Tuesday was my friend's 30th day on the Whole30. She came over and our kids played outside in a kiddie pool and on a slip-n-slide while we chatted. She told me, "I feel free. I'm no longer a slave to food, and I actually know when I'm hungry now!"
I feel these pictures really don't do justice to the progress that Becky has made in the last 30 days. She looks so much slimmer, and she is positively glowing. So many of us, after going on the Whole30, have had more than just physical changes but spiritual revelations as well. We've shared much of that here, but it continues to be the main theme of all of our Whole30 experiences.
How many of us have turned to food to comfort us when we're hurting, worried, fearful, sad, frustrated or confused? How many of us have been stuck in a rut, no matter what diet we attempt or no matter how hard we try to change our habits?
Becky has struggled with her weight since she was very young. Our government says to exercise and eat healthy whole grains, and yet so many people who are following this advice are severely sick and over weight.
This challenge has also caused Becky to change her children's diet by default (she's the cook, so they eat what she makes), which made her realize her oldest daughter has an issue with wheat.
One of the wonderful things about Whole30 is that when we take on the challenge, our children benefit from it. We begin to see them set free of issues like asthma, eczema, diarrhea, heartburn and acid reflux, and a variety of issues.
Many people are finding their lives changed by cutting out grains, legumes, dairy, sugar, and the chemicals and preservatives that are in so much of the food that we are accustomed to consuming. At first, I was amazed by this list of things people overcame but now, having seen so many victories in our life, it just seems more and more like common sense! Who knew that these culprits could cause you to be allergic to other foods (like healthy fruits and vegetables?). Brandon always had an issue with black pepper, but since cutting out these things he has been able to consume black pepper with no problem! Folks who have had to get through each and every day with heavy pain medications find themselves easily conquering the week with little to no pain medication! Even people struggling with anxiety, depression, and other similar issues have found they are more clear-headed, less stressed and more at peace.
I'm not saying it's a cure-all, but we have seen so many successes and victories in so many areas, not just in our own lives, but in the lives of our friends.
Becky is a testimony of what can happen when you go for it. She says that God used the Whole30 as a tool to free her from a bondage she had been in her whole life.
This is not some gimmick. We don't earn any money from promoting the Whole30 or Paleo diet. We don't benefit in any way from you taking on the challenge.
We just know that many folks of many different shapes and sizes have struggled with food, allergies and asthma, chronic pain, back aches, anxiety, bloating, candida issues, migraines, diabetes, endometriosis, thyroid issues, IBS, infertility, and that pudge that won't budge. We know what it's like to search for relief and not find it. Now we also know what it's like to feel really good, to be migraine-free, to see chronic pain fade away, to not have your stomach in knots, and to finally see weight melt off.
We know what it's like to struggle to say no to Coca-cola and fresh bread, and we know that it can seem like you just cannot do with out those things, but we are here to say that YOU CAN. These things are made to be addictive, but you can break that addiction. Food idols can be smashed to pieces, and you can overcome!
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