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Whole30 - anyone done it?

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Most of you who have been around YLF for a while know I have an endocrine imbalance. Over the years, my Endocrinologist and I have worked on finding the right combination of hormones to keep me balanced. In particular, I have extremely high levels of leptin and chronically elevated levels of insulin but without being diabetic. I also have high levels of lutenizing hormone (LH) and testosterone. Now that menopause has arrived, my levels are off the charts. My blood test from Monday was a bit alarming.

I've also developed some joint pain (not caused by exercise), mysterious rashes, chronic sinusitis and exhaustion - in fact, my Endocrinologist is starting to look at the possibility of Lupus.

In an attempt to rid my body of toxins and "start fresh" in order to get a handle on what's going on, he has suggested I try the Whole 30 program. Here's the link http://whole30.com/. It's a way of eating clean since there are many things we ingest that can affect our entire health system. At the end of the program, we can look at how I feel, any physical changes that occurred, sleep patterns, etc. and then decide about adding things back in to my diet to see if there are any food triggers that are contributing to my health issues. I will be starting the program April 1st and sweet DS is going to do it with me as support

Has anyone done the Whole 30 program? And if so, what are thoughts on it - challenges, successes, surprises, etc.

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27 replies

Latest reply was from anne

anne

Veteran

I haven't gone it but I have a friend who has and found it helpful and I have read heaps about it before and after I decided I couldn't commit to it, partly because I had, unlike you, no problems. If I did I'd probably give it a go.

KikiG

Veteran

My stepdaughter did it, and loved it, and lost quite a bit of weight, as a nice benefit. She enjoyed cooking real food and felt fantastic on it. I downloaded the book, and am considering it, but I don't eat tremendously different from that, anyway. I have even experimented with some of the "substitutes" such as making cashew butter in the food processor, instead of peanut butter. W.O.W., off the charts delicious. It is a new staple. And cooking with coconut oil is also great. On the other hand, coconut milk in my coffee was not a success. But I suppose I could deal with that for 30 days, if I really were motivated. I recently bought some coconut amnios (Whole 30 substitute for soy sauce, which with soy and peanuts and other legumes, is not included) but I haven't tried it yet.

The trick seems to be in the shopping, and in the organization. My life works better when I separate the functions of food preparation and food consumption, and I typically like to have several forms of cooked protein and cooked vegetables (like roasted carrots and potatoes or roasted green beans) handy so someone can put together a quick meal or work lunch.

Anonymous

Just took a quick read of the program. I am surprised that fruit juice is an acceptable sweetener substitute, but whatever. One could debate the choices ad nauseum. I didn't know you were dealing with these issues, and I wish you success with this program. It looks very rigorous, and 30 days will be tough indeed but hopefully it will pinpoint your source of trouble.

carter

Veteran

Except for a glass of wine every now and then, I eat like this every single day. We are Primal/Paleo in my house (plus I avoid all dairy and eggs because of allergies). I've been edging in this direction for quite some time. Jan 1 we went 95% Primal (including no wine for the first 60 days). The only thing I held onto during that time were the stevia in my coffee and the xylitol in my gum. Those are both gone now, and wine is back in a couple nights/week.

We've made a serious effort to only buy/eat organic/wild caught/locally grown/grass fed/etc foods. No grains at all. No legumes. No starches/sugars. If you don't have access to fresh wild caught fish, Costco has an excellent selection of frozen. They also have the best price on coconut oil. In my Costco, they're also now stocking grass fed ground beef and buffalo. We bought a 1/4 cow from a local farmer, and filled the freezer. Now that I've tempted you, I hope you have a Costco nearby:-)

I feel amazing. I LOVE to cook with all the fresh, pretty ingredients. I don't miss anything enough to give up feeling this good.PM if you want to ask any questions. I could talk about it all day:-)

Some great resources to support your efforts:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Primal Blueprint: http://www.amazon.com/Primal-B.....+blueprint

Grain Brain: http://www.amazon.com/Grain-Br.....perlmutter

Grain Brain is superb!

Good luck and get healthy!

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I've read about it and have definitely reduced my grains and dairy as I do see some merit, but for me it feels so strict as I already have many things on the "main list" that I can't eat for other reasons (nuts and many fruits, anything high sodium). But if I felt I really needed to go that route to feel better, then I'd give it a go.

I know you can do it for just 30 days for sure and hope you'll keep us posted of the progress. Maybe if you feel better it will give me motivation to give it a go.

abc

Veteran

I will be interested to see how this goes for you. I started a post a few days ago about auto immune paleo and it seems similar to what you're talking about with whole 30, in fact, one YLFer suggested the W30 plan as a reply to my inquiry about AIP. If you haven't already, check out my thread for some other ideas and suggestions, the lifestyles seem very similar. Good luck and if it's not too much trouble please keep us posed.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Anne - it is pretty restrictive, isn't it? But it's only 30 days and I'm going to approach it not as a "diet" - cause that word has so many negative connotations and memories for me - but rather as a "healthy initiative".

Kiki - glad to hear your stepdaughter has success with the program and felt great on it. I agree that success will hinge a great deal on preparation. Luckily I love to cook and don't mind taking the time to prepare a good meal. Sadly it will mean no glass of wine while cooking dinner though...

Lisa - may I ask why you are surprised about fruit juice being an acceptable sweetener?

Carter - I can't thank you enough for chiming in! I so appreciate hearing of someone's experience with eating this way. I'm not gonna lie - I wouldn't even be entertaining the idea of doing this if it weren't health related. I love carbs. I love a glass of red wine. I love cheese. But I'm tired of feeling this way and when the Doc suggests a food cleanse, well...ya gotta listen. I think if I were to feel better after the 30 days and find some of my symptoms waning, I would steer towards a permanent way of eating similar to what you are describing - although I will be keeping eggs on my grocery list. And I have a Costco less than 10 minutes from my house Thank you for the links as well - I know what I'll be reading over the weekend.

abc - I just saw your thread now. I'm sorry you are having health issues as well.

Thanks for your comments ladies. If no one minds too much, I might have a series of Shannon's Whole30 Project posts to let you know of my progress/challenges/successes.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Alison @ Wardrobe Oxygen did a Whole 30 earlier this year - might be worth checking her blog. I read their book, It Starts with Food, and found it really interesting and accessible. I'm not sure I agree with some of their scientific conclusions re inflammation (at least not for everyone; obviously some people have dietary sensitivities) but I do think their approach is straight-forward and encouraging. Nom Nom Paleo is a fun cookbook you might want to check out, despite the silly name. I think the author has a blog too.

I try to eat lower-carb and mostly paleo, although I don't make a particular point to avoid the occasional legumes or cheese, since I don't seem to have problems with them. My main issue is that it's really freakin' expensive: when you don't have non-veggie starches to fill out your meals, and you're trying to buy grass-fed and sustainably raised meat, and organic veggies, the costs of food really skyrocket.

Echo

Veteran

This is terrible and says a lot about me, but their first thing I noticed was that potatoes were NOT restricted. But then I immediately thought, what would I put on said potatoes? But overall, I am not sure this would be unworkable for me; I really enjoy, say, fish with broccoli and feel no need for carbs like bread with such a meal. No added sugar would be no issue for me, as I am overly sensitive to sweet tastes anyway.

And I drink black coffee and plain iced tea all the time, so beverages would be no issue, either.

Ultimately, while it isn't severe enough for me to look things like this up on my own, I DO often feel bloated, and I KNOW it is something I am eating or a category of food and I just don't know what it is. I really ought to join you and find out. That wine would be the hardest part.

Aida

Veteran

Sorry to hear you're going through these health issues Shannon, I hope they get sorted soon. I've read about the Whole30, and read peoples' stories with it. As a daily food consumption style, it's a little severe for me BUT as a limiter to test what's affecting you it sounds pretty good. I've been working on figuring out what foods agree and disagree with me over the past decade (I have hypothyroidism); it can be a slow process but has been worth it. I don't stick to any sort of established program thingie, but I do gravitate to primarily fresh ingredients. Since hubby and I love to cook it's easy for us to incorporate. I hope your experience goes well!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Good luck, Shannon -- I hope you find some answers here and some relief from the upsetting symptoms!

I don't follow a strict paleo or primal eating plan, as you know, but I do eat as little processed food as I can and try to emphasize lean protein and lots of plant foods in my meals. Breads and pastas in particular seem to make me feel bloated and to give me indigestion, as I learned over time, so my typical meal is lean protein of some kind, lots and lots and LOTS of fresh veggies, and some healthy fats. I definitely feel more energetic, healthier, and happier on this diet than I did when I ate more processed carbs. Having said that, I've just come back from a vacation where I had to switch my diet to a higher carb (and higher processed carb) type of eating due to what was available to me, and for some reason, I didn't find it too bad. But I was still eating lots of plants, and I was walking anywhere from 7 to 14 miles a day, so that may have mitigated the sleepy/ bloated feeling I get as a rule with a higher carb diet while at home and sitting on my butt most of the day, LOL.

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I am not Lisa but can answer the fruit juice question. Many fruit juices are very high in sugar and don't have the fiber. I believe most doctors no longer recommend fruit juice for babies/toddlers either.

I'm doing low carb (almost no carb) so my eating plan is quite similar to this but I eat dairy and not fruit and I do drink diet soft drinks. I find I am very thirsty and like the sweet taste. I eat nuts too but try to keep it to less than two ounces a day. I eat almost nothing that is packaged or prepared. I have a pot of suit simmering right now that has lots of chicken, celery, and diced tomatoes and will eat that when I feel the need for a snack for the next few days.

I find it only takes a week or so to get over the cravings and start feeling better. I did this from June to November last year and then added in fruit but no carbs or starchy vegetables for another month or two. I feel much better on low/no carb than when I'm eating too much sugar. The only downside of low carb is that I feel that I am not as strong. I will add back fruit before golf season.

It sounds like a good program and really, what can you lose? Well, other than a few pounds an upset digestive system, and aches and pains.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I appreciate your feedback, insights and support. I agree that the strict and restrictive nature of the Whole 30 program is not manageable long term - there is no way I'm giving up a great Cabernet Sauvignon for life! But I'm looking at it akin to having to reboot your computer when it gets all glitchy and doesn't process properly. I have to delete and reset in order to move onward.

Cheryle - thanks for responding to my fruit juice question. Would that apply to pure natural juices too? Cause Whole 30 does not allow any sugar or sugar substitutes so I would only use pure juice.

rabbit

Veteran

I wish you luck on figuring out what works best for you and it sounds like an elimination diet as a test for a limited period is a good idea.

I'm a little leery about the faddishness of food/diet movements as they seem to come and go fairly quickly. Remember when everything had oat bran in it? That was the magic bullet? lol. That said, I think some plans work quite well for some people. Sometimes I wonder how much just returning to the least processed food with the highest percentage of fresh plant ingredients, and cutting down sugar, heavy salts, and stimulants and depressants is what leads to the beneficial effects of the various competing theories. For meat eaters eating the most humanely raised animals makes sense. In general I feel like moderation is a sustainable plan. I'm pretty sure that an athlete couldn't be no carb for example.

Also there are the associated costs -- as a 90% vegetarian (occasionally fish) I can and do grow organic vegetables given a 4 ft by 4 ft space, but my protein comes primarily from legumes, which luckily, seem to work just fine.

The China Study tells me I'm on the right path (and appears to have a preponderance of evidence scientifically collected from contemporary humans), but is that just confirmation bias? I think the right path for one, might not be for the next person. I know for my mother, who has had many problems with her gut, the most important thing the doctors agree on at this point is for her to try to gain weight past the danger point and with it strength, so all the ice-cream and carbs she can digest well basically.

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

Here are links to a few articles. The current view is that fruit juice is very high in sugars - although natural, they are still sugar. A cup of orange juice has about 110 calories and 22 grams of sugar. That is a heck of a lot if you are eating 1500 or less calories a day.

http://www.theguardian.com/lif.....-junk-food
http://www.medicalnewstoday.co.....272438.php

I usually check the glycemic load when choosing fruit. I like apples, strawberries, and cherries and avoid green grapes and bananas. That is personal preference as well as the healthiness.

JayS

Veteran

Sorry that you're going through health issues and I hope they are resolved quickly.
I did the Whole 30 in January of 2014. I had been eating a modified paleo diet for quite a while so it wasn't a big leap for me. However, it is quite a commitment. The only way to be sure that you are following it exactly is to cook the food yourself. That was a hard one for me..I like to eat out. We (hubby participated, also) did go out a couple of times and found that the restaurants would oblige our requests. (They were known for healthy fare.) The other challenge, which was eye opening, was finding food without additives that were banned...it's hard to find bacon with no sugar. Btw, Whole Foods has one by Pederson's..says paleo approved on the label. I ended up making my own mayo, salad dressings, etc. There are many products that I ate before the Whole 30 that I no longer eat. Paying attention to the ingredient list is something I continue to do. And, as has been mentioned before, it is expensive to eat grass fed, pasture raised, and organic. On the positive side, I waste much less food when it's that expensive.
The alcohol ban was tough. I do like a nice glass of wine.
The benefits...it made me very mindful of what I eat. I thought I was eating pretty healthy before, but I modified my diet afterwards.
I found that I really don't have many food sensitivities. I'm gluten free by choice. My hubby, who isn't paleo, found that he felt better overall while on the Whole 30. He noticed increased energy.
There are abundant resources for the Whole 30 online. Pinterest is your friend..search whole 30 recipes. Here's my whole 30 pinterest page: http://tinyurl.com/qyskj5j
Nomnompaleo has been mentioned before..I would definitely recommend her site for recipes as well as general paleo info. Her prosciutta wrapped egg frittata muffins were a staple. Recipe: http://tinyurl.com/7egreau
I found my Whole 30 experience very rewarding and I hope you do too. Please feel free to ask any questions..I'm kinda passionate about this stuff.
Good luck!

ETA: Doh!! Changed grain fed to grass fed.

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

Shannon, if you are looking for sources for food, there is a small meat store on St. Mary's just south of St. Vital Center that sells bison and a few other locally produced products. I haven't been there but my son swears that it is fantastic. They sell frozen meats but it might help for obtaining lean cuts and adding variety. I will try to get the name the next time I go by.

ETA: Local Meats & Frozen Treats West side of St. Marys Road at Nova Vista.

AM

Veteran

I'm quite confident that you'll manage this 30 day period with flying colors. And yes, please give us updates. I'm trying to reduce grains and dairy so just hearing your progress with provide support with my efforts. Looks like you are getting some great feedback.

Mochi

Veteran

Shannon, hi! I'm sorry that you're having all these issues, but I'm excited for you to feel the effects of the thirty-day program. I'm actually seriously considering starting it myself! I have such a hard time with not eating sugar and processed carbs. I just want the experience of committing to a short-term program to see how I manage and what comes of it. I did a 3-week paleo challenge and felt better on it pretty quickly. I was immediately happy to be eating all these great foods and didn't miss sugar at all while I was on it. Then at the end of the three weeks I fractured and badly sprained my ankle and dove straight back to old comfort foods....months later, I have to get back on track. But I remember at the time losing at least ten pounds quite easily (probably not an issue for you, but for me, that was a huge plus!)
I'll let you know if I have success on it. I am going into that website to start on meal planning....

Good luck!

AviaMariah

Veteran

I had a lot of your same symptoms before I started eating gluten free. I found going gluten free (GF) very difficult at first but now, almost 3 years later, I hardly think about it. I think it's worth a shot and I'd be surprised if it doesn't make you feel better.

KikiG

Veteran

I will be excited to hear about your results! Please do post updates!

anne

Veteran

I think they have changed their minds on potatoes, Echo - initially they banned them. I for one would be happy about that if I was doing it. Sweet potatoes are about 5 times the price of white ones and I find them filling (and am not tempted to overeat, especially since you can't have butter on them)

As for the fruit juice, I too was surprised but you can't have it to drink, only as something to use in cooking. Nor are you allowed anything resembling dessert, even if made with what they call "compliant" ingredients.

How are your preparations going Shannon?

I did do a modified version where I cut out sugar, alchohol and dairy (except for at a couple of birthday parties) for 4 week My "stumbling blocks" to doing the full thing (and I am mentioning them so you can think them through) were
1. Social occasions
2 Eating as a family. I am not currently the main cook and I felt it was asking too much or DH to completely change. He did cut out any sauces with sugar for me but I did keep eating a small amount of legumes and non-gluten grains mainly for easiness (and budgetary reasons, as Laura pointed out). In retrospect I could have cut them out.
3 The vegetable oil thing was too hard to eliminate. I reckoned all the other steps would have eliminated most of it anyway.

One habit I got into that I am continuing was cooking up a batch of roast pumpkin and sweet potato on the weekend and eating some everyday in my lunch.

BTW I lost about 3 kgs - although it 2kg of that were from above my normal weight, which I usually find easier to lose.

I also discovered that fatty roast lamb and too many sardines in oil would give me stomach discomfort!

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Thanks for the helpful links and information - I figure the better informed I am going into this, the better.

I picked up the book It Starts With Food, which is what the Whole 30 Program is based upon. It has a lot more information and is a bit updated from what the website is. The original program did not include white potatoes but that has changed now due to additional research.

And fruit juice is only allowed in baking or cooking as a sweetener but is not to be consumed as a beverage...so we'd be talking a couple of tablespoons.

I actually started the program today since starting it on a Wednesday seemed kind of silly. I spent Saturday morning preparing my menu for the week and creating my grocery list from that. This is something I've done for years so that I'm organized for the week.

In reading, many of those who have done the Whole30 found the preparation and cooking to be a huge chore - but this won't be any different for me in terms of work or time as I love to cook and as mentioned above, always prepare my weekly menu and list.

Just so you know, I'm not thinking of this as a diet as my goal is not weight loss. This is a way to determine if certain foods are having a negative effect on my health. I'm hoping it results in me feeling a bit better and some of my symptoms becoming more manageable.

Onward

Kimberley

Veteran

Hi Shannon,

I am late to this party, but I wanted to add my two cents

I am a huge fan of the whole 30 program! I did my first one almost two years ago and the things I learned about my body and how to fuel it effectively were invaluable, even life-changing. If you commit 100% to the process, I know you will feel the same way when you finish it.

In my experience, it required a lot of planning ahead and a certain fortitude to ignore the comments and advice of well-meaning friends/family/coworkers (because even when people mean well, they are not always speaking from a position of knowledge, YKWIM?). I highly, highly recommend using the tools and on line support available through the Whole 30 website.

Good luck!

anne

Veteran

I just remembered another thought that I had while contemplating the Whole30 - I was worried that the portion sizes suggested would make me put on weight.

For instance in my non-hungry weeks of my cycle, I am often satisfied with just an egg for breakfast. Whole30 wants you to eat as many eggs as you can hold (probably at least 3 for most people) I didn't really see the point in eating extra food.

Kimberley

Veteran

double post...oops

anne

Veteran

Here's a reference to the egg thing (it comes up very frequently in the forums)
http://forum.whole9life.com/to.....ooks-like/