Whole30: Accountability & (Staying) Motivated

Ok, my friends. Just a few short days until my Whole60 (which likely will turn into Whole90… Or maybe Whole120-eeeek!) is about to begin.

And man, am I excited.

It feels like New Year’s Eve. You know the feeling– when things feel fresh, new, we have all the motivation in the world to do all the things.

The kicker is, much like New Years Resolutions, it is sometimes a lot of work to keep that enthusiasm and motivation going. Especially with something that requires the planning, energy and forethought as Whole30. (Want to know more about this Whole30 thing? Check out the Low-down here. Or tips for planning. Oh, and don’t miss Part 1 and Part 2 of What to expect.)

So today, I am sharing a few tips on how to find accountability in this process and stay motivated.

Recruit (or Voluntell) a Cheering Section

Last year when I did my Whole120 experience, I had an accountability partner, Danilynn. She was right there in the unprocessed-drink-your-coffee-black-dang-it-the-food-I-want-is-non-compliant day. Every single day, for 120 days, we would send a quick text before bedtime with the following: Scale of 1-5 with how our day went (1 being #WhompWhomp and 5 being #YeahAMERICA!) We also shared any victories (big or small) as well as challenges or struggles we faced.

It was SUCH a huge help to have someone going through the same thing. Talk about solidarity.

I plan on doing something similar this time, only on a difference scale. Each week, I will write a blog with how the prior week went: What I ate, how I prepped, what tasted great (or not so much), victories, challenges and of course overall week ranking. I will be sharing all that here at 7 Days Time and also in our Facebook group (which you are welcome to join.) Join our cheering section and join us with your #Whole30SquadGoals.

Find things that give you joy in the process

This is a great life tip in general, but will drastically help you out in your everyday. (I do this most days, even when I’m not Whole30ing… <– Can that be a verb?)

It can be a cool moment when you discover a new food (Whole30 compliant bacon at Costco?!?! Jesus really DOES love me!) or when that black cup of coffee, sans sugar and creamer, starts to taste delicious. Or the moment that a strawberry tastes sweeter than any cake you have ever eaten. Or when you create a new, incredibly awesome yet nerdy way to plan menus via reusable magnetic menu calendar.

Oh. And don’t forget to share (and even document!) your victories. We are overcomers, my friend– and not just in the kitchen. #JesusReference #WhatsUpYo

Remember your WHY

You know I am huge advocate of writing stuff down. Because when my brain gets foggy or I am in a funk, it’s hard to see the flowers in what seems to be a very weed-filled day. I highly recommend you take a moment consider what you hope to gain from your Whole30 experience. Then write them down. Where you can see them. DAILY. Maybe it is on a card in your quiet time journal. A sticky-note on your bathroom. Or for me, on the bottom of my nerdy workout training plan spreadsheet.

Oh. And one note about that– feel free to reference the Whole30 Non-Scale Victories. While many people jump into a “diet” hoping to lose #AllThePoundage, and weigh loss can (and usually does) occur with Whole30, that really should not be your primary (or only) motivation. Why? Because Whole30 is more of a lifestyle change.

Here’s my (abridged) WHY for this round of Whole60+…

Deeper, more restful sleep
Fall Asleep Faster
Less Anxiety
Empowerment (not deprivation)
Freedom from Food cravings/worship
Tame my Sugar Dragon
More efficient workouts
Greater daily joy
Set a good example for my kiddos
Less joint pain (thanks, pregnancy)
Get a jump-start on shedding the pregnancy weight
Run faster
Less bloating
Regaining Confidence in my appearance
More energy (aka, after 4:30pm)
Boosted Immunity
Fewer mood swings (this one goes out to my Beloved Husband)
No longer use food for comfort
Banish Emotional Eating
Listen to my body
Eat to live, not live to eat
Fewer Cravings
Improved memory (#MomBrainStruggle)
Adding new recipes to my repertoire