This year, I will once again be embarking on another round of the Whole30 challenge. For those of you unfamiliar with Whole30, I highly suggest the book The Whole30 written by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig. It was a game changer for my health. To this day, I try and live a "WholeLife" when it comes to nutrition.
The Definition of Whole30
Wikipedia defines Whole 30 as:
"a 30-day fad diet that emphasizes whole foods and during which participants eliminate sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, soy, and dairy from their diets. The Whole30 is similar to but more restrictive than the paleo diet, as adherents may not eat natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup."
Ouch! I was a bit shocked with the use of the term "fad diet". In today's world of convenience and prepackaged foods, we really are unaware of what is going into our bodies. Whole 30 should not be viewed as a "fad" but as a temporary way of eating in order to make sure we are using food as fuel.
As for my definition, the Whole 30 is defined as slowing down and making sure that for 30 days, no "junk" is placed between your lips!
As I look back on my Whole30 experience, there are a couple of things that I wished I had known. Below, I have listed some tips and pointers. Hopefully, these will help to make the 30 days run a little smoother. And remember, it is ONLY 30 days!
Start preparing at least 1 month ahead of your start date
The key to successfully completing the 30 days is to be prepared. Looking at your calendar to find an appropriate time where there are as few as possible social engagements is extremely important. I'm not saying that you can't go out to eat or hang out with friends for a whole 30 days. However, if you are constantly surrounded by "non-compliant" Whole30 foods, it will make the journey much more difficult. Also, if you do end up with some social engagements, encourage your friends to do a "potluck" style meal. This way, you are guaranteed to be able to eat whatever Whole30 compliant dish you bring!
Clean out your pantry
My will-power is strong, but not that strong! If I have something in my pantry, fridge or freezer that is off limits but staring me right in my face, my will power will definitely be put to the test! 1-2 months before I started my Whole30, I slowly began using up some of the food and ingredients that were not Whole30 compliant. I was already eating fairly clean so this only took me a couple of weeks to get rid of the non-compliant items. However, if you have too much non-compliant food, another suggestion would be to take it to a food bank or donation center. Also, you could opt to place the "non-compliant" items in a storage bin. Put the storage bin in a closet, like a guest bedroom. At least this way, it won't be staring at you for 30 days!
Restock the pantry
If this is your first Whole30, reading every label can be overwhelming. There are a million different websites that put lists together of Whole30 approved foods. There are many that are tied in to specific stores such as Walmart, Trader Joe's, Sam's Club and Costco. Being able to just grab something out of your own pantry and know that it is compliant makes cooking much simpler.
Here are just a few of the websites that have all the Whole 30 approved foods at some of the most popular chains.
Trader Joe's
Walmart
Costco
Sam's Club
Prepare your spices
When you really think about all the food groups you have to eliminate, you are pretty much only left with meat, vegetables, eggs and fruit. 30 days of only eating from 4 food groups can get pretty boring. However, having a variety of approved spices is key. With a few shakes of a spice, ground meat can be transformed into any nationality of food you are craving. I have tried SEVERAL different Whole30 spice recipes and have come up with my own. My Taco spice mix, Pickling Spice Mix, Chai Masala, and Curry Blend are simple and delicious.
Experiment with recipes BEFORE starting the Whole 30
This was a big one for me. Weekends are the only time that I have to cook and meal prep. If you make a meal that is less then tasty and are stuck with it for a week, it could be enough to derail even the strongest will-power. I started researching and making Whole30 approved recipes the month before I actually started my official 30 days. This allowed me to break away from my comfort zone knowing full well that if something was less then tasty, I did not have to eat it. Here is a list of some of my favorite easy meals, sides or sauces that are Whole 30 compliant.
Crispy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Turkey Ragu
Quick and Easy Cauliflower Patties
Watch out for seeds, nuts, nut butters and bars
I know that nuts, seeds, nut butters, Larabars and Rx Bars are all Whole30 compliant. So, you may ask why I am suggesting you be careful? Although nuts, seeds and these bars are very healthy, too much of a good thing can become a bad thing. When I was on my first round of Whole30, I ate A LOT of nuts, nut butters and bars during the first 2 weeks...they were "legal" right? Well...yes AND no. What do I mean by that? The problem for me that I was using these foods as my "dessert" and not seeing them as fuel. I was overdoing it which defies one of the key concepts behind the Whole30.
My suggestion is NOT to deny yourself these wonderful foods but rather buy nuts and seeds that are still in their shells. This will not only slow you down but also make you truly appreciate the actual food.
Last and most important tip...Freeze 1-2 portions of every recipe you make
Since I was preparing Whole30 meals before actually starting the 30 days, I would always take 1-2 portions and place them in the freezer. This was probably the single most important key to my success. During my 30 days, there was never any excuse to fall off the plan as I always had back up food in the freezer. In fact, I don't think I even had to cook the last week since I had enough leftovers in the freezer!
Hopefully this quick little article will help you with your journey. It was a wonderful experience and I encourage everyone I know to try the Whole30. Besides, what have you got to lose?!
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