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I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to post this, but I just have to share how much Whole 30 has changed my life. I did my first Whole 30 in Jan 2019. I was having terrible migraines up to 3 times/week. I was on tons of meds for my headaches. I was even having to take meds to offset the side effects of my migraine meds. I was miserable. I was extremely overweight. I had no energy. I was having gastrointestinal issues. I desperately needed to make a change but didn't know what to do. I went for my annual exam with a new Dr in Dec 2018. I was talking to her about my migraines & other health issues. Every Dr I'd ever been to in the past would just throw meds at me for my various health conditions. But this appointment was different. Instead of suggesting more meds, she did the exact opposite. She told me I needed to remove the most inflammatory foods from my diet- grains, sugar, & dairy. And she said I needed to wean myself off all the meds I was taking. I mulled this over for a month, not sure I could remove so many foods from my diet. Then my Jan 2019 issue of Clean Eating Magazine came out. The entire issue was dedicated to the Whole 30 diet. After reading thru the magazine I realized that Whole 30 diet removed all the inflammatory causing foods my Dr recommended. I was so desperate to make my migraines go away I was willing to try anything. So I did a Whole 45 with my husband. I had no idea at the time that I was embarking on a journey that would change my life forever. It has been 1 year since my first whole 30. I am down to 137 lbs. At my highest I weighed 250 lbs. My migraines are GONE! I have been off all my meds for 11 months. My GI issues have long since resolved. I have more energy than I've had in my entire life. I go to hot yoga every day & am walking a minimum of 20,000 steps (approx 9 miles) a day. My relationship with food has completely changed. My mood is more stable. I wish so much someone would have told me to clean up my diet years ago. I never understood the correlation between the food you eat & how you feel until I started putting clean foods in my body. I had no idea I could feel this good! Thank you so much Melissa & Clean Eating Magazine. I am forever grateful for you and Whole 30. I just had my 38th birthday last month. I'm embarking on my 2nd Whole 30 tomorrow- 1 year since my first Whole 30. I'm feeling more amazing than I've ever felt in my entire life. And I couldn't have done it without you.

I did the September Whole30 which was quite an eye opener - so many NSV! Especially my sleep quality has drastically improved, my mood was better, and my energy stayed constant. My psoriasis symptoms slightly improved. I lost 6 lbs which I am happy about. I started reintroduction with a glass red wine and because of that I had a second glass and then I binged chocolate. Quite a learning experience! I went back to Whole30 for three days and then did the reintro with only one glass of wine (I learned something here) which went fine. However, my sleep quality is not as good, my energy fluctuates. I am back to Whole30 since and today is the first day I feel “Whole30-good” again. Now I am wondering if I should extend my Whole30 to 90 days to allow my body more time to heal. I have lost another 3 lbs since and psoriasis symptoms seem to improve gradually. I am ok with cravings; I actually believe I am still in to process of getting used of not having foods that make me binge, like cheese. I am reluctant to introduce other foods because I am afraid to lose all the NSV which are such a tremendous improvement of life quality. On the other side, I worry never to reach “food freedom”. Do you have any advice? Does anyone have a similar experience?

Hello my name is Lisa, I’m turning 37 on Sunday. For my birthday my boyfriend is taking me to Las Vegas. I was going to postpone this plan until I got back. My fear is I’m almost tipping 300 on the scale and I’m 5’7. I can’t go to Vegas with my old habits, put on another ten pounds! So I’m being brave and going to try my best to eat lots of salads, protein and fruit. I’m bringing lots of water for the hotel refrigerator. I learned about this program from my Endocrinologist and was instantly intrigued. I have struggled with my weight since the age of 21 with now at almost 37 weighing the highest. I don’t want to get to another birthday with still over one hundred pounds to lose. My health is very poor because of the excess weight I carry. I can’t do simple things, for instance tie my shoes or bend down to pick something up. I know this program is meant for thirty days. I however learned from my Endocrinologist, you can do this for life. It’s a healthy way of eating and forming good eating habits. So July 6th is my start date. I then weigh on August 6th. I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you. Lisa

Hi, I successfully completed the whole30 in January 2018. I found it somewhat easy in the sense that you can still eat so much, as opposed to say a keto diet where you can't have sweet potatoes and tomatoes. What I found really hard was no alcohol and almond milk in my coffee (I can't drink it black). But I went 30 days on whole foods only, no slips or mistakes. I lost about 15 pounds however that could also be attributed to the fact I was running four times a week and wasn't drinking alchohol. I believe it was a combination of both. I lost weight, my skin glowed and I was sleeping very well. Of course I lack willpower and wasn't able to properly reintroduce things - I couldn't reintroduce dairy, then not have it for a few days, then reintroduce something else. And I started going out again and I love wine a little too much. But I kept eating close to whole30 because I really did like it. Then my job sent me to London, UK from April to August and I had no intention of eating whole30 as I wanted to enjoy myself and the incredible opportunity given to me. As you can see, I use alcohol and food as a reward. Of course I gained weight but I was doing a lot of walking (when I was done work for the day, I'd walk to a different tube station and try to explore new areas, etc., plus every long weekend, I'd go somewhere in Europe and walk all over) so the weight gain wasn't too bad because I was moving. I stopped running because as much as I love London and it's incredibly awesome, the air is not clean and my lungs couldn't take it. Then I came back home (Canada) and I've slipped hard. Both eating and drinking. And here I am. I so desperately want to go back on the whole30 but I don't think I have the willpower to do it again. And it's almost December so it's dinners and drink season. I haven't ran since May and I'm scared to go back downstairs to the gym (it's in my damn building, I don't even have to go outside) because I know I can't do what I was able to do months ago and I'll just get discouraged. I come home from work and just sit on my couch and not move. That's my weekends. I know it's up to me to make the changes I need to make but I just needed to tell someone. I could talk to friends but it's easier and less embarrassing to me to do it this way as I'm in a self-loathing spiral right now and I need to pull my way out of it. So tonight I'm going to spend the night combing through success stories and look for the inspiration I need. I just needed to get this off my chest. Thank you to anyone who reads this. If you want to respond and be harsh, please do. Thanks, Anita

I have never been one to flirt with 'fads.' I'm also the farthest thing from a habit-forming person you will meet, for good and bad. That's why when a good friend introduced me to Whole 30 six weeks ago, I was hesitant. Not another wacky diet plan that promised results that never materialized, or if they did promised to make me miserable in the process. Still, I knew changes were necessary. I have fought weight issues and joint pain much of my adult life. Last year was going to be the year I got serious, so I committed to losing 50 pounds over the course of a 12-month period. I lost two. Worse yet, I just felt awful. Back, hip, shoulder, feet. Some days it felt like every major joint in my body belonged to someone 25 years older than a man in his early 50s. As a result, my energy level wasn't where it needed to be for someone with a relatively demanding job, and I couldn't remember the last time I had back-to-back good nights of sleep. So, when my friend said she had lost 13 pounds on Whole 30 and that her joint pain had all but disappeared, I was skeptical but decided to take a look. After all, what could it hurt? The concept was familiar, if a bit extreme-sounding to a guy who had consumed a half-dozen Diet Cokes a day for decades, and who enjoyed milk and cheese more than most anything else in life. Still, one concept resonated with my desire to think we all have some degree of control over our lives: 30 days of focusing on healthy, whole foods shouldn't be hard. It was a matter of how badly I wanted to force some discipline on myself. Or put another way, how badly did I want to try something that could help me feel better and gain greater control over my health? Thirty-four days later (I've extended my schedule by a week as I plan for reintroduction) I can say this is one of the smartest decisions I've ever made - and one of the most unexpectedly pleasant surprises I have ever encountered. The highlights: I am nearly 20 pounds lighter than when I started. My blood pressure has dropped 20 points. According to my Fitbit sleep analyzer, my resting heartbeat has fallen from 77 to 65. I'm routinely sleeping better than I have in years and my aching joints have stopped barking at me (I've not taken an anti-inflammatory in a month). Beyond that, my energy is up and I am more efficient and focused at work. I've begun working out regularly and can see a day when I lose the "big number" of pounds I have been dreaming about and create the healthy lifestyle that has largely eluded me for many years. I have developed new eating habits and a healthy appreciation for what it means to fill my tank with quality fuel. It wasn't always easy, especially the first two weeks. And, I'll admit to being bored to tears with water at times. It also wasn't as hard as I thought. Once I started seeing results and fell into a routine, I stopped obsessing about what I wasn't eating and enjoyed the many delicious foods I was eating. It also became clear that I wanted the good results to continue more than I wanted that Diet Coke or cheese and crackers. As I stare reintroduction in the face, I'll admit to a bit of trepidation. I don't want to fall off the wagon and go back to feeling the way I did pre-Whole 30. I also realize that I have a lot more work to do to get to my ultimate "fighting weight" and to reach my health goals. Still, I'm choosing to trust the process and to view reintroduction as the next necessary step in providing me the knowledge base I need to truly control my food choices. I know that eliminating dairy, grains, legumes, alcohol and sugar lad to dramatic gains in health and energy; now I need to know which doors lead me down a dark alley and which will help lead me toward the light (I'm really hoping dairy is one of the good guys). The learning process has been an unexpected benefit of my Whole 30 journey, and I'm excited about the next stage. And the one after that. For now, though, I felt the need to share my story as way of saying thanks. To my friend who cared enough to gently persuade me to give this a try. To my wife who has been uber supportive throughout this (although she didn't join me on Whole 30 her eating habits have changed noticeably as well). And to the entire Whole 30 community for providing the tools and support to make this possible. With appreciation and excitement about what comes next, - ML

Happy New Year! And a very happy January Whole 30 season! This is my third January W30 - my previous successes were 2015 and 2016, so it's been a hot minute. In 2016 I got pregnant and my relationship with food spiraled off the deep end, as I was suddenly not restricting myself any more and was given leeway to eat whatever I wanted and however much I wanted. To someone who had been dieting for, well, ever, this was clearly a dangerous and wrong approach. Pregnancy led to breastfeeding and more excuses to keep eating whatever (gotta keep those calories up when you're nursing!) and then one day I realized that I have a fully weaned nearly two year old and yet I'm still eating for two. Or more. And boy does the scale show it. Whole30 is - to me - a kick in the pants. A month long reminder that I am stronger than my cravings. Proof that I can stop eating sugar and drinking alcohol and mindlessly consuming chips. I can do it and I can thrive. My particular challenges this month: Feeding a toddler. I'm not restricting my son to W30, so there will still be cheerios and toast and milk and cheese around. I need to conscious of not popping a chip in my mouth when I give him some, or letting him feed me cheerios! Family. My dad is doing the W30 with me, which can be a great support system! But it's his first W30 and I see a lot of my own disordered eating habits in my dad - it's fully possible he won't make it through the month. I need to hold him up but not let him drag me off course if he does decide to drop off. Work. It's a busy month at work and I'll probably be working overtime. That means less time to meal plan, shop, and prepare food. It's doable, I just need to have good time management. Solo Parenting. My husband is traveling for work all month, so I'm on my own in the parenting department. I've got my mom and dad close by to help, but I'll definitely miss having my husband around to share the load! I think the best way to succeed is to make a plan. So here's what I'm doing this month: Meal Planning is a no-brainer. But I've been super lax about meal planning for the last few months, so I need to pick it back up again. Figuring out meals that reuse ingredients so I can buy in bulk and save time. I'll make Sunday or Monday my meal plan day so I can go to the store early in the week. I'm trying out intermittent fasting. I've always struggled a bit with W30 breakfasts (the popular advice to eat leftovers doesn't work because I eat those for lunch) and while I love eggs there is only so many times you can have them. So I'm giving 16/8 IF a try - basically eating between 12-8pm only. That removes the problem of breakfasts and the late-night snacking. I plan to brush my teeth right after I put my toddler to bed at 8 so that I'm not tempted to eat more. Having snacks on hand. Yeah, I know, I know, no snacking on the Whole 30. But snacking really isn't a problem area for me, I'm not much of a grazer. And it's better for me to have some hard boiled eggs or apples on hand and ready to fill a quick hunger need than to give in and go after my toddler's goldfish crackers. Not going crazy with new recipes. I know a lot of people like to mix it up during W30 and try new things - that's awesome, and I've done it before. But for me, this month is going to be about staple recipes that I know and love, rather than trying out something new. I just don't have the time or headspace for a million ingredients and recipes. For community support, I've got a great group of friends on Facebook with whom I'm doing an accountability challenge. That should keep me motivated to stay up with them. I'm also going to use this blog because I enjoy journalling about my feelings, even if literally no one but me reads it. I can't guarantee I'll write every day, but I'm long winded and like to hear myself talk, so I'll probably update often. So here's to beginning the Whole 30 journey again! I consider this my hardest Whole30 yet, just because my discipline is at an all time low and it's my first time W30ing as a parent. But I've done it before and I feel confident I can do it again - I wouldn't be starting if I didn't think I could succeed.

Hello all, I’ve been moving along with the program for about 3 weeks now, with a plan for 8 weeks total. The diet has massively improved some of the symptoms of my autoimmune disease, among other positives—however, I’ve become worried that I’m closely approaching an unhealthy weight for my age and size. I know that it’s common to lose a few pounds in the first week just from the loss of some water weight and inflammation in the body, but I’ve definitely lost more than that since. Now, before anyone says anything about stepping on the scale being against the rules—I’m fully aware that the Whole30 guidelines forbid it, but I was at the doctors last week for a check up and I certainly wasn’t going to refuse her, especially since I‘m concerned about the way the program is affecting my weight/body composition. I’m 24, 5ft 5in tall, and engage in regular, daily, moderate exercise (I walk literally everywhere, we don’t have a car). Before I started Whole30, a healthy weight for me was about 130lb-135lb. By the end of week two—when I went to the doctor—I weighed 119lbs. At minimum I’ve lost 11lbs, a lot of it probably body fat/inflammation/water weight according to my doctor. Knowing my body, that’s scary, and I’m very worried that if I keep going on the diet without adjusting my caloric intake or actively trying t gain back the weight, that I’ll just keep losing body fat. Has anyone else experienced this, and if so, what’s the solution? What fats should I be adding into the diet? Should I be eating more calories or more meat? Thanks for any help

I have never written a testimonial. I am so happy to be writing one now! I started Whole30 on January 2, 2018. I had been taken off diabetes medication because I could not manage the medication. My A1C reading was 7.7 and I was on a wait list to see a specialist in internal medicine to see what medication I could take to manage the diabetes. My liver enzymes were in the high 90's. I was entirely Whole30 compliant for 30 days. I had my A1C test at about day 21 and it was 7.1. After years of seeing movement upward only I was ecstatic. The diabetes educator was skeptical and said well of course your blood sugar is good because you have cut all carbs. I showed her my food diary. Oh you are eating carbs ( I need potatoes almost daily)...oh this is a plan you could stay on for life...I had lost 12 pounds too! That was Day 21! I asked my Dr. to not move forward with any medication until after my next A1C test and after seeing the specialist. I still stuck to the Whole30 plan but was not so diligent about food labels. I did not do any reintroduction but did have a couple of items that contained dairy and sugar a couple of times. On April 13th I had the A1C test and got results today. I am at 6.1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't really say Day 102 Whole30, but after 102 days on the plan, I have reversed diabetes, the internal medicine doc says no need for ANY medication whatsoever! My liver enzymes are normal! And I have lost 30 pounds! While I am still considered pre-diabetic that will change too! Thank you Whole30!!!