Seven years ago, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig established this program to change participants’ relationship with food. It’s “a nutritional reset designed to help you put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract, and balance your immune system.” Quite literally, subscribing to the Whole30 means focusing on wholeness for 30 days: whole, clean foods and wholeness within your body. By taking out all the potentially bad foods for you, you’re only putting in the good.
So, what’s bad? (Spoiler: everything you love)
Added Sugars
It’s not new that our country is in a bit of a pickle with sugar and consequential over consumption (thankfully though, pickles only have about 1 gram of sugar). Everything from natural sugars like honey and agave to artificial sweeteners is an absolute no-go. No candy or chocolate, no Splenda in the morning coffee, no soda or juices, the list is seemingly endless. The Hartwigs call this “Slaying the Sugar Dragon” because your healthy body is the princess who needs saving and those addictive foods that provide us so much pleasure and comfort yet whose empty calories continue an unhealthy cycle for us both physically and psychologically is the dragon you need to kill to get there. On the bright side, you can still listen to all the Adam Levine you want.
Grains and Legumes
Similar to sugar, these promote over consumption or even inflammation (thanks to gluten or improper cooking). They also contain phytic acid, which actually make the good aspects of grains like calcium, magnesium and zinc incapable of absorption. Even worse, this includes more foods than you might think: wheat, oats, barley, corn, rice, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, etc. Or, in more common terms: bread, pasta, cereal, beans, peas, lentils, soy and peanuts. Questioning what you’re going to eat now? Yeah, me too.
Dairy
Adult mammals don’t need dairy, plan and simple. Milk helps newborns grow quickly, but the high proportions of carbohydrates (lactose) and proteins are another source for skyrocketed insulin responses, inflammation and unregulated cell growth – all potential causes of obesity, diabetes and cancer. Worries of serious diseases aside, put down the cheese, ice cream, milk and yogurt because it’s of no use to you anyway. (Except on bad days when you really need that pint gallon of cookie dough ice cream, but that’s what alcohol is for, right?)
Alcohol
Just kidding, sorry. Tragic, I know, but there is absolutely no nutritional value in alcohol. It’s literally toxic for you body, as anyone with a drink too many can attest to the morning after. Plus, it’s nearly twice as calorie-dense as sugar, according to the Whole30. For many, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear this is the most difficult sacrifice. Even for those who don’t consider themselves drinkers, quitting so many other favorite foods cold turkey is destined to leave you grumpy and in desire of something to take your worries away for the night. No shots at the bar or winding down at home with a glass of wine.
There are a couple more “don’ts,” but these are great, I promise. You’re not allowed to weigh or measure yourself or count your calories. Doing so means your focus is on an arbitrary number rather than what you’re body is saying to you and how you feel without certain foods. The number on a scale means zero in terms of measuring your health, so don’t let that be the focus. This is also more proof that the Whole30 is not a diet.
TLDR – Substitute sugar, grains, legumes, dairy and alcohol for unrestricted veggies, fruits and meat for one month, and see what happens. I have a good feeling you'll like the results. (Read: I really hope so because otherwise I'm about to waste a month of my life, too.)
