Week 1 of the Whole 30 is [basically] in the books! It has been interesting so far and not nearly as bad as I thought. I had a dull headache the first couple days—I think from lack of sugar—but now I’m feeling back to normal. Even though I haven’t even completed a full week, I’ve already learned a lot about the program and myself. Plus, I’ve made some pretty healthy food up in hurr.
After much research on the safety of and scientific research behind Whole 30, I’ve decided I’m going to keep following some of the key rules but make modifications according to what I know my body needs. AKA, I’m not really following the Whole 30 (because you’re supposed to follow it to a T to reap its benefits). More specifically, I will be adding in two food groups: legumes and grains.
The reasoning? I’m growing skeptical of the program’s benefits for myself and am curious if it’s doing more harm than good. I say this because I already follow a fairly healthy diet, so I don’t feel I need such a restrictive diet to give myself a wakeup call and kick my cravings. However, I do want to emphasize some great qualities I’ve picked up from the program.
- Reading labels. It’s ridiculous how much crap is in everyday food we eat. Like come on…just give me some marinara without sugar. How is that so hard?!
- Making food homemade whenever possible. I already followed this for the most part, but after seeing how difficult it is to find foods without added sugar, artificial sweeteners, weird preservatives, and so on, it has just reminded me how you have so much more control over your diet when you control how your food is made.
- Treating treats just like that—as a treat—and not something to eat all the time. I’m guilty of having junk food more lately than I used to, always thinking I deserve something indulgent with all my healthy eating, buuuuut I could definitely use more moderation in that area. I’m definitely a strong advocate of treating yourself though!
Could the Whole 30 work for some people? Sure. Is it right for everyone? I really don’t think so because it doesn’t factor in your health and medical history. And without being monitored by a doctor, cutting out good food groups seems like a fast track to nutrient deficiencies (not to mention it isn’t recommended by many in the dietetic and general medical fields).
If you’re starting the Whole 30 and love it, then I’m glad! It has a lot of great testimonials. However, I just encourage everyone to exercise caution when following such a drastic diet without medical supervision—something I didn’t fully consider before committing to do it with friends.
I’ve realized over the past week on the Whole 30 that my diet is severely short on carbs without being able to have legumes and grains. This is a massive problem considering the fact I workout and want those workouts to be LEGIT. So! I’m discontinuing the Whole 30 exactly as it’s written but am modifying it according to my needs. But I’ll definitely still be enjoying Sweet Potato Home Fries because dat staying power doe…
Just to clarify, for the next three weeks, I’m still avoiding added sugars, alcohol, and milk (for at least another week because I’ve noticed my body may be sensitive to it; I’ll be reintroducing yogurt and small amounts of cheese, though, for calcium and gut health).
If you’ve already done your research and think Whole 30 is something that can help you, feel free to check out my Whole 30 Meal Plan for Week 1. Since I’m not really following it exactly how it is anymore, I’m not going to share anymore meal plans. I will definitely be keeping up with my own personal weekly meal planning, though, because it makes such a big difference in how healthy we eat all week!
Whether the Whole 30 is right for you or not is ultimately up to you and your doctor. I don’t want to discourage anyone from trying a diet reset that has clearly made a difference in a lot of people’s lives. For someone who already eats fairly healthy and wants to keep up with a rigid workout schedule, it’s just not for me. But to each his own!
Do you avoid any foods in your diet because you know you feel better without them? (e.g. gluten, dairy, soy, etc.)
Are you a label-reader? What’s something you always watch out for?
