Day 31

You really have a moment of "Oh, it's over?" on the morning of Day 31. Not that you can actually go out and eat whatever you want, because the reintroduction process takes about 2 weeks, but while grocery shopping last night and scouring the labels as I've been required to do for the last 30 days, I had the jolting realization that I wouldn't have to today.

The Whole30. Man, that's been an experience.

Do I feel better? Yes. Is it this magicalwonderfulsuperfragillisticcureall that it's advertised as? No. "Tiger blood" never showed up. I got a little perkier around day 23, but not the "advertised" day 16. Granted, with Hashimoto's they did say it might take longer to see results...and the last few days I've recognized the deep, bone-weariness of a thyroid imbalance (hence the blood test I'm going to have done this morning so that they can adjust my medication)...so it's a difficult thing to call.

Am I glad I've done it?

Yes.

Would I do it again?

Probably.

Has it changed how I feel about certain foods?

Definitely.

If I knew then what I know now, would I still do it?

Assuredly.

Would I recommend it to anyone interested?

Yes!

They ask you to look at the foods that you thought you'd miss, or that you used to eat regularly and if you don't miss them at all, avoid reintroducing them or reintroduce them but eat sparingly in the future. Surprisingly, I'm not so sad about yogurt and cheese. Ice cream, yes, but yogurt and cheese? Not so much. Will I avoid brie in the future? No, but who can? Will I buy string cheese and daily yogurt any more? Not for a while anyways, unless my husband wants them.  I also surprisingly don't miss pasta all that much. Seeing as it was a major staple in my life, I never once was like, "I need pasta" Cereal though, man oh man. I bought non-gluten grained granola last night so I can have some on Friday instead of waiting until next week (part of that darned reintroduction). And I do miss tortillas, but mostly in the "I could really go for a burrito right now" sort of way. The only bread I miss is sourdough, and with my new sourdough starter, maybe I'll be able to make it myself in the future.

One thing I've learned from doing the Whole30, and I'm sure everyone who has done it has learned something similar: there are a lot of foods that I've been eating that I don't really care to eat anymore. And I like the anti-inflammatory results so much that I will limit my sugar intake moving forward, avoid processed and unnecessary added sugars (though more when it's convenient...I still refuse to pay $5 for lunch meat, though I don't eat a whole lot of that so not so much a concern), and lessen my gluten intake to special occasions.

Will all of this change come pumpkin spice latte season? Probably, but the knowledge that I can reset and remind myself that whole eating is not the end of the world is a nice little thing to have tucked in my pocket.

One thing I will say about eating this way, however, is that my grocery bill has at least doubled, though I would be unsurprised if it hasn't tripled. This is not a cheaper way of living, for sure.

Ciao,
kc