Whole30 Success Tips
WHOLE30 SUCCESS TIPS:
Those that have been following me for some time now know that I post a lot of Whole 30 recipes and completed my first one back in October. I realize some of you may be familiar with the program and some may not, so I wanted to hop on here and include some tips that helped me through my first Whole 30 for anyone currently on round or thinking about doing a Whole 30.
What is the Whole 30?
It basically boils down to focusing on eating whole foods, cutting out processed foods, sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, and dairy for 30 days, then slowly introducing these foods to see how your body reacts to each one. It can be extremely helpful to learn how different foods affect your body, mood, sleep, etc. For more information on the Whole 30 program, check out the link here.
Given how helpful it was for me to hear from fellow Whole30ers while I was on round, I wanted to share a list of tips and tricks that really helped me complete a Whole30 and hopefully can help you too! I’d love to hear from you all too, if you have any tips/tricks that helped you, comment below!
Whole 30 Tips and Tricks:
First and probably the biggest one is mentality - you are not going to TRY to complete a Whole30, you are going to complete one. 100% of the challenge of Whole30 was just conquering the mind game - if you are constantly talking and thinking about how hard this is and what you can’t eat, it will be HARD. Focus on the positives and tell yourself you will complete it. Conquering the mind game was one of the hardest challenges of Whole30, but also one of the most rewarding ones. Telling yourself you are going to do something for 30 days and then doing it? Talk about feeling like a badass.
PLAN. PLAN. PLAN. There are days when you are going to feel like a warrior and cook up a delicious meal and think: “wow this is delicious, this really isn’t that hard”. And then there are days where the thought of turning on the oven or washing a dish makes you want to cry. Prepare for both versions of yourself. Have new fun recipes and a grocery list to help you with what you will be eating for breakfast, lunch, dinners, and emergency snacks. But also have emergency B plans for when plan A fails - double one of your favorite recipes and freeze in individual portions to microwave when you don’t feel like cooking, keep compliant sausage and compliant frozen dinners on hand for quick dinners on a weeknight, compliant snacks in your car for when you’re on the road, etc. This will SAVE your Whole30 - the only days when it was truly hard were the ones where I was exhausted and didn’t want to cook anything. There are also a bunch of Whole 30 approved brands of dressings and sauces that can liven up a lot of your meals and make it easy to keep things simple. My favorite Whole30 products can be found here.
Don’t focus on what you can’t eat, focus on what you can. Yes there are a bunch of delicious things that are not allowed on a Whole30, but there are also a lot of delicious things that are. When I got sick of fish and veggies, I made steak and compliant mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli and it was awesome - almost forgot I was “dieting”. Check out all my Whole30 recipes here.
Plan variety in your meals - don’t just make the same thing over and over or it will feel like a diet and you will get bored. Plan salmon for one night, steak another, spaghetti squash with meat sauce for another and watch how you won’t miss takeout.
When in doubt, google it! Not sure if a brand you’re using is compliant? Google it! Unsure of what is compliant at a restaurant you’re going to? Google that too. Your first week will be difficult - you will probably have a million items in your search history but it will get easier.
Plan for social events - this was probably one of the hardest parts of Whole 30 was the social component. I basically enlisted my friends ahead of time to be on board with me - they didn’t have to do the Whole 30 with me, but they also couldn’t be bad influences and instead could help hold me accountable. I did go out with friends a few times and just had soda water with lime juice - wasn’t the best but also wasn’t the worst and I woke up way better than they did. If you are going out to eat, suggest a restaurant with many options or look up the menu online beforehand to know what compliant items they have. If you are going over to someone’s home for dinner and are worried about inconveniencing them, bring your own food! It’s really not as weird as it sounds.
Don’t skip or rush the reintroduction!!! This is where all your hard work turns into knowledge. I was shocked at the types of foods that had effects on my body. And I’m not just talking about bloat or feeling nauseous - there’s all different effects your body could have to food from acne to sleepiness to digestive issues. Get to know your body and you’ll know what kind of foods have certain effects on you so you can limit them or cut them out.
If you are a latte/frappe/mocha drinker, coffee is gonna suck. Get yourself some nutpods and experiment with the different flavors - the first couple days will be awful, but it WILL get easier.
Follow people who are also doing a Whole30 or bloggers that post a lot of Whole30 recipes and join Facebook support groups! It’s hard when you see cheese pulls on Instagram and can’t partake so switch up what you are exposing yourself to, it will help!
Read the Whole30 rules RELIGIOUSLY. Like a few times. And have them always screenshotted on your phone. Before day 1, look through and read labels on your pantry and fridge items and familiarize yourself with common additives. This will help immensely for your first grocery store trip on figuring out what you need to find compliant versions of (like ketchup or mustard) or what you have in your pantry that you can already use.
You are going to feel AWESOME - but not right away. I went from feeling exhausted for the first couple of days to moody to energetic to over it to basically every feeling under the sun. Around day 15, my energy levels were up to the point I didn’t even need coffee (!! I know !!) and I had that wonderful feeling when you wake up with no bloat and a flatter stomach ALL THE TIME. It was amazing, stick through it, it feels bomb.
It is only 30 days. You TRULY can do anything for 30 days and if you think it’s gonna be hard, it will. Keep reminding yourself that you’re a superhero and 30 days is nothing. When you look back you’ll be so damn glad you did it and you will feel SO proud of yourself for committing to something and sticking to it.
TOP 10 Whole30 Recipe Roundup:
I have compiled a list (in no particular order) of some of mine and your favorite Whole30 recipes on the blog! Just click on the photo to take you to the recipe :) I also have a Whole30 tab under “Recipes” that has all the Whole30 and Whole30 recipes on the blog in case you need more ideas!
1. Whole30 Bolognese: I adapted one of my top recipes on Rockin Meals to be Whole30 compliant and IT IS GOOD. Amazing for meal prep, and so versatile - throw onto some spaghetti squash or zoodles for a deliciously comforting meal.
2. CrockPot Carnitas: Another great bulk meal to meal prep for the week and loaded with flavorful! Throw onto a salad for a Chipotle style lunch, or with cauliflower rice and roasted veggies for an easy peasy throw together meal to eat throughout the week.
3. Crispy Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce: Eating out on Whole30 can be challenging, so take your date night in with this dreamy chicken with ultra creamy sauce that looks decadent but couldn’t be easier.
4. Vegetarian Bolognese: One of the challenges I faced with Whole30 was how hard it was to create vegetarian meals that were still filling without starches. This one is a fav and often in my weekly meal plan rotation.
5. Seared Ahi Tuna with Sesame Ginger Dressing: proof that salads do not have to be boring and that ahi tuna isn’t just for eating out! Perfect for those nights you have less than 10 minutes to throw something together, or for a quick weekday lunch!
6. Crispy Salmon with Zucchini Pancakes: the amount of times a month I consume this crispy salmon is outrageous. It is hands down my favorite way to make salmon, and now some of yours too! It tastes great on it’s own, but you can switch it up with this Whole30 Teriyaki Sauce here.
7. Greek Lemon Chicken Soup: this soup is so creamy and extra flavorful, you may as well double the recipe and enjoy all Whole30 long. This is a favorite in my household, and likely one in yours too.
8. Zucchini Breakfast Sausage: Finding breakfast ideas when you are sick of eggs was a struggle during Whole30, which is why I often turned to this zucchini breakfast sausage. Great way to sneak in veggies in the morning and super duper flavorful!
9. Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie: another filling vegetarian recipe that deserves to be a part of your meal plan rotation!
10. Healthier Sloppy Joe’s: for those days you’re craving something unhealthy, don’t give up! These healthier sloppy joe’s perfectly hit the spot while still keeping you on track with your goals.
BONUS: Spanish Tortilla: naturally Whole30, and a dish Spaniards eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner anyways, this is a great one to make in the beginning of the week and heat up when you’re hungry!
Whole30 Must Haves:
Starting your first Whole 30 can be EXTREMELY daunting. I remember trying to prep for it the week before, going through my fridge and pantry, and getting discouraged realizing how many items I had that were not compliant. After scouring the web for resources and following some great food bloggers on Instagram, I changed my perspective and instead of looking at all the things I couldn’t eat, I started realizing how many delicious meals I could cook with items I could eat.
I have compiled my top, favorite items that helped me get through my first Whole 30. Some of my favorite resources for finding these products include Thrive Market, Amazon, and of course my true love Trader Joe’s. There are SO many Whole 30 Approved Products out there, what are some of your favorites? Comment below!
So let’s break down this exhaustive list for some of my favorites:
NutPods Creamer - I’m the kind of girl that likes a little coffee with her sugar and cream, I’ve just never been a fan, so the idea of black coffee for me sounded horrible. It took a couple of days to ween off my sugar addiction, but by Day 5 I wasn’t looking back and still drink my coffee with just NutPods! My favorites are the Chocolate and Pumpkin spice but they have basically every flavor under the sun. You can find the holiday flavors here!
RedBoat Fish Sauce - I truly could not live without this stuff. I have tried my fair share of fish sauces, most of which are overpoweringly salty. Not RedBoat - this stuff is the sh**. I use this in combination with Coconut Aminos to replace soy sauce in stir fry’s, or add to sauces or soups for a nice little umami punch.
Coconut Aminos - I have tried the coconut aminos from Trader Joe’s and Thrive Market and I love them both. Great addition to stir frys, or as part of my Whole 30 teriyaki sauce found here: Whole 30 Teriyaki Salmon.
Toasted Sesame Oil - the brand from Trader Joe’s is my fav, and not too expensive either!
Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste - whenever I am experiencing some major food boredom, I turn to curries because they’re packed with flavor and never boring. I also love using this as a marinade for some Chicken Satay skewers, blending the curry paste with some almond butter and coconut milk for an umami packed marinade.
Yellowbird Sriracha - it is TOUGH to find a good sriracha brand that is Whole 30 compliant. Luckily, Yellowbird Sriracha is so good I use it even when I’m off round for the perfect kick to any dish. Keep in mind to look for their original sriracha, not the Blue Agave Sriracha as that one is not compliant.
The New Primal Mustard BBQ - if you did a Whole 30 in September, you’ll understand how difficult it is to go to a BBQ and not want to eat all the things. Simple fix - BYOBBS (bring your own BBQ sauce lol). The New Primal and Tessemae’s have some great barbecue sauces and dressings you’ll want to check out!
Tessemae’s Ketchup - I grew up a Heinz girl through and through, putting ketchup on everything from my scrambled eggs to my turkey sandwiches. I never thought anyone could sell me on any other brand until I had Tessemae’s. It’s sweetened with dates and a great gateway ketchup for all you Heinz fans like me.
Bubly - a great option in place of soda, I usually bring a few of these to gatherings so I’m not tempted by any cocktails or Lagunitas around me.
Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca Flour (also called Tapioca Starch): tapioca flour works great for thickening sauces or for baking (save this for post Whole 30 life). It is very similar to arrowroot flour, which I often use as well for thickening sauces or dredging meat. They are basically the Whole 30/Paleo version of cornstarch.
Chosen Foods Mayo - if I’m making my own dressings or aiolis, I typically make my own mayo, but if I’m in a pinch, I substitute Chosen Foods Mayo for dressings, chicken salad, or other lunch options.
Creamy Salted Almond Butter from Trader Joe’s - this one is my favorite because of it’s clean ingredients, relatively cheap price tag, and it doesn’t clump!
Artisana Cashew Butter - this is a great option for those looking for something creamier than almond butter. A favorite of mine to pair with apple slices for a delicious snack.
Kettle and Fire Bone Broth - you’d be surprised how difficult it is to find compliant chicken broth, so I always make sure I have a few of these on hand!
Trader Joe’s Organic Tahini - Not all tahini is created equal. I REPEAT - not all tahini is created equal and the super creamy tahini from Trader Joe’s is a good one.
RealCoco Coconut Milk - one of the cleanest coconut milks you can find, you can find these at Costco, and occasionally on Amazon as well!
* Disclosure: If you decide to purchase the items on this page from Amazon, Amazon will send a small commission to support Rockin Meals at no additional costs to you. These commissions will help cover my operation costs to keep this site running. Thank you for your support :) !