A few weeks back, I made the decision to begin the Whole30 regimen. This lifestyle change came recommended by a colleague, and that very day, I ordered both the Whole30 book, as well as the predecessor book, It Starts With Food. It took me a whopping 3 days to read both books, and within a few flips of the pages, I was convinced that this was exactly what I needed in order to get my body back in good working order. There is a lot of science behind these theories (if you’re in to that type of thing!) but honestly, I’m not super-interested in HOW it works, only THAT it works!
In a nutshell, this lifestyle change challenges (and it is a challenge!) you to remove certain categories of food from your diet. We’re talking fun food groups here, like dairy, grains and, gasp!, alcohol (yes, I feel that bourbon should be considered a food group!) These are all off-limits for a full 30 days in an effort to “reset” your body and to help identify what foods trigger negative responses for you. This program is scientifically proven to improve many health conditions, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, as well as a host of GI issues.
Fortunately, I do not suffer from any serious health problems, but for a little over a year, I’ve been struggling with bloat and minor weight gain despite eating “right” and [sometimes!] exercise. In thinking back, I’ve “dieted” for a large portion of my life, beginning at about age 12 or 13, and the goal has never been health. I will admit to a preoccupation with the scale, and I often let that number dictate what type of a day I have and how I feel about myself. Totally unhealthy, I know. Acknowledgment is the first step, right?
My current frustration with “the diet” lies in that I’ve eaten what I considered to be healthfully, with a few cheats here and there, yet continued to suffer the weight gain and bloat. The lightbulb went off, and I realized that these healthy foods I’d been eating for months were doing my body no good. The time must have been right because I have committed to seeing this through for the full 30 days, and am proud to say that I have completed the first week (NO cheats!)
If you’re interested in jumping into the Whole30 to see what benefits YOU can experience, both of the books mentioned above give the practical, concise and funny rules of the game (I especially love the “tough love” parts!). In addition, I’ve been journaling my food choices, experiences, cravings and thoughts throughout the process so far, and I will share those here, along with recipes and shopping lists that may help you in your transformation process!
So, how does the title of this post relate to Whole30, you ask? Because in working through meal plans, shopping lists and meal prep, I realized that I am, in essence, simplifying what I and my family put into our bodies. This simplification means that I’m no longer analyzing labels wondering what the heck this or that is! Beginning the food simplification process made me realize that I want that same SIMPLE in all aspects of my life, from home to finances to relationships to my career. More on that in future posts, but for now, thanks for taking a few minutes of your day to read this beginning of my simplification journey! I hope you will come along for the ride!
~gwynn
wholesimplify 