Our Whole30 Journey – Week One
Happy Monday! It is technically day 9, so this post is a bit late. (I have a good many strengths, and no lack of self-confidence, but timeliness is not something I excel at.) So here are our week 1 reflections and some encouragement as you embark on week 2!
Debra’s Thoughts…
Hello fellow Whole30 adventurers! I survived the first week. I was treated to a ton of good food, so never really felt hungry. However, I did have a few cravings for things that I am beginning to realize I no longer need. I began to learn this new way of cooking and liked all the recipes this week. For the first three days, I felt fine, with no noticeable problems. I even went walking around the neighborhood! I thought this was going to be a breeze… And then came day four. I woke up on Wednesday with a headache and was very tired. Back to reality.
To complicate evaluating my Whole30 effects, I have a chronic immune deficiency that requires weekly infusions which have their own side effects. So it’s hard to tell exactly which of these is making me feel crappy. Wednesday through Saturday, I had extreme malaise, a recurring headache, and pretty bad brain fog. I’m still having trouble sleeping. But I re-read parts of the Whole30 book to reassure me that I am on the right track. I treated myself with lazy days last week and by Sunday my energy began to return. I’ve figured out a few go-to snacks, especially for nighttime when I take my medicine. Bananas with almond butter, berries and watermelon have been key in getting me this far! Next week, we have new recipes that I am excited to try. I’m keeping a journal each day of activity levels, sleep times and everything I eat. I think it will be very helpful as we go forward. If next week is challenging for you, remember there are others who share your pain. 🙂
Hunter’s Ramblings…
YOU MADE IT THROUGH WEEK 1!!!! Congratulations and thanks for sticking with us! By now, you have probably already felt the worst physical symptoms that you will see from the diet shift. Now… it is a mental game. You are probably craving things… things that those around you are eating. And your brain is saying “why can’t I have just one of those?” or “I’ve made it a whole week! I deserve a treat!”. And yes, it has been a whole week and yes, you deserve to be commended. (Ummm, I used all caps above, in case you didn’t notice.) But I encourage you to make your celebratory food your favorite Whole30 snack. Because what you deserve is better health, better sleep, more mental clarity, and more energy. And you are a quarter of the way to figuring out how to get there. You can totally do this.
My first week went pretty well. (Cue the hateful looks and cursing.) As some of you know, I have been sticking pretty close to the Whole30 way of eating since we first tried this last September. So I haven’t felt many symptoms in the transition. Shockingly enough, I have actually enjoyed getting back to cooking, largely because I get to share it with someone else this time! (Thanks, Momma!) But my favorite part has been hearing from those of you who are going through this with us. I love answering your questions, offering advice and listening to you complain that I am ruining your life. (You know who you are… keep it up!) But seriously, this thing works! It will teach you how food affects your bodies and let you control it instead of the other way around. I’m excited to see where this week takes us!
P.S. Sorry about the zesty chicken bites. Mine were super dry. Hopefully it was operator error and yours were great!
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