Whole30, Day22: Catch-22
I have reached a stage where I am simultaneously really loving the results I’m seeing and really hating the strict rules of the Whole30. I feel good physically (hello abs, I knew you were under there somewhere!) and completely empowered by the positive choices I’m making about what goes into my body (and perhaps more importantly, what doesn’t). Yet I feel more than ever that the Whole30 rules are extreme and often arbitrary. At this point, I’m fairly confident that I don’t have any allergies or intolerances, so I really feel that when it comes to food, what I can’t see isn’t going to hurt me. It’s silly to ask a million questions about preparation or go buy new ginger because of a trace amount of dextrose when for me, the benefit from this is about making good food choices, not about making sure there’s not a trace amount of forbidden ingredients in my food.
But the results I like are due to the strict rules I don’t. It’s a bit of a catch-22. In a sense, the Whole30 is easy because the rules are so strict. While there are a few gray areas, for the most part things are very black and white. It’s a lot easier to say “no” or turn something down when you have a strict set of rules and a reason you’re doing something. Things get much trickier once you have to learn to “ride your own bike.”
This kind of brings me to life after Whole30. What’s next? I’ve heard the words “after your diet” and “when does your diet end?” more times than I can count. But I don’t think I want to go back to the way I was eating and drinking; I’ve come to think of certain aspects of this as a lifestyle, not a diet. Of course I’m going to ditch the googling of every single listed ingredient, and the relentless interrogation of waitresses. But I don’t want to ditch the mindful eating habits I have gained or the sense of control that comes with knowing that I can say “no, I’m not going to have any of that.” So the question is, is it possible to maintain the positive without the negative? And how do I find that happy medium?
According to the Whole30 Timeline I should be feeling: Tiger Blood! Your energy is through the roof, you’ve kicked the cravings, you’re experimenting with new, delicious food, and you’ve finally got the time to notice that your clothes fit better, your workouts are stronger, and you are generally more awesome.
How I’m feeling: Empowered. I feel good about how I’m treating my body and great about the control I have over what I put in it.
Pre-Workout Snack: 1 boiled egg and a bit of almond butter
Breakfast: Eggs in Spaghetti Squash Purgatory with Homemade Turkey Sausage
Lunch: Coconut Meatballs with Polynesian Sauce and Spicy Coconut Curry Green Beans
Snack: 2 boiled eggs
(Very Late) Dinner: Sweet Potato stuffed with Paleo Chocolate Chili with avocado and a power green salad with blackberries, walnuts and peach tahini dressing
