I Completed the Whole 30.....Now What?

I wish I was vain enough to put up a photo of me in the bathroom mirror showing off my cut and ripped abs. I wish I cared about how much I weighed so that I could tell you I lost XX pounds in the past 30 days, and I wish I could tell you that I am glad this Whole 30 is finally over so that I can go back to eating (fill in the blank of poison foods) and drinking (fill in the blank of alcohol and sugar drinks) poisons, but that's not going to happen.

I just completed the 30 days of the Whole 30 plan, and I do not look at it as an ending but a wonderful beginning to the rest of my life!  Eating and drinking will never be the same again for me after this life changing experience.

Here are some thoughts that I wrote down during this past 30 days, this is kind of long so if you have ADD or "instant" gratification picture and you-tube video syndrome, skip this and go on to living your life.

Some Random Thoughts about the Whole 30 nutrition plan…chronicled during the journey.

·      You’ll sleep great.
 When sugar is eliminated and protein/fat is eaten, you sleep the sleep of the righteous soul, sound and restful.

·      You’ll enjoy the energy buzz.
 Consistent unlimited energy reserves. No more energy that peaks and drops like stock market, you’ll become a consistent source of energy, a freight train of renewable direct current energy.

·      You’ll wake up feeling ready to go.
 There is nothing, and I mean nothing, better than waking up refreshed with a smile on your face and open for whatever the day brings at you.

·      You’ll say adios to digestive distress.
 Forget about farts, burps and stomach acid burn and…horrific (I won’t go into details) “bathroom experiences.” You might have a little discomfort the first few days if you’re not used to eating lots of veggies, but after that, you’ll be regular as regular can be, and quick.

·      You’ll be happier.
 No kidding - when blood sugar is stable, life is fun, funny and funnier. Life on your own chemistry is happiness.

·      You’ll be more peaceful.
 The confused thoughts and anxiety that can be brought on the sugar ride just disappear and leave calm in their place. True peace of mind is yours through out the day.

·      You’ll be more clear-headed.  Brain fog lifts and wit and memory return; restored IQ is yours!  Wow, this is how your are supposed to feel, sharp.

·      You’ll drink more water.
 Sugar and diet drinks are out, so you’ll find yourself drinking more water — which is a good thing. I also drink black coffee and enjoy it now, but good old fashioned H2O is the drink of choice.

·      You’ll eat more vegetables.
  1-2 cups of veggies per meal.  Think of all the nutrients!  Brussel sprouts and carrots rule!  I also use a NutriBullet and pulverize my veggies and drink them, quick and efficient.

·      You’ll savor your food more.
 I find quality food makes me appreciate its nutritive power and flavor more.  I slow down, cherish every bite, and think about how it’s making me strong while it tastes so damn good.  I buy the best and eat the best, why not treat your self to the best.  No more junk for this thoroughbred.

·      You’ll feel the difference between fake and real hunger.
You know that mindless face stuffing that happens when you’re stressed or distracted and not even hungry? That’s fake appetite, and it’s funky. During the Whole30, as your body gets off the sugar high and settles into better insulin and hormone management, your fake appetite starts to diminish, but real hunger — the need for quality food that signals when it’s time to eat — kicks in and it feels Damn Good.  When was the last time you where really hungry? 

·      You’ll find new favorite foods and supplemental foods.
 Who knows which vegetables, spices, and meat preparations will become your new favorites?! It’s fun to think about. There’s so much room in your kitchen and on your plate for new stuff when you eliminate the junk like grains, beans, and dairy.

·      You’ll have fun experimenting in the kitchen. 
The Whole 30 drove me into the kitchen experimenting with recipes, meat fish and chicken. I bought the 4-Hour Chef I was inspired to see what I could do!  You don’t need much, it’s fun and my food bill has shrunk considerably, no more wasted food

·      You’ll get more organized.
 Free benefit! The Whole 30 requires you to do a little bit (ok, a lot o bit) of cleaning out of the fridge and pantry and planning to ensure your success. That organization can trickle into other areas of your life.  I found myself eliminating and simplifying other things, like clothes I haven’t worn for years or will ever where again…old magazines I saved, etc. organization is good for the soul.

·      You’ll get out from under the slavery of eating.
 Most of us tend to blame ourselves for “lack of willpower,” but the truth is that much of our mindless eating is driven by our screwed up hormones and really bad habits. When we manage our hormonal response by eating the right foods, the correct messages about hunger are delivered through our bodies to our brain. No more rampaging through fridge and the kitchen cabinets 1 hour after having a meal!  No more Snickers bar because you just got angry.  No more drinking and then eating junk food.  Being fat is being a slave.  Too harsh for you?  Deal with it and grow up.

·      You’ll learn a lot about yourself.
 Laser focusing on your eating habits for 30 days will open an entire world to you.  You’ll learn all kinds of things about yourself, including what kicks in your appetite, who’s part of your support system, either the problem or the solution. What you need for self-care, after all it’s all about you!  No one forces food or drink into your mouth.

·      You’ll slay the sugar/alcohol dragon. 
Stick a sword in that bastard! And then, later, if you dance with the sugar/alcohol dragon again, you’ll know that it’s within your power to take a sword to his testicles and cut them off again when the time comes.  Sugar=alcohol, alcohol=sugar, look it up. Can’t give up that alcohol, well maybe you got a problem, deal with it – grow up.  College days are over, pal, grow up.  Alcohol adds zero value to your health.

·      You’ll make new friends, you’ll lose old friends.  When you start telling your story and make changes things get interesting.  Some people are excited for you, some are dejected for them.  I don’t need to tell you the issues that you will be faced with when you make these kind of life choice changes.  I quit alcohol and people got strange, I quit certain foods and people got stranger.  I tend to keep these things to myself, but when I am passionate about something I like to share.  You’ll hear everything from, “that is unhealthy” to “grains are good for you” and “you need dairy for your bones” and “alcohol is good for your heart.”

·      You’ll positively influence others.
 Sure you’ll inevitably get the “You need to eat whole grains for fiber” argument (try a bowl of prunes) from some well-meaning brainwashed American diet sheeple, and that will be annoying.  You’ll hear “two drinks a day are good for you” from the borderline drunk that slugs down 6+ oz of alcohol a night.  But if you stand committed, you’ll also have a positive impact on the people around you when they see your results. If three people tell you the Whole 30 is a fad, unhealthy or you’re crazy, you know you are on the right track.  After all in human history people thought the world was flat, the sun revolved around the earth and that fiat currency is really money.

·      You’ll learn more about how your body works.
 This is a win: by understanding the principles of the science behind the Whole 30, you’ll learn a bit about how human bodies function; and, you’ll learn how you — work, in particular.  Principles apply, but everyone is unique, you get to become your own experiment.

·      Your skin will be brighter, less wrinkled and clearer.
 Sleep, water, vegetables, protein, fat, no sugar equals clear, younger-looking skin no matter what your age.  Acne disappears without any over priced treatments.

·      Your hair will be shinier and softer.
 Sleep, water, vegetables, protein, fat, no sugar equals shiny soft hair.

·      Your lower midsection will be flatter.
The bloat from dairy, grains and legumes is gone, no more balloon man, just gone!  Feeling slim through the intestines is a joy. Feeling clean in the lower intestine area is a great feeling. Your elimination process become efficient, no more toxic man.

·      Your workouts will feel energizing versus fatiguing.
 Workouts fueled by real food are the best. That is all I can say.  Until you do this you may not be reaching your full workout potential.  Or you can actually be regressing and wonder why.  Leave your workouts feeling energy.

·      You might set an exercise PR.
I’ve set more PR’s on the Whole 30 than any other nutrition program, coincidence? Who cares!  Results are results.

·      You’ll feel accomplished. (Or maybe even a little superior to the normal class of regular eaters in America.)
 I’ve stopped pursuing discipline for discipline’s sake a while back, after 54 years I have proven to myself that I am one disciplined person. But I wholeheartedly believe that committing to a short-term program like the Whole 30 helps develop mental toughness that has a carry over effect in all other aspects of our lives. And yes, I do enjoy feeling superior to the normal people once in a while.  It’s just me, and that doesn’t make me a bad person.  Just a Marine.

·      You might lose weight or gain muscle, or both.
 The Whole 30 is about “healing” your body.  A few great side benefits, you will lose fat, and if you are following a good strength program (and why are you not?) then you will gain muscle also.  I’ve lost inches in the right places and gained muscle in the right places, I don’t really care about scale weight unless my family is going to sell me by the pound when I die. Body transformation can occur quickly if the right catalyst is introduced.  The Whole 30 is that catalyst.

·      Your body image will improve.
 There is a very strong connection between treating ourselves really well and how we feel about our bodies. If you perceive the Whole30 as the act of healing and self care that it is, then — how it feels, what it can do, and the amazing things it accomplishes every day — will improve your self body image.

·      Food will become both more important and less important.
 I used to be really attached to food and drink.  When I got my blood sugar under control with the Whole30, that changed. Food is both more sacred — it nourishes and sustains me — and less sacred — we get to eat again real soon. The emotional  attachment to the food on my plate and drink in my glass are gone. Don’t get me wrong: I love to eat and drink, but what I chose now are under my control completely.

·      You’ll stop dieting, quitting, and suffering, and just eat.
 This might be the best reason of all for me, all of that garbage is behind me.  When you take out the processed food and replace it with real food, you can quit over-analyzing how much to eat, when to eat, where to eat. Quantities still matter, but you can throw off the ball and chain of calorie counting and denial… and just eat. Peacefully. Healthfully.  You no longer have to fight the food dragons or drink beasts.  You eat when you are hungry, drink when you are thirsty and answer the simple question before you do either, “what I am about to consume or ingest, is this healthy for me or unhealthy for me?”  Then put on your big boy pants and make the decision.

·      You will experience some discomfort that will pass.  After eating some really harmful things and drinking some really harmful things for a very consistent period of time, your body adapts to the chemicals.  When you eliminate or change your body chemistry bad things happen.  You will experience substance withdrawal.  Really?  Not unlike a drug addict that goes cold turkey, your body is going to scream when it is not going to get it’s fix.  The human body is amazing, it adapts very quickly to what ever your put into it….it can take a lot of abuse and punishment.  When you eliminate, sugar, grains, legumes and dairy most likely your body will revolt by not feeling too well.  You have to be prepared for this, because within the first week of the Whole 30 you are going to feel strange, you must commit to stick it out.  I consider this “male childbirth”, damn this is going to hurt like hell for a short while, but the joy and the reward in the end is well worth the labor.

·      Things get better quickly, and the light bulb goes on.  After the withdrawals, things improve dramatically.  You need at least 30 days and maybe more depending upon your individual situation.  I am sure the benefits of the Whole 30 outweigh the short-term discomfort by more than 30M to 1.  But even if it is 1:1 ratio, why live your life in misery.

·      You only have one body, mind and soul.  One mystery of the mind, when things are given to us freely we have a tendency to discount their value and not treat them so well.  For years I abused my body with alcohol, nicotine, junk food, late nights and inactivity.  Then I abused it with too little food (diets), over-exercise (mindless repetitive cardio to lose weight), and too much stress (jobs that were pressure cookers but afforded me to earn a good living).  I also abused my mind with negative thoughts (that is the default in today society), and my soul with self-hatred and self-loathing (resentment and regrets).  Eventually you will realize that inputs equal outputs, and you will start treating these three assets like the priceless possessions that they are.  You will start nourishing yourself with good food, you will start exercising intelligently, you will get enough rest.  You will start working on being positive in a very negative world. You will get plenty of soul therapy as needed.  This may take you a while to figure out, or you may get it early on in your life, but you will get it, or it will get you.  For some it happens when they are faced with something as serious as a self imposed illness (insert cancer) based upon lifestyle choices.  Make the necessary changes before it becomes too late.  Hold the three most important assets you possess, your body, mind, and soul, in the highest regard.

·      The Whole 30 will change your life.  Very few events can be considered life-changing events.  You can surely fill in the blanks for what those are for you in life so far.  I will tell you the Whole 30 experience has been a life-changing event for me personally.  My life will be different from this day forward because of this wonderful experience, and for that I am grateful.

·      Dairy, grains and sugar are poison to my system.  Without the Whole 30, I would have continued to ingest and consume foods that are poisons to my system.  If you knew smoking a cigarette was bad for you and was making your life miserable would you continue to do so?  Habit, addiction, no will power?  I feel the same way about dairy (all dairy products), grains (all grains, corn is the worst) and sugar (including any substitute sugars), for my system they are poison. 

This was a great experience for me and one that I am happy to say that every second was worth it.  Again I am amazed at God's creation of the human body! (Why is that something we are given freely we tend to take for granted, abuse and destroy over our lifetimes)   I am going to be very harsh and blunt, if you don't like the way you feel physically, or the way you look physically, or you are unhealthy you need to take a close look at what you are eating and drinking on a daily basis.  No more excuses, and whining and complaining.  90% of all physical problems are caused by YOU and what YOU eat and drink.  I would say 100% but that is unproven, and someone is going to have a "gene" issue to disprove me.  

Two nagging physical ailments that I have had for a long time went away in the past 30 days.  I always had a "stuffed" up nose, and the joint behind the big toe on my right foot was always swollen and very painful.  Being able to breathe through my nose and smell is a miracle to me, also this might be a reason that I am sleeping so much better.  That bothersome joint could have been arthritis, on set gout or just general inflammation.  All I know it has gone away.

As far as what you have been domesticated to eat and drink, and do you really trust the people that supply your food?  I can only ask you this, "would you rather be right, or would you rather be healthy?"

Any questions, comments or concerns, al@ironsolid.com