It all started on January 6, 2020. It was supposed to start January 5th. But I ate 3 cookies after dinner on January 5th. After being good all day, and then cookies? Yes. Because I am addicted to sugar. Three was pretty good, usually it’d be five or six. And maybe one more, right before bed!
So I re-started on January 6. I had heard about the Whole 30 eating plan a few years ago, when my housemate Kristyn did it. I admired her but also scoffed.. I eat “healthy enough”, and I’m not ready to give up so many foods. Ok, yes, I could stand to cut back on some things but I don’t struggle with weight, I’m quite disciplined in my general eating and I exercise every day, I thought, as I puffed up my chest. From time to time I’ve cut out sugar for a week, even two full weeks. I can easily give up sugary drinks or candy, but baked goods– that’s my absolute kryptonite. This past holiday season I felt like I went so far overboard I was pretty disgusted with myself. The main problem was that I had lost control of “normal” portions. Eating a couple cookies was just the gateway to six more, and I didn’t even feel bad. My sugar tolerance was through the roof. I have enough exercise science & nutrition background to know that I’m playing with fire to not curb this habit that can lead to real health problems.
Another friend of mine, Vanessa, a single mom putting herself through nursing school, successfully completely the Whole 30 last year while I was living in Colombia. She would send me photos of the amazing-looking meals she was making. I was incredulous that she could accomplish this with all else she had going on, and the food looked super delicious. I was intrigued and put it in the back of my mind that *someday* even I might try this lofty challenge.
Post Christmas 2019 was the time. I was sugared out and ready to make a change after New Year’s.
I did it for three main reasons:
- I realized the need to re-set my sugar tolerance, and cut back the expectations of eating sugar and dessert on a daily basis (often times multiple times a day);
- To try new recipes at home, and to be challenged to eat new dishes any time I went to a restaurant during those 30 days that I probably wouldn’t otherwise;
- If two of my good friends could successfully do it, there’s no reason I couldn’t. ...So I’m a tad bit competitive 😉
During the month, it was interesting to witness how the ups and downs of a lengthy challenge like this causes me to behave and think. I used to compete in long distance triathlons, and I feel like I can make some parallels to this. Especially after Vanessa texted me on Day 10 that I was a third of the way there, using the analogy of triathlon: “The swim is over! Next up, the bike and run!” I appreciated her speaking my language, so I went with it.
“Yes”, I wrote back. “The swim is short, not that hard. The bike is the longest…coming up…uff..and then the final leg which is BRUTAL- oh, I mean, relatively challenging”. (Insert eye roll emoji)
“Um, well, let’s make our analogy a Half Ironman,” she wrote back. “Whole 30 is not as hard as a full Ironman, I’m sure”.
..Well, I am NOT sure. The analogy of course breaks down rather quickly but an Ironman can only be a painful maximum of 17 hours, but the Whole 30 is a friggin’ month long! Waaahh I want brownies!!
Some notable moments during WEEK 1
Day 1 (actual Day 1): A busy workday without a real lunch time and didn’t plan my food well. Between meetings I ate about a cup of raw almonds. I had some black coffee in the late afternoon. By dinnertime I was starving and not super happy about this dumb diet. But, determined not to have to repeat Day 1 for a third time!
Lesson: doing the Whole 30 successfully requires a lot of planning, prep, more planning, stashing healthy (“compliant”) snacks everywhere. After this day, I packed lean meat sticks, compliant energy bars, nuts, seeds, and cut-up veggies in my office, purse, car, fridge, backpack…. Because a hungry Whitney is an easily-tempted one!
Day 3: I went out on a date to a cool food hall in Boulder with a huge bar in the middle. As I sipped my totally unsatisfying glass of water, I decided I was going to break the alcohol part of the Whole 30 and I ordered a glass of wine to go with the compliant meal I found after poring over 8 different menus, trying not to appear too high-maintenance. (Right, I’m sure that worked.) I savored every sip and only felt a teeny bit guilty. I later admitted to my friend Vanessa and she non-judgmentally gave me some good advice about putting parameters on choices to fudge the rules at times so that “here and there” doesn’t become often, if I’m really going to commit to making it through this month.
Lesson: Mindfully deciding to “break a rule” that evening gave me a feeling of empowerment- may seem silly but I really realized that I ALWAYS have choices and it’s just highlighted when I’m on a diet that cuts out a lot of things. Instead of ordering a drink simply “because I can” or out of habit, I did it because I truly wanted it to compliment my meal and my experience. And one glass was very satisfying. I’m not saying that to be a goody-goody, I think it felt satisfying because it was a whole glass more than I was supposed to have!
Day 5: Friday. I love Fridays. There’s a lighter vibe at work, and I tend to have a feeling of satisfaction during the day leading into the evening, knowing I’ve worked hard all week and get the weekend as my reward. But this Friday I felt blah. I realized I was almost dreading the evening because I couldn’t have what I’ve come to expect on weekends: some comfort food, some drinks, treats or desserts. Because I’ve worked hard all week (bang fist on desk)! And I’ve cleaned and cut up dozens of veggies and eaten them all, and drank my coffee without real cream, and gone to bed with no dessert whatsoever. So Friday I want my pizza, movie night with a glass of wine, and I want to make brownies! But no, not Day 5. Day 5 I get to cook just like I did on Day 2, 3, 4.. I get to have meat and vegetables, and a piece of fruit after dinner. Sure I can watch a movie. With a cup of tea. None of that sounds fun, nor rewarding for my week.
Lesson: I realized I have come to expect food or drinks as rewards. In some cases this is fine, benign, even fun, but in a bigger picture it’s something to explore. What else can be rewards that have less physical implications? And that won’t tend towards excess if for whatever reason I’m REALLY feeling entitled to a pat on the back?
Day 6: Out to dinner with a group of girlfriends. Indian food. The majority of dishes on the menu had ingredients I couldn’t have. I felt a twinge of irritation. Why was this eating plan so important? Couldn’t I have just cut out dessert and call it good? But then my thoughtful friend summoned the waiter for a recommendation. I ended up with a dish I never would have ordered if not for the food restrictions, because I have go-to’s of things I love at Indian food restaurants, and they all include grains or dairy. But I loved this new dish. And felt happy that my horizons had been broadened and I left satisfied.
Lesson: Most of the time I have to be pushed out of my routine in order to experience a new delight.
Please come back and read more about Weeks 2-4 soon! And if you embark on the Whole 30, all the best to you. I believe it’s worth doing, as you’ll start with your own reasons and you’ll gain more insights along the way.
