Whole 30 Diet

inkedillini26 · May 2017

Hey everyone!

My coworker has been doing Whole 30...she is currently finishing up 60 days doing this, and has really enjoyed it. She says it has completely changed the way she views food. So I was asking her questions about it today and am considering giving it a try...here's what makes me hesitant:

1. No sweetener...I don't use a ton or even use it all the time, but I use 1 packet of Splenda in my coffee and I drink a lot of coffee - you would have to pry that from my cold, dead hands
2. Cost...I worry that something this specific would cost more than my usual groceries
3. How restrictive it is...I have tried restrictive dieting in the past and when I fall off I fall off hard...I also have a tendency to simply not go out if I feel there is a chance of me not sticking to my diet, and I don't want to sacrifice being social
4. No wine....boooooooo

I would really like to hear from others who have tried the diet. Did you like it? What was beneficial for you? What didn't you like? I want to weigh pros and cons!

TheCupcakeCounter · May 2017

My MIL did it and while she lost some weight she ended up not feeling very good towards the end. There were so many things she couldn't have she had some trouble replacing them with the right things. And it did cost a fortune to basically restock her entire pantry.

The reality is that Whole 30 isn't a diet plan it is an elimination diet to help people determine if some of their chronic issues are due to food based sensitivities. If you aren't concerned about that there are better, and more reasonable long-term plans out there. Personally I like the Abs Diet and Zero Belly Diet by David Zinczenko. Usually you have a 2-week strict plan to help reset your habits and mindset about food and then there are a few principles you follow going forward.

hesn92 · May 2017

My sister did it and liked it a lot. That was a couple months ago and still eats like, the same way. I don't think I would do it. I have no interest in it.

TeaBea · May 2017

inkedillini26 wrote: »

Hey everyone!

My coworker has been doing Whole 30...she is currently finishing up 60 days doing this, and has really enjoyed it. She says it has completely changed the way she views food. So I was asking her questions about it today and am considering giving it a try...here's what makes me hesitant:

1. No sweetener...I don't use a ton or even use it all the time, but I use 1 packet of Splenda in my coffee and I drink a lot of coffee - you would have to pry that from my cold, dead hands
2. Cost...I worry that something this specific would cost more than my usual groceries
3. How restrictive it is...I have tried restrictive dieting in the past and when I fall off I fall off hard...I also have a tendency to simply not go out if I feel there is a chance of me not sticking to my diet, and I don't want to sacrifice being social
4. No wine....boooooooo

I would really like to hear from others who have tried the diet. Did you like it? What was beneficial for you? What didn't you like? I want to weigh pros and cons!

This didn't start out as a weight loss diet, it's design is to help people figure out digestive/allergy issues.

But ALL weight loss comes down to calorie deficit. I fall hard too on super restrictive diets, then I regain the weight I lost. Ask yourself if Whole 30 will do anything to help you maintain. I'm not cutting out anything that I don't intend to cut out forever.....sick of the yo-yo'ing.

merekins · May 2017

I did for 30 days and it really did change my life. It's not a long term diet but a palette reset and a way to find out if you have food sensitivities. After 30 days, you should start reintroducing restricted foods one at a time and pay attention to your body. I was a big sugar addict. Diet sodas and coffee that was more sugar and milk than coffee. Now, I'm 30lbs lighter, drinking unsweetened latte like an Italian, and running! It didn't all happen at once but the whole 30 put me on the right track. Artificial sugar now makes me ill so I've given up soda. I've had two in the past year. Hated coffee but now, my drink of choice is cold brew with a little cream. I LOVE ice-cream and have finally gotten out of the habit of buying it so now it's the rare treat it was intended to be. The whole 30 helped me reshape my food habits. After I finished it, I started MFB and between the two, I'm doing quite well.

SafioraLinnea · May 2017

I tried it and lost a bit of weight because of calorie restriction not because of how limited the food options are. If it's something you want to do, try it, but it isn't a magical easy fat loss solution. It's purpose, as mentioned by others, originated in restricting foods to test for food sensitivity. There is nothing special about it.

The only positive I got out of it was the reminder that fresh fruit and veggies taste good, and that less complicated meal prep can be pleasant.

I was never a big sweets person, never a pop/soda or alcoholic beverage girl, and ate processed food for convenience. It was not a miracle diet for me and by halfway through it I hated everything and was a raging mess of anger because of how limiting it was and I only finished it because I committed to it for a diet bet thing.

It's great for some people but I find the people who adore it go a little woo woo about it and make me hate it more. Sorry I will get off my tangent now.

lemurcat12 · May 2017

I did paleo for a while and was already eating no added sugar and no sweetener, no grains, no dairy, no legumes, so considered doing it (I like challenges), but somehow the reasoning for no potatoes (or lack thereof) annoyed me and I decided against it. Soon after, I think my reaction caused me to reconsider paleo and I could not think of a reason not to consume dairy (which I have no bad reactions to and find a good source of protein), legumes (I think they are very healthy, and all the reasoning for cutting them out made no sense to me), or whole grains (I don't overeat grains), or even occasional white pasta (same), so I quit.

I realized that the things that appealed to me about paleo (or W30) were things I was already doing anyway -- cooking from whole foods, sourcing my meat from local farms, focusing on eating healthfully, trying to eat more of the animal than just the muscle meats, etc. The other things I couldn't justify other than maybe having external rules/a challenge can be motivating sometimes, but it also can lead to all or nothing thinking which is harmful to me.

This is why I would not personally do it.

However, if you want an impetus to start eating more whole foods and aren't naturally cooking a lot and so on, it might be helpful. Or, if you think it would be a fun challenge, same. I just really wish it didn't spread the idea that potatoes and legumes and dairy and whole grains are all bad and cutting them out is a key to having a healthy diet. (I'd say the same thing about eliminating all added sugar, which I don't think is necessary, or all sweetener, but those annoy me less.)

mph323 · May 2017

inkedillini26 wrote: »

Hey everyone!

My coworker has been doing Whole 30...she is currently finishing up 60 days doing this, and has really enjoyed it. She says it has completely changed the way she views food. So I was asking her questions about it today and am considering giving it a try...here's what makes me hesitant:

1. No sweetener...I don't use a ton or even use it all the time, but I use 1 packet of Splenda in my coffee and I drink a lot of coffee - you would have to pry that from my cold, dead hands
2. Cost...I worry that something this specific would cost more than my usual groceries
3. How restrictive it is...I have tried restrictive dieting in the past and when I fall off I fall off hard...I also have a tendency to simply not go out if I feel there is a chance of me not sticking to my diet, and I don't want to sacrifice being social
4. No wine....boooooooo

I would really like to hear from others who have tried the diet. Did you like it? What was beneficial for you? What didn't you like? I want to weigh pros and cons!

Honestly, it seems like this wouldn't be a good fit for you. Your issue with how restrictive it is and the strong potential for interfering with your social life seems like a non-starter all in itself. I would look at some other eating plans (if you feel you need a plan to get started) that are more compatible with your current food choices and lifestyle. Best of luck!

Alatariel75 · May 2017

inkedillini26 wrote: »

Hey everyone!

My coworker has been doing Whole 30...she is currently finishing up 60 days doing this, and has really enjoyed it. She says it has completely changed the way she views food. So I was asking her questions about it today and am considering giving it a try...here's what makes me hesitant:

1. No sweetener...I don't use a ton or even use it all the time, but I use 1 packet of Splenda in my coffee and I drink a lot of coffee - you would have to pry that from my cold, dead hands
2. Cost...I worry that something this specific would cost more than my usual groceries
3. How restrictive it is...I have tried restrictive dieting in the past and when I fall off I fall off hard...I also have a tendency to simply not go out if I feel there is a chance of me not sticking to my diet, and I don't want to sacrifice being social
4. No wine....boooooooo

I would really like to hear from others who have tried the diet. Did you like it? What was beneficial for you? What didn't you like? I want to weigh pros and cons!

As someone else pointed out, the Whole 30 wasn't designed for weight loss but was started as an elimination diet to establish food intolerances. It 'works' for weight loss because it is very restrictive and heavy on the vegetables.

I don't think it sounds like a good fit for you, when it is possible to be very successful on a far less restrictive diet.

Whole 30 Diet

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