INTRO
I’m not a fan of diet culture because it can lead to disordered eating and/or developing unsustainable eating habits without proper education. That being said, my nutrition was poor at this point. I denied it for a very long time, BUT I got to the point that I knew I needed to do something to take control of my eating habits again.
At the end of January 2021, Mason, my boyfriend, asked me if I wanted to try Whole30 with him. He was genuinely surprised when I agreed. I’ve never followed any plan with dietary restrictions before and my self discipline was WEAK. Together, we made a commitment that we were going to follow the Whole30 plan the way it was intended.
For us, this was a way to take back control over our food. For me, it was a way to prove to myself that I can be disciplined. I have NEVER in my life followed a strict food plan. I thought I had control over my food because I didn’t follow “diets.” Turns out, I lost control of my eating habits without even realizing it.
I did NOT do Whole30 because I wanted to lose weight or punish myself with food. This was an experiment. My relationship with food is healthy enough to understand that this was temporary. I have gone back into normal life with a new mindset towards the way I eat.
WHAT IS WHOLE30?
Before I jump too much into my personal experience, let me explain in detail what the Whole30 plan consists of:
For 30 days, you must eliminate:
- ALL grains (including corn)
- Dairy
- Legumes
- Alcohol
- Artificial or added sugars
- Anything else that is processed (anything containing carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites)
I know what you might be thinking- Well what’s left?? Why would you want to get rid of so many food groups?
The answer– we eliminated food groups that are known to cause allergies, insensitivity to the gut, and any other stomach issues. This is meant to clean out the digestive system in a natural way.
A big key in Whole30 is to NOT COUNT CALORIES OR RESTRICT FOOD THAT IS COMPLIANT. This means that you can eat ALL the carbs/fat/protein you want.
BUT they have to come from these food groups:
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Meat (grass fed/hormone free/NO deli meat or processed meat)
- Fish
- Eggs
- Coffee
- Nuts/seeds (except peanuts because it is a common allergen)
- Oils (olive, coconut)
Yes, this sounds rough, but the key to success is to PREPARE. This is not an “I’ll start tomorrow” diet. Mason and I prepared by disposing of/hiding away anything that fit the “NO” foods. We ate the perishables before starting the program and kept the rest out of sight. We put only “YES” foods in front of us. It took constant prepping- cutting fruits and veggies, meal prepping for work, and cooking for days in advance.
My biggest problem has always been sugar. My whole life I never realized how dependent my body was on sugar. I consumed so much added sugar that it’s sickening to think about now. After completely eliminated it from my life for 30 whole days, I felt amazing that I was capable of breaking that pattern.
The goal of this program is not weight loss. That might be an added benefit, but it’s not the intention.
The intention is to break habits, fix your gut, and create a healthier relationship with food.
REINTRODUCTION
After successfully completing Whole30, of course the “NO” foods are added back in! Again, this isn’t a lifelong diet. The reintroduction process includes slowly reintroducing food groups into the diet one at a time, a few days at a time.
Ideally, the foods are reintroduced in a specific order- starting from the least likely to disturb the stomach to the most likely.
The order goes:
- Added sugar
- Gluten-free alcohol
- Legumes
- Non-gluten grains
- Dairy
- Gluten grains
The purpose of reintroducing foods back in slowly is to prevent over indulging and creating an unhealthy relationship with food moving forward. The reintroduction process is meant to last an extra 10-60 days, depending on how slow you want to take it!
This process is a great way to identify problems in the gut. If a certain food is causing a bad reaction, you may have an insensitivity to that food, but it is up to you to experiment. If you notice constant bloating or experience a reaction, that may lead you closer to discovering an allergy or insensitivity! I’m no doctor, so definitely check in with a specialist or dietitian to learn how to move forward.
MY EXPERIENCE
Oh! Also, there is no cheating. No excuses. I had a work party where everyone was drinking but me. A friend had her birthday dinner and everyone had drinks, appetizers, entrees, and dessert. I had water, steak, salad, and asparagus. Valentine’s Day was that month. Mason and I had a Whole30 friendly meal from Panera to celebrate. Mason’s sister made us cookies for Valentine’s Day. I froze them to be eaten after the 30 days. There is no “just a bite” in this program. It’s about discipline. Say no or quit. Quitting was not an option for us. I am so grateful for the support of friends, my mom, and of course Mason for helping me find the discipline to get through it.
Things I did well on my whole30
•I built a support system from day 1. I had Mason doing it with me, but I also told most of the people I interact with daily so that they were aware. That allowed me to speak openly about it without judgement.
•I was prepared to give up junk food that I love. I knew it would be hard, but having the right mindset set me up for success.
•I understood it was only temporary. This plan is not meant to be sustainable. It is meant to create better eating habits. It is only 30 days.
•I prepped my meals and snacks. After grocery shopping, it is extremely important to have a plan. Peel the vegetables, cut the fruit, marinate the chicken, portion food into Tupperware, etc. Oh, and lots of smoothies!
•SNACK. I am a big snacker. Have easy to grab snacks such as nuts and fruit ready to eat.
•Mason & I both have a background in nutrition, so elements like reading food labels and figuring out if a food was “approved” was not a barrier for us.
•I planned for events like the dinner with friends, Valentine’s Day, and my work party. Plan meals ahead. Find restaurant options that fit if need be.
•This one is obvious, but we ate WHOLE foods. We tried to do mostly grass fed meat, A LOT of fruits and veggies, cage free/free range eggs, along with all of the other approved foods.
•Lastly, I said no. Temptation was everywhere, but this was about discipline.
Things I did NOT do well on my whole30
•I did not eat enough protein. I ate a lot of eggs but I struggle eating meat so my protein intake was hard to reach.
•I lost weight. I’m a hard gainer and I have a fast metabolism. Many people would see this as a plus, but I am already pretty small, so for me, it made a large difference.
•I didn’t eat enough calories overall. This caused my energy levels to be low at times and left me feeling weak. Getting enough calories is very important. Mason ate enough calories and his energy levels were high compared to mine. I ended up not exercising most of the month to save my energy.
The take away from this- whole 30 isn’t easy when you don’t set yourself up for success. Preparation is key. This whole plan takes discipline, self awareness of your eating habits, and a positive mindset going in.
Overall, I am proud of myself for following through and not giving up. I have became aware of what my body needs and I planned on taking care of my body in a healthier way moving forward.
MONTHS LATER
Now about 6 months later, I am still happy that I completed Whole30. Mason said he would do it again, but I would probably switch it up. If I ever planned another Whole30, it would be a butchered version where I include specific exceptions such as protein supplements. For me, this experience has taught me that I CAN be strict if I commit. My body is now in a healthy weight range (I gained back basically all of the weight I lost- that’s a good thing). I would recommend this program to anyone who has a healthy relationship with food since it is a slippery slope. It is an easy plan to become obsessed with if you are reaching weight loss goals fast, but that also makes it dangerous for overall health.
If you are interested in completing a Whole30, find a buddy, a support group, or a nutritionist/dietitian to provide advice and support on your journey! Also, visit the Whole30 website for a complete run down!