If you follow any health or fitness experts on Instagram, you’ve likely seen the hashtags #Whole30 or #Whole30approved. That’s part of what sets this diet apart from others. Whole30 is about more than diet and weight management. It’s about making a lifestyle change. While change can be scary, the Whole30 program has figured out how to make it easier to navigate, both mentally and physically.
Why Whole30 is Easier Than You Think:
It provides you with a support system.
With the popularity of Whole30 came an entire community of people who love the diet, are experimenting with recipes and are excited to share their discoveries. This provides you with an abundance of support, one of the most critical pieces of a successful fitness or weight loss program. To reap the full effects of this support, follow Whole30 bloggers and Instagrammers who resonate with you—they run the gamut from moms to marathon competitors. Most of these Instagrammers also have a Whole30 blog where they share recipes and tips. Make it even easier on yourself by subscribing to some of these blogs to get support delivered directly to your inbox.
You have plenty of guidance.
In addition to the support you’ll find on Instagram, Whole30 has a whole host of guides for participants to make their lives easier. Head to the Whole30 Downloads Page and save or print out these helpful resources. Or, simply keep them as PDFs, which are easily accessible on your computer. Don’t forget to save them on your phone as well. So if you have questions while you’re out to eat, you can pull out the documents.
The most important one to have on your phone is the Dining Out Guide, which gives you tips like:
- Ahead of time: search for terms like “organic breakfast,” “local restaurant” or “grass-fed burger” on Google or Yelp.
- Upon being seated, ask that the server not to bring bread to the table, and please not to offer you dessert.
- Ordering: Get creative! Order sandwiches without bread, pasta toppings on a bed of fresh spinach or double vegetables as your side.
Grocery shopping and cooking is easy.
Grocery shopping and cooking are the hardest aspects of any diet. You’re always second-guessing what you should buy, and then eating bland, boring meals because you don’t know how to cook with these new foods. This makes sticking with a diet much harder. Not to mention, if every step is a challenge and you’re eating meals that don’t actually taste good, you’re less likely to stick with it.
With Whole30, grocery shopping and cooking is much easier, thanks to a few of their downloadable guides:
Remember: you have all those bloggers and Instagrammers to follow as well! Use their fun and inventive recipes or turn their ideas into your own by simply swapping out ingredients.
It helps eliminate cravings.
When I started the Whole30 diet, I thought I’d never be able to give up cheese. I’ve heard a number of friends say the same thing. Yet, after completing the Whole30 for a number of rounds, I no longer eat cheese. In fact, I discovered a year or two ago that I’m actually intolerant to it—yet was eating it on a regular basis pre-Whole30.
If you struggle with cravings for cheese, chocolate or other foods that you’d like to cut out, or reduce, Whole30 is a great first step. This is especially true if you do more than one round, which most people do. Who knows? You may even realize that you’re allergic or intolerant to some of the foods, and Whole30 has given you a jump-start on cutting it out.
You get a much-needed reset.
I ransacked my kitchen of all the things that were no longer allowed when I decided to go Whole30. I was surprised by how much food I got rid of. I realized that I was eating grains with most meals and, worse, that sugar could be found in 90 percent of the items in my kitchen. I call this ransacking – and the subsequent reduction in foods – hitting the reset button.
It’s easy to get into a routine; you make the same meals, so you buy the same foods. But eventually, you get bored. It’s refreshing to get rid of everything and start with a blank canvas that allows you to try new foods and explore new flavors.
Along the way, you’ll discover new recipes, new foods that you love and how to make better choices when you’re eating out. All of this can help lead you to a healthier life overall.
