Top Ten Tips for Whole30 Success
So, Patrick and I have done the Whole30 food program twice. We're pretty much experts by now. (Haha, not really.) Here are our top ten tips for Whole30 success.
1. Have a support group! You absolutely need someone or someones to do this with you. They say misery loves company and in this case it's true. It's fun to compare and share your experiences with someone doing it at the same time and when you want to quit (and you will!) they will be able to cheer you on, and vice versa.
2. Buy the book and read it! Okay, if you are a book reader, this is easy. If you are like Patrick, this is not so easy. Another reason for a support group. Choose someone who will read the important parts of the book to you. The Whole30 timeline is scarily accurate and there are some really good recipes in the one pictured below. Many of the recipes made it into our regular meal rotation.
3. Choose your start date wisely. The first time Patrick and I did the Whole30, we had a trip planned on or about day 16. We made good food choices in restaurants but didn't overly stress about the way food was prepared and it was all so delicious, I'm pretty sure a lot of butter was used. Subsequently, we 'cheated' after that and made our eggs in butter or added half and half to our coffee. At the end of 30 days, we were disappointed and very curious if we could have finished the program with no cheats. If you have a vacation planned, a wedding or other special event; try starting the program after that for maximum benefit. You'll be glad you did.
4. Remember that a craving only lasts 3 minutes. This piece of advice is in the book and Melissa explains the research behind it. This little tidbit was EXTREMELY helpful for me. I craved crunchy chips something fierce. I literally talked myself into backing away from the snack cabinet a number of times thinking 'just 3 minutes'. Note: I should have cleaned out the snack cabinet so I wouldn't be tempted, but I have kids in the house still.
5. Don't forget why you are doing the Whole30. This was huge for me too. In those moments I wanted to distract myself from a craving, I recalled my reason for doing this. I wanted to feel good, be less anxious and handle stress better. So, I recalled how blah I felt before and it renewed my motivation to succeed.
6. Plan ahead. You will be more likely to fail if you don't have whole foods in the house to eat on demand. Make hard boiled eggs. Prepare some homemade mayo. Keep some compliant almonds or other tree nuts at the ready.
7. Read your labels. This may be a no-brainer, but we got burned once or twice because we didn't read the label. There is sugar in everything. There are additives too. If in doubt, head over to Whole30.com. There is so much good information there. This cheat-sheet came in handy a number of times too.
8. It may be called Whole30 but it's actually more like Whole45. If you are trying to find foods you are sensitive to, you will want to do a slow re-introduction. That means your success doesn't end at 30 days so plan for 45 or more. The book will explain this.
9. Cook once, eat twice. Make extras every time you cook. Super helpful for those times when you are feeling lazy. This was our life preserver and another key to success.
10. You can do anything for 30 days! This is a food program and potentially a lifestyle change for the better. Challenge yourself daily to be successful. Hey, if I can do it, you can too. You're worth it!
P.S. Read Jen Hatmaker's post for a good laugh and a dash of motivation. Whole30: A Lazy Girls Tale
1. Have a support group! You absolutely need someone or someones to do this with you. They say misery loves company and in this case it's true. It's fun to compare and share your experiences with someone doing it at the same time and when you want to quit (and you will!) they will be able to cheer you on, and vice versa.
2. Buy the book and read it! Okay, if you are a book reader, this is easy. If you are like Patrick, this is not so easy. Another reason for a support group. Choose someone who will read the important parts of the book to you. The Whole30 timeline is scarily accurate and there are some really good recipes in the one pictured below. Many of the recipes made it into our regular meal rotation.
3. Choose your start date wisely. The first time Patrick and I did the Whole30, we had a trip planned on or about day 16. We made good food choices in restaurants but didn't overly stress about the way food was prepared and it was all so delicious, I'm pretty sure a lot of butter was used. Subsequently, we 'cheated' after that and made our eggs in butter or added half and half to our coffee. At the end of 30 days, we were disappointed and very curious if we could have finished the program with no cheats. If you have a vacation planned, a wedding or other special event; try starting the program after that for maximum benefit. You'll be glad you did.
4. Remember that a craving only lasts 3 minutes. This piece of advice is in the book and Melissa explains the research behind it. This little tidbit was EXTREMELY helpful for me. I craved crunchy chips something fierce. I literally talked myself into backing away from the snack cabinet a number of times thinking 'just 3 minutes'. Note: I should have cleaned out the snack cabinet so I wouldn't be tempted, but I have kids in the house still.
5. Don't forget why you are doing the Whole30. This was huge for me too. In those moments I wanted to distract myself from a craving, I recalled my reason for doing this. I wanted to feel good, be less anxious and handle stress better. So, I recalled how blah I felt before and it renewed my motivation to succeed.
6. Plan ahead. You will be more likely to fail if you don't have whole foods in the house to eat on demand. Make hard boiled eggs. Prepare some homemade mayo. Keep some compliant almonds or other tree nuts at the ready.
7. Read your labels. This may be a no-brainer, but we got burned once or twice because we didn't read the label. There is sugar in everything. There are additives too. If in doubt, head over to Whole30.com. There is so much good information there. This cheat-sheet came in handy a number of times too.
8. It may be called Whole30 but it's actually more like Whole45. If you are trying to find foods you are sensitive to, you will want to do a slow re-introduction. That means your success doesn't end at 30 days so plan for 45 or more. The book will explain this.
9. Cook once, eat twice. Make extras every time you cook. Super helpful for those times when you are feeling lazy. This was our life preserver and another key to success.
10. You can do anything for 30 days! This is a food program and potentially a lifestyle change for the better. Challenge yourself daily to be successful. Hey, if I can do it, you can too. You're worth it!
P.S. Read Jen Hatmaker's post for a good laugh and a dash of motivation. Whole30: A Lazy Girls Tale
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