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I started Whole30 in January and fell off the "wagon" 5 times. I'm a Foodie and an emotional overeater so this was a big challenge for me, but I have come to love the fresh foods I'm eating and the positive effects it is having on my life. Today, April 15th, 2019 is my 30th day. Tomorrow I begin the Reintroduction Phase. Thank you, Melissa and Dallas Hartwig, for this revelation and opening the door to my new world.

I had a friend come to town last minute today and called to meet up around 2 for a late lunch. She called about 10am so I had some time to strategize and eat a small pre lunch just in case I had to cut everything out of my salad once we got there. She wanted to hit up TGI Friday's so I got on the computer and started reading. Million Dollar Cobb! It sounded pretty good after leaving off the cheese and bacon. They had a chicken, steak or fish option but I was fully prepared to ask them to leave off the meat and add extra eggs and avocado for me if the waitress didn't seem sure of her answers about the meat. Luckily we had the best waitress ever! I asked and the steak (which was my #1 choice) isn't marinated and they'd be happy to ONLY use salt and pepper on it. LOVE IT! So my salad (while still a TGIF salad) was downright edible and close to good, I'm pretty sure I stayed 100% AND I'd remembered my handy dandy purse dressing so I didn't end up eating it plain. I typically have a little cooler with some snacks in it and so today I added a bottle of compliant dressing and just transferred it to my purse before we went in. The waitress laughed at me but said she totally gets it because both of her daughters have a lot of restrictions. Overall even though I could have made a better salad at my house it was lovely to not get left out of the girls lunch. Go Me!

After watching my mother try diet after diet throughout my childhood I became anti-diet. When a friend mentioned the Whole 30, I thought it was another fad diet craze. But then, later that week, I attended a conference and Dr. James Rowe gave us the grocery list for Whole30. I decided I had to try it. As a tennis player, in my late 40’s, I wanted to do what I could to reduce inflammation and cut back on my daily Advil intake. I was hooked after week 2 when I had zero shoulder pain and consistent energy throughout my work day. No 10am and 3pm dips and sugar cravings! When I heard I could meet Melissa, co-creator of Whole 30, at a local book signing (thank you Olive You Whole) I knew I had to attend! I waited in line to get my books signed and when I made it to the front, I told Melissa I wanted to become a Certified Whole30 Coach so I could help moms make impactful changes in their families' diets because I believe dietary changes PLUS effective parenting practices equals powerful change. What if by making these changes moms reduced the need to medicate their children for misbehavior? She replied, “We need you!” And, well, anyone who knows me knows that's like throwing up the Bat Signal for me! I committed right there and then to get certified. I am now on my 3rd Whole30 and have completely changed my life because of the food freedom I discovered through the Whole30.

My boyfriend and I finished our first Whole30. He lost about 15 pounds and lost 0. Even though I lost nothing it seems like my body is changing composition. Although, someone did ask me if I had lost weight. Also, I really didn't need to lose weight, so maybe that is why I didn't. We are in our late 50s. Before the diet, I ate fairly similarly except for dairy and occasional wine. I have never had much of a sweet tooth or a taste for pastries, or cakes, so leaving them out was easy. While on the diet, what I really missed was the cheese! I missed cheese so much! I also missed raw milk and organic honey in my coffee, but I discovered coconut milk, so I was okay. Unfortunately, I love coconut milk in my coffee so maybe that is why I didn't lose weight? Even though at times it was really tough, I am glad we stuck with it because I feel good and I am sleeping great! It is a little scary though what to do after the Whole30? I liked the scientific explanations for not eating dairy, gluten, grains, and legumes. I felt like we were doing something really healthy for our bodies. There was the safety and security of knowing the eating plan had a finite time frame, but what do we do now? I actually want to continue eating this way. The only thing I REALLY miss now are fresh organic English peas, and I plan on adding those back in. Also, bacon. There is no organic bacon without added sugar, so, for now, I will make this an exception too. What saved us were ORGANIC Urban Bruce Chicken and Basil Meatballs and ORGANIC Chicken Italian sausages from Costco.

And I just bought new ones before I went on my trip! Good problems but my wallet doesn't agree. I’ve lost a minimum of 55lbs since July 2017. I started my 3rd round of Whole30 on January 1, 2018 and during this trying time work popped up that required me to travel. Before I started my 3rd round, I want to throw in a disclaimer. During my time off from the strict 30 days I still followed the lifestyle of the program. No dairy, no gluten (allergy), no processed foods, and no sugar (only fruit). On my 3rd round of Whole30 I could feel those little aches and pains some of us have become accustomed to go away. My nose wasn’t running, headaches weren’t daily and my back wasn’t killing me like normal. I did face some challenges this round though. Because I was traveling for 3.5 weeks and living out of a hotel I didn’t have a kitchen until the beginning of week 3. Now everyone knows you don’t eat out on the Whole30. Having no kitchen I faced the challenge head on and researched local restaurants/cafes. I found coffee shops that offered boiled eggs, I tired to stock up on local cold-cut meats, fruits, and veggies. Everything I consumed I researched and if it wasn’t Whole30 compliant I didn’t even entertain the idea of consuming it. Restaurants were a challenge but having a local sibling who also has food allergies helped me pick out paleo friendly restaurants in the city I was located in. I’m not going to lie. The stress of work and not having a kitchen did cause me to skip a few lunches here and there. The moment week 3 hit and I saw my friend’s kitchen I had that ‘heavenly’ moment where I knew I could cook my frittata in piece!I lost a total of 10lbs on my 3rd round and have kept it off since. I’m going to start my 4th round when I get back from my 2 week vacation. I am currently at 180lbs. I haven’t been at this weight in almost 2 years. I don’t have an ultimate goal. Growing up and always obsessing over the number has caused me to self-sabotage. Other than feeling good and look good I have no ultimate number in mind. My birthday is July 2nd and I'm excited to see if I can lose another couple pant sizes by then. It would be the best birthday gift to myself. <3I also wanted to throw in my dad’s progress. He has lost over 80lbs doing the Whole30 program; he's been living Whole30 for over a year now. He looks, feels, and is doing wonderful. He wants to lose another 10lbs and then maintain. I’m so happy he introduced me to this lifestyle and I have a true understanding of nutrition and consumption like never before. Different strokes for different folks!