Last Day of Whole30 Challenge

Today marks Day 30 of the Whole30 Challenge. I honestly can't believe I made it through the challenge! I really nervous to take it, I definitely didn't think I would make it through! The rules are pretty strict:

I think the most daunting thing for me, heading into the challenge was giving up sweets & grains. I am not a big milk drinker, I don't love legumes & I know I can go without alcohol. I was also worried about MAKING all of my food. Prior to the challenge, I would make maybe 3 meals a week, but for the challenge, I've made breakfast, lunch & dinner (at least for myself) almost every day. There were a few times where we went out on the weekends, but other than that, I was making everything. I can't believe I found out that I actually enjoyed that part about it!! Some meals were flops, especially with my kids, but I definitely found some new meals that I liked. I even surprised myself & found out that I LOVE warm kale/spinach/swiss chard salads. YUMMO!! 

What helped me stay motivated & on track was the book that goes with the challenge: It Starts with Food. I HIGHLY recommend it to ANYONE!! SO interesting about what our  modern diet is going to our bodies & how our bodies respond to all of the added sugar & processed foods that we eat. Even a modern "healthy" diet is wreaking havoc on our bodies. If you want the science behind it, READ.THE.BOOK! 

I think the best way to make it through the challenge is to remember WHY you're doing it. Your motivation has to be strong, especially during the first week or so, those are the crazy withdrawal days, where you will be cranky & irritable. I found that it really did become second nature though. I honestly don't even crave any of the foods that I "can't" have anymore. I am loving the energy I have & how good I feel, I don't want to go back to how I was eating before the challenge. I think I've said that before :)

The other thing I think is ESSENTIAL in completing a successful Whole30 Challenge is to have a buddy! My sweet friend, Blair, helped me along the way. I am SO thankful for our texts, supporting each other, asking each other how we were doing. She passed along some of her successful recipes to me, I shared some recipes with her. I couldn't have done it alone & I was blessed to have her support. Blair, I wish we could get together & celebrate when this whole thing is over for both of us!! *hugs* 

All in all, I'm glad that I challenged myself, that I stepped out of my comfort zone & did something I thought was impossible. I learned some things about myself, ate new foods & am feeling better than ever! I even lost 7 pounds, although that is not the whole goal of the program, I am glad for that side effect! I even took a before, middle & after pic, but I am not brave enough to share those with the internets. I'm just glad to have some evidence of how far I have come in 30 days. :)