Day 6: Whole 30

A friend of mine recently started doing the Whole 30 program. I didn't know anything about the program, so I googled it. (what did we do before google?!) For those who were as clueless as I was, it is a challenge to cut out dairy, sugar, grains, legumes and processed/fast foods. Basically- all you eat is fruit, veggies and meat. For THIRTY days. Thirty!!! Do you guys know how hard it is to buy and create meals when 99% of packaged/processed foods have added sugars in them?!

We planned our meals last weekend, and made too many trips to different stores to get it all. (Next week, I'm sticking to the easy basics!). Who knew cutting out dairy and grains would make you eat way more veggies, and still feel hungry twenty minutes later. By the end of tomorrow, we will have finished one whole week. I am glad for all the new things I'm learning on different ways to prepare healthy meals. Even Emma will try it all.

The wonderful thing is... I don't know if I should say it... but I feel great. No bloating. No stomach cramps. No headaches. One of the main reasons I did this was because of my "addiction to sugar" (carbs: cupcakes, chocolate, gelato, breads, etc...). I could eat all of that all day, every day. I could never get "enough". Now, that doesn't mean I don't like the healthy stuff. I love veggies, fruits, meats, fish, nuts, etc. But all that healthy eating won't do a whole lot if I just fill in the blanks with crap. Luckily soda and other sugary drinks are just gross to me now. I cut out that junk about 6 years ago, and I mainly drink water. I'll have juice here and there, some ovaltine every once in a while. But water- can't. get. enough. I have never been a consistent healthy eater, and that is one thing I want to change.

So, here is where this whole healthy eating detox thing gets me... Today, my sister had her big birthday party at  my house. I worked last night, slept until 3, and woke up to finish cleaning up before the party started at 6. I have had not ONE ounce of sugar, dairy, grains, etc all week. I planned to whip up dinner while her guests were all out back hanging out. However, I didn't take into account the fact my kitchen would be occupied with all sorts of yumminess NOT allowed on our strict plan. I held strong... and ate my foods that didn't require cooking to eat... until I was just too hungry, too tired, and no desire to work around the mess. Kyle and I joked about "cheating" and just starting over again tomorrow... or counting a "cheat" meal into each week. That would totally defeat the purpose!

Next thing I know, the party is in full swing and 4 meatballs, 2 small slices of pizza, 2 handfuls of grapes, 3 scrambled eggs with turkey, half an orange, and a cupcake later... I failed. Seriously, after SIX days I couldn't stay strong?! Needless to say, I always hated diets. I always hated associating "sweet treats" with guilt. Why do I do that to myself?!

I'm here to testify- after allowing my body to work on ridding itself of all the junk I've filled it with, I know its not what my body needs. I felt sick to my stomach and super bloated. Lesson: LEARNED. I still can't decide if I will just start all over tomorrow, or just continue on and learn from my lesson. But the artist Aaliyah said it best:

"If at first you don't succeed,

You can dust yourself off and try again,

Dust yourself off and try again, try again."

I know my ultimate goal at this point is not to kick sweet treats to the curb forever. I want to take control of my appetite and cravings, and focus on being healthy to feel good and fuel my body with things that will help it to function at its full potential. Dairy, grains, and legumes aren't "bad" for you, but for many people they can be inflammatory foods for their body. Whole 30 focuses on cleaning and restoring your gut and overall health- like a detox. I know it works- and I can't wait to see the results after 30 days. Wanna know what makes me most happy about it? Even though I ate those crappy foods tonight, I didn't do it because I couldn't help myself. I did it because I planned poorly. I didn't prep my food ahead of time, and I was too lazy to clean and work around all the party stuff. And THAT is what it is about.

So, here's to pushing ahead once more. Never give up on your goals!

Have any of you done the Whole 30 challenge??
Did it change your life at all??
I would love to hear about it!