How To Boost Your Survival On The Whole30 Diet.
Surviving Whole30
During my three months, yes three months of eating strictly by the plan, I’ve discovered some common and uncommon tips with pieces of encouragement to help you stay on the plan.
*Note: This post isn’t sponsored in any way. I’m not a Whole30 coach or a professional nutritionist. I’m just sharing tips that I’ve learned, but couldn’t find elsewhere except a few.
**Note this post does contain affiliate links. They are completely free to click on, but if you choose to make a purchase through them, I will make a teeny tiny commission.
What Is Whole30?
The Whole30 is designed to change your life in 30 days—but it’s not a diet, a detox, or a weight loss program. Think of it as a short-term reset, created to help you curb your cravings and bad habits, boost your metabolism, heal your digestive tract, and calm your immune system.
Co-Founder of the Whole30 Diet Melissa Urban. www.Whole30.com
Click here to visit the Whole30 website and learn more.
I’ve completed the Whole30 diet a total of three times. Once, back in July – August 2019 (1 month) and again from December 2019 to February 2020 (2 months/ Whole60). Both instances had most of the same challenges. However, the second time around was difficult.
The food boredom set in quicker than I anticipated. I was also dealing with seasonal depression. I had to spend my seventh holiday season without my mom and first holiday season separated from my spouse. It was challenging and emotional, but in a good way… I guess.
Here is a List of 26 Ways to Insure Your Survival While On The Whole30 Diet.
- Avoid food porn, unless it appeared on the Whole30.com website.
- Always take food and snack when you’re out. Most commercially packaged and sold snacks are covered in peanut oil, extra sugar or honey, and whatever else that isn’t approved or compliant.
- Beware of unofficial Whole30 websites, blog posts, and recipes. I’ve came across countless “Whole30 approved” or “compliant” recipes only to discover that they either went against the rule of not creating desserts or they had ingredients that were against the rules.
- If shopping in a “Whole30” category online, still read the food label. Sites like PrimeNow for WholeFoods and *Thrive Market have somehow still had foods listed that weren’t apart of the plan. So, read, read, read!
*Thrive Market has improved this since my first round of Whole30, but still read. - Attend OA (Overeaters Anonymous) meetings in person or online. They sometimes help and are full of people who are on one plan of eating or another. Also, I love the ideas behind the Whole30, but it still didn’t replace OA and therapy [for me] as a compulsive overeater.
- Tell supportive friends or join a Whole30 group on Facebook. They’ll hold you accountable to the promise you made to yourself.
- Cut back on your spending in other areas to have enough money and support this new or not so new habit of eating. For me, I purposely don’t have cable tv or a car note because I’d rather spend money on healthy food. However, I happen to live in a convenient neighborhood.
- Make a list of your favorite fruits and vegetables. Then, go to this site to see if they are in season. Usually, in-season produce is cheaper. Then, plan meals around the well-stocked produce.
- If you’re considering ordering takeout, it might be best to go and get it so that you can see your food being prepared. In some restaurants, ingredients like rice, cheese, corn, etc are stored right next to the ingredients you can have.
I once ordered a Whole30 steak bowl from Chipotle and found grains of rice at the bottom of my bowl. Was I pissed? Yes… Yes, Sis. I was properly pissed. I was about 15 days into my first round of Whole30. - Remember! If you made it to day 10, you got this! In my opinion, the first 10 days are the hardest.
- Use sites like Thrive Market to cut down your trips to the grocery store. They have tons of canned, jarred, and shelf-stable Whole30 Approved goods that you can stock up on.
- Forget unsupportive people and their comments. Saying ‘No’ or ‘No, thanks’ is easier than starting the whole diet over again or living a life of pain.
- Save money and buy frozen and canned foods. (See #11)
- The scale ain’t your friend. Toss it out or have someone else hide it.
- Don’t entertain the idea of quitting. The more you entertain it, the more appealing it will become.
- Don’t expect perfection or a perfect moment to start. That doesn’t mean don’t plan, but there truly isn’t a perfect time to start something that is meant to change your life. You just have to do it and make room for it. You’re worth it!
- Stock up on unprocessed snacks and condiments or make your own. Yes, some snacks are Whole30 approved or compliant, but some of it is still processed. Especially if your goal is to eat whole foods.
- Prepare to do those dishes or run the dishwasher a couple times a day. Find something on your phone to watch or listen to while you’re cleaning your kitchen. It helps to pass the time.
- Stock up on dish soap, dishwasher pods, scrubbers, dish towels, parchment paper (a better alternative to foil), storage containers, and skillets or pots that can be used in the oven as well as on the stove top.
- Avoid food boredom by eating last night’s leftovers or creating for egg-free recipes like this one. Easy Creamy Whole30/ Paleo/ AIP/ Vegan Banana Berry N’oatmeal Recipe.
- Make sure your supplements are approved or compliant unless you doctor says you should take them. The same goes for medication. What your doctor says should matter more. After all, you’re trying to approve your health, not hinder it.
- You need probiotics to help heal your gut. You can try making your own kombucha or kimchi. I love making my own kombucha and my son thinks it’s better than store-bought.
- No homemade substitutes of something you would normal overeat. Listen, I’m certain that making certain sauces or recipes are allowed. However, if you’re like me and still have trouble controlling yourself with food that really hits the spot, don’t make it, don’t make a large quantity of it, or don’t make it offen. Like this recipe here. I shouldn’t make this one often. It’s super delicious, but I learned when potatoes are roasted, the sugar increases and they become high glycemic.
- Find fun and practical ways to get moving. If you like walking, do it! You like to clean your house, do it! Like to run around the neighborhood with your toddler? Do it!
- The reintroduction phase is super important. Please don’t skip this.
- Journal your progress and keep track of your non-scale victories.
Just by creating this, I’m considering doing Whole30 again. I’m written a little about my journey, if you want to see my results and read more about it, click here to follow me on IG where I’ve posted my progress.
Is this your first time attempting the Whole30 diet? If so, how many rounds have you done. Leave me a comment below along with some of your tips and trick with words of encouragement.
~Ebony
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