What is Whole30?

You have probably heard about Whole30; it's been in the news, on talk shows, it's all the buzz with the nutrition foodies. First of all, it's not a diet, and it's probably safe to say that we have all tried almost every. diet. out. there.

But really, what is Whole30?

Through the Whole30 books, you will learn that Whole30 is not a diet, but a 30 day reset that can lead to a lifestyle change, which ultimately culminates in food freedom. Whole30 is 30 days of eliminating every impurity from the foods you eat... no gluten, no dairy, no sugar, no artificial sweeteners, no grains, no soy, nothing processed. 30 days of the cleanest eating you have ever done in your life. 30 days of no scale checking or measuring. 30 days of not trying to recreate your "trigger foods" (bars, breads, pancakes, etc.) through healthy foods.

The great news is that you can have so many foods on Whole30.

You can have all the fresh fruits and vegetables that you can hold. Grains, like corn and legumes, have been associated with inflammation... so stay away from those. But otherwise, if you find it in a garden or on a fruit tree, you can have it. Most "diets" have always limited or eliminated fruit. When you are doing the Whole30 reset (it is not a diet), you don't have to worry about counting carbs, calories, points, or fat. Eat fruit. You can have a banana with no guilt. You can grill and roast and steam the most beautiful fresh vegetables. You can eat meat! You can have a filet mignon, lobster, a big juicy burger, even a slab of ribs. There are so many possibilities. You just have to think a little differently about how things are prepared. Trust us, you will not miss the flavors, because there are so many creative ways to add healthy flavor to healthy foods.

From a practical standpoint, Whole30 is so much more than anything you can read in the literature. To say that is a lifestyle change is even an understatement. Whole30 resets your body and makes it work more efficiently in every way, but it also resets your mind.

The creators of Whole30 did their research.

They require that you eliminate every food that can be harmful to your body in, at least, one of four ways:

1. Psychologically 2. Hormonally 3. Bad for Your Gut Health 4. Bad for Your Immune System

So that's where all the "no gluten, no dairy, etc." originates. All the things you have to eliminate have been found to be harmful in one or more of these four ways. So by eliminating them, you get a do-over. A fresh start. What is amazing is that in most cases, there is a strong psychological connection that goes hand in hand with your food choices, and when certain foods are eliminated is only when this psychological connection can be realized.

We could go on and on about the benefits of Whole30, but we'll save that for another post. The very best part, the greatest benefit... is food freedom. Don't be controlled by food. Make conscious choices about what goes in your body and think about how it will affect you physically. Trust us on this, it's worth it. It may not always be easy, but it is absolutely worth it. Excuse our QVC sales pitch, but give Whole30 a try and feel the benefits for yourself.