Slower ramp-up to the Whole30

[YogaMomNYC]

This isn't question so much as a discussion. I'm on my second Whole30 and it's SO much easier than my first. I first did this about 6 months or so ago, and starting was so hard. Trying to cook all that food and figure out a system and convert my kitchen, with my family's needs also being met, was really difficult. When I made a dinner for the first time and it wasn't to our taste, we'd have nothing to eat. I struggled with the packed lunches. Snacks were dangerous territory. Label-reading, on top of everything else, was a burden. We went to Disney on day 17 and that was it for me.

So since then, I've bought paleo cookbooks and converted us over slowly. While I was absolutely NOT eating a great paleo diet, I did make almost all of our dinners from these cookbooks, and did Sunday cook-ups, and made breakfasts that were compliant much of the time (that's my biggest pitfall). I got a lot of great recipes to use so that on this Whole30, I don't' expect to make any food for the first time, with the exception of sides that, if they don't work out, I can just steam up some broccoli to replace them. I have an arsenal of healthy fats to cook with, most of which I had to buy online (beef tallow, rendered duck fat, etc) since we don't like coconut oil.

Dealing with cravings is hard enough without also eating all new food and running around to 4 grocery stores in search of weird ingredients.

So if you feel overwhelmed, you might benefit from a slower ramp-up. This time around, it's been a breeze.

Maggie

[Derval]

Last January I followed a program outlined on stumptuous.com - how to go primal without really trying. It was 10 steps which I did over 8 weeks or so, just making 1-2 changes per week.

I did my first w30 in April and eating a primal diet beforehand definitely made for an easier transition.

[iomchris]

My wife had already done a Whole30 before we did one together, so I had eaten a lot of compliant meals. There's no doubt that makes it easier.

I've seen the suggestion a lot of times to just "start now", and I understand the logic of that suggestion, but I agree there's a lot to figure out from a standing start. Even if you take just a week to try some things without the pressure of official restrictions, it really might help imo.

When I'm talking to friends about it I can see that it seems really confusing and like there's a lot to it, but once you've been doing it for a bit it really doesn't feel that way. I'm sure plenty of people quit because they feel overwhelmed, which is too bad.

[Xandra]

Thank you for posting this. My first Whole30 was a dry run -- looking back on it -- I made so many mistakes and unnecessary indulgences. I'm gearing up for the next one and I think it will be much cleaner. Probably the hardest habit to break was organizing every meal around a grain with cheese. Having to rethink all of that turned me upside down in the kitchen for a good while.

[jrustdc]

Yes, I am on my third, and each time it gets easier and I am more compliant, both intentionally and unintentionally. This round I discovered that the nuts I had been eating were roasted with peanut oil, so I dropped those. It was a minor hurdle, whereas in the first round it probably would have felt like an insurmountable disaster.

[alintx]

Really good post.

Part of what makes it hard to just go W30 right out of the gate is that many of us are feeling so poorly that even relatively small changes (switching cooking oils) seems like a really big deal.

I cleaned out non-compliant crap from the fridge one day, the baking cupboard another day, the pantry another day.

We try a handful of new recipes on the weekend, when it isn't a dinner-time disaster if a recipe fails. Then we start making those recipes until they become easier and more routine (and more accepted by my kids).

By the time we officially go W30 (instead of "just Paleo"), we hope it will be easier (4-months of increasing knowledge, practice and resources), and more like the icing on the cake.

The book "Practical Paleo" has tear-our shopping guides that are awesome. Instead of tearing them out, I took photos with my phone so I can just scroll through and find the info I need when I'm standing in the store considering which eggs, or which meat to buy.

[Wendyland]

The only way I'm successful is to keep meals really simple. I eat eggs, salsa, sausage or some combo for breakfast. Typically a big salad and turkey or beef burger for lunch. I buy a big box of organic baby greens and I throw on some balsamic and Evoo. Dinner is usually meat plus a couple veggie sides, cooked simply with seasoning or a with a squeeze of lemon. Simple meals are the only way I stay sane with three kids and a full time job.

I read a tip somewhere that said to find ten recipes your family likes and rotate. If you get bored after awhile, add in a new recipe on a day when you have extra time.

[Rebecca30]

Easing into the whole30 is exactly what I am doing. I am currently doing a dry run where slip ups do not require me to start over just to get my "sea legs" then I am cooking and enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with my Dad and then Whole30 hardcore from 11/23 on.

Now this doesn't mean I am not taking this dry run seriously, because I am. I am not intentionally indulging or taking weekends off. It just means that if I eat some canned tuna and then see the tiny printing that says "contains soy" (WHY?!), I don't beat myself up. I just learn from my mistakes and prepare for my official start.

[CSB1960]

alintx, I love the Practical Paleo book! It never entered my mind to take photos with my phone before shopping ( make shopping lists, then leave them on the fridge!) I will take a photo instead!

I'm planning to start Whole 30 after Thanksgiving, like some others here I'm easing into it. I'm not eating junk, but not ready to give up my Stevia in coffee, and my diet coke, I am down to one a day tho. I've been on/off Paleo for some time now. My biggest issue is NOT planning ahead. Planning meals is what I've been working on for the last 2 weeks, its getting easier. We raise our own beef/pork and have a garden in the summer. Whole 30 should be easy, but I have a history of being very restrictve about eating lose some wt, only to later binge BIG time and gain wt back. I don't want to go down that road again.....

[melbournegirl]

I also followed the general food type guidelines for about a month before starting so only needed to 'detox' from too many nuts and fruits, cocoa, eating too often and having swypo breakfasts and desserts. I am half way through now and while it hasn't been easy, it hasn't been hard either!

[Terry K]

I am doing my first Whole30; started on Dec. 3rd while traveling to FL for 2 weeks to help care for my new twin grandsons! I was heading into "junk zone" territory - my children have been on a donut diet ever since their boys were born very prematurely back in June. I knew I would cave in to the temptation if I didn't do something serious so I decided to tackle the Whole30 and just say NO! I'm now in Week 3 and like many of you, pretty much sticking to a simplistic plan but realizing that I need to branch out with my menu planning and cooking. But for now, I am going to "get through" the holiday and finish my "trial run". I already plan on starting a second one January 3rd and expanding my options.

I do miss my scale, but I'm learning to listen to my body and paying attention to how I am feeling instead.