Started May 1 and here's where I'm at....

[ConnieRaeOH]

Thought I would post this for some perspective and inspiration for those trying to complete the 30 days! I started on May 1 and did complete the Whole30. In fact I've turned it into a Whole90 and am still going strong.

Some background, I am a healthy middle aged female who exercises consistently and everyone around me would think of as super-healthy. I used to do a lot of road races and triathlons, then I did bodybuilding (informally, not competitively). The truth was I was addicted to sugar and always felt I had to over-exercise to compensate. I was increasingly chronically inflamed and injured. And since a hysterectomy, I was gaining weight in spite of everything. I wanted to lose 10-15 pounds, as a benchmark.

Almost the entire Whole30 I was miserable!!! I craved sugar constantly. I mean like every waking moment. I did not feel good. I did not have energy. I did not have miracles happening. My skin would clear up and break out again. I only kept going because a.) I'm very very stubborn and b.) I had a couple of friends with very inspiring stories. But at any rate-- the first few days hurdle, the two week hurdle-- I did not have those!!

It wasn't until around the middle of the 4th week that I started to feel better. The way of eating was more of a habit for me, and I stopped having constant sugar cravings. I decided that since I had only started feeling the benefits, I would commit to 90 days.

Then I went for my annual gynecological visit and my weight was WAY up. I don't weigh myself regularly (and didn't during the Whole30) so I don't know when it happened, but it was very discouraging. 

I'm now on Day 54 and for the first time, I am losing weight. I am 4 or 5 pounds down, which for me is great. In the past without a strict diet, my weight has only gone one direction!

I would just tell people not to rely too much on the idea that everything will change for you in 2 weeks or less. Even if you are already fit and healthy. You just don't know how your body is going to react. I was very sugar addicted and it took a month for my body to start running on fat, and another 2-3 weeks to really start burning body fat.

Just consider that you know you are doing the right thing, and that habits build up over time!!

[LindaS]

Thank you so much for sharing! It is good to know that benefits do come even if they take a little longer! I'm on Day 2, I made it 19 days the first round before I realized that I hadn't been reading labels closely enough on some packaged meats and hadn't really been clean so decided to do a reset.  It was only in the one or two days leading up to my reset that I started feeling better. Likely some of that had to do with the fact that I wasn't 100% on plan.