Whole30 Final Update

Hi friends! It’s been awhile since I’ve actually finished my most recent round of Whole30, but I wanted to pop on and give an update of how the second half of the program went. If you missed it, you can read my post about what Whole30 is (and why I love it!) here and the first half update here.

How I feel

I felt so amazing during the last half of the program! Again, this was my fourth time doing it and I think this is the best I had ever felt on the program. I made sure to really take the time to prep full meals which ensured I was getting enough calories and the right combination of foods (healthy fats, lots of veggies, etc) every day. This really played into my energy levels – I never hit that 3:00pm crash that I was used to feeling previously!

My headaches also stayed away and my skin stayed clear throughout the whole program. I also slept like a log – I’ve always been a pretty good sleeper, but was waking up a lot (I think this had a lot to do with my new “mom ears” and the fact that I had gone so many weeks/months with multiple wake ups/feedings). Since starting Whole30, I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow and only wake up if Luke makes any noises from his crib. It’s made a big difference in feeling well rested (even if he wakes up early) since I’m getting solid, deep, restorative sleep during the night.

Best Places to Eat Out

I mentioned three of my favorite places here and definitely hit up Zoe’s Kitchen and Chipotle a few more times during the second half of the program!

The Not So Great Parts

I’m just going to be honest here…there are some GREAT places to eat out on Whole30 (as I mentioned in my Part 1 Update), but overall…it’s not fun to eat out and be social while on Whole30 haha. I never cancel plans and still go out with friends, but sometimes it’s easier to stay home or push plans out until after the program. I went to dinner to celebrate one of my best friend’s birthdays and would have loved to have a glass of wine to toast her and celebrate! Instead, I felt like the annoying customer who basically took off half the items from my salad and just asked for olive oil and vinegar on the side for my dressing. I’ve gotten used to it and really don’t mind it personally, but again just trying to be honest that eating out can be hard if you choose to try Whole30!

Other than that, the only other hard part was on the 4th of July. We went over to my parents’ house along with some other family members and I felt like a pain asking about every item and what was in it. I made my own BBQ sauce (got the recipe from my favorite Whole30 cookbook) and a recreation of Zoe’s Kitchen’s potato salad (it was OK but still needs some tweaking), so I at least would have something to eat. I was lucky that this really was my only holiday/celebration (aside from my friend’s birthday), and I typically try to plan a Whole30 during these “dry spells” so it’s easier to comply!

Favorite Recipes

We made sweet potato nachos every week and would make a big batch at a time so I’d have plenty for leftovers and lunches. It’s probably my favorite meal and I’ve been craving it even now that I’m done. We just slice some sweet potatoes (we use a mandolin but you could just carefully slice with a regular knife), spread them into a thin later on a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, and bake on 375 until they start to crisp up. Then, we brown ground beef with “taco style” seasonings (cumin, cayenne pepper, paprika, etc) and dump a trinity mix (precut red and green bell peppers + onions) into the pan towards the end. Place the sweet potatoes in a bowl and spoon the ground beef mixture on top. Next, you can top them off however you like! I typically put avocado or guacamole, fresh salsa, and a drizzle of the avocado ranch Tessamaes dressing on mine. And seriously…it’s so amazing!

I also made Viejo Ropa in the crockpot which came from another favorite cookbook – Against All Grain. There are several recipes that are Whole30 compliant (or could be with some simple tweaks). It’s so good over cauliflower rice or with potatoes…and fried plantains (we cook ours in coconut oil or ghee during Whole30!).

So Now What?

This is probably the top question I get as I near the end of the program…so now what? There are several paths you could take after a Whole30 round…the first option is to continue on with Whole30 until something comes up and you would like to add it in. If you are following Whole30 as an elimination diet, you will need to add in one item at a time to see how your body reacts to it. So with this first option, you would add it in (say maybe swapping peanut butter in for almond butter), see how your body reacts, and then decide to continue to avoid it or add it back in permanently. The second option is to thoughtfully plan and try the elimination items. In order to do this, you would add in an item on day 31 (maybe dairy throughout the day), and then go back to eating Whole30 style for 2-3 days. You keep going in this pattern until you’ve had the chance to try each item to see what is affecting you. The third option (it’s actually not in the book but I still consider it as an option :)) is to completely revert back to your previous eating habits. I definitely DON’T recommend this path, especially if you feel better after Whole30 because there is obviously something that you were eating previously that caused some discomfort…and if you worked hard for 30 days to eliminate it and feel GREAT, you should continue the work to pinpoint what’s not working for you!

I made the decision to completely eliminate dairy from my diet after my first round and feel 100 times better than I used to. After doing a few more rounds, I’ve determined what really affects me is sugar. It makes me irritable, tired, and literally is addictive. HOWEVER, my motto in life is “All things in moderation”. Other than when I’m doing Whole30, I don’t restrict myself from any food groups or food items (other than dairy because it makes me SICK) because I’ve learned that’s just not something that’s sustainable long term for me. Therefore, I try to watch my sugar intake in items like juices, salad dressings, etc. Those things aren’t “worth it” to me – if I’m going to have added sugar in my diet, I want it to be in something that I truly enjoy (like…a pink sprinkled donut 🙂 ).

Blake and I have found some amazing recipes during Whole30, and we typically make Whole30/Paleo style meals for dinner. Sometimes we’ll add in rice, but we both feel our best when we eat that way! Lunches are hit or miss for me – sometimes I’ll bring leftovers but sometimes it’s just easier to make a sandwich or go out with coworkers!

 

Anyway…that’s my wrap up! Let me know if you have any questions or want to know more!

xoxo,

Lauren