The Whole 30 Program

The zero tolerance nutrition program to reset your body and improve your health

You know how sometimes your computer or phone or tablet go wonky or freeze or just keep buffering, and you ask a friend for help, and they say “have you tried to restart it?” It sounds so simple, but it is always the best place to start. For the most part, the device fixes itself. You probably just had too many things going at once, and your device got overloaded. But, what does all of this have to do with your fitness, you ask? Sometimes you need to restart your body to give it a fresh start. That is what The Whole 30 program is all about. In a nutshell.

Unlike the flexible diet plan, If It Fits Your Macros, that we’ve already written about, the Whole 30 has zero flexibility. There are no cheat days, there are no “healthy substitutes for pizza”, and there are no scales or measuring tapes allowed. But, if you can do the Whole 30, then losing weight is just one of the benefits. Other positive side effects of completing the program include:

• Improved athletic performance
  
• Better sleep
• More energy
• Minimized digestive problems and acid reflux
• Healthier looking skin

The Whole 30 will require you to be disciplined, and as with any major change in your eating and drinking habits, the first few weeks might leave you with a few cravings, as well as feeling like you have little energy to go on. Stay strong, and let the program work before giving up. There’s a reason you need to go 30 days. It takes time for your body to reset and build up again with the new fuel you are feeding it, but before long, you’ll start to see, and feel all the positive changes.

And remember, if you cheat you have to start over from day one, so it’s better to push through the tough times and complete the program the first time around.

Stock your fridge with fresh meats, fruits, veggies, and nuts

To prepare yourself to take on the challenge you need to stock your fridge, freezer, and cabinets with Whole 30 approved foods:

• Fresh (preferably organic) or frozen vegetables (even starchy veggies like sweet potatoes and squash!)
• Fresh, grass fed organic meat, poultry, and fish (if you are thinking about bacon, make sure it hasn’t been cured in a ton of sugar!)
• Fresh (preferably organic) fruits
• Nuts and spices

Yup, that’s it!

To ensure that you know exactly what you are eating, cook your own meals and do your own shopping.

If you want this to work, you’ll need to do a lot of the cooking yourself. Most prepackaged meals or processed food are filled with ingredients that we can’t pronounce, but pretty much all add up to sugar or fat. Cooking your own meals by buying fresh food is the best way to make sure that you are eliminating all the bad stuff, and only eating the healthy stuff.

Other popular diet plans like Paleo or Atkins will allow you to make “healthy” versions of all the junk food you may be craving. The Whole 30 does not allow that, in fact, it outright discourages it as a form of cheating. If you are just “repackaging” your old comfort foods, you’re not allowing your body, or your mind, to fully break old habits, reset and cleanse.

Buying fresh foods can save you money

Once you realize that buying fresh foods and cooking for yourself is not only incredibly tasty, but will also save you money on expensive prepackaged, processed foods, or take-out, you’ll find that eating simple, clean, and whole foods is much more enjoyable than the way you used to fuel your body.

Ignore the temptation to step on the scale to see results

Perhaps the biggest challenge for those taking on the Whole 30 Program is to avoid the temptation to step on the scale. Weight Loss is great, but it’s not the best measure of success when it comes to good nutrition and a healthy body. The Whole 30 aims to eliminate all of our bad habits, including looking to the scale for results, and then rebuild your body with healthy habits.

As with any major diet change, talk to your doctor or one of our nutritionist before starting on the Whole 30.