My 68 Day Challenge; The Whole30 Recap

Boom!
Done!
We did it!
We completed the Whole30

We did this as part of an amazing program sponsored by my employer called The 68 Day Challenge.

Reading the book, It Starts With Food before beginning the Whole30 is definitely the way to go.  The authors give you everything you need to be successful.

Even tough love.

One struggle I had while reading it is that each chapter begins with a testimonial on how the program is "life changing".  Not to be cynical, but really, a 30 day meal plan life changing?  How can eliminating certain foods from your diet for just 30 days be all that?

And then,
at about day 15
it happened.

My husband and I were both feeling so good that we said "I am never going back".  What does that mean, never going back?  We are not going to kid ourselves that we are going to be Whole30 all day every day, but we are going to do our best to be Whole30 80% of the time.

Why?

We feel that good.

Specifically, we both experienced these benefits:

• Better sleep. This one matters most.  It's amazing how many other parts of your day are better when you get better sleep.  Better sleep = better performance.
• Wake up easier.  Definitely a result of the first benefit, but it is important to point out.
• Running and workouts became easier,  Tiger blood is a real thing and we really experienced it.  Once your body adjusts to burning fat instead of sugar - look out gym! 
• No afternoon slump.
• Better looking skin.  Smoother and brighter.
• Weight loss.  The incredible part about the weight loss is  . . .

The dirty details, I lost 10 pounds and my husband lost 15.  To be completely transparent, some of that was holiday excess and would have dropped off anyway.  Or, maybe not.

There was only one negative to this program, and no it wasn't going without our wine for 30 days.  If you go pastured, organic, grass fed, all natural, etc.

IT. 

IS. 

EXPENSIVE.  

This is what writer Eric Gillin had to say about that in Epicurious

IT HELPS TO HAVE TONS OF MONEY AND FANCY GROCERY STORES When did tree nuts and almond butter start to cost as much as uncut cocaine? 

 Our tips for your success:

• Do it with a partner.  It's so much easier when you're not the only one passing on dessert.
• Cook once and eat many times.  Making things like a beef brisket made meal planning for an entire week much easier.
• Learn to love eggs.
• Journal what you eat and how you slept.   This will give you small celebrations throughout the 30 days.
• Don't give up on yourself - you can do this.  Our mantra was . . ."It's only 30 days"