Surviving Whole30

In September 2017 I ventured into my first Whole30 experience. I wasn’t looking to lose weight but read about how it has helped some people with their relationship with food. And boyyyyy do I have a relationship with food. “Eating my feelings” was what I did best. I’ve had success with some different programs over the years. But this rocky relationship was still there. And to be honest, it will probably always be there. It’s something I have to work on and keep in check. Enter Whole30. I don’t want to say it’s hard. The creator, Melissa Hartwig, states in her book…

“This is not hard. Don’t you dare tell us this is hard. Fighting cancer is hard. Birthing a baby is hard. Losing a parent is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard. You’ve done harder things than this, and you have no excuse not to complete the program as written. It’s only thirty days, and it’s for the most important health cause on earth—the only physical body you will ever have in this lifetime.”

And it’s true. People are dealing with some really hard things out there. Whole30 is not one of those things. It’s just 30 days. But it does take effort. You have to plan for it. It may not be what you are used to, which makes you believe it’s hard. But it’s not. 

If you’ve thought about doing a Whole30 here are some tips to help prepare:

- Read the rules and start label reading a good week or two before you start. You will be amazed with what they sneak into your everyday foods! Over the course of your Whole30 you will become a label reading pro. The sooner you get comfortable with this the better.

- Over that week or two that you are label reading, maybe slowly reduce the amount of sweeteners you use. I did this before my first round of Whole30 and I feel like my body didn’t have as bad of a sugar hangover when I started.

- PLAN!!!! Before you start, have your first week planned out. Like every single meal for the first entire week. Do it. 

- PREP!!!! Prep foods ahead of time so it’s easier to stay on track. Cook off some healthy proteins on Sunday afternoon so that you can throw lunches together quickly or pick at them when you need a compliant snack. Roast a variety of veggies to add to meals to give you some variety.

- Don’t be afraid of those healthy fats. They will keep you fuller longer and keep your meals interesting. This is not a calorie counting contest. 

- Read up on the daily time line. You will feel some highs and lows on your journey. It helped me mentally prepare for them by reading about them beforehand. There is a stage called “Kill all the things”. Warn loved ones! That "Tiger Blood" stage is worth it. Promise!

- Save some new recipes for week three when boredom can set in. It's easy to get in a rut with food. This will keep things fun!

- You will see me say "30 days" a few times...it's actually 40 days. At least. The reintroduction portion of this journey is SO IMPORTANT! It's the whole reason you stick out the 30 days. So you can figure out how certain foods make you feel. Do not overlook this part. 

- Find support! Whether it’s Facebook groups or your besties that are just there to cheer you on, tell people you are doing this! Don’t go at it alone!

Here’s a round up of some of my favorite things that helped me along the way:

- The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom http://amzn.to/2GJOfIA 

This is your Whole30 Bible! Any questions are answered here. And there are some great recipes in the back of the book! There are five other Whole30 books that are worth checking out. I recommend starting with this one.

- Nutpods  http://amzn.to/2FGSqn7

These are awesome! If you are a coffee drinker and don’t like to drink it black, Nutpods are a Whole30 approved creamer. I love both the French Vanilla and the Hazelnut. I have continued to use these after I was finished with the program because I love them so much.

- Primal Kitchens Avocado Oil Mayo  http://amzn.to/2Eft0Qv

There are two base mayo recipes in the book listed above. I don’t mind making my own sauces at all but there are some things I’m just lazy about. And mayo is one of them. (I know I will have some Whole30 friends roll their eyes at me since it literally takes two seconds to make your own mayo. Buy me an immersion blender and I'll think about it.)

- RxBars  http://amzn.to/2FEi5wP

I recommend this product if you are a mom on the go that is short on time. With my schedule, it was hard to find time to make breakfast before rushing my kids out the door to school and head to the gym. I needed something to eat before the gym, so I would grab one of these. Most flavors are Whole30 compliant but read those ingredients!!! AND do NOT under any circumstances use this as a “treat” and eat after dinner as a dessert. That is not helping your relationship with food and if you find yourself having trouble with this then avoid them all together.

- Coconut Aminos  http://amzn.to/2EgKdJz

Swap this for your soy sauce use. I love Asian food so this helped me keep meals compliant. It tastes exactly like soy sauce and I’ve continued using this post program.

- Primal Kitchens Ranch Dressing  http://amzn.to/2Ee6FTe

This helped me keep those quick simple salads interesting! I plan on trying some of their other dressings next time. Note: Not all of the dressings are Whole30 compliant.

- La Croix

I’m not a soda drinker and water is my drink of choice, so I didn’t have any issues in that area. However, sometimes I needed a mocktail! Put some La Croix in a wine glass (with some Young Living Vitality essential oils if you are an oiler) and get fancy!

- Beef Jerky

Find some compliant jerky you like. Epic bars and Nick’s Sticks are some of my favorites. Again, check the ingredients! I like to keep one of these in my bag in case I find myself in a pinch. 

Go-to recipes that helped me survive Whole30:

-       Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-less Soup by 40 Aprons https://pin.it/qnpscknetvpdiy

-       Zuppa Toscana by Farmstead Chic https://pin.it/irqc5ldfzbnzcr

-       Greek Chicken Salad by The Pinning Mama https://pin.it/tpluanpc5katla

-       PF Changs knock-off Lettuce Wraps by 40 Aprons https://pin.it/6py6onwugjyjr2

-       Paleo Egg Roll in a Bowl by 40 Aprons https://pin.it/phxtdrrv53ygcp

-       Easy Oven Baked Meatballs by Jay’s Baking Me Crazy https://pin.it/d74lq7xbehgznu

-       Beef Barbacoa by Jay’s Baking Me Crazy https://pin.it/m5mzso6hxj5v5f

-       Chicken Zucchini Poppers by One Lovely Life https://pin.it/5trlasxzqycfb5

-       Paleo Carnitas by 40 Aprons https://pin.it/rv62djqjbpnf4a

You can also follow my Whole30/Paleo Pinterest board for ideas! I’m always adding new recipe inspiration here:  https://pin.it/qf55pre235ayum 

This program has changed my life and my relationship with food. I plan on doing Whole30 at least once a year if not twice. It’s such a great reset for your body. If you are at all interested, I would really consider doing a round. It’s just 30 days! (Or 40...who's counting!)