"I think I want to do the Whole30, but where do I begin?!"
/
Have you been thinking about doing the Whole30?!
If yes, then this is the blog post for you! After doing several rounds of Whole30 the past year, I’ve put together a list of the things I think you would want to know! These are things that I have either experienced, things I wish I would have known when I started, as well as tips I got from others along the way. I hope this posts helps you as you begin your first Whole30 and journey to finding Food Freedom Forever!
PS I know it’s jammed packed with info, but the more prepared you are before you begin, I truly feel the more successful you will be!
RESEARCH
In order to understand how the Whole30 works, you’re going to need to do a little bit of research in the beginning! It will only help you as you get your Whole30 underway.
Know this going into the program:
The Whole30 is NOT A DIET. It’s a 30-day “experiment” to reset your body. It’s designed to help stop unhealthy eating cravings / habits, tame your sugar dragon and restore a healthy metabolism….all by eating WHOLE FOODS.
After the 30 days, you’ll do a reintroduction of the foods you cut out (Ex: Dairy, Legumes, Grains, etc). Do not skip reintroduction! It will help you learn your Food Freedom.
Some people do more than one round of Whole30 because their eating habits have gotten out of control again. Ideally, though, your end goal is to figure out your Food Freedom. (Not be on Whole30 forever). Food Freedom = Discovering the foods that are “worth it” to you. Once you figure that out, you probably don’t need to do another round :) unless you feel compelled to!
Read: “The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Health and Food Freedom”
This book will prepare you for HOW to do the Whole30. It walks you through the rules of the program. It tells you how you may feel each day of the 30 days. It also gives a month’s full of recipes in the back.
If you can’t buy this book, try checking it out from your library! Or see if any of your friends have it that you can borrow. It’s worth the read!
Scroll through the Whole30 website
There’s a TON of resources on there that I found especially helpful. Even if you do not read the book above, at least check out the website!
GROCERY STORE
I’m telling you now…it’s imperative you PREPARE for the Whole30! You want to set yourself up for success and prepping does that! This means planning out meals, buying said ingredients and then doing any meal prep you can, if possible, before the week gets going. The more you prepare ahead of time, the easier it becomes to reach for “good food” and the less likely you’ll “slip” and eat something NOT Whole30 while doing the program. Remember: If you eat something NOT Whole30, you have to RESTART.
Plan to spend twice as long at the grocery store reading labels (at least for your first 1-2 trips)
Don’t go into sticker shock! You are bound to spend more money that you’re used to, but trust me, your health is worth it!
Tastebuds…get ready! You’re about to try some new foods + ingredients you probably haven’t tasted before! Stay open-minded! Some things you’ll love, some you’ll pass next time.
Ex: Thumbs Up = Ghee (I didn’t know what Ghee was before Whole30 — basically it’s clarified butter, so they have removed all of the milk from it. I was telling Justin tonight, I don’t even remember what butter tastes like because we use Ghee all the time now).
Ex: Thumbs Down = Broccoli “Cheese” Dish (I wanted to like this so much, but the ‘cashew cheese’ wasn’t doing it for me. Also, some people RAVE about Nut Pods (creamer for your coffee). Again, I wanted to love it, but I just couldn’t get into the flavor.)
A great resource to get you started are what bloggers call “Grocery Store Guides”. These are basically posts of different grocery stores and the Whole30 foods they carry! (Always remember to 2x check the labels — food is constantly changing — but it’s a really good place to start)
Ex: Guide to Aldi (@MelissasFoodFreedom)
Ex: Guide to Costco (@MelissasFoodFreedom)
Ex: Guide to Fresh Thyme (@MelissasFoodFreedom)
Ex: Guide to Target (@MelissasFoodFreedom)
Ex: Guide to Trader Joes (@MelissasFoodFreedom)
Ex: Guide to Walmart (@MelissasFoodFreedom)
Find a couple sauces you like, and it will be a game changer!
Several brands (Like Tessamae’s, Primal Kitchen and The New Primal Noble Made) have a lot of bottled Whole30 sauces. Some I like, some I wasn't a fan of.
My Favorites: Noble Made Medium Buffalo Sauce, Tessamae’s Ketchup
My Non-Favorites: Tessamae’s Ranch
You can also make your own sauces / mayos! My all-time favorite dressing is called DUMP RANCH. I swear by this stuff, and to be completely honest, think it tastes better than regular ranch.
The BEST TIP I can give overall: KEEP IS SIMPLE
Not every meal needs to be elaborate / gourmet / new recipe. Trust me, you are not going to want to spend hours upon hours in the kitchen.
Easy foods I live off nowadays:
Meats: Burgers, pork chops, sausage (Pederson’s brand from Fresh Thyme) , salami, Skyline chili from the can, taco meat, eggs, hard boiled eggs, chicken, chicken wings (cooking them in the air fryer has been a game changer!)
Fats: Ghee, Bacon (Low sodium from Kroger OR Pederson’s brand from Fresh Thyme), Avocado Oil, Cashews, Pistachios
Veggies: Cucumbers, Peppers, Zucchini, Lettuce Wraps, Caramelized Onions, Spaghetti Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes (also made in the air fryer has been a game changer!)
Fruits: Apples, Bananas, Cuties, (they’re SO much easier to peel than full-size oranges), Kiwis, Grapes, Strawberries
Sauces: Dump Ranch, Whole30 Hot Sauce, Whole30 BBQ Sauce, Whole30 Ketchup, Unsweetened applesauce (I know it’s a fruit but thought it would be fun to put in the sauce category…hahah)
Drinks: Water, Unsweetened Starbucks Iced Coffee (32 oz from grocery store), Watermelon Wonder Synergy Kombucha (on occasion, don’t drink everyday), Unsweetened Tea (brewed at home, sometimes I’ll add a lemon or peach to the pitcher), Herbal Peppermint Tea (great for before bed)
Don’t overwhelm yourself with a new recipe every night of the week. What I did was make 1 new recipe a week! You should have plenty of leftovers for lunches (or even breakfasts) throughout the rest of the week
Ex: Week 1 — Chili (Recipe in Whole30 book)
Ex: Week 2 — Lazy Oven Meatballs
Ex: Week 3 — Breakfast Egg Bake Casserole
Ex: Week 4 — Buffalo Chicken Poppers
Remember to KEEP A BALANCED PLATE.
I didn’t realize I was overeating fruits and needed more veggies until someone in the Whole30 FB group sent me this image!
Whole 30 plate:
Veggies take up 2/3 of plate
Protein the size of your palm
Small amount of fats + fruits
COMMUNITY
One of the many great things about the Whole30 is how established the community is. There’s hundreds of thousands of people (probably more like millions) who have done + are doing the Whole30. What does this mean?! They can be used as resources!
Join a Whole30 Facebook Group! This was another game changer for me.
(I think I’m in Whole30 BEGINNERS!)
9x out of 10 there’s someone in the group who is doing the Whole30 at the same time you are. It’s nice to follow along with other people!
It’s also a great tool for when you have something going on, and need a question answered.
I felt like I got hit by a truck on Day 5 and was suffering from allergy symptoms. I wasn’t sure if it was from me getting sick, or it was my body adjusting to the Whole30. I also wasn’t really hungry and had only eaten 2 meals that day. It was great to get some feedback from others, who encouraged me to keep going and the Tiger Blood would be coming soon.
Or heck, sometimes people share what they made for dinner that night and it gives you some ideas if you’re tired of eating the same thing all the time. That’s actually how I learned I could eat TACO SALADS!
Follow Whole30 accounts on social media!
Here are some of my favorites (From IG):
@melissa_hartwig (Urban) — Co-Founder of the Whole30. She’s great at giving tough love. She’s incredibly intelligent. Her story is amazing! Speaking of stories, her IG stories hold a lot of wisdom and reminders on how to think about food.
@melissasfoodfreedom — This isn’t THE Melissa (above) but this Melissa posts some of the best content! She’s the one who does the grocery store guides and has a ton of recipes that are SUPER SIMPLE and not very time consuming. I have thoroughly enjoyed her resources!
@whole30 and @whole30recipes — Variety of Whole30 ambassadors post on these pages! When I was making 1 new recipe a week, I would actually scroll those their feeds to get some ideas + inspiration on what to make.
Ask for tips from others who have walked this path before!
Do you have any friends who have done the Whole30? Even if you don’t know if you do, create a post on your social media and ask!
I did this on Instagram and got a TON of great feedback, that I’ll leave below!
“My husband and I did the Whole30 at the beginning of this year and we loved it. We still incorporate most of the guidelines today. It really changes how you look at food. My suggestion is to find Whole30 Insta accounts. Also, it is pretty daunting in the beginning but it it totally manageable. You just have to plan! Some of our staples (still to this day) @wholesisters Dump Ranch (best ranch ever - we prefer it over any store bought these days) and @thewholesmiths Mayo. We LOVE avocado oil over olive oil and ghee (the butter you’re allowed to have) is so good to sauté any veggies on.””
“Make sure you know how to order Whole30 at restaurants because life still happens!”
“I LOVE THE WHOLE30!!! It was definitely the most difficult things I’ve done as I was the only one in my house doing it. So, I suggest roping in a roomie or BF to help. Meal prepping is a must and there are tons of recipes that are quite simple. I loved the chili!”
“Plan plan plan. Tessamae’s makes some compliant sauces and salad dressing, if you don’t want to make your own. Trust the system — it really educates you on what works and what doesn’t work with your body. Chomps meat sticks are the best thing ever. Those with some raw nuts — awesome event or travel snack. It’s pricey — but if you plan, you can get a lot of bang for your buck.”
ACCOUNTABILITY
Find someone to do the Whole30 with you! Perhaps your partner, a roommate, a colleague.
Note: Just because they won’t do it with you now doesn’t mean they won’t ever want to.
My boyfriend basically said “HECK NO” during my first two rounds of Whole30. But! After seeing my results, he’s the one who actually prompted the next round of Whole30. I couldn’t believe it!!!
If you can’t find a Whole30 buddy (or even if you can), let the world know you are doing the Whole30!
Post on social media! Tell your friends! Family! Co-workers!
When people know you are doing this, I’ve found it to be so much easier and they don’t question why you packed your lunch / brought a cooler full of food / tempt you with something they’ve made. And better yet, if they are cooking, they may even accommodate you and make zoodles instead of noodles 😊 (THANK YOU, RACHELLE!)
Journal your meals / How you feel
I did this my first round and found it incredibly helpful to have a log of what I ate. The format I used was: Round __, Day __, Meal __. I would take a picture and post to my Insta Stories! I also created a Whole30 post each night before bed, with the photos I took from my meals.
I would document how I was feeling, that way I could go back and reference it. (I totally felt the “Whole30 hangover” the first week, when I was getting used to all the sugar being cut from my diet). Posting helped keep me accountable, because I had others watching me!
If you don’t post on social media, no problem! You can also journal in your own book.
There’s no alcohol allowed on Whole30.
One phrase Melissa Urban has come up with, is saying, “I’m not drinking right now.” She’s found that adding those 2 words at the end of the sentence prompts for fewer, if not any questions at all, about her choice not to drink. Just another tip I thought I’d pass along!
LAST WORDS BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Choose dates that work for you. Really look ahead and make sure there’s nothing BIG standing in your way, where you wouldn’t want to be on Whole30.
For example: Melissa doesn’t encourage doing the Whole30 around the holidays, because she wants you to enjoy those family recipes, if you consider it “worth it” food.
Be intentional on when you begin, so you can set yourself up for success from the get-go! Look ahead at: vacations, weddings, other special events. Know that you CAN do Whole30 around life. (I brought a cooler with me when I traveled during my Whole30).
Document your journey!
Before the Whole30: Take measurements. Take pictures.
During the Whole30: Journal your days! Record how you’re feeling! (Especially during the reintroduction process).
After the Whole30: Take measurements again. Take progress pictures.
Grab the Non-Scale Victories (NSVs) sheet from the Whole30 website and check off all the victories you’ve felt along your journey!
Stay inspired
Remember you can use the Whole30 Facebook group(s) to keep you motivated! From time to time when I felt stuck and wanted to give up, I would scroll and look at people’s progress pics and read about their NSVs. It keep me inspired to keep going!
Refer to the Whole30 calendar
There’s a popular image that floats around, to give you an idea of how you’ll feel on the Whole30. I found it to be pretty spot on when I did the Whole30. Justin didn’t feel that way, but feel free to use it as a resource as you get started.
Good Book to Read DURING Whole30: Food Freedom Forever
I was on a Whole30 FB group and saw a lady’s post about how she did 4 round of Whole30 before she caught onto the idea of Food Freedom Forever. It didn’t hit her until she read this book when on her 4th round.
When I heard that, I went and bought it immediately, because I had been struggling with this too. It’s an amazing read and I definitely recommend! It reframes the way you think about food, reminds you that food’s purpose is to FUEL you and makes you ask the question, “Is this worth it?”
From Me to You:
I wish I could say I had it “all figured out” after I did the first round of Whole30. I was good for a little while, but then I slipped and went back to old habits. It wasn’t until my 4th Round of Whole30 and reading “Food Freedom Forever” that I finally feel like I am catching on to what Food Freedom is.
I wish I could tell you, after 30 days, you’re going to come out a CHANGED human being. But this isn’t a 30-day fix. It’s not a “do this now” and “my life is COMPLETELY changed.”
It’s an ongoing process. It’s not a fad diet. It’s a way of living. Once you realize this (and experience it first-hand), you’ll be well on your way. Anyone can tell you anything. It’s not until you experience yourself, when you’ll realize what this is all about. With that, I’ll leave you with this:
You CAN do it!
In the famous words of Melissa (Hartwig) Urban, “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.”
Don’t let the Whole30 overwhelm you. Take it day-by-day! You are strong and will succeed! And if you get down, don’t stay down. Give yourself grace and then get right back up and start again. I believe in you! You got this, my friend!
Side Note:
I always said, “There’s no way I could ever drink my coffee black.” And guess what?! Now I love it! Give yourself a chance to try things differently….you never know what may happen!
