Just Finished My First Whole30

[TwinCities]

So yesterday was day 30 of my first Whole30 and I have some serious gains but also one disappointment.....

First, my gains:

• Definitely feel that I have more control over my eating habits and can work through cravings much better
• Very proud of myself for having converted by diet to a much cleaner way of eating
• I realize that weight loss is not the primary goal but I did lose 17 pounds during the 30 days

My disappointment is this:  I otherwise don't feel any different!  That is to say, I don't think I'm sleeping better, my skin doesn't seem different, my intermittent chronic headaches have not gone away, my low grade aches & pains are still present, etc.  I went into this hoping that some of these things would change or go away, but alas, no.

Don't get me wrong.  I am not complaining because this 30 days has been a huge step forward for me in terms of improved eating and I think what you eat is the foundation for everything else.  I am just surprised that I have not felt some of the benefits from removing all these pro-inflammatory things from my diet.

At this point, I am contemplating going for 45 or maybe 60 days.

[ladyshanny]

Hi @TwinCities - congrats on your positive achievements! And sorry that you don't feel any different. Remember that it's only 30 days in the grand scheme of your life so it's possible that you just need a bit more time. The fact that you lost 17 pounds is amazing and proof that something is happening, even if it's not the things you wish would happen. If you want to extend, that's fine, lots of people do. But eventually, do your reintroductions so that you can create something sustainable for yourself in the long run.

You can also look making other small revisions. Make sure your sleep hygiene is under control, make sure you're drinking at least 1/2 ounce of water per pound of bodyweight (this is great for skin). Do you have any underlying health conditions? Auto-immune? Anything to take note of that might have delayed your overall improvement?