SOCIAL MEDIA

Whole30 Round 4 Results & Re-Introduction

Monday, February 5, 2018

I am just going to put the numbers right here because I know that is what everyone really wants to see... tangible results... numbers, inches, pounds lost right? Trust me I get it.




So when I stepped on the scale early on Day 31 I braced for impact. The number was the lowest in my history of Whole30 rounds. The funny thing is I kind of expected that it might be. I am not sure exactly why but a combination of things I guess. DON'T GET ME WRONG... 11.5 pounds is great and I am so proud of myself for that. When I was in my pantry Wednesday morning I picked up the 5 lb. bag of potatoes I had sitting on the floor and closed my eyes. I know, sounds a little wonky, me in the pantry eyes shut holding potatoes. I tried to imagine holding another 5 lb bag in my other hand, cramming 6 sticks of butter in my pockets then taking off running. I'll wait while you get a visual.... mmmkay..... and guess what? 11.5 pounds of potatoes and butter is damn heavy. That's what I am NOT carrying around anymore. That's a big deal.

Is it weird that I think of weight loss in terms of tangible items? Like I lost 11.5 pounds or I lost a small Thanksgiving turkey, half a car tire, an adult Maltese dog, a six foot aluminum step ladder, a gallon of paint or a bowling ball. I don't know about you but I don't want to carry around any of those things all day every day if I don't have to.

So here's the deal. As nice as that is Whole30 is not about losing weight. It's a lovely side effect yes but it pales in comparison to all of the other stuff that happens to me when I do this 30 day reset by the book. Not the least of which is that I get back the control that I allowed to slip through my fingers somehow over the course of the last year.... again.

It's kind of hard to explain how Whole30 changes you but it does. On Day 23 I actually thought to myself  "I feel like a totally different person" and I am not lying. By the end of last year I was run down, eating crap, skipping meals then pigging out, drinking excessive amounts of wine, beer and liquor. And quite frankly doing a Whole30 in January has become my thing. This year marked the 4th for me and I can't help but look back in awe. But... 


I try not to compare but every year I lose a little less it seems. Various reasons and it doesn't really matter. Let's focus on the fact that I have lost a total of 58.5 pounds doing 4 rounds of Whole30 and gained some of that back but not all of it... thank God.  Here is how it shakes out in pounds lost:

2015 - 20
2016 - 14
2017 - 13
2018 - 11.5

The NSV's (non-scale victories for all of you non weight challenged folks) are countless though. Lower blood pressure, absence of stomach issues, increased energy, mental clarity, less bloat and gassiness, zero heartburn, better skin, brighter eyes, better breath, increased productivity, less inflammation and joint pain just to name a few. Ummm thats HUGE!!!

And to think I have accomplished all of this without every really finishing the Whole30 completely. You read that right, I have never actually done the last part... the re-introduction. Well, I said I did it I just made up my own rules which is not really doing it and clearly it hasn't worked out for me because I have yet to achieve my food freedom. Not this year. This year I am doing it, in fact I am right in the middle of it and so far I am thinking... you jackass... this is the whole point. I am systematically reintroducing the things I have given up for the last 30 days one by one with 3 days of pretty strict Whole30 in between. It's forcing me to make choices about what I allow back in and to really fully evaluate how those foods makes me feel. How cool is that? I think we all think about our big splurges in terms of "is it worth it" but really, everything you put in your body is worthy of that same scrutiny isn't it?

So I am really excited to see how this next part of the program ends up for me. I really feel like committing to the reintroduction might be the key to sustaining a healthier more balanced Whole30 life for the long haul. I will finally know for sure if the foods I suspect send me to the bathroom in a panic, have me reaching for the Tums or falling asleep at my desk after lunch are guilty as charged. I'm looking at you dairy and gluten. Stay tuned for more updates but for now that's where I am at. Feeling amazing and very proud of myself.


3 comments :

  1. Great job!! 11.5 lbs is amazing! Even if it were a smaller number, I really do think that the just feeling better is so important! This is why I need to eat healthier more often. I can feel the difference mentally & physically even when the scale numbers don't change that much. Congrats on another Whole30 & good luck with the reintroduction!

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  2. I am the same as you, I like to think of my weight loss as a tangible item. My malti-poo is 9.75 pounds and I almost lost as much weight as he is haha. I think you did awesome!!!! And kudos to you for doing the re-introduction phase. I will definitely do that next time. I haven't reintroduced everything back into my diet yet. But I have had three glasses of wine, cheese, cookies and fried things since January 31st. Not a lot....but yeah. I still feel pretty good though :)

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  3. You know I think you rocked it for the Whole 30 and that weight loss is awesome! I did crack up at your potato AND butter analogy . . . I wouldn't want to see you run with butter in your pockets either! Ha! And I'm excited to hear about re-introduction. I cheated and took the lazy way out and had blood work done for food sensitivities.

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