It’s week three of my Whole30 journey – the final stretch – and I have to tell you, I’m feeling good.
And hungry.
I’m not starving, but, yeah, I could eat a little something. That’s a good thing. Gone are the days when I would feel stuffed from over-eating, mostly out of habit. Now I’m eating more sensibly and noticing that most of the time my hunger level hovers around moderate.
From what I’ve read, this is the way our bodies are supposed to work. We do best to eat when we’re a little hungry and to eat just enough. That way, we don’t slip into ravenous or “hangry” territory, when over-eating is more likely to happen.
Interestingly, the Whole30 feeling/mood/energy calendar has proven very accurate at predicting how I would feel during each week of the program. I was a little foggy, antsy and headache-y during week one. Then, during week two, I felt my hunger spike. And now, as week three winds down, I’ve noticed that my brain seems clearer and I have more energy.
I didn’t really get into the “tiger blood” zone until the end of the week, but everything I’m doing feels worth it. And, “tiger blood” is real.
Entering this phase doesn’t mean you’re bouncing off the walls and doing cartwheels (and it doesn’t mean that you’re ready to eat anything that moves!). For me, it meant that I felt significantly more awake, and had sustained energy that was incredibly pronounced.
How I felt before Whole30 was more akin to a rollercoaster in terms of energy level – I would have stretches where I had high energy, and then there would be dips throughout the day. Now, it’s like a light switch has flipped. When it’s time for bed, I fall asleep easily. And, when the morning rolls around, I’m up and at ‘em.
Earlier this week, I had to wake up at 5 am for an early flight to Phoenix. Now, I didn’t do a jig and dance into the bathroom to brush my teeth. And sure, I would have rather slept for another hour, but I felt uniquely awake in very short order – long before I had my coffee!
On another note, I’m one belt buckle in from where I was when I started.
While you’re not supposed to weigh yourself during the Whole30 Program, I bent the rule and stepped on the scale once. I’m down 15 pounds from my holiday peak. I took up this program to improve my health – not to lose weight. But I’m not going to complain about shedding a few pounds!
Whole30 has also made me a better food shopper. I’ve been going to Whole Foods for Whole30-compliant ingredients: veggies, fruits, nut butter, olive oil and garlic for home-made salad dressing.
At the outset of my Whole30 journey, it sometimes took me an hour to find what I needed! This week it took me about ten minutes. I stocked up on oranges, apples, boiled eggs, and a chicken salad with olive oil, lemon, and garlic. Folks, I’m off to the races on this thing.
During a recent business trip to Phoenix, my Uber driver asked me if I wanted to go to In-And-Out Burger. Man, any other time I would have said yes and yes! But instead, I went to Whole Foods on the road – a place where I would never have thought to shop while traveling.
If nothing else, Whole30 has given be a serious food education – one I’ll use for the rest of my life.
