Search the Community

Hello all! This is maybe a bit long or a bit personal for an intro, but I didn’t really have a place to talk about my experience on this program before finding these forums (I only had the cookbook to start!) and since I’m doing this whole thing for myself to improve my health and to get in touch with my body, I feel okay treating this one post a bit more like therapy. When I first discovered Whole30 through the advice of my mother, I was ecstatic. We share the same auto-immune disease, and she had seen her symptoms improve with this program in ways I had given up dreaming were ever even possible. I’d struggled with depression, lack of focus and energy, and emotional eating that started up while I was in and out of school a few years years—Whole30 seemed like it was going to be a game changer for all of those things and I couldn’t wait to get started. But, like a dummy, I decided to start this program during a period of high stress: finals season. Without a proper support network, without proper time management, and without a whole lot of money or time, Whole30 was exhausting. Week after week, I messed up. I was so sick of having to start over from square one, of having to black out my progress on my calendar and number all the days again up to 30, so I stopped. Now, finals are over and I have more than a whole month of time to kill before I start my last semester of college, so I’m going to do this right. I’m going to give myself room to breathe, room to focus. I’m going to listen to the rules and, most importantly, to my body. I can’t promise myself that I won’t get discouraged or that this alone will fix everything (it won’t), but I’m ready to promise myself that I’ll push through no matter what, because I’m doing this for me.

Hi. I almost completed the Start Date Feb 12th, but was unplanned and ate multiple cookies for lunch meal this week So starting Over Sunday March 11th. Anyone interested in joining the journey. I have a second daughter graduating this May. At our first daughter's graduation, yes it was 96 plus degrees that day, however, I looked and felt pretty, until I had seen the pictures and realized I put on weight. I had gone thru the program last January 2017 and completed and have continued to eat more healthy, but over the holidays started gaining a few lbs. I have overall felt great, but occasional as I did this past week, ate things because of not planning, that put me in a tailspin. My face broke out - I did continue to eat sugar for additional days - 2 more, and my stomach bloated - almost instantly. So back on program again. I have excuses, none great, but it really comes down to planning. So I am back on track, having a glass of wine with hubby tonight and then making and cooking tomorrow for the next weeks. Lanette

Argh. 21 days into my Whole30 and just accidentally ate cashews (maybe 2 servings) that had peanut oil and/or cottonseed oil. I don't know why, but I didn't even think about it. Honestly, I can tell too because my stomach hurts. Normally, I'm not very aware of my body, but maybe that's one benefit of eating so clean for 3 weeks. It hurts. Do I need to start over?? I think I might cry if I have to. While I like & understand the Whole30 program, I feel very psychologically restricted. As someone who's suffered from eating disorders, that's a *real* challenge. I am not hungry (at all - in fact, it's a problem), I have plenty of energy and I feel great - but I also look forward to the opportunity to do things like eat out and follow an 80/20 plan rather than 100% all the time. Perfection is exhausting.

Ok, so I went to a business meeting yesterday - It was a 2 hour drive and my team there was so happy that I was coming that the host baked a special cake for me. I tried to explain Whole30 and she literally teared up and was so hurt that I wasn't going to eat her home made cake! I felt TERRIBLE and I caved....and the room CHEERED when I ate it and inside I was feeling like such a loser! This was only day 5 for me. Then it got worse. I felt SO bad for FAILING that when I got home my husband took me out to dinner and yes....I thought I have failed anyway, I may as well.... have a glass of wine to sooth my disappointment! Woke up this morning feeling yucky physically and WORSE mentally! How SHOULD I have handled it?? Let the lovely lady cry??? ARGH!! HELP.

I did a straight 22 days and then made a wrong decision and climbed into a bag of marshmallows. This kick-started a few days of 'I can do this' I can't do this' arguments in my head which culminated in the decision that 'I can't do this now'. After about five days of eating a mix of compliant foods and then eating bread, cake, icing, and a whole host more, I am feeling a mess both physically and emotionally. Today I did a fully compliant food shop but was still not feeling the commitment. I went on live chat and met another lady starting today who inspired me and we buddied up. I have done a load of compliant cooking to portion and put in the freezer. But. I am really, really struggling with the fact that I 'failed' previously. I have tried to focus on the fact that I did 22 days of the programme but my negative self-talk (and the sugar dragon roars) are very, very loud. Has anyone else been through a similar thing, and if so can you offer me any advice on how to get back with the programme? TIA Dawn

I am on Day 15 and have really been sailing along with the benefit of not being a sweets person anyway. A dinner out with family -- I researched and chose a restaurant where I could string something together. A weekend trip visiting breweries with friends -- I sipped my La Croix and ate a few almonds when I got really jealous of the food they were eating to remind myself I actually wasn't hungry, I just really like soft pretzels. But then today, I was eating my salad for lunch and put some Tessamae's Green Goddess on it (small splash) and then when I got back to my desk I saw it had soy in it. I don't think I can make this a Whole 44 (my birthday is in that span and we have some sought after reservations at a fun spot where I can still eat clean, but will have wine), and I'm feeling like this would qualify as the honest mistake category. I know now to be even more careful with labels and not assume all products from a Whole 30 partner are compliant, but I also am so disappointed. I have been so careful and this slip up is really tough to take mentally. Should I see if my system reacts badly and, if it does, suck it up and restart? Or, should I do what I was planning to do, which was do the phased reintroduction and then start again to make sure the results are consistent. I've already learned that I do not handle coconut milk or cream well, and could chalk this up to a soy learning experience, as I didn't really eat that much of it beforehand.

No, it wasn't a slip. No, it wasn't a mistake. I sat with the offending mini marshmallows between finger and thumb and they hovered between the bag and my mouth whilst a host of questions ran through my mind. And I fell. And once one mouthful went in, others quickly followed. Why? Oh I could come up with a whole host of reasons but none of that really matters now does it? Now I start again. So this was a 'Whole 22' And now I start a Whole30. I need to rethink all of this. I struggle to buy enough food on my food budget. My food budget is not tiny ... £50 a week .... and I feel I should be able to manage on that. I need to be more organised with the prep and cooking. I need to plan my menu around what is happening in the week. But right now, above anything else, I need help, and support, and love, and understanding so I can climb back on as from this moment: no 'oh I have blown it so I might as well eat loads of crap before I start again' Whole30 starting over from right now. I cannot tell you how sad I am I am going to try to stay positive - to remember that I managed more than three weeks without sugar. And I am going to try to remember this headache! Please help - and please be kind Thank you

I bought a tub of unsalted cashews at Costco and have been eating them for about a week. This evening I casually turned the tub around while eating a few and saw that the ingredients list includes cashews and PEANUT OIL. What the hell? Who checks the ingredients list on plain cashews?! I am on Day 17 and doing really great. Do I have to start over now??

Hi. I made it from Day 1 on 21 May to Day 12 on 01 June and then "fell off my bicycle" in, of all places, the health food store! My own fault for not preparing with doing the reading. I saw those organic potato chips cooked in avocado oil and thought Wow, they would be acceptable. Later in the day, I decided to check here on the site and learned the TRUTH. Chips are Not acceptable. Next day, 02 June, I got back on the bike and started over. Today is my Day 5 and I feel fine. Lesson learned: Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is just ignorance! Anyone else out there doing the same?

Hello! I'm writing because I need help and advice. I am on day 18 of my first Whole30, and I've been doing great so far, even in settings like office celebrations involving big chocolate cakes, and hanging out with friends in our favorite bar... But today I had an unexpected setback. I forgot my packed lunch at home for the first time, and then spent time carefully finding a restaurant on Seamless that could fit my dietary needs. I eventually found one that was perfect (or so I thought). They had amazing healthy selections that sounded like they came right out of the Whole30 book (from roasted salmon to grilled kale and much much more), they listed all of their ingredients, right down to the spices, AND they allowed you to custom make your plates, ensuring that you got exactly what you wanted and nothing extra. SO I ordered their customized protein plate with roasted salmon, roasted sweet potatoes and braised collard greens, reading all of the ingredients carefully to make sure that there was nothing off limits. I dug into the food when it arrived, immediately starting with the potatoes and salmon (my favs) and eventually making my way to try the collard greens... only to discover that they were so sweet that the practically tasted like candy! I immediately called the restaurant only to discover that even though it wasn't listed on the menu, BOTH the collard greens and the sweet potatoes had added sugar! UGH! Which leads me to my burning question... do I have to start over now? I'd only eaten a bite of the collards, but I had a good palm sized amount of the potatoes before I realized something was wrong... I've come so far, and I'd hate to have to go back due to these creeps and their hidden sugar, but I am also dedicated to this process and will do whatever it takes to make sure I complete it properly. Thank you so much! TE PS- I've had a major headache ever since the meal, but I can't tell if its from the actual sugar or the stress/guilt I have from eating it! Sigh.

I am on Day 2 with my husband and have a great group of support that are all doing this together. I asked them and they steered me here. Yesterday, before thinking, I took my daily morning Omega fish oil. I never thought to check until later....and it does say at the bottom of the bottle it "may contain soy".... Does this mean yesterday didn't count as day 1? I took it in the am, after my first meal. Thank you in advance!

I am so amped on starting and want to start right away but we will be on a trip in 2 weeks where staying on track won't really be possible for about 4 days. I feel gross and want to make a change NOW and I don't mind starting over. Would there be a downside to starting, taking 4 days off and then starting again on day 1? Any alternatives? I thought about just eliminating sugar for now and then starting strong after the trip.

I originally started on May 28 but my job in a bakery proved harder than I thought to stay compliant and I ended up having to start over on June 12 after a 2 day binge. I loved the folks on my original start date thread however and we all agreed I could continue posting there. Now they are almost done and I am on my own. If anyone wants to post here after having to start over feel free. I will be here. Posting keeps me on track and honest! I start my new position in the produce dept of Whole Foods on Monday so no more bakery for me!!

So I have signed up for the newsletter and payed my subscription fee but I am still having such trouble doing this. I think I can handle it but then I make the mistake of reaching for a brownie by mistake. I know mistake or not I have to start all over again but it's so hard. I did not think this was going to be so difficult. When Melissa was talking about how the food that we eat have such a strong emotional connection to us I did not think it was going to be THAT strong. Going through a day without added sugars or anything that was not accepted in Whole30 just seems IMPOSSIBLE right now. What do I do? What worked for you? I am getting so depressed over this. I thought I was stronger than these cravings. I feel terrible about myself right now and just want to give up.

Hi everyone, My story is a bit long and likely not completely typical, but here are the basics: - I am 48 years old - I need to lose over 100 pounds - I used to be relatively athletic and would like to be again I am committing to the Whole 30. It will prove whether or not I am truly ready to change the rest of my life.

I have been doing the Whole 30; I made it to day 18, then made some poor food choices and then some MORE bad choices and now I just feel nasty! I am ready to start my Whole 30 over and really be 100% committed this time to make it all the way through. I am amazed at how gross I feel from a couple of days of eating in my old "normal" way compared to how great I was feeling. I think part of the reason that I fell off was that I was feeling so good and so confident that I reasoned one glass of wine can't hurt...I've got this, but then the guilt kicked in and I felt that I blew it so might as well keep going. Four days and a pizza, some wine, some beer and a dessert later and I feel bloated, puffy and tired - no longer lean and energized. Time to re-commit and start feeling great again. The Paleo way of eating definitely works for me!