So the creators of the Whole30 have a special rule -- one that I have not ever encountered on any other diet.
You can't step on the scale during the entire 30 days.
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| One of my Whole30 meals |
This program is challenging for me. I turned my diet upside down by giving up sugar, bread, and dairy. Instead I fill my plate with protein, tons of veggies, a little fruit, and some healthy fats. Plus, I have to cook almost every meal as it is quite difficult to eat out. So that means lots of time in the kitchen and tons of dirty dishes.
The first week I was fighting sugar withdrawal. I felt terrible, especially on days 3 and 4. I'm feeling better now and I'm starting to see the benefits this way of eating has on my energy, but that first week was particularly tough.
There was more than one morning that I desperately wanted to step on the scale. If I can just see that it's working, I'll be motivated to stick to it.
But what is the definition of "working"? Just losing weight?
And it got me thinking. Our culture is one of instant gratification. We want specific things and we want them now. For me, I want to lose weight. Like, yesterday.
But when it comes to long-term health, there are no shortcuts (at least, none that I can find and trust me, I've looked). The goal of the Whole30 is to break those old habits and create a new way of thinking and eating. That means taking a break from the scale and the instant gratification of losing a pound or two and rather focusing on how the food you eat makes you more or less healthy over the long-haul.
Yes, I hope to lose weight on this program. But I also want to feel better and be healthier. And that means delaying gratification, at least for a little while.
