Finally cracking the code on food

[nelundberg]

While I was pregnant with my first baby, my sister died very unexpectedly. And I dealt with it by eating my feelings. I have always had a tough time with my relationship with food, but in March of 2014, my weight was at an all time high, 5’7” & 183 lbs, and I was at an incredible self esteem low. I took a look in the mirror and realized I really needed to make a change –fast.

 

The first 10 pounds came off pretty easily as I started to watch what I was eating and began jogging again, but then I hit a plateau. I saw that a friend of mine was losing all this weight with Nutrisystem and I decided to give it a try. Over the next 6 months I eat the most synthetic, processed junk that tried to imitate food and lost another 20 lbs. It was a miserable calorie counting debacle. Counting calories just made me obsess about food. And if I was thinking about food all day, it made it even harder to eat the chocolate covered cardboard snacks I was paying for $5 a pop.  Once I hit 153lbs I gave it up. I figured this was good enough, I was just never going to look like I did pre-baby. I finally went through my closet and gave away any clothes that were smaller than a size 10. Hey, I’d being doing well to even fit in a 10 again. Why torture myself looking at all these clothes I would never wear again? And if by some miracle, I ever reduced to that size, I would deserve a whole new wardrobe, right?
 

Additionally, post baby I found that I was extremely exhausted –beyond just new parent sleep deprivation. I decided to get my thyroid levels checked and found out that I had developed Graves disease. My doctor suggested I either irradiate my thyroid and take thyroid medication for the rest of my life, or try taking a small dose everyday and recheck my levels and energy after a few months. So I decided to try the small daily dose of medication and go from there. It was slowly helping, but I was pretty exhausted.
 

In May of 2015 I was scrolling through my facebook feed and noticed that one of my girlfriends was trying some new diet called the Whole30. I had never heard of it, but what caught my eye right away was that she her clothes were fitting better in less than 20 days and that she had all this energy while eating really delicious fresh food. She has two small kids at home, if she could do this, so could I. By the time I had made the decision I had about 5 days until June 1^st, my intended start date, so I ordered the book from Amazon with 2 day delivery and dove in head first.
 

The whole30 is by far the best thing I have done for myself in over 10 years. I feel like I finally cracked the code with food.  All my struggles with my weight, energy levels and health could have been so much easier throughout my life if I had just understood what my body needed. In the past, despite eating healthy, primarily organic, non-processed food, my body just held onto all my extra weight for dear life. But during the Whole30 the weight just melted off. I didn’t count calories or eat processed diet food. I didn’t deny myself or go hungry –I just stayed within the bounds of the plan. My energy returned and now I feel like getting up and going for a run in the morning. I don’t have highs and lows based off of sugar. I am up to the task of working full time and running around after a toddler. But best of all I feel so much more comfortable in my own skin. I am wearing all those size 10 clothes, and in another few weeks, I think it will be time for that shopping spree I deserve!

 

Thank you Dallas & Melissa; in just that short period of time, your book has changed my life dramatically. And in seeing this transformation many friends have decided to try this out, too.

[jmcbn]

Great result - well done for finding your way 

[Carrots&Blueberries]

I loved reading your post! Congratulations to you - what a wonderful journey. (And condolences for the sudden loss of your sister...)