Easter is done, my Peeps. (Pun intended.) My new tiny human is 2 months old. So now my brain is (excitedly) shifting to getting in the swing of things with healthy eating choices, which for me, means doing a fresh round of Whole30 starting May 1st. (Actually, it will be a Whole60– at least. If you need to catch up on what it is, check out this post.)
In July of 2015, I did a Whole30. In 2016, I did Whole120 from January 1st to May 1st. And it revolutionized my life. Freed me from emotional eating. I had literally never felt physically/emotionally better in my entire life.
Annnndd then I got pregnant. Which is a great thing. We love our baby. But I was not part of the 5% of women who craved fruits or veggies. And chicken and eggs? Don’t. Even. Talk. To. Me.
But now, I’m back and getting ready to rock and roll. And apparently, a lot of folks want to join the party. So this post is all about prepping and getting started on the food journey that could absolutely change your life.
I’ve created an acronym that spells “MMMMM” as in “MMMMM, that Whole30 meal is delicious and I feel great.” Which is true. (I’ve only had a couple of recipes that weren’t like, “Hey, I like it and shall be repeating it.”
And yes. I know that “MMMMM” is super creative. (Gimme a break. I’ve got a newborn. Let’s all be glad I can write complete sentences when sleep-deprived.) At least this acronym is easy to remember. So let’s jump into the 5 M’s of Whole30 Prep…
Mindset
First things first: You MUST be in the right mindset. To really experience the true awesomeness and effectiveness of Whole30, you cannot go into it half-heartedly. You gotta be ALL in. Even at the church potluck. At your kid’s birthday party. At the company summer picnic. And yes, even when traveling and/or on vacation. (Sidenote: I wouldn’t recommend doing a Whole30 if you are planning a cruise where the primary past time is eating. Do it before you go or when you come back.)
There will be PLENTY of opportunities for you to flake and if there is even an inkling of “Oh, one bite won’t hurt” in your brain, please STOP. PUT DOWN THE DONUT. And text/Facebook/call a friend. We are on a mission to slay our Sugar Dragon (more on that in our next post.) Just the tiniest “cheat” will create some major undoing and start down a slippery slope… #AskMeHowIKnow. So get in the correct mindset. (Since this is a Jesus-loving blog, might I recommend prayer as part of your preparation and execution plan?)
Motivation
Ask yourself: “Why am I doing this?” Is it for better health? Emotional balance? Freedom from food addition? Elimination diet to figure out what foods aggravate certain conditions? To learn new recipes? Then I say HOORAY and let’s get started. Please don’t do Whole30 ONLY for weight loss. It’s not about the pounds or cutting a ton of calories (because you will be miserable if you do it like this…) It’s about gaining freedom and learning how to give your body what it needs.
I will never forget the first Whole30 I did… There is a page in the Whole30 book that shares the “side effects” aka, awesome things that could affect you per the change in eating. Things like: Less anxiety, greater joy, less stress, better sleep, clearer skin, etc. It’s a HUGE list and I have personally experienced MANY of these impacts… Just from the foods that I eat. (Which sounds crazy, but it’s like a real thing…) So, think about why you are doing this, because that will have a lot to do with your success.
Menu
Oh yes, you knew this one was coming… And for my nerdy self, this is one I enjoy the most. I LOVE planning #AllTheThings but I have to make meal planning and prep a priority or it doesn’t happen… And we all end up having cereal for supper. Again. (And cereal is NOT Whole30. Sorry.) I have gotten a lot of great recipes from the Whole30 book, NomNom Paleo (leave out non-compliant ingredients like sugar and “look-a-like” craving foods, i.e, pancakes, brownies, store-bought chips etc.) They have also recently came out with a new Whole30 Cookbook that includes 150 new recipes to add to my repertoire. These books aren’t super expensive on Amazon, but I’ve also raided my local library shelves for recipes. (If you want more info on the science/motivation behind Whole30, I recommend reading “It Starts with Food.” They also have a new book out called “Food Freedom Forever” which is currently on my wish-list.)
If you don’t hear much of anything else in this post, hear this: PLAN YOUR MENUS. Seriously. Even if it does nothing for your inner nerd, HAVE A PLAN. Because we all know that proper planning prevents poor performance. And you will be beyond thrilled that at the end of the day, when the kids have driven you half-a-mile short of crazy, you are dead-tired with baby spit-up on your shoulder that you already have something in the Crockpot or leftovers from the night before.
I plan for like weeks at a time… It’s highly likely that I will sketch out my entire two-month eating plan. Will I stick to the exact things on the menu every night? No. I will likely switch meals around based on family events, mood, taste preference or how much I had leftover the night before.
When you plan your meals, you can also plan your grocery shopping– and after the initial stock-up of staples, grocery shopping is a breeze… and can actually be fun. (More tips/tricks on all of this as we get more into the program.)
Oh, one more thing… I always set aside a couple of hours to do major weekly meal prep on like a Sunday afternoon. Cutting all the veggies, pre-cooking some of the meats, making a breakfast casserole/portable lunch items, hard boiling eggs etc. Game-changer.
Movement
For me, an effective Whole30 includes a little more movement in my life, aka exercise. There’s not a lot to say about this “M” other than I am more likely to eat well when I am working out, even if a brisk walk is all I have time/ability/energy for that day.
Plus, at about day 14-ish in the program, after the Sugar Dragon has been slain and we are through the “hangover” stage (more on that next blog), then comes my FAVORITE part: “Tiger Blood.” It’s that moment when your body re-configures itself to actually use the good calories we are putting in our bodies instead of relying on processed carbs and sugars for energy. My Tiger Blood makes me feel like I could climb mountains, kick in doors and punch walls with my excess power (I wouldn’t recommend the latter two activities, because I think Jesus frowns on vandalism.) But seriously– I felt so good during my workouts it made me want to scream “AMERICA” while (literally) running 14 miles. (Another Sidenote: There will be no 14 mile runs during this Whole60 for me…)
Maneuverability
Finally, you have to be ready for anything. Being able to maneuver around circumstances is vital. (This goes hand-in-hand with the menu/planning part.) If going out to restaurant, look at the menu before you leave the house and choose a restaurant that is semi-Whole30 friendly. (My go-to’s are always steak, steamed veggies, and salad with oil/vinegar… but no cheese, croutons, processed anything.) Facing a potluck? Eat a bit before you go, and bring a Whole30 friendly dish. Also, I always have compliant snacks stored in the console of my car and/or my purse for “emergencies.”
Portable snacks include: Nuts, fresh fruit, baby carrots, cut veggies, almond butter (for healthy fat/protein), hard-boiled eggs, even leftover protein from supper the night before.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions about ingredients– the waiter/waitress could likely care less about your dietary needs, so you must take care of yourself.
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So… What do you think? Helpful? I sure hope so. I (clearly) am super passionate about this process, mainly because I’ve been there, done that– and it works. I will likely be starting a Facebook group for anyone who would like do this alongside me, because we all need support and accountability. Standby for more info on “What to Expect” coming soon!
Tasting and Seeing that He is Good,
“Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ…” ~Philippians 3:19-20
