Whole30 Diaries: Getting Started

Happy Monday everyone! Since it's the first day of the week, you are probably expecting a Weekend Recap but I was pretty terrible at taking pictures this weekend, except for food haha. Sorry! Our life pretty much revolves around our next meal because we are a week into the Whole30. So I thought I would share a little about the Whole30 and some of my tips for surviving. Plus, my friend Dina shared this hilarious blog and I thought you might want to hear about my experience as well.

If you're wondering what in the world the Whole30 is, click here to get all the details. Basically it's a program to eliminate legumes, sugar (including alcohol), dairy, and grains for 30 days. These items can cause all different kinds of issues with your body, but it's also just a great way to reset your metabolism and kick the sugar addiction. If you're like me, then you ate a ton of sweets over the holidays. Even if you didn't eat cookies and candy (and more cookies), you probably just ate more than you normally do and worked out less. It happens, but then it's time to get back on track.

I've done the Whole30 before and I always like my results. I sleep better, I make healthier choices, and I reset that nasty sugar addiction that always seems to catch up with me. The Whole30 isn't a diet but I do usually lose weight from cutting out the processed junk and dairy.  If you go right back to how you ate before, the weight will come back though. The idea is to change your eating habits for the long haul, not just the 30 days. The first time I did the Whole30, I actually stopped drinking soda and haven't gone back since. Well, I have a couple a year but no where near the Diet Coke obsession I had previously. :)

Even though I've done the Whole30 before, this is the first time that Mark is joining me for the adventure. I feel like I am prepping way more food, because the man eats a lot more than I do, but I'm totally fine with it because it's nice to have the support. Doing this with a buddy is so important! It keeps you accountable and plus you don't want to quit because how embarrassing would that be lol??

So step number 1, find a friend to be your accountability partner or get your significant other on board. This will help when you go through all the emotional changes too... oh yes, you will become a grump at certain points.

Step 2- Read and understand the guidelines of Whole30. It stinks to buy everything for a recipe and realize that you can't have peanuts or soy.

Step 3- Plan ahead. Don't let yourself get hungry while you're out and about ,without snacks: nuts, fruit, Lara Bars, beef jerky, RX bars, etc.

Step 4- Stock up. It's so important to have your house stocked with plenty of meat, fruit, and veggies. That way, you won't have to run and get something when you're trying to make dinner. Also, these pantry staples make the Whole30 a lot more enjoyable. We also pretty much stock every flavor of La Croix. We love them anyways but they become essential during this time. Plain water can get so boring and these actually start to taste super sweet because your taste buds start adjusting to what you've been eating. My favorite flavors are passionfruit, mango, and apricot. Mark loves the coconut one too!

**Dina also told me about the Tessemae dressings and holy moly they are good! I am heading to Whole Foods to the ranch and mayo tomorrow.

Step 5- Meal plan. This goes right along with stocking up because if you meal plan, it takes the guess work out of trying to figure out what you are going to make for dinner, when you're already tired and hungry. On Sunday, I plan out my whole week, including options for snack food. We usually eat leftovers for lunch, so I make sure I'm making enough servings, and then buy "emergency" meal staples like chicken & apple sausages.

Step 6- Research a variety of recipes. Don't cook a big batch of something and plan on eating it everyday. This will make you hate everything lol. I made that mistake the first time. Try to change it up and give yourself a wide variety of options. Also, this is the first time that I've had the Whole30 cookbook and there are some great recipes. Invest in this too! You can get it at Costco for a good price.
Some great websites:
Nom Nom Paleo
PaleOMG
Against All Grain

Also, make sure to follow these Instagram accounts: Nom Nom Paleo, Whole30 recipes,  Whole30 sisters, and Homemade Toast.

I hope that some of these tips help you on your way to starting Whole30. I'll be sharing an update on our first week soon!

Cheers to a new you! Don't worry it's water in the cup :)