What is Whole30?

Whoa.  I can't believe it's been over a year since Dustin and I started our Whole30 journey together.  We've both learned a lot about our relationship with food, tried new recipes, shed some pounds and found out that it's ok not to be strict 100% of the time

So...what is the Whole30?  Whole30 is NOT A DIET.  It's a 30 program to help you change your life by removing grains, dairy, sugar, alcohol and legumes from your daily diet.  After those 30 days, you can reintroduce some of those foods back into your diet and see the way your body reacts to them. For example, dairy was causing A LOT of gastro-stuff for me--major bloating whenever I consumed it.  Also, sugar is like crack and is super addictive for me...BUT...after 30 days of only consuming natural sugars from fruits, I was able to break my addiction. 

Sounds pretty hardcore, right?  (I thought so the first time I heard about it).  The only reason I agreed to try it out was because Dustin needed a major overhaul on his health and it would be easier if we did it together.Whole30 is kind of like rehab for your health, if you will.  Dustin was having a lot of back issues and sleep problems before we started Whole30, and now his back pain is gone and he sleeps very well!  I would recommend reading It Starts With Food before you consider adapting this into your lifestyle--it talks a lot about the science behind Whole30 and the way your body processes food.

So mama's...you're probably reading this and you're like, "So do you make 2 dinners each night (you know, one for you and one for your kids)?"  Well, the answer is SOMETIMES.  Our boys (ages 8 & 5) still like cheese and sugary treats, but they also like zoodles (zucchini noodles), sweet potato fries, would rather have fresh fruit, and they don't miss a lot of grains.  They won't eat Brussel sprouts or spaghetti squash (even though they've tasted it).  We just try to give them "better bads" if you will.  For example, they love sandwiches so we'll do gluten free bread

So now we've found Food Freedom Forever.  We're done dieting, and instead just fueling our bodies and minds with good foods and NOT feeling guilty when we're not doing a 100% strict Whole30 if we want to have a glass of wine or some chocolate.  I've learned how to stop myself from overindulging and instead just enjoy the treats as they come along (if I really want them).

We're doing a strict Whole30 right now (which we SO needed after the holidays!); however, we live 90% Whole30 lifestyle throughout the year.  Why?  Because we FEEL better!