And so it begins...

Yesterday I began my Whole 30 challenge.  Technically, I already follow a Paleo lifestyle, but lately I've noticed that my 90% Paleo, 95% of the time has quickly diminished to 80% Paleo, 75% of the time.  Or worse.  While I'm still planning Paleo meals and make more primal choices when dining out, I'm noticing that my alcohol intake is higher during the summer, which is commensurate with my "good choices" barometer going on hiatus. 

Six friends and two bottles of wine quickly can become 10 friends and eight bottles of wine. One Guinness at the local pub with a friend, easily transitions into three more Allagash Black and numerous text messages and phone calls (and Facebook check-ins) to alert other friends where we are and that they should come join us for still -- more beer.  All of this socializing inevitably leads to late-night noshing on non-Paleo-approved food. French fries?  Oh, why not...I'll just have a couple.  Cheese? Well, it's technically protein. Where'd you even GET that maple donut at 11pm at night anddoyoumindifijusthavea*teensy*bite?! I don't think I'd ever be disciplined enough to order a grilled chicken breast and double sides of kale and spinach while downing my fourth glass of wine. Hell, I can barely exercise control when posting to Facebook after my SECOND glass of wine, how can I be expected to make appropriate choices when my inhibitions and shame are busy sharing a bottle of Cab and catching up on Real Housewives of <insert any city but Atlanta>?

I’ve also noticed that I’m not sleeping as well, I’m not nearly as focused during the day (SQUIRREL!), and while the intensity and determination still lives within me, my CrossFit performance isn’t up where I want it. I recognized that I needed to get back into my clean lifestyle. Even if, after the strictness of Whole 30 is up, I will still drink wine. (Notice, I did NOT add occasionally…I know myself way better than that)

All of that leads to what I'm looking forward to with the start of this Whole 30.  Feeling better, regaining control and making better choices more often.  Looking for my tummy issues to reside (mostly inside, but if it makes that which is visible smaller, too, BONUS!).  Hoping my sleep patterns to improve (I will not buy WEN hair care no matter how many times I've seen the late-night infomercial).  And, most of all, getting back to the basics of focusing on myself and my goals.  While I’m happy when people notice the changes, I’m really doing this for me --for my health and for my own goals.

So, for the next 30 days, I plan to regularly post about my struggles, my successes, my triumphs, my inadequacies, my goals and my feelings as they relate to, as my husband so eloquently puts it: giving up EVERYTHING fun!  (ed. note: my husband is my biggest supporter.  He may not quite understand any of this…Paleo, Primal, Whole 30, CrossFit, running, quadratic equations, world peace…but he is the first person in line to cheer me on and remind me of how beautiful he thinks I am.  And that support level truly helps make these goals easier to reach.)

For those of you not familiar with the Whole 30 (or even Paleo, for that matter), here are the “Process of Elimination” rules for the 30-day program:

·         Eat foods that make you more healthy – meat, seafood and eggs, lots of vegetables, some fruit, and plenty of healthy fats

·         Do not consume any added sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes or dairy (this goes for artificial sweeteners...Splenda, Equal, Sweet n' Low, Stevia, etc.)

·         Do not attempt to recreate junk foods or desserts by using “approved” ingredients (the Whole 30 authors refer to this practice as SWYPO, or, Sex With Your Pants On)

·         Do not step on the scale for the entirety of the program

In the interest of full disclosure, I weighed myself at the start of the program yesterday, and while it wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be (particularly since I haven’t weighed myself since the battery died in our home scale), I’m still looking forward to watching that number go down.

I won’t tell you what I weigh…unless you really want to know, and even then I’d probably research some archaic weight measurement and give it to you in Braille, but here are the now/BEFORE pictures (and before you ask, no, I did not paint a tree on my wall...these were taken by my CrossFit trainer this morning):

While alcohol may be difficult to give up wholly, for its social factor and the pomp and circumstance of holding a beautiful Reidel filled with a big, chewy cab...(wait, where was I?)...I think one of the biggest (sadly) will be giving up my daily Diet Coke(s).  My staff have threatened to call-in sick for the next 30 days; I told them not to be silly, that they probably only need to do so for the first 15.  After that, I should be golden.

Upward, onward and giddy-up with this challenge!