The post-Whole30 post (or that time I jumped on the bandwagon)

Kk. Gimme a second to catch my breath because I have a hard time talking slow when I am telling people about something that excites me. *breaths deeply* Alright y'all. Here we go.

So as most of y'all know, my two roommates and I did the whole 30 a little while back. We actually finished the day before Valentine's Day, but life being what it is, I haven't had a moment to write about it until now.

I'm going to be honest with y'all. The only reason that I did this was because my lovely roommate Sarah was doing it and we try to eat meals together at night, taking turns with the cooking and such. So since all of our dinners were gonna have to be Whole 30, Deborah and I decided we might as well just all do it together. I had no idea what I was getting myself in to.

We started off strong - the headache that comes with craving refined sugar was terrible but after that went away and the first week was done, I felt like I had my sea legs (so to speak) and that Whole 30 was nothing to be afraid of. Meal prep was killer (especially if you forget to thaw out meat like I do), but we were eating waaaaaay better than normal, spending less on food, and having to make last minute trips to the store less and less. Since I didn't have a full-time job at the time, I took on the bulk of the cooking; I am pretty fast at chopping veggies now and I feel like as long as I have a little Italian seasoning, I can make a meal out of anything.

Whole 30 taught me how to cook, or rather, it forced me to learn how to cook. I cooked spaghetti squash for the first time. I struggled with making casseroles that involved no Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup or shredded mixed cheese. I made things up and then internally cringed as my ever-trusting roommates put the first bites into their mouths, wondering how quickly they would reject my cooking (they never did). I am now eternally grateful that Frankies Hot Sauce is made with Whole 30 approved ingredients. Also, Whole 30 taught me that potatos are my best friends.

We have some favorite meals from Whole30 that we plan on making again; tacos (on the menu for tonight), stuffed peppers (my personal favorite) and then who could forget the delicious chicken fajitas?? We are still searching through food labels, checking the ingredients list to make sure there isn't any gluten, corn or sugar hidden inside. We are still doing our best to have one meal together a day. We are still going through a crazy amount of eggs. We are still eating pretty dang close to Whole30.

So, what did I think of Whole 30? I LOVED IT!!!! It was amazing!!!! The biggest differences I noticed were my skin and how my clothing fits SO much better than it did before. My skin, especially on my face, looks phenomenal. I have been complimented on my skin/my complexion my whole life but now I am telling you, it looks/feels 100% better than it used to. Someone told me I had a "healthy glow"; I'll tell you right now, I wasn't much for wearing makeup before the Whole 30 and I see even less of a need to do so now. Makeup has truly become for fun for me and I wouldn't have it any other way.
As far as the clothing thing goes, this is where I am going to tell you about my weight loss.....*drumroll* I lost 19lbs on the Whole 30!!!!! YES. I. REALLY. DID. I am kind of really excited about this, although I don't think the numbers are completely accurate. I was working out/running consistantly the entire Whole 30 and we all know muscle weighs more than fat. I know I gained quite a bit of muscle (okay, I am actually REALLY in love with my calves/quads haha), so I am thinking I lost a good deal more than 19lbs...but since I feel so awesome now, I don't mind too much about not knowing. (Sort of.)

My main advice to you would be do the Whole 30, even if you think you can't afford it, or you don't want to do it or you don't see the point. Just freaking do it. You will be happy you did afterwards. Also, do it with someone if you can. My Whole30 experience was very positive AND I believe much easier than a lot of other people's because I had 2 other people doing it right alongside me.

Regrets? None. What did I miss the most? Alchohol and ranch dressing; neither of them taste quite right anymore either but I am trying not to let that bother me. Actually I have only had ranch once since the end of the Whole 30 and I was so let down by the way it tastes to me now, I think I am over it. (Yes you read that correctly.)

The Whole 30 was a wakeup call, one I didn't know how badly I needed it. I believe as a practicing Catholic that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit; I seek to glorify God through everything I do (what I say, think, ect.) and now through what I eat. Because God gave me this body and it is my duty to care for it and nurture it the best way I know how; life is a gift and not something that should be taken lightly or just thrown away. I have jumped on the bandwagon. I am completely committed to a healthier lifestyle. I am happy. I feel good. I look amazing (if I do say so myself). It was worth it.