The Whole 30 - Why Would You Do That?

I started The Whole 30 on Monday. It’s basically 30 days without alcohol, dairy, grains, sugar, and legumes. Instead, you fill up on mostly vegetables, meat, and fruit (that’s the super condensed version…they lay out the guidelines on their site).

When I bring up the fact that I’m doing this, the first question I usually get asked is, “Why?”

I have 4 main reasons I’m doing it.

4 Reasons I’m Doing The Whole 30

#1 – Sleep.

For some unknown reason, I haven’t been able to get a restful night of sleep for the past month and a half. I wake up at least once an hour, for no apparent reason.

Sometimes Boots (my adorable border collie) is to blame, because when the air conditioner kicks on, the poor dog just can’t help but to plop down closer to me (AKA half on top of me), but most of the time it seems I awake for no reason whatsoever.

I’ve taken melatonin to help me fall asleep for 3 or 4 years now and just in the past few months, I substituted my morning coffee with half a caffeine pill a few times a week.

I’d really like to get to a place where I can fall asleep and wake up without popping pills.

One of the most common things people boast on the Whole 30 is that they sleep better, so here’s hoping!

I’m not going to let myself take either pill during these 30 days, so we’ll see how that goes!

#2 – My IT band issues.

I irritated my IT band in January when I was training for a half marathon.

Since then, I’ve done just about everything I can to help it to heal – rest, ice, elevating, foam rolling, kinesio tape, straps, physical therapy, ASTYM therapy, yoga, core and hip exercises, tart cherry juice/capsules.

I’ve been trying to run 2 miles a few times a week, but even that has been irritating it.

The Whole 30 is supposed to be fantastically anti-inflammatory, which should be more than helpful in the healing process!

I’m still planning to take the tart cherry capsules, since they follow the Whole 30 guidelines, and hopefully will be running 3 times a week.

#3 – Curb my sugar addiction.

I’ve always loved sweets and I probably always will love sweets. I’m not trying to cut them out of my life permanently, but there was a time over the past year where I only felt the need to have dessert 3ish times a week.

Now, I eat some kind of treat for dessert (usually a Nutty Bar…my favorite) every night…along with snacking on gummy candy or cookies or cookies & cream Kisses almost every afternoon.

Also, for the past 3 or 4 years, I have lived off of water with Mio (the little plastic pouches full of artificial sweetener that you squeeze into your water for flavor). I would really like to get used to drinking plain water.

There is no reason that I need to have flavor in my water all. the. time.

I have extra Mio bottles in my work bag, my purse, my car, at Laurie’s…it’s out of control. I need to break the cycle. I like that they tout this program to be a “nutritional reset.”

That’s exactly what I’m looking for.

#4 – Lose weight.

I put this one last, because initially, it wasn’t even a goal for doing the Whole 30. I’m currently a healthy weight for my height, but I still haven’t ever reached my goal weight.

Even if I don’t stay there long, it sure would be nice to see that number on the scale, just once. I would have to lose 12 pounds to get there and that’s a lot of weight to lose in 30 days.

I’m not really expecting to achieve it by day 30, but maybe it’ll be good motivation and at least get me started down that road.

The Whole 30 program rules state that you cannot weigh or measure yourself at all during this time, so it’s not something I can monitor along the way (or weigh), which I kind of like. I’m all about happy surprises.

So, there it is!

I have been telling my friends and family that I’m doing it, because I thrive with accountability.

That’s also the reason that I’m posting it here. It’s so helpful to have texts, phone calls, e-mails, and face-to-face check-ins to cheer me on or ask how I’m doing. I’m a rule follower, so I usually don’t stray when there are clear guidelines like there are with this program, but I sure do appreciate the support! It makes it so much easier to get through the tough days and say no to the doughnuts.

I have my first two weeks of meals planned already (thanks to so many great recipes other people have come up with) and my kitchen is full of produce, meat, sauces, and almond butters from Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods (the only place I’ve been able to find sugar free bacon!).

My plan is to keep Sunday reserved as a mega prep day every week to roast vegetables, prep meats and sauces, and just make sure everything is ready for easy weeknight meals.

Let’s do this.