Yesterday was the end of one full week on this fourth round of Whole30. How did I do? Well, I made a lot of progress, and a lot of it is what are called Non-Scale Victories (NSV’s). I’ll list them.

• I lost 9 lbs. Whole30 says to not weigh yourself until the end of the Whole30. I ignore that because:
  This isn’t my first Whole30
  I am data driven and need to track progress to stay motivated
  I am not easily deterred or demotivated when I see the numbers climb. I know it’s part of the process.

• I lost a solid inch (or a little more) as told by my belts and how my trousers all feel now
• I am through the Whole30 Flu, and I feel the surge in energy every morning now
• My sleep is better and I’m not waking up in the middle of the night anymore
• It’s easier to focus and think. It’s hard to explain, but everything just feels better

All of the above are very welcome and positive. But what are the negatives?

• No more drinking cider or some sort of alcohol with dinner or in the evenings
• No more chia puddings which makes me less “Regular”
• No more occasional Paleo chocolate chip cookies. God, I miss those

After writing out the “Negatives,” I realize how much I have gained through my NSV’s by giving those things up. Those three items on that negatives list is where the bulk of my bad habits were, and where the vast majority of sugar was finding its way into my diet. By cutting those out, I’ve gained so much!

It was a hard week. Honestly, it was the toughest first week on a Whole30 I’ve ever had. But I’m glad I’m doing it right now, and I’m glad to be past the first week. Now, it’s just on to three more weeks of solid progress and doing the work. Coupled with my exercise, I should be seeing more weight loss over the coming weeks, though admittedly, I know that the chances of me losing another 10 lbs in the next three weeks are pretty slim. 5 lbs, however, is well within the realm of possibility.