Sherry and I started our last Whole30 on January 5th, a day ahead of schedule, because we’d had enough. We had been eating horribly for a month in December, and our bodies were reeling from it. Bloated, overweight, and sluggish, we couldn’t endure another day of eating poorly. Sure, the food was delicious, but we’d gotten to the point where the novelty of eating “Anything” had worn off, and honestly, the flavors weren’t worth the horrible feeling we were experiencing. We’d gotten used to our bodies feeling “Good.”

The Whole30 itself was a success. I had reset my portions, kicked the new addiction to sugar, and I lost 12 lbs. The initial weight loss of 10 lbs happened in the first week. The next 2 lbs came the following week. And then? Nothing. Plateau.

I finished the Whole30 happy with my success. Even though I was in a plateau, I was happy. Everything was looking up. I knew I just had to keep doing the right things, and the scale and the way I felt in my clothes (NSV) would reward me. Sure enough, two weeks after the end of this last Whole30, I’ve lost 6 more lbs bringing 2020’s total to 18 lbs.

Yes, my clothes all feel much better now; back to normal. My mind has regained its clarity. My runs are getting easier, not only because I run every other day, but because it’s easier to run when you’re lighter. Best of all, I feel so much better overall. It’s just a great feeling to not be bloated, sluggish, and feeling as if in a mental fog.

This journey is one that requires perseverance and patience. In the beginning of our Whole30, I was lamenting the fact that it was taking forever, and Sherry threw my words back at me: “Didn’t you just write something about patience?” She asked. “Well, yeah, but…” She just raised an eyebrow at me. She was right. I needed to heed my own words.

And I did. In the evenings, after my runs, I have a habit of talking to myself in the mirror as I wait for the water to reach a comfortable temperature for me (which Sherry says is cold. Not everyone likes to shower in water fit for a lobster, Sherry!). No, I don’t answer, but I motivate myself. I tell myself things we need to do to continue to make progress, or sometimes I just congratulate myself for a good workout. Most days in the past two months, it’s been, “Keep doing the right things. You’ll get the results you’re looking for.” It feels good when it finally starts to happen, day after day.

I think back to my first weight loss adventure four years ago when I was losing, on average, 10 lbs per month. I remember how great it felt week after week seeing the numbers go down, and even being confused once when it dropped so much I thought I’d remembered my previous weight incorrectly (I didn’t). That’s how it feels now being in the mid-180’s.

Moral of this long post: stick with the plan. Even if you’re not seeing the results you want, keep doing the work. Continue to analyze what you’re doing, and make small adjustments if you think that an improvement can be made. Also, be realistic. Science is your friend. Sometimes, it’s possible you’re getting too LITTLE to eat, or that you just need an extra half hour to sleep. Maybe the portions are a little too big, or that extra handful of nuts in the afternoon should be reduced or eliminated. Some little things can make a big difference.