Anybody heard of the Whole30 diet? It's also referred to as the caveman's diet. It's basically a 30-day program where you eliminate grains, dairy, sugar, and legumes from your diet. I've done a lot of research and read a lot of testimonials about this program. It is not a program to lose weight, though that naturally happens when you eliminate these things from your life. (There is actually a rule in the program that says you cannot step on a scale at all during the 30 days). It's more of a program to make you realize what those foods actually are doing to your body! The bloat, the inflammation, the drowsiness. It's really interesting. It has also been said that by eliminating these things out of your life for 30 days that you actually are allowing your body's metabolism to restart at it's natural rate (which it cannot attempt to do with all that junk stuck inside of you). I'm not sure how true this is, it is just what I've read on some Whole30 websites. Originally, this is what AJ and I were going to do. However, some (not all) people who try this out, have pretty tough initial side effects such as black outs and stomach troubles because of the detoxing your body is going through. Because I'm in school, I feared that this might interfere with my studies. So, we chose to go ahead and just go completely dairy free for 30 days.
I'm talking no milk, lactose, skim milk, nonfat milk, whey, and any other name that ingredient labels try to disguise milk as. In eliminating dairy, we have actually also been forced (because of ingredients) to also follow the rest of the whole 30 diet by about 75%. By that I mean we have also reduced our consumption of grains, sugar, and legumes by about 75%.
I'm talking no milk, lactose, skim milk, nonfat milk, whey, and any other name that ingredient labels try to disguise milk as. In eliminating dairy, we have actually also been forced (because of ingredients) to also follow the rest of the whole 30 diet by about 75%. By that I mean we have also reduced our consumption of grains, sugar, and legumes by about 75%.
We are currently on day 13 of our dairy free diet. I don't like using the word diet. However, because this legitimately is a temporary lifestyle change (we have agreed to re-introduce certain dairy products after our 30 days, but not all), then I don't feel so bad about calling it a diet.
So what DO we eat? Meat, vegetables, and fruit. That is really the only thing we are eating. If you know me, you know I hate vegetables. So there has been a lot of "try this" and "try that" on this diet so that I can remain full. I believe I have probably increased my vegetable intake by 50% if not more (where before this I was probably only at a 1%). Lots of chicken, lean pork, and ground turkey has entered our household. Peppers, tomatoes, pineapples, cabbage, carrots, and mushrooms are just a few of the things we have increase our intake of.
So what DO we eat? Meat, vegetables, and fruit. That is really the only thing we are eating. If you know me, you know I hate vegetables. So there has been a lot of "try this" and "try that" on this diet so that I can remain full. I believe I have probably increased my vegetable intake by 50% if not more (where before this I was probably only at a 1%). Lots of chicken, lean pork, and ground turkey has entered our household. Peppers, tomatoes, pineapples, cabbage, carrots, and mushrooms are just a few of the things we have increase our intake of.
How do we feel? I believe I can speak for BOTH of us and say---AMAZING. Even after the first day or two we could notice a difference in how much energy we had. AJ said that difference while playing football the next Saturday was remarkable because he had so much energy.
I deal with a lot of stomach issues. I often have to take things such as gas-x, tums, rolaids, pepto, etc., for heartburn, indigestion, acid reflux, upset stomach, what have you. (The medicine probably irked some of these issues in the first place). I just got used to going to bed at night feeling bloated and uncomfortable. And it's not as if I wasn't eating healthy before, because I was counting calories and preparing healthy food. However, with the start of this diet--I have yet to have any stomach issues. I haven't struggled with heartburn, even though we've increased our intake of hot, spicy vegetables. I haven't felt bloated. A girl will appreciate this statement---my stomach looks the same at night, as it does when I first wake up in the morning. It's pretty fun to see all of this. And again, we are only on day 13! Still have 17 to go!
I deal with a lot of stomach issues. I often have to take things such as gas-x, tums, rolaids, pepto, etc., for heartburn, indigestion, acid reflux, upset stomach, what have you. (The medicine probably irked some of these issues in the first place). I just got used to going to bed at night feeling bloated and uncomfortable. And it's not as if I wasn't eating healthy before, because I was counting calories and preparing healthy food. However, with the start of this diet--I have yet to have any stomach issues. I haven't struggled with heartburn, even though we've increased our intake of hot, spicy vegetables. I haven't felt bloated. A girl will appreciate this statement---my stomach looks the same at night, as it does when I first wake up in the morning. It's pretty fun to see all of this. And again, we are only on day 13! Still have 17 to go!
What do I miss? I miss toast. I know that is weird. But I used to eat toast regularly at dinner. Toast with butter. Toast with garlic salt. Toast with peanut butter. Toast. I'm weird I know. But the particular bread we buy at the store is obviously made from some kind of milk product. So, we had to dismiss this.
What does AJ miss? Cheese. Poor guy had to watch the Super Bowl without chips and queso. He was pretty sad. We also have to pass valentines day on this diet---so no chocolate goodies for us!
What next? At the end of this diet, we will reintroduce dairy products slowly into our diet (This is how the Whole30 works as well). Most likely we will still stick to this type of diet by about 85%, but the occasional english muffin or toast and butter will definitely be allowed. I no longer like the way dairy made me feel. And why go back to that misery? Eat to live, not the other way around.
Will update at the end of this diet to let you know of any changes.
EDIT: We finished the 30-day dairy free diet on February 25th. February 26th--we had toast at dinner. Things seemed to be going okay for about a week after we reintroduced dairy, but after that--I began having the same stomach issues as before. I have decided to eliminate dairy completely from my diet as a lifestyle...I've gone out and bought a loaf of bread made without dairy from Whole foods--it's actually the best tasting bread I've ever had. AJ is still incorporating healthy dairy into his diet--his protein shakes, yogurt, etc. We will see how this goes long-term!
What does AJ miss? Cheese. Poor guy had to watch the Super Bowl without chips and queso. He was pretty sad. We also have to pass valentines day on this diet---so no chocolate goodies for us!
What next? At the end of this diet, we will reintroduce dairy products slowly into our diet (This is how the Whole30 works as well). Most likely we will still stick to this type of diet by about 85%, but the occasional english muffin or toast and butter will definitely be allowed. I no longer like the way dairy made me feel. And why go back to that misery? Eat to live, not the other way around.
Will update at the end of this diet to let you know of any changes.
EDIT: We finished the 30-day dairy free diet on February 25th. February 26th--we had toast at dinner. Things seemed to be going okay for about a week after we reintroduced dairy, but after that--I began having the same stomach issues as before. I have decided to eliminate dairy completely from my diet as a lifestyle...I've gone out and bought a loaf of bread made without dairy from Whole foods--it's actually the best tasting bread I've ever had. AJ is still incorporating healthy dairy into his diet--his protein shakes, yogurt, etc. We will see how this goes long-term!