Becky's Whole30- COMPLETED!

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!

Milk: It does the body... bad?

Brandon and I represent two sides of a coin when it comes to dairy. He was raised consuming a hefty amount of dairy products, and in my household, we hardly had any, save for a couple times a month when dad made biscuits and gravy, or mom sprinkled a little on a casserole.

My family was pretty aware that dairy products didn't really mesh well with our systems, so it wasn't something we guzzled down with breakfast, while it was fairly common for my husband's family to drink a large glass of milk each morning.

I knew dairy made my stomach all sorts of icky unless I kept it to a minimum. So I could have a cheesy enchilada one day, a small ice cream the next, and be okay, and by that I mean I wouldn't be running for the bathroom, stomach bubbling furiously and my gut letting me know it hated me with frantic, stabbing pains.  But, if I had just a little too much, you can bet I would be regretting it.  The richer the dairy product, the worse the effect. So I learned to choose my dairy-treats wisely.  I didn't go for cheese on a burger. I'd rather have chips and queso. I could pass up cheese cake because I'd prefer cream cheese stuffed jalapenos!.  I'd skip milk in my cereal because several spoonfuls of gravy running over fresh southern biscuits sounded much better.

Bacon wrapped cream cheese stuffed jalapenos. I could eat the whole plateful!

One thing about going on the Whole30 is that it separates you from foods you may have known caused issues, but you believed were okay as long as there was balance.  Dairy was one of those for me.  I mean, I like thick, rich creamer in my coffee. Even better, I like sweetened homemade whipped cream in my coffee! A tad here, a bit here, and I should be fine. No big deal.

So I decided to test it out yesterday with a small serving of icecream.  Ah, no tummy aches.  I felt pretty good. No real issues..... and then BAM.

Back pain.

I may have mentioned that, since taking the Whole30 challenge, my back pain has pretty much been nil. This is pretty amazing because I have suffered with back issues ever since I was really young.  My husband logged a lot of time massaging out knots and sore areas in my back.  There is one specific spot that frequently gave me trouble.  This spot in between my shoulder blades often sent stabbing pains through my body.  It would trigger my asthma and often make me feel like I was having a heart attack.  Sometimes the pain would be so bad I would hardly be able to breathe or move.  I also often had pain on the right side of my lower back/waist.  The muscle there was tender, and I also felt like my leg was out.  I had forgotten how bad the pain could be... until last night.  

As I crawled into bed, I could feel the tightening between my shoulder blades, and the pain in my lower back/side.  It was pretty miserable, and I knew it was due to dairy.  I never realized that my back pain was tied so closely to my dairy consumption.  It makes sense because as my diary consumption has increased over the years (being married to a cheese-lover and all), so has my back pain.

Back pain, migraines, rashes, and such are not normal.  These are warning signs.  After dealing with back pain for so long, I had just accepted it as a part of life, something I couldn't change but could only manage with chiropractic care and massages (which are great options, but not cures!).  Sure, changing your diet may not take away your every pain and woe, but your body doesn't hurt and break out in rashes or have a range of mild to severe reactions just because it enjoys playing such terrible games! 

This is your body's way of telling you something is wrong.  It's the alarm that says, "Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" or warns you that something needs fixing.  We can throw medicine down the hatch, or we can change what we throw down the hatch.  

I know some of you are thinking, "But I can't do without....."

I know some of you are major cheese addicts, much like my husband.  But, if Brandon can give it up, so can you!  The first few weeks of breaking an addiction are difficult. I'm not going to tell you that it will be easy, because it won't be, but you just might find it's worth it.  

Many foods cause inflammation- even some of the foods allowed on Whole30 may cause inflammation issues for you. But, the great thing about removing dairy, grains, and legumes is that the main inflammation culprits are taken out of the game!  If you are struggling from back pain, arthritis, migraines, or various forms of chronic pain, you may find some relief in removing these foods, just as many others have.

Another reminder- you can't just give it up for a few days or a week to see if "it works".  Your body requires time to cleanse your system and recover.  That is why the Whole30 challenge is so beneficial.  In 30 days, you can see a lot of changes and experience a good bit of healing.  For many, it will take even longer.  In 30 days, you might find a lot of food idols being broken down, and you will see that you can indeed live without the foods you thought you could never go without.

Some find that raw dairy suits them just fine, but, for many of us, the only dairy we can handle is butter.  And I love butter, so that's fine with me.

Becky's W30- Day 10

Several of our friends have decided to try out the Whole30, but today I (Mandy) want to introduce you to my "sister-from-another-mister", Becky.  I love this girl.  She's really beautiful, inside and out, and her smile just lights up a room. She has a bubbly personality, and she's very outgoing.  She knows no stranger. She's always friendly. And, at the risk of sounding like a ten year old, she's my very bestest friend, after my husband, of course.

Becky took on the challenge when she realized she was using food as a crutch.  Just as I did, she suddenly saw that she had been turning to food instead of Jesus Christ. She found comfort in grazing on food throughout the day rather than running to her Savior.

Becky and I have a lot in common. We both have five children (similar age ranges), we both home school, we're both pretty nutty in the noggin, and we both really want to be healthy and provide healthy food for our families.  (See her beautiful family above?)

Becky with Evie (my daughter), Joshua (her baby), Abigail (her toddler),
and Me (Mandy) with Molly Jo
(March 2013)

Abigail (Becky's toddler), and Evie with Becky in the background.

Becky has struggled with food and weight since she was very young. Recently she confessed to the Lord that her willpower and knowledge simply are not enough, and now He's transforming her body in more ways than weight and body shape!

But, right now, in this post, I'm going to post about weight and body shape until I can do a proper interview.

When we first took her measurements, she was four days into the Whole30 (April 25th).  Today she is 10 days in!

April 25th measurements:

185 lbs (weight)

42 inches (breast)

36 inches (below breast)

40 1/2 inches (belly button area)

43 inches (widest part of hips)

27 inches (thigh)

Today, May 1st she's measuring in at:

179 lbs (weight)  

41 inches (breast)

36 inches (below breast)
37 inches(belly button area)

43 inches (widest part of hips)

24 inches (thigh)

and today we also measured the widest part of her bicep, which was 15.25 inches.

TEN DAYS, people. Ten days of eating healthy, satisfying, flavorful food.  Ten days without constant snacking.

AMAZING. 

While I don't have Day 1 photos of her, I did snap photos today.  I want to thank Becky for letting me share these on my blog, because, yes, I did ask if I could share all of this.

Toddler photo bomb!

I've already noticed major changes in her (I mean she did lose over three inches around her middle! WHAT? In only TEN DAYS?).  And, that smile seems all the more bigger now. I love that smile!