Today is it! Day 30. We have successfully completed the first half of this health experiment. It has definitely been a learning process and at times a challenge but overall it has been worth it. Let me share some thoughts and changes that we have seen.
The hubs and I took a weight and inches measurement on day 1 just to see how this experiment would affect that aspect. I am very happy to say we saw some very positive results. I lost 6 lbs and 2 ½ total body inches. The hubs lost 11 ½ lbs and 4 ½ total body inches. That by itself made this worth doing.
I asked the hubs if he has noticed any changes over the past 30 days that he can pinpoint to this experiment. He said the biggest change is that he doesn’t feel ravenous all the time. You have to take into account that this man works a very physical job of 12 hour shifts at least 6 days a week. I used to load his lunch box with a enough food so he could have a mini-meal at every break. He was always starving at break time and also ate another meal when he got home at night. I could never figure out how he could always be hungry with that much daily food intake. During the experiment, I sent him a container for lunch and dinner with whatever meal I had made as well as a salad for each meal. That’s it. He’ll eat a big breakfast at home and then what I sent him with no snacking in between. The amazing thing is he is not starving anymore! He is eating less food than before, but now he is eating good, healthy, whole food that is keeping his body fueled for a longer time. He has noticed an increase in his energy levels. He has always loved the taste of coffee, but with the hours he works the caffeine had become a crutch to get him through the day. Since we eliminated the caffeine for this experiment he is noticing that his energy levels are up naturally. His sleeping pattern is changing as well. He is starting to wake up earlier and is actually feeling rested. His body is working much more efficiently to the point that he does not require so much sleep That is pretty awesome.
I am definitely noticing a difference in my sleep pattern. I am staying asleep for longer intervals. No more of this waking up every 2 hrs nonsense. Now I seem to be going about 4 hours at a time and I am finding it really easy to fall back asleep. I am also seeing a big change in the shape of my body. I had hit a point where my body was just so bloated and I felt horrible most of the time. I wish I had taken a before picture because I am sure it would be a more startling change than I realize. My clothes are actually loose again and my stomach is much less distended. What an amazing feeling to not feel yucky all the time!
My teenage son told me the biggest change he noticed is that he is not having diarrhea every morning. Amazing how your body can give a warning that there is a problem but we just ignore it. With the changing of the food his body has been been able to heal and balance itself out. He has also noticed that he is actually hungry when it is time for the next meal; he used to have a snack at certain times of the day just because. He wasn’t hungry; he was just eating to eat. Since we did away with that, his body is actually being given the time to digest one meal at a time and use the food properly before adding more.
My daughter told me the biggest change she noticed is that her ability to stayed focused has drastically improved. She is able to get a lot more accomplished during her school day.
I have also noticed some positive changes in my little dude. He has gotten to the place where he is not constantly asking for food. He doesn’t get stressed out when I tell him it is time to do school. He is able to stay focused during his classes and is also grasping concepts that he struggled with before this experiment. I have also noticed that his sleep pattern is changing. He still goes to bed at the same time but he is waking up about an hour earlier and is totally refreshed and happy. No more grumpy mornings around here.
It is just amazing how much your body can heal and change itself when you stop feeding it all the harmful chemicals that are found in our food today, and start feeding it real food. Not only do you look better and feel better physically, but you're able to think more clearly. You can stay focused for a longer amount of time and you emotions don’t seem to be so out of control. Your sleep patterns start to change which results in body healing itself even more. What a great way to live!
Like I said at the beginning this was just phase 1. Phase 2 is where you start to reintroduce certain food groups back into your diet in a controlled way. You pick the group you want to start with whether it is gluten, non-gluten, sugar, dairy...you chose. Add that back for 2 days and take careful note of how your body responds. Do you get a headache, bloating, or achy joints? After 2 days you need to go back to only the whole foods for 3 days so your body has time to eliminate all that you added back. Then you do the same with the next group of food. After all the whole point of this experiment is to find out what foods are affecting your body in a negative way so you can avoid them. This is not a process to rush through just because you would love chocolate chip cookies. Cookies have sugar and gluten (flour) in them which is two separate categories you adding back. If you have a negative reaction how will you know which caused it: the gluten or the sugar?
Once we are done with the add-back stage I think we are going to keep eating like this with an occasional treat on the side. Besides the food is awesome!!
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