Why I’m Doing a Whole30 (and Other Reflections)

Happy New Year! I hope you had a fantastic holiday season, getting back into the swing of work and/or school is going smoothly for you, and that the year treats you well.

I haven’t been doing a ton of posting over the past few weeks, but I’ve still been doing a lot of thinking and writing and thinking some more. About what? Well, I’m glad you asked.

Whole30 

Yep. I’m doing a January Whole30. Go ahead, say it: I’m #basic, a bandwagoner, and no fun at all. But no. Hear me out. It’s just a month, and it’s for self-care. Promise.

Oh, and if you don’t know, Whole30 is 30 days of no grains, dairy, legumes, added sugar, or alcohol. I’m okay with it because there is zero restriction of how much you eat overall, so I can eat as much as I need. I think that’s it. 

When I tried out Paleo last summer, I talked about doing a Whole30, but I never really thought I’d do the extreme thing. I like all of the things you don’t eat during Whole30, after all. But my body is not so crazy about them, and I want to take some time to respect that.

For a while over the summer, I was 100% happy eating Paleo. My body responded well, and the food was delicious. Then, I started to make exceptions for my absolute favorite non-Paleo foods, because a girl’s gotta live a little. That was fine; I’d feel the effects, and go right back to eating what made me feel awesome (delicious Paleo food). But somewhere in there, my “absolute favorite” foods became nearly any food, any time. I’d want ice cream here, a bagel there, and also 20 non-Paleo cookies and a protein bar. 

Some of that was part of my (finally successful!) attempt to put on some weight. This is not to say you can’t gain weight on a Paleo diet, but do you know how boring it can be to eat 4,000+ calories of just Paleo food? Some of it was emotional eating. Sometimes I just didn’t want to turn down food someone offered me. I didn’t want to be the girl who couldn’t just eat anything. Anyway, much of it I did truly enjoy (I ❤️ all food). Still, all of it upset my digestive system, and I think that eventually caught up to me, affecting my sleep quality and energy levels.

In between all of this, I’d go back to eating what made me feel best for a few days, but overall I started making more and more exceptions… and feeling worse and worse. I knew what would make me feel better, but it seemed less fun and more high-maintenance. I simply didn’t want to deal with it.

Sounds like a great way to take care of yourself, right? Yeah. No. You’re worth doing what makes you feel healthy.

You're worth doing what makes you feel healthy. #FitFluential #SweatPink Share on X

Then, Ellie mentioned doing a Whole30, and a few other BGB members said they were in. If other people were doing this for themselves, I knew I could do it, too. It is 100% to make myself feel better, and it’s not hard. Challenging? Absofreakinglutely. I mean, I love chocolate at least as much as anyone I’ve ever met. But lots of things – including feeling extra sick and exhausted 90% of the time – are harder.

If it becomes an additional stress that diminishes my quality of life, I will certainly consider quitting, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. I’m excited. I like challenges.

Why @EllenSlater is joining the #whole30 bandwagon. Hint: it's not what you think! #bgbdoeswhole30 Share on X

If you have questions, ask! I’d love to answer. If you have criticisms, throw ’em my way. I’d love to chat. And if you simply want to follow along, search #bgbdoeswhole30 on Instagram to check out what busy foodies eat during a Whole30.

Running

Over break, I had planned to run with my dad a bunch. I didn’t even get to run a bunch, due to the ankle issue. I went on a few run-walks with zero pain, and I was pain-free until New Year’s Eve. I did nothing that day except pack, eat a lot, and watch a movie and football. I was sitting down and playing a game with my parents when I felt a twinge. What? I then proceeded to be a little sulky and panicky. By Sunday afternoon, it felt normal. And then Monday morning I finally did go on a perfectly nice run with my dad.

Where does that leave me for the Disney half in seven weeks? Who knows. If every workout goes as smoothly as yesterday’s, then I’ll be fine, if not as fast as I’d like. If not, well, I’m still going to be in Florida instead of Chicago for a February weekend.

Winter Break

Break was lovely, if a little shorter than I was prepared for. I baked a ton and saw the people I love. I watched the Blue Jackets win (and win and win), and I watched the Buckeyes lose (really badly). I did a lot of yoga, ate a million cookies, and rested a lot.

Posting

I don’t know exactly what my schedule looks like for the foreseeable future, which is making determining my posting schedule a little bit of a challenge. My current thought is this: every week, expect a simple, delicious Paleo (Whole30 for at least this month) recipe, a life update/Thinking Out Loud, and a Five Friday Favorites post. There’s some other content I want to work into the schedule, but I’m not currently sure how that’s going to work yet. Just don’t be surprised if you see it! 

Thanks for listening. Now I’m off to my first day of classes. Wish me luck! Here’s a pair of socks my parents got me for Christmas for your viewing pleasure. I’m maybe wearing them today.

Your turn:

What foods are you loving lately? Eggs. Avocado. Smoked salmon. Tahini. ALL the sweet potatoes.

What’s your favorite workout right now?

Are you back to a normal schedule?