enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

whole30 wrap up.

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Today (Wednesday when I am writing this) is the last day of Whole30.

I'm super excited to be completing the program.

First – I wasn't perfect. Close, but not really. So if you're a purist, I did not complete Whole30. But I did adjust my diet for 30 consecutive days. I did remove all dairy, gluten and all forms of real or artificial sugars. I didn't eat any peanut butter and (this should be no surprise given that I'm pregnant) I didn't have any alcohol.

Second – I gained four pounds in the five weeks between prenatal appointments that spanned about the same time period as my Whole30 experiment. I wasn't trying to lose weight (again, pregnant) so I am glad to know that I gained a healthy pregnancy weight throughout. As a sidenote: Paul, my husband, lost about six pounds and he didn't follow the rules as strictly as I did.

SO WHAT DID I THINK?

Overall … it was a good exercise. As mentioned, we decided to do this more as a "meal jumpstart" to get some new recipes going than anything else.

The best "habit" takeaways :

More veggies at dinner. We ate so much green stuff this past month. It was awesome. I learned better ways to prep (thank you food processor) and cook our veggies (tons of fresh garlic). I see us sticking with tons of veggies at dinner for the long-term.

Left-overs for lunch. We did a decent job making extra dinner food so Paul had something to take to work and I had something to eat the next day that didn't require a lot of prep. This is easy and cheap and something I hope we keep up with.

No random snacking. To be clear, I ate plenty of snacks on whole30 – usually fruit which isn't recommended but it is what it is. What I didn't do was grab a handful of crackers or pirates booty or something else random and "easy" out of the pantry. When I ate a snack it was more deliberate. Something that I quickly prepped and then "took a break" to eat. In general, that's probably a good habit to keep up.

But…

I feel the same physically today as I felt when I started. I felt good when we started. And I feel good now. I never noticed the sugar crash or headache issues that are often talked about. I didn't have a significant lack of or burst of energy at any point. It would be interesting to try it again when I wasn't pregnant to see if I notice a difference when I am more strict with not snacking.

I am going to do the food re-introduction and see if I notice a reaction to dairy or gluten or soy/beans/peanuts. If I do, that would obviously influence my "results" and I'll be sure to report back if anything crazy pops up.

So FOR ME, the reason that the program started to drag on was much more mental than physical. I wasn't physically craving cheese or bread. But I like cheese and bread. When Ellerie asks to make "dough?" I like to make dough and grill a pizza for dinner. I like to go out for coffee and get a really well made cappuccino. I like to stand behind the counter and order my favorite donut on a Saturday morning. I like to look at a menu at a great restaurant and see options, not land-minds.

"Food is fuel." You hear this a lot. I have dealt with "food issues" in years past and have subscribed to this theory. But now? Today? Food is fun. Food is not an enemy or a savor. It's not bad or good. It's a part of life. I like to enjoy food. Whenever possible, I like that food to be whole, healthy, delicious and well-made but I am not adverse to bread, sugar, dairy or alcohol. My food mentality for the past four years has been everything in moderation and it's served me really well. If anything, trying Whole30 helped me to remember that.

So that's my honest take. I'm not going to go crazy and make all this tomorrow, but I'm going to eat some cheese. And in November, I am going to enjoy some wine. (I miss red wine.)

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29 responses to “whole30 wrap up.”

  1. kelseyespecially Avatar
    kelseyespecially

    When I first joined the CrossFit a couple years ago I was immediately recruited to take part in the Whole Life Challenge, which is pretty similar to the Whole30, at least from a dietary standpoint (the WLC has a huge emphasis on fitness too, being a CF-centric “thing.”), and what I took away from that experience was that dietary exercises like this can be alright-ish when approached exactly how you approached Whole30, but in general can be pretty harmful to your body, particularly if you’re an active individual and make such an approach a long-term dietary standard without recouping the things you’re missing via the proper supplements.
    Anyway. Your comment section isn’t the place to issue a diatribe on health, diet and nutrition so I’ll leave it at this: I really like how you approached this and love your takeaways from it.

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  2. marisa Avatar
    marisa

    This was such a good, honest recap. My husband and I did Whole30 in May 2013 and I loved that it gave me more energy in the afternoons/evenings and that we ate TONS more salads/vegetables. We still will sometimes look at our meals and say, “oh this is paleo!” But I really really missed the social aspect of eating. Maybe it was because we did it at the start of summer, but I hated going out to a restaurant with friends and just drinking…water. Or not having dessert or whatever other “fun” thing because eating for me IS something social and fun. I do think it’s a good “kick start” to eating more whole foods and to watching for mindless eating, but I don’t know that I could make it an overall lifestyle change. And as someone who craved potato chips throughout her pregnancy, kudos to you on sticking to it! 🙂

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  3. Jil Avatar
    Jil

    This was refreshing to read, given all the hype about these diets. I’m a vegetarian and so anything meat-centric doesn’t work for me, even though I’m completely in favor of whole, natural foods. I’m also in favor of balance, moderation, home-cooking, enjoying food. The diet that works best for me is the Mediterranean diet (see Eat, Drink, Weigh Less), which is also all about fresh veggies and is based on sound principles.

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  4. ellragu Avatar
    ellragu

    Why is a not a surprise that you didn’t eat peanut butter when pregnant? I’ve never heard peanut butter is risky?..

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  5. Anna Avatar
    Anna

    I really like your take on this too, and I think if I ever do Whole30, I’d approach it similarly – not as this magic bullet for healthy eating (which I’m a little dubious of), but as a reason to experiment in the kitchen and eat more vegetables. People’s instagrammed Whole30 meals always look so delicious!

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  6. Sarah Alves Avatar
    Sarah Alves

    Hey Elise! Thanks for this recap, I had been waiting for it! Congrats on finishing the Whole30, it sounds like you learned a lot. When I did the challenge earlier this summer, it really opened my eyes to the relationship I have with food. I did lose 15 pounds and learned that, no, I don’t actually need dairy as much as I thought, but I gained so much perspective from the experience. It is way more mental than physical. It forces you to be mindful and choose better foods. That was good for me. I found out I was pregnant while on the challenge, and it’s been nice incorporating Whole30 recipes into our weekly rotation. I still like the weekends to be relaxed a little. Food IS fun and moderation is important. I plan on doing the Whole30 again after my baby is born and I think that moving forward, I will likely complete the challenge if not at least twice annually, then once.
    Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Always enjoy hearing your take on things.
    -Sarah Alves

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  7. Marilyn Avatar
    Marilyn

    Thanks for sharing your experience. I enjoyed hearing a more moderate take on the Whole30. I did a Whole30 at the beginning of the year with about the same level of commitment as it sounds like you had. I made an honest effort to follow the rules but I wasn’t a stickler. My overall goal was to be more mindful of what I was eating (before I had been having “meals” of cookies or chips and dip) and to eat more vegetables. I think the Whole30 helped me accomplish that goal.
    Like you, I never had any crazy headaches at the beginning nor did I feel different afterwards than I did before. I don’t know if I lost any weight because I never weigh myself anyway. (I’m at a healthy body size.) One thing about my body that I noticed is that the small pooch that I carry around pretty regularly flattened out nicely.
    My one negative was that I was hungry almost all the time on the Whole30. I was starving by mealtime and I ended up snacking a ton on almonds or shoving raw collards in my mouth like an animal. I’m not sure if that is typical or if I was doing something wrong.
    Like you, by the end I was SO ready for it to be over. Although I thought it was a useful exercise, I was ready to get back to the good, tasty, and healthy foods I enjoy such as dairy and legumes.

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  8. Meg Avatar
    Meg

    This was our experience on Whole30, too. We didn’t have the “detox” period, leaving us to believe that we ate quite healthily on our normal diet. We didn’t feel better after Whole30. I felt like we ate way fewer veggies than we should have and way more meat than I prefer. Maybe it was because we were doing it in January in a frigid climate and veggies simply weren’t as easily available as in the summer months. Maybe it was budget shock.
    I was specifically interested in Whole30 because I wanted to see if it effected some ongoing digestive and sleep related problems. It didn’t. It definitely made the digestive problems worse and had no effect on my sleep. (Incidentally, my current working solution to these issues is meditation.)
    Ultimately, I agree with you about food being fun and all things in moderation. I’m not especially interested in vilifying certain foods, just in identifying what makes me feel my best and doing more of that. Thanks for the honest recap.

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  9. Katie Avatar
    Katie

    That comment was in regards to her drinking alcohol, not peanut butter. 🙂

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  10. Erica Avatar
    Erica

    I’ve done a couple whole30’s and absolutely love the program. But I also see where it’s not for everyone. You seem like more of a level headed adult where “everything in moderation” works really well for you. I, on the other hand firmly believe that food addiction is a real issue in my life and unless I have strict rules I can’t seem to just have one donut on a Saturday morning. I think that’s what Whole30 is designed to do is to break that addiction and reset your relationship with food. Thank you for the honest review!

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  11. Theresa Avatar
    Theresa

    You did everything completely right. Whole30 isn’t just about what you can’t have its discovering things in a new way. For me I never realized all the extra additives they added to things I considered healthy. It’s been a year since we discovered whole30 and only did one round but the tools that we took away from it has stuck and we discovered that my husband can’t have certain foods because they activate his arthritis. So proud that you completed it and had some positive take aways!

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  12. Jamie Avatar
    Jamie

    I didn’t do Whole30 for the month of July but I did cut out most (not all) processed sugar, concentrated on eating more fruits and veggies, and stepped up my exercise. I lost 4 pounds, which was great, but also realized I really like NOT grabbing that handful of crackers as a filler for a healthy snack like carrots and almond butter. And when I need a crunch-fix, it’s okay to have a handful of crackers after my meal. AFTER a good meal. Sounds like you have a great attitude toward nutrition, which will pass on to your kiddos and that’s the way it should be. = )

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  13. ellragu Avatar
    ellragu

    Lol, of course- duh. Phew!

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  14. Dakota Avatar
    Dakota

    I love your recap! I did W30 November 2014 and in one month I lost 20 pounds which is a lot and my skin became somewhat clearer. But that lifestyle is hard to keep up with (for me anyway) and I gained most of the weight back and felt like I couldn’t eat enough bread, cheese, etc.
    About two months ago I decided to cut out meat, dairy and sugar to see how I felt. I felt so good I’m still at it today! My skin is the cleariest it’s ever been and my blood pressure dropped after just two days. I’ve learned how to cook more (these falafels are killer: http://www.forksoverknives.com/fabulous-un-fried-falafel-burgers/) and I feel good all around. I also learned that pasta is okay, but have whole wheat pasta and not white. I am losing weigh consistently and in a way where I won’t gain it all back quickly.
    I don’t plan on never having meat again, but I’m with you on everything in moderation. I think programs like W30, paleo, vegan, etc. is all about jumpstarting that mindset.

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  15. Ingunn Avatar
    Ingunn

    I’m really interested to see if you’re able to avoid GD this time around! I had it as well (and stayed diet-controlled), and I’m hoping that if I’m healthier pre-conception and in early pregnancy next time, I’ll be able to avoid it. The diabetic counselors at the hospital made it sound like my fate is sealed, though…but my midwife was able to avoid it the second time around, so there’s hope. Good luck!!

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  16. Melissa Avatar
    Melissa

    I wasn’t able to avoid it the second time around but it did seem a little easier because I understood the routine. Best of luck to both of you… the end result is always worth it right? ohhh….and so is the yummy food people bring to the hospital!! 🙂

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  17. jacqueline Avatar
    jacqueline

    I did my first W30 in 2013 when I was really sick with inflammatory issues. It was a huge shock to my body to give up so many food groups – it was really hard. But I was so impressed at how cutting out those foods healed my inflammation issues (issues that several doctors and medications could not heal,) that I have been a believer in the program ever since. I’ve done it a few times since then, (I’m in the middle of one now) just to “detox” my body and get me back in that mindset of being intentional about what I’m eating. W30 has taught me to really listen to my body’s needs and love myself, even if that means taking a break from my favorite fun foods. I really enjoyed your perspective! I don’t believe that sweets, grains, alcohol, etc are “bad.” But for someone like me, who’s body doesn’t tolerate those foods as well as a normal person, the W30 has made life much happier and healthier. 🙂

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  18. Jacee Avatar
    Jacee

    My sister has been doing Trim Healthy Mama which was written my two sisters bc they wanted to maintain a healthy glucose level. We have a history of diabetes in our family and she had gestational diabetes with her 3rd baby. When she got pregnant with her 4th she went ahead and started reading the book and trying it out. It’s really simple. It’s your basic high protein, high carb, low sugar or you can have high protein, high sugar, low carb. They provide tons of recipes and why you don’t eat certain things and what it does to your body. It’s very interesting. They want you to be able to maintain this lifestyle of eating and it not just be a fad.

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  19. Raquel Avatar
    Raquel

    Elise, I couldn’t agree more with every single word you wrote in the “Food is fuel” paragraph. You have a beautiful way of putting many of my personal thoughts in only a few words that say exactly what I think. As a nutritionist, I cheer on you for realizing that the best “diet” is “everything in moderation”. THANK YOU!

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  20. Kelsey Avatar
    Kelsey

    Ah, that Pinterest board has me dreaming of fall baking and all the carbs!

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  21. Sara Avatar
    Sara

    I’d be interested to hear what new healthy recipes you liked!

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  22. Sarah Laurence Avatar
    Sarah Laurence

    I agree with your conclusions – it kind of worked out the same for me. And because I have hormone issues, I didn’t lose any weight. But it feels super healthy and gave me more energy. I still mostly follow the rules as I think Paleo / lowish carb is ONE of the best ways to eat for optimum health and nutrition. Well done on completing while you were preggers! Hopefully it helped to limit pregnancy cravings 🙂

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  23. Lucy Avatar
    Lucy

    I really like your honesty and sensible approach to things Elise. It’s what brings me back to your blog each post. You have an authenticity that’s admirable in a blogging world that at times feels false and staged. So refreshing.

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  24. Gina Avatar
    Gina

    Love your recap and thoughts. Some of these ways of eating can be so restrictive it’s hard to mix socializing and enjoying yourself with eating. I agree with enjoying food. My OLW is deliberate so I love your sentence about snacking more deliberately.

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  25. molly Avatar
    molly

    Congratulations on sticking with it and for having such a healthy mindset! I’d love if you shared some “recipes” for prepping + cooking more veg for dinner — that’s something I’d love to be better about! And I’m a big fan of your brussels with pecans 🙂 Thanks xo

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  26. KG Avatar
    KG

    I knew I liked you! To be honest, I hate the Whole30 bandwagon right now and was kinda bummed to hear that you were getting into it. I’m all about pursuing health, but if I hear ‘eat clean’ one more time on my FB, so help me.
    Not that you can’t try new things, but that I always think of ‘laid back’ and ‘enjoying life through moderation’ when I read your posts. That’s one of the things that keeps me coming back to read your blog. At first mention, your move toward a restrictive diet (during pregnancy, no less) seemed like the opposite of what you normally write about. So I checked out of the Whole30 updates.
    But I’m glad to hear what you learned overall and to hear that you are exactly who I thought you were! It turns out that my moderation-loving spidey senses were spot on after all. 🙂

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  27. Sarah O. Avatar
    Sarah O.

    Thanks for the honest feedback about Whole 30! I suspected that Whole 30, like may diets, has a lot of good ideas behind it, but is best (and most realistically) done when used in moderation.

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  28. Hannah L Avatar
    Hannah L

    I love you Elise. That is all. Wish I lived close enough to meet you for a donut, and in November a cocktail! 😘

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  29. Alan Stevenson Avatar
    Alan Stevenson

    More veges at dinner + leftovers go hand in hand! Great way to get more goods into you during lunch, and without having the fork out more money!

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