Bucking History (still day 1)

I am just 8 hours into this "project" and I am already struggling mentally. Not with the "no sugar" thing or even the "no cheese" thing (I LOVE CHEESE).

You see, I was a college athlete, and I know how to work out and lose weight. Come January, when I'm 20 lbs overweight, I restrict what I eat and work out hard. That's how I lose weight. And it always works. And it certainly doesn't include steak, bacon and eggs!

Except, it didn't work this year -- in part because I never quite working out and never quite put on the whole 20 lbs. It was more like 10. But I'm less motivated because there was less weight to lose. Now, my decision to do Whole30 was based on my health and how I am feeling. It was not about losing weight.

HOWEVER, that doesn't mean I want to put on 25 lbs eating steak and potatoes and as much as it takes to get me to my next meal so that I don't have headaches. Aren't I supposed to be hungry? Aren't I supposed to be cranky and suffering? No pain, no gain, right? Well so far, I still have the headache (no I wasn't expecting miracles) but I'm not hungry and I am in a good mood. That can't be right!

Our office admin did this in January and she continues to live the Whole30 way. She looks amazing and feels great. She didn't have 10 lbs to lose and she lost 18. She looks like a supermodel. But what if it does the opposite for me?

I have to retrain my brain to accept this or I won't make it -- and it has nothing to do with the cheese withdrawal. I honestly thought that was what would do me in.

Day 1 - Whole30?

After overwhelming evidence and success from several people I love, I am taking the plunge. I am going to do the Whole30. I will eliminate added sugar, grains, legumes (including peanuts), alcohol and dairy for 30 days or more. If you think I'm crazy, I think so, too.

I cannot say I plan for Whole30 to change my WHOLE life or to never drink wine or eat cheese again. But I read "It Starts With Food" and I can say this could help me. I'd like to change some things about my eating habits and break out of what I've been doing that's not working for me. I have chronic back pain so I'm hoping for some inflammatory relief. I was sick all winter, on and off, and I just don't feel "good."

I've been told my weight to lose is vanity weight. But it's 10 pounds over "my" ideal weight (which is often considered 15 lbs over my doctor's office ideal weight for my size).

So today I woke with a refrigerator packed with veggies, delicious proteins (such as bacon and ground beef, softshell crab and mahi mahi) and a few necessary substitutes -- I cannot drink black coffee, so I bought almond milk -- and a searing headache. I got out of bed, reluctantly, and took my dog for a 45 minute walk. But before I left I peeled two hard boiled eggs for my "pre-workout" snack. This is supposed to get my body ready to burn calories or something. Either way, I'm good at following instructions, so I did it.

I stepped on the scale before I left -- I am not supposed to do this again until the 30 days are up. I weighed 158.6. I am 5'8"  ... truthfully I was 153 on Friday post workout and dehydrated, so I am going to say I started 156 lbs.

I ate a massive breakfast upon return and left way too late for work. Lunch was much of the same.

I am energized, satiated and motivated. We'll see how long that lasts.