Yesterday marked two weeks of the Whole9Life Whole30 program I’ve been on. It wasn’t a huge departure from how I was eating before, and I’m not sure if the gains I’m seeing in certain areas are related to smarter training, better sleep, or the nutrition. Likely all of the above, right? Last night, my girlfriend came to some conclusions based on her own observations of where she is physically and emotionally that got me thinking pretty hard about the last two weeks, and the two weeks ahead of me.

Melissa and Dallas make a point of stating that giving foods up isn’t hard:

"It is not hard. Don't you dare tell us this is hard. Giving up heroin is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard."

Sorry Melissa and Dallas. I get the sentiment, but I think, in reality, that’s bullshit. I love Melissa and Dallas, their goals, and the information they provide to the community, so that’s not meant to disrespect them, but for some folks, myself included, there are years of behavior to modify, and in some cases it borders on addiction (if it doesn’t jump right over that line and fully become addiction). I’m not going to go so far as to say I’m addicted to certain foods or alcohol, but there have been a number of times in the past two weeks that I wanted to slam my fist down and say “whiskey, rocks”. Grains? No problem, been there done that. Dairy? Ok, I miss my cheese (in everything) but I’m good. Beans? Fuck beans. But the alcohol…

I live in a town flush with good beer, and a post-work wine or whiskey has been a daily staple for years. I used to own a bar/music venue, and I still enjoy some perks (read: free cover/drinks) at that establishment. I have a grip of friends who work at my favorite local breweries offering up suds on a spring daily. The thread with my struggles? It’s all social. Now, I’m not about to live in a cave in order to eat like a caveman, but the social behavior is hard to change. And I miss it. I have 5 weeks before I’m in a new town in a new state, and a great big part of me feels like I’m missing out on a few final opportunities to take advantage of my friends and the city culture I’ve been involved with for the past 13 years. Is the removal of alcohol good for me? Yes, and I’m aware it’s temporary. Is it hard for me? Yes, and the fact that it’s temporary doesn’t ease the struggle.

I’m also tired of explaining myself to people, but admittedly this is my own fault. Whereas I should just say, “No thanks, I’m good” or “I’m driving” or whatever, I seem to start off with “I can’t.” And when I’m asked why, I inevitably start talking about it. Now that I’m being reflective, I think I’m actually guilty of some douchiness here. Maybe I have been wanting people to ask, just so I can talk about it. Hmmm, gonna have to put some thought/work into that one. This issue in particular is easy, though. I’ll just change my response.

Regardless, it’s never going to be the right time. And I’ll never suggest someone else go through this experience without having done it myself. That alone will carry me through the next two weeks when I hit those low points, which I surely will. Hopefully at the end of it, I’ll have some better insights to share about the experience with others, or at the very least a better understanding of what’s important to me and how I can best integrate those things into my life without sacrificing as much overall health/performance.

Posted via email from Die Going Forward | Comment »