In the last post, I shared that this was my third time following the Whole 30 program – in a raw nutshell it’s a nutrition program that you follow for 30 days to ‘reset’ your body and let it heal and recover from the effects certain foods may be causing. The only way to really know how certain foods impact you is to eliminate the groups that can have a negative impact on health and fitness. Essentially, this meant for 30 days earlier this year, I had no sugar of any kind, no grains, no legumes, no dairy, and no alcohol.
My third time on this program was a charm. Literally, I wasn’t counting down the days and wondering if I would make it to the end. I knew I could do it and more importantly I WANTED to do it because the benefits are so worth it.
#1 – My Complexion! I have battled adult acne my entire life. I didn’t have it as a teenager but once I got to college – boom! And…it has lingered every since. Since my dad passed in 2014 and my stress level increased my face exploded with breakouts. I’d tried creams, pills, even dabbing my pimples with toothpaste! Many doctors have told me it’s caused by my hormones. Ok great…fix it! People in the last few weeks (just the ones that feel they can) have been telling me how wonderful my complexion looks and I’ve been thrilled with the results. Still some scarring but it’s fading and much easier to cover up a few battle scars with some BB Cream.
#2 – My Energy! I’m talking good ole organic energy. I was barely drinking coffee because it’s hard to want it without some Stevia drops – but I did drink tea. I wouldn’t feel the energy crash at work late afternoon or feel like I had to hop in bed when I got home from work.
#3 – Quality Sleep! This isn’t an area I really struggle with but I can tell you that I slept great and woke refreshed.
#4 – Weight Loss! Since working with my fitness coaches, I really measure my progress by body fat % loss, instead of pounds lost, but I don’t have my start and end percentages for fat loss. So I give you pound loss. I lost a total of 6.4 lbs! That’s a ton for 5’2” me in a month.
#5 – No belly bloat! Particularly when I eat grains and dairy, my belly protrudes. I’ve noticed as I add some of these foods back (sparingly!) that I can feel and see a difference.
Have you tried a Whole 30 or some type of clean eating program? Are you considering a short-term metabolism, systemic inflammation ‘reset’? Do you try limit certain food groups from your diet?
