Thinking about kicking off the Whole30 after the holidays—but not sure how it’s all going to go down? Not to mention how you’ll make it through?
We're not going to sugar-coat it, the Whole30 is tough.
A short-term nutrition reset, the Whole30 involves cutting certain foods (sugar, processed foods, grains, dairy, alcohol, and legumes, to name a few) and focusing on others (such as meat, seafood, eggs, veggies, and some fruit) for one month. After that time, you slowly reintroduce the foods, one at a time, to learn how they affect you from the inside out.
FYI, through the process, the diet promises to help end cravings, restore your metabolism, heal your digestive tract, balance your immune system, increase your energy, improve your mood, help you sleep better, and lead to healthy weight loss. But, when you're craving donuts, the light at the end of the tunnel only does so much for your motivation.
Fortunately, there’s a book for that. Today, Whole30 creator and founder Melissa Hartwig published The Whole30 Day By Day, a companion guide that walks you step-by-step through implementing the program, along with a journal to keep track of what you’re eating and how you're feeling. (You can expect plenty of pep talks along the way.)
Want a preview of what to expect on the Whole30—and some tips on how to make it through? Read on as Hartwig shares what every Whole30 warrior needs to know:
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Day 1: Get Ready For Excitement and Trepidation
As you kick off your cleanse, expect your fair share of butterflies—simultaneously psyched about the changes to come and worried about getting there. The key to success, Hartwig says, is planning and preparation. In addition to cleaning out your pantry and stocking your fridge with the right foods, it’s essential to think about the social aspects: how you’re going to talk to your family and friends and respond to criticism, and how you’ll handle stressful or food-filled social situations. “The more you plan, the more at ease you’ll feel and more likely you are to stick to it as things get tough,” she says.
Days 2-9: Prepare For Tiredness, Crankiness, And Cravings
In the first week or so on the Whole30 diet, your body is adjusting, physically and psychologically, which can lead to needing some major down-time. Around day six is when exhaustion and cravings typically hit their hardest, Hartwig says. That’s because your body has been so reliant on using sugar, not fat, for energy. While carbs are your body’s preferred source of fast-acting fuel, fat is a clean and longer-lasting source, she says.
Knock Out Fast Food Cravings:
Days 10-11: Expect To Hit The Hump
These are the days people are most likely to quit. But hang in there! You're about to turn a corner. “Doing 10 days feels like a long time. People feel they should be so much further along, but depending on their diet and health habits and history, it may take another couple of days for things to really feel automatic,” says Hartwig. She suggests you lean on your “support team"—whether that’s your friends who are doing the diet with you or new friends you’ve met online—to get through it.
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Days 12-15: Here Comes the Sun
It’s about now that most people finally get what the Whole30 is all about. After two weeks without sugar and other treats, your cravings are down and your energy is up (maybe not always consistently) as your blood sugar is more consistently stable, says Hartwig. “You can go longer between meals without getting hangry,” says Hartwig. You may even notice you sleep better, due to better blood sugar regulation balancing cortisol and leptin hormone levels, as well as skin improvements, she adds.
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Days 16-27: Embrace The 'Tiger's Blood'
Some people feel like a switch is flipped during this period, while for others it's a period of gradual improvements in energy, symptoms, pain, fatigue, or mood. Whole30'ers often say this feel-good sensation is like having "tiger's blood" running through their veins. “In part it’s because your body is finally catching up. It feels easy by this point,” says Hartwig. While the first week is a real challenge technically, since you have to figure out your menu every day, by the second to third week you likely feel more confident and less stressed about your new eating habits.
“You’ve conquered emotional challenges with food. You’re not eating your feelings during a bad day,” says Hartwig. “These self-confidence wins are huge, especially with food, since so many people report feeling out of control.” In addition to more energy and better performance at the gym, some people notice their skin clears up and bloating is gone, she adds.
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Days 28-29: Expect Excitement and Trepidation, Take 2
You feel so good, you almost don't want to stop. In fact, lots of people are worried about what will happen on Day 31. Don't worry. The Whole30 book offers a detailed 10-day reintroduction plan and three-partFood Freedom Foreverplan.
Day 30: Keep the Happy Train Going
Congratulations! Take a second to pat yourself on the back, then step on that scale (if you choose) and jot down non-scale victories.
But it’s notreallyover just yet. The key to long-term success is transitioning into your new diet, which is all about finding which foods you can get away with while still looking and feeling awesome. “You’ll miss half of the benefit if you skip this part,” says Hartwig. So consciously and deliberately make your own plan. "You’re learning to make conscious and deliberate decisions on your own about which foods are worth it and which ones aren’t based on what learned from Whole30,” she says.
Colleen de Bellefonds
Colleen de Bellefonds is an American freelance journalist living in Paris, France, with her husband and dog, Mochi. She loves running, yoga, and wine, and is very particular about her baguettes.
