Whole 30 in Review

by

So I just finished my third Whole 30, I say that because I decided it was over at exactly 9:30 PM this evening. I celebrated with a bowl of cereal. Because I love cereal. Love, love, love it. And I missed it for a long time when I wasn't eating milk and also couldn't locate a carrageenan free milk alternative (three cheers for Silk PureAlmond Original No Sugar Added!). So I celebrated with a bowl of cocoa puffs because it's all we had.

This Whole 30 was by far my most difficult- for two reasons: 1, I had a lot of events and times where I had to plan and pack. 2, The more Whole 30s I do the more I find out I cannot tolerate and the more obsessed/needy I get over the few non-compliant foods I CAN tolerate (bread and non-sugary cereal).

During this Whole 30- between March 17 and April 14 I remained compliant during:

  • My cousins sweet sixteen at my Italian family's favorite Italian restaurant. While everyone else was eating delicious pasta and chicken parmesan I had a salad and calamari cooked in tomato sauce (could be worse! Also, most of the normal food options were drenched in delicious looking cheese which I can never eat anyway). 
  • 2 days of a television shoot where they had tons of soda, pasta, Chinese food and every snack you could ever imagine. I pre-packed tostones with chicken and avocado and tomato on top and ended up meeting my dad at a steak house for one of the meals. What I ate was delicious and compliant- but it's so hard to see snacks you love FOR FREE and unable to participate.
  • Dinner and drinks out with friends. I ate olives and was happy to be the designated driver. But really did wish I could have a sip of Andrey's hard cider.
  • Multiple weddings scheduled right around meal times. I had to pack food for the train in order to get my compliant meal in. 
  • Buying Andrey a white chocolate matcha matsu bar from David's tea. And then Andrey insisting he not eat it until we can both try it. So it's been staring at me for weeks. 
  • Spent all day on day 29 at a wedding expo, Toasted BK. Pre packed steak, zucchini and plantains. Ate that while Andrey had cakes, burgers, pulled pork, etc. None of that bothered me until the wonderful women who ran the show brought around Cava AND hard Cider. And I couldn't have either. And I have literally never, ever wanted a drink more in my life. But I resisted. Because, Whole 30. 
All that is to say it was a real challenge at times. On top of all of this it became clear during this Whole 30 that I am allergic to grapes. Which is really terrible because I love grapes more than most things.. like Andrey. No.. just kidding, love Andrey more than grapes. But it IS close. 

Am I glad I did it? Heck yes! After eating like a true maniac in London (everything! Including lots and lots of stuff I am allergic to.) I was so pleased to feel like I was making really good, conscious food decisions. It's good to be challenged- even if that means you cry on the way home form Manhattan one night to your boyfriend about how badly you just want to eat cereal because you are so tired, and so hungry and have to be back in the city in 8 hours and you don't know what you'll eat for dinner when you get home. It was worth it, I feel healthy, I feel like I'm burning clean. And most of all, I feel like I really, really enjoyed that bowl of cocoa puffs.

Leave a Reply