rundown as: an anti-inflammatory diet, no processed foods, no legumes, no dairy, no grains, no soy, no alcohol, no sugar or sweetener of any kind (yes, that includes honey and pure maple syrup) and no fun. At least that’s what it feels like in the beginning.

The First 12 Days

I almost didn’t make it through. I am someone who has the typical afternoon crash struggling to stay awake at my desk at 2pm. Before I did the whole30 diet, I was having a Diet Coke every afternoon to make it through the day! Some of you may be thinking, who cares diet soda is 0 calories? The reality of it is, the artificial sweeteners are a chemical that isn’t natural to the human body and can cause inflammation. I was also someone who had a little bit of candy to get me through the day. I am a lover of sweets and this part was especially hard for me. The first 12 days I was exhausted, always hungry, miserable and craving everything I couldn’t be eating.

What did I eat?

Fruit got me through my sugar cravings and I wouldn’t have made it through without it. I made my morning coffee with unsweetened original almond milk and cinnamon. Unsweetened tea got me through the afternoon crashes. Sparking water was a savior when I wanted something bubbly. Some compliant brands include Waterloo and Spindrift, yes even seltzers have artificial flavors.

I was also surprised how much soy is in literally everything especially sauces, most salad dressings, mayo– the list goes on. I was able to get a compliant ketchup from Primal Kitchen with no sugar and I tried an avocado oil mayonnaise. The ketchup was good, but I personally wasn’t a fan of the avocado mayo.

The star of the show for me was cauliflower rice with a lot of my meals! I love vegetables and fish so that wasn’t a hard transition for me. I also made a few of the recipes on the Whole30 website. My favorite was the Whole30 Marry Me Chicken. I made an egg sandwich with potato slices seasoned with everything bagel seasoning as bread when I was really craving a breakfast sandwich, and ground buffalo chicken with Frank’s Red Hot Sauce on lettuce when I really just wanted a buffalo chicken cheesesteak. Check your hot sauce ingredients to make sure it’s compliant before adding it to anything.

After the first 12 days, I was really getting used to this way of life and there were a few fast food items I was able to get as a corporate girly that’s constantly on the go. It wasn’t realistic for me to bring food with me everywhere I went. I got a Chick-fil-A grilled chicken sandwich with tomato and pickles; lettuce wrapped instead of a bun. Jersey Mike’s turkey (skip the cheese) sub in a tub loaded with veggies and topped with olive oil and vinegar was also complaint. Keep in mind most salami is processed and their delicious pepper relish does include sugar, so skip that as well.

The results are in, I won!

I learned so much throughout this 30 day process that I even participated in the reintroduction phase that I told myself I wasn’t doing at the beginning of this journey. The reintroduction phase allows you to see which food groups cause inflammation for your body. By completely removing sugar/artificial ingredients I was able to really understand how much unnecessary food and sugar I was bringing into my body. I am now able to be more conscious of this going forward.

I did lose eight pounds by the end of it. Although you’re not supposed to weigh yourself throughout the process so you can focus on the food and how your body is reacting, I did weigh myself before and after. My afternoon crashes disappeared by the end of the 30 days and I truly felt so full of life! My palate has changed! I don’t enjoy an overly sweetened coffee like I used to, and I truly care about what I’m bringing into my body now.

My skin is so clear, even during my period I had no breakouts. As a hot girl with stomach problems, I struggled with constipation my whole life and was never regular. I was honestly shocked when I learned that most people had bowel movements at least once a day. During this journey I was closer to regular than I have ever been in my life and that was also so relieving. I had no bloating or puffiness, even my face slimmed down after a few weeks on Whole30. I have been alcohol free for 4 years at this point, so that isn’t something I have experience with eliminating during the Whole30, but I can’t even imagine doing that elimination with sugar elimination. I’m grateful I took this journey and satisfied with the change it brought to my relationship with food. If you have any questions on how to get started, I am always happy to chat!