Never in a million years did I think I would be writing a blog post around a diet, let alone Whole 30. Growing up, I always ate whatever I wanted and never really thought twice about calories, what my food was being made with, or how often I was eating. 

Before Hawaii, I was working out a decent amount but still not seeing any changes in my physical appearance, and it was really discouraging me. After a lot of research, I decided that during the month of April (one month before I was scheduled to go to Hawaii) I was going to try my first Whole 30. 

First, I want to say that Whole 30 is not a weight loss diet, but more so a diet to eliminate foods that naturally are harder for our body to digest. Since Whole 30 is not a weight loss diet, you are only allowed to weigh yourself before and after; never during. I highly encourage you to journal how you are feeling every day of your journey because from day 1 to day 30 there will be a lot of change but sometimes it's hard to see/feel. 

Before I get into the nitty gritty, there are some key things to remember before you start Whole 30. 

1. Do NOT modify anything. It is only 30 days. You can do anything for 30 days. 

2. I don't recommend doing it during a month you have a lot going on, are stressed or are going through a personal tragedy. 

3. Know what you can and can't have BEFORE you start 

4. Plan, plan and oh yeah PLAN. Meal prep will be your best friend 

5. Stick to eating at home. You have the most control when you are making the meal 

6. Have 3 balanced meals a day. This helps you avoid snacking during the day

What started as a weight loss journey, for me, turned into so much more. I really learned a lot about my relationship with food (and alcohol) and that in itself was worth it. I ended up trying things I never thought I would AND I liked them. 

When it was all said and done, I lost 5 pounds afterwards. 

It wasn't easy though. Temptation is a real thing and so is snacking. Earlier, I mentioned avoiding personal tragedy when on Whole 30. That's not always something that can be planned because 15 days into my experience I had to put my dog of six years to sleep. Let me tell you, I really wanted a drink that day. Like really, really. Instead, I got Chipotle's Whole 30 bowl, a seltzer water and cried myself to sleep. 

I learned it's all about decisions and re-training your mind. It is INSANE how much added sugar is in our food and it isn't really necessary. Also, the one thing I thought I would miss (dairy) ended up being the one thing I eliminated from my diet (for the most part). 

Resources 

I'll do a separate post on my favorite products and go to recipes later on, but before you jump head first into Whole 30, I encourage you to do all the research you can prior to starting; I also encourage y Here are some of my favorite Whole 30 resources:

Whole 30 Instagram

40 Aprons

Healthy Little Peach 

Whole 30 Website

The Real Food Dietitians

Have any questions on Whole 30 or want to share your experience? Let me know in the comments below!