Looking for Whole 30 reviews? Here are my findings from my Whole 30, what I learned and what I’m going to do about it.
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Orchard Chicken Salad Wraps
The day after Valentine’s Day I embarked on what I considered a pretty wild prospect: to abstain from eating anything containing soy, sugar, dairy, gluten, grain, or alcohol — for THIRTY DAYS. Since these ingredients are pretty prevalent in the average American diet, it was a bit of a challenge to keep those ingredients at bay.
What did I eat? Lots of meats, fish, eggs, nuts, vegetables, and fruits. You can read my complete log here. Over the last few years I’ve developed a series of protein-focused meal plans that couple what I’ve learned from the Whole 30 with the budget-friendly style of cooking that I love.
The Whole 30 diet, if you want to call it that, is considered “a nutrititional reset”, a chance to give your body a break from foods that might not agree with you. By eliminating most of the usual suspects of inflammation and food intolerance, you get a chance to see what “normal” is — for your body. During the reintroduction phase at the end of 30 days, you can find out if something really doesn’t agree with you.
I initially tried this program to see if I could troubleshoot my recurrent hip and leg pain. I read the book It Starts with Food (that’s an affiliate link*, by the way) and then set forth trying to reduce my pain or at least determine the cause. Many folks who’ve done a Whole 30 have seen remarkable results when they eliminated the foods that were causing them trouble.
My 30 days ended a little over a week ago. Here’s what I learned:
1. Paleo is not so very weird.
The Whole30 is a very strict paleo diet. The few Whole 30 reviews I read led me to believe that it might be incredibly hard, require weird ingredients, and leave me feeling starved.
Previously, I didn’t know much about paleo and just assumed it was weird. Eating along these guidelines, mainly animal protein, fruits, nuts, and vegetables, I found plenty of meals that were super satisfying — and not all that different from some of my favorite regular, run-of-the-mill meals.
While I ate larger portions of meat and fish than I normally do, I usually fill my plate with vegetables and fruits anyway. This wasn’t some crazy meal. It all looked fairly normal.
I realized that I had some misconceptions of what paleo was and therefore, had been fairly judgmental about it. I assumed folks were just gnawing on steaks. Paleo, eaten properly, is a great balance of produce and protein.
Italian Salad with Crispy Prosciutto
2. Regular meals are good for me.
I am a rule follower, generally speaking, so I stuck to the directions of the Whole30 diet. That included no snacking and making sure that I ate three meals a day. Sometimes, I really had to force myself to eat a meal. It showed me how often I skip meals or just snack my way through the day.
Making my favorite Skillet Eggs every morning was good for me.
Since I slept really well most nights and had no trouble getting up early without an alarm clock, I’m seeing that regular meals were good for me. And since I wasn’t snacking, I also didn’t eat something sugary right before bed. That helped me immensely.
If you missed the meal log, you can see what I ate everyday during my Whole 30. I came to love the recipes I developed during this time so much, that I’ve packaged them into several protein-centric meal plans.
3. Sugar is not my friend.
Since going back to all the regular foods, I’ve discovered that excess carbs, particularly sugar, make me drowsy. During my 30 days, I drank my coffee with coconut milk instead of my 3 teaspoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of cream. I’ve given up that habit because I realize that it just doesn’t help my day very much.
I still crave sweets, so I’m still working through how to keep that in check. I don’t think sugar is the devil or anything like that. But, I realize that I need to enjoy it wisely. I’m on a mission to reduce our household sugar intake by making more juices, smoothies, fruit and nut bars, and other naturally-sweet treats.
(I also learned that turnips don’t agree with me. I never would have been able to narrow that down unless I’d been on this strict elimination diet, knowing exactly what was going into my body.)
Monkey Salad
4. My pain was not about food.
Some of you know that I had already been to my doctor on two occasions, trying to get help for the hip pain I’ve had since May of last year. By the end of Week 3 of the diet, my pain was getting worse, not better. I decided to try a chiropractor instead. He’s helped me tremendously.
Turns out I have all kinds of things to fix: dysfunctional sacroiliac joint, the beginnings of a hunchback, and the effects of my childhood scoliosis. After less than two weeks of treatment (adjustments, ice, stretching), my hip pain is in check, and the doctor is working on the scar tissue in my back and neck to reverse or diminish the hunchbackety-ness.
I’m so thankful that the pain was not food related. You know me. Food is a big deal in our family. I’m already juggling lots of different challenges; I really didn’t want to have to omit something from my diet.
5. Soy and sugar are in everything.
I already was on a rampage against soy; I think that it’s overused, too much of it is GMO-quality, and it messes with sex hormones. Since I spent more time reading labels, particularly at restaurants, I realized how much soy and sugar are in our diet. Not good.
I did not expect to see soy in canned tuna or sugar in bacon, two ingredients that I previously would have thought were devoid of “extras”. My eyes are a little more open to these ingredients in particular, and I’m hoping to avoid them where I can.
Denver Scramble
6. This was not a body improvement venture for me.
There are some Whole 30 reviews I read that said I’d drop 20 pounds during the month. That was not my experience.
Since I was learning to avoid snacking, I ended up eating very full plates of food three times a day. My husband was taken aback at my large portions. While I did lose a few pounds during the 30 days, the inches did not come off. In fact, my clothes were at their most recent “tight” on Day 30. Since backing off the diet, my clothes have started to feel more comfortable. I haven’t really gained weight back, but it seems that what’s there has moved around a bit. I’m not sure.
7. I discovered some great flavor combinations.
I’ll confess, by Day 30, I was ready to be done. I clocked soooooooooo many hours in the kitchen during that month, it really took its toll on me. That said, I did discover some great flavor combinations, like Monkey Salad or my favorite salad with chicken, avocado, oranges, and cashews.
This diet is not deprivation, especially if you make an effort to be creative and are willing to spend a little on your base of ingredients to give yourself variety.
8. Friends can help carry the load.
When I did this, there weren’t too many Whole 30 reviews to check out. However, the beauty of Facebook never ceases to amaze me. Thanks to some late-night networking, I found a great group of friends and acquaintances to give me support and guidance throughout my 30 days. A host of others doing a Whole 30 at the same time really helped me get a grip on the experience.
My husband was skeptical, but completely supportive. He endured endless date nights at Chipotle since that was the only restaurant that was “easy” to eat at. Basically, I couldn’t have done it without the help of friends.
Cumin-Scented Cabbage Salad
9. I want to learn more.
I am not convinced that any food God made is inherently bad. Food products that scientists have made? That’s a different story. While I’m not ready to give up my baguette, cheese, and wine, I do see that my body benefitted from the experience. I was much more alert and didn’t need as much sleep.
My husband claims I also went to bed earlier instead of eating ice cream or making a late-night run to In-N-Out Burger (which I have been known to do). Maybe I was sleeping in a more productive window? Maybe I ate during better hours? Maybe there is something to avoiding the carbs?
I’m not really sure. I know that this diet was not sustainable for me long term due to the nature of my work, family, and budget. However, I’m going to try again later in the year and see if I can learn more about how food and my body agree.
Have you ever done a Whole 30?
What was your experience?
Kimberley Nelson
I like the Whole30. It is a reset not diet and once you find your food freedom (I encourage everyone to read the book by Melissa (Food Freedom). The point is to isolate foods that you might react badly to and to reset your gut health. After 30 Days and the reintroduction (which is circa 10 days), the plan is to weigh the health consequences of the food and decide if it is worth it …if it is worth it too may days in a row and the side effects start coming back a quick mini reset of a few days doing the Whole30 will do the trick of curbing cravings.
pam
I loved the Whole 30 and learned a lot about food. I used the reintroduction to find out that milk and peanuts do not agree with me. It cured my digestive problems, but since being back to mostly Paleo eating, I am seeing the problems come back and I haven’t quite figured ti out. Thinking about doing another round in August.
Jessica Fisher
That can be so frustrating. Hopefully you’ll find some answers this summer.
Cathy paras
Day2 and I miss my coffee mate with my coffee sister has been on it for over 2 weeks am a sudarholic going to shop now to get avacodos and some whole 30 stuff wish me luck!!!
Jessica Fisher
Good luck!
Frood
Hi. In the process of researching what “The Whole 30” is, I found your blog. I am currently on this, through my own research and not on any particular plan. My greatest findings: 1) anxiety that I carry has dropped substantially. I still have anxious thoughts but they are devoid of the internal pit of stomach or tight chest sensations. 2) it became apparent very quickly that certain nuts, meats, and vegetables gave me bloat and gas. 3) overaeting nuts is easy on this kind of diet and is very bad on the innards. 4) sweetness cravings are just like nicotine cravings, and if noted and waited out are usually gone in a minute or two. But they still come furiously after 4 weeks.
I plan to live on this kind of “diet” indefinitely. It’s thrifty, simpler, cleaner and more in line with the evolution of our bodies – so it seems to a layperson.
Bronnie
Love this! I’m embarking on my third Whole 30 (it’s day two) and always looking for new inspiration. I’ve not popped by your blog previously, so definitely keen to check out your recipes for my third trip around…
Laura-lu
Yes, O’ve done 3 whole30 sessions this year alone, half way in to my fourth go round will be transitioning into paleo with whole30 guidelines to help along the way.
It helped my back and knee pain alot, got more sleep, and found out that I can’t tolerate corn or excess amounts of white rice
( in moderation it seems fine about half a cup is alright every once in a blue moon.) I don’t consume alot of sugar anymore and if I do have it I wait a few days to see what it dose to my system. Sugar seems to slowe down quite alot. Also no more gas and have started to make my own kimchi and pickled veg, try to eat those on a daily basis to control the gut bacteria. A philapino friend of mine gave me a recipe without the sugar.
Tammy
Hi Jessica,
My Whole30 experience is almost done with 3 days to go and I am very mixed about the whole thing. I have enjoyed eating food I may not have ever combined before and I am eating more fresh ingredients, which my body needed! I felt a difference since day 3 or 4 in that my inflammation dropped huge and I felt skinnier (I know not possible in 3 days) but the inflammation played a large part of my not feeling well, I think. I looked at it like it was an experiment to heal my stomach and intestines for a while. I am a Celiac and have related dairy issues and Fibromyalgia so day one of Whole30 was day 3 of no dairy routine and this really must have been bad for me for a long time. Pain I hoped would be alleviated in my left leg didn’t but I think the drop in inflammation has really helped the pain in my feet. My body feels cleaner and looks better because I did lose a few pounds (I think…I didn’t weigh in before so just guessing). The problem I have had all along and never got better was the extreme lack of energy and fatigue in my muscles so easily. I kept reading oh it’s only for the first 2 weeks and yet I can barely walk to my car after work at the end of the day from such a major lack of all energy. Even eating badly I never had this problem. I agree sugar was not my friend either and will now be on my list of things to be more careful of and soy. It was worth the try but I am probably not doing 30 days again as I cannot take it. I even considered asking my doctor to check my blood for anemia but I was eating so much better than before that I think I just needed some starches. We will see in 3 days! Thanks for posting as they have helped and are great to read other peoples experiences.
Jessica Fisher
Sounds like you were a success! I think a lot of the purpose is to get to know your body more and it sounds like you’ve succeeded. Great job!
Hildy
so many of these “not diets but lifestyle changes” are difficult for vegetarians-I don’t eat eggs, red meat, chicken or seafood. Much of my diet is Legumes and beans and soy. But with my body screaming inflammation I know I need to kick sugar and carbs and dairy to the curb! UGH
Jessica Fisher
Hang in there. Yes, I would say sugar would be a great place to start.
mama spins
Dear Jessica:
Just discovered your blog about your food journey. Thanks. I am trying to eliminate wheat on Wheat Belly and wheat like soy and sugar is in everything.
Hope you are enjoying good health!
Charlotte Emborg
Thank you for the unbiased review! I was just googling Whole30 reviews to see what some of my friends have been talking about. I haven’t read through a lot of your blog yet, but I wonder if you’ve heard of “Trim Healthy Mama?” If not, I think you should check it out. It sounds like exactly what you’re looking for (not excluding food groups that God has provided). It’s basically about combining foods in a different way. You mentioned that you wanted to learn more. I feel SO much more knowledgable about nutrition and what is helpful to my body after reading the book!
Ann Kilter
I just finished the Whole30. I lost about 10 pounds. But I have a lot to lose. I’m kind of afraid to go back on regular foods, but I am in the reintroduction stage. I do feel better. More alert. Less digestive distress. Had completely stopped by the third day.
Jessica Fisher
Great job! You did great. You can do it! Keep going. 🙂
natalie
I was wondering, did this new way of eating help reduce your body mass? Did you lose any weight?
I need to jump start my diet, and have many friends eating sugar -free and high protein, so I am interested in just starting it tomorrow.
Jessica Fisher
I did not lose weight, but my parents have both lost over 20 pounds. I think it probably depends on the person.
amanda
After 30 days, then what? Total new to this and on day 1 of research. I just saw the above article where she reintroduced dairy, alcohol, etc. after the 30 days, is this just a 30 day thing?
Jessica Fisher
It’s typically a 30-day thing. You’re supposed to reintroduce different items over a course of two weeks, so it really ends up longer than 30 days. Supposedly, 30 is the number to help you find out if you have issues with certain ingredients. Once you put them back in the diet, you’ll have some type of adverse reaction if it’s not a good fit for you.
Shelley
I did the Whole30 recently. It ended 8 days ago. I really did not lose much weight, I had hoped just to lose 5 pounds, but I think I lost about 3. I did lose inches everywhere. I could see a big difference in the mirror and I felt much better in my clothes. I stuck to it and my worst problem is chocolate, so I was hoping to beat that demon. I am eating dark chocolate as I type this. hahah. But, I never got rid of any of the foods that are in the don’t category (in my pantry, fridge, etc.), my family still ate everything and I never even was tempted to eat them. I only missed my half and half in my decaf coffee, that was the worst. Coconut milk was almost ok but not really. Since stopping the plan I have decided to go back to it. Although we eat mostly PALEO anyway it is not that difficult. I saw a person I liked more (me not beating myself up every night about the “bad” things I ate all day, i.e., chocolate mostly). So I am going to let myself eat a sensible meal when eating out, and not be a fanatic about it, and while at home, packing lunch, etc. I will stick to The Whole30. It really is a very smart way to behave with food.
Jerah
I completed a Whole30 last year. It was honestly one of the best things I’ve ever done for my body. I have plenty of gastrointestinal issues of my own and I needed to discover what was the culprit. I believe food and nutrition is the healer for all, especially illness and gut problems.
That being said, it was difficult, but not as difficult as I’d imagined. I am a creative being in the kitchen already and I do plenty of cooking. The whole30 forces you to realize, more than anything, just how harmful all our processed foods can be. whether they contain soy, excess sugar, or weird ingredients for preservation. I think this diet, ultimately, comes down to education!
During my 30 days, I began to crave less food. I wasn’t hungry constantly as before, and I learnt how to cure a sugar craving with a simple piece of fruit. It’s a total mind re-wire! I loved it! I did end up losing about 13lbs (unbelievable, I am a bigger girl) and My IBS symptoms were almost completely taken care of. I learnt that I am sensitive to lactose.
I loved the whole 30, I’d recommend it to anyone! its not a fad diet, its literally just the truth!
Jessica
I love this:
“I am not convinced that any food God made is inherently bad. Food products that scientists have made? That’s a different story. While I’m not ready to give up my baguette, cheese, and wine, I do see that my body benefitted from the experience.”
And I totally concur. I’ve dabbled with GF and DF and A)it’s so friggin hard to do, and B)it doesn’t seem to change me all that much. Now I’ve heard that depending on how “toxic” your body is may depend on how long you need to be “___free” but still. I feel like if we eat less of the stuff we know causes certain issues (my biggest is inflammation so gluten & dairy are my moderate foods) then we will, OVER TIME, have less of or eliminate those issues. Always remember your body today hasn’t always been the way it is. I’m 34 and have about 30 years of McDonalds, cakes, boxes dinners, booze (not 30 yrs of booze ????) etc. to clean up. Mentally and physiologically it can be overwhelming. I love plans like whole30 and the 21 Day Sugar Detox for a jump start, eye opener, whatever you want to call it. I’ve not done whole30 yet but the 21dsd was GREAT for me and my husband to reassess how we HAD been eating.
Thanks for your blog! Love it! And good luck in all life’s adventures.
(Sorry for the 15,000 word comment.)
Suzanne
Thanks for your honest review! I’ve read so much about Whole30 and everyone seems to think it’s the best thing since sliced bread. It looks labor intensive to me, though, and I also wasn’t sure how it would really result in mega weight loss. I’m 5 months post partum and need an eating plan that’s easy to prepare (like, throw everything in a pot in the oven easy) and will actually help me lose weight. We’ve been pretty good about doing things like chicken breasts and steamed veggies for dinner with maybe beans or squash or sweet potatoes, and I think I’ll be more diligent about keeping that up and do like you suggested and avoid the man-made foods more.
Jessica Fisher
I’m doing a second one right now and really am struggling to see the purpose. I’m losing something at my waist, but I don’t have any earth shattering energy or anything.
Kate
Hello Jessica,
Just wanted to let you know I started my whole30(my first) Feb. 1, also. My cravings are under control, at least so far, but I am committed to the 30 days and that helps. My normal diet is paleo/Weston A. Price/organic/grass-fed so it is only dairy that I will be unused to eliminating. And, I will be eating less carbohydrate-dense fruits and veg and smaller portions, as I have a problem with portion control and carbs in general. I am hoping that I re-set something as I have gained 40 pounds, acquired cravings for bread and sugar post menopause and find it extremely difficult to lose and control. I’ll check back, I may need reinforcements!
Kate
Jessica Fisher
Good luck!
Madelyn massie
I stumbled upon this page and am so glad I did! What a great, organized diary of your experience. With changing your eating habits, did you see improvements such as weight loss, improved hair or skin?
Jessica Fisher
I had great energy, but no weight loss. My husband says that is because I ate like a lumberjack. I’m starting another Whole 30 tomorrow. Stay tuned for new recipes, meal plans, and grocery lists. 🙂
victoria
Beautiful journaling!!!
So did you lose weight from this?
Jessica Fisher
I did not, but my husband thinks my portions were too big. (I was afraid of being hungry so I ate the max the rules allowed.) I’m going to give it another try in Feb, almost two years later. So we’ll see then. I’m hoping for returned energy.