Why I started the Whole30 Yesterday

Because I need more willpower! Ok, that’s why I started it at all, it’s not why I started The Whole30 yesterday. I started it yesterday because starting something like that on April Fools Day just seemed like a bad idea.

I know my diet is pretty damn clean compared to most people. I don’t eat gluten at all, I avoid dairy and eggs and processed foods. At times it feels like “what does that leave?” But, the reality isn’t as simple as all that. The reality is that while I AVOID dairy and gluten, I do eat them occasionally. The reality is that I eat out WAY too much and end up eating a lot of crap in the process. Sure, I’m careful about what I eat when I eat out, but I’m not back there in the kitchen, and I have no idea how much of what they serve me is processed vs fresh, or how much MSG I’m getting by way of restaurant food… and most of the time, neither do they.

Friday night we went out to Cantina Laredo, a local “sort of” Mexican place that we really like. They are a National chain (although a small one) and they’ve taken the step of identifying their gluten-free items on their menu. When we ate there shortly after I changed my diet and before they made the change to their menu one of the managers had told me that they could make some other items gluten-free by leaving off sauces or seasonings, so with that in mind we took my GF girl Carmen with us. They have this item on their menu that I refer to as the “Big Ass Platter of Meat”. It basically contains every meet they serve in the place served fajita style. That’s what I wanted, and I was hoping they could make it GF. Unfortunately, after we attempted to order it by the time they removed all the meats they couldn’t make GF (because they don’t cook/season them in house) we ended up with chicken & beef fajitas. Which was fine.

C wanted a drink and I remembered how they had this awesome “swirly drink” that I can never remember the name of. When one of my friends first told me about this “awesome drink” she couldn’t remember the name either and told me to just order the “swirly drink” and they’d know. They did, and that’s what I’ve referred to it as ever since. We ordered it without really looking at the menu (my memory was that it was a blend of a margarita and that wine-with-fruit drink that I can’t think of the name of). So, we both ordered one. I thought it was just a really strong drink when I noticed how heavy it seemed to be sitting on my stomach. I just kept eating more and more of my fajita beef to try to soak it up. Then we noticed that C’s face and chest were flushed. This happens to her occasionally with certain alcohols and we still didn’t think much about it, but we asked for the menu to see what was in the drink… Pomegranate Whiskey. Yeah. That might be the culprit. I’d noticed that same feeling in my stomach the last time I’d tried to drink whiskey (which used to be my drink of choice)… and that was when it finally hit me that whiskey is made out of wheat. DUH! Our waitresses (we had 2 because one was training) asked us about it, thinking we’d wanted another drink and we filled them in. They’d already been getting lessons in GF all night from us. After that the manager came over and was like “wow I never even thought about drinks being GF or not”. All in all it was a pretty interesting night. But, I think it was also the tipping point that told me I really needed to do something to reset myself.

I’ve been wanting to do a cleanse of some sort all year, but just haven’t had the willpower. I’ve been eating way too much chocolate… and who wants to give that up? Drinking too much and eating out too much. It’s time to change. On the one hand with all that I’ve already changed in my diet, making a few more small changes should be no big deal. It’s not like I haven’t done it before. On the other hand, given all that I’ve already given up, adding a few more things to that is a VERY big deal.

So, what has to go? Corn & Beans – I never totally gave them up in my original cleanse, so it will be good to find out how they affect me. Anything with added sugar. Anything processed (which pretty much covers the added sugar). Anything with MSG. White Potatoes. That is on top of doubling down on the No Grains (including gluten, rice, etc), No Dairy & No Eggs. Eggs are actually “legal” in the Whole30, they just aren’t good for me. I’ve pretty well determined that they give me terrible cystic acne. Yuck!

I’d wanted to start on Saturday, but I caved pretty early and then there was lots of alcohol while I enjoyed a really awesome show of The Posey Peep Show (local talent). Sunday was a new day and a new week, so I started over and I made it through Day 1 enjoying my morning juice, sweet potatoes cooked with onions and garlic, chicken with avocado salad with an orange bacon for desert. I’m not 100% sure if sweet potatoes or bacon are Whole30 approved, but I’m willing to risk it.

Another thing that’s helping me with willpower right now is that by doing the right thing myself I can encourage Paul to do the same. He’s been really struggling with eating right and working out. So, by avoiding doing things that he wants to avoid and doing things that he wants to do, I can provide him with a little motivation and willpower. Plus, his desire to improve gives me more willpower to improve as well. We feed off each other in this way, which is a really good thing. The really bad thing is that we feed off each other in the opposite direction, as well.