Whole30 - The Start

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Heard of Whole30?? 

Probably. It has been one of the most popular programs as of recent years. I've seen so many people go through the Whole30 and have always been interested, but never took the next step. 

So, when my Young Living team mentioned they'd be doing a Whole30 reset for the month of January, I jumped at the opportunity to try it out with the support of a community of amazing people!

I'm actually really excited for this. I have also been tracking my food intake with Weight Watchers and the Whole30 adds an additional layer to ensuring I'm making healthy choices.  

Overview

Basically, Whole30 teaches you to "reset" your system. By cutting out dairy, grains, legumes, sugar, and other foods, you can more easily recognize if these foods are having a negative impact on your body. Once the 30 days are over, you slowly reintroduce these foods to see how they affect you! As a vegetarian for the last 9+ years, I generally feel pretty good. But as I've gotten older I have definitely felt more inconsistent with my energy levels and often feel groggy when waking up, even after 8+ hours of sleep. Additionally, I know my sugar and dairy addiction is BAD and I know it... so this is a great way to cut those out to remind myself how terrible they make me feel when I eat them.

Some of the "rules" are stated below, and more info can be found here.

No: Avoid for 30 days.

• Do not consume added sugar, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, coconut sugar, date syrup, stevia, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, etc. Read your labels, because companies sneak sugar into products in ways you might not recognize.

• Do not consume alcohol, in any form, not even for cooking. (And ideally, no tobacco products of any sort, either.)

• Do not eat grains. This includes (but is not limited to) wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgur, sorghum, sprouted grains, and all gluten-free pseudo-cereals like quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat. This also includes all the ways we add wheat, corn, and rice into our foods in the form of bran, germ, starch, and so on. Again, read your labels.

• Do not eat legumes. This includes beans of all kinds (black, red, pinto, navy, white, kidney, lima, fava, etc.), peas, chickpeas, lentils, and peanuts. No peanut butter, either. This also includes all forms of soy – soy sauce, miso, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and all the ways we sneak soy into foods (like lecithin).

• Do not eat dairy. This includes cow, goat, or sheep’s milk products like milk, cream, cheese, kefir, yogurt, sour cream, ice cream, or frozen yogurt.

• Do not consume carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites. If these ingredients appear in any form on the label of your processed food or beverage, it’s out for the Whole30.

• Do not consume baked goods, junk foods, or treats with “approved” ingredients. Recreating or buying sweets, treats, and foods-with-no-brakes (even if the ingredients are technically compliant) is totally missing the point of the Whole30, and will compromise your life-changing results. These are the same foods that got you into health-trouble in the first place—and a pancake is still a pancake, even if it’s made with coconut flour.

 Vegetarian Diet + Whole30

Unfortunately for me, Whole30 relies greatly upon proteins like meat. Because I cannot eat legumes or quinoa, which is often a big source of protein for me, I've been making sure I can still add it in other ways. Many vegetables have high protein so I'll be sure to stock up on those! Also, the main sources Whole30 lays out for vegetarians are eggs, salmon, cod, and more. For the next month these will be my protein staples.

My Personal Difficulties

To be honest, as excited as I am I DO recognize January is going to be a tough month to do Whole30 for me because... work travel! I won't be able to prep or meal plan for a big part of the month. However, I'm not going to let this stop me. 2 years ago, I did Vegan January and I seriously went the whole month without slipping or cheating. I was focused and really exceeded my expectations of even myself! With that in mind, I really hope I can also do the same with Whole30. 

However, in my Vegan January I didn't have to give up alcohol, which is a part of Whole30. THIS is going to be tough for me! I love to unwind with a big glass of wine, and it is always fun to celebrate with drinks with work friends on these trips. But ya know what? 30 days isn't so bad! But you know I'll be looking forward to reintroducing wine at the end of 30 days. 

My Goals with Whole30

Honestly, this year for me is all about living with purpose and being more intentional. I want to take the step to make myself healthier and I know I've been taking the easy route when it comes to food lately. Pre-made and processed foods may be the easiest in this busy life, but that doesn't mean it is best. This is the first step to making more intentional food choices in 2018 and beyond. I am hoping to reap the benefits and learn more about my body and what makes it feel its best at all times! 

So...

I can't wait to chronicle my Whole30 experience! Have you done Whole30? What were your results and things you liked best? What were your challenges? Favorite quick recipes? Tell me everything!