Next Steps

I'm four days from finishing my first Whole 30.  While my diet has definitely been more consistent that my blogging habits, I'm thinking about continuing on for another week, two weeks or maybe another 30 days. 

I've stuck very closely to the plan.  I haven't drunk any alcohol.  I did start again with coffee about 10 days ago (one black coffee a day is permitted - I just felt removing it would help my sleep issues).  I had one day picking at granola bar crumbs (a failed attempt at making them myself, with lots of my favorite things which are not Whole 30 compliant) and I've had some hemp protein powder. I've had Lara Bars, which are compliant but sugar is still sugar, so I should really have kept away from them. 

Benefits or changes so far:

• Energy levels have increased and a more consistent
• Sleep! Deeper sleep and longer blocks of sleep.  Still get woken up by noise or Charlie coming into my room but a huge improvement over
• Skin - my rashes have gone!  My skin feels great and looks all glowy - in a good way.  People have commented that I look "amazing", which is gratifying

The "Ahhhh not so much" list

• Weight loss
• Stopping all my stress eating (yes, I'm sure these two bullet points are related!)

Between nuts and fruits, and lately Lara bars, I think I'm eating too much.  There have been afternoons when I'm stressed because of work and end up pick, pick, picking at any food I have in the house. It's all been compliant but there's no stopping me when I'm like that. 

So I need to figure that out and beat it.  I also need to start to eat in a slow, quiet environment.  Not in front of the laptop, television, iphone, magazine, newspaper. 

Plus I have a killer work and travel schedule for the next 6 weeks.  It will definitely be more difficult to be compliant, but it would also be very easy to spiral into caffeine/alchohol/crap food just to fake-fuel my way through and end up not sleeping and not working out. 

So given that my personality type does seem to more "abstainer" rather than moderator, maybe I'll just keep going.  I'll sleep on it.