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| Bruno's Ristorante (across the street from my home) offers Whole30 compliant dishes--beautifully presented! Lucky me! |
After nearly three weeks on the Whole30, here are a few
observations: In general, the diet isn’t really too difficult. For me, dairy
has been the most daunting sacrifice. (I sure do love me some cheese—and sour
cream. Yeah, and yogurt. Well, and of course, ice cream.) I don’t miss grains
much at all, and I haven’t had the sugar cravings I was expecting.
Furthermore, my gut issues seem to be improving—except for
when I go overboard on the salads and spinach, which can cause a quick trip to
the restroom. I don’t feel nearly as bloated and uncomfortable as I did before
I started—and my jeans aren’t quite as tight as they were. (No more lying down
on the bed to pull them on!) I can’t really say whether or not I’ve lost weight,
because, according to the rules, I’m not supposed to weigh myself while on the
diet.
Another thing I’ve noticed about this diet is that I’m never
hungry between meals, which is not normal for me. I’m usually hungry all the time. Additionally, I’ve been
pleasantly surprised by how energetic I’ve felt nearly the entire time. I have
continued to run/walk (Galloway style) at least every other day while I’ve been
on the diet without additional struggle.
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| Time-consuming, but worth the effort! |
Drawbacks to the Whole30 include the amount of time it takes
to prepare meals, especially cleaning and chopping all those vegetables. But
I’ve found that roasting just about any vegetable is easy and doesn’t require a
lot of cleanup. I’ve also found that if I set aside a block of time—say 3-4
hours once or twice during the week—I can do a lot of the preparation in
advance. It also cuts down on time to prepare double or triple the amount of
vegetables I will eat at one meal, so that I have leftovers to use at future
meals.
Another drawback to Whole30 is eating out. Many restaurants
are very accommodating, however, and I can always order a salad, minus the
croutons and the cheese, and either dress it with vinegar and oil or take along
my own homemade salad dressing (which no one yet has seemed to mind).
While most people who try the Whole30 don’t have celiac
disease, it’s a good diet to determine if the food you are eating is keeping
you from optimal health. It has encouraged me to eat more mindfully and to
improve my eating habits. I’ll report on my 30-day results in 10 more days, but
in the meantime, you’ll find me in my kitchen chopping away.
