My Results with Whole30® – Haute Business

I just finished my first 30 days of Whole30®. Well, mostly. The premise is about eliminating from the diet those foods which could be having a negative impact on our bodies. Sugar, grains, dairy and legumes are all food categories you avoid during the program. In essence, it’s a detox process. By removing these foods from your diet for 30 days, you should feel better, look better, be better. Whole30® didn’t ask me to do this program and I am not receiving any promotional consideration for writing about it. I wanted to try it so I did, plain and simple.

I’ve been blessed with good health all my life. My cholesterol was good, my blood pressure hovered around 110/70, my weight and body fat were at acceptable levels. Except for some serious sinus surgeries and broken bones as a kid, and a torn meniscus last fall, I haven’t had a lot of issues. As a result, there aren’t a lot of medical records on me. Ironically, that might not be a good thing if something suddenly goes south. So when I turned 50 I decided to get a baseline physical. Long story short, my blood pressure, which two months previously had been at it’s normal levels, was suddenly 140/90 and climbing. There was no explanation. I’d recently dropped weight (I had to look my best when I turned 50, right?) and I was working out like crazy. My blood pressure should not have gone up. The cause was probably pre-menopausal hormones, but we never really found the answer. I tried relaxation techniques for a month or so but the numbers kept climbing. Prescription: Liprinosil. Damn.

I’ve been taking a 10mg pill a couple of times a week since then. To be honest, I’m pretty ticked about it. I’ve treated my body better than most people my age but I’m still taking this darn pill. I’m thankful it’s available, but I’m annoyed I have to take it. Does that make sense? I went into Whole30® wondering if this program could possibly allow me to set those little darlings aside. It’s only 30 days of my life – how hard can it be? Off I went!

What do you eat for 30 days? Natural things, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, vegetables and some fruits, all with the goal of detoxifying your body. Fats are allowed in the form of avocados, olive oil and nuts. There are many naturally occurring foods you actually avoid during the 30-day detox period, such as rice, grains, soy and beans. That was a surprise. Sugar was off the menu. That wasn’t a surprise. A bummer, but not a surprise. Alcohol, including wine, falls under the sugar heading, so it was out for 30 days.

Very atypical of me, I didn’t do a lot of research before jumping in. I just read a bit and went for it. Five days in I was not happy. I missed bread, I missed my morning dessert-like coffee (white chocolate mocha is my creamer of choice), I missed my soy-based protein drinks (I really think they helped with hot flashes) I missed chocolate and I missed wine. To be honest, I didn’t feel good. I was constantly hungry and couldn’t shake the feeling of being unsatisfied. Because the Whole thing was self-inflicted, I decided I’d add a little dark chocolate and red wine into the mix. MUCH better! So I went though the program without being a purist. So what?

After 30 days, what are my results with my slightly modified version of the program? I’m very pleased. I’ve only taken two blood pressure pills in 30 days vs. one to two a week previously. My blood pressure as I write this is a very respectable 108/64 (I took that second Lisinopril last Friday). So that’s a check. Although weight loss was not the goal I dropped 5 pounds, finding a weight I haven’t seen in about 25 years. Check. I now drink black coffee. Who knew? I’m not sure I’ll go back to creamers – could they be my proverbial slippery slope? Probably not, but I don’t want something so trivial causing blood pressure issues. We’ll see.

Actually, my plan going forward is to continue with this meal plan, giving myself a little leeway. A little bread here, a little dessert there, but mostly sticking with the prescribed food choices. After achieving the health benefits of this last 30 days, why would I want to completely abandon everything? In short, I wouldn’t. I don’t. I might play for a couple of days but I’ll be back on it, with my dark chocolate/wine modifications, of course. 🙂

Thanks so much for visiting today. I hope my little 30-day venture inspires you to try it.