It has been one week since I completed the Whole30, and since I announced that I was attempting the Whole30 I received so many questions (I tried to answer as many as I could) but thought a blog post would be the best way to give you all the info.

Why are you doing the Whole30?

I spent a big portion of December sick. I had a cough that literally lasted the whole month, the stomach flu, several colds, and the list goes on. A lot of this was because I wasn’t taking care of myself. Most of my meals consisted of Cheez Its or french fries or coffee, nothing of real substance. During the holidays I also was going out frequently and drinking more than usual. After Christmas, I got the stomach flu and just said screw it I’m doing the Whole30 and signed myself up with a group that was doing it.

How did you decide to do the Whole30 instead of other diets or eating plans?

My mother had done the Whole30 several times and always encouraged me to try it, which usually got a response along the lines of I like good food. So I had been introduced to the Whole30 a few times by my family, and the day I signed up I received an email from my Pilates Studio that they were hosting a Whole30 group. This group would meet three times and have a Facebook group where you could vent, ask for advice, and support each other. It was the extra push I needed to jump on the bandwagon.

What is the Whole30?

The Whole30 is a diet structured around whole foods. There are very few rules, actually, there are only 7 and here they are:

Do not consume added sugar, real or artificial.

Do not consume alcohol in any form, even in cooking.

Do not eat grains.

Do not eat legumes.

Do not eat dairy.

Do not consume carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites.

Do not consume baked goods, junk foods, or treats with “approved” ingredients.

The goal of all these rules is to create a new relationship with food. You are trying to feed your body what it actually needs instead of what it craves. Click here for detailed rules.

What did you eat?

I basically ate the same thing every day. You can see the recipes below, or follow this board for all my recipes that I tried.

Buffalo Chicken

Quiche

Hashbrowns and Eggs

Roasted veggies (a lot of them)

How did it go?

Well, I made it through all 30 days! Which was a huge accomplishment and made me feel amazing. The first six days were the toughest for me, I was tired and my brain was foggy (I literally would forget what I was doing all the time) but after that I was in a good place and it all came together. Around day 11 I started to have way more energy, I was eating three meals consistently with no snacks needed, and I was generally feeling amazing. I noticed a huge shift in my mood, I was happier (significantly) and more positive. I think this change happened because not only was I fueling my body with all these good foods, but I also was taking more time to really take care of myself. During January I meditated every day, I worked out 4-6 times a week, I read every day, and I took the time to really listen to what parts of my life were making me happy and how I could foster more of that. Doing the Whole30 gave me the time and space to truly take a month and think only about myself and what I needed.

Now what?

Reintroduction! I have been adding some foods in here and there and seeing how they make me feel. I am trying to stick to 70%-80% Whole30 meals and then indulge a little. I have also been trying to maintain my meditation practice and workout schedule.

Should I do the Whole30?

100% YES! If you are looking for a challenge and to walk away feeling amazing physically and mentally then you should definitely try it. And let me know if you decide to take it on, I might even join you.

Overall takeaways

All I can say is that this “diet” truly changed big parts of my life. It ended up being the push I needed to listen to my body more and slow down. I will never only eat healthy foods, I missed chocolate chip cookies too much, but I am now way more conscious about what I am putting in my body and why. I try not to eat when I am bored or stressed because all it does is lead to me being lethargic and usually more stressed. Instead, I have opted for reading! When I get bored I just open up a book instead of a box of Cheez-Its.

If you have more questions or decide to take on the Whole30 challenge I would love to hear from you! You can leave a comment, email me (beautifuldetour@gmail.com), or DM me on social media.