About a month ago I finished with the Whole 30 program and if you read my previous blog on this page you know my feelings about the success of that program. I was amazed at the physical energy I felt, the lack of internal stresses and the feeling of DOOM that sometimes threatened to overcome my senses.
Right after my first round of 30 came I did my best to keep on the diet. For the most part I didn't run out an binge on CAKE (i dreamed about black forest cake almost nightly) and I stayed away from baked goods. I kept dairy to a minimum and also the added sugars but I went about my life not being as careful as I was during the diet. I did however have PIZZA the first night off the diet and the next day regretted it (felt really bad.) The whole30 diet is to make you have better all around health, the weight loss is an added bonus.
Also during that two week hiatus, I had a trip to Bonaire planned with a group from my shop, Divers Incorporated. The thing with island life is that you are never sure what the boat will bring in so you can't be too choosy when it comes to food. Also the ingredients are not normally something that you can choose from easily. Breakfast would be easy, eggs and bacon are usually ok but I wanted to make sure that my newly cleansed system wouldn't violently reject my sudden change in diet. So the week previous I made sure that I at least tried a lot of the stuff that I would be eating in Bonaire. The results were mixed. While I didn't have the violent reaction that I feared, eating what used to be a "normal" diet of a hot dog and chili for lunch, chicken chunks at Kate and Al's (bar/ diner) and a beer gave me the equivalent of a five-day-bender hangover the next day. After that I was careful but not crazy. I didn't pay attention to what ingredients went into everything that I ate but I was careful not to overindulge in the grains and dairy. I did try RUM though. The thought of going to Bonaire and not being able to partake in the awesome ROM RICON from the Cadushy Distillery was a thought more horrible than the food hangover. So I tried it and I ate carefully that day. No hangover the next day (YAY!)
In Bonaire, I found that my newly discovered health made hauling gear that much easier. I felt like a super hero most of the time and the stress of my normal life seemed gone. The food did make me feel a little funky and I am sure it was the food because I ate sandwiches most of the time. I did indulge myself with an amazing Creme Brule on the second night but decided what I felt like the next morning made it not that worth it. It seemed I had grown accustomed to "feeling good" in the morning and wanted to keep my (off plan) dietary stuff to the necessities. I was careful with my snacks too, paid for cashews and apples and dried fruit (it was a fortune there) but I was able to skip a few meals at the cafe and ate in.
When I got home I weighed in and for the first time in 15 years I had actually lost weight on a dive trip. I figured that there was something to this whole30 life style. I was not sure that I wanted to do the program in its severity again but I would try to figure out better ways of eating.
But there was a very real component to the two week hiatus that I had failed to mention. Right before I left for Bonaire, my professional aspirations required that I get a doctors ok to go scuba diving. I want to be a Course Director and one of the prerequisites is that you get a check up. So in I went to my doctors, my doctor is a diver and I have known him at least 35 years. We are nearly the same age and I told him all about this amazing diet I was on and how I had lost so much weight. Since I had not seen him in 3 years (wow that time went by fast) He pulled up my old chart and astonished me with the fact that after losing nearly 20 lbs, I was 4lbs heavier than when he last saw me. By the guidelines of the Recreational Scuba Training council I was in perfect health for diving. By the guidelines of the medical profession I was borderline obese. By the guidelines of the Boy Scouts of America for adult counselors in their High Adventure programs I would be benched.
How is that for a kick in the head?
Now I am on Day 13 of my second round of whole30. I think I am still losing weight but I am not allowed to check until the 30 days are over. I have had great success keeping with it and I have high hopes for the fact that I may be able to drop some more of my excess weight. I look skinnier which is nice and my complexion has cleared up a bit. Mentally I am a bit more focused and happier. I think I drink too much coffee and Holy Cow do I eat a lot. This blog page was motivated by some research I did this morning (Easter Sunday) as I craved the lbs of jelly beans that My kids got from the Easter Bunny, lbs of diabetic poison that came from a rodent is what I tell myself to keep away. The research was prompted on the whole calories issue. I have not been keeping track at all, you are not supposed to. In this diet the thought is that if you keep away from the easy sugars your body gets more used to making what you need and discarding the rest from the proteins and fats you consume. But I tell you, my rough guess from the past two days is in the neighbor hood of 3000 calories a day and I am actually eating less than my first time through. Just amazing. Every article read the same thing. No counting or tracking. Journal how you feel.
And this cool article about what to expect: I didn't read this the first time and probably should have.
I also wish I would have read that prior to discussions with friends. Since it is spring, people I have not seen since last season have been stopping by work or popping in my life and noticing my weight loss and probably noticing my more cheerful, less stressed demeanor. I happily tell them about the whole30 and tell them to do their own research. Most people cannot fathom giving up grains, alcohol, dairy, etc. I probably couldn't either at the time but now they are mostly poisons to me. Change came in the form of a 30 day habit. It wasn't hard, I didn't need to exercise (if I don't drop weight this go around I will change that) and I feel great.
The biggest thing happening this time around is that my clarity of what is important in my life has become laser focused and crystal clear. Cutting a lot of emotionally draining objects, tasks and people from my life has become my new step in the 30 day process and I think that is a weight off my shoulders more important than the weight off my waistline.
Looking forward to what the next 17 days will bring to me with this program. If you have tried it out and need some encouragement, I am here for you. Just leave a comment below. God Luck!
Impressed by your hard work, Rich. Interesting details, too!
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