The Whole 30!

Now that Mark and I are 5 days into it, I want to talk about the new diet we are doing! After reading a former co-workers blog about the method, googling, and so forth, I decided to go on the Whole 30 diet.

You see... I like to eat. I eat when I am happy. I eat when I am sad. I eat when I am angry. I eat to procrastinate. I eat to celebrate. I eat in the evening when I watch TV. I eat to avoid putting away the laundry. I think you get the picture.

For a year I breast feed twins. I ate for three, and still fell down to a really cool weight to put on a driver's license. I bought size 0 pants at Banana.

My kids are now 5. I eat some what healthy - not bad, not great. I don't excercise. You see exactly where I am going with this. As the season changed to spring overnight, I had to get the tub of MUCH LARGER SIZED Banana Republic pants (which I had never sold on the garage sale I never had after we moved to our home) out of storage.

I talked up the Whole 30 diet to Mark for a week or so. He decided to join me in my diet endeavor. I don't believe in "diets" per say. I believe in eating healthy. This diet takes the notion of "healthy" to the extreme. For 30 days you give up ALL SUGARS. That includes maple syrup and honey. For 30 days you give up ALL wheat and grain products. This includes brown rice, couscous, etc. For 30 days you give up ALL dairy. For 30 days you give up ALL alcohol. You can't eat beans, peanuts, soy, or corn. What you are left with is ALL natural and vitamin rich food.

**DISCLOSURE - I am not going to go into all the theories behind what you can and cannot eat. I personally read them, and decided it was the right approach for me. This healthy eating diet should incorporate exercise. I am NOT excercising. I realize this will effect the outcome of my results. I do wish I was exercising. Finally, I am not recommending anyone to the diet, unless you read the material and decide it is right for you.**

SO, last Sunday I shopped for our grocery needs for the diet and the week ahead. I started out at a store specializing in organic, fresh, and natural foods, then made a stop at Aldi's and Cub.

We started the Whole 30 on Monday.

Here are some of the things Mark and I ARE eating

-Vegetables, Vegetables, and MORE Vegetables (in a wide array)

-Fruit (but NOT to take the place of vegetables) in moderation

-Meat (the Whole 30 directs you toward organic meat)(you are not allowed processed meats with additional additives)

-Eggs

-Healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, coconut milk, avocado oil and ghee (which is like butter, with the dairy removed)

-Raw nuts, sunflower seeds, sunbutter (like peanut butter made out of sunflowers) in small moderation.

-Olives, dates, figs (with no sugar added) in small moderation.

-Vinegar, herbs, spices, etc.

After 30 days, the idea is that you will have cleansed your body and KICKED your bad eating habits (or addictions), in favor of more healthy habits. The idea is to gradually add back in dairy, sugar, grains and carbs on a more limited basis, and to fit your body as appropriate. The idea is that you will have become an all around more healthy eater, with a balance of vitamins, protien and healthy fats.

After 5 days, Mark and I appear to be on the right track. I think/hope we have eaten extremely well balanced/healthy meals for 5 days. Mark has endured a few "green" breakfast smoothies he would have rather have done without. (BUT he got a serving of a healthy vegetable/kale at breakfast that he would not otherwise have digested!) Everything else tastes fine. I have not been hungry.

Thurday (Day 4) I used my lunch break to go to Costco to buy MORE fresh vegetables.

I refuse to disclose what I weigh right now. The Whole 30 also directs you to stay OFF the scale for a whole 30 days. The "diet" was not designed specifically for weight loss, but loss is a healthy by-product of the healthy diet.

I will let you how I feel after 30 days!

Tonight is Thomberg Family Pizza Night. I am going to have to prepare a meal that does not include crust, pepporoni, cheese, wine and dialing Godfather's.
If you are curious, my kids are not on the Whole 30. They still eat dairy, some cereal, whole grain bread at lunch, and so forth. By default though, they are eating healthier too. The Whole 30 diet was not designed for bodies that are growing.

What do you think???