What is Whole30?

The name says it all: at its core, Whole30 was designed to be a 30-day nutritional reset. The goal is to help you reevaluate your entire approach to eating and identify foods that don’t work well with your body. And you have 30 days to do it.

It’s similar to paleo in that it is based on whole foods, but what is acceptable on a paleo diet is not always Whole30 compliant. Whole30 is more restrictive in many aspects, but that’s the point initially. After that, you slowly reintroduce foods to determine which ones are the troublemakers. What you are and aren’t able to eat is brought back down to a sustainable level once you’ve identified what does and doesn’t work well with your body.

People find their way to Whole30 for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s due to struggles with various forms of inflammation, or because of a concern for underlying auto-immune diseases. Digestive issues like heartburn or bloating are uncomfortable and can make you feel sick. It could be a food sensitivity that’s the issue or even multiple. Unfortunately, the Standard American Diet doesn’t make it easy to identify the culprit.

Enter Whole30. While food sensitivities and intolerances appear to be a trend, with gluten and lactose-free options now available on virtually every aisle at the grocery store, there’s more to this clean eating approach than cutting out gluten or carbs in general. It’s beyond skipping the cheese or extra cream in your coffee.

Valuable Whole30 Resources To Get Your Started

What can I eat on the Whole30 diet?

Although Whole30 might sound restrictive, it’s really not. What’s available to eat should be what you’re already consuming. The point is, you can eat basically anything that comes from the Earth (we’ll get to the foods not Whole30 approved) and that’s not processed. Choose foods with ingredients that are natural and should be in food, and stay away from foods containing chemicals. Meat, seafood, eggs, fruits, and vegetables are all part of the Whole30 diet. As are natural fats, herbs, and spices and seasonings.

Sugar and products containing sugar or artificial sweeteners are a no-go. This includes sweeteners deemed healthier than raw sugar such as honey, agave nectar, date syrup, stevia, Splenda and so on.

As for foods that come from the earth but are still off limits, that’s grains and most legumes. Grains can be anything from wheat and rye to quinoa to the starch you use as a thickening agent, which contains corn.

Legumes include your standard variety of legumes but don’t forget that a peanut is considered a legume and not a nut, so peanuts, in any form, are off limits. Soy, in any form, is also on the list of foods you can’t eat.

And finally, no dairy or dairy products regardless if it comes from a cow, goat, or sheep.

What can I drink on Whole30?

If you’re the type that enjoys an occasional glass of wine after a hard day at work, you’ll need to read on. Alcohol is not allowed when doing the Whole30 diet. You can’t even use it for cooking.

And since sugar and sugar substitutes are also banned, that means no soft drinks or any other drinks that contain these ingredients.

Coffee and tea are both allowed, but you’ll have to drink your coffee black and your tea unsweetened.

List of Whole30 Approved Beverages

What is the simplest way to eat Whole30?

Since Whole30 is a 30-day challenge, it works best if you prepare in advance. Meal planning is a great way to stick to Whole30, and if done properly, can also save you money.

Make your shopping list and consider making multiple meals at once and freezing them. That way you’ll always have a Whole30 meal on hand.

If you need inspiration for cooking, get recipes on the Whole30 website or check out our Whole30 recipes here!

When grocery shopping, look for Whole30 approved products (it usually states it on the packaging) and compliment those products with fresh fruits and vegetables.

Remember, seasoning is encouraged, so season away!

How will I know that my Whole30 diet was successful?

Whole30 encourages participants to focus on body composition as opposed to weight and body measurements. That said, don’t weigh yourself. Rather, give yourself the full 30 days before you consider weighing or measuring yourself. This will give your body the time it needs to respond to your new way of eating.