“Success Consists of going from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”
– Winston Churchill
June 11. And so it begins. Starting a Whole30 journey in January seems to make sense. You have a new year, New Year’s Resolutions, and all the enthusiasm of a blank canvas to fill with the fresh strokes of your life well lived.
But it’s not January. It’s June. And it’s not a time of hiding inside from the chill of winter — it’s a time of going out to graduation parties and barbecues and beer tastings. For most people, this is not the best time to be starting a weight loss journey. Yet here I am. And I’m doing this at this time to prove a point.
I’ve spent the past several months working on a program based on my success in losing weight and feeling fantastic while traveling heavily for work. When you’re busy, busy, busy, sometimes you forget to eat. Maybe that had something to do with my success – I’m not sure. But this summer finds me traveling less and socializing more. If the plan I designed (modified from the principles of the Whole30 Diet) work great for me while traveling on business and while enjoying the sunshine with my family, it simply works. So at the end of the 90 days, we’ll see the results. And I can release it to the world to help other people like me stay on top of their game through the choices they make.
Why don’t I just call it a Whole30 plan if that’s what it is? It’s because that’s what it’s not. To do the Whole30 to the letter of the law requires awkward requests and too many puzzled looks when sitting across from a customer having lunch. It means packing your suitcase with better options, sending back salads sprinkled with Parmesan and spitting out dry rub barbecue you grabbed from the buffet line when you realize it used brown sugar – even after the hostess said it didn’t. (She later said it was gluten free — isn’t that the same thing? – Uh, no. It’s not.) While the popularity of ketogenic diets and paleo have helped lessen the weird looks when ordering wholesome meals when you’re traveling on business, there’s a necessary balance, a realistic approach, to make it work when you’re trying to lose weight while on the road.
Full disclosure: this is actually my fourth Day 1. After finishing my first successful Whole30, I tried to get my husband on board. It became a Whole21. He basically was like “Been there, done that,” and we enjoyed a lovely bottle of wine and celebrated our weakness. Two times again, I started and stopped. A graduation celebration. Then a plate of cheese curds. Silly really. Why is it that what makes me eventually feel so much better is so hard do at first?
So here I am. Starting on a very public journey. I will be staying strict to Whole30 rules and regulations as often as possible. And I will share with you the tactics I use to stay on track while on the road or at a business dinner.
Even without tweaking the rules to adapt it for travel, the program itself has some things I LOVE about it.
What I Love about Whole30
Potatoes. No fried potatoes, but yes to baked, roasted, mashed. White potatoes, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, yellow potatoes — these are ALLOWED on the plan. Skip the frying. My favorite is to make sweet potato wedges wrapped in bacon and baked in the oven until crispy. Sooooo good.
Fruit. Bananas, strawberries, apples – you name it. It’s all allowed. But not the processed cups of “fruit juice added” variety. And no juice, aside from a splash to flavor your water. I like to combine mine with almond butter (instead of peanut butter), and if it’s cold outside or if everyone else is having dessert, I’ll pop a banana in the microwave, sprinkle it with crunched up walnuts, add some cinnamon and enjoy every bite. (This is also great to help ease your sugar withdrawal symptoms.)
Coffee, Tea and Ghee. I need my coffee. Must. Have. Coffee. And I love a cuppa in the afternoon. And I love butter, but ghee is a permitted legal form of it. It’s basically clarified butter. You can buy it by the jar at Aldi and from other markets. Makes vegetables taste like you’re at a gourmet restaurant – like lobster.
Energy. No mid-afternoon sugar cravings and energy slumps. No more scheduling meetings around the hours when I’m at my best – since I’m always at my best when I fuel myself well.
Sleep. It’s like it should be. Deep. Lasting. Refreshing.
Whole30 to Whole90: Day 1 Meal Plan
Here’s where I am as of this morning:
Weight: 143.4 (128 would be nice). My scale is now hidden away until July 11.
Breakfast plans: Eggs, bacon, sausage with fresh fruit. Coffee with almond milk (or black if they didn’t have it).
Lunch: A bowl of beef vegetable soup (no noodles, no rice, no barley) and a tossed salad with Italian dressing (not creamy) on the side.
Dinner: I ordered filet as my entree for a business dinner event I’m attending. I’m hoping for a side of steamed veggies and a baked potato, but we’ll see what I get.
Drinks: In addition to coffee, I’m drinking water with a squeeze of lemon. Tonight I’ll have a glass of LaCroix flavored water over crushed ice and pretend its a cocktail. Does this suck? Yes and no. The reward of sleeping through the night, zero acid reflux, no hangover and no night sweats make it totally worth it.
I’ll let you know how it goes…. stay tuned.
To your health!
