Whole30 The SAS of Diets
I hate fad diets! Nearly as much as I hate the people who seem to spend their life jumping from one ridiculous eating regime to another. Why? Becuase they never shut the fuck up about whatever diet they are on, they are inconsistent, often moody and very judgemental. Is that enough reasons?
So you might question my reasoning as to why I have decided to undertake what is quite possibly the most extreme diet of them all - The infamous Whole30. The brainchild of Melissa Hartwig an ex-drug addict turned clean eating junky (see what I did there)
But before you condemn me, let me explain my reasoning behind it. The Whole30 diet is more of a reset program. Yes, it can be hard to stick with but it's not intended to be a diet you continue with past the 30-day program. The core objective is to clear out all the shit you have put into your body over the last however many years you have been consuming a poor western diet, full of processed foods. Now you might be thinking to yourself, hold on a minute my diet is pretty clean so why would it apply to me. I was one of those people. But when you delve deeper you might be surprised at just how much the devil's poison a.k.a sugar, finds its way into just about every food you could imagine. Unless of course, you eat whole fresh food straight from the ground. I mean who does that anyway?
It isn't just sugar that is banned from the Whole30 diet. Basically, it's anything that is either man-made, additives, or hard for your body to digest such as legumes, rice, and grains. I would say I am pretty well versed when it comes to diet and nutrition but even I was surprised by how many additives and man-made chemicals go into supposedly healthy foods. If it comes in a tin or jar it's highly likely that it's got a little something added to aid shelf life or enhance flavour.
If diets were compared to the special forces initiations in terms of difficulty then let me tell you, Whole30 would be the SAS because it's brutal and will really test your character, where only the strong survive. So why have I decided to enroll in what can only be described at the halfway point as hell month? Ok, I might have exaggerated a little but I am male after all.
While I don't always follow my own advice I do know the core basic principles of a healthy diet and weight control. So why would I endure such a diet? Firstly I am all too aware of how sugar and additives can affect our cognitive performance, not to mention our physical performance. But I couldn't always pinpoint the effects that other foods have on my digestive system and output. Mainly because the vast majority of us live our lives with some type of sugar or sugar substitute in our systems. So I decided to give it a go and RESET my mind, body, and soul.
Click here for a more in-depth breakdown of what Whole30 consists of.
Now what you are about to read shouldn't put you off trying it yourself because I have endured what is meant to be the hardest part. You wouldn't judge a haircut when your barber hasn't fully finished, would you? The same with exercise and fitness programs. It takes a while for you to experience the results. So for the record this post is purely reflection and observation thus far
14 days - halfway point
I am tired and lack energy
I crave a burger, pizza, and cheesecake
My concentration is shot to shit
I am less bloated
I have suffered low mood
I have become irritable
In actual fact, I haven't become irritable at all, far from it. It's everyone else that has become more annoying. People taking too long to get their oyster card out at the train station. People taking too long to pay for the groceries in the supermarket. People that walk too slow - hello I have places to go you dumb arse!
I mean you can understand my point right? The same with internet connections that are too slow. Traffic lights that don't turn to green quick enough. Mums who take up the pathway with buggies and children (they should have separate lanes). Even the bloody postman cant be bothered to deliver my post at the same time every day. Yet friends have the bare faced cheek to accuse me of being irritable. How bloody dare they. Don't they realise how lucky they are to have a friend like me? Fuck them, fuck them all. I don't care one single bit. In fact, why does anyone exist on this planet apart from me? I hate people, the planet, nature, and people that smile.
Arrgghhh.... and people have the audacity to say I am moody. Now that we have concluded that I haven't changed one single bit since starting the Whole30 diet, it's clear to see that it's everyone else and NOT me!!!!!
So why am I going to stick it out? Simple. Becuase I am looking to reset my body and analyse how my body reacts to certain foods. When your body is full of sugar and additives it's hard to pinpoint exactly how certain foods affect you. Your energy levels, your sleep, and your biomechanics. After the 30 days, you are in essence putting yourself through an internal service and analysis. Seeing what foods work for you and what foods work against you.
So there you go. That's my evaluation of the Whole30 diet halfway through. I'm going to finish it there because I can't be arsed to write anymore, can't put into words what I want to say, and come to think of it what's the point in writing a bloody blog post anyway. Hell, why do I even bother with this poxy website?
And to think that my so-called friends have accused me of being moody and irritable.
Anyone else follwed the Whole30 diet? Let me know how you found it by commenting below or hitting me up on Twiiter