Why Whole 30?

There I was laying in bed after just waking up from a day of drinking in Chicago celebrating St. Patricks Day. As Katie would say, I was feeling pretty asstastic. I could hear my stomach turning all the crap I had injested the day prior – a bagel, a lot of beer, a shot of patron, some fish and chips, and I think there was a Vodka and Red Bull, too. The feeling in my stomach this morning was all the more reason to get up, figure out a new strategy, and get my butt to the grocery store.

Some would call it an excessive intervention, but I’ve gone off the deep end. Ever feel like that….when you’ve drank for two weekends straight and although you made some good food choices during the week between, it still doesn’t matter because all the drinking ruined it? Well, that’s what did it for me.

When I first heard about the Whole 30 Challenge, I actually didn’t even want to really listen to my best friend who was doing it. I too though it was extreme. How could I give up sugar? And grains? And not have a glass of wine on Tuesday night, which was what the bf and I did every Tuesday night? It wasn’t possible. Three months ago, there wasn’t a way for me to do it.


Whole 30 Challenge

But since then, I have heard what great success my friends have had. And while they’ve lost weight, it’s not just that. Their digestive system isn’t all ridiculous after eating pizza and birthday cake (my last supper tonight, at my cousin’s birthday party). My friends haven’t had that lethargic feeling at 2:30 after your lunch consisted of a sandwich from Jimmy Johns, a yogurt, and a Diet Coke.  (and, if we're being honest, a cookie.) My friends who have already done a round or two of the Whole 30 Challenge have even had people tell them that they’ve noticed their hair was shinier, their skin clearer, and their nails (I know, someone noticed Katie’s nails!) looked great! And the best one, and actually, LeeAnn, when I read this the other day, I was thinking, "I'm so in," was when Cat told you that you were getting too skinny. I was giddy at the thought!


And aside from their good results from the Whole 30, I've also been considering what one of my cousins believes - that food is medicine for your body. She feeds her baby the cleanest foods and she and her husband follow along too. Sure, they have some cheese here and there, but they look good because they treat their bodies well. Was definitely food for thought.

I was hearing all this feedback from friends and beginning to be curious about this Whole 30, so I start reading their website and their blogs. And then I just recently followed them on Facebook where there are a whole community of crazy people just like me (and Katie and LeeAnn) who want to see exactly what will happen if they eliminate sugar, dairy, grains, alcohol, and yes, even legumes from their diet for a month.

Put all that together with two weekends of binge drinking and now I’m ready. Even though I’ll be in Florida with my family for a week of the time, it doesn’t matter, because I’m ready now. I have no desire to have a glass of wine with my mom and sister or sip a Margarita on the beach.

I really just want my body to feel better, and if as a side effect I lose a few pounds, that would be awesome. The current plan is obviously not working at all. Well, really, there is no current plan.

Do I think I can or will live the rest of my life according to this Whole 30 Challenge? Absolutely not....that's why it's just a challenge. But I can at least detox my system enough so that when I do decide to have pizza again, my body will tell me why I should steer clear. Will I ever eat a cupcake again? For sure. But, for the next 30 days, it's not an option.