So, you are considering doing a whole30. You have heard about it on social media whether it is through instagram or facebook. You see photos of peoples meals full of lean meats, veggies, protein, and fruit and you are convinced you can rock these 30 days no problem whatsoever! Here are some things to consider before you start a Whole30 and also some things to keep in mind while you go through it.
1) Why are you choosing to do this Whole30?
Are you doing a Whole30 to loose weight? Are you doing a Whole30 to “detox” after the holidays? Are you doing a Whole30 to pinpoint some food allergies or intolerances you have and to help your body heal?
Everyone has their reasons, but your reason for doing it 100% influences your experience and results.
If you do a Whole30 with the intention of loosing weight but immediately after the 30 days you go right back to your regular diet, guess what!? You will gain it all back. Do not treat a Whole30 as a fad diet or crash diet because if you are doing it for that, your experience will paint a bad light on the Whole30.
The intention of the Whole30 from the company owner is to, “reset the way you eat, therefore allowing it to reshape the way you cook and think about food.” The program is designed to produce lasting changes both in health and mindset and to reshape one’s relationship with food and to see how it affects their body not only physically but mentally and emotionally.
Be prepared during the 30 days to truly experience some ebbs and flows with your relationship with food. Many people do not realize the attachment they have with food and do not realize the impact it has on them every time they consume it. You may, during the 30 days, realize things about your diet and lifestyle that you had never experienced before and it can be emotional.
Lifestyle change is what is required during a whole30 in order to achieve and maintain the best results possible. Learning to change your relationship with food and listening to your body and adopting many of the methodologies is what will yield lasting results.
2) Are you prepared for the challenge?
So, many people see the photos of meal prepped food on instagram perfectly packed in glass Tupperware and they think “pshhhhh I can handle this!”. What they don’t see is the hours of prep, grocery shopping, reading labels, chopping, sautéing, and packing that it took for that person to take that perfect photo.
Be prepared for the grocery shopping trips, reading labels on EVERYTHING, the amount of prep work it will take and the amount of thinking ahead it will take to navigate this Whole30. It is easy to keep on a Whole30 when you can control your food intake at home, but what happens when a friend asks you to go out to dinner with them or you have a last minute work lunch you must attend. What do you do!?
Preparation is key! You will have to look at menus ahead of time, modify things on the menu many times, pack Whole30 compliant snacks in your purse or backpack, and be prepared to sometimes be stuck and not know what to do! Don’t panick, take a deep breath, and learn from the experience. It is better to have a pack of sugar free almond butter and some carrot sticks than have no option other than a Subway sandwich or donuts. Always be prepared and learn to navigate these issues.
3) But what about special occasions!?
What about them? Again, try to plan your Whole30 accordingly. What if a birthday or celebration or holiday falls during your Whole30? Maybe plan your Whole30 so that you have 30 days where there are no special holidays or occasions you will have to be restricted on, or enjoy that day and start your Whole30 back the next day. Don’t let it ruin the fun of the day and have that skew the view you have of the program. Just like how eating healthy and exercising for one day wont give you a 6 pack, indulging one day wont cause you to gain 5 pounds! Life is short, enjoy the special occasion and get back on the program the next day. For me personally, in coaching clients through Whole30s, when they come off of it they don’t know how to act. I tell them, “if you maintain an 80% whole30 diet and a 20% enjoy yourself diet consistently, you will have lasting results and enjoy life!” It is as simple as that. Don’t let it consume you, don’t let it take over your life, let it be a teaching moment and a lifestyle change and let it help you regain control of your relationship with food.
If you are on social media I highly recommend following the Whole30 Instagram because they post great recipes and also daily tips and tricks and also funny anectodes of how you will feel every day of a Whole30. Typically energy and digestion gets wonky for the first few days as your body adjusts to the new diet and soon you will feel better than you have in months if not years!
Feel free to email me any questions you may have about the Whole30 diet or if you are looking for someone to coach you through it and also check me out on instagram for some tips and tricks and snack/meal prep ideas!
Here are some of my favorite Whole30 recipes: Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes | Whole30 Chicken Tenders | Cauliflower Fried Rice.
Contact Information:
Email | Instagram | Podcast | iTunes
Discount Link to Thrive Market for 25% off first order and free shipping on Whole 30 Products.
*** Photo Credit: Whole30 Instagram.
