Top 10 tips to navigate Whole30 without crashing and burning
Written by ABC Audio ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on January 2, 2023
(NEW YORK) — Welcome to GMA’s New Year, Best You. As we ring in 2023, we are sharing everything you need to start the new year strong. From keeping your New Year’s resolutions going to Instagram-worthy meal prep to workout programs to eating plans to taking time for yourself, we have it all covered.
The Whole30 program, based on a bestselling book, eliminates food groups like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes from participants’ diets for a full 30 days. With many people starting Whole30 in January, after the holidays are over, GMA asked certified health coach Brooke Brennan to share her top tips.
Brennan, a mother of two from Florida, has done the Whole30 three times herself and supported countless clients, family and friends through it as well. She is doing Whole30 again this January alongside her husband.
Here, Brennan shares her 10 tips for making it through the Whole30 program with a smile on your face.
1. Focus on what you are adding, not eliminating
The food you eat fuels you to LIVE your life.
Focus on all the good things you are adding into your body during the 30 days, instead of the things you are taking out. The more good stuff you put in each day, the more good stuff you are going to get out each day.
2. Get to know the free resources available to you
There are incredible resources at your fingertips on the Whole30 website that make completing it easy to understand and prepare for. Here are some to get you started:
Whole 30 Program Rules
Whole 30 Shopping List for Omnivores
Whole 30 Shopping List for Vegetarians
Finding recipes online is easier than ever before with many incredible recipe developers who specialize in creating beautiful Whole30 compliant dishes. An Instagram poll asked for the best Whole30 recipe developers and here are some that were recommended:
Thedefineddish.com
3. Do Whole30 with a friend
Grab a buddy to do the Whole 30 with you.
The support, camaraderie and accountability can make the process so much more fun! But, if you can’t find someone who wants to join you, lean on social media. The Whole 30 Instagram page has a strong community of supportive men and women who are a wealth of knowledge during the process.
4. Plan ahead
Plan, plan and plan some more.
Eating on the Whole30 requires you to think about what you are going to be putting into your body at each meal — which, we all should be doing every day on or off any specific diet. Write down what you want your meals to be each day of the week on the Whole30 and shop to that list.
If you plan to be successful, you absolutely will be. Don’t leave your food up to chance! See the end of this piece for a typical menu of what I eat in a day on the Whole30.
5. Focus on ingredients over calories
Shift your focus to the ingredient list on the foods you eat instead of the nutritional label.
Knowing exactly what ingredients are in the food you eat is so much more important than the number of calories the food contains.
Learn to be your own ingredient detective. Hidden sugars are in so many foods we eat. Here is a great resource on Whole 30 Sneaky Sugars to help you know what to look for.
6. Find Whole30 compliant products
We are so lucky because there are a number of wonderful companies that create Whole30 compliant plus delicious products that you can grab and use every day.
Having dressings, sauces and seasonings you can use help transform your favorite foods into brand new dishes from one day to the next.
7. Don’t become a hermit
Go out to eat and be with your family and friends. Ordering out doesn’t have to be hard. You just need to know how to ask for what you want. The quicker you get out and about, the easier it will be.
Here are some ideas for things you can order at a restaurant:
– Order a salad (just hold all the non-compliant ingredients like cheese, croutons, tortilla strips, etc) and ask for extra avocado, veggies, egg and a grilled protein. Bring your own dressing or ask for oil and vinegar or lemon to dress it yourself.
– Order burgers without buns, tacos in lettuce shells with extra salsa and avocado (hold the cheese!) or when in doubt choose a protein and steamed veggies (or ask for veggies prepared in just olive oil).
8. Keep snacks on hand
Keep a snack in your bag just in case you need it. Getting “hangry” can lead to some interesting food choices, so if you feel hungry and it isn’t quite meal time, eat a snack.
Never ignore your hunger cues. That is your body’s way of telling you it needs some more gas in the tank. Our go-to snacks are hard boiled eggs, cold apples, berries, raw walnuts, leftover roasted veggies or almond butter (just look at the ingredient list and look to make sure the only ingredient is almonds!) with a banana.
9. Don’t skip the reintroduction
Whatever you do, don’t skip the reintroduction. The big magic happens in the 10 days following your Whole30, when you reintroduce the food groups one at a time to notice how your body responds.
What you learn during this 10-day process helps you to shape how you can eat to feel your best long-term. Here is the Whole 30 outline of the reintroduction phase.
10. Be confident
You can do anything for 30 days. Feel confident and empowered by your decision to complete the Whole30.
It can make you feel even better than you ever knew possible. I know we can’t wait to complete our fourth this month!
What I eat in a typical day on Whole30
7 a.m. Whole30 fiber and protein coffee.
9 – 10 a.m. Superfood nut, seed and fruit granola with unsweetened almond milk and fresh berries (Get the granola recipe HERE).
12 – 1 p.m. Buffalo tuna stuffed bell pepper (can sub hard-boiled egg or chicken for the tuna in this recipe) with a salad or roasted sweet potato.
3 – 4 p.m. Snack, if needed, of hard-boiled pasture-raised egg, a handful of raw walnuts or a small piece of fruit/berries.
6 – 7 p.m. Spinach, artichoke and leek “uncrusted” quiche with roasted dutch gold potatoes and avocado.
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