As Lindsay mentioned in her previous post, in late 2017, I wanted to attempt the Whole 30 diet. I listened to the audio book during long runs over that summer and was intrigued enough to try. However, the attempt ended as a Whole 19. There are a variety of reasons for this (starting a Whole 30 with two kids 3 and under is probably not the best idea…) but I did learn a few things that I love and hate about the diet that I want to share.
Love: The rules are VERY specific
Many people want to eat healthy, but what does that really mean? Well, Whole 30 presents a VERY specific set of rules that the creators define as healthy eating. There is no debating what you can and can’t eat because they lay it all out for you.
This helps answer some ambiguous questions that you may have when attempting to be healthy. Are whole grain carbs healthy or not? No, according to Whole 30. Can I eat meat and be healthy? Yes (it is slightly more nuanced than this but meat is generally allowed). These are oft-debated topics that quite frankly the jury may still be out on. However, Whole 30 has a clear answer.
You also aren’t allowed any “cheat days” or even “cheat meals” on Whole 30. I like this extreme approach because otherwise this can quickly become a slippery slope. How often should you have a “cheat day”? What constitutes a cheat meal or even a cheat snack? If you’re not careful, you may be cheating more often than following the rules.
Hate: Some of the rules
As much as I enjoy the idea of rules, I do have a beef with some of the rules. The no grains or dairy rules are difficult and possibly controversial, but I can get on board with that (although eating a low carb diet while exercising a lot is probably not recommended). However, there is one rule I haven’t been quite able to wrap my head around: no legumes. I spent years believing that legumes were healthy (check out #6 on this list), but Whole 30 strictly forbids them.
To be fair, in the book the creators lay out a scientific case for each of the eliminated food groups. However, much of this has evidence on both sides. But putting out specific rules with backed evidence at least creates the opportunity to have an intelligent conversion around the rule’s efficacy.
Love: Say goodbye to calorie counting
While I believe calorie counting is an excellent way to lose weight, there is no doubt that it is time consuming. With the Whole 30 diet there is no need to calorie count. The creators believe that by eating the right foods that are satiating you will only eat as much as you need. There is actually a great anecdote in the book that you are not truly hungry for a snack unless you are willing to eat broccoli. Plus, the primary goal of Whole 30 is not to lose weight but rather to change your relationship with food.
I have gone back and forth calorie counting in my life. But I’ve gotten to the point where I have a pretty good sense how much I should be eating and when I am full. Generally I think calorie counting is a great way to get started losing weight (assuming you’re not doing Whole 30) but is something you can stop doing once you’ve learned what works and what doesn’t for you.
Hate: So much preparation…
This is what ultimately killed our first attempt. We generally like cooking and eating at home but this diet virtually makes it a requirement. And it’s not like you can grab a quick sandwich or eat a bowl of cereal either: almost everything you eat requires at least some preparation. Heck, even raw vegetables need to be chopped.
There is only so much time in a day to prepare food. We try to prepare as much over the weekend as possible knowing that weeknights will be difficult. But sometimes cooking is the last thing we want to do after a long day at work or a short night’s sleep.
Love: There is a sustainable long-term plan
Fad diets are often very difficult to sustain. They may work in the short run, but once you stop the diet you go back to your old ways and often gain the weight back.
Whole 30 is similar to many fad diets in that it is very restrictive. However, the authors lay out a plan after the 30 days of slowly introducing the eliminated food groups back into your day to day diet. While I didn’t really to follow this aspect on my Whole 30 attempt, I like that it is included.
The verdict/moving forward
In general, I really like the concept of the Whole 30 but I think the rules are a little too restrictive for an everyday diet plan. Then again, that’s kind of the point. The creators specifically state that it’s more of a “reset” then a sustainable plan and provide a longer term sustainable plan to maintain a healthy diet.
I’ve decided to take my favorite parts of Whole 30 and utilize those in my day to day diet. For example, I used to eat cracker, chips, or bread with almost every lunch. During Whole 30, I discovered that dipping raw vegetables into Wholly Guacamole was a great healthier alternative. We also discovered that avocado mayo and almond butter are nearly as good as their more normal counterparts and are at least theoretically healthier.
However, I don’t plan to be on Whole 30 day in and day out for 30 days. Instead, I will try to be as strict as possible most of the time and loosen up every once in awhile (specifically on weekends). This somewhat goes against my thoughts on “cheat days” but my loosening up won’t be an all out “cheat day”. Over the years, I’ve generally learned what works for me but every once in awhile I need a slight reset to get back on track.
What are your favorite or least favorite aspects of Whole 30?
