Starting Whole30 Day After Christmas

SarabearMcD

Nothing like jumping right in with both feet! I'm starting Whole 30 tomorrow - December 26th and will definitely need support through this endeavor! So, one fantastic Christmas dinner and then on to 30 days of no added sweeteners, no grains, no legumes, and no dairy. All fruits, veggies, and protein.

I definitely need a re-set (and a bit of a sugar detox after Christmas cookie season!) and I'm really interested in the potential anti-inflammatory effects of stripping those items out of my diet and then slowly adding them back in to see how my system reacts. I battle chronic sinus issues and get headaches a lot. It will be interesting to see if any of my issues are actually being aggravated by what I am eating!

Wish me luck!

My_Butt

Why not legumes? Those are a great source of protein.

grace42d

Hi Sarabear,

In order to reduce inflammation (this year I had trigger thumb, possible glaucoma, and an incredibly bad case of sciatica). I gave up Gluten, eggs and significantly reduced sugar in September. I can't give up legumes as I am a vegetarian. It took about 6 weeks to start feeling better, and now at 4 months, I am starting to fell significantly better. I know several people who have done the full detox like you are doing and it worked great. You might consider eliminating tomatoes and the rest of the nightshade family as well for the 30 days (bell peppers and eggplant).

After 6 weeks, I was able to add eggs in (they had been making me nauseous and have headaches). I have no plans to re-introduce gluten or sugar. Good luck and let me know if you need anyone to talk to!

AngInCanada

How's it going so far? I start tomorrow? Had every intention to start today but desperately needed groceries.

tnm7760

I've done 3 rounds of Whole30 and never felt better. I didn't lose much weight (only a few pounds each time) because I was still eating lots of food and decided to not try to reduce amounts/calories since everything else was so restrictive. But, I lost 1-2 inches in my waist every time... Probably from water/inflammation/bloating.

It's a lot of work, especially food prep, but I found it to be relatively easy after the initial cravings passed.

I made my own breakfast sausage. I used Alton Brown's recipe and just omitted the sugar. It was a life saver because sausage and eggs with veggies is an easy, fast meal that I made when I didn't want to cook much. I made 4lbs at a time and cooked it up, froze it in smaller portions and pulled out a little at a time.

Also, I found repetition was my best friend. The first time I had a HUGE variety of meals and it was awesome, but the prep and work nearly killed me. By the last round I found that about 50-80% of meals were the same and then once or twice a week I would try something new.

I learned a lot about my own eating habits and how I tell myself I "need" a treat. I also learned that once I decide to do something, I do better with total avoidance... I'm not good at moderating.

Mayo was my best friend. I used it for lots of different things. Dips, dressing, tarter sauce, etc. There are so many ways to flavor it. Also, salsas and guacamole! I ate lots of Mexican-style salads with meat, lettuce, veggies and guac and salsa.

Ive almost gone a year without Diet Pepsi, a habit I never picked back up after my 2nd round.

If you need any help or ideas let me know. Some people will think you're crazy, but I felt fantastic. I'm considering another round because it's so empowering to me. And yes, a lot of the habits and ways of eating have stuck. I can hardly stand eating much sugar (although I've had more than I care to admit this holiday season).

Good luck.

sbullhop

I'm starting my first whole30 Jan4th. I just finished the book and did all my prep work. How is your whole30 going so far?

TeaBea

My_Butt wrote: »

Why not legumes? Those are a great source of protein.

The legume explanation: http://whole30.com/2012/09/the-legume-manifesto/

I certainly would lose weight under whole 30....but maintenance is about lifestyle changes. Waaay too restrictive for my taste.

Sugar "detox" ....not a real thing.