Our Family Whole30 - Recap and Results

Ok, ok. So we finished our family Whole30 challenge earlier this week and I can't tell you how many people have been messaging me asking how we made out. I promise, I'm not holding back on purpose! I've just been flat out busy this week so I haven't had the time to write anything up until now.

We embarked on this challenge for a couple of reasons:

• Both Andrew and I wanted to eat healthier.
• Andrew wanted to lose weight and this seemed like a good way to jump start that.
• I was curious how my body would feel without any sugar, gluten or dairy. As someone who has an auto-immune disorder, I've read a lot about the benefits of following an anti-inflammatory diet but until now couldn't bear to part with my pizza. Much as I love my pizza, I know that my health is more important so I needed to prioritize that.
• Our kids have definitely begun eating healthier as I got healthier, however, there are still a lot of places where they still could stand to be healthier. All 3 are active and at a healthy body weight so this wasn't about weight loss by any means. We simply wanted to take ownership for the fact that we choose what to buy and bring into the house. Healthy as I like to think we are, we were still bringing in too much sugar and, with our oldest especially, needed to ditch the canned soups and Kraft mac & cheese. While they didn't follow Whole30 with us, this month for them was a "healthy March" which meant less sugar, more fruits and veggies, and lots less processed foods.
• I like a good challenge and was curious if I could follow a meal plan to a T. I've struggled with that in the past and can always find a justification for a cheat or treat - this plan meant 30 days with no cheats and I wanted to challenge myself to do it.

So how'd we make out? 

I'll tell you, ending 2 days AFTER Easter was truly the ultimate test of will. 

My mom was amazing in helping to make sure that both Andrew and I had a number of dinner options available for Easter dinner but that didn't mean there were no temptations. Between the pumpkin pie, homemade warm chocolate chip cookies and ice cream and the cheese plate it was truly a test of our mental fortitude but we stayed strong. It definitely helped that I wasn't in this alone. Both Andrew and I had fruit as our appetizer and ham, steamed broccoli and pan roasted potatoes and peppers for our lunch. Our plates didn't look all that different from everyone else, pumpkin pie aside. I just didn't start and end my meal with dairy, sugar or carbs as I typically would have. And the 800+ mini chocolate eggs and Cadbury eggs that the kids brought home from their Easter egg hunt went uneaten by me.

While the past 30 days were a challenge, both of us are glad that we did it. 

Here are some of our highlights:

• We tried a bunch really delicious new meals this month.

• My new spiralizer got a lot of use. Best investment ever. Seriously. If you're still using one of those little hand-held numbers it's time to upgrade. Well worth the $29.99 I spent on Amazon.

• Chipotle became our best friend. It's HARD to get takeout on Whole30, I'm not going to sugar coat it. If you're looking for shortcuts and easy weeknight dinners, you're not going to find them a phone call away. Pizza, Chinese, Mexican were all out for 30 days and the only real healthy and Whole30-compliant meal was Chipotle. Andrew found himself kissing up to the Chipotle guy every Friday night to get a more generous serving of guacamole to make up for the absence of  rice or beans in our carnitas burrito bowls. 

• Both Andrew and I have a better appreciation of what it means to be full. We've both said that we now find that we're full much earlier than we used to be. Since ending our 30 days we've been surprised to find that that sense of being satisfied comes earlier in the meal and the result is that we're no longer overeating to the point where we're eating excessively to feel full.

• For Andrew, who used to eat breakfast and then often not eat again until after work, following a meal plan that was clearly laid out for him helped to create structure during the day. Instead of grazing his way through the after work - bedtime hours, he's eating smaller meals spaced out over the course of the day. (No more PB&J sandwiches and gummy bears after dinner which is a HUGE change!)

• Really making myself aware of the hidden sugars in our foods has been eye opening. I know people say there's sugar in a lot of foods but until you really spend time reading labels, you really have no idea. Seriously. Even if you're not doing Whole30, try it next time you have a few minutes. You'll be shocked. 

• Cutting sugar from our diet was a challenge for me the chocoholic and devoted baker. Especially true when Addie decided she needed to bake her first from scratch chocolate cake. But we did it and I'm proud to say I went 30 days with zero sugar. 

• While it wasn't the primary goal, we both lost weight. I dropped 8 lbs and Andrew lost 21 lbs in 30 days. For Andrew especially, this was the momentum and re-training with what it means to eat healthy and fuel your body right that he needed to keep going strong. 

• We both have a better ability to prioritize our cheats and treats. While neither of us are going to stay sugar, dairy and carb-free, we have talked about what we want to add back in and where we can live without. Andrew can't live without his rice and pasta but he is more conscious of portion size and frequency than he once was (with a powerful reminder last night after a big bowl of pasta.) For me I know baking is not something I can live without but I'm much more mindful now about sugar and have a handful of paleo-friendly websites bookmarked. While I'm sure I'll still indulge in the occasional ice cream with the kids, we will NOT have 6 1/2 gallons of ice cream in our freezer ever again. It's not good for us or the kids.

• The kids are going strong and eating healthier. Parker's discovered a love for frozen banana protein ice cream. Hayden's eating almond and coconut milk ice cream or substituting apples for dessert and Addie's still jazzed about eating healthy to get stronger and help her run faster. We also are a home free of sodium laden soup cans and microwaveable Kraft mac which alone makes this 30 days worth it.

Since finishing Whole30, we've been cautiously dipping our toes in the water of "normal" eating. 

In many ways we're still following our new habits and in others we're testing to see what our body will feel like when we eat our old foods. 

Andrew's reminder came in the form of a carb coma after a bowl of spaghetti at Papa Razzi last night. 

My reminder came courtesy of my beloved mini eggs. Even if my taste buds haven't changed (those darn mini eggs still taste like heaven!) my body has. 10 mini eggs down the hatch and a raging migraine was my punishment and a powerful reminder that my body doesn't need nor like sugar in it. It was even a strong enough reminder to make me throw the bag of mini eggs in the trash, which if you know me is unprecedented. 

I'm now channeling my chocolate cravings into chickpea brownie muffins which are as close to sugar-free as I can get. 

While we were both annoyed at ourselves in the moment for letting ourselves get to the place where we were debilitated due to food, they were much needed reminders for us of what our bodies like and don't like in food. We both FEEL good, healthy and positive about our 30 days and want to keep feeling this way. If it means going without mini eggs in my life, I'm more than ok with that. 

So there you have it - our 30 day recap. 

If you have questions about Whole30, want some tips on how to make it happen without having to buy crazy new ingredients you'll never use again, or even just how to make it work when your family isn't totally on board, post them in the comments below. 

I also have a doc of Whole30 recipe ideas - I work better off of a list when I'm meal planning so this was a saving grace. If you're thinking about trying Whole30 or are just looking for some paleo or Whole30-friendly recipe ideas check it out. 

Thanks for coming along on this journey with us even if just virtually!