I made it to the final week of Whole30 and then I caved three days early. A huge snowstorm hit New York and all I wanted was an oat milk latte and a glass of wine. So I allowed myself to break the program on Day 27. I admit I was disappointed in myself a little bit, but I also acknowledge that life is too short to not enjoy the little things. I have no regrets about stopping early and I’m still so proud of myself for actually lasting 27 days!
Throughout all of the ups and downs of this month on this very strict diet, I’ve learned a lot and I’ve definitely changed the way I view foods. For example, America puts sugar into literally every damn product in the grocery store. Meats, grains, sauces, you name it. There is sugar everywhere, and for what reason???? Honestly, as much as I missed having sweets, it’s just completely unnecessary to add to so many products. This program has definitely shown me that it’s better to stay away from sugars and any additives, because there are plenty of replacement products that are just as good and won’t desensitize you to sweetness. Now, I’m not saying I’m going to continue eating Rx Bars when I’m craving chocolate, but I think it’s always good to be aware of what you’re consuming. It just makes those actual sweet treats all the more special when you have them!
Alcohol was something I didn’t really find myself missing too much, and it’s definitely a source of unnecessary calories. Going forward, I’m definitely planning on staying conscious of when I consume alcoholic beverages. I don’t need a glass of wine with dinner every night, and even on weekends it’s not completely necessary. It’s best to keep it for special occasions, like when we go to trivia on Tuesday nights or if we go out to dinner on the weekends.
The healthy eating habits that Whole30 formed are definitely going to stick with us for a while. I’ve learned to love the smaller portions from Blue Apron because they satisfy me without making me feel sick from being too full. I also realized that I ended up unintentionally cutting out late night snacking, mostly because there aren’t many great Whole30-approved snack foods, but also because I just gradually felt like I didn’t want them anymore.
While getting used to no grains was really hard at first, I’ve almost grown fine without it. A little brown rice with some dishes will go a lot farther now, and I won’t feel the need to scarf down a huge bowl of pasta unless I’m really in a pinch. I actually want to try to focus on eating whole grains and healthier grain options now, and only having refined grains when it’s a treat. Whole grain pasta is just as good I swear! This actually kind of goes along with the guidelines of the South Beach Diet, which I’ll share more about soon (stay tuned!!!).
Overall, Whole30 is exactly what I expected it to be: a really good reset for eating habits. It yanked me out of my old routine and forced me to change the unhealthier parts of my diet, and now I have a whole new routine I’m accustomed to. Again, it’s absolutely not meant to be a long-term diet and should really only be done in 30-day periods, but it really forces you to take a hard look at what could be unnecessary in your diet and what changes you could be making to be a little healthier.
I know I’m a program failure because we stopped a few days early, but by day 27 we were seeing probably all of the results that we were going to see anyway. If the blizzard had hit on week two or even week three, we definitely would not have caved. But being within sight of the finish line and realizing that we weren’t going to change any more if we kept on for another few days, it was absolutely worth it to indulge while we were snowed in.
I would absolutely recommend Whole30 to anyone looking to get a good reset on their eating habits, or for anyone who suspects they might have a food sensitivity and wants to find out without going through allergy testing. (One of my first non-Whole30 meals was my employee lunch at work on Sunday, which was chicken parm, and I quickly found out that dairy really doesn’t agree with me…but that’s what Whole30 is all about!) If you do decide to give Whole30 a try, don’t let the online forums make you feel bad if you duck out a little early. Some of those people are a little too serious about it and in my opinion, any amount of time on this diet is something to be proud of!!!
My Whole30 journey has come to an end, but I am proud of my progress, pretty satisfied with my results, and would absolutely endorse this as a registered dietitian (which I will be in a little over a year from now!). Going forward, I’ll be sharing more information and tips about diets, eating, and nutrition, so keep an eye out if you’re interested in hearing a future professional’s opinion. :)
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