Day 31 of 40 - It's Over

No, not my Whole40. I'm sticking with it. (I may even go longer, just to see how far I can go before I find something really worth splurging on!)

My relationship with my scale is over. I did one final weigh-in today to mark the end of the official 30-day period, and now I'm shelving it.

I am once again able to slip effortlessly into my size 4 skinny jeans, and that was one of the things I hoped for - for my clothes to fit properly again. If my clothes get too tight again, I'll know I need to dial in my eating. And if they get too loose and I need to go down another size, then I'll know my body composition has changed. Really, knowing how much pull the earth's gravity has on my body isn't important, so I'm just going to stop keeping track. Besides, the hormonal fluctuations I'm dealing with right now are wreaking havoc on my energy and appetite, and no doubt will affect my weight as well. It's just not worth stressing over any more.

I started a new fitness program yesterday, because I just really love the structure and accountability it brings. Of course, I have no interest in her meal plans, but I enjoy the style of her workouts. I'm going to focus on increasing my strength, muscle definition and endurance, as well as continuing to prioritize healthy eating.

Anyway, in honour of finishing 30 days of Whole30 eating, I thought I'd revisit some of my goals and objectives that I started out with:
-Get plenty of rest. Even though my kids can't be counted on to sleep through the night, I've been doing what I can by going to bed early. I was in bed no later than 10pm almost all of the last 30 nights, and there were just two or three times I was up until about 10:45pm. The bad news is, I've only spent 3 of the last 30 nights in my own bed for the whole night. (Crazy kids...) The good news is, I'm sleeping far more deeply and soundly than I have in a really long time. Much more restorative sleep, I'm sure.
-Take my vitamins diligently, and drink my new licorice root extract tea. I've acquired a taste for the tea and have been generally drinking it twice a day. I haven't been so good at remembering to take my vitamins - must work on that one.
-Modify my exercise routine. I was mostly doing pretty well with this, except I was craving something more intense. Hence the new program. We'll see how it works out.
-Get a handle on my portion sizes. Much improved, though still some work to be done. I still have a hard time not having a second helping of something delicious, even if I'm not still hungry. 
-Quit drinking coffee. Again. Done. I've had a few cups here and there, but I'm no longer hooked on it, and I no longer crave it.
-Post daily. Done!
-Celebrate every success. I think I've done okay with this. Enjoying the improved fit of my clothes and being willing to give up the scale are big successes as far as I'm concerned!

-Indulge in any SWYPO foods. Oops. Oh well, I know I made the right choices for me and my lifestyle.
-Eat any non-approved foods/ingredients. Turns out the sweet potato chips I had were cooked in a bad oil. I should have read the ingredients more carefully.
-Use fruit to replace junk food when a sugar craving hits. I did do that a few times with dates, but not nearly as much as I did during my first Whole30. Definitely an improvement.
-Pig out on something just because it's an "approved food". No pig-outs at all this time. Sometimes an extra portion, but never a full-on pig-out.
-Take any measurements. Failed. And here's why: After just five days I couldn't believe the difference in how my clothes fit, and my curiosity got the better of me. In the first five days I lost 5.5" from my mid-section. FIVE AND A HALF INCHES! Incredible how much bloating and inflammation my body was struggling with after the way I ate when I was at home!
-Continue to beat myself up for the bad choices I've made. Success. I've forgiven myself and moved on. No point dwelling on what I can't change!

-Lose 10lbs. Considering the final weaning process took place during this Whole30, that may have been too ambitious a goal. I've lost 5lbs so far, and that's fantastic. I'll either lose more or I won't. I feel great, and that's the important thing.
-Learn to manage my sugar cravings and my emotionally-driven appetite. Come a long way, still a long way to go.
-Finally wean Baby Belle.  Done! I think it's awesome when women are willing to continue nursing as long as their baby wants to, but that's just not me. With my first two kids, I weaned them because I was pregnant. This time I'm not pregnant (let's just be clear on that...), but my body desperately needs a break. It's been a non-stop hormonal roller-coaster since April of 2007! My first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, then two weeks later I conceived Princess, and then began the overlapping breastfeeding/pregnancy stage. Time for me to just be me for a while, and not require my body to sustain another human being for a while!

So that's that. 30 days down, lots of work done, still more to do. I know what I need to focus on for the remaining days of this Whole40 and beyond.

Breakfast: The usual.
Lunch: Two drumsticks and the end of the spicy cauliflower "rice".
Supper: A fajita-seasoned burger (half beef, half pork) with sliced tomatoes and onions sauteed in ghee, with sauteed baby bok choy and sweet potato hash.
Snacks: A banana! (First one since I started!) Two large date and walnut snack balls.