reset

What is the Whole30?
"Think of it as a short-term nutritional reset, designed to help you restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive track, calm systematic inflammation, and put an end to unhealthy cravings, habits, and relationships with food." from page 204 of It starts with Food by Melissa Hatwig and Doug Hartwig

Chapter 17 explains why it's 30 days. Basically, its the minimum to establish new habits. But they advocate no cheats, no slips, and no gradual weaning. they explain on p202:

"Despite what you may believe, habit research shows dramatic changes are actually easier for us to manage, both physically and psychologically." They go on to explain the brain science behind their claim.

And, "Simply limiting added sugar ("I'm going to have only one sweet per day") leads to incessant battles of willpower, continued cravings, and small sugar hits, which keeps your brain focused on sugar." Yikes. Why is it so scary to give up sugar completely?

They have a whole chapter (ch 4, Your Brain on Food) about the psychological slavery (my word not theirs) that sugar holds us to. I think that chapter has been one of the biggest influences to do this.

I'm not sure how much of a book is legal to quote online. I'll look into it. (I wouldn't want to keep somebody from buying the book. It's worth the $10 kindle purchase!) But I'd like to take notes and share quotes here on this blog to help keep me motivated and think through my eating. 

So. I need a reset. I desire real habit change. Lets do this.