1whole30 down...more to go?

[Lesliesauder]

My story...

Growing up I was active and slim, it was easy for me to loose weight and stay close to a normal weight for me. I am an elementary teacher do while my job isn't "active" I hardly ever sit down. I was mentally exhausted at the end of most days and would work out occasionally. Then about 6 years ago I broke my ankle and foot in 5 places sliding into home base while playing softball. It was at the start of the season so the school year had just ended and my summer had just begun.

I spent most of the summer laid up in a cast and then a boot. I am an emotional eater, but my active lifestyle had allowed me to stay at a fairly healthy weight. Now, with no activity and overly emotional and all my friends and family bringing me chocolate ( which I eat like it is its own food group) the weight started to pack on. Even after the cast and boot came off I still had so much pain whenever I would try to even walk a distance.

Over the next couple years the weight kept inching up and I ended up gaining about 50 pounds. Then last January my husband and were going to Vegas and I bought a dress I really wanted to wear but was a size too small, I dieted like crazy (weight watchers) and lots of exercise! I lost the weight needed to wear the dress but as soon as that evening was over I was back to my normal routine and ended up gaining all the weight back.

This spring I had finally decided that I had had enough! I ran across a link on Pinterest about Paleo. It instantly felt right to me. I had always struggled with how other diets could be healthy when I wasn't eating real food! And real foods like avocado, coconut, and nuts were "unhealthy". I started Paleo as a diet... Then a couple weeks into it I felt so good. I started a week before Easter and kept it up until 30 days ago, during that time I lost 10 pounds and felt so good! I has kinda stalemated with the weight loss, which is what prompted me to do the whole30.

My whole30!

About a week into my whole30 not only was I feeling fantastic but, others were starting to really see a change in me too. At about day 15, which happened to be near the end of the school year other teachers were telling me they could really see changes and asking what I was doing. By the end of the school year a few had said "don't leave without writing down what you are doing".

Now that I'm "done".... The only thing I'm really still excited about reintroducing is my extra dark chocolate. I still REALLY LOVE CHOCOLATE! Maybe that means my sugar dragon is still here, but I think a little chocolate is ok- at least I hope it is.

One of the biggest changes for me has been my seeing this as a lifestyle and not a diet. Not that it doesn't make me sad to think that I may never have bread, pasta, donuts, peanut butter, or ice cream again. I just feel so fantastic without them. My next big challenge is converting my family. They have been eating mostly whole30 meals with me while at home ( since I do all the cooking). But not yet outside of the home.

My results! Through the whole30 I lost an additional 7 pounds, I wish I would have measured myself too because I have also gone down at least 1 jeans size too. So, in about 21/2 mths I have lost 17 pounds and gained FEELING FANTASTIC!

Melissa and Dallas - and their entire team:

A big huge-a-ginormous THANK YOU for leading the way to healthier lives. Maybe someday people won't think we are weird for eating whole foods! Maybe someday not eating healthy whole foods will be weird!

Hey, a girl can hope!

[pjena]

Congrats on your great results and welcome to the post W30 forum!

[Lesliesauder]

A few more things...

I forgot to add that I also pretty much got rid of any pain in my ankle, knees, feet, back.... Everything!

Now I know I said I didn't plan on adding anything back in except dark chocolate.... But, I kinda thought what the H - let's see what happens. Well guess what happens....I feel like crap, that's what happens. After no ice cream for 21/2months I decided to try that as my "dairy" and as a result felt crabby with a big giant, not gonna leave for like 2days headache!!!! So I guess no more ice cream for me - that sucks! So then last night at supper I order steak and steamed veggies and sweet potato tots. I ate my steak and veggies and shared the tots with my hubbie ( not paleo/whole30...yet). He points out that they are deep fat fried -I'm sure not in good oil and probably have some flour holding them together. So I decide to only have a few, just a few - that wont hurt me right? WRONG! Hello stomach cramps and trips to the bathroom! So no gluten! Yea me!

Well, I guess that means that if I want to feel fantastic, then I have to eat really clean... Why that is a surprise after my whole30 I'm not sure. Guess sometime I am just a slow learner!!!!