Sorry if this is too long and in the wrong place, I'm a newbie!
This is my first Whole30, doing it with my partner thank goodness. We eat pretty healthy generally (conscientious omnivore, almost always cook at home, eat lots of colorful organic veggies, fruits, and free range meats & eggs), and i didnt have obvious food allergy issues, but my eating habits and mood have not been great the past year. I had been anxious and depressed, and was "coping" by consuming steadily more and more "snacky" processed wheat carbs like bread and crackers, lots of dairy, alcohol, and processed stuff, and I seemed to be in a rut where i was feeling bad so i "treated" myself to these unhealthy, easy comfort foods, but then I felt even worse, and the cycle continued. I knew I needed to hit the reset button, big time! I had researched the links between inflammation/gut health and depression, and am really hoping the whole30 can help me.
The first 5 or 6 days felt like a breeze. Cooking with whole foods was nothing new, I was totally satisfied with the creative and tasty meals we came up with, and was really patting myself on the back for sailing through without having the cravings I expected to have. (Cue the dramatic music that lets you know something terrible is about to happen)...
Then... just shy of week 2, things plummeted. I was desperately miserable, basically "Kill All The Things" for a week straight, with terrible alcohol cravings (a big wake up call!), bad insomnia, and no energy at ALL. I completely lost my appetite, and I struggled to force myself to stay on track as far as eating enough, and in the appropriate ratios of protein and carbs instead of just snacking on fruit to boost my blood sugar enough to get by. Not to mention all the dietary changes (and increased fiber and fats) were resulting in some, ahem, less than pleasant changes in the bathroom. When they say days 10 & 11 are "The Hardest Days", it is NO JOKE! It was really interesting stepping back and watching my brain try to rationalize reasons I should quit or cheat, but I summoned my willpower and stayed the course.
By day 12, things were improving a lot, and today at day 15, I feel like I'm already over the hump and seeing a big increase in mood and energy levels! Yay! I'm sleeping well, I'm waking up in the morning feeling... wait, what is that strange sensation? Is it... a good mood, and energy?!? What? When is the last time THAT happened, never ago??? Meals feel pretty easy and satisfying again (I find I do WAY better focusing on "naturally compliant" meals rather than trying to fake a non-compliant dish with compliant ingredients). I look forward to seeing what the next 15 days bring, whatever it might be!
