WHOLE30 Post Script Part II – Recommended Resources

What do YOU need to successfully complete your own WHOLE30?

What do YOU need to successfully complete your own WHOLE30?

WHOLE30 Follow-up Part II – Today’s entry is a continuation of my WHOLE30 follow-up series. In case you missed my first WHOLE30 Post Script, be sure to check it out here. In that post, I discussed the positives and negatives of the program. As I mentioned, for both Hubs and me, the pros far outweighed the cons. I continue to eat a primarily WHOLE30 diet, and we plan on doing another round at some point in the relatively near future. So today I will discuss the foods, tools and resources I recommend to help you successfully complete and enjoy your very own WHOLE30.

The Foods:
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1. Tessemae’s All Natural Dressings – As I wrote about in my Mayo Fiasco post, making your own salad dressings is admirable but not always a successful venture (at least not in my experience). Tessemae’s offers a number of WHOLE30-approved flavors and is available at several major market chains and online. Don’t fight it. Just buy it!
2. Wholly Guacamole – life-saving! You’ll use it as a salad dressing, snack, and go-to condiment.
(Save $1 on any WG product with this coupon)
3. Gwaltney’s No Sugar Added Bacon – bacon should really be viewed as a condiment rather than as a protein source. But should you decide to consume bacon during the WHOLE30 (I didn’t, but Hubs did), make sure you select a brand that contains no added sugars. This product not only has no added sugar, it’s also reduced fat (which is great because the bad stuff is usually stored in the fat of the meat) and cooks up nicely. The brand is readily available at Wal-Mart Supercenters.
4. Aidell’s Fully Cooked Chicken Sausages. The Organic Chicken & Apple sausages quickly became a fav at our house! And they’re indispensable for those nights when you’re in desperate need of a dinner entree (see my Day #15 post).
5. Carrington’s Coconut Oils (solid and liquid varieties)
6. Butterball Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast – As the Hartwig’s discuss in It Starts with Food, organic, grass-fed meats are always preferable. But we weren’t always able to afford those. So, the next best option is to select the leanest cuts of meat available (in order to avoid contaminants stored in the fat). Enter extra lean ground turkey, turkey tenderloins without marinades, etc. I used Butterball ground turkey breast in several WHOLE30 recipes including Turkey Cabbage Skillet and Paleo Thanksgiving Meatballs.
N.B. – Jennie-O makes a great line of fresh lean turkey products we recommend as well. But the Jennie-O turkey bacon contains added sugar so be sure to check labels before purchasing!
7. Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos Sauce
8. Frozen Boneless, Skinless Chicken Tenderloins (e.g. Tyson)
9. Nonstick Coconut Oil Spray (I used Pam)
10. Sweet potatoes – Keep a steady supply on hand. I used these in various ways as a side dish whenever we needed a bit more carbs. They’re indispensable!
11. Baby red potatoes and frozen, ready-to-use shredded potatoes – similar to above, they little guys saved me on more than one occasion when I had no idea what to serve with dinner. They’re ready quickly and amenable to a multitude of different preparations.
12. Frozen Steam-in-the-Bag Vegetables – Green Giant and PictSweet brands worked well for us because they’re readily available in our area. Check your local grocers’ frozen food sections for options available near you. Just remember corn is not a vegetable (it’s a grain), and peas (sweat peas, baby peas, black-eyed peas etc.) are legumes and not approved during the WHOLE30. Stick with green veggies like broccoli, spinach, green beans, brussels sprouts, cauliflower (not green but you catch my drift), and you’ll be fine. Oh and skip the bags that say “sauced” or “in sauce.” Those are guaranteed to have unapproved ingredients in them!
13. As many fresh fruits & veggies as you have room to store
14. A variety of nuts and seeds – you don’t want to go overboard with nuts, but they make a great salad topper and are a handy snack in a pinch. Just remember to keep it to 1 handful, not 6!
15. Eggs, lots and lots, and LOTS of eggs. As per the all-important oft-referenced official WHOLE30 timeline, you will eat so many eggs, so frequently and in so many iterations that you’ll likely be tired of them by day 10 or 11. But, trust me, you’ll keep on eating eggs throughout all 30 days so keep your supplies up.

The Hardware:
Nutribullet or Vitamix – having a sturdy and powerful blender on-hand proved invaluable for us!
• Large, nonstick frying pan – I used one nearly every night during dinner prep
• Parchment paper and/or aluminum foil

Helpful but Nonessential:
• Digestive Enzymes – I mentioned using digestive enzymes in my first WHOLE30 Postscript. For me, these were essential due to my compromised digestive capacity and in order to transition to a meat-based diet with higher protein and fat content than I’d previously consumed. Also, as I mentioned, I was hit with several hefty doses of antibiotics during labor which totally disrupted the balance of my intestinal flora. That’s a fancy/polite way of saying – I got gassy after every meal. My stomach seemed to be always distended, and I could relieve the bloat no matter what I tried. Some of the tummy swelling was related to diastase recti (which I discuss at length in this post and which is dramatically improved as I continue with my MUTU exercises). But a lot of the bloat was due to poor digestion, and enzymes have really helped. I’ve tried several brands and have found the best results (for me) with Enzymedica Digest Gold Capsules. In the USA, these may be purchased at Vitamin Shoppe stores (and Vitamin Shoppe online). And they are available from iHerb as well as Amazon.com.
• Food Processor – for most things, a high-powered blender worked just as well if not better
• Nonstick electric skillet
• Hand mixer or emersion blender (AKA “boat motor”)
• Popsicle molds for making healthy no-sugar-added juice pops as posted here
• Toaster oven
• Outdoor gas or charcoal grill, though a large Foreman (tabletop) grill could also work

*** A partner – This may be the most important “thing” to have in your corner in order to improve your chances of successfully completing a WHOLE30. I would never have made it through all 30 days without the support and accountability my husband provided. Need proof, check out how quickly he caught me cheating. Likewise, we both needed the support of my mother (who lives with us but did not participate in WHOLE30 with us). My mother agreed not to bring cookies, candy and fast food into the house for the entirety of the 30 days. This was really helpful because there were days when I’m not completely certain I could have withstood the temptation. So, it’s important that you have the support of your family, spouse or roommate(s) even if he/she/they are not actively doing WHOLE30 with you.

Stay tuned for my third and final WHOLE30 postscript entry discussing reintroduction; how we are adapting to the post-WHOLE30 eating – the challenges that you may encounter re-entering the world of cakes, cookies and fast food as well as how to deal with the dangerous “now I can eat anything I want” mentality. Until then, I wish you health, joy and peace!

Verse of the Day:
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
~Philippians 4:19 (HCSB)
Read more here.

Resources of the Day:
1. Handy Dandy (Printable) WHOLE30 Shopping List
2. Non-scale Victory Checklist – find out all the positive results you could achieve during your WHOLE30 program
3. The Official WHOLE30 Timeline – Frequently referenced by me throughout this process. You may as well find out what you’re in for, right?

WHOLE30 Post Script Part I

finished-the-w30-IG
WHOLE30 Follow-up Part I – Hooray for us! Hubs and I have completed our first WHOLE30! I’ve had a few days now to reflect on the experience and wanted to write a couple of posts discussing our experiences for anyone contemplating WHOLE30. Both Hubs and I had some great results. There were some rough times, most of which I was prepared for (reference the trusty official WHOLE30 timeline); though some of the painful stuff caught me by surprise. I’m going share it all with you now. I want you to be fully aware of our experiences in order to make an educated decision if you’re contemplating a WHOLE30 for yourself or your family.

So without further adieu here’s my list of the good, the bad and the painful from our first WHOLE30:

The Good:
• I lost inches. As I mentioned in the WHOLE30 Day #25 post, I didn’t take measurements prior to starting WHOLE30 so I can’t give you exact stats on this. But I can tell you this (which is by far more important to me): By the last week of WHOLE30, I was able to comfortably fit into 2 pair of my pre-pregnancy jeans that I’d previously not been able to get past my hips. I was also able to fit into several other pairs of pants and a couple of skirts I could not fit into previously despite pretty brutal dieting and exercise. N.B. My “dieting” prior to WHOLE30 was entirely dairy-free vegetarian and consisted primarily of low-fat salads, vegetable omelets, rice cakes and the like.

Woohoo! Back in my fav jeans!!! (excuse the messy bedroom)

Woohoo! Back in my fav jeans!!!  (excuse the messy bedroom)

• I lost excess water weight. I was able to wear all my rings and shoes that had previously been either uncomfortable or completely unwearable prior to doing the WHOLE30.
• I gained muscle (arms, back, thighs) and lost cellulite in places that are notoriously hard for me to get lean (e.g. my thighs). This is a big deal in light of pregnancy because I seemed to gain extra lumpies and bumpies in my legs during pregnancy (can I get a witness from other Mommies out there?) that – to my horror and constant frustration – did not go away even after months of strict postpartum dieting and exercise.
• I didn’t really have to exercise. I continued my daily MUTU Core routines and practiced yoga every day except one. But I didn’t do anything strenuous and really didn’t do any type of cardiovascular exercise, except of course the up and down, constant movement of taking care of a 6-month old.
• I suffered far less bloating and gas. As I’ll explain further below, I’ve struggled with GI “issues” all my life and have been diagnosed with IBD and GERD. At various points during labor, I was given no fewer than 3 different IV antibiotics prior to my emergency Cesarean. Following that surgery, my digestive issues were worse than ever! I blame the antibiotics, but I digress. Despite some pretty heroic measures (including twice daily probiotics and careful consumption of fermented foods like authentic sauerkraut, coconut yogurt, etc.), both my daughter and I battled fungal infections in the early postpartum days, and I really struggled with bloating and gas after eating. That almost totally resolved with WHOLE30 foods. I have to say this was probably the most amazing part to me. I did not expect such drastic results but attribute the improvement to significant reduction of artificial sweeteners from my diet.
• I broke my addiction to chewing gum. I didn’t think this one was even possible. I was always the girl with gum. I chewed gum all day, everyday, and I chewed a ton of it often 3 pieces at a time. It was a nervous habit, like I had to have it in my mouth. Because gum is loaded with sweeteners and artificial crap, I knew I’d have to give it up during the WHOLE30. It wasn’t as difficult as I’d feared. Drinking more fluids helped and I allowed myself a few Altoid Minis per day which provide a comparatively smaller hit of artificial sweeteners than all that gum I was chewing (as I discussed here, I intentionally chose to break protocol in a select few instances in order to improve my chances of completing the “whole” WHOLE30).
• I should also briefly mention some of the great results Hubs had. He lost an inch off his waist and saw dramatic improvements in his skin (specifically almost complete elimination of dandruff and athlete’s foot issues that have plagued him for years. I’m sure he’s thrilled I’m mentioning that). Read more about his experience and WHOLE30 successes here.
• I became more creative. I enjoyed the challenge of creating new and enjoyable meals for our family using only approved ingredients. As a result, we found some new favorite recipes like the Turkey Cabbage Skillet and Thanksgiving Meatballs and rediscovered an old favorite in the Paleo Cheez-ish Sauce.
• I was rarely hungry. All the protein and fat kept me pretty satisfied. So even when I experienced cravings for unhealthy foods (see below), the fact that I wasn’t physically hungry made it easier to resist the temptation to cheat.

The Bad:
I was tired, like a lot. The fatigue continued to wax and wane for me through the 30 days. I never did experience a sustained surge in energy. Instead, for me at least, I had periods throughout the day when my energy was good but those periods seemed short-lived and I fatigued fairly quickly.
• I often had an unpleasant taste in my mouth. This may be attributable to quitting gum or due to dramatic decrease in carbs, increase in protein, etc.; though I doubt I ever entered ketosis because I continued to eat things like my Paleo Popsicles, potatoes and dried fruit treats throughout. As I mentioned, I was often thirsty too. I’m not sure what caused this side effect, but it’s worth mentioning.
The cravings are no joke, at least for a couple of days. I literally did lie in bed at night and fantasize about pizza, doughnuts, biscuits and gravy, Thanksgiving dinner, and on and on. It helped that I was prepared for them, and they do pass after a few days. And as above, the meals were so satisfying that I was always able to resist any fantasies I conjured up.

The Painful:
• I had headaches and some hypoglycemic reactions (nausea, lightheadedness, feeling faint, etc.) – full disclosure I have a tendency toward hypoglycemia but the symptoms were severe enough to warrant mentioning
• My heartburn was worse, especially in the beginning. Again full disclosure here – I have GERD. I’ve had it all my life and was diagnosed as a young child, and I’ve been on heartburn medication since that diagnosis. As a result of the meds, I have a harder time digesting meat and fats. I take digestive enzymes (which I’ll discuss further in the 2nd WHOLE30 follow-up post) which are helpful. But there were several nights when I had to take additional medication to sleep, and that’s not good.

As you can see, the good things definitely outnumber the bad and the painful. We’re 5 days removed from the WHOLE30, and I haven’t really gone back to our previous way of eating. We definitely plan on repeating the program again in the future but haven’t set a specific date yet. On balance it was a tremendous experience. With respect to the painful side effects I describe, I want to add the following. I have long believed there is no one diet that fits everyone (if there were we would not be overwhelmed with an obesity epidemic). Different people need different proportions of macronutrients (ratios of carbs/fats/proteins). I suspect that during the times when I had the worst heartburn and hypoglycemic reactions, I was overeating protein and fats and not eating enough carbohydrates for my daily activity level. On days when my diet was more balanced, I felt better and suffered fewer of those symptoms. As with almost everything diet-related, it pays to listen to your own body and make adjustments accordingly.

I encourage anyone considering WHOLE30 to check out their website (see Resources of the Day below) where you’ll find a wealth of free info and also consider reading the book It Starts with Food prior to starting. And be sure to stay tuned to Daily Beauty Wisdom for my list of recommended products for “doing the WHOLE30.” These will be various foods (primarily) and some other items we found along the way that made the experience easier, tastier and generally more tolerable.

Verse of the Day:
I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.
~Philippians 4:11-13 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
Read more here.

Resources of the Day:
1. WHOLE30 Meal Planning Template
2. WHOLE30 Program Rules

Hi I'm Karen.

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