Day 2: The Day Whole30 Died
Ok... that was quick. I didn’t make it 36 hours before bailing on the MAJORITY of the Whole30 diet. But, before you judge me for being a quitter, hear me out!
I’ll admit that when I first jumped on the Whole30 bandwagon, I only read *positive* reviews and testimonies from supporters, nutritionists, etc. I never once looked at the negative reviews or warnings from other professionals. Hmm... this sounds familiar... I think I just discovered how a reality “star” became president.
Anyway, I started digging into this whole fad a little more and found some pretty convincing research. See, there are many negative aspects to the Whole30. First and foremost, you shouldn’t cut out half the damn food pyramid. I have high cholesterol. It’s a well known and researched fact that whole grains help promote a heart healthy diet. So why would I cut out everything that’s GOOD for my heart and replace it with endless eggs, meat, and animal fat?! Look, I could easily eat ALL the bacon.... but c’mon. Side note: sugar free paleo bacon is AMAZING. Like, so bacon-y. And my husband is a master at cooking it. Then I made over easy eggs in the grease. And home fries. Look, this is a good example. This type of breakfast is encouraged on the Whole30. Doesn’t that seem a little.... odd?!
So after discussing this with my partner, we’ve decided to modify the Whole30 to fit our family and lifestyle. Here’s the NEW (and improved, at least for me) plan:
- MORE SEAFOOD, less red meat. Well, duh. Red meat is NOT compatible with heart health. I’m not giving up on beef forever, but there are healthier options. Our local Sprouts carries great looking bison burgers and steaks. Red meat with less fat and cholesterol. Win/win.
- WHOLE GRAINS in limited quantity. This means whole grain pasta, brown rice, barley, and quinoa, especially. No more than twice per week and following actual serving sizes.
- LIMITED sugar. I’ll still try to avoid added sugar at all cost, but completely limiting all forms of sugar seems a little crazy. No honey? No organic maple syrup? These aren’t refined sugars. They’re natural, organic, and often times raw. This should be a good and way more effective way to safely sweeten.
- LIMITED dairy. Look, I LOVE dairy. Milk. Ice cream. Cheese. God, I love cows period. But this is unhealthy...especially in a 32 year old woman. I’m shifting away as much as possible from dairy and will only consume in limited quantities (i.e. a couple times per week tops). I’m only allowing myself ice cream (smallest serving) once every 2 weeks. I have 2 little kids and we go out for treats sometimes in the summer. I’m not setting myself up to be miserable by not having a small treat. But I don’t need to eat a 4 scoop sundae either.
That about sums up our changes. They’re slight modifications, but will add up to sustainable health benefits in the future. I don’t want to drop some weight and then immediately pack it on when the 30 days is up.
So, what exactly did I eat today?
Breakfast/Lunch: Homemade home fries, over easy eggs, paleo bacon, half avocado
Snack: Kombucha and fruit leather
Dinner: Shrimp curry over cauliflower rice
Dessert: Frozen grapes
