Rebel's Whole30 Revisit

[Rebelsocks]

Considering this is already Day 3 of my journey into another Whole30 I realize I am late to the game in making a log of it. Nonetheless I am here. Again. 

 

In late August of 2014 I agreed, after a few gin drinks, to do a Whole30. The rules weren't entirely clear to me (mostly just due to it being a split second decision and less about the gin) but I knew I NEEDED to make a change. My lack of energy and relationship with food were concerning to me and I was looking for something to motivate me. My weight had soared and I was on the other end of the spectrum from when I was in high school and ate too little for my own good on purpose. The pendulum had swung so far the other way I was floundering in a place of weirdness and discomfort. 

 

All of that said, gin or not, I agreed. And it turned out the be the best decision I have made in a while. On September 1st of 2014 I woke up to my first day of Whole30 and made the decision to just do it. It was 30 days. I could do 30 days of anything. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy. In fact, it was super hard. I almost fell for things like french fries approximately 50 billion times in the first week. But I made it. I am grateful for it. Funnily, I am grateful for the terribly hard moments the most. They showed me I can finish something like this and they showed me that my health is worth it. 

 

My Whole30 became a Whole60 and was just shy of a Whole90. I sat through my partner's birthday party at a pizza place I had always wanted to go to and didn't eat any pizza. I ate at home, standing in the kitchen. I was in pool halls while people ordered my favorite sliders and nachos and drank yummy beer. I craved soda so badly for a day that I thought for sure I would break. I had an odd craving for PizzaHut that had NEVER happened before. I didn't even live by one! But I made it. 

 

In tandem with those cravings came the positives. I learned to have breakfast. I learned to eat lunch. I learned the differences in qualities of my proteins. I learned to read labels and became a regular at the grocery store. I learned that food can't always be easy. I learned that I CAN sleep well. I learned that my partner loves me even more than I thought possible. 

 

I am lucky on many levels but I had amazing support from those around me and especially from my partner who did the first 30 days with me. We cooked together and learned to be in that space together. We worked through cravings. For 30 days she woke up at 5am and made me breakfast. So yes, I am lucky. We had moments when sleep wasn't working the way it should or making a meal from scratch seemed daunting or when we needed to tackle the amount of dishes that comes along with making every single meal. We had moments when we woke up and counted how many days were left. 

 

All of that said, and not to put too fine of a point on it but...I made it. I'm here for another go round. I made a list of positives from my last experience and I will continue to build it as I go. 

 

1. I feel amazing eating quality food. 

2. Sleeping is fun

3. I drink my coffee black anyway

4. I have lost 50 lbs since September. I don't mind that although it wasn't the goal. 

5. I love cucumbers

 

Today is Day 3. I, not surprisingly, have had eggs for both breakfast and lunch. I have an emergency snack pack in my desk for situations involving donuts and other tantalizing treats and today I needed to pull it out. Tomorrow will be better. 

 

Grocery list:

1. Lamb

2. Bison

3. More chicken thighs

4. Pasture raised pork for the slow cooker

5. Avocados

6. More cucumbers

7. Jalapeno peppers

8. Tessamae's compliant dressing

9. Sweet peppers

10. Strawberries

 

Day's 4 and 5 are hard on me.  I will make it though. We all can!