Day 30 - results

[Boxedwine]

So I started this just wanting to see if I could do it. I couldn't remember the last time I'd gone a full 30 days without drinking. I knew I had never incorporated vegetables into every meal before. I wanted the challenge. And I wanted a change. I've been a dysfunctional eater my whole life, but in the past five years (since moving to a big city) I've been much more active. At my lowest (in the past 5 years) weight, I was at 175 pounds. But in little over a year and a half, I've gone back up to over 200. So weight was a factor in this for me as well. But, because I have a history of disordered eating, I wanted to make sure that I was doing this for the right reasons and not just to see a drop on a scale. Here are my takeaways. 

 

The suck: 

• I unknowingly cheated a couple of times. No seriously. It was unintentional. I didn't take the rules with me when I went shopping. The first day of the Whole 30 I bought a thing of coconut milk for a recipe that called for coconut milk. This was Day 1 and when I looked at the ingredients I didn't notice anything standing out. So I bought it. I used it for that recipe a few times over the next two weeks and in my coffee a few times. Nothing overwhelming. And then, somewhere around Day 16 I checked the back of the list and noticed the word: carrageenan. Screw. At that point, I didn't care. I wasn't going to start over. And I can't throw food away that I've spent money on. That's wasteful when people are starving in my city. So I've had it since in small doses. It hasn't killed me. But I remember thinking, "THAT'S WHAT I CHEATED ON? COCONUT MILK?"  
• Around Day 10, my first foray into the outside dining experience, I had corn on my salad. I hadn't even noticed that you couldn't have corn. I didn't memorize the rules, or anything. Again. This is something that I learned on Day 16 when I discovered the carrageenan. Whatever. I wasn't starting over. On Day 25, I knowingly had corn in my mexican vegetable soup. I REGRET NOTHING. 
• Ordering food at a restaurant is still laborious. I don't like asking all the questions in the world because I feel like it makes me a nuisance and the waiters are too busy to check on everything. Prep (in this instance meaning looking at menus online) is essential. One of the first times I ate out without asking questions, I was brought eggs that had clearly been cooked with milk and butter. How do I know? I could actually taste it. I suddenly had a superpower.... This doesn't belong in "The Suck" category. I'll re-list in, "superpower" category. I actually couldn't stomach to eat them. They tasted too weird to me. 
• Also - WHO PUTS HORRIBLE INGREDIENTS IN SODA WATER? Jeez. I bought two things of soda water one day without looking at the back, cause I just assumed it was soda water. NOPE. It had all this stuff in it. Really? Really corporation? My soda water needs all that crap in it? And again! I was "cheating" on something unintentionally and it wasn't even something delicious like pie. It was freaking soda water. 
• I still miss burritos and tamales. Bad. I will indulge from time-to-time but not for a while. They still hold so much power over me. GET THEE BEHIND ME, DELICIOUS. 

The surprising: 

• If you were to ask me if I ate a lot of dairy before starting the Whole 30, I would have told you no. But now I realize, that it wasn't just the cream in my coffee. It was cheese on salads. It was cheese on meats (cause, why not?). It was the cheese in the green room (I work hospitality and we always have cheese). It was all the cheese on all the burritos. It was milk in eggs. Butter to cook. I ate a lot of dairy and never thought I ate dairy. 
• It's really not that hard to give up gluten. Really. I kind of miss bread, but in an academic way. Actually going off bread and gluten makes me want a bread machine again so I can make delicious bread instead of eating store-bought if I choose to have bread in the future. What really cinched the deal for me is that my girlfriend still has a loaf of bread in her fridge from the middle of February that hasn't turned, yet. How has it not turned?! And I was eating that...
• I had to speak my craving out loud a lot in order to get it to pass. There were many times, mostly in social situations, when everyone was drinking and I was not. I would turn to someone and say, "I really want a whiskey." They'd say, "You deserve it." And then I'd pour myself a club soda. I had to say it out loud. I had to know that who I was with wasn't going to judge me if I chose to indulge and break, but then I wanted to make sure that I was actually CHOOSING it and not just knee-jerking. So I would give it until I drank down another club soda. And it would pass and I would feel better. 
• I actually have phenomenal will-power and I didn't think I did. As mentioned before, I don't throw out food or things that I purchased. I had a bottle of vodka and a bottle of whiskey that went untouched throughout this process. I knew they were there. I refused to let them call to me. 
• I actually saved money in comparison to how much I was eating out and drinking before. I was shocked by that. I assumed eating well would be so much more expensive. It's not. For me. I still spent more money than I would have. Let's face it, pasta and rice is really cheap. If I was eating those things more, I'd spend less. But even still, I was saving money comparatively.

Things I wanted to have happen that didn't happen:

• I was sort of hoping that the Whole 30 would give me laser-like focus. That I would accomplish a lot more with my time. That I would get a lot of projects done. While I can say that I certainly felt better, the Whole 30 did not cure me of "preferring to sit on my ass and read or watch something" syndrome. Don't know if you know this, but the Whole 30 is not magic. I know. I know. Shocker. So, I'm re-structuring my goals moving forward to try and accomplish my after work to-do list. Maybe restrict binge watching Netflix to the weekends only. That kind of thing. Baby steps. 

The great:

• My food anxiety is gone. There are no questions about what I'm going to eat. And prepping meals, while time-consuming in some ways, is not that hard. And ultimately, it makes me feel better to know that I have food. 
• I never got "tiger blood" in the sense that it was described, but my energy levels weren't that bad to begin with. I actually feel like I get tired in the evening quicker than before, but I attribute that to my body needing to sleep and telling me so, vs. me forcing my body to stay up until 2 or 3 in the morning and then waking up at 7. 
• Speaking of not getting "tiger blood." I didn't get food boredom either. So that's nice. But I expect it will come soon, now. So I need to find some new things to cook. 
• I feel better in a lot of ways, but again, it's not magic. It's eating energy food. So giving up on the idea that it's magic was a big step for me. I never felt "magic" but I did feel better. 

Moving forward:

• I've decided to stick with the program at 90%. I will indulge in the occasional alcoholic drink (I work in theater; every thing happens at a bar) but I will also drink club soda with lime when I'm out with people most of the time. Not every excursion needs to be drunken. 
• I will indulge in the occasional burrito and tamale, but not in the habitual way I was before. In fact, not for a while. They still call to me and I don't want them to. 
• If I fall off this track, I have decided that July is a fine time to start the Whole 30 again, if I need it. 

Other physical things I did during the Whole 30:

• I got a standing desk at my day job during the first week. 
• Weight training 1-2 per week. 
• Walked every day between 3-7 miles. My highest day was 12 miles walking all in the pursuit of getting from point A to B. My lowest days (mostly on Sundays or Saturdays) was 1 mile. I'm not Wonder Woman. Gotta have some chill time. 

Measurable results: 

 

If you're like me, this is what you were waiting for. You want to know what the actual numbers are. Show me the facts! WELL OKAY.

 

Starting weight: 203 Ending weight: 191 (12 pounds)

Starting waist: 40.5" Ending waste: 38.5" (2 inches)

Starting hip: 43.75" Ending hip: 41.5" (2.25 inches) 

Starting chest: 45" Ending chest: 43.5" (1.5 inches)

Starting stomach: 42.25" Ending stomach: 41" (1.25 inches) 

Starting wrist: 6.5" Ending wrist: 6" (.5 inches) 

 

Other conclusions: 

I know how to eat better.

I know that I'm stronger than I think I am.

And I know that this system works for my body.

.

[jmcbn]

Things I wanted to have happen that didn't happen:

• I was sort of hoping that the Whole 30 would give me laser-like focus. That I would accomplish a lot more with my time. That I would get a lot of projects done. While I can say that I certainly felt better, the Whole 30 did not cure me of "preferring to sit on my ass and read or watch something" syndrome. Don't know if you know this, but the Whole 30 is not magic. I know. I know. Shocker. So, I'm re-structuring my goals moving forward to try and accomplish my after work to-do list. Maybe restrict binge watching Netflix to the weekends only. That kind of thing. Baby steps. 
  
  Ha! Day 37 for me and I'm sat here reading your success story rather than studying. Nope. It's not magic. But hey, I have the web-page for my study open on another tab. Yup. Baby steps.....   
  
  Apart from the obvious results as listed above I think you've learned a lot about yourself - that's a huge success 

[Mooba]

Boxed wine you made my day thanks for such an awesome play by play it's really inspiring to hear your story and you're so relateable and freaking hilarious!!!!

[digidoit]

I actually stumbled onto Whole30 because I was reading Dr. Christiane Northrup's book. She mentioned Whole30, so I had to go check it out. Got the Kindle version of It Starts with Food. I have battled weight most of my life and have been somewhat successful with Weight Watchers. I am 61 and I needed something new. I want to be healthy. Every year at my physical, the doctor threatens pre diabetes meds and meds for cholesterol. Every year I just barely avoid them. So, I did Whole30 and day 29 was my physical appointment. The Friday prior to my Monday appointment  I gave blood. When I checked my results online, it was the first time my cholesterol was within range, so I felt pretty confident that my physical would have good lab results and they were great. I am well beyond my first 30, but I pretty much continue to follow it for now. I did lose over 15 pounds, but I still have more to lose. I have been walking faithfully. I'm feeling great. I swear my hair is in better shape. I preordered the new book and am looking forward to getting it tomorrow. 

[pharmgirl]

Other conclusions:

You ROCK.