This is part of a lifestyle change series following a journey to a healthier me!  See the first post in this series by clicking HERE!

So armed with my story and my goals, now it’s time to go.  September 2, I started a diet called the Whole 30.  According to the Whole 30 is a 30 day diet program where you cleanse your body of pre-processed foods but also much of the inflammatory foods that our diets stick us with.  So in short here are the rules:

1. No sugar, either added or natural
2. No processed foods(chips, etc)
3. No dairy
4. No weighing yourself.

Now, I have done this diet strict, and it worked wonders, but I know my body OK, and there were a couple of rules that I was going to break, namely:

1. If you’re going to make me eat a diet of dirt and lean meats for a month, Barry is gonna throw some cheese on that mess, because it’s not inflammatory
2. I am going to weigh myself because I need motivation

Other than that, I knew that I was going to transition to Keto at the end, so lean meats gave way to fattier meats, so a transition would be more natural and sustained.

So Monday, September 2, Labor Day, I started.  I kept the words of the Whole 30 ‘pump up page’ on my mind throughout:

This is not hard. Fighting cancer is hard. Birthing a baby is hard. Losing a parent is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard. You have done harder things than this. It’s only thirty days, and it’s for the most important health cause on earth—the only physical body you will ever have in this lifetime. Hear me now: The Whole30 is exactly as hard as you decide it’s going to be, so repeat after me: “This is not hard.”

So, I guess I can write a quick review of this diet.  I guess I would say that the Whole 30 Program Rules were exactly right:  This was not hard.  My first two days were the toughest.  I had some sugar and especially soft drink withdrawals, but after 2 days my appetite settled down and i was groovin’.  I did have a dilemma though, 1) what am i going to do when i travel…and 2) was this really going to work?  So for traveling, I came up with the following solution..I’m going to stay in Hilton Garden Inns when I travel and eat breakfast on my own(eggs, bacon, and black coffee), and for dinner….seafood restaurants or whole food places only.   Needless to say…IT WORKED.  I managed to stay on the plan, and didn’t cheat once!

Best part of this month not weight loss related…My inflammation left.  Fun fact – I was popping up to 800mg of ibuprofen per night, just to sleep.  My neck and joints were so inflamed, that I was in pain..all the time.  Within 2 weeks, I was off ibuprofen period, and I have had one since 9/17.  I sleep better, and not drugged. Also, I am clear.  my skin is clearer, and I can move better!

Biggest struggle of the month…There were times where I really craved a pizza.  Not a good pizza, but a 99 cent Totinos.  Just roll it up in the microwave and eat it whole.  I had to fight off auctioning off one of my kids(the misbehaving one) to get my hands on one.  Fortunately those thoughts were quick and quick to go, as I kind of like these kids to stay around a while.

Two sentence review of the plan…If you are out there and in the same position as me, so yourself a favor and DO THIS DIET.  It will jumpstart any changes you want to make, and you will feel so much better.

One more thing…a group of friends and my lovely wife were so encouraging during this time…and it made it so much better and easier.  Thank you so much if you’re reading this…your words fill my heart and lift my spirit.  If you are reading this and you don’t have that…contact me in the comments below and I will be that word of encouragement for you!

So now to the stats everybody wants to know…..

Starting Weight( 9/2): 440.5
Ending Weight(9/30): 392.0
Weight Loss: 48.5 lbs.

I am wearing size 54 pants with a 54 belt…on the last loop, I have gained 3 belt loops in the month of September.

Next Month….Keto starts.  I’m so close to my first goal!