Q: No grains, No added sugar, No dairy, No beans or soy or legumes, No booze?
Are you serious?
Yes. Very much so. And you can do it. It’s just 30 days. You will quickly discover and love how much you CAN eat. Yes, you will miss the cheese pizza. Yes, you will have dreams about talking bowls of ice cream that are battling it out with stalks of celery. Yes, you will be exhausting every single sweet potato option that is available. But like I said, it’s only 30 days. And I promise you will feel good and be absolutely proud of yourself when you wrap this puppy up.
Q: If I can’t drink wine, beer, soda, boxed juice, monster drinks, frappicinos, or sweet tea - won’t I be thirsty?!
Friends, I would be lying if I said you won’t be oh so tired of drinking water. But unfortunately, it is, by far, the best thing you can do for yourself. I am personally not a huge fan of plain-jane water. I have become obsessed with bubbly mineral water. {It makes me feel like I am drinking soda without all the crap and sugar!} Pop some lemon, fruit or mint into your water. Mix it up some!
And believe it or not - you can still drink your morning cup of joe. A cup of coffee is okay. I would limit the amount the amount of caffiene you are taking in, but if you need your morning coffee - have it! BUT - remember you either have to have it black or add some coconut cream to it. No added sugar of any sort. {You want the coconut cream or milk that is found in the can. The heavy stuff from Trader Joes is by far my fave, and must less expensive than that link above, when in store. You can typically find the cans of this milk or cream in the asian food section of your grocery store.}
Tea is also another great option. Seriously. Hot or Cold. When I am on a Whole30, I stick with tea in the morning because I just cannot handle my coffee without stevia. And just your luck, I know of a girl who sells Loose Leaf Tea! And she will be offering a Whole30 discount! {It’s me if you haven’t caught on yet!} Head over to my shop and check out the few teas I have listed. I also have about 15 other flavors I could hook you up with if none of these strike your fancy. Use the Coupon Code: Whole30 for 10% off! {Expires Sept 1, 2014}
Lastly, as far as drinks go, I am going to reference booze. You can bet your bottom dollar that I will be spending tonight and tomorrow night drinking my beloved wine. As you are out with your friends it can be tough to not partake in a glass or two. I know it’s not the same, but I have found that my Whole30 Mocktails are the perfect beverage when I am craving a drink with friends.
Q: How much weight will I lose?
Let me point out, that the Whole30 was not created as a weight lose plan. It is a way to kick your butt into gear; a way to reboot your eating habits and get healthy. That being said, a lot of us will lose weight when doing this. In three months (2 whole30s and 1 month of paleo) I lost 20 pounds. It is possible, you just cannot use your weight as a way to judge your success with a whole30. If you feel good, you make it through the 30 days, your clothes fit better, and you learn a few new healthy recipes - you’ve done well.
Q: I don’t care what you say. I’m going to weigh myself daily.
Remember! You ARE NOT ALLOWED to weigh yourself throughout the whole30. Just don’t do it. Your weight fluctuates so much, don’t let this be something to determine your mood. Hop on the scale on day one and on day 31. Take pictures on day one and on day 31 also!
Q: What about exercise? Can I still hit the gym? What if I’m not that fit?
Look, I am definitely not an expert in this field, but I can tell you what does and doesn’t work for me. I lost 9 pounds on my first whole30 and I only exercised once or twice a week. If you are not an active person, I would recommend adding some physical activity to your regimen. Even just walking. A little at a time is a good start. If you are currently active, there is no reason why you cannot continue your routine. My goal is to work out at least 5 times a week for this whole30. {I’m currently lucky if I workout twice.} I think you should set a fitness goal for yourself too! Goals are great, and you have the support of this group to stay on track and keep you motivated!
Q: There are certain foods that I cannot live without. There are certain foods that are whole30 that I cannot stand. What do I do?
Unless you will die without your {fill in the blank} you can live without it. I struggled with giving up my wine and cheese. Seriously, y’all. I thought life was going to suck without them both, so why even give them up? Because you don’t know until you try AND it’s just 30 days. If you dwell on the fact that you will be going 30 days without {fill in the blank} you are letting that food/drink/object control you. Prove to yourself that wine/cheese/bread/yogurt/snickers/ice cream/chocolate doesn’t have control over your life!
If there is a food you swear you hate, but it’s all over the meal plan as a whole30 approved item {i.e. sweet potatoes} all I have to say is TRY THEM. I had people calling me up last time raving about how they hated sweet potatoes. Then they tried the sweet potato fries and were hooked.
Q: What can I use to replace some of my go-to cooking items?
Here are a few things that we cannot live without that I highly recommend you get your paws on immediately.
Ghee - This is clarified butter and is whole30 approved. It’s a necessity in our house as I use it for sautéing veggies, for eggs, and sometimes on sweet potatoes.
Coconut Aminos - The absolute best replacement for soy sauce I have been able to find. It has no crap in it and it allows me to enjoy “Asian” dishes! I even take this with me into sushi places (when I’m not on a whole30, of course!) I use this for my Paleo “Lo Mein.”
Coconut Oil - Use this in your cooking instead of oils like Vegetable oil or Canola oil. I use this for basically everything I cook in a pot or pan.
Coconut Cream - Like I said above, this is a GREAT option for coffee and even tea. I started using it after my first whole30 and have never been able to go back to traditional milk or creamer.
There are also a couple kitchen tools that I use all the time, that make the whole30 a bit easier.
1. My Spiral Noodle Slicer aka my Zoodle Maker. If you are joining us, we will have recipes using this tool starting in week two. There are definitely ways around having one, but not only does it make cooking fun, it is also quick and great when you are craving noodles!
2. A Mandolin - this is great for cutting up veggies. I specifically use it for my sweet potato chips and my sweet potato hash.
3. I HIGHLY recommend that you get yourself a copy of It Starts with Food. While their website is terrific, and you can ask me anything (and I will try to answer or find the answer for you) this book is packed with awesome information to help you through your journey. And it’s prime eligible on Amazon!
