Whole30. What is it?
It's 30 days of no added sugar of any kind (real or artificial), no alcohol, no grains, no legumes, no carrageenan, MSG or sulfites, and no dairy. That sounds miserable, right? Well, I wanted to share my experience because it was anything but miserable.
First, Whole30 is more about retraining your brain and your relationship with food than it is about focusing on all the things you can't eat. You will not feel deprived. It's a huge mental challenge. You make a commitment to dedicate 30 days of your life to clean eating. If you aren't willing to give it 100% for 30 days, don't sign up. There's no sneaking a cookie, a sip of soda, or a bite of pizza. You will reach day 28 and just think, "whatever, it doesn't matter. I made it this far.". But, it SO does. You must realize that every food choice is your decision.
Learning and developing your relationship to commitment-making is a huge lesson you'll receive from this journey.
Before you start Whole30, I challenge you to go to your pantry and pick five random items. Post in the comments below how much sugar or sweetener is in each item. Did that blow your mind? Manufacturers PACK sugar into things these days, and in turn, we become slaves to these products.
I thought I'd share some of my tips, and how my body changed throughout the process.
Week-by-week Breakdown
Week 1: It's rough. Your body is detoxing all the junk you've been putting into it for who knows how long. You'll feel tired and grumpy.
Week 2: You start getting into your groove. You're meal prepping, and you're not loving it. I'd consider myself a grazer. So, it was really important for me to pack snacks.
Week 3: You're starting to feel good. You start to gain energy.
Week 4: You're in the homestretch. Nothing can stop you. Sugar doesn't even sound fun.
For a more in-depth day-by-day timeline, check out the one provided by Whole30. It's pretty spot on.
Overall, I would probably do it again. You have such a sense of self and control when you wake up on Day 31. I lost about 10 lbs., and my energy is through the roof.
One of my favorite recipes from the challenge was Chicken Cauliflower Fried Rice. It's so yummy. Once your body let's go of cravings, you don't feel deprived at all. You're not calorie counting or measuring ingredients. You're just eating REAL food.
Chicken Cauliflower Fried "Rice"
1 lb organic ground chicken
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces
1 egg
1 c carrots, diced
1 c bell peppers, diced
1/2 c onion, diced
2 tbs of coconut aminos
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp of curry powder
Avocado oil
Cilantro, for garnish
1. In a food processor, add the broken down cauliflower and pulse until the cauliflower reaches a rice size.
2. In a bowl, combine ground chicken, salt, black pepper, curry powder, and red pepper.
3. In a skillet, add avocado oil to coat the pan. Toss in riced cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, and onion. Sweat veggies until onions are translucent. Add ground chicken mixture, and begin to brown. Add the coconut aminos.
4. Whisk egg in a bowl and add the egg to the skillet. Scrambled egg until it is fully cooked.
5. Time to plate, and add some cilantro for garnish. You can also add some additional coconut aminos if you’re looking for more flavor! :)
If you have any questions about my Whole30 experience, please reach out to me. I'm happy to answer anything that helps as you conquer your challenge too!
XO,
Kimberly
