(Since time is of the essence lately, go here to find out what exactly a Whole30 is in more detail. The graphic I've included below sums up the general gist of it).
Sounds great, right? Well, after twelve days, I quit. Why? Mostly because I am breastfeeding and I don't think I was getting enough calories due to not being able to afford enough high-quality meat/having limited time to plan and prepare meals at this point in my life. HOWEVER, there were many many many things I gained from this experience.
THE GOOD:
1. Realized how much sugar is in e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g we eat. Pretty creeped out by that and will continue to be mindful of how much sugar is in my diet. Going forward, I am going to take a mostly Paleo approach by eating maple syrup and honey sweetened things. Minor amounts of other sugar can be okay, but not daily (like in dark chocolate or the less than 2% in nearly all bacon).
2. Forced me to consume more vegetables. Which I enjoyed! Roasting a pan of veggies and eating them for 3-4 days as a side was great. I also have been eating more iron-rich kale and spinach.
3. Had more energy until I ran into an unrelated health issue. This is where I decided it wasn't prudent for me to continue. I also did lose weight eating this way since I was not consuming a 85% carb diet anymore, but only protein, veggies, fruit, and healthy fat.
4. Treated myself to some delicious grass-fed beef and will try to buy from now on when I can afford it. YES, it really is that much better.
5. Learned to make delicious cauliflower rice as well as different kinds of shredded meats in my crockpot.
6. Realized I feel better without eating soy, wheat, and sugar. I already avoid legumes (I HATE beans) and don't drink any alcohol, due to my history with it. My "breaking point" to the Whole30 was when I caved and had some air-popped popcorn with salt (I am still avoiding dairy since Otto has an allergy, so no butter). The popcorn did not affect me negatively the next day, so who knows, it may remain a treat. I had a few pieces of dark chocolate last night and the sugar did make me a little hyper, but then incredibly sleepy. So interesting to note how food really affects me now.
7. Taught me how much I comfort grazed throughout the day. Reset my hunger cues. I am really really grateful for the experience. I now understand that I don't have to deprive myself of non-Whole30 food, but that certain things should be a treat and not for every day consumption.
THE BAD:
1. Almond flour. For post-Whole30/Paleo baking, almond flour is in EVERYTHING. and it is EXPENSIVE. I paid $13.00 for a bag, baked one loaf of bread and one batch of muffins and it is almost all gone.
2. You need to have time to plan ahead for this. You'll no longer be eating your kid's leftover pb&j as your lunch. Which is good and bad I suppose...
3. Other people you cook for may not be fond of it. Mike thought most the stuff I tried recipes for was icky. On the plus side, this did mean he wasn't stealing my leftovers for his lunchbox the next day ;)
4. I mentioned I lost weight. I'm not sure if I lost too much too fast. Pretty sure the answer is "yes." This is one of the things that made me realize I needed to stop following the strict plan right now, because I am responsible for feeding a baby and I want to keep a good milk supply!
