- Dairy or Dairy Products
- Legumes (beans, peanuts, etc.)
- Grains (no bread, no recreating bread or baked good products with W30 approved materials, no oats, no granola...)
- Sugar or any kind (no honey, no agave, no stevia, no fake sugar...)
- Alcohol
Recently Melissa (W30 founder/cofounder/fitness nut/Major B-word/knows her stuff) changed up some of the W30 rules. They added to the list of no-no's chips of any kind and W30 approved ingredient protein and meal bars. As annoying as it is to have some new rules, I actually completely understand the reason. I cracked out a few too many times on my plantain chips (Def'n: "Cracked Out" - eating an entire bag of chips because they are salty and crunchy and delicious and you aren't actually thinking about why you are eating them... but you are probably eating them because you think you need them but you really don't). And then with the protein, fruit, and meal bars (RxBars, Larabars, etc.) other people tend to eat them like a candy bar or a treat rather than using them as fuel. While I never struggled with this, I can see how that can happen and am happy to give them up for 30 days (unless its an emergency which Melissa said is allowed so you don't break).
As I go through round three now, I have really stepped up my meal prep game. I am spending a good 3 or so hours each Sunday prepping veggies and some sort of protein to have throughout the week. I have somehow found a good balance of not prepping too much since I will be cooking some during the week and will have leftovers from that. So far I haven't had to throw too much food away which is amazing in an of itself. I've been trying out some new recipes and experimenting with new foods. I started eating beets and added a Gut Shot (probiotic drink) to my morning breakfasts.
I have also branched out and am more comfortable eating out if necessary. I went to a girl's night dinner at BJ's and called ahead to ask about the ingredients in one of their menu items. It was just a salad, but I wanted to know if their Herb chicken was made from their own seasoning or a premixed rub. After being on hold for nearly 20 mins, they connected me with the kitchen and they informed me that sugar was not added to their seasoning. And while I thanked them for that, I asked if they make their own seasoning or if it is packaged as many pre-packaged seasonings have sugar as one of their ingredients. She was surprised to hear this and quickly went to go check the label. Sure enough the seasoning that they use includes sugar. She had no idea. I thanked her and when I went to dinner I asked for the chicken without the seasoning just with simple salt and pepper. One thing about eating out on Whole30 is you just have to know that you are going to be that annoying person with the extra special order. You also have to really trust the people who are making your food because you have no control over that really. And finally, be prepared. Do your research. Maybe bring your own dressing from home. And tip them really well because they had to listen to you order a Cobb Salad with no blue cheese, no jack cheese, no cheddar cheese, no dressing, no bacon, and chicken with no herb seasoning just salt and pepper...
Being over halfway done with round 3 of Whole 30 I am confident that I can't, won't, and don't want to go back to my pre-whole30 habits. Do I miss donuts? Yeah. Of course. But I picked up two dozen for my students today and was only a little sad that I couldn't eat one (the sadness passed very quickly... don't worry). Is it hard to go out to eat sometimes? Yeah, but it just takes a little research and extra kindness towards your server (which they probably need anyway). Is it hard when you are constantly being invited to parties, or goodies are brought to work, or it's someones birthday or... fill in the blank? Yes. There will always be something. But that's what Food Freedom is. It's not saying you can never have these treats and fancy things. It's choosing if that thing is really worth what it's going to do to your body internally, externally, physically, mentally, emotionally (yes... what you eat effects your emotions too... it's crazy!). Sometimes it's worth it. Sometimes you just want it. And that's ok. This is Food Freedom.
I put my jean shorts on the other day for the first time since last summer and they are significantly looser than they were last year (I had to squeeze into them and really suck it in to get them to fit right away). This time I put them on with ease and found that they were way too loose in certain areas and that it might be time for some new shorts. I'm lifting more than I ever have in my life (and at a lower weight). I'm feeling confident and happy and content with things in life. My face is clearer and I sleep better than I ever have before.
It's hard.
But it's worth it.
I am Whole 30.
I have also branched out and am more comfortable eating out if necessary. I went to a girl's night dinner at BJ's and called ahead to ask about the ingredients in one of their menu items. It was just a salad, but I wanted to know if their Herb chicken was made from their own seasoning or a premixed rub. After being on hold for nearly 20 mins, they connected me with the kitchen and they informed me that sugar was not added to their seasoning. And while I thanked them for that, I asked if they make their own seasoning or if it is packaged as many pre-packaged seasonings have sugar as one of their ingredients. She was surprised to hear this and quickly went to go check the label. Sure enough the seasoning that they use includes sugar. She had no idea. I thanked her and when I went to dinner I asked for the chicken without the seasoning just with simple salt and pepper. One thing about eating out on Whole30 is you just have to know that you are going to be that annoying person with the extra special order. You also have to really trust the people who are making your food because you have no control over that really. And finally, be prepared. Do your research. Maybe bring your own dressing from home. And tip them really well because they had to listen to you order a Cobb Salad with no blue cheese, no jack cheese, no cheddar cheese, no dressing, no bacon, and chicken with no herb seasoning just salt and pepper...
Being over halfway done with round 3 of Whole 30 I am confident that I can't, won't, and don't want to go back to my pre-whole30 habits. Do I miss donuts? Yeah. Of course. But I picked up two dozen for my students today and was only a little sad that I couldn't eat one (the sadness passed very quickly... don't worry). Is it hard to go out to eat sometimes? Yeah, but it just takes a little research and extra kindness towards your server (which they probably need anyway). Is it hard when you are constantly being invited to parties, or goodies are brought to work, or it's someones birthday or... fill in the blank? Yes. There will always be something. But that's what Food Freedom is. It's not saying you can never have these treats and fancy things. It's choosing if that thing is really worth what it's going to do to your body internally, externally, physically, mentally, emotionally (yes... what you eat effects your emotions too... it's crazy!). Sometimes it's worth it. Sometimes you just want it. And that's ok. This is Food Freedom.
I put my jean shorts on the other day for the first time since last summer and they are significantly looser than they were last year (I had to squeeze into them and really suck it in to get them to fit right away). This time I put them on with ease and found that they were way too loose in certain areas and that it might be time for some new shorts. I'm lifting more than I ever have in my life (and at a lower weight). I'm feeling confident and happy and content with things in life. My face is clearer and I sleep better than I ever have before.
It's hard.
But it's worth it.
I am Whole 30.
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