What happened to us!? We're. . . Healthy. . .

I ate a lemon blackberry donut this morning, and instantly wished I hadn't. It tore me up. Jacob ate his on the way to work, and texted me to ask if he should just give the rest away. I said that was probably the best idea. Then he texted me and said, "mine tore me up too. What happened to us?" I said, "We're... Healthy..."

The Whole30 challenge is officially over, and I am totally in love with the results we have gotten. I didn't post last week with an update partly because of being busy, but mostly because our meals and lifestyle felt too normal to write a whole post about. That may be my favorite result of all. Clean eating no longer feels like a special or foreign concept. It feels normal. I never thought I would say that...

Here are some of the results that made the Whole30 challenge worth every slice of pizza not eaten and every pie we walked away from at the grocery store:

1. Jacob and I lot 15 pounds each! That is completely crazy to me, and I feel like I have lost even more than that. I have not lost any significant weight since I started gaining wait in the middle of college (2011), so this is huge!

2. We both lost inches from our waists, and I lost two inches from each thigh. Our clothes fit better. We feel more confident, and we are reenergized to keep this program going (with a few tweaks of course).

3. Jacob has completely stopped snoring. I used to have to wake him up a couple times while I was trying to fall asleep, but for the last several weeks, he hasn't snored at all.

4. Our pearly whites are actually pearly white. We haven't changed our coffee intake, but our teeth are significantly whiter than they were before. I believe it is because of all the calcium we have gotten from green vegetables we never used to eat.

5. We both have clearer skin. My cheeks are rosy again, and I haven't had any breakouts since the first week or so of the program.

6. Thinking of healthy meals is easy. This was never true for me before, which is why we resorted to take out or frozen pizza so often. After 30 days of practice, Jacob and I can whip up a compliant meal in under 20 minutes.

7. Increased appreciation for healthy foods: I appreciate now the taste of different foods in their natural state without needing to douse everything with stir fry sauce or cheese.

8. Reduced portions: With the introduction of healthy foods, we have reduced the volume of food we eat every day. In the past, Jacob and I could both eat quite a bit in a day, but now we just don't want to. One thing we love about the Whole30 is that you can eat as much as you want of the compliant foods. We didn't have to feel hungry like we have on diets in the past.

9. Reduced bloating: Jacob and I used to get very bloated some days, and we weren't sure why. Our clothes that fit ok in the morning were seriously tight by evening time. We still aren't completely sure what was causing it, but whatever it was, we haven't been eating it on the Whole30. As we add in new foods (if we add in new foods), we will be on the look out for the culprit.

10. Reduced spending: Jacob and I have not gone out to eat a single time this entire month. We used to buy groceries and then spend a ridiculous amount of money eating out when were too tired or too lazy to make meals. The food we bought would just sit in the fridge going bad while we went out. We have noticed a big change in our finances since we stopped eating out.

11. Sense of Pride and Accomplishment: One of the most enjoyable parts of doing this program has been talking to people about it and hearing other people's success stories. I have shared updates with many of my co-workers, family members, and friends, and read blogs about others who have completed the program. The sense of pride and accomplishment that Jacob and I both feel about completing this difficult challenge is something I haven't felt about my eating or health for a long, long time.

With the conclusion of the official Whole30, our plan is to relax a little on the guidelines this weekend (thus the donut this morning), and then pick back up on Tuesday. We both feel empowered to continue, and we are encouraging each other every day.

We also have a challenge we have designed for ourselves that we are starting in the beginning of July. More info on that to come!

If you are interested in trying the Whole30 challenge, I wholeheartedly encourage you to try. I never thought I could do it, but I did. You absolutely can too, and I would love to help in any way I can!