Interlude: What to do now?

I needed a place to get all my thoughts down as I'm nearing the end of this.

Here's what I have gotten out of the Whole 30:
1. Hopefully at least some weight loss- will edit this post with exact numbers tomorrow after I weigh myself.
2. Feeling better in my body- You know that feeling when you eat too much crap and you feel fat and terrible right after? Like I did on my birthday night? I havent had that at all in the last 30 days and thats pretty awesome.
3. Feeling confident- I feel pretty proud that I've stuck to this for 30 whole days. A month! I never thought I could do it. I thought the cravings would overtake me, or I'd be too hungry, or I wouldn't be able to survive unsweetened coffee or no cheese. But guess what- I DID! I feel like I can do anything now and certainly have no more excuses to myself.
4. Awareness of my cravings and control over them. I am more keenly aware of why I eat when I do (am I actually hungry or just bored/stressed/sad/happy etc) and also when and what I crave. I have learned that if I just ignore my cravings, stay distracted, or drink some water/tea, or even eat something healthy (like a banana with almond butter) the craving will eventually fade and I will get over it. I *never* have once regretted not giving into a craving. That should be saying something!
5. A reset for eating healthy foods as a lifestyle. I was at a good place before my pregnancy and then fell off the rails. This has set me back up with a good framework to continue mostly eating healthy.


Here's what I plan to change on Day 31:
1. I am going to add a select few foods back into my regular, every day diet that aren't allowed on the whole 30. These include
* quinoa
* greek yogurt
* peanut butter/PB2 (i do like almond butter and will continue to eat it, but its expensive!!)
* breakfast shakes- made with protein powder, spirulina, flaxseed meal, almond milk, frozen bananas
* feta cheese (sparingly)
* gluten free ezekiel bread (sparingly)
* maple syrup & honey (sparingly as sweeteners)
* salad dressings that may have some honey or a small amount of sugar in them while still trying to choose wisely

I'm hoping to continue to avoid processed foods, most dairy, most gluten/grains, and refined sugar.

2. I do plan to make and partake of desserts, being careful not to USE them to feed cravings or make them a routine after dinner thing. Instead, just making them as small treats for the family occasionally. However, these desserts will be paleo/gluten free usually and not include refined sugars. There are so many good dessert recipes that are paleo and "healthier", I don't think this will be a problem!

3. While my taste for unsweetened coffee has definitely improved, its still not a great experience. I'm going to try to add either a little bit of the nestle natural bliss creamer to my coffee (instead of practically 1/2 cup like I used to) or a bit of maple syrup to make it more tolerable. I'll continue using nutpods, coconut milk or almond milk for creamer.

5. I am not going to beat myself up for eating desserts or foods socially and sparingly. These episodes will NOT be part of my regular diet, but I will allow myself to have things I don't usually eat for a special occasion. For example, at my brother's wedding I am definitely partaking in the cake/donuts/etc that will be there! Hopefully I can continue to use moderation and savor these treats instead of mindlessly throwing them back. And continue to consciously choose which of these items is worth eating.

AND....if I feel like I'm slipping off the rails again, or to be an accountability parter for someone else, I will go back on the whole 30 in a heartbeat. I know people usually do multiple rounds of this, and I'm definitely not opposed. I now know I can do it!