I just jumped right in without notice. Today, Tuesday is day 15 of Whole30. I thought that I would just spend a few days “trying it” out to do some research, but then I just kept eating that way and now we’re here- Day 15. OMFG I’M HALF WAY THROUGH.  I have a big family party to go to this weekend that involves a ton of wine and cheese so PRAY FOR ME.

Cliff’s Notes to Whole30:

remove these things from your lifestyle for 30 days:

• dairy
• grains (even corn!)
• sugar
• legumes
• alcohol

The key to being OK with all of that is focusing on all the things you can have!!!  And there are a lot of things….like POTATOES, MEAT, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, NUTS, ETC.!! 

Why am I doing this?

Because I want to have a better relationship with food.  Food and I have been going through some crazy times lately. Bad habits were developed and I’d like to create some new/better habits.  I want to feel less tired all the time and I’d like to give my body a rest/reset. I know there are things I eat that aren’t good for me and I am trying to figure out what those things are and what they do. ALSO WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO MY METABOLISM (hello, 37). Finally, I just wanted to see if I could do something for THIRTY DAYS STRAIGHT.

Things I am noticing:

• Whoa. I’m less puffy. Like, my stomach isn’t bloated. I think I see my jawline again. Hello, jawline. WELCOME BACK.
• The first Friday was really hard because I normally like to end the week with a cocktail. I had to figure out something else to do while I had that craving. I watered my plants. I worked on my bullet journal. I did everything I could to resist temptation and I DID IT. Whew.
• Hanging out with friends wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Instead of having a drink, I put la croix in a glass with some frozen fruit. It gives me the same mouth burn I like in a cocktail so it felt kinda fancy.
• I am taking my time eating.
• Whoa. I didn’t realize how much sugar I ate…even for a person who isn’t a sweets person. Sugar is in everything!
• I am not hungry all the time, which is weird.
• There is less energy put into thinking about food and how I shouldn’t have eaten what I did and BLAH BLAH BLAH. That brain loop is gone. FINALLLLY.
• I don’t feel sluggish and sore all the time. Things were crazy for a bit. I felt like my whole body had arthritis the past few months. Well, that stopped.
• I have to fight my problem solving brain that wants to find work arounds to the Whole30 diet and cheat the system. It’s definitely not helpful. Also, I learned the term SWYPO- Sex With Your Pants On. It’s basically like eating a ton of Snackwell’s (remember those?!) when you’re on a diet. Just because they’re “diet foods” doesn’t mean you can go hog wild.  I am trying to avoid having sex with my pants on…FIGURATIVELY. No dry humping here. I’m married. Geez.
• My sleep is really deep. My dreams are pretty vivid. I had a dream that I was drinking a root beer float and it was sooooooo good and then I was like WHAT DID I DO?!! Apparently it’s totally normal.
• I’m getting used to almond milk in my coffee and I actually had it black the other morning because the restaurant I went to only had soy milk as a milk alternative. I can’t believe I drank black coffee. I didn’t hate it. BUT I DO MISS SUGAR IN MY COFFEE. Maybe I won’t by the end of this….
• I feel empowered by making choices that make me feel better. I make Cooper’s class treats for his birthday and didn’t eat ANY OF IT. Not even a little sprinkle accidentally fell into my mouth.
• I’m slowing down my thoughts to understand why my impulse is to go crazy on a bag of chips at the end of the day.
• My body is processing food faster. Hi food/Goodbyeeeeeeeee food.
• I definitely eat my feelings. Now that I am feeling good, I am more motivated to eat better for my feelings.
• Restriction breeds creativity, so I am really enjoying figuring out things I like eating with these limits.

Here are some thoughts I’m working on, because changing the way one eats can bring up soooooo many feelings:

-When food is one of my coping mechanisms, what new habits can I create to take the place of an old/bad habit?

-When I’m feeling anxious and I want something crunchy to eat, I ____

-When I am super hungry and it’s not even meal time, I _____

-When I’m not hungry and I want to eat, what is going on?

-When I slow my brain down, I can make better, healthier choices for myself. I just need to REMIND MYSELF to slow down. 

-The times when I really wanted to have a cocktail, what was really going on? How did I want to feel? How did I feel when I said no? How was it hanging out with friends and not drinking?