Life-Saving Whole30 Tips & Tricks

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whole30 tips and tricks

After just completing my first Whole30, I want to dispense some wisdom I learned from my experience!

Note: No clue what Whole30 is? Read our explanation of the Whole30 diet here.

1. Read The Book

I didn’t read It Starts With Food until near the end of my Whole30 experience. I wish I had read it, and a few other Whole30 books sooner, as it did a great job at reinforcing why I was not eating certain foods and was a great source of encouragement.

2. Grab a Friend

Having a friend to commiserate with was a huge benefit! My Whole30 companion was also my roommate, which allowed us to split some more expensive cuts of meat and cook together. We took turns making meals (which saved tons of time and stress).

3. Know Your Social Settings

Some of my friends were very supportive of my Whole30 endeavor – they wouldn’t give me a hard time for ordering water during our weekly bar trivia nights. Other friends weren’t so encouraging – they’d beg me to have “just one beer” and try to lure me to the dark side with pizza and sliders.

These demons-on-your-shoulder friends aren’t trying to be mean – likely watching you turn over a new leaf has made them somewhat insecure about their own eating habits, and they’re taking out the frustration out on you. Know which friends will and won’t be supportive, and don’t be afraid to cut out those less encouraging friends out for a few weeks.

4. Get Your Gear

Having the right cooking tools for Whole30 can make your life much easier. I recommend getting your hands on a:

  • Salad Spinner. You’ll be eating a lot of fruit and veggies during your Whole30 time, and having a salad spinner saves tons of time with cleaning and drying your produce.
  • Spiralizer/Julienne Peeler. Since regular noodles are out, zucchini and spaghetti squash are what it’s all about. Grabbing a julienne peeler or a spiralizer is a great way to have some fun with your veggies.
  • Crockpot. Crockpots make Whole30 eating easy as pie (which is out, sadly). Throw a chunk of meat and some spices in the slow cooker (there are plenty of amazing Whole30 crockpot recipes to choose from) and leave it simmering all day. When you come home, a delicious meal is waiting for you! It doesn’t get much easier than that.

If you want to know other must-have ingredients and gear for a successful Whole30, check out our Whole30 shopping list!

5. Find What Your Like and Repeat

You’ll find mountains of amazing Whole30 recipes across the web. In fact, it can feel overwhelming at times!

I recommend experimenting with a few different recipes that sound good to you and discovering which you life. When you find a recipe you like, go ahead and reuse it. Modify it a bit here and there if you want, or use some of the amazing Whole30 meal planning resources available all over the web.

Don’t feel bad about sticking to the same basic meals if they work for you. I ate TONS of buffalo chicken on my Whole30. Some people love Whole30 breakfast eggs, while others would rather opt out of the everyday egg and go with smoothies or something else instead. It all depends on what works for you!

Good luck with your own Whole30 endeavor! I can say that my experience was definitely life-changing, and I hope yours is too!

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about the author:
Meg Mars
Meg is a writer who is passionate about healthy eating. From Whole30 and South Beach Diet, to paleo and intermittent fasting, she's experimented with several healthy eating regiments and is passionate about helping readers find the perfect food plan match for their lifestyles.

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