OMG! We’re in the final countdown with two-thirds of Whole30 behind us!
Here’s a quick Whole30 rules recap:
- Yes, you can eat meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables,fruit, and natural fats.
- No, you can not eat added sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, or dairy, baked goods, treats, carrageenan, MSG, and added sulfites.
- Oh, and if you cheat, you have to start the 30 days over again.
It’s a pretty serious program and you may look at all of those “nos” and think, “No way,” but it’s really not that bad. We were a little fearful of the program at first and put off doing our first Whole30 for months! But once we got into it, we realized that you actually have a lot more flexibility than it seems.
Unlike other programs, Whole30 doesn’t rely on calorie counting or measuring food so it’s pretty easy to follow as long as you keep Whole30 compliant ingredients and foods on hand.
I tried all sorts of new recipes, ate new veggies I had never eaten before, and experimented with lots of different cooking techniques, spices, and flavors. It was amazing how much better and more flavorful our food was when not masked in cheese or creams, sauces and dressings, or breads!
Every time we have done a Whole30, I walk away having learned more about food, flavors, and myself — and this time is no different. Well, almost…
There is one big difference with this Whole30: a modification to allow for Beachbody Vegan Shakeology. Shakeology is a nutrient-dense superfood protein shake that’s formulated with globally harvested ingredients that supply phytonutrients, antioxidants, enzymes, prebiotics and probiotics, fiber, adaptogens, vitamins, and minerals. I love it and so does the family — it’s become a core part of our family’s diet and I’m not giving it up any time soon.
Here’s my next five-day recap of this Whole30 — my own personal version that works for me and is sustainable for the long-term:
Whole30 Day 21
Today was a fantastic day! I spent almost the entire day floating in the pool with a great book while Brian worked in the yard. We’re both sleeping better and feeling better — and we both have more energy and less fatigue.
- EXERCISE: Got in a T25 workout and a Barre Blend workout before the kids got out of bed and it felt great! I always have so much more energy when I workout in the morning!
- FASTING: On track with meals at 11:00 am, 2:30 pm, and 6:00 pm.
- FOOD: Meal one was deli turkey, an apple with almond butter, and dried apricots. Mid two was a Vegan Shakeology with lots of added spinach. Meal three was avocado chicken salad on roasted yam slices.
Whole30 Day 22
Not going to lie: The scale is calling my name.
We’re more than two-thirds of the way through Whole30 and I can see visible differences in my body. My waist is more defined, things are firming up, my cheeks are thinner, there is a lot less jiggling overall when I’m jumping, and all of my clothes are looser! I even had to size down one size in workout pants!
I sooooo want to step on that scale out of pure curiosity but the scale is off limits during Whole30 as is measuring yourself. No weighing or measuring whatsoever because Whole30 isn’t about losing weight. It’s about feeling better in your own body. So for now, I’m resisting.
- EXERCISE: Today was a Barre Blend Day. I only had time for one workout and I have more workouts left to complete Barre Blend than T25 so Barre Blend won.
- FASTING: Busy day at work and lots of meetings meant a messy schedule! Meals were at 12:00 pm, 3:30 pm, and 6:30 pm.
- FOOD: Meal one was a veggie and turkey sausage breakfast scramble, meal two was a chocolate Shakeology and an RX Bar (Amazon), and meal three was a Spicy Broccoli And Carrot Slaw Chicken Salad and roasted potatoes.
Whole30 Day 23
With summer in full heat mode and temperatures at or near 100 degrees, it’s too hot to workout in the afternoon and it’s getting too hot to workout in compression leggings even if they are crops! I needed some shorts but wasn’t even sure where to begin. I haven’t worn shorts in years, let alone shorts that I’ll be jumping around in.
Yikes — that’s too much jiggledge!
I went to a couple of local stores to look for workout shorts and every pair I tried on had the same problem: they rolled or rode up like crazy during squats and I really didn’t want to spend my workouts picking a wedgie. I then turned to looking for workout shorts online and I either didn’t like what I found, or the shop only sold shorts in sizes appropriate for rail thin women with no curves and no booty.
To say I was frustrated would be an understatement.
Luckily, I found one company that might work and ordered a single pair to test out. I’ll update you on the fit when they come!
- EXERCISE: I woke up early today and got both a Focus T25 and a Barre Blend workout in before the kids got up — I never thought I’d say this, but I truly love the variety in the Beachbody On Demand programs. I need to workout earlier in the day because it’s getting so hot!
- FASTING: I was on track today with meals at 11:00 am, 2:30 pm, and 6:00 pm.
- FOOD: Meal one was Asparagus Egg Muffins and fresh fruit. Meal two was a Vegan Shakeology with spinach. Meal three was Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Salad on roasted yam slices with fresh fruit and broccoli.
Whole30 Day 24
It may not feel like it, but you can eat out during Whole30. You just have to do your homework in advance and not be shy about asking questions.
When dining out during Whole30, I check out the menu online before we get to the restaurant. If possible, I look at the nutrition facts, ingredients, and allergy information — big chains usually have this information available. When the details aren’t available, I pick two or three menu items that are close to being Whole30 compliant or can be easily modified to be compliant.
The last time we did Whole30, I talked to the owners of a couple local restaurants about their menus and cooking ingredients and discovered that the chicken at both was Whole30 compliant. Now, if I don’t feel like cooking, I can grab a a couple orders of chicken to go and pair it with roasted veggies, or I can toss it on a build your own salad, which is what I did today.
- EXERCISE: I doubled up with back-to-back workouts, getting both T25 and Barre Blend workouts done and by the end I was so sweaty, it was like I had jumped in the pool!
- FASTING: My meals today were at 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm and after that I wasn’t really hungry but did have a snack around 8:00 pm.
- FOOD: Meal one was takeout! I grabbed a salad from the Mexican food place in the corner — their chicken is Whole30 compliant and I left out the non-compliant ingredients and skipped the restaurant dressing in favor of my own. Meal two was a Vegan Shakeology with spinach. Meal three wasn’t really a meal, but more of a snack: an RX Bar and some grapes.
Whole30 Day 25
I’ll be honest, I love Whole30 and the way I feel when I stick to a mostly paleo diet… but dang… I’m really missing hummus and baby peppers! I’m totally ready for a little more flexibility in our meals!
With that said, we’re still considering extending our Whole30 another month and making it a Whole60. We did two back-to-back in 2017 and had great results. But then again, we’re also talking about relocating the family to social distance at the beach and I don’t want to be doing Whole30 on vacation or road tripping during a Whole30.
Stay tuned!
- EXERCISE: When I saw the next T25 Beta workout was Speed 2.0, I knew it was going to be my only workout for the day — it’s basically 25 minutes of different types of jumping!
- FASTING: My meals today were at 12:00 pm, 2:45 pm, and 6:00 pm.
- FOOD: Meal one was a veggie and turkey sausage breakfast scramble. Meal two was baby carrots, an apple and almond butter, and grapes. Meal three was chicken sausage and roasted broccoli with Tessemae’s Everything Bagel Ranch.
Five Days Left!
We only have five days left. That’s it. It’s sort of hard to believe how fast this month has gone by — especially since April and May both seemed like they were 500 days long. Giving myself something positive to track and focus on, like cooking and working out, has been one of the best decisions I could have made.
This has kept me focused and busy during the COVID-19 pandemic and helped me at least sort of dig out of a semi-adrift state that I’ve been feeling and sort of struggling with.
Catch all of my modified Whole30 recaps — five days at a time — and get a glimpse at my workout routine and my first try at intermittent fasting:
