Can I do this less than 30 days?

[marnaeb]

So, I read that doing this less than 30 days defeats the purpose. So I want to start tomorrow. I actually haven't read the book yet. I just heard about it yesterday and decided I wanted to do it. But, thanks giving is in 27 days. Is this a bad idea? And then after thanks giving I would go back to eating healthy. And maybe do it again until Christmas, which wouldn't be 30 days either. 

[marnaeb]

And I guess I should of done a little intro. I'm a mom to two little boys. I used to be a pretty healthy eater, losing 60lbs before my first son. But since I had my last little boy I've been having the hardest time with food! I'm a sugar and carb addict! 

[ShannonM816]

Any day you eat healthy is better than a day you don't eat healthy, so in that way, doing less than 30 days is still good for you.

 

What you WON'T be able to do, in doing this less than 30 days, is use it as an elimination diet, where you eliminate foods that may potentially be causing you problems for at least 30 days, and then adding them back in, one at a time, in a controlled reintroduction, to see how they affect you. And if you eat following strict Whole30 guidelines for 27 days, and then have dairy and gluten-containing grains, and sugar, and possibly alcohol, and maybe some other things that are eliminated during W30 all at once, and you have some kind of reaction to eating those things (which could be digestive issues, or cravings, or headaches, or joint pain, or other symptoms -- or you might not have any symptoms at all), you won't know which of those foods was the problem. 

 

So basically, it's not bad for you to do a Whole27, you'd still be reaping the benefits of healthy eating, but it's not ideal either. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide what you want to do. You might find this article helpful in making your decision.

[marnaeb]

thank you! that article helped me a lot. I think I'll eat whole30 foods most days, and then in January I'll actually do the whole30.

[SpunkyBug]

And take this time to prep, prep, prep. I took the month prior to my Whole30 to read It Starts With Food, slowly clean out my pantry, shop for staples, and start to wean myself off those processed foods that were a major part of my diet. I also bought the cookbooks Well Fed, Well Fed 2, and Nom Nom Paleo, and tried out lots of recipes. A friend created various boards on Pinterest. There's lots to do to get ready so you aren't scrambling on day one. If you're not a weekly meal planner (and I was not), you may also want to practice this challenging art!

 

I recommend Googling Whole30 Downloads -- you will find lots of great lists to get you prepared. Good luck!