I am so excited to share Bethany’s Whole30 results with you! Bethany is a wife, mom, massage therapist, and primal health coach! She has done FOUR Whole30’s, even one 6 months postpartum. Hopefully her story encourages you to start YOUR Whole30!
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
My name is Bethany Knight. I am a massage therapist in Charleston, SC. I was born and raised in Los Angeles where image is of more value than who you are as a person. I struggled with my weight all my life. I was always the thick girl or big boned. I never felt comfortable in my own skin. I am young yet my body felt aged and I was over emotional pretty much all of the time. Despite that I still pursued a life of adventure. I went to college in the Redwood forest and kayaked, surfed, white water rafted and hiked… all hobbies that I still currently love to pursue. I eventually became a Park Ranger where hiking daily kept the poor eating habits from fully taking over my health. Until that season came to an end and I ballooned to over 200lbs (5yrs ago).
Where/when did you first hear about Whole30?
I first heard about Whole30 about two years ago from a pastor. I didn’t really dig deep into it at the time because I had been on Weight Watchers.
When was your Whole30?
I finally did my first Whole 30 challenge in January of 2016. I had gotten married to a health freak (and nurse) and learned more than I ever could about nutrition and health. I started the Whole30 to see if it would change the way I felt and possibly solidify some great eating habits.
What was the biggest challenge you overcame during Whole30?
My biggest challenge to Whole30 was meal prep. It got overwhelming to plan meals and cook them. But I realized I was over complicating my meals and just needed to keep it simple.
What are some of the Non Scale Victories you experienced?
While on the Whole30 I did lose weight, but my proudest non-scale victories were increased energy and strength (which I noticed during a day of work with five back-to-back massages). My body looked less inflamed. I could almost see my abs!! Things were just tighter! I slept through the night and then woke up (without needing an alarm every morning) rested and ready for the day. And best of all, I felt more emotionally stable. No more depression, anxiety… When stressful events took place I was cool as a cucumber. Even during menstruation.
This latest Whole30, I feel more alert and energetic (as much as a new mom can be). My back and joints don’t hurt any more. I started working out on day 10 and felt even better. Skin has cleared up, I’m regular (if you know what I mean), I’ve switched to decaf (gasp) because full-caf is too much for me.
The key that made this Whole30 different is reading Melissa Hartwig’s new book
Food Freedom Forever along with it. I truly feel closer to my food freedom goals and am less concerned with coming off the program than I did 3 resets ago. I already know what foods give me negative reactions and which foods are worth it. Still not at pre-pregnancy weight yet, but I’m so excited to see how far I can go with this renewed zeal for life change!
What is something you wished you had known before starting Whole30?
I did a lot of research before starting the Whole30 so I can’t think of anything that I could say I wish I had known before I started, but I will say this, write down your goals. Why are you doing this program/making this lifestyle change? What do you want your life to look like after the challenge is over? Keep that piece of paper out and review it whenever you feel tempted to quit.
Are there any specific meals or recipes you loved during your Whole30?
One great go-to recipe that I enjoyed was a
Sweet Potato Chili. It’s a huge serving and my husband and I ate it for days, but it is so yummy that I didn’t care.
Follow along with Bethany’s Story!
