10 things to watch out for when starting Whole30

At this point in time, we are officially two weeks into our Whole30 program and we've both felt a wide variety of emotions. I want to share some of those with you, as well as some things to watch out for, so that, if you choose to take on this challenge yourself, you can be fully "in-the-know" in terms of what exactly you're getting yourself into...you're welcome. :).

1. You will likely feel changes in your digestive system.

Whether or not you had "issues" before, you're going to feel changes. Your body is now *likely* having to process VERY different foods from what your normal diet would consist of. When you do this, your digestive system is going to change. You may actually feel like it's gotten worse, and that's totally normal. Your body processes different foods...differently. And it also takes a while to adjust to those foods. So, if it does seem to have gotten worse, DON'T PANIC. Give it time and your body is likely to correct itself.

2. You will likely feel less bloated.

This is a major benefit my family expressed feeling. That overall, they feel like they're carrying around less weight simply because they don't feel so heavy in the...gut area. Which makes total sense. You take a bunch of filler foods, like Oreos and Doritos, out of your diet and replace them with apples and carrots. Or how about beer? You take beer out of your diet and I promise your body will feel and LOOK different.

3. You're going to have some serious cravings.

As I've shared before, I'm a sweets fanatic. It was terrible and actually disgusting the number of Oreos I was consuming before Whole30. But I couldn't stop! I'm pretty sure it's an addiction. So now that I'm not allowed to eat those types of things, it's like my sweet tooth has gone into relapse...or something like that? Cravings are through the roof and the only thing I have to satisfy those cravings are fruits. So guess what I have in my fridge? About a gallon of blueberries and a gallon of strawberries. And they're likely to only last us a few days.

Carbs (breads, crackers, chips, etc.) are also something I'm craving BIG TIME. I think it's the crunch...and a carrot just doesn't cut it. Having several kinds of nuts on hand has helped with this at least a little bit. This is something you just kind of have to power through, though, because TBH, nothing can replace a Dorito.

4. Be sure to check your labels.

I touched on this a bit in my post What we put in our bodies is just as important as what we put on them, but seriously...you'd be shocked. Even products like Vitamin Water...there's a ton of extra sh** in there that I have absolutely zero idea what it is. Maybe it is just added vitamins and minerals, but that's they key...they're ADDED. Consuming them in whole, unprocessed foods, is so much better for your body.

5. You're likely to get by with just shopping at Walmart or Aldi.

As long as you check your labels, you'll be fine. You can find the vast majority of Whole30 approved ingredients at your local grocery store. Walmart has everything (for the most part) that appears in most Whole30 recipes, including almond flour, coconut flour, coconut milk, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc. The only thing you may need to branch out for is packaged snacks; Walmart is a little limited in that area, but you're also supposed to limit the amount of Whole30 approved packaged snacks you consume anyway.

6. You'll be sleepy, then super energized, and then sleepy again.

I've experienced this the past couple of days. The first week I felt pretty tired all the time. But the past couple of days, I have felt very energized and alert in the mornings and then come about 2:30-3pm I seem to hit a wall. It's not because of my caffeine intake, or lack-thereof...nothing has changed in that department. My only thought is that it has to be in relation to Whole30. They say you'll hit "tiger blood" mode around the third week in, so I'm guessing (hoping) this is the beginning to that.

7. Snacks.

I've said this before, but I'm going to say it again. Have ALL THE SNACKS ready to go. I'm not kidding when I say I think I'm the hungriest I've been in my life and I feel like I'm eating ALL THE TIME. My theory, once again, is that you were once filling your body with a bunch of filler foods and heavy crabs. Now you're filling it with fruits and veggies. Your body is going to react to and process those differently. And it's going to take more fruits and veggies to make up the amount of calories you were getting in those filler foods. Just keep buying and eating (Whole30 approved) snacks.

8. Read a Whole30 guide before beginning.

I was about a week into the diet when my family informed me that I wasn't allowed to have peas. And I had been putting peas on my lunch salad that entire week. Like...why can't you have peas?! You'd think that would be one of the healthiest things for you. But, Whole30 isn't necessarily about simply eliminating the things that are bad for you. It's about eliminating common food groups that could likely cause digestive concerns for you. Legumes are one of those things and peas are legumes.

I was, obviously, very uneducated about all of the "can's" and "cannot's" of Whole30, mainly because I didn't try to learn. I just assumed I knew what it was all about...eating healthy...cutting out processed foods. But it's much more than that. If you really want to do it right, educate yourself.

9. You may feel less motivated to exercise in the beginning.

This may not be the case for everyone; I have no scientific research behind this. In fact, I think my brother-in-law is working out harder. That hasn't been the case for me. I've still gone to the gym...most days...but there have been days where I'm just not feeling it. And my rationale is that I'm eating so much healthier now, I don't need to go to the gym. DON'T LET THIS MINDSET TAKE YOU OVER. You're doing this whole process to better yourself 360, not 180...if that makes any sense at all. LOL. Don't take control over one aspect of your life to then lose it in another.

10. Be prepared to make everything.

Eating out is *mostly* not an option, so if you ever relied on this before, you're out of luck now. We didn't eat out a ton, but we were pretty lazy in the types of meals that we made. You can't be lazy with Whole30; you can't take the easy way out.

If you really don't have time to make every meal, you may look into a food delivery service such as HelloFresh. I can't post a review on this as I haven't used the service myself, but I do know people who use it and love it. Again, I can't say for sure, but I would imagine they would have some Whole30/Keto approved meals within their plans.

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There you have it! Some of my main take-aways from the first two weeks of being on this program. I would imagine I'll have some to add to this as the month goes on, so I'll either edit this post or create a new one for you guys!

Here's to a happy and HEALTHY 2020!

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