HEY! Thanks for coming back! I hope you enjoyed reading Part 1 of my Whole30 series. (If you haven't, scroll down and read Part 1 first!)
I promise not to make Part 2 as lengthy as Part 1 :)
Welcome to Part 2: My Results & Takeaways
It’s recommend that you don’t weigh yourself through the process so you don’t get caught up in the weight loss because it may not be as drastic as you're hoping for. It’s also recommend to take your measurements at the beginning of the 30 days and take them at the end to see your improvements. I weighed myself the day before I started, but didn’t take any measurements. I’m not really one to care about inches, I tend to go by how my clothes fit and just liking what I see in the mirror. I do, however, get hung up on the number on the scale more often than I’d like to admit.
By not weighing myself throughout the process, it made it hard for me to really tell if what I was seeing in the mirror was real. Even after the first week I could see a little less “fluffiness” around my midsection, but nothing too crazy. By week 2, I could see a few more changes and decided to try on some clothes that had previously been too small (like not even close to zipping up…yikes). I COULD ZIP THEM ALL UP! Two weeks!!! So, at that point I knew I was losing weight and was feeling a little extra motivated to keep going. Some dresses were still pretty snug, so I excited to try those on after my last two weeks to see how they fit.
Some physical results I noticed throughout the process.
One week in: My midsection was less "fluffy."
Two weeks in: My stomach was ever shrinking and I noticed less cellulite on the back of my thighs and bum.
My remaining days: My double chin was gone (Praises!), my stomach wasn't bloated, and the back of my legs looked tighter.
How I felt:
My first two weeks I felt exhausted. I'd planned on exercising regularly throughout, but I was so surprised at how tired I felt that I just wanted to sleep. I guess I didn't realize how much added sugar and carbs I relied on for energy.
By the midpoint, I was pleased with being able to fit in to some clothes I hadn't been able to in a while, so I was pretty motivated to finish. Plus, I'd really gotten the hang of preparing food and knowing where I could and couldn't eat out.
Between the third and fourth week, I was definitely over it but not enough to quit. I was tired of all the cooking and having to be the deciding factor in where we could go out to eat when I would go with friends and family (I know, first world problems).
Energy wise, I was up from my first two weeks. I planned to work out more the remainder of the 30 days, but only managed to squeeze in a couple of sweat sessions.
I was really nervous to weigh myself at the end of my 30 days, but I promised myself I would be happy with whatever number popped up on that scale and reminded myself that my value doesn't come from a number.
When I weighed myself on my final day, I was down 9 lbs. (!!!) I didn't take measurements, so I have no idea how many inches I lost, but I know a few overall.
Takeaways:
The biggest takeaway I had from doing the Whole30 is learning what my body *needs* to be fueled properly.
I learned how much I actually need to be full and what that really feels like. I learned that healthy, whole foods can be delicious and not boring (just takes a little more effort!). I learned that I can in fact live without butter on a potato (shocking, I know). I also learned that I never want to live without cheese.
In all seriousness, I'm so glad I did this. Not only to shed some extra weight, but to learn about good food and how to teach others about it. I never want anyone to have a lifelong battle with food and if I can be apart of changing that for someone else, that's enough for me.
I can't say that I won't ever think about how many calories is in a meal that I'm eating, but I can say that I know what my body needs and I refuse to feel guilty about giving it those things.
Would I recommend the Whole30? YES yes yes! No matter if you're trying to jump start your weight loss journey, trying to single out an unknown food allergy, or just wanting to reboot your body, go for it! It will totally change how you view the food you eat.
Thanks for reading! If you want to try Whole30 and have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
Stay sunny,
Katie
