Search the Community

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

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.

Yesterday was day 11 for me. I was at work and we'd had a potluck...I ate 3 bite size pieces of Polish kielbasa. So stupid! Later, I thought I should look up the ingredients. Lactose, dextrose, soy, msg, corn syrup! What was amazing though, was how fast I got sick after eating it. Within 30 minutes, I had a headache, stomachache, and diarrhea. Sigh...back to day one today ☺

I am bummed, to say the least. I buy this large 24oz undiluted, cold brew, black coffee (Chameleon coffee) that I LOVE and was so happy when I found out it was Whole30 compliant. I've been adding coconut milk to alleviate that desire for cream but, a savior nonetheless. Yesterday, they had a deal at the store where if you purchased the large size, you got a 16oz for free! Who doesn't love free?! This morning, I opened it up while driving, took the smallest sip and realized it tasted different. I pulled over and sure enough....Cane Sugar. I almost cried. The last 3 days have been so difficult. The sugar cravings have been insane, and I've been trying to brush it off all morning but, it's messing with my head that I screwed up. I know this isn't a huge deal, it was just a sip and unintentional but, I am still so mad at myself. Anyone else feel like this with accidental slips? I'm only a week in and starting over doesn't seem that bad, but I'm just frustrated that something "got me."

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

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 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.

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?

Hi guys!! I would like to introduce myself and tell my story as quickly as possible. On day 16 of what I thought was my Whole 30, I realized that while my diet was much cleaner, I had been consuming sneaky added sugars and dairy in some of the foods getting me through the day (I'm talking about sliced turkey containing added sugar and scrambled eggs containing milk from my local work cafe next door). It got me thinking about what else I may have eaten thinking it was Whole 30 but actually wasn't. I want to do this right. So...tomorrow, knowing that I need to be extra alert about the ingredients in what I am buying, I am starting over with Day 1. Despite my setback, I still feel optimistic and happy that I know I can do two weeks without sugary treats and that I am out of my bread and grains reliance. I already feel better, but I want to feel my best, so tomorrow is day 1. I have also been living with a Hashimoto's diagnosis for about two years, so if anyone else is battling thyroid concerns, let's connect. The gluten-free aspect is amazing for thyroid patients. My two weeks of mostly-Whole 30 has helped me to feel a lot better already, but I look forward to reaping the real benefits and eating completely clean. Let's connect! Happy Whole 30 everyone! Good luck to all of you. -Jessica

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??

I am on day 24- SO CLOSE TO DONE! I was doing great, not having huge problems sticking with it, and REALLY enjoying eating Paleo foods. Well, I found out after the fact that I accidentally ate something off plan for lunch and so have to start over. I'm so disappointed by this. The issue is I can't start over right now, I have a work trip next month. I want to start over AFTER that trip, but what do I do right now, for the interim weeks? Do I stop right now (I really want a glass of wine after today)? Eat pseudo-paleo? I don't want to go binge on bread or anything, but I've got just less than 4 weeks until my trip. After that, I could start over. I'm not sure what to do and I'm so demoralized to realize I ate something with cream and bread crumbs in it that I'm having a hard time with my resolve, which up to now has been SO HIGH.

This may be a redundant question, but I couldn't find anything on it when I searched the forums. Yesterday was a tough day as I had not eaten for a significant amount of time. I stopped by a local store and ate a modified burrito bowl that did not have rice, but it did have black beans (I don't have many issues with them prior to the Whole 30). I was on the Whole 30 for about 9 days. Does this mean that I have to start over?

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 22 of my first whole 30. I have done well, although I don't think the scale has moved much. I am more comfortable and certainly FEEL much better! So last night I went to our monthly wine group, and this month we did beer. There were several craft beers that sounded interesting. I took a very small taste sip of a few of them, because I knew I would never care to BUY them! Didn't think about spitting as with wine until this morning when I woke up with a headache. I know that alcohol is not good to me! My question is, should I start over? I plan on doing another after about a week of doing a bit of add back. That is a whole OTHER topic! And, I have an event on 11/15, and another on 12/12, that I have decided to relax the rules a bit. Although this doesn't mean going nuts with non-compliant things! I feel like the beer taste was a conscious decision, and beer (or alcohol, for that matter) is not a substance that I have any issue with other than feeling bad after drinking now. So I rarely do. Food choices have been stellar (I think!) up to now, so I am thinking just go the last 9 days, and begin again after about a week. What would some of you do?

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 on day 2. I almost did a whole 30 but made it to 24 and oh boy did I regret the way I ended that first go around What I discovered is that breads and sugars are ruling and ruining my well being. When I've removed and ate three meals a day wow clarity. I'm back. I hope I lose weight. I got about 25 lbs to lose. Thanks.

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!!

I'm going to be starting again tomorrow... May 8th. I got up to day 2 today, and then had an iced coffee with caramel syrup in it, without even thinking about it. =-( SIGH. Is anyone else having to start over again? Maybe more than once? I'd love to be able to encourage each other in being able to get further in this journey than just day 1 or day 2!

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.

I know that The whole30 doesn't go together all that well with a culinary trip to Norway and so I feared it would spell trouble from the start. I slept in a good hotel and breakfast was fine. Fresh salmon, eggs and vegetables for breakfast but dinner was for two nights in a row in a fancy restaurant with beautiful food. Loads of fish and not too many off plan items but still way to much to count them as a good day. And since I was invited it would have been extremely impolite to make a big fuss about the meal. So I am starting over with the count, but I was wondering if I need to consider those previous days lost or if there will still be some positive leftovers so to speak? Just wondering. Thanks Simone

So I'm on day 3 and I'm not sure whether I need to start again so let me just explain my situation. First day I was fine, I ate properly as per the guidelines with lots of water. Second day wasn't as successful despite me having to fend off all the evil foods I encountered (this meant I HAD to miss out on my favourite homemade creamy pumpkin soup and opt for chicken soup instead) But I had two small pieces of a frenchstick with my soup and two small glasses of vodka and oj. Today has been fine except I was offered the cone of my daughters ice cream and ate it TOTALLY FORGETTING about the plan! I feel so bad and disappointed in myself that its only day three and I can't curb my habits. Do I have to start again? Or can I just keep going? I'm still actively drinking water and eating my veges protein and fats but I feel like these small slipups are only going to get worse if I don't discipline myself which I have a hard time doing when it comes to foods. Also I'm the only one in my household doing this plan so nobody really motivates me to keep the discipline up. I really want this to work and I want to prove that I can do it to myself even more but I'm finding it hard! Please help!

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.

I quit smoking prior to starting. I even gave it a couple of weeks. I had a stressful situation and found myself smoking a few cigarettes. I am on day 11. I do not foresee smoking again, and will be more mindful that it goes against the program. Am I back on day 1?

Hi, I'm Jeane and I'm restarting my Day 1 (it would have been my Day 4 today, but I realized I'd had a bit of Greek yogurt and soy sauce, which are banned from the list; plus, I know now after a lunch order gone wrong yesterday that I need to prepare all of my meals myself in advance for lunch at work!). Hoping to learn a lot, be inspired by everyone's successes, and see many positive changes in myself during the next 30 days.