The Whole30 Diet

Let's talk about this Whole30 diet that I've mentioned before.   I was first introduced to it by Em Loerke when she did it back in April, and I was very interested.  Basically, it's a diet for 30 days that sticks to meats, nuts, fruits, veggies, and oils/vinegars/etc, and it excludes grains, sugars, dairy, legumes (beans and peanuts), alcohol, and soy.  Full details can be found here.  I was interested in doing it, but I decided that I would wait until after I was done nursing Fern, because I wasn't sure how it would affect my milk supply.  

Then, I read a great book about eating and exercising.  This book really wiped the fog off my glasses.  This is where I'm going to be brave and really honest and share how I felt after I read the book: I felt exposed.  I felt like I had finally realized that my obsession with food was not good.  It was bad, and I am ashamed to say that it was really sinful.  Even though sinful is a religious word, I'm still going to use it because I think it was truly a hindrance in my relationship with the Lord. Sure, I was exercising regularly and slowly losing weight, but it felt like I was exercising just to eat.  I was focused on treating myself.  For example, I was out running errands with the kids, went to Starbucks.  I was out by myself, got a little cookie.  I was at a party, indulged in chips and dip.  The kids were napping, I got a treat and relaxed.  I wasn't binge eating, yet I still felt entitled to treat myself to food.  This may be ok in some instances, but for me it was chronic and destructive.  It felt very much like an addiction.  

Unlike other addictions, I couldn't stop eating food.  I had to continue.  The appeal to the Whole30 was it was the most limiting diet that I came across.  It cut out a lot of the things that are easy to eat, and focused simply on pure, healthy foods.  I was eager to try something that got me unfocused on treats and refocused on eating to live (not living to eat).  

One Sunday morning in July, I woke up and realized that most of my favorite fruits and veggies were in season.  I was craving change and limitations and a new direction, so I started the diet.  Right then and there.  I decided that I would try it for 2-3 weeks since I was nursing.  (During that time, I experienced some problems nursing, but I didn't want to stop my new diet.  I talked to my pediatrician, friends, and a nursing specialist.  What it boiled down to was this: as long as I was eating enough calories, then I was ok.  Fern's problem was that she was becoming more aware of her brother and was less interested in nursing.  Once I solved that problem, I was great.  In fact, I've not had any problems since the diet.)  Things were going so well and I was feeling so free that I decided to do it for four full weeks.  

There is no part of me that regrets the decision to do the Whole30 diet.  Everything about it was amazing.  I would suggest it to friends.  Well, actually some of my friends did it and I continue suggest it to a lot of people when we talk about food.  Next week, I'm going to share more about my time on Whole30 and what the afterlife looks like.  

For questions, feel free to leave a comment and I'll reply.  
My email is abarefootday@gmail.com if the comment section is too public to ask a question or leave a comment.