The Basics of The Whole30 Diet - What You Should Know
The Whole30 diet is most often initiated to help people transition away from certain foods. It is meant to be followed only for a limited amount of time to help users change their habits for the long term.
The creators of the diet state that it's not even a diet at all but rather a "challenge" designed to "change the way you eat forever." The Whole30 diet eliminates many common and uncommon food groups for 30 days to promote positive changes in habits and eating patterns.
While this may seem like an incredibly restrictive eating plan that you would want to wait to follow for even one week, if done correctly, it can have some very beneficial effects on your body.
What is the Whole30 Diet?
The Whole30 diet is most often initiated to help people transition away from certain foods. It is meant to be followed only for a limited time to allow users to change their habits for the long term. The creators of the diet state that it's not even a diet at all but rather a "challenge" designed to "change the way you eat forever."
The Whole30 diet eliminates many common and uncommon food groups for 30 days to promote positive changes in habits and eating patterns. While this may seem like an incredibly restrictive eating plan that you would want to wait to follow for even one week, if done correctly, it can have some very beneficial effects on your body.
Who Created The Whole30 Diet?
The Whole30 diet was created by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig, two health experts and health coaches who recognized the many benefits of a Paleo diet and decided to create an even stricter version.
They developed this diet to help clients transition from unhealthy habits and food addictions. It's meant to be followed for 30 days at a time, but once complete, there are specific eating patterns that users are encouraged to incorporate into their lives for the long term.
Why Follow a Whole30 Diet?
Improve your eating habits - The best thing about the Whole30 diet is that it's designed to help users break out of negative eating patterns. Even if you don't have severe nutritional or gastrointestinal issues, this diet can help you break old eating habits and make new and healthier ones.
Lose weight - If your goal is to lose weight, a Whole30 diet is the best way. Since the diet is meant to be restrictive, you'll likely end the month with a slimmer waistline.
Heal certain health conditions - While the Whole30 diet isn't meant to be followed as a long-term solution for specific health conditions, it can also be helpful in the short term. Those with autoimmune disorders may find that following this diet can help reduce the number of flare-ups they experience.
What You Can and Cannot Eat on The Whole30 Diet
As mentioned above, the Whole30 diet is very restrictive. It involves eating unprocessed foods while avoiding eating the following for 30 days:
- Dairy - This includes all dairy products, including milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt.
- Grains - This includes all grains, including bread, pasta, and rice. You're also not allowed to eat corn. Sugar includes all processed sugars, honey, and syrups.
- Legumes - This includes beans, peas, peanuts, and soy.
- Alcohol - Although this isn't technically a food group, it does appear on the Whole30 diet.
- You can eat unprocessed vegetables and fruits, fish, meat (beef, poultry, and pork are allowed), eggs, potatoes, and seeds.
What is the secret o accomplishing the whole30 diet?
The most challenging part of doing the whole30 diet is sticking to it. The diet is very restrictive and requires a lot of discipline. It can be difficult to avoid temptations, especially if you are surrounded by people who are not doing the diet.
There are also a lot of off-limits foods, which can make meal planning and preparation challenging. However, the rewards of completing the diet – improved health, increased energy levels, and weight loss – make it worth the effort.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to accomplishing the Whole30 diet, as each person's experience and approach may vary. However, some general tips and strategies can make the process easier.
First and foremost, it is essential to be mentally and physically prepared for the challenge ahead. It means having a solid plan and being realistic about what you can and cannot do during the 30 days—having a supportive network, whether friends, family, or online resources, is also crucial.
This support system will help keep you accountable and on track when things get tough. Finally, remember that the Whole30 is not about perfection - mistakes will happen.
The important thing is to keep going forward and learn from these missteps. With these tips in mind, you'll be well on your way to completing the Whole30 diet.
How to Incorporate the Whole30 Diet into Your Life
If you're considering following a Whole30 diet but need to figure out if it's right for you, you can do a few things to make the decision easier.
- Research the diet - The best thing you can do is research and learn about what it entails. Know what foods you can eat and what you need to avoid. Take note of any foods you're particularly addicted to and plan how you'll avoid them.
- Seek support - The Whole30 diet can be challenging to follow. You'll need a support system to prevent caving. Find a group of friends who also follow the diet to help keep you accountable.
- Plan ahead - The Whole30 diet requires you to cook meals at home. You'll need to plan your meals ahead of time, including snacks and side dishes.
Bottom line
The Whole30 diet may seem impossible to follow, but if you are determined to make it through an entire month, it can benefit your health. It can help you overcome specific health issues, lose weight, and change your eating patterns for the long term.
When following the diet, it's important to remember that it's not a quick fix. It takes time to change your eating habits and reap the benefits of the Whole30 diet, but it's worth it in the end.