Burbank Mom

Raising My Kids In The Media City

Why I Did The Whole30…And Why I’m Going For 90 

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It all begins with sugar. My relationship with food has been severely unhealthy since I was a child. You have an emotion? I’ve got a food for that. Happy, Excited, Scared, Sad, Stressed, Worried…. I’m pretty sure a Snickers Bar will cover anything. Well, all my life that’s how it’s been anyway.

Sugar was something I could get away with as a child. Most of us can, really. I was a college athlete who also could get away with abusing food, because I was working out more than my peers. The Freshman 15 never got me. My exercise could cover my eating disorder. I’ll say disorder, because that’s what a disorder is. It’s not just Anorexia and Bulimia. It’s also Compulsive Overeating. Eating bags of chocolate for a meal? Yup. I’ve done that more times than I care to admit. Hiding food wrappers so my children won’t see what I’m consuming? Done that too. Sugar is my addiction. And I’m just lightly covering my abuse here.

I had become so good at dealing with how I was feeling using food, it’s no wonder I wasn’t obese. I guess my genetics has something to do with that, but the older I get, the less my genetics can help. Age and metabolism have a role. 2014 was a year when I half-jokingly made a resolution to “not look pregnant” anymore. After all, it had been 4 years since the birth of my last baby. But, by the time Fall came, I had not done anything to work at that goal. As a matter of fact, I went the entire summer of 2014 never having put on a swimsuit, because I was too uncomfortable. I don’t care your size… you can be a size 24 and rock a swimsuit…if you feel good about yourself. I did not. It’s not about size. It’s not about weight…it’s about how you feel.

You see, at that point, I had been so used to handling any situation with food, I was incapable of understanding how I would change. I had tried many times…and many ways. Food had such a hold on me. My parents’ divorce at 16, my mother’s first round with breast cancer, getting married and moving thousands of miles away from my family, figuring out marriage at a young age, having children with no family around, losing my mother to breast cancer, being a busy mother to three and a wife to one…. life. Life happens and I use food.

Always have.

In the Fall of 2014, something started to change. A series of events happened that, in hindsight, I’d say started to line things up for me, so I’d be able to take a big step toward breaking my addiction with sugar. I had already been thinking about the major factors against me. I was 60 pounds overweight. My mother died of breast cancer. My father has had a heart attack (he’s okay), I had gestational diabetes with my last pregnancy. And more importantly, I am a non-profit director that “preaches” healthy lifestyle and raises money for breast cancer research.

What the what?? My hypocrisy was shining bright and as the New Year approached, I was starting to do more research on food and addiction. I have loved ones close to me who have worked hard on their own sobriety from alcohol and drugs, I had learned a lot about addiction. Sugar….can be an addiction. Food… is a choice. 

Then a TEDTalk changed everything.

This TED Talk confirmed a few things I had already been feeling about food. We, as Americans, eat so much processed food. So much. Its so easy! The family and I had already quit McDonalds months ago at this point. One of their French Fry’s went through the washing machine with the kids’ laundry and came out fully intact. I said, ‘Nope. We’re not eating this. It’s not real food.’ Luckily, my kids were just fine with that news. (Now, driving across the country with three kids, you frequently run into areas where there are literally no other choices..I’m talking about a regular choice) Mc Donalds’ French fries have 19 ingredients in them..just FYI. In & Out.. three. Potatoes, Salt & Oil.

I digress… food was something I was starting to pay attention to as 2015 rang in. Again, I made the same resolution…”Don’t look pregnant.” This wasn’t even for vanity reasons, I’m a pretty low maintenance girl. It was because I didn’t feel well, and I was not taking care of myself. I started watching documentaries like GMO/OMG and FOOD Inc. I started really paying attention to what I was putting in my family’s bodies. But, I was still abusing sugar myself.

Then February happened. A friend of mine had posted on Facebook that she had just finished the Whole30 and felt great. What?! That’s a crazy thing to do I thought. I had other friends who did it, but there was something so inspirational about what this friend had done, I texted her immediately. She told me how she felt and she was going to do it again a month later and encouraged me to join her.

I spent the next week researching Whole30 and practicing eating a few things without Dairy, Sugar, Soy, Grains, Beans and Alcohol. I decided this was something I was going to try and waiting another month for my friend wouldn’t work, I would only sabotage myself further.

So, I started my first Whole30 on February 15th. I made a sticker chart and really did it. I finished that one and did another. I started my third Whole 30 on April 14th and my husband has joined me on this one. This is not something I’m going to do forever. The Whole30 is meant to give you time to rid your body of things that could be doing harm to your body…and then reintroduce them. (Not sure sugar should ever be reintroduced) However, after 30 days, I knew I wasnt ready to stop. My physical results were amazing (I’ll bravely share those next time). My emotional results were just getting started. In my second Whole30, I nearly had a tearful breakdown in Trader Joes thinking about all those amazing goodies above the frozen food aisle. Oh, how I still longed to buy a container of any of it and consume it in the parking lot.

At that point, I knew I wasn’t ready to stop. My body and mind were not ready to commit to my heart yet. So…Whole90 or bust!

I share this with you, because just like my friend inspired me to make a change..I hope one person is inspired by what I’m doing. Just one. It doesn’t have to be Whole30...just a change to take control of our lives and how we treat ourselves.

This is important.

I plan to share with you many, many tips and my results, both physically and mentally. Change is possible. Permanent change is possible.

About Jessica Cribbs

Jessica Cribbs has lived in Burbank for over 20 years and is a mom to three and wife to a man who stands back and watches all of her crazy ideas. She created BurbankMom.com in 2005 because she just loved being a mother in Burbank and wanted a resource for families. Jessica, originally from a small farm town in Michigan is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University.

Comments

  1. Heather says

    This brought some tears to my eyes. Thank you for being soo transparent and honest. That’s what we need to inspire and encourage each other. I’m so thankful to be on this whole30 journey with you. Maybe we should take some before and afters together 😀😀 !!

    Reply

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