[ Whole 30. On Day 30. ]

This is my story.

And like everyone's story - it's intertwined with other people's stories ... but I'm writing this from where I'm at.  Because it's my story.

Like most people, my journey with food and health and body image and blah blah blah ... has been an ongoing train wreck lol.  I've run a half marathon, I've done Whole30, I've done this and that ... and then "fell of the wagon" or so to speak, so many times I couldn't count them if I tried.

Then, in August of 2016, I got serious about my health and joined Campus Crossfit.  I wanted to be strong.  It's funny - because I had been terrified to even walk through the doors - and am now at a place where I NEED to be there four times a week.     I have been getting stronger and my endurance has skyrocketed ....

But then there's the ugly truth of how I continue to deal with stress in my life.

Back in December, a close family member was gripped by anxiety and depression.  It was a road that we had been down before, but the timing was particularly hard with Christmas and a big trip to New Zealand with other family members staring us right in the face.   New Zealand was AMAZING - but there was a cloud of much deserved concern for the family back at home.  

I did what I do when things get tough.   I ate.  And when the situation continued on, I continued to eat.  Bad stuff.  Packaged stuff.  No nutritional value stuff.  It wasn't like anything on tv, no ridiculous binging - and definitely no purging - but I was out of control.  Food was my comfort.  I gained 12lbs.

Then, thirty days ago (you can read my starting thoughts HERE) - I took the control back, and started Whole 30.  I've done this before (you can see that HERE) about two years ago.  It was the best I had ever felt, and I wanted that feeling back.  

It's not easy - but it's definitely not the hardest thing to do either.  It's simply reprogramming your brain.  There's no counting calories ... it's just eating whole food, nothing processed.  No dairy.  No grains.  No sugar.  You won't die from doing it lol ... and you'll see what food addictions control your life.  

My results? 

I've lost just under 12lbs in 30days.

I've lost 3.5 inches around my waist, and an inch around my legs.

I. FEEL. AMAZING.

I should say that I've ONLY had comments about my physical change, after I've told people that I'm almost done Whole30.  Not one person has spontaneously said,  "WOW Tawn.  You look fantastic. What are you doing??"  Any compliments have come after I turned down something packaged to eat, and explained why.    

But that's totally cool lol.  THEIR response is not why I did this.   I did it for ME.

So I'm almost done - and I do not crave anything.  The plan is to learn from my mistakes the last time I finished Whole 30.    Last time, I "pushed through" the pain of adding dairy and wheat back into my diet.  WHY would I do that again?? 

I'm heading to Phoenix in a week and a bit, so the plan is to keep going ... a Whole 40 kind-of-a-thing.  I will be adding a few things to my diet over time ... butter (to cook with), honey, maple syrup and goat cheese.  Basically, a Paleo diet.

What have I noticed - other than looser pants?

I lay my head down to sleep and BOOM.  I'm out.   And I don't wake up til morning, and it's ZING.  I'm up - let's GO lol.  I cannot sleep in, nor do I want to.  I have so much energy at Crossfit.  My brain fog is completely GONE.   My skin feels amazing.  Yeah.  I just FEEL great.

So.  Why would I stop?

This is NOT a diet.  Although I knew I would lose some much-needed-to-lose-weight, it actually wasn't my motivation.  Getting control over my bad habits, learning to DEAL with stress instead of eating it away, and just feeling better ... those were the goals.

Totally accomplished.

Have a great one :).