Love Actually is All Around

Final installment. Part III.  In Part I, I explained what the Whole30 is and why I did it.   Part II addressed what the 30 days looked like for me.  Here, I'll share my results and what I learned (and some extra credit if you read all the way through). The Numbers This is the good stuff, right? Well. It is for me. I like numbers and stats and quantifiable things.  So here they are. I lost 15 pounds during the Whole30.  The program strongly advises against weighing yourself during the program. I broke this rule.  I weighed myself every day because I wanted to see how my body was responding.  It was especially interesting to see the role my hormones played in my weight loss.  And they definitely played a role!  I lost 15 pounds when all is said and done. My weight fluctuated day-to-day, but I consistently lost about 4 pounds each week. Inches.  I dropped one pant size.  I lost about 2 inches off my hips, 4 inches off my waist, 2 inches off each thigh, 1 inch off each calf, 2

In Part I, I explained what the Whole30 is and why I did it.  Here is what I experienced during the 30 days: How did I feel? I felt pretty normal. I didn’t experience a sudden burst of energy or this wonderful feeling like my body was healing. In fact, I was tired most days.  The program is supposed to help set your body clock so you are tired at night (which, as a night owl, was really attractive).  Maybe it did that? Or maybe I was just so tired from the lack of calories.  In any case, I was ready for bed earlier than I have been since 3rd grade. It was a welcome change.  I noticed a bigger change in how I felt after the program – more on that in Part III. They talk about the "carb flu" in the book which hits you at the end of the first week.  I had a headache (and I never have headaches) and I was generally more crabby.  I am not sure if this was the carb flu or caffeine withdrawal. Coffee is allowed, but cream is not.  I can drink black coffee, but decided just

Many people have asked about my Whole30 experience, which I completed last week.  Given the level of interest, I thought I would blog about it and answer all their questions – in 3 parts. Yes, 3!  Who knew there was so much to say?!  This first part is the intro explaining what the Whole30 is and why I decided to do it. Here is the disclaimer: this may seem preachy. IT IS NOT.  I truly don’t care what you put in your body, and I really don’t think what I put in my body should have any impact on you.  Can we agree on that point?  To get started... What is the Whole30? The Whole30 was designed by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig.  In essence, it is a diet (meaning a way of eating, not a “lose 30 pounds in 30 days” gimmick) that focuses on eating whole foods.  It removes all grains, sugars, booze, artificial everything, and dairy (among other things) from your diet.  It lasts for 30 days and you must be strict to have the complete experience.  You can read all about it on their site