Whole30 Results!!!

I cannot believe that I actually completed the Whole30 challenge! If you don't know what I'm talking about, read my previous post which details the diet I have been following. Or click this link-  Whole30 Rules

 The first weekend, I was mostly starving, basically because I couldn't figure out what to eat so I wouldn't break the rules. Surrounded by donuts, easy freezer meals, celebrations with cake, and the Super Bowl party buffet- making smart choices had to be a decision I was sold on. And I was. For the super bowl party, I made one thing to bring, so at least I knew I could eat that. And what do you know- it was the only thing I could eat. For lunches out with friends, I didn't want them to feel limited at all by me, I simply asked them to choose a place with salad options- and from there I knew I could modify enough to be safe. For long days out, I always threw an apple in my bag, and even carried a Paleo friendly trail mix (nuts, seeds, cranberries, dried bananas) that would fill me up enough to not be tempted by other options.

The only ways that I ever deviated from the rules were -I did drink diet sodas- but MUCH more limited that I used to. And I did use honey when necessary to give a little sweet taste to some muffins and smoothies I made. YUM.

I won't lie- after about 5 days, my gut was really feeling the difference. I had never really thought much about "being regular" or any kind of "poop schedule".... But there was like a period of 48 hrs where I felt pretty crampy and just a little off from normal. Once I pushed through that ( hot teas helped a lot!!), I began to notice that I was very consistent in going #2 at least once a day, which although gross to talk about, made me feel a lot better! I wasn't belching as much as normal, and I wasn't ever feeling bloated or heavy.

I have lost 8 pounds in 30 days. Now for me, this diet has not been about weight loss, but about healing and health, so 8 pounds is actually more than I expected to lose in such a short amount of time. Throughout this entire process, I have made sure I was eating plenty, as I am still feeding my son and didn't want to jeopardize him in any way ( I even asked his pediatrician how he felt about me doing this diet). I did take some before and after pics, but those will just be for me to see the results, as I'm not really comfortable posting those at this time ( I did just have a baby folks!)

As for my disease- see the post Dermatomyositis -I am currently having NO MUSCLE WEAKNESS and my rashes have been present, but not actively worsening. To me, this is great news. Not 100% sold that it's all because of the diet, but I plan to continue being as strict with Paleo for a least another few weeks ( some say 6 weeks is the magic number) and then possibly adding in a few things (like beans or rice) and seeing if things stay the same or change in any way. There are just so many variables and triggers that can set the disease off..... it's a tricky road to recovery, but I'm willing to do the work to have the results.

God has been so faithful to me through this past weeks. Whenever I feel self-conscience, whenever I'm upset that I can't eat what I want, wear what I want, be outside when I want- I can always remember that these trials are not forever- that this world is not my home- and that there is nothing that defines me except for the very being that created me. All I want is to be who I was created to be.