Whole30 transformed Peggy’s life
“Almost ready!” Peggy Jindra called, unwrapping a painrelief patch. It’d been years since the Minnesota grandmother had slipped on ice and suffered excruciating nerve damage in her leg. Recent surgery helped— she was back at work, able to sleep through the night, her spirits up—yet it was still a struggle to manage the discomfort. Bending to apply the patch, there was a sudden tug behind her, then… burning agony. She cried out, feeling muscles in her back spasm wildly. This can’t be happening, Peggy thought, tears filling her eyes. I can’t take one more thing. Her husband, Bruce, rushed in. “What is it? What can I do?” he asked breathlessly. She saw panic on his face and flashed back to her worst days. She’d promised him the dark times were behind them. But were they?
After a muscle relaxant and extra pain patches, the throbbing subsided a bit. Driving home from their weekend getaway, Peggy stared out the window. Everything always went wrong with her health. After the fall, she’d lost all control of her leg and had fallen again and again, worsening the damage. She’d spent what seemed like forever in bed, packed in ice, listening to life go on around her.
On top of that, Peggy had dealt with life-threatening tumors, rosacea, migraines, high blood pressure, asthma and sleep apnea. Doctors had long said that her weight made all her other problems worse; years ago, after countless failed diets, she even endured weight-loss surgery. That failed too. Now 310 pounds, she was heavier than before the procedure. Glancing at Bruce, she could see how worried he still was. I can’t just give up, she thought. But what was the alternative?
An answer came as she walked in her front door. Peggy spied a diet book a friend had given her, one she’d only skimmed at the time. Now, she felt drawn to The Whole30. Poring over the pages, it promised to help her press the “reset” button on her health, improving everything from skin conditions and weight to breathing issues and chronic pain. Ha! It sounds like it was written just for me, she thought.
Peggy continued reading, intrigued by the idea that certain foods cause or worsen inflammation inside us and that inflammation is a root cause of countless health problems. The solution? Temporarily avoiding common inflammatory culprits (sugar, dairy, grains and beans) and instead building meals around veggies (even potatoes!), fruit, protein and healthy fats. It’s a lot to give up, but there’s a lot you can have, she thought. Plus, you eat until you’re full— no stress about portions. After 30 days, Peggy could experiment with
eliminated foods, adding back options that didn’t cause issues. The book included transformations from people who started in far worse shape than Peggy. She vowed: I’m going to do this.
Finding hope
The next morning, Peggy went “shopping” in her kitchen. She had the fixings for a Whole30approved veggie stir-fry, chicken with apples and salmon patties. Each was delicious and filling. But in the evening, she found herself craving carbs. Recalling a positive-affirmation trick she was taught to help manage pain, Peggy tried it. “I only desire healthy and nutritious foods,” she whispered a few times. Eventually, her brain seemed to catch on. She beamed.
As days became weeks, she noticed her energy perk up, her pain drop. The book insisted she not weigh herself for 30 days to keep the focus on healing. But on day 31, the scale revealed she’d lost…21 pounds!
Amazing success
Football season kicked off and diehard Vikings fan Peggy worried it might be a difficult time. But she soon found Whole30friendly recipes perfect for game days—hot wings, baconwrapped meatballs, loaded potato skins. It was a relief to
know she could enjoy foods that made her feel good. And all three of her kids loved the food too! Months and holidays passed. She hesitated to change what was working, but did test a few eliminated foods and learned she could include beans and corn without slowing her progress. She found an occasional slice of cake was also fine!
Did Peggy ever have a setback? She got a new workfrom-home gig and often found herself wanting to nibble. Whole30 recommends no snacks since frequent eating can drive inflammation. “I’d tie a scarf on a cabinet knob as a reminder not to eat mindlessly,” she shares. “I also kept up with my affirmations. They’ve helped me bring many dreams to life.” So much so, when she saw her neurologist, he kept saying, “Wow, wow, wow.” Peggy’s leg has dramatically improved. Her asthma, high blood pressure and sleep apnea—along with a whopping 120 pounds—are gone.
When Peggy looks back, “I see a woman so sad and broken, not sure if anything would ever work. I want to tell her, ‘Don’t worry! Life is about to get really good.’ For me, God planted the seed, in the form of a book that sat on my shelf until I was ready. Now, I hope my story is the seed for someone else.”
The diet that healed Peggy and made her 120 lbs slimmer can help you LOSE 49 LBS A MONTH the healthy way!