Whole 30: Why I Do This Heavily Restrictive Program
I’ve done the Whole 30 three times before now. It hasn’t dramatically changed my life. Yes, I’ve lost some weight each time (about 8-10 pounds give or take), but that’s not why I do it. I know that weight lost during a period of restricted eating is temporary. Rental weight loss, so to speak. But I go back to it time and again, a few times a year, because it gives me control.
As I mentioned yesterday, I have the discipline of a sewer rat when it comes to certain things. I don’t do well with wishy-washy boundaries; I can always talk my way around soft lines. Me? Oh…I need razor-sharp boundaries for myself, and Whole 30 is it. There is almost no ambiguity to the guidelines—it’s a hard and fast 30-day cycle with very clearly written out rules (more on that here), and I can do almost anything for 30 days.
Some people I know think I’m bonkers every time. “Why would you limit yourself so much?” “What’s the point?” Speaking on wellness, it does help with my digestive issues (long-time GERD sufferer here…ever heard of silent reflex? Maybe a riveting topic for another day when I can’t think of something else to write about). But as importantly, it also donkey kicks me into discipline. “You get funny when you do Whole 30. Every conversation you have is about Whole 30. Everything revolves around Whole 30. Whole 30 is your life when you’re doing it.” I won’t attribute that quote to anyone, but if you’re reading this, you know who you are (and I love you anyway). They aren’t wrong. While my general discipline is horrendous, my enthusiasm for passion projects is similar to this little furball:
So today is Whole 30 Day 1.
Don’t worry, my January entries won’t be all Whole 30, all the time. This isn’t a wellness blog, after all. If you’re interested in doing a January Whole 30 and want to have a buddy, shoot me a DM on Instagram and we’ll pump each other up, share recipes, tips, etc. If you don’t give in the least, that’s cool, too. Have no idea what Whole 30 is? Here’s a quick rundown:
It’s essentially an elimination diet to help pinpoint what foods most affect you when you reintroduce them after 30 days (there are other official mission statements, but that’s the gist). “Get to the point, Arlyn…what can’t I eat?” Ah, thanks for asking.
Whole 30 Guidelines
That list includes:
- Dairy
- Legumes (including peanuts)
- Sugar, added sugars or artificial sugars (fruit is fine)
- Alcohol
- Grains (no oats, corn, quinoa, wheat-based flours, etc.)
- Soy
- Sulfites, carrageenan, MSG
- Any “naughty food” recreated with “approved” ingredients
Head here for all the official rules and program details.
Sidebar: I know how restrictive and perhaps damaging “rules” around food can be for some people. Intuitive eating is a beautiful thing that creates healthy relationships with food. Right now, I’m on a mission to heal my ailing body and trying to bring down inflammation to see if that helps me. You do you, baby.
I know the first few days are easy, the midway point always seems like the month of January feels (“THIS ISN’T OVER YET?!?”) and the end is marvelous.
When I brought up that I was doing this the other day on Instagram and showed a quick video of my meal plan, some of you asked if I could share, so here are a few links to the recipes I’ll be making this week. I like to make enough at dinner time to eat for lunch the next day…one less thing to think about.
What I’m Making This Week
Cuban Picadillo via Skinnytaste: I serve it with cauliflower rice—which I sort of hate but eat anyway because it’s “good enough” as a rice replacement—and sweet plantains. Check your labels on olives and tomato sauce to make sure they are compliant.
Hearty Beef & Vegetable Soup via I Heart Naptime: Whole 30 or no Whole 30, I LOVE this soup. The balsamic vinegar takes it over the top, so I always add about 2x/3x the amount, plus a drizzle in the bowl when I serve it up.
Greek Salad via The Movement Menu: I don’t really follow a recipe when I make a Greek salad, but I saved this one for the dressing! I’m intrigued that it’s cashew-based. I will add some chicken thighs that I’ll marinate in lemon juice and some Greek spices to round it out, as well as my favorite marinated onions.
Salmon & Melting Tomatoes via Food Network: Blistery, bursting tomatoes are a gift from the gods, people. They make anything instantly better…like cheese! Except cheese isn’t allowed, so tomatoes it is (I wouldn’t eat cheese with salmon though…that’s weird…or is it?!?). Add roasted asparagus and maybe some sweet potato rounds if I’m feeling hungry.
Tuna Salad w/ Arugula Salad via Rachl Mansfield: Another thing I don’t turn to a recipe for, but linking something in case someone is interested. I also got these coconut wraps from Thrive Market that come tomorrow. The verdict is still out on whether they’ll be passable, but I’ll report back.
Grain-Free Breakfast Porridge via The Nourishing Home: Oh man…this stuff is GOOD. It takes so many ingredients, yes, but they are things I typically have on hand in my pantry anyway and it’s fantastic, especially in these colder months. I’ll make a big batch of this probably tomorrow and eat it for breakfast most of the week, interchanging with eggs and whatnot.
Buffalo Chicken Salad via Instagram: Melissa Urban is the creator of Whole 30, so she’s a good one to follow if you’re doing it. I bookmarked this photo years ago, believe it or not. It’s important to have the things that excite you when you are cutting other things that excite you out of your repertoire, and buffalo sauce makes me ecstatic. Anytime I think about it, it activates those little points inside the sides of my mouth that are like saliva sprinklers.
I also plan on making buffalo chicken wings and potatoes in my air fryer, but I’m nearly 100% sure those are rule breakers in terms of being technically allowed but also not compliant due to the “junk food” rule…but as this is more about the actual food I’m putting in my body rather than the mindset for me this time, I’m letting it slide.
OKAY. The post you never wanted friends. A very poorly executed, not that informative breakdown of my upcoming Whole 30. Again, if you’re at all interested in knowing more, let me know. I can write up a quick “here’s what I’m cooking this week” post every Saturday or something here or even on Instagram. If not, I’ll just keep it to myself and then tell you all how amazing I look and feel in about 29 days from now.
See you tomorrow!