30 Days of Smart Eating Led to These 10 Healthy Changes

You may remember that I completed a Whole30 challenge last year alongside a couple of fabulous health bloggers. It went well, but I’ll admit I quickly slipped back into old habits once it was over. This was due to poor lifestyle choices, not the challenge itself.

With that in mind, I decided it was time to embark on a second round of Whole30 this past January to see if the changes would stick.

Many people have questioned this challenge, believing that it’s not sustainable or that it is often used as a quick fix to lose weight or achieve specific results quickly. While I haven’t used Whole30 as a quick fix for anything, I will admit that it’s not sustainable in the long term, mainly because Whole30 allows zero "cheating," which is simply not realistic in today's world. You’d have to be superhuman to maintain this indefinitely.

However, I do find Whole30 to be sustainable for 30 days, after which you’re encouraged to take what you have learned and make smart food choices going forward. I believe that is a realistic goal.

A Quick Whole30 Food Guideline

The plan also encourages drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep, avoiding the scale, and focusing on the delicious foods you can eat, rather than those you can't. The book It Starts With Food outlines this in more detail.

Now, on to what I’ve learned. Below are the top 10 “life improvements” I’ve noticed after completing my second Whole30 challenge. Some relate directly to food, but there are also several health and lifestyle changes.

My Whole30 Resulted in These 10 Health & Lifestyle Improvements

1 Improved Digestion

Digestive disorders are all too common in the United States due to the typical American diet. I’ve experienced my fair share of regular digestive upset because of this. While on Whole30, I didn’t experience a single instance of digestive upset. The transition from daily discomfort to none at all, just by consuming Whole30-approved foods, is reason enough to maintain such a lifestyle as much as possible.

2 Kicked the Cravings

Cravings are a real challenge. One of the main goals of Whole30 is to combat unhealthy food cravings, particularly sugar, which seems to be in almost everything these days. Personally, I’m overly fond of chocolate. I have a dish of Dove chocolates at my desk for myself and coworkers. It’s been three days since my final Whole30 day as I write this, and I have yet to grab a square. I also don’t feel the need to snack or grab something unhealthy like I used to. Clearly, something went right.

3 Decreased Hunger Pangs

I’m sure you’ve heard of "bored hunger," the idea that you eat simply because you're bored. This used to be a common occurrence for me, especially while working at a desk and spending my evenings reading, writing, or binge-watching Netflix. Not anymore. After adopting an eating plan that involves smaller meals throughout the day, I no longer feel the need to snack on unnecessary and unwanted calories. Read Next: 38 Proven Tips to Stop Overeating

4 Put the Brakes on “Out to Eat” Habits

Eating out is a significant issue for me, as well as visiting coffee shops. Adopting the habit of not going out during Whole30 has really helped me curb this behavior. I went out a few times for previously planned family events and book club, but the spontaneous outings stopped entirely. Instead, I embraced the habit of preparing meals and cooking at home.

While I’m not fond of the time it sometimes takes to make meals, I do love to cook, so forcing myself back into this routine was well worth it. I highly encourage you to discover a passion for cooking if you haven’t already.

5 Better Sleeping Habits

I mentioned this during my first Whole30 and I’ll mention it again: getting enough sleep is crucial. I used to toss and turn for an hour before falling asleep, often because I ate too close to bedtime. Establish a time for your final meal and stick to it. Your body doesn’t need that random snack just because you feel like it. Bedtime snacks shouldn’t exist, unless they’re another term for supper and occur hours before sleep.

Also, don’t let yourself be captivated by those last few chapters of a book or the final episode of your favorite TV show right at bedtime. I know it’s difficult, but they’ll be there the next day. Prioritizing sleep will be beneficial for your body.

6 Increased Energy

There’s a common misconception in this country that sugar boosts energy, and that’s simply not true, especially not in the long run. I found myself with more energy after eliminating sugar than I ever had while consuming it. The body isn’t designed to handle the amount or types of sugar the average American consumes.

The only sugar I consumed this past month was the natural sugar found in fruits and some vegetables. Getting enough sleep also contributed to higher energy levels, as did becoming more active. You don’t need sugar, special drinks, or pills to feel energetic.

7 Boosted Hair, Skin & Nail Health

My hair has always been somewhat unmanageable, and my skin has never been completely clear. Now, my hair feels more manageable and less frizzy, and my skin continues to improve. My nails have a shine I’ve never noticed before, and they also aren’t breaking as they used to. Remember, this improvement is solely from changing my diet. It truly is remarkable.

8 Tried New Recipes

I’ve always enjoyed discovering new recipes. I was concerned about repeating my previous Whole30 with the same meals, but I ended up repeating only two recipes that I loved so much I had to make them again. It’s amazing how many food bloggers are out there finding new ways to make food taste good without repeating the same meals. I’ve included some of my favorite recipe pictures below.

9 Formed New Online Bonds

I’ve been a fan of forming online friendships since early high school. The Internet provides access to meeting fascinating people across the globe. I have had the privilege of working with health bloggers at BubbForest, which made it easy to find Whole30 participants in the blogging world and on social media sites.

Finding like-minded individuals on the same journey is inspiring. There’s no reason to do Whole30 alone. I highly recommend finding a supportive community when pursuing any health or lifestyle goals.

10 Motivation to Continue & Teach Others

Something shifted after my last Whole30 that I didn’t fully embrace until this second round. Instead of packing up my enthusiasm and returning to my previous lifestyle, I maintained my motivation. I don’t know what’s different this time, but I am not ready to move on, and I don’t want to.

In my last week of Whole30, a coworker decided to start her first Whole30. Passing on It Starts With Food and sharing tips and tricks with her felt rewarding. I was passing the torch while keeping a bit of the flame for myself. I know I won’t maintain a 100% Whole30 lifestyle, but I am confident that something very close to it will stick better this time around.

Have you ever tried Whole30 or a similar plan? Thoughts?