When I decided to go on Whole30, all of my friends thought I was crazy. No sugar. No alcohol. No dairy. The main three food groups for a girl from Wisconsin. On top of that – no carbs, no grains, NO POP, no gum…you name it, most likely you have to give it up for 30 straight days. Seems impossible, right? Well I can proudly say that I’ve done it, without cheating, not once but TWICE (!) in the past year and a half. So if I can do it, trust me – anyone can do it.
Even though it may sound crazy, I would highly recommend everyone complete Whole30 at some point in their life. The benefits alone are worth giving up a social life for 30 days. I lost 10 lbs (with barely exercising), finally started sleeping through the night and my skin is the clearest it’s been since 2nd grade. If any of these sound appealing to you and you’re ready to jump off the deep end, I’ve compiled some advice to help you get through the 30 days and stay sane.
You must meal prep. The only way to not give into daily temptation to go out for lunch or stop by Starbucks for breakfast is by being prepared and having your meals packed for the day. Easy options: egg cups for the breakfast all week and carnita bowls with cauliflower rice for lunch, topped with fresh pico and guac.
Host a brunch. About 2 weeks in, you’ll start to go stir crazy. So have your friends over for a brunch! Breakfast is the one meal you can host while on Whole30 and not be completely obnoxious about it. Bacon, hashbrowns, eggs, fresh tomatoes and basil, coffee – all delicious Whole30 approved foods, and generally enjoyed by any normal person.
Do it with a buddy. Someone to meal prep with, someone to commiserate with, someone to play board games and do puzzles with instead of going out for happy hour. This second time around I did it with my husband. We saw so many new movies and had lots of quality time in the kitchen. Plus, I had someone to complain to but at the same time keep me accountable and away from cookies.
Have an emergency back-up plan. There will be so many times when you want to give up. To stay on track, keep RX kids bars on hand. And know where the closest Chipotle is for a Carnita Salad when you’ve met your limit on cooking. For me, Starbucks was a lifesaver. A Blonde Americano felt like a delicious treat halfway through the day when all I wanted was a brownie.
Have you done Whole30 before? What are your tips? Thinking about trying it? Let me know! I could be a really good accountability coach, and have tons of recipes and more advice to share 🙂
-RC
awkward vodka 