Disclosure: There are some affiliate links below and I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. See affiliate disclaimer here.
Last January Jared gave me The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom and The Whole30 Cookbook. These are hands-down the best birthday gift he’s ever given me. For years I’d been talking about wanting to change the way I eat, because I knew a number of my health issues were diet related. But we never had a game plan and with me being so intimidated by the kitchen, we usually opted for whatever was easy and semi-healthy. If you haven’t had a chance to read about Melissa and Dallas Hartwig’s amazing journey, I highly encourage you to. Whole30 is a way of eating that focuses on your health. It is not a quick weight loss tactic, however, weight loss is often seen.
After reading through The Whole30 and perusing the cookbook, we decided to jump headfirst into our Whole30 on February 1st. (Read more about everything we learned to prepare for a succsesful Whole30 HERE) I just had to promise Jared I would actually help out with some of the cooking. I was working graveyard at the time so on my days off (or nights off), I had plenty of alone time in a quiet house to meal prep. We successfully made it through a complete 30 days. It was hard, but well worth it. Below are the pros and cons from my personal Whole30 experience.
Pros
–eczema cleared up
For a little over 3 years, I’d had a slight case of eczema directly below my mouth. I always felt like it was the only thing people were looking at and thought it was one of the worst places to have a skin condition. You can’t cover it up with clothing and most make-up products just irritate it. I’d been to doctors and naturopaths, tried ointments and skin creams… nothing worked. I noticed over time that the more processed sugars I ate, the worse it got. So I entered into the Whole30 with high hopes of my eczema clearing up. I was not let down. About a week into our 30 days it was almost completely healed. However, in the months since we ended our first round, I’ve had a few scares of it returning, but nothing full fledge.
–our acid reflux went away (for good)
Now this was something I’d dealt with for well on 20 years. As far back as I can remember, I’d been popping tums and losing sleep from a burning throat. Its severity had fluctuated throughout the years, but it was always there. I was beyond joy when it subsided just a few days into our new way of eating. But I was almost bewildered that it hasn’t returned! I go more into detail on our eating in the months after our Whole30 in my post Life after Whole30, but for the first time in my life I actually don’t have acid reflux! Jared never had quite as severe a case as me, but any bit of heartburn he had cleared up. A time or two since February I’ve had some heartburn, too much red wine and chocolate cake will do that to anyone!
–lost 20 lbs
About 5 years ago I fell into a pretty deep depression after the sudden death of a close friend. Within 3 months I gained about 50 lbs. I was well under weight so some of it was welcomed…but in the years following and up until December 2016 I was up 70 lbs. Once 2017 rolled around I began focusing on an exercise routine and lost a few lbs in January. When we weighed in on March 2nd we were both down about 20 lbs! (Jared 18lbs)
–more energy
Much like my acid reflux, lethargy has been a part of my life since I can remember. I’d written it off to depression and insomnia. Living life constantly drained drains you itself. However, I experienced an improvement in my energy levels during our 30 days and for sometime after. I wasn’t bouncing on the walls “Carpe Diem!” (like the hubs is every morning at 4:30), but I definitely felt more energized. Making it through a shift came with less cups of coffee, always welcomed.
–less cravings
My favorite result from my Whole30 experience was my “food freedom.” Before we started, I had a sugar addiction that ran my life. I didn’t gorge, but I definitely convinced myself a “treat” could be a daily occurrence…all day long. Which definitely attributed to my weight, lethargy, depression, insomnia, and eczema. The first week was hard. My cravings were intense and I missed the psychological effect and immediate gratification of processed sugars. However, as we ended week 2 my cravings subsided and I began to enjoy my newfound energy. I felt empowered and free of food running my life and actually enjoyed how I felt after I ate.
Cons
–eggs eggs eggs
We were barely into week 2 when I told Jared, “Nope! No more eggs!” We had hard boiled eggs (we make ours in the oven), scrambled eggs, frittatas, sunny side up, quiches, omelets. I was done. The thought of ever eating an egg again made me sick! The hubs didn’t mind as much and continued eating eggs, I just had to get a little more creative.
–strict, hard to stick to
This is a big one. I have seen so many friends and colleagues hunker down and dive into a Whole30 with full intention to stick to it, to only quit a few days to a week in. Grocery shopping can be overwhelming, meal prep and cooking a pain, eating out boring and frustrating, and so on. One thing that helped the hubs and I was we’re both stubborn beyond compare. So once we commit to something there is no option to quit. We also researched as many resources and tips as we could, find our guide to conquering the Whole30 here.
–no sleep improvement
This one was a disappointment. I’ve struggled since I was a child with sleeping. I’m pretty sure I’ve spent a 4th of my life tossing and turning and staring at the ceiling. I was really hoping my change in eating would improve my sleep, but I didn’t see any.
–no depression improvement
Another area I didn’t find any improvement in was my depression. I was still struggling with my Post-Wedding Depression pretty bad and grasping at anything to pull me out. However, I found little to no change in it. The improved energy and weightloss helped me feel better, but the depression still ran my life.
–diarrhea
And last but not least. Yup. You read it right. Diarrhea. I’ve dealt with it throughout most my life with my anxiety and food intolerances, so it was nothing new. However, it was pretty consistent and annoying. I have read that others have experienced constipation, so I’m sure it depends on the individual gut. As Jared and I start our Whole30 Round 2 today, I’m still researching and hoping to find a fiber or something to stabilize it.
To us, it was a total success. For the first time in my life I enjoyed how I felt after a meal. I was no longer controlled by my cravings and desires for unhealthy foods. After our first round we both continued to lose weight and feel good about our lifestyle change. Seven months later we are ready for another strict Whole30 and this time we know what we’re getting into.
