Whole30 Diet Program Experience – Reflections Bleecker February 15, 2015 Essential Guides, Featured, Health First of all, I have to admit that I did not finish the Whole30 Diet Program. With only four days to go, I unfortunately became very ill and could absolutely not stomach anything Whole30 approved. I chose to listen to my body’s needs and take care of myself which, in this case, meant eating a pint of white rice. Strangely enough, it was just what I needed. Still, after 26 days of eating clean, whole foods, I learned a lot and feel that there is much to reflect on and share with you. For those just tuning in, be sure to read my three previous articles for a full breakdown of the Whole30. In short, the Whole30 is a 30-day diet that includes plants, animals, and fat, and excludes grains, dairy, sugar, legumes, and pretty much anything processed. The premise behind this method is that our bodies have not yet properly evolved to foods we now see in society, but instead best function on and digest the food our cavemen relied upon. (aka meat, vegetable, some fruit, nuts, seeds). Now doesn’t that just make sense? My Whole30 Diet Program Experience But before I say anything, I want to be clear that this reflection is only based on my experience. Every body is different and therefore the Whole30 will be different for everyone. I can only speak based on how I felt, but I urge you to read more about it and see if it is right for you. After the halfway point, I was overall feeling good, but not great. I really did enjoy how clean I was eating, and knowing all the ingredients going into my body, but I didn’t find anything physically different to be happening with my body. I felt discouraged because my clothes weren’t fitting any better, I wasn’t sleeping any better, and my migraines were back. However, I will say that a huge positive difference I noticed was my skin. And having good skin in this New York winter is something to be very grateful for. Zucchini Noodles with Pesto, Tomatoes, Brussels and Turkey Burger So I continued the Whole30 because I was determined to see how I would feel, mentally and physically, after its completion. Though I didn’t complete the 30 days, I will say that by the end I still highly recommend this program. Whole30 – Healing yourself through Food The #1 reason I love this program and still encourage everyone to try it is because I strongly believe in the idea of healing yourself through food. And by eliminating all possible foods that could be giving you issues, physically and mentally, you will learn what is best for your body. We are all unique. Just because my friend can eat a cheeseburger a day and feel perfectly fine, definitely does not mean I can. And after the 30 days, when you slowly reintroduce foods back into your diet, you learn what does work and what does not. For example, I’ve now reintroduced legumes and quinoa again and have found that my body digests both well and therefore I will continue keeping them in my diet. I also noticed that I still have a difficult time with gluten and dairy and will exclude those from my diet for now. Also, I was never one to eat much meat, which is probably why my body had a difficult time on the Whole30 in general. So for now, meat and I will pause our relationship, but what the future holds is still unknown… Scrambled Egg Whites with Spinach and Seasoning – Small Sweet Potato with Coconut Oil and Aminos Even though I didn’t receive any awards for completing the Whole30, I came away with a lot more. I now better understand my body and can create the perfect diet based upon its needs. Going forward, I’m excited to not stick to strict rules, but instead listen to my body and eat based on how I feel. What works for me may not work for you, but in any case, I believe it all starts with food. For more information on the Whole30 program, follow this link.
