Whole30 Part 1: The Book

As I discussed in this post, I have been cheating like crazy this summer!  My goal was to get fit and be more healthy in my time off.  I also wanted to lose some more fat before I have to go and buy new work clothes.  Especially since at the end of the last school year, I had to borrow some pants from a friend!  I feel like if I have something to stick to, I will be better about not cheating.

This summer, I have TOTALLY ruined my progress on the weekends-- sweets, alcohol, processed foods.. yikes!

Anyhow, my brother started a 30-day reset when I was visiting him last.  I wanted to see what it was all about, so I bought the book It Starts with Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. I read it in just a few days and decided that I wanted to do it too.
For me.
For my (hopefully) new clothes.
For better skin.
For better health.
For my (newly diagnosed) IBS/IBD.
For my muscles.

Basically the premise of the book can be summed up in two sentences:

"The food you eat either makes you more healthy or less healthy. Those are your options."

This book breaks down the science behind clean eating/ paleo/ whole30. It also explains what your body does with the "less healthy" foods that are in our modern culture.  

This means foods like:

Sugar, sweeteners, and alcohol

Seed oils

Grains and legumes

Dairy

Then, then It Starts with Food explains why we need "more healthy" foods in our lives.  This includes foods that meet certain standards.  

The "Good Food" Standards read:

"The food we eat should:

1. Promote a healthy psychological response.

2. Promote a healthy hormonal response.

3. Support a healthy gut.

4. Support immune function and minimize inflammation."

These foods are:
Meat, seafood, and eggs
Vegetables and fruit
The right fats

It also explains what to do if you have an autoimmune disease, IBD or IBS, or allergies.  It also gives information to vegans and vegetarians, those who are very active, and pregnant or nursing women.

At the end of the book is a breakdown of the Whole30 and then some recipes (that look and sound delicious, by the way!)

If you are looking for a reset/cleanse.. this may be something that you want to check out.  I am currently on day two.... only 28 to go ;)