Wow! Is it really day 15 of the Whole30? Where did the last fifteen days go? It seems as though the days passed very, very slowly in the beginning and are just flying by now! I am happy to say I am celebrating my 15th day on the Whole30 which means I am at the halfway point! What have I learned from the Whole30?
What Have I Learned From The Whole30?
What have I learned and observed? What A-HA moments have I had and how have I changed? What is noteworthy about my experiences so far? The short answer is a lot. The longer answer is below:
Potatoes Can Do Anything Bread Can Do Only Better
Since we can not have bread or grains on the Whole30 I find myself eating potatoes a few times a week. This morning I was hungry for eggs and toast. Since bread isn’t allowed on the Whole 30, I baked a potato and ate my eggs on it. – Delicious!
Soups Have Become My New Food Bestie
I was struggling with getting veggies on my breakfast plate. To be honest the idea of veggies for breakfast kind of grosses me out unless they were in an omelet. Once I started eating soup for breakfast the problem was solved! You can find my favorite Whole30 soup recipe Weight Loss Confessions Pinterest Board.
Mindful Eating Can Be A Little Awkward
I am a type A, fast tracker, multi-tasker and have eaten every meal I do not eat with my family on the go for years. The Whole30 prescribes eating meals at the table in a relaxed fashion. It does not allow distractions like TV, phone or email while eating. It recommends chewing slowly and thoroughly. I have just started “practicing” mindful eating and it feels awkward and boring. In fact, I find myself wanting to stop eating so I can leave the table. Crazy, huh?
It is Really Hard To Go Without Weighing Yourself for 15 Days
I have weighed myself every morning for longer than I can remember and it is really hard to resist the scale. It has been especially tough for me because my teenage Daughter, Taylor, and my Husband, Tony, have been weighing themselves every morning and reporting their numbers to me! So far Taylor, who didn’t really need to lose weight, has lost seven pounds and Tony is down 3. I’m hoping for big things on day 30!
Fruit Is Really Sweet
Before the Whole30 diet, I was on a low carb high protein diet through a weight loss clinic for a few months which didn’t leave much room in its eating plan for fruit. I eat fruit about once a day now that I am a Whole30er, and am amazed at how sweet it is. I couldn’t even finish my apple the other day!
Shopping For Avocados Is An Art
Since avocados are a great source of healthy fat and the Whole30 calls for a serving or two of healthy fat in each meal, I find myself avocado shopping daily and constantly adding to my avocado collection in our fresh fruit and veggie bowl. Constantly having a ripe avocado on hand has become a new found passion of mine!
Realizing Emotions Are Attached To Food
I have felt emotions about food I had never realized before the Whole30 a few times in my journey. Whole30 Experience (Day 11) was probably the most memorable, but I have journaled several others. This is interesting to me because I never considered myself to be a foodie or that “into food” or binge ate. I know Gwen Roth tells us in Women, Food, and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything that we all have a dysfunctional relationship with food and I plan on exploring this.
Eating By Example Is The Best Way To Get My Kids (and Husband) To Eat Healthier
I somewhat selfishly went into the Whole30 with a goal of getting myself into a healthier place, and of course, losing weight. It has been amazing to watch my families eating habits get healthier as the days go on. They are even trying foods, I never thought they would try. Taylor is now snacking on nuts instead of chips and Drew is eating chicken nuggets breaded in cashews. Can you say score?!
Taking The Whole30 One Day At A Time Makes It A Lot Easier
Personally, I don’t think I could have taken the Whole30 all at once. Since I hate to grocery shop and don’t cook, it was way too overwhelming for me. If I hadn’t happenstanced on The Whole30 Day By Day at Target, I don’t know that I would have had the proper mindset to do this.
Whole30 Recipes Are Delicious!
We have tried recipes from The Whole30 Day Guide to TOTAL HEALTH and Food FREEDOM, Whole30 Fast & Easy, and Pinterest and so far every single recipe we have made has been absolutely delicious!
Nuts Are Fantastic! I’ve been eating way more nuts and nut butters than I usually do and have tried almond, sunflower, macadamia, coconut, and cashew butter. They have been tasty and offer so much satiety. Performance Nut Butter is my absolute favorite so far and Justin’s Classic Cashew Butter is a very close second.
I Can Meal Prep!
I have never meal prepped a day in my life and was really nervous about the meal prepping. I pretty much took the Whole30 day by day for the first twelve days. Then Hurricane Flo came along, and I was forced to plan ahead. It really wasn’t that hard and I think I may have even saved some money by doing it.
There’s More Than One Way To Aquire Your Whole30 Goodies
I was completely overwhelmed by the grocery shopping when I first started the Whole30. Standing in a brightly lit busy grocery store reading labels, was not my idea of a good time. Honestly, it gave me anxiety. I quickly learned that it was easier for me to do my research at home and order some of the trickier groceries online. Amazon has been a great resource and I also love Thrive Market. I love them so much that I contacted them and they offered my Facebook, Pinterest, or Blog followers an additional 25% off their first order and a chance to win my ten favorite Whole30 products!
Sex With Your Pants On (SWYPO) Just Isn’t Worth It
Got your attention, didn’t I? Ha Ha. I tried it once and it just left me hungry….Ok, I’ll stop now. The Whole30 tells us not to duplicate a poor food choice with “approved” ingredients, to recreate it, since it’s kind of like having sex with your pants on. So, no Paleo desserts, pancakes, muffins, etc. I have found there is so much fantastic food on the Whole30, there is no sense trying to recreate something that won’t be as good anyway.
I’m Not Really Counting Down The Next 15 Days
In the words of my fifteen-year-old Daughter and Whole30 partner, Taylor, “I thought this would be bad and hard, but it’s not. I’m really not counting down the days until its over.” What she doesn’t know yet, is I plan on starting us both on another Whole30 round starting October 1st! Interested in joining? Request to join our Facebook Group.
Weight Loss Confessions 