01 Nov Whole30 Review {Paleo, Whole30}

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text]I’ve finally done it. Friends have talked about it. I’ve read about it and I’ve seen it on talk shows.

I have completed the Whole30. And, guess what? I am a believer.

You can count me in as someone who thought the paleo diet, gluten-free, and all that other mumbo-jumbo was ridiculous and faddy.

But in 30 days, let me tell you what I’ve experienced (be prepared…this is honest).

• Glowing skin
• More even skin tone
• Perfect elimination as determined by the Bristol Scale (yes this exists)
• No craving for caffeine
• Rise before my alarm every morning
• Stay alert all day with no peaks and valleys
• Increased concentration
• Reduced bumps on the backs of my arms (Keratosis Pilaris)
• No – and really mean it – flatulence
• Reduced / eliminated dark under-eye circles
• Eliminated cellulite on upper thighs
• The result everyone cares about: I lost 11 pounds

In just 30 days!

I broke my sugar and caffeine demons – and never want to go back to that place.

In case you don’t know what the Whole30 plan consists of, it is an elimination “diet” (I use diet loosely because many people turn to this as a way of life after Whole30). What do you eliminate:

• Sugar (real and artificial)
• Alcohol / Tobacco
• Grains
• Beans and some nuts
• Dairy
• Carrageenan / MSG / Sulfites

What does this leave you with? Delicious food that you’ll find along the perimeter of your grocery store; that’s where the real food is. Meats, vegetables, fruit. Nothing processed or from a box.

It ain’t easy. Imma be honest, the first two weeks were tough, real tough. We’re talking headaches, mood swings, and out of control cravings. But then it really moves its way into habit and it really does become easier.

In all honestly, what made the whole transition to this lifestyle more manageable was my husband’s crazy idea to go on Penn Jillette’s potato diet the week before. Once you’ve eaten only potatoes for 6 days (I couldn’t make it 7), Whole30 is a breeze. You are grateful for your steak, eggs, broccoli, and olive oil.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”16221″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1446426210179{margin-left: 15px !important;}” link=”http://www.amazon.com/Starts-Food-Discover-Whole30-Unexpected/dp/1628600543/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1446426167&sr=8-1&keywords=it+starts+with+food”][vc_empty_space height=”15px”][vc_single_image image=”16220″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1446426239893{margin-left: 15px !important;}” link=”http://www.amazon.com/The-Whole30-30-Day-Health-Freedom/dp/0544609719/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0Y07QF5DG672W6XVHVGM”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]During those 6 days of torture, I read It Starts With Food and then transitioned into the Hartwig’s new book, The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom. Tip: I bought both as an eBook, but then I wound up buying the new book as a physical copy too (better for looking at recipes). So I’d buy the first one as an eBook and then just get the regular ole book for the new one.

And y’all, the recipes are not joking around. They are good. The salad dressings — above all else except maybe the pork carnitas recipe — are probably my favorite. They can make anything I pull out of the fridge taste delicious.

Here are some of the foods / ingredients that have been on heavy rotation:

• Eggs (free range, no antibiotics, etc)
• Avocados
• EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• Sesame oil
• Sunflower seed butter (no sugar added)
• Baby spinach (from Costco / Sam’s)
• Carrots (from Costco / Sam’s)
• Grape tomatoes (from Costco / Sam’s)
• Apples (from Costco / Sam’s)
• Root veggies
• Pederson’s Natural Farms Sugar-Free Bacon (Whole Foods)
• Grass-fed beef (no antibiotics, etc)
• Chicken thighs & drumsticks (no antibiotics, etc)
• Larabars (check to make sure yours doesn’t have added sugar or peanuts)
• Olives (green and black)
• Aidell’s Chicken Apple Sausage (Costco)
• Canned chicken (Costco / Sam’s)

So if you’ve been on the fence about trying Whole30, or maybe you’ve never heard of it before, I hope that this gives you some motivation to give it a shot. It really did change my life.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]

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