Why I Ended My Whole 30 Early

Going into week 2 of the Whole30, my stomach felt its best, and my skin cleared up completely. Eliminating inflammatory foods within my diet has made a tremendous change both internally and externally. I can clearly dictate which foods irritate my gut and what I should avoid, which is mainly gluten, soy, dairy, and legumes. 

So why would I end my challenge early? Well my main goal of the W30 was to find what finds irritate my stomach, which I found out within the first 2 weeks. I found exactly what I was looking for and didn’t want my body to start feeling deprived or on “diet-mode” so I ended the challenge short, at a happy place.  It was a long enough time to give my gut a break, and figure out what works best for my body, without making myself feel deprived and sick of the W30 lifestyle. Many people take on the challenge as a way to lose weight and build a healthy relationship with food, but that was not my case. I did it as a chance to give my gut a mini “reset.” I will slowly begin adding certain foods like oats, rice cakes, and coconut milk back into my diet, but continue making many meals that are W30 approved.

My final thoughts on the challenge are that it’s completely doable and well worth it. Personally 15 days was enough for me to experience the benefits of the W30, but short enough where I wasn’t getting sick of the W30 restrictions. If you’re contemplating the W30 I recommend starting with a W15 so it’s not as scary, and then continuing to the 30 days if you enjoy it. For people who eat a primarily healthy diet, I think 15 days is enough. Part of the reason it’s 30 days is because you need on average 21 days to develop a habit. So, if you’re like myself and already eat healthy, but want to give your gut a break, 15 days is definitely enough. The W30 brings awareness to how every food can affect your body differently, and educates you on the immune, hormonal, and psychological effects of food. Whether you complete a W30 or W15, both will make a difference in your body, and be well worth it!

Meals on my final week on the Whole 30:
 

Ham and egg on greens

 

Ground turkey lettuce boats

 

Banana, raisins, dates, & coconut shreds

Egg over greens with an apple & nutbutter

Farmers market dinner- organic, grass fed chicken with assorted veggies

Grilled chicken breast, spinach, and sweet potato

Ground turkey, and assorted veggies over greens

On the go breakfast- egg and veggies over grilled kale

On the go lunch: chicken, sweet potato, and veggies