Whole30 for Beginners

The Whole30 way of life (Yes, it’s a way of life and not a diet.) is sweeping the nation. Some say it’s easier than going Paleo, and some say it’s just a 30 day jump start. Then, they’ll go back to their old habits afterwards. Many people find a happy medium after surviving their first Whole30, and some stick with it for several rounds.

Are you looking for a way to ditch the sugar addiction and feel great? Are you ready for 30 days of allowing your body to be fueled by real food. Can you do it?

Get Started on the Whole30

Start by downloading the Whole30 Program PDF. I love that everything Whole30 is easily accessible online, for free. While there are books that are great resources available, they aren’t required to guarantee your success.

Really, the only thing required to succeed at completing the Whole30 program is determination. Chances are that you’ve tried worse “diets”, only to gain all of the weight back (and then some?), and then wasted tons of time and money. So, let’s take a look.

Download the Whole30 Shopping List. If you’re a vegetarian, your protein choices will be limited. Fortunately, eggs are delicious and Whole30 compliant.

Ditch the excuses

The biggest objection I’ve seen people have when it comes to starting the Whole30 is giving up their coffee addiction. The thing is, you can have coffee! It just has to be black. So if you’re freaking out about giving up your coffee drinks, maybe it’s the sugar you’re addicted to after all, not the coffee.

No measuring or weighing during your 30 days. You will be tempted, but don’t do it! Weigh and measure before and after but not in between.

Foods You Can’t Have

I’m not going to list all the foods you can’t eat while doing the Whole30, but I will say it’s pretty simple: eat real food, and you’ll be safe. There are some exceptions.

Sugar of all kinds is off limits, except natural sugars found in fruit.

Alcohol, grains, legumes, and dairy are all off limits as well.

Even though you’ll see a million pins on Pinterest creating delicious desserts that are “Whole30”, it’s important to realize they are not actually Whole30 compliant because they are very specific when they say not to do that.

But, can I have ______?

I think this is probably the most commonly asked question about the Whole30. Instead of focusing on what you can’t have; focus on all the delicious goodness you can have. There are so many vegetables to choose from, you could eat a different one every day of the week and not have to repeat for quite some time. Even if you stuck with 7 veggies, that’s a new one each day.

It’s important to note that with ingredients like almond flour and dates, there are guidelines to follow. For example, almond flour is not to be used in muffins, pancakes, desserts, and other things you really shouldn’t be eating when following the Whole30. Dates are fine but in moderation. Also, don’t use them because you’re craving something sweet.

Potatoes are allowed on the Whole30, but you need to bake them. Don’t order French fries and think it’s compliant. If you still aren’t sure if you can eat this or that, visit the forum.

Whole30 Recipes to Get You Started

I’ve found it fairly difficult to find tons of vegetarian-friendly Whole30 recipes, so I usually just modify regular ones to fit my diet.

Top Ten Quick & Easy Whole30 Dinner Recipes

Thirty Whole30 Slow Cooker Recipes

The thing to remember with recipes from the web is some of them might SAY they’re Whole30 compliant, but they really won’t be. So be sure to look at the ingredients, and make sure they are compliant before adding them to your shopping list.

One of my favorite quotes from the Whole30 site:

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

That is so true!

Before making any diet change, make sure to do your research to make sure it is the right diet for you. Is Whole30 a diet you plan on trying? Let me know in the comments!