Are you starting to get the feeling that I’m beating this Whole30 experience to death? Fair enough.

Probably because I kind of am. But let me explain why.

The 30 days I was on the Whole30 impacted me more than I could have imagined. I honestly wasn’t sure if I was even going to finish it in the first place. But since I did, I have gained a bit of confidence in myself. And now I know I actually have self control-who knew?

But since finishing the Whole30, things have not been amazing. And here is why…

*The biggest thing I have noticed is that I have been very confused about food. I feel as if I was brainwashed into thinking if a food isn’t Whole30 compliant, then it’s automatically bad for me.

That just isn’t the case. Logically, I know that.

Even so, I feel a pang of guilt if I decide to have black beans as the protein in a salad. Or if I decide to eat a sandwich, with bread (!!), I may as well just have a chocolate shake for lunch. Or, God forbid, I eat yogurt for breakfast!!

*I have been much more aware of my body’s reactions to foods. And to be honest, it’s a bit annoying.

I’ve been working on making adjustments to my diet so I can feel good again, but I also want to be relaxed about what I eat. I didn’t like being on such a strict diet. And, I enjoy eating out on occasion, and while on the Whole30, eating out is just not in the cards.

*Chocolate and I don’t have the same relationship as before. It makes me ill. Not if I have just one bite. If I have more than four bites of chocolate, I will be hating life for awhile after.

Yes, this is a good thing. I don’t need to be relying on chocolate to get me to 5 pm. But it was very unexpected for me. I saved an Easter candy stash for myself while I was on the diet. Once I was off, I kept trying to eat it, but it kept making me feel sick. So I got rid of it.

*I was never as close to ice cream as I was to chocolate, but I was a big fan. WAS.

*I had to make clarified butter. Regular butter is out now. Because now I know for a fact it makes me feel bloated and disgusting.

*I have to find a low sugar coffee drink because I am much more aware of all.the.sugar.that.is.everywhere.

And let’s face it, anything good from Starbucks has at least 40 grams of sugar. (Seriously. Check their nutrition facts.)

So now, I am really working on finding a happy medium. I know which foods make me feel good, and I know what makes me feel awful.

But I’m fairly certain, and this pains me to say it, that I will go back to the Whole30 Diet way of life. At least 80% of the time. Because, you know, 80/20 is a nice, healthy, happy way to live. Right?

Have you ever tried the Whole30? What was your experience?

If you’re thinking about giving it a shot and would like some help on getting through it, check out My Whole30 Tips.