This is my second go ’round on the Whole 30 program and I’m 13 days into it. This is about as far as I made it the first time before I decided that I wanted to eat some forbidden carbs. This time it’s different and I thought I’d share what I’ve learned.
How to Succeed on the Whole 30 Program
- Stay fed. As long as I stay fed, I’m nearly impervious to cravings or temptations.
- It all starts with breakfast. I found that if I miss or have a lousy breakfast, the rest of my day is off and it’s tougher for me to make good food choices.
- Eat enough fat. In addition to eating promptly, I found it very important to eat enough fat. For me, avocados and olives are a good source of fat.
- I prefer skinless, boneless sardines. I was unfamiliar with sardines so I’ve tried a few varieties and found that I really enjoy them skinless, boneless in olive oil. I often eat them straight from the tin with a few olives in the mid afternoon, especially if I’ve had a salad for lunch.
- I need to have good choices easily available. I’m not great at preparing my meals ahead of time. In fact, I suck at it. Fortunately, my new office is near a cafe and a small grocery store that offer excellent Paleo choices for lunch and for snacks.
- Eat starchy vegetables if you exercise. I need more calories when I exercise, so eating a sweet potato after exercise helps me get more calories and feel full.
- Stress makes this more difficult. Last time I tried this program, I was in a miserable work environment and one of my reactions was to seek sugary carbs for comfort.
There are a couple of things that I’m still finding tough this time.
- I still occasionally want to drink sugary drinks. I still want a Chai Latte or a sweetened tea drink. I’m finding that annoying, but not debilitating.
- I really want to weigh myself, but I think it’s really smart to wait until the 30 days are complete. Not seeing the results on the scale can be discouraging and can cause us to decide this really isn’t worth the effort.
Is it Worth It
Yes.
Why
My goals are to be healthier as measured by my blood test results and my fitness results. Avoiding the foods that have been slowly poisoning me seems like a great place to start.
