A Day In the Life: BEFORE
Are your energy levels inconsistent or nonexistent?
Do you have aches and pains that can't be explained by overuse or injury?
Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try?
Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies, or chronic fatigue) that medication hasn't helped?
ME! ME! ME!
Those questions alone (each of which I answered 'yes' to), were enough to convince me this is a journey I have to take. I often feel sluggish, unmotivated, and downright lazy. I cannot seem to lose weight, no matter how hard I try. I have digestive issues and seasonal allergies, and, truthfully, just a really unhealthy relationship with food.
I thought it would be fun to compare my "norm" before and after the Whole30. Right now, a day in my life usually looks something like this:
MORNING
Depending on the day, I *try* to wake up at 6:00AM and get some cardio in before my work day begins. Typically, I will spend 20-30 minutes walking/jogging on the treadmill in my building's fitness center before heading back to my apartment to get ready for the day.
I drink coffee (black or with a dash of almond milk) and lots of water as I get ready, and I usually bring breakfast to work with me. Often, breakfast is either a protein shake; Chobani Greek yogurt and a protein bar; or an apple and two hardboiled eggs.
AFTERNOON
Throughout the day, I try to munch on fruit and nuts as much as I can. I keep mixed nuts and some Lärabars at my desk to tide me over when I get hungry. There is a candy bowl at work that I actually do a good job avoiding (unless Hershey's Toffee & Almond Nuggets are in stock).
For lunch, I typically eat frozen veggies and rice, or a salad. Once a week, the company I work for buys lunch for the team, and we usually order pizza. There's also a Jimmy John's nearby that I fall victim to about once a month, or once every other month. My lunch habits are pretty inconsistent.
EVENING
This is where things start to get messy (and unhealthy). If I have no plans for the evening and am feeling motivated and productive, I will likely make myself a dinner of veggies and chicken—sometimes pasta. (OK, increasingly pasta). If I have plans, which I often do, I'm probably on my way to a nearby restaurant where I'll convince myself it's OK to indulge in a bigger meal and a drink or two.
Most nights, regardless of what dinner looked like, I end up on my couch with a friend, with snacks by our side and the TV on in front of us. And once I start snacking, I can't stop. I'll eventually fall into a food-induced sleep and then wake up in the middle of the night hating myself for overeating, and then promising myself "Tomorrow will be a better day."
And the cycle continues.
Believe it or not, I spend a lot of time engaging with online accounts dedicated to health and wellness. In fact, I even have my own health & fitness-themed Instagram account.
I read the blogs, I follow the influencers, and I buy healthy groceries. But, somewhere along the line each day, I fall off track, overeat, and gain weight. This is the lifestyle I'm ready to change with the Whole30.
Photo courtesy of Gal Meets Glam.