My Whole30 Results (Including Pictures!)

On January 1, 2012, I began the Whole30. But New Year’s Day didn’t mark the beginning of my health and weight loss journey. That began in November 2010, when our youngest son was born. As was the case with my first pregnancy, I had gained a lot of weight (45+ pounds) for my small frame. Although I dropped a good portion of it in the weeks following the birth, my progress halted completely when I reached 156 pounds.

On a whim one day, I decided to calculate my BMI: 25.6. I was just teetering into overweight territory. Because I had always been thin, learning that I was classified as overweight bothered me. A lot.

I began a lowish-carb diet and dropped 10 pounds within a month. I felt fantastic!

Then my husband’s grandfather passed away, and poor eating habits once again prevailed. Cookies. Sugar. Processed food. Restaurant meals.

I became ill. Very ill.

I went from feeling fabulous on my low-carb diet to feeling constantly sick to my stomach, achy and exhausted. When my symptoms persisted, I had many tests, including a blood test for celiac disease. Even though it came back negative, my doctor suggested that I might still want to experiment with cutting out gluten.

So I did.

I felt great! Within a week, my stomach felt better. Then my energy returned. The strange aches and pains disappeared.

My weight, however, didn’t budge. But at a healthier 146 pounds, I no longer felt in a rush to lose the last of my baby weight. Sure, my jeans were tight and I was wearing a larger size than I was accustomed to. But I felt okay.

Here I am in June 2011. I weighed 146 pounds. I was avoiding gluten, but other grains and sugars were definitely part of my diet.

Here I am in November 2011. (Nope, I’m not pregnant in this picture. It’s my baby’s first birthday!) Once again, I weigh about 146 pounds. I’m still avoiding gluten, but eating an otherwise “balanced” diet.

I had my yearly physical in late November/early December. My weight was a steady 146.

Then at Christmas I decided to forget about the whole gluten thing and eat meatballs, gravy and cookies. Mistake! I spent the better part of Christmas Day with a horrible stomachache. On that day, I promised to work toward a healthier 2012. My plan: focus on the foods that I know make me feel good and avoid those that make me feel bad. (Oh, and start a blog to hold myself accountable!)

That’s when I found the Whole 30.

Although losing the last of my baby weight was definitely a goal, my greater hope was that I would feel fabulous, sleep better and have more energy.

I got it all!

The picture on the left is of me about a year ago. I weighed 156 pounds.

The picture in the center is one of me after a month following a lowish-carb diet. I weighed 146 pounds. That’s where I stayed for the rest of the year while eating a mostly gluten-free, but otherwise “balanced” diet.

The picture on the right was taken of me yesterday — exactly 30 days after starting the Whole 30. On December 31, my scale reported that I weighed 146 pounds. Yesterday, the scale came in at 133 pounds. I’m now nearly the same weight I was before I had either of my kids. Amazing!

My Whole 30 Results Summary:

• I’ve lost the remainder of my baby weight (13 pounds!)
• My digestion has improved immensely
• I have more energy now than I’ve had in over a year
• I’m sleeping better
• The winter blahs that usually plague me have remained at bay
• Healthy eating habits have become routine
• I no longer crave cream in my coffee in the morning or sugary treats late at night
• I’m now eating a ton of vegetables every day

What more can I say? I feel great!

What’s next for me? Stay tuned! (I think this has been enough for one post.)

Tagged as: Weight Loss, Whole30