My Whole30: A Recap

You guys! What an incredible program! I loved Whole30!

Today this post is all about my Whole30 experience: I'll answer some questions, share some tips and tricks, ...and basically link to all of the awesome recipes I tried.

On board? Sweet. Let's jam.

I started the Whole30 Program on January 2. Some co-workers also participated in Whole30, and my husband, Andrew, ate most of what I made, too. It was a great support system!

Now that it's over, I honestly miss how I felt during those 30 days. I stupidly ate and drank a bunch of gunk right when the 30 days expired, and instantly felt like junk. The program advises to reintroduce different foods gradually to see how they affect your body. Then you can choose to make changes to your overall lifestyle.

Welp, I had carbs, dairy and booze most of the weekend. All in one fell swoop. I didn't pick and choose. The gang was all there.

I think I felt more hungover from the processed food and sugar than from the alcohol. I was also sluggish. Was it all in my head? Maybe a little, but my stomach hurt and I had a headache, so probably not completely.

When Monday arrived this week I ate clean, wholesome food again. And wine. :) Aside from the wine headache I now feel better. Phew! I'm happy I hopped back on the wagon. This further supports that a paleo lifestyle is totally for me. For the most part I will continue to eat clean and healthy, and, on occasion, will indulge in the big three c's: Cheese, Chocolate and Cocktails. Trying to cut out things completely just isn't realistic for me. A girl's gotta have some sweets every now and then, amIright?

OK here are some deets:

1. I missed the following: caffeine, pop, wine, and chocolate.
2. I surprisingly didn't miss dairy, which was strange because cheese is a good friend of mine. However, I found myself missing lattes, but only because it's cold outside and lattes are more of a comfort than a necessity. That was a mind-blowing realization considering I previously either had coffee or lattes every day. 
3. I still snacked. Granted, you're not supposed to...something about your brain thinking desserts and anything sweet (including fruits) could process the sweetness and make you crave the bad sugar later. Or something like that. Whatever. I could only eat so many veggies. Some of my favorite snacks were/are cashews, Chomps Meat Sticks and Larabars (the Apple Pie, Cherry Pie and Coconut Cream Pie flavors are the only Whole30-friendly ones that I could find). Those satisfied my salty and sweet cravings. I ate a ton of fruits and veggies, though, don't worry.
4. I messed up. I drank pop a couple of times and had some flavored water containing sucrose. I had a latte once. My husband and I went to Milwaukee for a mini vacation and I ate and drank so much that I shouldn't have. I also baked some delicious breakfast bars that had coconut sugar, which is apparently not Whole30-friendly. Whoops.
5. I didn't care that I messed up. Why? Well, I went right back to the program after I faltered. No one is perfect. Just because you fall off of a wagon doesn't mean you can't jump back on.
6. I loved cooking, but it did get tough. Seriously gang, stock up. It's so easy to resort to the easy stuff (aka take-out) when you don't have some meals prepared or easily handy. Make a bunch of the yummy meals you make and freeze them! Sundays were my big cooking days.
7. I wasn't too social and rarely ate out at restaurants. January is probably the least social month of the year. It was a good month to pick for this. When I did go out to eat I would go low-carb, high protein and dairy-free. AKA I'd get a burger with lots of veggies and without the bun or cheese. I'm sure it was cooked in something I shouldn't have had, but whatever. It's better than fried food and more interesting than a salad!
8. I worked out consistently. Admittedly there were times that I felt dizzy or faint, so I knew that I needed more protein pre- and post workouts.
9. Eating healthy is expensive, but I still saved money. Considering that I didn't go out and/or drink, the grocery bills weren't so bad at the end of the day.
10. I lost 4.5 pounds. Yep, I'm still your trusty chubby friend. I didn't expect to lose a bunch because I still ate a bunch. I still need to work on portion control! What can I say? The recipes were so good!!

Speaking of recipes:

l | 2 | 3 | 4
5 | 6 | 7 | 8
9 | 10 | 11 | 12
13 | 14 | 15 | 16

1. Mexican Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas
2. Easy Paleo Pot Roast
3. Sausage & Egg Breakfast Bites
4. Turkey Avocado Wraps
5. Mustard Balsamic Baked Chicken
6. Caramelized Apples & Cinnamon
7. Crock Pot Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with a Balsamic Glaze
8. Paleo Cabbage Roll Skillet Dinner
9. Bolognese Sauce (over zucchini noodles!)
10. Shredded Salsa Chicken
11. Healthy "Ramen" Noodles
12. Paleo Italian Chicken Fingers
13. Spaghetti Squash Chow Mein
14. Paleo Shepherd's Pie
15. 3-Ingredient Almond Butter Cookies
16. Strawberry Banana Paleo Breakfast Bars

I wrote about all of these in my previous weekly posts with opinions and recipe modifications. I definitely have favorites (Numbers 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 14, 16) and one I won't try again (#11 - it was tasty, but it really didn't taste like Ramen). These recipes were phenomenal and I am so thankful to the creative bloggers who came up with them and shared them!

Overall, I recommend Whole30. It's awesome. It helps you hit "reset," especially after the indulgent holiday season. It helps you feel better. It was tough at times but it was definitely worth it!

Did I miss anything? Do you think you'll do Whole30 in the future? If you want a buddy, count me in!

Have a good one!