Since April 2009, tens of thousands of people have successfully completed our Whole30 program with amazing results. Here are the official program “rules,” and a few resources to help you maximize your Whole30 results.
What is the Whole30®?
Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat – even the “healthy” stuff. So how do you know if (and how) these foods are affecting you?
Strip them from your diet completely. Cut out all the psychologically unhealthy, hormone-unbalancing, gut-disrupting, inflammatory food groups for a full 30 days. Let your body heal and recover from whatever effects those foods may be causing. Push the “reset” button with your metabolism, systemic inflammation, and the downstream effects of the food choices you’ve been making. Learn once and for all how the foods you’ve been eating are actually affecting your day to day life, and your long term health. The most important reason to keep reading?
This will change your life.
We cannot possibly put enough emphasis on this simple fact – the next 30 days will change your life. It will change the way you think about food, it will change your tastes, it will change your habits and your cravings. It could, quite possibly, change the emotional relationship you have with food, and with your body. It has the potential to change the way you eat for the rest of your life. We know this because we did it, and tens of thousands of people have done it since, and it changed our lives (and their lives) in a very permanent fashion. (Need convincing? Just read some of our stunning testimonials.)
Our Whole30 program, as outlined.
Eat real food – meat, seafood, eggs, tons of vegetables, some fruit, and plenty of good fats from fruits, oils, nuts and seeds. Eat foods with very few ingredients, all pronounceable ingredients, or better yet, no ingredients listed at all because they’re totally natural and unprocessed. Don’t worry… these guidelines are outlined in extensive detail in our Whole30 Success Guide’s shopping list.
More importantly, here’s what NOT to eat during the duration of your Whole30 program. Omitting all of these foods and beverages will help you regain your healthy metabolism, reduce systemic inflammation, and help you discover how these foods are truly impacting your health, fitness and quality of life.
- Do not consume added sugar of any kind, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, stevia, etc. Read your labels (and your Success Guide FAQ), because companies sneak sugar into products in ways you might not recognize.
- Do not consume alcohol, in any form, not even for cooking. (And it should go without saying, but no tobacco products of any sort, either.)
- Do not eat grains. This includes (but is not limited to) wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgur, sorghum, amaranth, buckwheat, sprouted grains and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains like quinoa. Yes, we said corn… for the purposes of this program, corn is a grain! This also includes all the ways we add wheat, corn and rice into our foods in the form of bran, germ, starch and so on. Again, read your labels.
- Do not eat legumes. This includes beans of all kinds (black, red, pinto, navy, white, kidney, lima, fava, etc.), peas, chickpeas, lentils, and peanuts. No peanut butter, either. This also includes all forms of soy – soy sauce, miso, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and all the ways we sneak soy into foods (like lecithin).
- Do not eat dairy. This includes cow, goat or sheep’s milk products such as cream, cheese (hard or soft), kefir, yogurt (even Greek), and sour cream… with the exception of clarified butter or ghee. (See below for details.)
- Do not consume carrageenan, MSG or sulfites. If these ingredients appear in any form on the label of your processed food or beverage, it’s out for the Whole30.
- Do not eat white potatoes. This is somewhat arbitrary, but if we are trying to change your habits and improve the hormonal impact of your food choices, it’s best to leave white, red, purple, Yukon gold and fingerling potatoes off your plate. (Refer to your Success Guide FAQ for details).
In addition, no Paleo-ifying dessert or junk food choices! We call this “Sex With Your Pants On” (SWYPO), and it will ruin your Whole30 faster than you can say, “Paleo pizza.” Do not try to shove your old, unhealthy diet into a shiny new Whole30 mold. This means no “Paleo-fying” desserts or junk food – no Paleo pancakes, pizza, brownies or ice cream. Trying to replicate junk food with “technically approved” ingredients misses the point of the Whole30 entirely.
One last and final rule. You are not allowed to step on the scale or take any body measurements for the duration of the program. This is about so much more than just weight loss, and to focus on your body composition means you’ll miss out on the most dramatic and lifelong benefits this plan has to offer. So, no weighing yourself, analyzing body fat or taking comparative measurements during your Whole30. (We do encourage you to weigh yourself before and after, however, so you can see one of the more tangible results of your efforts when your program is over.)
The Fine Print
A few concessions, based on our experience, and those of our clients. These foods are exceptions to the rule, and are allowed during your Whole30. Including these foods as part of your varied healthy eating plan should not negatively impact the results of your Whole30 program.
- Clarified Butter or Ghee. Clarified butter or ghee is the only source of dairy allowed during your Whole30. Plain old butter is NOT allowed, as the milk proteins found in non-clarified butter could impact the results of your program. Refer to our Butter Manifesto for more details on the milk proteins found in butter, purchasing high quality butter, and how to clarify it yourself.
- Fruit juice as a sweetener. Some products will use orange or apple juice as a sweetener. We have to draw the line somewhere, so we’re okay with a small amount of fruit juice as an added ingredient during your Whole30… but this doesn’t mean a cup of fruit juice is a healthy choice! Refer to your Shopping Guide for clarification.
- Certain legumes. We’re fine with green beans, sugar snap peas and snow peas. While they’re technically a legume, these are far more “pod” than “bean”, and green plant matter is generally good for you. (Refer to your Success Guide FAQ for details.)
- Vinegar. Most forms of vinegar, including white, balsamic, apple cider, red wine, and rice, are allowed during your Whole30 program. The only exceptions are vinegars with added sugar, or malt vinegar, which generally contains gluten.
- Processed foods. Minimally processed foods like canned coconut milk, applesauce, tomato sauce, chicken broth or canned olives are all acceptable on the Whole30 – but remember, avoid anything with carageenan, MSG or sulfites. We’ve singled these three additives/preservatives out because they all have potentially nasty side effects – and you can easily find processed foods without them.
Ready to start?
Now that you have the basic plan, you need to know how to implement it. It’s simple, actually. Start now. Today. This minute. Count out thirty days on your calendar. Plan out a week’s worth of meals, using the Resources we’ve given you here. Take our Shopping Guide to your local health food store, farmer’s market or grocer and stock up on things you’ll be eating. And then… go. Cold turkey. Just start, using our Success Guide’s meal planning template to take all the guesswork out of meals. But don’t put this off, not for one more day. If you give yourself excuses or reasons to delay, you may never begin. Do it now.
Your only job for the next 30 days is to focus on making good food choices. You don’t need to weigh or measure, you don’t need to count calories, you don’t need to stress about organic, grass-fed, pastured or free range. Just figure out how to stick to the Whole30 in any setting, around every special circumstance, under any amount of stress… for the next 30 days. Your only job? Eat. Good. Food.
The only way this will work is if you give it the full thirty days, no cheats, slips or “special occasions.” This isn’t Whole9 playing the tough guy. This is a FACT, born of education and experience. You need such a small amount of any of these inflammatory foods to break the healing cycle – one bite of pizza, one splash of milk in your coffee, one lick of the spoon mixing the batter within the 30 day period and you’ve broken the “reset” button. You must commit to the full program, exactly as written. Anything less and we make no claims as to your results, or the chances of your success. Anything less and you are selling yourself – and your potential results – short.
It’s only 30 days.
Here’s what you can expect.
The first week or two will be tough, as your body heals and adjusts to this new way of eating and your brain wraps itself around going without all those sweet tastes and sugar-driven energy spikes. And while you may start to feel better after a week or two… the healing process takes significantly longer. In addition, the mental addiction and emotional connections to sugary foods, large amounts of processed carbohydrates and over-the-top, chemically-altered flavors is going to take a lot longer to overcome.
Stick with it, and be patient with yourself. You cannot reasonably expect to completely reverse decades of poor eating habits in just 30 days. The good news, however, is that improvements are front-loaded, and you will start to see significant benefits within the month.
At some point, we promise you… the magic will happen. You’ll go to sleep easier, and sleep more soundly through the night. Your energy levels will increase and stabilize, and you’ll feel just as good first thing in the morning as you do at the peak of your day. Your body composition will start to change – your clothes will fit differently, and you’ll feel less bloated at the end of your day. Your performance, whether it be in the gym, while playing sports or during a hike, will improve. Your recovery after exercise, a game or a hard day’s work will feel easier and more complete. Conditions, ailments, aches and pains will miraculously start to improve. And through all of it, you’ll be eating delicious, fresh, natural, real food… food that tastes good, and is physically satiating and mentally satisfying.
Refer to our Success Guide FAQ for more details about what to expect, or if you find yourself in a rough patch during your Whole30.
It’s for your own good.
Here comes the tough love. This is for those of you who are considering taking on this life-changing month, but aren’t sure you can actually pull it off, cheat free, for a full 30 days. This is for the people who have tried this before, but who “slipped” or “fell off the wagon” or “just HAD to eat (fill in food here) because of this (fill in event here).” This is for you.
It is not hard. Don’t you dare tell us this is hard. Quitting heroin is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard. You won’t get any coddling, and you won’t get any sympathy for your “struggles”. 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.
Don’t even consider the possibility of a “slip”. Unless you physically tripped and your face landed in a box of doughnuts, there is no “slip”. You make a choice to eat something unhealthy. It is always a choice, so do not phrase it as if you had an accident. Commit to the program 100% for the full 30 days. Don’t give yourself an excuse to fail before you’ve even started.
You never, ever, ever HAVE to eat anything you don’t want to eat. You’re all big boys and girls. Toughen up. Learn to say no (or make your Mom proud and say, “No, thank you”). Learn to stick up for yourself. Just because it’s your sister’s birthday, or your best friend’s wedding, or your company picnic does not mean you have to eat anything. It’s always a choice, and we would hope that you stopped succumbing to peer pressure in 7th grade.
This does require a bit of effort. If you’re cutting out grains, legumes and dairy for the first time, you have to replace those calories with something. You have to make sure you’re eating enough, that your nutrients are plentiful, that you’re getting enough protein, fat and carbohydrates. You’ll have to figure out what to eat for lunch, how to order at a restaurant and how often you’ll need to grocery shop. We’ve given you all the tools, guidelines and resources you’ll need in this Success Guide, but take responsibility for your own plan. Improved health and fitness doesn’t happen automatically just because you’re now taking a pass on bread.
You can do this. You’ve come too far to back out now. You want to do this. You need to do this. And we believe that you can do this. So stop thinking about it, and start doing. Right now, this very minute, tell someone that you are starting the Whole30. Tell your spouse, tell your best friend, commit on our Whole30 forum and prove to us – and yourself – that you are committed.
In conclusion…
We want you to participate. We want you to take this seriously, and see amazing results in unexpected areas. Even if you don’t believe this will actually change your life, if you’re willing to give it 30 short days, do it. It is that important. We believe in it that much. It changed our lives, and we want it to change yours too.
There are plenty of “nutrition challenges” and 30 day plans out there – things that sound a lot like the Whole30, that promise you’ll lose weight, have more energy, feel better. They give you more of what you want – arbitrary points for eating junk food, or an exercise penance for cheating, or acceptable alcohol choices “if you must drink”.
But here at Whole9, we’ve built our entire business around telling you what you need, not what you want. We will not pander to you here. We will tell you what we know to be true, based on literally thousands of testimonials and consulting clients’ real results. Programs that offer built-in cheats or rationalizations for less than healthy food choices simply do not work long-term. They don’t help you reach optimal health, they don’t teach you anything about how the foods you are eating are affecting you, and they don’t help you change your habits, patterns and behaviors in the long run. The Whole30 program has been in motion for almost three years, with participants all across the world – and has measurable, real-life, sustainable results to back up our claims.
Welcome aboard.
Questions?
While most folks can follow the program exactly as outlined here with spectacular results, you’ve got two options if you need a little more help with your Whole30, or simply want to maximize your results.
- Purchase our expanded and revised 85-page Whole30 Success Guide, which includes (in part) a detailed shopping list, meal planning template, an extensive FAQ, over 40 delicious Whole30-approved recipes, a 7-day meal plan, and a guide to help you manage the first 10 days after your Whole30.
- Participate in our Whole30 forum. This is where you join the program, introduce yourself to our community, and get all of the answers, support, motivation and accountability you’ll need to rock your Whole30 program.
To download a PDF version of our Whole30® Program
Click here for a printable copy of the Whole30 program, exactly as written above.
To download the Whole30 en Español
NEW! Click here for a printable copy of the Whole30 program in Spanish!
Looking for our official list of Whole30 Approved foods?
NEW! Click here for a current list of Whole30-Approved snacks and other on-the-go foods.
Join our Facebook discussions
Join the current discussions on health, fitness and off-topic fun and become a “fan” of our Whole9 and Whole30 Facebook pages – and follow us on Twitter, too (@whole9life).
Want to fly your Whole30 flags high and proud?
Copy and paste this code to display our Whole30 graphic on your web site or blog:
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Tom & Stephanie: Thank you for your replies. The first time I tried this was some time ago, so my understanding was a little misguided!
I think I’m getting it now! (:
Olivia: what is your recipe for sweet potato rosti? That sounds amazing!
Stephanie – I’m actually not eating a post workout meal regularly because I’m usually heading straight home and eating right away. If I do eat something it would usually be a chicken thigh – does that cut it?
And I know I’m being impatient
I just see so many comments from people saying that they feel either awful or amazing in the first little while and I just feel like me.
Thanks for all the advice!
Joanne–I guess the best way to answer that would be to know what your workouts generally consist of: if it’s more like weighlifting/powerlifting I usually only consume PWO protein. If it’s a metcon/intervals (conditioning session with tons of sweating, etc) then I do both carbs (like from sweet potato) and protein. It’s important to replenish the glycogen your body uses when doing metcon-type activities. As Tom mentioned earlier, think of your PWO meal as a bonus meal that is separate from your meal that would follow next.
Remember to focus on the positive: the learning experience, finding new and tasty foods, tuning in to your body…it’s possible to find fulfillment in these too
Hi,
No problem! Happy to share.
First, grab a sweet potato and grate it up. Squeeze out a bit of moisture if need be.
Chuck it in a bowl with an egg, a good pinch of and salt and pepper, and some spices if you are feeling spicy, I like cumin or coriander.
Mix it all together with your hands.
Then simply cook on a heated oiled grill or hot plate, spoonful by generous spoonful until browned on both sides. You can make them much bigger if you like but that will make them harder to flip.
They are great to eat fresh or to refrigerate and take along with you for a snack.
Enjoy!
So, just an update on my week, it’s day 8 now and I have not really been suffering from any cravings. My exercise has kind of flown out the door but that probably has more to do with the insane stressful time I have been having at work. I also definitely need more sleep. 10:30 to 6am just is not enough for me
Nice to read about other’s progress, keep it up people!
I’m in the last week of my Whole30. This is my second one, and it’s definitely been easier than the one I last year. I think I still have some serious sugar addiction issues. Also, I often feel hungry between lunch and dinner, and I’m still eating fruit. I’ll have two servings a day and sometimes 3. At night, I will peel and eat a grapefruit. Also, I’m eating too many nuts – I know this.
I came into this pretty lean. I’ve been crossfitting for three years and eating well overall. I just want to break free of my nut “problem” and not succumb to the proverbial sugar tantrums (even though that currently means I eat a bunch of strawberries or maybe a couple of dates).
So here’s my thought… extend my Whole30 into a Whole45 or Whole60, and during this additional time, go cold turkey on the fruits and nuts. Do you think that will take me to next level and help me reach food freedom? If anyone has any insight, I would appreciate your input.
Suzanne and Stephanie – thank you for the coconut milk tips!!! I’ll try for sure.
Sandy – If you are often hungry between lunch and dinner, you probably need to eat a bigger lunch, making sure it includes a good portion of protein and fat. I find that when I eat a substantial meal at lunch, I rarely need a snack to get through until dinner. And I like the idea of your trying a few weeks with no fruit or nuts. I usually eat nuts and fruit when I have been lazy about cooking and I know my body deserves better. Try it and let us know how it goes.
Tom — Thanks for your response! I’ll try it. I do feel I could be short on fat at lunch time. I’m excited to see whether cutting out the fruit and nuts helps with the between-meal snacks – maybe it’s more craving and less hunger? I like thinking of it as a science project!
I purchased the Success Guide on wednesday, Feb 8. I still have not received the e-book. I’ve emailed and have not received a response. I’m really disappointed as was hoping to begin this program on Sunday. I have the receipt number showing I purchased it and I’m not sure where to get this question answered. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Shana,
I responded to your email personally yesterday, within 5 minutes of receipt. I sent you complete and detailed download instructions, and your download link. The email was also sent by our sales site on February 8th.
Please check your spam folder?
Melissa
Hi All,
Today is the end of day 3 for me and I have a couple questions.
First, I know weighing oneself is a no…but I did it anyway (I bought a scale 3 weeks ago for the first time in my life – I’m 33, 3 pregnancies with 40-55 pounds gained each time and I just bought my first scale, wheeee my new toy) Anyhow, I bought a scale to better monitor my weight. For the past 2 years I’ve been on a path to get back into amazing shape. This is great an all, but eating and working out this way agrees with me a little too much (from a weight perspective) and once I got back to pre-pregnancy weight, it has seemed like if I’m not too careful when eating super healthy I loose too much weight. I’ve tried so many things this past year with food whilst trying to figure out what works best for my body. It is really important to me not to loose.
This morning I can see that I’ve lost 2 pounds already. I’m happy to know this early before it turns to 5-8 lbs. so I can make adjustments to what I’m eating in efforts to maintain if not gain weight.
So, here is my first question. Should I eat more even if I’m not hungry? I’m trying really hard to listen to my body, ignore the mindless cravings to snack (would be so easy to do right now) but I don’t think I’m truly hungry. Should I just eat anyway to keep the pounds on?
2nd question. I ate some raisins from Trader Joes today on my salad thinking the extra calories were a good idea. Then it dawned on me to check the label and they had sulfer dioxide in them. Ugh. Does this mean I should start over?
3rd question. My tummy has been bothering me in the afternoon. Feeling crampy and bloated. What’s up with this? I would expect the opposite. It seems to improve somewhat after dinner. What would cause this? Is it part of the healing cycle? I’m definitely eating more protein than I’m used to and I wonder if it’s a shock to my system…?
Here’s an idea of what I’ve been eating in a day. All three days have been very similar.
Breakfast: 1/2 cup black coffee. Spinach and fruit smoothie (2 huge handfuls spinach, 3 Tbs. Raw Cacao Nibs, 3 Tbs. Hemp Seeds, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 1 small frozen banana, 1 cup water). About 20 minutes after drinking this I have two whole eggs and two egg whites scrambled with diced bell pepper, onion and another cup and half spinach.
Lunch: BIG salad with veggies, 1/2 avocado, homemade lime cilantro dressing and chicken breast.
Dinner: Medium salad (with avocado and dressing), 1/2 a small spaghetti squash with a filet of salmon.
I also had a mid-afternoon snack of almonds and homemade applesauce.
Thanks so much if you read all this. I appreciate any insight/tips!
Bonnie
Bonnie – You didn’t learn anything useful about your diet from the scale. Your body can fluctuate by two pounds in the course of a day. The rule about not weighing is not arbitrary. You make it much more likely that you won’t learn to listen to your body and develop healthy eating habits if you keep weighing. Don’t waste the effort you have begun. Put your scale in the closet and don’t step on it again for 30 days.
Your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack sounds good, but you don’t need to limit the number of whole eggs you eat. You might want to add a small post-work out meal if you are exercising. I would not recommend eating less, but only eat more if you feel hungry. And if you feel hungry, concentrate on increasing the size of your meals and not the size or number of snacks.
Sulfur dioxide is worth avoiding, but not a basis for restarting a Whole30.
It is normal to experience some gastrointestinal distress during the first two weeks of a Whole30. Some people experience more problems and some less. What you describe sounds like part of the healing process.
Keep us posted on how things are going.
Day 13!! Yay!
Yesterday was a long run day so I needed extra energy. I ate A LOT!!
Day 11. My Whole30 is kind of blowing my mind. I spent my evening cooking for the week, which is something I never do. I just ate a dinner I cooked myself, using a recipe from the New York Times that I adapted to fit Whole30 guidelines. I feel so proud of myself And now I’m making some Brussels sprouts based on a recipe from Melissa Joulwan’s blog that I LOVE–thanks, Melissa! Other exciting news includes finding smoked salmon and proscuitto from Trader Joe’s that have no sugar in them, and discovering that the takeout food place down the street from me has food I can eat! Woohoo!
I did want to check in about a couple of things:
1) How much should we be eating at meals? I feel like I’m eating a ton, and I try to stop before I’m crazy full, but I do seem to get hungry every few hours. I am working out, but I’m not super hard-core, just some cardio and yoga.
2) This weekend I have definitely found myself wanting to snack between meals, and I’m not always sure that I’m actually hungry. Do you have any suggestions?
3) I’m worried that I’m eating too much fruit and nuts? What is the right amount?
Thanks so much! So glad I’m doing this.
Kate – Eating 1 or 2 servings of fruit per day is okay unless you are having problems with sugar cravings. In the context of sugar cravings, you are better off skipping fruit altogether.
You probably should not eat nuts every day. They are best used as emergency food when you are on the run and it will be uncomfortably long until your next meal or as a garnish to add crunch to a special meal. If you are eating nuts more than 3 or 4 times per week, I would be concerned. A reasonable serving size is 1 ounce. I don’t actually know what an ounce of nuts looks like because I have never measured, but 1 ounce is a standard amount.
The Success Guide gives specific guidelines about how much to eat and you might want to look at them. However, if you are eating Whole30 foods and getting hungry every few hours, you are almost certainly not eating too much. Remember that vegetables are low calorie food in comparison to bread, pasta, cereal, etc. If you are getting hungry more often than every four hours, you might need to increase the fat content of your meals… make sure you are including enough olive oil, olives, avocado oil, avocados, coconut oil, coconut flakes, etc. And make sure you are eating a serving of protein at every meal. And, you might want to add a small post-workout meal. I usually have a can of sardines and a small baked sweet potato after working out. Whole9 calls them bonus meals and they are meant to be an addition to three full meals, plus a daily snack.
Please help me find clean boneless, skinless, chicken thighs! I lived in a land without Trader Joes, Whole Food, etc. I can get pastured bone-in thighs from my CSA, but not boneless. What’s a girl to do? Must I learn to debone them? Can I order a boatload from some farmer somewhere? Conventionally raised chicken freaks me out!!!
Sandy–If you can get pastured chickens, go with the bone-in thighs!! You can certainly cook with them as-is (cooking times will go up a bit) or de-bone them yourself. Check out this link: http://allrecipes.com/howto/deboning-a-chicken-thigh/
Steph, Whole9 EE
Stephanie – Thanks. I suppose I need to be a go-getter and learn some deboning techniques.
Kate – I’m on day 4 of no fruit and no nuts. I was eating both in the extreme for the first 20 days of my Whole30. It’s going pretty well. I find now that a cup of herbal tea as I cook dinner and then after dinner is very satisfying as well as delicious. I had to check to the ingredients to make sure there was nothing funny going on. However, it was just delicous herbs!
Thank you Tom and Sandy! Wow. I was eating a small handful of nuts a couple of times a day, and justifying it by saying I needed to make sure I was getting enough fat.
The good news is that I love coconut, so I’ll add a handful of that instead, although I wonder: Why is that preferable to nuts? And would tea with coconut milk be okay to drink to help stay full between meals?
Kate – Both coconut and nuts are good foods, but I would be concerned about eating a small handful of either several times per day. If you are getting hungry, I would encourage you to broaden your fat choices and to consider eating bigger portions of protein and vegetables. Neither coconut or nuts strike me as worthy of being cornerstones of your diet. Beef and kale might make good cornerstones, but not coconut or nuts.
The Whole9 routinely cautions that nuts and seeds should be eaten in moderation. One reason for nut moderation is that most nuts deliver a high dose of omega 6 fatty acids and most of us need more omega 3s and less omega 6s in our diet. Most sources I have consulted don’t mention omega 6 and coconut products, but I am not expert enough in the area to draw any conclusions on that point.
You could add coconut milk to your tea and that would help keep you feeling full between meals, but it would probably be better to make your regular meals more substantial so that you can go 4 to 5 hours comfortably before your next one. Our hormones respond better to spacing meals than to frequent grazing.
Day 15!! Halfway
No nuts yesterday, no fruit either, which was a big achievement. I’m going to keep going without them, I think it makes a difference.
Tonight will be a challenge, a business event with drinks and canapes. A room full of people I don’t know and no booze, scary!
Olivia, you can do it! My advice: get a glass in your hand as soon as you arrive. Order a big club soda with two limes and three olives. Make friends with the bartender and refill your glass often. I call that drink a Mediterranean Fizz, and it’s saved my ass many times. The trick is to get in your hand IMMEDIATELY so that (1) your hand is busy and you can’t hold a plate of non-Whole30 food, and (2) people see you have a drink and don’t get you one and don’t fuss at you to have one.
Good luck!
Thanks for the tip, Melissa. Mediterranean Fizz, love it!
What a Happy Valentine’s Day!!! My wife whipped up some fresh basil, EVO and walnuts into a super pesto which she placed over some steamed clams. We followed the clams with some super huge prawns that we brazed with ghee a top a salads with balsamic and EVO. For the main course, we had rib eye steaks and Lobster. Let me tell you lobster and ghee go hand in hand!!! And to round it all off we had the Mediterranean Fizz per Melissa’s suggestion above. really a taste drink!! It is nice to complete a pretty large meal like that and not feel lethargic, I owe that to no longer eating things my body was not really designed to process.
Today is day 30 for me! Also it’s day 7 with no fruit and no nuts. I’m going to keep going a bit longer (whole45). I’m the food blogger for the crossfit box to which I belong, and I’ve encouraged several other members to embark on Whole30s beginning on Monday. Since the Crossift Games Open starts on Wednesday (coincidentally the first day of Lent), it’s perfect timing!
Hello Everyone,
I think it’s time for some news from good old Europe.
To rid myself of my sugar cravings and some excess I did a standard low carb diet for a while but found that I was always missing something. I lost the kilos I needed to lose but always felt somewhat deprived. I had a lot of dairy and legumes and a lot of ( sorry to say this) gas! I also tried to keep a low fat profile.
Today it’s Day 5 of Whole30 and I already feel like a new person. No hunger pangs, no guilt, and no sugar craving. I guess I’ve been a cavegirl all along. The best thing about it is that my body is chugging along without being cold in this extremely arctic winter. I used to suffer a lot from cold feet because we live in an old house and working at home can get cold because it’s hard to heat this old fin de siècle flat. My stomach which has been irritated has become flat and I am extremely satisfied because I don’t even think of binging on sweets or other carbs. This is the first time in years!
I have reduced my fruit intake to an apple every other day, mostly added to a celeriac salad so I don’t have it as a stand alone – because the sugar still triggers me off. I did treat myself to a handful of blueberries with a dab of coconut cream after my two rashers of bacon and two egg breakfast and green beans with olive oil. I usually manage only two meals a day when I am home working, but I was out travelling day before yesterday and then I had three. I don’t believe in snacks except on a two meal day, I have a tendency to overeat, especially nuts!
I love it and I know I will see it through, this plan is easy and satisfying!
Thank you so much for your hard work! I can’t wait to see the result after 30 days!
Sunny Greetings from Berlin!
So now here is the question: I still have some kelp spaghetti in my fridge from the low carb days… Can we use them in Whole30 or not?
The package from Sea Tangle says: Made of only kelp (a sea vegetable), sodium alginate (sodium salt extracted from a brown seaweed), and water, Kelp Noodles are fat-free, gluten-free, and very low in carbohydrates and calories…which makes them virtually non-existent so to say.
If not I still to the zucchini pasta, but I love the crunchy little kelp buggers!
Pattybaby – The kelp noodles sound okay Whole30-wise. I bought a variety of sea weed products a while back and found I didn’t like them.
Hello there. I was wondering if what your take is (or anyone) on coffee consumption?
Hi, whole 30 crew, sounds like everyone is progressing nicely. I’m feeling a bit like 30 days is a long time today! I know it will pass, I think I am just bored at work on a Friday afternoon. I’ve made it to day 17, that’s just 13 more to go.
So I ended up not going to the business event the other night. My girlfriend who was coming with me cancelled because she was sick, and I didn’t feel good about going on my own.
I’ve got a weekend away coming up, feeling like it will be pretty easy. I have looked at the menu of where we are going for dinner on a Saturday and know I can have a decent steak and double order of vegetables there.
I have been finding myself researching where we will eat a lot more lately, looking at the menu to make sure there is something on there for me!
Next week I have a meeting in a French Patisserie which is famous for its pastries. Really!! But I have researched this place and discovered that they love their tea and do it right – can’t wait for a special pot of herbal tea and a fancy bone china teacup to celebrate day 21
Anyway, good luck with the weekend, everyone!
@Olivia, hang in there -that’s the spirit. Don’t allow anyone or anything (not even a pastry) compromise the new you. You’re doing something really good for yourself and you deserve to give your body only the best.
Have a lovely weekend!
Pat
Hi all. Today is Day 17. Relieved to report that the nut situation appears to be under control–so far this week I’ve had one serving. As per Tom’s suggestion, I’ve been eating larger meals and getting more types of fat, like avocado, into my diet. I’ve found that adding butternut squash to my vegetable medley at meals (tonight was the broccoli hash from the Whole30 guidebook plus Brussels sprouts) goes a LONG way toward keeping me full. I have had a bit of trouble sleeping, but I’m wondering if working out too late at night is the reason. Does anyone have any experience with this?
And one more question: I recently bought some coconut milk from my local health food store and it has guar gum in it, along with coconut and water. Should I hold off, or is it okay? I wasn’t psyched about it, but it was all they had.
Kate – I don’t know why staying full with butternut squash works, but I’ve had similar experience with sweet potatoes. Hmm.
Guar gum is okay.
Thanks Tom! Glad about the guar gum. Didn’t want the coconut milk to go to waste.
Re: the butternut squash. I know, it’s interesting, but it seems to work. Ditto for sweet potatoes. And they help hold the cravings for nuts and fruit at bay. Also, I’m able to stick to three meals a day, as you suggested a couple of days ago. I was worried about it not sticking to the program, but my body seems to like it, so I think I’m going to run with it for now.
Thanks again for all your help thus far!
Stephanie, I watched the video on the link you provided and boned 3# of pastured thighs along with 1# of drumsticks. It was easy. Thanks for the push. I feel like Ma Ingalls!
Since that was a success, I have another question for you all. I have access to uncured bacon from my CSA. Any advice on that? Is it tasty “as is” or should I cure it at home?
Thanks a million for your help.
Hempler and Applegate are producers of uncured and very delicious bacon. Prices between 4 and 6 dollars a package. I have puchased hemplers from Safeway, Applegate from my local free range meat market and also from kroger.
I’m going to try to Whole30 plan. It’s kind of radical for me. I’ve never successfully changed my eating habits. But I hit a new low when I bought Nacho Cheese Pretzel Combos from a gas station for breakfast and they were rancid. Yuck. I was mad they were rancid, but what was I doing calling that breakfast?!
So I eat terribly. Just awful. I hate what I eat and I hate myself while I’m eating it. I’ve been searching and somehow ended up here. The program, for me, starts Monday. I’lll spend tomorrow making a menu plan and shopping.
I notice there are sections about pre and post workout meals. I kind of skimmed that because I don’t exercise. Any recommendations? I have some dusty free weights in the basement and a Wii Fit that will chide me on how long it’s been since I turned it on.
I am wanting to commit to trying the whole30 but fear the cost. Are there any tips to be successful with this plan even on a tight budget?
Pat – thanks for the support! Day 20, no way I am quitting now!
It was a challenging weekend. Dinner on the road Friday night, and the only thing open was Mcdonalds
I have not eaten at Mcdonalds in over ten years. I settled for a salad with grilled chicken, no dressing. The whole weekend was kind of frustrating like that. But then I got home and cooked up a big batch of Mel’s chilli and a Greek chicken stew, and made some mayo (delicious!). So all stocked up for the week and feeling virtuous.
I’m still struggling a bit with fuel for my long runs. Dates, raisins and trail mix all work ok but they are quite high in sugar, plus they are dangerous and I do not like to keep them in the house. Does anybody have any great ideas about how I can fuel a long run on the whole30?
Kelly re coffee consumption: I have given it up but I’m hypothyroid and should not be drinking it anyway. I think the main thing is if it has a hold on you to think about that. And maybe to think about freeing yourself from it. I also think M&D have a coffee manifesto here on their site which has details of why coffee is ultimately not ideal.
Also, Barbara re cost minimization: there is a post here on this site by M&D called “paleo poor” which you might fin helpful. I’m in Australia and things cost differently over here, But I have found that I am not spending any mor on groceries than I was before, especially when I factor in all the money I am not spending on coffee, cake and chocolate throughout the day.
Have a good week everyone!
Im starting my Whole30 tommorow. I have shopped, made menus and have my pantry all stocked up. Ordered Well Fed. My thirty days will be up on the first day of spring. I know this isnt about weight loss, but I would like to put my feet on the path of loosing about 12 pounds. More than that, I suffer from Rosacea and Im hoping to remove some of the inflammation from my body and clear up my skin. My biggest obstacle will be sugar, no doubt. The longest I have made it without sugar is 10 days. I want, and need, to make it the full 30!
Stephanie G – Congrats on making a commitment to start! If you have not been exercising, you might want to start with something simple like walking briskly for 20 or 30 minutes per day, working your way up to carrying some light dumb bells with you on your walks. The idea is to get yourself sweating without creating too much stress in the beginning.
Barbara – The cheapest meats and vegetables you can find at the store will support improvements in your health if you are eating them in place of processed foods, grains, dairy, legumes, sugar, etc. Higher quality, grass fed, organic foods are generally better, but the cheapest stuff is still a big improvement over the standard American diet. Canned salmon (14-15 ounce cans) give you a lot of good protein for your money. Not everyone likes it, but I enjoyed canned mackerel every few weeks. Buying a whole chicken and cutting it up is a lot cheaper than buying breasts or thighs separately.
Olivia – I ran marathons before gels were invented. I carried bananas in a fanny pack and ate a bite every few miles to keep my energy levels up. I started using bananas in the Blue Angel Marathon and set my PR in that race!
Karyn – Keep yourself well fed, and you will have the strength to slay your sugar demons!
I started Whole30 today! I am excited to get started and anxious to get through the first week
I already follow a pretty strict paleo diet at my meals, I just snack in between too much (usually triggered by stress, boredom, emotions, etc.). I am also hoping for my sugar cravings to diminish. I do have a question concerning a few ingredients:
1) During Whole30, what is the stance on Coconut Aminos? Balsamic Vinegar?
2) Is Almond flour, and other baking staples (ie baking soda/powder), acceptable?
Thanks in advance for your input!
Just want to say thanks to Melissa and Dallas for an awesome workshop in Atlanta on Sunday. I am hoping to patiently explain my copious notes to my husband, so that he can make better more educated choices of what to eat. Today I silently cringed as he had eggs with a gigantic bagel, and then, still hungry, popped a processed cheese wedge in his mouth (no, I did not purchase that!)
LMJ – Coconut aminos and balsamic vinegar are okay, as well as almond and coconut flour, but baked goods are not okay during your Whole30, so you won’t need baking soda. Baking soda is a mined mineral and might technically be okay, but baking powder is often made with corn or potato starch, which makes it off limits. Remember the rule during a Whole30… no Paleo-ifying dessert or junk food choices. You might use almond flour to thicken a salmon patty or to coat a slice of liver before pan frying it, but you need to avoid almond pancakes or brownies, etc.
Can you do this as a vegetarian? I’ve been one for almost 4 1/2 years and can’t give it up. I know a lot of vegetables contain a lot of protein. Would those cut it?
Tom – thanks for the banana suggestion. There’s a very small list of foods I don’t enjoy, and I have to say that bananas top that list! I know, I’m a freak.
But I think I have stumbled across a solution. I’d love to hear your opinion on it!
The other night I had too many apples that were getting old, so I baked up a bunch of apple slices with some spices. These apple slices are portable – I can throw them in a ziploc and it doesn’t matter if they get squashed. They are also soft and easy to eat. Pretty tasty, too! Could this be my perfect long run fuel?
I attended a Whole9 seminar on Sunday in Atlanta, and really enjoyed it. Thanks Dallas and Melissa for all of the great information, and for making the science of eating interesting, enjoyable to learn about, and more digestable (ha). I am starting the Whole 30 today (I am going to make it the whole 40 for Lent). I have been eating Paleo for some time, but in the 85/15 style, but just need to dive in and be really focused. Thanks again for the great information and seminar. I thought this was the best place to post.
Olivia, those could certainly be used to fuel your long runs, but you’ll have two issues with fructose-heavy fruits. First, fructose preferentially refills liver glycogen – which means half the sugar in the apple isn’t going straight to your muscles, which are doing all the hard work. Two, many folks have digestive issues with fructose, especially in the face of moderate intensity activity. You may find all that fruit isn’t doing your digestive tract well.
What about a mix of sweet potato or butternut squash baby food, plus some coconut milk and maybe a little applesauce? Portable, easy to get down, and lots of starch (not fructose) which is much quicker for the body to use.
Matt, thanks for the kind words, and welcome aboard! Nice to see you here, keep us posted as to how your Whole30 is going.
Best,
Melissa
I’m having a bad day. It’s okay, right? Some days will just suck even if you are eating clean, doing wods, and sleeping. I just didn’t expect to have a major anxiety spike on Day 36. Any words of wisdom out there?
Oh, Sandy! I feel you. Unfortunately, yes… you can eat like a poster child for Whole9, get plenty of sleep, do your workouts just the way you’re meant to… and STILL have a bad day.
I try to like at it like:
1. If I do everything I can do feel good, on those bad days, i can handle them better than if I wasn’t caring for myself well.
2. It’s, in a way, reassuring to me that we’re so complex and the universe is so filled with wonder, that we can’t always predict how things will go — not matter how much we control our controllable variables. I recognize that that is WAY groovy, but it helps me to remember I’m not the boss of everything. I’m barely the boss of me
Hope your day gets better. Make a nice cup of herb tea and do some relaxing, deep breaths. We’re cheering for you over here!
Melissa – Thank you. This is such a wonderful community. It helps to know I’m not the only one who feels this way.
Olivia – Apple slices sound great, baked or raw. If you carried them raw, you might want to squeeze some lemon juice on them to keep them from browning.
Kara – You can’t get the full experience of a Whole30 without meat, but you can make some improvements by eliminating processed foods. Dallas and Melissa are presenting Paleo Nutrition for Vegetarians as part of the upcoming Paleo Summit – http://whole9life.com/2012/02/paleo-summit/ – that is sure to offer useful guidelines.
I am on Day 3 of Whole30. Today I had the urge to snack, even though I knew I wasn’t hungry….trying to fight these demons. I did snack on some macadamia nuts, and nibbled on some butternut squash and parsnips that I was preparing for dinner. I will eat a smaller portion at dinner, but I am still SO mad at myself for sucumming to the temptation.
Hi Melissa,
Oddly, I only received email notification of your post a couple of hours ago. But thanks so much for the advice!
Wow, baby food has come a long way. Love the little pouches it comes in now! I still prefer to eat something I have cooked myself, so I have some sweet potato on the stove for mashing up, and an apple stewing away in preparation for tomorrow morning’s run. This is so exciting! Will be the best long run ever, I want to go right now!
Sandy, I hope your day got better. Bad days suck.
Happy Friday everyone, hope the weekend doesn’t present too many challenges
Hi everyone!
I am on my first day of Whole 30 and am feeling pretty great (although black coffee will take some getting used to)! I had a question about coconut aminos. I picked some up at the store as a soy sauce/Bragg’s substitute (as they both contain soy), and drizzled a bit on my broccoli and while it was delicious, the taste was rather sweet. Is this an allowable product for the Whole 30? Let me know!
Thanks,
Theya
Theya – Coconut aminos are sweet like fruit is sweet AND okay during your Whole30.
Hi all! Well, I am back. I have completed a few Whole30′s in the past and have gone from that to a strict low fat diet in preparation for a fitness competition that I did last summer. I guess I will say that the downside of the competition was the aftermath.
I had been so deprived that I went on a spree of eating and drinking all the things I couldn’t before; I became depressed. This is typical and is even referred to as the post competition blues. I felton top of the world during my time on stage, showing off all my hard work. Then it was over. Now what? I was overwhelmed at the thought of how I would maintain the body I had earned.
A friend recommended a couple books to me about overeating and intuitive eating. I have struggled with food since I was in my teens so I figured I should see what they were all about.
They were both extremely influential and gave me good insight. Intuitive eating allowed me to explore my eating habits, my eating type, and ultimately walked me through a process that I desperately needed.
Over the past 9 months, I have slowly gained back about 15 pounds. This is not a bad thing really because I have also gained so much insight about myself and my eating habits, especially surrounding my emotions. While I have not always made the healthiest choices for myself these past 9 months, I have learned to be cognizant and aware of my feelings and have learned to view my bouts of overeating combined with emotion as a learning lesson; I feel that I am not better equipped to recognize the signs that may lead me to that comfortable pain behavior and mitigate it through healthier means.
This brings me here.
I have been toying with changing up my eating habits and started thinking about when I felt the best. What was I doing? What did my diet (as in eating style, not deprivation) look like?
I honestly can say that I felt t he most alive when I was doing CrossFit. The easiest way for me to eat was clean and I felt the healthiest doing so.
At the beginning of the year my bestie and I decided to start preparing meals for the week together, working mostly out of collection of the Clean Eating Mags and cookbooks and coming up with our own recipes (I love to cook!).
While the meals were exquisite and easily accessible throughout the week, the meal planning, list making, shopping, and prep was extremely labor intensive. It would take a couple hours to meal plan, then we would compile a list. Prep would take about 9 hours on Sunday.In a sense worth it because the meals were do healthy and delicious. After a few weeks, we got burned out. Was there a better way? After losing steam, we were in limbo whether we would continue which led to unplanned meals which led to eating out or whatever was convenient.
Another girlfriend of mine (who I competed with last year) started asking me about Primal; she had just started. I told her about this site and my past experience with Paleo.
Honestly, I will say that I felt that Paleo wasn’t exactly right for me bc I had bouts of very low energy. But I started to think about it and thought that I may give it another shot. I was on a journey to renew my motivation to exercise and since I know I love CF, I figured, why not?
Since Monday (so I guess today would be day 6) I have been “Primal” which fits into the guidelines of the Whole30 (I have not had any dairy or rice or quinoa, which is considered Primal, consumed in moderation; I have not consumed alcohol which is also Primal) and I have to say…so far so good.
I can’t tell much difference in my physique but I am pretty sure there are some serious changes in my psyche. I feel upbeat, happy, motivated, and seem to be a little more productive. I feel a little less stressed and meal prep is taking much less time.
In fact, I am making a few days meals in about 2 hours which some of that time is allocated to baking/broiling/roasting, requiring relatively no effort on my part.
I am enjoying my meals and feeling extremely satisfied throughout the day; no drops in energy or sudden onset of ravenous hunger. Through learning intuitive eating coupled with this style of eating, I can easily recognize real hunger and even notice that all I need is a little bit of my next meal to feel satiated; if I don’t eat all of it right then, I finish it the next time I feel hungry.
I am still eating loads of veggies and only about 1 cup of fruit (berries) a day, which is totally ok with me. Sometimes, like Melissa warns against, I can go nuts on fruit so for me, it is better to stick with berries.
I am eating ample amounts of fat and a healthy amount of protein. I use a handy dandy tool at http://www.paleotrack.com to help make sure I am eating a well rounded diet full of all the nutrients I need to maintain homeostasis.
I feel happy right now. Relaxed. Content. I have normal energy levels. I think this time around I am also eating way more veggies than I was the last few times….I did get a little carried away with fruit. So, we will see how this goes. I am happy to be back.
I’ve been doing paleo/primal for some months now, without seeing a lot of improvement (there is a little). So I started my first Whole30, and I’m now at Day 6. (I started Monday.) No differences I can attribute to the program, except a reduction in how much coffee I drink at work, down from 2 cups to 1 cup because it’s really only drinkable with half-and-half. (GOOD coffee needs neither sugar or cream. BAD coffee … sadly, really does.) Biggest difference in diet has been removing the butter, half and half, and cream. Although it’s easier to say no to free donuts at the moment, just because I know they’re not allowed.
I’m trying to increase my veggie intake and decrease fruit intake. I don’t like veggies much, and can’t do salads often. Only way I can stand kale is in a “green smoothie” (usually coconut cream, whole egg powder (that’s all it is), avocado, a pear, as much kale as I can stuff into the blender, ~3 cups). Spinach gets tossed into my scrambled eggs (breakfast). IF I snack at work, it’s on almonds (22 almonds, yes I count them out, aka 1 oz). I might have another piece of fruit – an orange or some strawberries. Lunch is leftovers or lettuce/tomato/meat wraps. Dinner is grass-finished beef, pork chops, baked turkey or chicken with broccoli or green beans on the side, or the aforementioned smoothie.
The only real “adjustment” I’ve done at the moment is: I have been tracking my weight this week, as I readjusted my medications again, and needed to keep an eye on that. I should be fine to stop the daily weight-checks about Monday. I’m not working out until my orthopedic surgeon’s appt on Tuesday (I suspect there will be physical therapy coming as a result of that. Again).
Any suggestions? Does what I’m doing sound okay? Where do I need to tweak? I’m concerned about not doing this ‘right’… I really would like to see some progress by the end of it.
I could use a little motivation today…
Here’s the backstory: I have been struggling with depression since I can remember. I have been on anti-depressant medications for the last 15 years which, contrary to what most people seem to experience, seemed to keep my weight stable (if I’m not depressed, I’m not overeating). While working on my certification to become a Holistic Nutritionist, I came across the whole evolutionary nutrition concept and it just clicked. I put my first “client” (my mom) on a Paleo diet for her seemingly incurable hemorrhoids and it worked! My ADHD afflicted daughter is also responding very well to a somewhat modified Paleo diet, and my husband who is a long-time gym rat, has lost an inch off his waist (not that he needed it). All in just a few months. The only exception is me. The mastermind of the whole plan. I started eating Paleo in addition to other nutritional therapies as part of my “master plan” to wean myself off antidepressants. After 3 weeks I had gained 5 pounds, and while my moods have begun to stabilize, my weight has not. Don’t tell me it’s muscle either, because muscle doesn’t jiggle around over one’s jeans… I started the Whole30 yesterday as a way to hopefully drop that jiggle as well as continue to stabilize my moods. Any advice for making it a success would be appreciated, or anyone with experience weaning off anti-depressant/doing Whole30? i
@Jessica, it sounds like you are doing ok…are you eating fat each time you eat? The thing about the Whole30 is you can’t overthink it. The parameters really are simple. Where do you think you could improve? Maybe read back over the guidelines and see how you are measure up, no pun intended. Maybe swap a piece of fruit for a veggie like red or yellow bell pepper slices; if you really enjoy tomatoes you could whip up a cold tomato and asparagus salad to go with your mid day meal (par-boil or steam asparagus, chop into one inch pieces, chop tomatoes or halve cherry tomatoes and toss in olive oil). With a bit of seasoning, this salad is very mild but refreshing and loaded with good for you nutrients that out weigh a couple lettuce leaves. And make sure you are getting enough water. That is my opinion, anyway.
@Theya, I feel your pain. Everyone’s body is different and will go through the cleansing process in a unique way. Think about it like this, you have a lot of medicine in your system from 15 years of use. IT COULD BE that your body is surfacing toxins, prepping for release. Sometimes, when I go from a non-so-clean diet to a clean one, the first week and a half can be rough, depending on how “dirty” I have been. I might bloat, feel heavy, etc…but for me it will dissipate. You just stick with it. Like Melissa says, at some point, the magic WILL happen. You have to be patient with the process; for you it may take longer than 30 days. And that is ok. This is the beginning of long-term knowledge and practice, if you choose to continue eating the basics past 30 days. You just can’t compare your experience to everyone else’s. It is defeating and pointless: You are a completely unique and different person that everyone else. Listen to YOUR body, don’t compare.
Be concerned with the positive changes (your mood stabilization NOT THE SCALE) and maybe take a look at your eating habits a little more closely. Are you moving enough? Are you drinking enough water? Are you eating a lot of fruit or nut butters? Although we have the freedom to eat til we are full on the W30, it does not give license to pig out for the sake of it (not implying you are) but it is easy to load up on too many sugars from fruit or eat too much Almond butter (I know from personal W30 experience) and not get enough fiber and other nutrients from leafy greens and brightly colored veggies. Maybe you need to eat more protein. Maybe more fat. Do you keep a journal? Do you watch portion size or listen to your internal cues that signal when you have had enough? If you do, when you hear those signals, do you in fact put down your fork?
This program is about awareness, both about what we are putting into our body and consuming that food in a mindful and deliberate way. It is ALWAYS a good idea to self-asses. It should be a constant and daily practice. You are who you are and you are different from everyone else; this is YOUR journey so make sure you check your compass every now and again to make sure you are staying on course.
This is my feeling on your sitch, hope it helps!
Happy Sunday everyone!
I just wanted to share the fact that last night I went out to see Safe House with some friends, which was really good. Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington. Yeah, I know.
Anyway, after the movie, we were hungry and went to a local restaurant called the Ale House. Usually when I go I get my standard New Belgium 1554 draft beer and have my meal. Last night, I did not even crave a drop of alcohol. My bestie even commented on how bright and alert and peppy I was…and this was at 9pm, which is usually my bed time.
I do have a ton of energy!
Anyway, I ordered the fish with steamed veg and it was totally satisfying. Unfortunately, the veggies were DRENCHED in butter, so I only ate green beans because they absorbed less of it than the zucchini and yellow squash. Even though I wasn’t completely W30 compliant last night bc of the butter (I am sure it was not clarified or ghee) I am ok with that. I did my best in the situation and feel that I made the appropriate choice. I could have just eaten the fish and gone without the veggies and I could have sent them back, true. And maybe I should have. But I don’t think the amount of green beans I consumed was detrimental as it was a medley and the green beans were the most sparse.
Anyway, just wanted to share. I am heading out for a hike with my dog and a couple friends, but wanted to check in first! Hope everyone has a great day!
Sorry to post (again)…I added my last name this time because I noticed there was another Kara in the forum. I just read through this entire page of posts and I think I am going to go sans nuts for a while. I am only eating 1 cup of berries a day right now and am not having any issues with cravings; I am also eating them as a part of my breakfast or early morning snack so I think I am ok with them for now. I may decide as some point to eliminate them as well. But I have been eating 1 serving of nuts every day. The other day I had 2. On my paleotracker.com journal, I have been alerted almost everyday (not for the past 2, not including today) that my omega-6 intake was too high. This explains why. Over the past few days I have been consuming more EVOO and flax, so it has balanced out thankfully.I really enjoy flax bc it helps me cleaned out; I don’t mind saying it: pooping is cool; everyone does it!
Anyway, glad I came across the advice. I also think that I should be eating a little more protein with my main meals, so I am going to work on concentrating in that area. It is so great reading about everyone’s progress! <3
@Kara: Thanks. I wanted feedback on how it sounded like I was doing. Yes, I try to have some source of fat at every meal: it keeps me from wanting to snack much. And, ugh, asparagus.
I really don’t like vegetables or “green leafy” things, although I’ll cheerfully eat broccoli and carrots five or six days a week. I’m trying to keep the vegetable and fruit servings to at least equal, if not tipped in the veggie-direction. But protein and fat have to make up a large percentage of my calories or I don’t stop eating until I get enough.
Hello,
So a friend of mine pointed me in this direction.
Have to say i’m excited and nervous at the same time.
Have a couple questions/concerns…
I’m a full time college student, living on campus, and trying to think of where to eat and what to eat, and how much…
Also i noticed it said no dairy (milk cheese, butter etc…) i was wondering…what about pure almond milk?
And i saw about the white potato, are there any fruits that i should avoid? What about sales dressings?
Like i said, i’m a full time college student, with a SMALL wallet..not sure if i can afford the organic foods…
To all – one of my friends used to call me Eeyore because I am so likely to focus on the negatives and not the positives. You may think I am being Eeyore here, but I want to give you the best information I have.
Kara – Relax. A healthy real food diet like the Whole30 takes longer than 6 days to make meaningful changes in your body.
Jessica – You probably dislike the cooking method or the execution of the cooking method of your vegetables more than you dislike vegetables. Every time I hear someone say they don’t like vegetables, I think, come to my house and eat supper with me. You might not like everything I do, but you will love some of the vegetables I serve. Almost every vegetable tastes wonderful when roasted in a cast iron skillet with some kind of animal fat, especially chicken, pork, or lamb fat. And I did not like kale until I learned to cook it with apple cider vinegar. Now I sometimes eat kale three times per day!
Unless you can’t get fresh eggs, you should probably pass on the whole egg powder in your smoothies. Processing eggs by converting them to a powder can’t possibly preserve all the good that is packed in a real fresh egg. And your Whole30 is a time for you to become accustomed to filling your meals with real food as much as possible.
Theya – Your reference to “other nutritional therapies” makes me nervous. I am concerned that combining your Whole30 with such selection criteria will interfere with the simple Whole30 emphasis on eating a wide variety of real, whole foods. The Whole30 is not just about the food you put in your mouth. It is also about the psychology of eating. When you impose rigid criteria, count calories or fat grams, or weigh yourself frequently, it messes with your head and keeps you from developing a healthy relationship with food.
Kara Wilde – You can’t really boost your omega-3 levels by eating flax. The part of omega-3s that your body can use is DHA and EPA. Flax is high in ALA, which can be converted to DHA and EPA, but your body does a poor job of converting ALA. You get a lot more of what you need from eating fish, fish oil, or grass fed beef.
Jack – Almond milk would be okay if you make it yourself directly from almonds. The stuff that comes in cartons in the dairy case at the grocery store has some nasty chemicals in it that makes it off limits during a Whole30. On the other hand, canned coconut milk with guar gum is okay. Some fruits are better than others (berries), but none are off-limits. Making your own salad dressing is often best… combine olive oil and some apple cider vinegar for a simple dressing. Most store-bought stuff includes banned ingredients or preservatives. I started asking for Oil and Vinegar when eating our and have been pleased to find that many places can easily accommodate.
Thanks Tom.
I just like flax bc I love the nutty flavor and its other aforementioned benefits.
I did buy some organic eggs just now that have a boost of omega 3; salmon and cod are on my plan for the week as well and I do supplement with fish oil.
I just signed up with http://www.carolinagrown.org which does home delivery of local produce and grass fed meat, etc. that I am pretty excited about. I buy organic meat as much as possible and have a deep affection for bison. <3
I do have a question though…….I am having a REALLY hard time finding bacon. I did find some that is uncured and it does not list any grams of sugar on the nutrition label, yet there is indeed sugar on the ingredients list. I honestly could go without bacon, as I rarely eat it anyway, but lately I have wanted a nice bacon and egg breakfast. Help?
Thanks Tom.
I just like flax bc I love the nutty flavor and its other aforementioned benefits.
I did buy some organic eggs just now that have a boost of omega 3; salmon and cod are on my plan for the week as well and I do supplement with fish oil.
I just signed up with http://www.carolinagrown.org which does home delivery of local produce and grass fed meat, etc. that I am pretty excited about. I buy organic meat as much as possible and have a deep affection for bison. <3
I do have a question though…….I am having a REALLY hard time finding bacon. I did find some that is uncured and it does not list any grams of sugar on the nutrition label, yet there is indeed sugar on the ingredients list. I honestly could go without bacon, as I rarely eat it anyway, but lately I have wanted a nice bacon and egg breakfast. Help?
Thanks Tom.
I just like flax bc I love the nutty flavor and its other aforementioned benefits.
I did buy some organic eggs just now that have a boost of omega 3; salmon and cod are on my plan for the week as well and I do supplement with fish oil.
I just signed up with http://www.carolinagrown.org which does home delivery of local produce and grass fed meat, etc. that I am pretty excited about. I buy organic meat as much as possible and have a deep affection for bison. <3
I do have a question though…….I am having a REALLY hard time finding bacon. I did find some that is uncured and it does not list any grams of sugar on the nutrition label, yet there is indeed sugar on the ingredients list. I honestly could go without bacon, as I rarely eat it anyway, but lately I have wanted a nice bacon and egg breakfast. Help?
How that just posted 3 times is beyond me. Sorry everyone. :/
Bit of a diversion on the weekend… should have known better than to go to a food and wine festival on the Whole30 haha!! I decided when I got there that I was going to enjoy the day and not give myself any guilt over it. So I tasted some delicious wines and some very awesome home grown / made foodstuffs. We chose a healthy lunch of chicken and salad and I had a coffee at the end of the day (with no milk or sugar). It was a beautiful country setting, the sin was shining and there were live bands – I’m really glad I went. But I guess that throws a spanner in my Whole 30!
I’m still going according to the plan, my 30th day will be Thursday. I have felt fabulous these last few weeks and will never fully embrace grains, sugar, dairy and booze again. This coming month I have a bunch of social engagements that I can’t (and don’t want to) avoid, but I will keep the wine and minimal treats to the weekends. Then I’ll be back in April (after Easter) for a whole 40 – until my birthday and marathon on May 20th.
Thanks for all of the support this far, especially concerning fuel for my long runs, you have solved a long-standing conundrum for me (have never liked gels and whatnot)! Thank you to Melicious and Tom for the awesome recipes and food inspiration. And thanks to Melissa and Dallas for putting together such a great program and fostering the community that exists here. You guys are all awesome!
Olivia, sounds like you’ve totally got a great trip on eating clean and making smart choices. Congratulations! Thank you for the shoutout — I’m glad to know my recipes helped with your Whole30. YAY!
Kara Wilde – I haven’t found bacon without sugar in more than a year. Back in 2010, I found several choices of uncured bacon without sugar at Trader Joe’s, one or two choices at Whole Foods, and even one choice at Publix, but lately nothing. I began using speck or prosciutto to add good ham flavor to foods where I might use bacon if I could find it. A piece of prosciutto is no substitute for a slice of bacon with eggs, but it goes beautifully with wilted greens and in a frittata.
Hi, I want to purchase te ebook and start on March 1st, but te preview isn’t iPad compatible. Is the ebook readable on an iPad? Hope so! Thanks.
Thanks for the advice Tom and Kara, I’m at the end of day 5 and feeling much more balanced. I’m just going to relax and not overly obsess, I am trying to limit fruit and nuts because that seems to be a recipe for success frequently mentioned here, and just focus on veggies and protein.
Thanks Melicious! Still feel like I have a long way to go! The sugar demons still reside in me, although less fericious than a few weeks ago. For the whole40 I would like to focus on them by eliminating fruit for a while. And then there is the nut problem! I feel like it may just be a matter of being better prepared, and making it so that there is an easier option than fruit and nuts. I love your antipasto snack bag idea, maybe will give that a go.
Today is Day 27. Kind of crazy. Honestly, the first week was the best so far. The last two I’ve been kind of drained and grumpy, although I have been under a lot of stress. I don’t think this is the last Whole30 I’ll do, but I’m pretty sure it’s not the best Whole30 I’ll ever do.
I get the sense that many people here are Cross Fitters and/or do a lot of intense training. I’m not very athletic, am mostly a walker with some gym workouts and yoga. I’m actually trying to establish a more regular yoga practice and was wondering what the Whole30 feeling is about yoga.
Kate – Melissa Hartwig wrote about her yoga at http://whole9life.com/2011/09/yoga-for-the-type-a/. Whole9 also sells a t-shirt that reads, “I will kick your ass at yoga… Namaste.”
The Whole30 works apart from exercise. Doing CrossFit helped me lose 20 pounds over a 2-year period. I started eating the Whole30 way while continuing the same CrossFit routine and lost another 30 pounds over a 15-month period. I was eating a pretty good diet before I went Whole30, so it is plain to me that excellent food choices make a huge difference regardless of exercise levels. I also got a lot stronger after going Whole30.
Just wondering why the restriction on quinoa, since it’s a seed and not a grain. I eat quinoa flakes for breakfast, with berries and almonds.
Roberta–Quinoa is categorized as a pseudo-grain.
Stephanie, Whole9 EE
@Tom…I love prosciutto so I will definitely give it a try. Thanks a bunch!
So, I have been really hungry the past 2 days! I got plenty of protein and fat yesterday (and days prior) but I am listening to my body and eating (not massive amounts though) and I am staying compliant. I probably just need to up the ante on my water intake. I tend to feel hungry when I am dehydrated. So, I better get sipping! Also, this is my second nut-free day and I must say I don’t really miss them, Happy Tuesday everyone!
Oh, this morning I noticed that I looked a little less puffy. That was nice. And I don’t feel heavy. Hooray! Day 8 today (or the beginning of week 2). So far, so great! <3
Stephanie, thanks for the response, but I was really hoping for more specifics than that. Not sure what a “pseudo-grain” is, and quinoa is actually a seed and not a cereal grain. It is closely related to species such as beets and spinach. There must be some reason why quinoa is excluded from Whole30 — I assume that it’s because in its natural form, there are saponins on the coating, but most quinoa sold in the US has been processed to remove the saponins.
I started the 30 day challenge on Sunday. I have had a good balance of carbs, fat, and protein (spaghetti squash, chicken, eggs, lots of veggies and fruit). Unfortunately, I have been experiencing stomach pains, so bad that I had to leave work yesterday. I feel extremely bloated, even though my bowel movements have been regular (sorry TMI). If anyone has any ideas, send them my way! Thanks!
This may be a silly question. I finished my whole 30 a few weeks ago, and so far the only foods I’ve reintroduced are butter and wine. I put what I ate today into FitDay because I was curious about the breakdown of everything. 70% of my calories came from fat. Is this normal? I feel great, but I definitely felt sticker shock over that high of an amount. I’m continuing to follow the guidelines in the success guide for putting together meals; I’m just not sure if I’m overdoing the fat. Thanks!
Peter – Bacteria in your gut that normally eats grains is pissed. GI distress is common in the first days of a Whole30. Yours sound a bit worse than most, but it should pass quickly. There is really nothing to do except take it easy until you start feeling better.
Alisha – Seventy percent fat calories is on the high side, but if you are following the guidelines from the Success Guide, I would bet you aren’t at 70 percent every day. For some perspective, The Perfect Health Diet by Paul and Shou-Ching Jaminet recommends that 65 percent of calories come from fat, so there are people who do very well on high fat diets.
Roberta–Please take a moment to read The Grain Manifesto http://whole9life.com/2010/03/the-grain-manifesto/. Hoping this will answer some of your questions re: quinoa. And yes, saponins in the quinoa are an issue as well. How do you know your quinoa has had the saponins removed? Also, I would argue, if it needs to be processed like that, is a food your best choice for optimum health?
Steph, Whole 9 EE
Maybe I’m reading to fast or something so I apologize if this is outlined above already but… What about coffee and tea? Obviously without milk/sugar.
Karen – Drinking coffee and tea during your Whole30 is fine. Some people choose to go caffeine-free during their Whole30 as an additional step. I waited about 6 months after changing my food before going caffeine-free. Nowadays I drink one cup of green tea when I first get up in the morning, not for the caffeine, but because I like green tea. I decided my stress levels were already high enough without pouring caffeine into the mix to jack things up.
Thanks, Tom. You were right about my fat intake not being that high each day. Today it was down to roughly 40%. I’m going to just keep doing what I’m doing!
Well, guys. Today is Day 30. I will weigh myself tomorrow and report back. The last ten days have been pretty stressful (work being shown in my first ever art-shows), so I’ve had trouble sleeping and I’ve been pretty anxious and emotional. I don’t have any idea how related to diet all of that has been, but it has occurred to me that I might be more raw now that a certain coping mechanism (food) has been stripped away. Hmm.
I am wondering what happens now. I like eating this way and plan to keep doing it most of the time. What I am looking forward to is relaxing on the oils, just because it will make going out a bit easier, as well as picking up prepared foods from certain places. I am a little worried about hidden sugars in food I don’t cook myself. What do people do about these things? And what is the thinking about the oil restrictions?
Thanks for everybody’s help. This is a terrific site and community. Do people stay a part of it even when not doing a Whole 30?
Kate
Hi! I’m on day 4 of Whole30. And I seem to be starving all the time. Backstory–I’ve been pretty much grain free for awhile, but I’ve had a lot of sugar and dairy in my diet. The biggest hurdle so far has been not logging everything I eat and weighing myself everyday, which I guess is fairly telling! I’m not a calorie Nazi, but I’m a distance runner and P90Xer, so I’ve been keeping a close eye for a long time on what I put in vs put out.
But I really can’t figure out why I’ve been so outta control hungry the past few days. I’m eating lean animal protein (eggs, chicken breast, steak), a lot of vegetables, and some fruit (more fruit than I’m used to, probably because of sugar cravings. I’ll work on that), good doses of olives/olive oil and coconut milk, and about one sweet potato a day. I don’t think I’m hungry from cutting the dairy and sugar, since I never ate that for hunger reasons (it was ice cream, at night, by the bucket).
This wouldn’t bother me so much except I keep getting the vibe that this program is sort of anti snack. But I’m eating at least every two hours. Thoughts?
Courtney–What does an average meal consist of for you? Honestly, you need to eat a larger portion at every meal and make sure you get adequate healthy fat in those meals as well. You say “good doses” but I’m not sure what that is. As someone who used to restrict calories/count/log/weigh/ measure, I can tell you I had an unhealthy view of what a good dose was. Try increasing the quantity of food you are eating. I have a distance cycling background (endurance mountain biking) so I can guess that your starchy carbs may not be enough to support your running and P90X. You need to replace the glycogen you are burning through especially when doing your high intensity P90X and may need more starchy carbs than the one sweet potato can provide. In general, the more often you eat, like grazing every couple hours, the harder your body has to work to digest everything and keep it all moving. Try turning your snacks into larger breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Also, a proper pre- and post-workout food routine is something you may need to work on. Remember, post-workout meals especially are treated as a BONUS meal, in addition to what you normally eat.
Keep up the good work…
Steph, Whole9 EE
8:00pm Pacific time- My “Keep Track” Android app just chimed in for me to track todays Whole30 YES or NO daily checkin. I selected the YES buttton to end my 30th day!!! I am glad I found the Whole30, as I needed to reground myself in my Caveman ways after going off the rails during Christmas. Though I am on day 30, it is not over. This is just the first 30 days in my rejuvinated outlook to bettter health. I am down a few pounds, with only 2 or 3 more to loss to be at my lowest weight in nearly 15 years. At no time did doing the whole30 affect my energy levels for my AM P90X2 sessions in the gym, or my daily cycling commutes to and from work.
If you are in any way interested in doing a Whole30, and you are reading these posts, I highly recommend giving it a go!!!
Confession: the past few days have been ROUGH for me. Last week (and into Tues) I was full of energy and zest. Then, I wasn’t. My energy levels are in the toilet and I feel awful. I have not had the energy to to work out at all this week except once. My head is killing me, I feel hungry but my stomach hurts…and I am CRAVING sweets (like ice cream). I hope this will pass. Maybe I am out of balance? Ugh, whatever it is, I hope it blows over and that this is just my body “dumping” some toxic garbage. :/ Monday starts my week 3…I hope next week is better than this week has been.
Good day!
So I tried the Whole30 back in January of last year, and had some success with it (noticed my GERD symptoms which I take a pill a day for, were practically non-existent). We only made it 2 weeks however (a death in the family had us travelling 2 provinces away – and my hubby eating all his favorite home cooked meals *sigh*).
So… I want to get back on it but have a few questions. I noticed in an earlier post, Tom mentioned about easing into exercise. I’m currently “morbidly obese”, Type 2 diabetic, not active what-so-ever, and hate cooking. So even doing the Whole30 is a HUGE leap from where I am today. If I ease into the exercise (30 min walk a few times per week), what are the next steps beyond that?
I see the Whole30 as step one. After Whole30 I want to ease into a Paleo-type diet, and go back to Whole30… but how many times is it recommended to do it? And what workout goals should I be setting for myself? And… am I aiming too high for such a newbie?? (And.. clearly I tend to overthink things…)
Everything is just so foreign to me. It’s like trying to explain Quantum Physics to a 2 year old. Any suggestions would help! I need to get healthy, and to do so I HAVE TO lose weight. It’s not like this is a “gee, I’d like to wear a bikini this summer” it’s a “gee, I’d like to live past 40″.
Kate – Lots of people hang around here even when they are not doing a strict Whole30. I love when I see comments from people I remember from a Whole30 they did months or even years ago. And sometimes, your experience may allow you to encourage someone new better than anyone else. Please stay around.
Eating out means exposure to seed oils, sugar, and grains in ways that are difficult to avoid. Most of us eat out anyway, either because we travel or because we just don’t want to eat at home all the time. How much you expose yourself to the bad stuff is a personal choice. I would never cook with canola oil at home, but I order a fried seafood platter at a Peruvian restaurant as much as once per month because I like it. I know they are using canola oil to fry and some kind of grain-based flour to bread the squid and fish, but I eat it anyway. And I eat at an Indian restaurant as often as once per week without knowing what is in the sauces on the buffet. I’m sure I get sugar in my diet that way, but don’t think it is enough for me to worry about.
Kara Wilde – Hang in there. This too shall pass.
Carolyn – I really want you to live past 40 too, so ask as many questions as it takes to get what you need!
It is important to have fun while exercising. You might not have much fun at first, but it is useful to look for something you can enjoy. Walking is usually a great place to start, working up from every other day to every day. Then you might try speed walking part of each session or walking up stairs. Climbing stairs can be seriously hard work. It is no accident that football players often run up and down stadium steps! You might experiment with playing with a basket ball or soccer ball. Situps, pushups, and unweighted squats are more good exercises to practice. It is a good idea to workup a sweat, but not to work so hard that you could not keep talking to a friend while you exercise. High intensity exercise causes too much stress when you are starting out, but you can transition from badly out of shape to capable of doing high intensity exercise in just a few months if you eat good and spend some time being active almost every day.
Hi All,
So this is the last week of my first whole 30. I’m feeling pretty good, but I cant say that I feel much different than I did before. I guess most notably I feel better after I eat. Lighter and satisfied – not bloated or uncomfortable in any way. I also feel stronger during my workouts. I was very concerned when I started with loosing too much weight. I’m not sure what my weight is at this point, but other than what I noticed the first week (pants feeling too loose, etc) I don’t feel that I’ve lost any more and I’m really, really happy about this.
I would really like to fine tune this week and I’m even considering adding another week or two if those of you with more experience recommend it. FYI, my long term plan is not to change much of what I’m eating. I see myself having wine a couple times a month and I’d really like to experiment with baking some snacks using coconut flour for my boys as I am trying to ease them off of wheat right now – I’ve learned so much about through this process and feel that they consume way too much bread!
My biggest thing to tackle right now is sleep. I am going to bed by 10pm (often earlier) every night and try to sleep until 6am (children willing). I am just not sleeping good. I am waking up 3-4 times a night and by the 3rd time I’m tossing and turning and unable to do anything more than snooze. I am also dreaming heavily – you know, those dreams that make you feel half awake? What is up with this? I feel so unrested and I’m sure this is why I’m not experiencing the benefits I had hoped to.
I did order some NOW D3 and Carlson Fish oil, hoping that perhaps these additions will help.
Any suggestions as to what I can do this week?
Sorry this is so long, but I have one more concern. I’ve been watching the Paleo Summit presentations and have learned so much. However, two of the presenters have left me questioning how much protein is too much? I’ve gone from vegetarianism to vegan-ism to full-on whole30 meat/fish/eggs 3x’s per day. Do those of you who eat this way continue on like this when your done with the 30? Is there any info out there that looks at whether or not this much protein is okay long term? I imagine I’m getting at least 100 grams/day.
Thanks so much for being such a great, informative and supportive community!
Bonnie
Thanks Steph. A typical breakfast, for example, is 3-4 eggs scrambled with 1/2 or whole package of frozen vegetables (I know, frozen is not ideal, but I cannot get the hang of buying fresh and using it in time), with coffee with approx 1/4 cup of coconut milk. Last night’s dinner was about 4 cups of kale, a little over one avocado, a chicken breast, lemon juice, pine nuts, capers, and about 1/4 cup of olive oil and the juice of one lemon. I cannot fathom eating bigger portions than that, but maybe including more carby stuff will make a big difference. Thanks!
Bonnie: I also had some trouble sleeping for a while, exactly what you describe, being really restless and tossing and turning or being asleep but feeling like you’re awake. I thought it was just something I was doing wrong, so I’m glad you wrote about it. It seems to be passing–not sure why. What are people’s thoughts about this?
About a week ago, Nicole asked whether the ebook will work on an iPad, but I didn’t see an answer.
I have the same question, since, as she said, the sample did not work. Is the ebook format PDF (which should be fine), or Flash (which wont work on the iPad)?
I’m on day 12 of Whole30 & thinking the extra details might be helpful, tho I’ve already learned a lot from these posts. Thanks!