I was skinny and athletic in high school, but when I got married my habits changed. Over the years I’ve struggled with weight. I’ve lost weight before, but it was always slow to come off and eventually came back. I now know that the problem was my relationship with food.
My marriage ended in 2016; it was an ugly divorce that cost me most of my friendships. I’m a local politician, and the stress of that job on top of the divorce was more than I could handle.
I turned to food in order to cope. It was unhealthy, and I felt that I was headed for an early grave.
I started seeing health issues related to being overweight; I was only sleeping about 2 hours at a time, most nights getting no more than 4 hours of sleep. I had trouble breathing, skin problems, and knee and ankle pain. I was miserable, and I had lost all hope that it could be any better.
My girlfriend had success with Whole30 in the past. Through the program she discovered a grain allergy, and eventually lost 150 lbs. She offered to do a Whole30 with me.
It wasn’t easy, but I stuck with her through it all. After that month, we decided to continue with our new healthy lifestyle. We added a little cheese into the mix, and we will go out to eat at select restaurants sometimes, but generally we stick to Whole30 compatible recipes.
I could go on and on about the NSVs. Weight loss is the obvious talking point when people see me, but in my mind, it’s just a bonus side effect to feeling so much better. (To date, I’m down 105 pounds and 68 inches overall.)
My joint pain is gone. The rash I had on my chest, stomach and arms is gone. I sleep hard all night and wake up refreshed. I no longer see food as the center of social activity. I don’t go to it for comfort when I’m having a rough day. I don’t snack mindlessly.
Thank you for all you’ve done with Whole30. It hasn’t just changed my life; it has saved it.