About three years ago I started to consider doing the Whole30 program but really didn’t have a strong enough desire or reason to commit to it. But this year I did it. I completed my 30 days last week and am now in the reintroduction phase. I’m a bit behind the curve on getting this post out but…oh well.
Why I did the Whole30
I think a part of the reason I was finally ready to try the Whole30 was that I’ve eliminated a lot of the barriers people often run into. I cook more in general and my diet has gotten “healthier” as I’ve gotten older. And obviously, the pandemic has made going out and eating at restaurants less of an option and thus less of an obstacle. I’ve also been doing Dry January for six years, so I’ve built up a certain level of practice at saying no to things I enjoy.
Beyond the reduced barriers, I was just curious. My younger sister had to do an elimination diet for health reasons and discovered that gluten was a significant problem for her. I want to know if there is any kind of food sensitivity I don’t recognize because I’ve never cut it out. Sometimes it takes removing a thing to understand its impact on you.
As a last note on motivation, I’d like to acknowledge that the Whole30 program lays out eating habits and rhythms that are supposed to help your mental and emotional relationship with food. Frankly, I’m not concerned about this part of it. My only goal in doing this program has been to test my sensitivity to certain foods. I did not stick to the letter of the Whole30 law when it comes to snacks or more emotion focused aspects of it. More on that as we go.
Prepping for the Program
Once I decided to do the program, I started to think through what I needed to do in preparation. The book provides a good amount of guidance on how to prep, but these where the things I focused on (even before I picked up the book).
I talked to friends who had already completed it successfully. I think this really helped make it feel more achievable. It also helped me better understand what the real difficulties would be, and it gave me someone to talk over my concerns with. Reading blogs and books are great ways to get this information as well, but your friends know you and may have more personal insights and advice to offer
I was realistic with myself about what I wanted out of the program and what I was willing to do. The program in its strictest form says you should eat three meals a day, no snacking. I knew that I would not do the program if I had to eat breakfast every morning. I have NEVER been a breakfast eater. I can manage fruit and coffee, but not much else before I’ve been up and moving for a few hours. Since the program doesn’t ban smoothies, though they strongly recommend solid food, I decided I would ignore the recommendation. I don’t think you have to follow the program in the strictest form to get value out of it. Making this choice is in line with my motivation and my limitations. Work with who you are.
I did some research and practice shopping. The Whole30 requires a lot of label reading. Taking the time to find approved substitutes for your favorite condiments before you start the program will save you frustration later. I read through the allowed and not-allowed lists multiple times and held them in my mind as I grocery shopped for the week or two before I started. I took time to look over labels of my preferred brands and I found new brands that I could use if something I wanted was not compliant. This practice can help you avoid making mistakes like buying your much-loved macadamia nut milk only to find out it contains pea protein. True story.
I cleaned out my refrigerator and cabinets, sort of. The book suggests that you do this to avoid having tempting foods in easy reach. I wasn’t overly worried about this. If I have been faithful to Sober Jan for 6 years, the stuff in my fridge isn’t going to be an issue. BUT, I did intentionally eat through my most tempting noncompliant food in the week or two before I started. I also moved noncompliant foods to higher shelfs or toward the back of the refrigerator. As I made space for new food, I filled it with Whole30 approved items. Since I try to only shop for a few days at a time, this worked very well for me. I think it would be harder for families.
Of course, I read the book and If the program is a drastic change for you, I would suggest reading their chapter on prep. They have a lot of resources for people who need or want more support or guidance.
If there was one thing I could have done better, it was meal planning. If I ever decide to do this again I will develop an arsenal of recipes I can rotate through. The restrictions on your diet force you to branch out into foods you might not be excited about or like at all (I hate sweet potato). I’ll talk about this lesson learned and my overall experience in the next blog post.
If you’ve done the Whole30, what are your prep tips and lessons learned?
Thanks for reading!
Rainy Day Rags 