Whole 30
ErikaGirl1
Posts: 47 Member
I’m starting Whole 30 today after much research and am wondering if anyone could share any success stories they’ve had with it? I don’t know anyone personally that has done it. Thanks!
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Replies
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What is the goal you're trying to achieve with Whole 30? Are you trying to find your food sensitivities? Trying to lose weight? Trying to just feel better in general?
I believe Whole 30 is pretty useful as an elimination diet to find food sensitivities, but years ago I tried it as a weight loss strategy and did not find it effective. I lost 11 pounds in those 30 days, but because it was not a sustainable, "forever" way of eating, I put all that weight back on plus much more.4 -
No, just to feel better and kinda detox my body mainly. I’d love to hear any results, weight loss and also just general health benefits. Did you feel better while doing it?2
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Okay, "detoxing" by following a special diet isn't a thing. Your kidneys already do all the detoxing, regardless of what you eat.
Days 1-7 I felt like absolute death. Days 8-30 I felt normal again. It didn't do anything special for me other than the weight loss, and like I said, that reversed itself quickly when I went back to my usual eating habits.
I would say if your current diet is making you feel sluggish or something, it never hurts to replace some processed foods with more whole food options, but I don't think going to extremes like the Whole 30 plan really gives any benefits.8 -
I'm going to test your research
Why are black-eyes peas, a legume, not allowed, but split peas, another legume, allowed?
https://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/6 -
@lemurcat2: I know you've done various diets as a challenge. Ever do this one?0
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ErikaGirl1 wrote: »I’m starting Whole 30 today after much research and am wondering if anyone could share any success stories they’ve had with it? I don’t know anyone personally that has done it. Thanks!
I looked at it eons ago when I was just getting started and the rules just didn't make sense to me in a lot of ways. Whole foods, but then also eliminate a bunch of whole foods...that was just kind of mind boggling. I eat a pretty healthy diet consisting substantially of whole food nutrition...lots of veg, fruit, and cook a lot from scratch or using very minimally processed goods, etc. Lots of good for you stuff that is against the rules for some reason with Whole30.6 -
I tried it several years ago in the hope it was going to make me feel amazing. I did stick to it for close to the 30 days. Unfortunately I really felt no different. It was just so restrictive for me...too much. I would love to hear your experience though if you do try it.3
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kshama2001 wrote: »@lemurcat2: I know you've done various diets as a challenge. Ever do this one?
I thought about it, but no. I had just done a paleo challenge which was pretty similar for 2 weeks and so was planning to do W30 when I heard about it, but as I thought about it and read about the claims, I decided it just didn't make sense to me, as something I realized when doing the paleo challenge is that beans and whole grains just aren't foods that I struggle with overconsuming, so cutting them -- and especially beans -- out is a challenge that makes no sense to me. I also was wanting to reduce my meat consumption and for me having high protein dairy (lowfat plain greek yogurt and cottage cheese) and beans/lentils available (including tofu) makes that easier. At the time I looked into it potatoes were on the "off limits" list too (I think they changed that) and trying to figure out why potatoes were bad but sweet potatoes were fine (both tubers) hurt my head.
Upon reflection, I decided that what really makes something like W30 useful is that for people not used to cooking consistently from whole foods, it basically forces you to for a period long enough to build up a habit, but I was already doing that. I do enjoy challenges, though, and things that might make you find some other foods to eat if, say, grains are a huge staple and you feel in a rut (I don't eat a lot of grains anyway, except, say, fresh corn when it's in season and in my farm box, although I also don't exclude them and eat pasta and rice on occasion), so I'm not at all against someone trying out W30 if it seems appealing and fun for them.3 -
kshama2001 wrote: »@lemurcat2: I know you've done various diets as a challenge. Ever do this one?
I thought about it, but no. I had just done a paleo challenge which was pretty similar for 2 weeks and so was planning to do W30 when I heard about it, but as I thought about it and read about the claims, I decided it just didn't make sense to me, as something I realized when doing the paleo challenge is that beans and whole grains just aren't foods that I struggle with overconsuming, so cutting them -- and especially beans -- out is a challenge that makes no sense to me. I also was wanting to reduce my meat consumption and for me having high protein dairy (lowfat plain greek yogurt and cottage cheese) and beans/lentils available (including tofu) makes that easier. At the time I looked into it potatoes were on the "off limits" list too (I think they changed that) and trying to figure out why potatoes were bad but sweet potatoes were fine (both tubers) hurt my head.
Upon reflection, I decided that what really makes something like W30 useful is that for people not used to cooking consistently from whole foods, it basically forces you to for a period long enough to build up a habit, but I was already doing that. I do enjoy challenges, though, and things that might make you find some other foods to eat if, say, grains are a huge staple and you feel in a rut (I don't eat a lot of grains anyway, except, say, fresh corn when it's in season and in my farm box, although I also don't exclude them and eat pasta and rice on occasion), so I'm not at all against someone trying out W30 if it seems appealing and fun for them.
Yes, white potatoes are now allowed.
https://www.thekitchn.com/potatoes-are-now-whole30-approved-heres-why-239841
What has always hurt my head about paleo and whole30 is excluding legumes, especially now when I see that split peas are allowed (as of Jan 2021 if the date on the link below is correct) and lentils are not.
https://whole30.com/whole30-rules-peas/
Maybe if I wait a few more years miso will be allowed in. I'm not a big eater of it, but it does wonders for my mom's digestive system, and it's been around since the Neolithic era, and it hurts my brain when foods like this are excluded.
Next time you do a challenge, let me know
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Well, I have the Whole 30 Fast and Easy cookbook, not because I was ever whole 30, but have discovered some dairy bothers me. However, some of the foods that are included (like eggs, oregano and anything made with grapes) can bother me. I really only got the cookbook because it had some good recipes with whole ingredients that were quick and easy to prepare. Also, my kids don't really like beans, so they don't miss that part. I also will add rice, quinoa and rice or lentil pasta to the dishes, and include soy because I'm not sensitive to it. Sometimes I may add some cheese (like parmesan) on top.
I also don't understand why legumes and nuts/sees are not allowed on Whole 30 or even gluten-free grains like buckwheat, brown rice, or quinoa aren't allowed, and I don't know that I've ever seen an explanation.1 -
Speakeasy76 wrote: »Well, I have the Whole 30 Fast and Easy cookbook, not because I was ever whole 30, but have discovered some dairy bothers me. However, some of the foods that are included (like eggs, oregano and anything made with grapes) can bother me. I really only got the cookbook because it had some good recipes with whole ingredients that were quick and easy to prepare. Also, my kids don't really like beans, so they don't miss that part. I also will add rice, quinoa and rice or lentil pasta to the dishes, and include soy because I'm not sensitive to it. Sometimes I may add some cheese (like parmesan) on top.
I also don't understand why legumes and nuts/seeds are not allowed on Whole 30 or even gluten-free grains like buckwheat, brown rice, or quinoa aren't allowed, and I don't know that I've ever seen an explanation.
https://kellytoups.com/2015/05/25/whole30-a-wholly-misguided-approach-to-healthy-eating/
...Whole30 eliminates all grains:
Building on the gluten-free fear mongering of other pop-science books (I’m pointing at you, Wheat Belly), Whole30 eliminates all grains, including healthy whole grains, because of their “problematic proteins,” like gluten.
This in itself is a misguided interpretation of science. Indeed, in people with Celiac Disease and some gluten sensitivities, the body perceives gluten as an enemy, and produces an inflammatory immune response. But for the vast majority of the population without gluten disorders, that’s not what happens. In fact, eating whole grains, is associated with decreased inflammation. In a recent clinical trial, researchers found that eating a cup of whole grain barley or brown rice (or a combination of the two) for as little as four weeks can increase the “good” bacteria in your gut that fight inflammation.
A diet without grains but with unlimited red meat is basically just an Atkins diet. There is no reason for this to be disguised as a “whole foods” eating pattern, when entire groups of whole foods are eliminated. Any diet that bans nutritious whole grains like quinoa and millet, but allows you to survive exclusively off of bacon and Larabars, should make you question the legitimacy of its health claims.
Whole30 eliminates all legumes:
Another healthy food group, axed from the menu! The creators of Whole30 warn that legumes (like chickpeas, black beans, or lentils) have high levels of phytates, which can block the uptake of certain nutrients by our bodies. While this might sound alarming, what Whole30 enthusiasts fail to understand is that SO many factors affect our uptake of nutrients (how a food is stored, processed, and cooked, what else is eaten with it, etc) and that the reductionist approach of analyzing foods by the milligrams of nutrients that you may or may not be fully absorbing is an entirely fruitless pursuit.
Additionally, these “nutrition experts” (those are sarcastic quotes) fail to understand that ALL plant foods contain varying level of phytates, and that many of the foods promoted by Whole30 (such as kale) have even more phytates than legumes. Phytates are also found in pasture raised and wild meat, based on which plants animals ate during their lifetime. And on top of everything, phytates (natural plant defenses) are not necessarily a bad thing! These bioactive compounds act as antioxidants in the body, and have been linked to anticancer activity, as well as cholesterol lowering effects. (This should not be surprising – we all know that beans are healthy.) The only way to avoid all phytates is to eat highly processed and synthetic foods – which basically defeats the entire philosophy of Whole30.6 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Speakeasy76 wrote: »Well, I have the Whole 30 Fast and Easy cookbook, not because I was ever whole 30, but have discovered some dairy bothers me. However, some of the foods that are included (like eggs, oregano and anything made with grapes) can bother me. I really only got the cookbook because it had some good recipes with whole ingredients that were quick and easy to prepare. Also, my kids don't really like beans, so they don't miss that part. I also will add rice, quinoa and rice or lentil pasta to the dishes, and include soy because I'm not sensitive to it. Sometimes I may add some cheese (like parmesan) on top.
I also don't understand why legumes and nuts/seeds are not allowed on Whole 30 or even gluten-free grains like buckwheat, brown rice, or quinoa aren't allowed, and I don't know that I've ever seen an explanation.
https://kellytoups.com/2015/05/25/whole30-a-wholly-misguided-approach-to-healthy-eating/
...Whole30 eliminates all grains:
Building on the gluten-free fear mongering of other pop-science books (I’m pointing at you, Wheat Belly), Whole30 eliminates all grains, including healthy whole grains, because of their “problematic proteins,” like gluten.
This in itself is a misguided interpretation of science. Indeed, in people with Celiac Disease and some gluten sensitivities, the body perceives gluten as an enemy, and produces an inflammatory immune response. But for the vast majority of the population without gluten disorders, that’s not what happens. In fact, eating whole grains, is associated with decreased inflammation. In a recent clinical trial, researchers found that eating a cup of whole grain barley or brown rice (or a combination of the two) for as little as four weeks can increase the “good” bacteria in your gut that fight inflammation.
A diet without grains but with unlimited red meat is basically just an Atkins diet. There is no reason for this to be disguised as a “whole foods” eating pattern, when entire groups of whole foods are eliminated. Any diet that bans nutritious whole grains like quinoa and millet, but allows you to survive exclusively off of bacon and Larabars, should make you question the legitimacy of its health claims.
Whole30 eliminates all legumes:
Another healthy food group, axed from the menu! The creators of Whole30 warn that legumes (like chickpeas, black beans, or lentils) have high levels of phytates, which can block the uptake of certain nutrients by our bodies. While this might sound alarming, what Whole30 enthusiasts fail to understand is that SO many factors affect our uptake of nutrients (how a food is stored, processed, and cooked, what else is eaten with it, etc) and that the reductionist approach of analyzing foods by the milligrams of nutrients that you may or may not be fully absorbing is an entirely fruitless pursuit.
Additionally, these “nutrition experts” (those are sarcastic quotes) fail to understand that ALL plant foods contain varying level of phytates, and that many of the foods promoted by Whole30 (such as kale) have even more phytates than legumes. Phytates are also found in pasture raised and wild meat, based on which plants animals ate during their lifetime. And on top of everything, phytates (natural plant defenses) are not necessarily a bad thing! These bioactive compounds act as antioxidants in the body, and have been linked to anticancer activity, as well as cholesterol lowering effects. (This should not be surprising – we all know that beans are healthy.) The only way to avoid all phytates is to eat highly processed and synthetic foods – which basically defeats the entire philosophy of Whole30.
Yeah, I never really understood the philosophy behind eliminating whole grains, nuts/seeds and legumes, and this just confirms it! I even went through a personalized elimination diet under the supervision of an RD (who did recommend initially eliminating dairy and gluten-containing products) I was eating nuts and seeds in the first week, and some of the OK foods (like eggs) cause problems (and do so in a lot of people).2 -
I don't believe W30 eliminates nuts and seeds (other than peanuts, because they are a legume).
But indeed it's not a real elimination diet and focuses on foods for no particular good reason (or because of paleo mythology), and anyone who wants to do an elimination diet for health reasons should follow a doctor or dietitian plan rather than W30.
I think W30 can be good for people who want some kind of challenge to help them get in the habit of cooking from whole ingredients, and who perhaps eat a lot of grains and feel like they are in a rut. (Although I personally agree with those who think giving up legumes and whole grains is an odd requirement for most people, and for those of us who are not lactose intolerant, the same for dairy.)
I do disagree with the claim that it's basically an Atkins diet, as it actually does not have to be low carb -- fruit is permitted, as well as tubers. And you aren't supposed to be eating bacon and larabars, from what I understand. It's still kind of goofy, though, which is why I didn't try it.5 -
I am currently doing W30, I started at the beginning of September. I already ate/eat a pretty healthy diet and have been gluten free since April as this is a known intolerance for me. Cutting out gluten resolved many of my skin and GI issues, but I still had some lingering stuff going on. I suspected that dairy was the cause and so decided to dive into the W30 as a way to cut dairy and also hopefully break my addiction to artificially sweetened beverages. For me, it isn't that far from my normal WOE, the biggest thing is honestly not having things like iced tea, diet coke, and not being able to use dairy to increase my fat intake. At this point, I'm 99.9% sure that my lingering issues are related to dairy because they have all but resolved themselves in the last 3 weeks. I'm not in a huge rush to reintroduce dairy from cows, but after my 30 days, I may experiment with other dairy sources like goat and sheep and see if my body is better able to handle those. I can live without milk and cream and yogurt, but I really, really miss cheese
[edited by MFP staff]1 -
WholeFoods4Lyfe wrote: »I am currently doing W30, I started at the beginning of September. I already ate/eat a pretty healthy diet and have been gluten free since April as this is a known intolerance for me. Cutting out gluten resolved many of my skin and GI issues, but I still had some lingering stuff going on. I suspected that dairy was the cause and so decided to dive into the W30 as a way to cut dairy and also hopefully break my addiction to artificially sweetened beverages. For me, it isn't that far from my normal WOE, the biggest thing is honestly not having things like iced tea, diet coke, and not being able to use dairy to increase my fat intake. At this point, I'm 99.9% sure that my lingering issues are related to dairy because they have all but resolved themselves in the last 3 weeks. I'm not in a huge rush to reintroduce dairy from cows, but after my 30 days, I may experiment with other dairy sources like goat and sheep and see if my body is better able to handle those. I can live without milk and cream and yogurt, but I really, really miss cheese
ETA: My diary is open and I post a lot of my meals on my IG @Podtastic_Eats if you are looking for food inspiration
Just an FYI, if you are actually lactose intolerant and not sensitive to dairy, you may be able to eat certain types of dairy like yogurt and hard cheeses, but milk and softer cheeses may be harder to tolerate. When/if you reintroduce dairy, you may want to start with one food at a time, like yogurt, parmesan cheese, etc.
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I’ve done it a few times, getting ready for another round starting 10/1. I like it for a couple reasons, I feel really good when I eat this way, and 2 it helps me with my discipline, it’s a good reminder I am in complete control of my food choices and that no those oreos were not in fact too tempting lol. I always lose a few pounds, which is just a happy side effect for me, but not my purpose for doing it.
My tips
Meal plan and prep ahead
Don’t let yourself get too hungry your cravings will kick in if you do.
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kshama2001 wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »@lemurcat2: I know you've done various diets as a challenge. Ever do this one?
I thought about it, but no. I had just done a paleo challenge which was pretty similar for 2 weeks and so was planning to do W30 when I heard about it, but as I thought about it and read about the claims, I decided it just didn't make sense to me, as something I realized when doing the paleo challenge is that beans and whole grains just aren't foods that I struggle with overconsuming, so cutting them -- and especially beans -- out is a challenge that makes no sense to me. I also was wanting to reduce my meat consumption and for me having high protein dairy (lowfat plain greek yogurt and cottage cheese) and beans/lentils available (including tofu) makes that easier. At the time I looked into it potatoes were on the "off limits" list too (I think they changed that) and trying to figure out why potatoes were bad but sweet potatoes were fine (both tubers) hurt my head.
Upon reflection, I decided that what really makes something like W30 useful is that for people not used to cooking consistently from whole foods, it basically forces you to for a period long enough to build up a habit, but I was already doing that. I do enjoy challenges, though, and things that might make you find some other foods to eat if, say, grains are a huge staple and you feel in a rut (I don't eat a lot of grains anyway, except, say, fresh corn when it's in season and in my farm box, although I also don't exclude them and eat pasta and rice on occasion), so I'm not at all against someone trying out W30 if it seems appealing and fun for them.
Yes, white potatoes are now allowed.
https://www.thekitchn.com/potatoes-are-now-whole30-approved-heres-why-239841
What has always hurt my head about paleo and whole30 is excluding legumes, especially now when I see that split peas are allowed (as of Jan 2021 if the date on the link below is correct) and lentils are not.
https://whole30.com/whole30-rules-peas/
Maybe if I wait a few more years miso will be allowed in. I'm not a big eater of it, but it does wonders for my mom's digestive system, and it's been around since the Neolithic era, and it hurts my brain when foods like this are excluded.
Next time you do a challenge, let me know
You and I have around the exact opinions on Whole30 and Paleo. It's not that I don't think it's likely far healthier than the standard Western Diet of Pizza, burgers, pop and fried foods, but some of the rules are downright silly.
Every "Blue Zone" in the world (where people live the longest, likely the closest thing we have to a longevity study in the real world) eats legumes of some sort. And tubers.
I'm celiac and I eat the crap out of complex grains. That whole "our ancestors didn't eat grains" has been proven false by archeologists. Mark's Daily Apple brainwashed gullible people into believing things that simply aren't true.4 -
Whole30 just wants your Whole wallet. The reality is for most average people, just getting in a balance of macro and and micronutrients in RDA is enough to stay healthy, and controlling calories will help with weight loss/gain/maintenance.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Whole30 just wants your Whole wallet. The reality is for most average people, just getting in a balance of macro and and micronutrients in RDA is enough to stay healthy, and controlling calories will help with weight loss/gain/maintenance.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I think Mark Sisson sold Primal Kitchen for $200M, so it's been a pretty nice brainwashing business for him. Water, cashews and some nutritional yeast, blended with some cauliflower -- yeah, that should cost $9 and not taste anything like the real thing. But people convince themselves that it's wonderful, likely because they just paid like $9 or $10 bucks for this little tiny jar of sauce.1 -
MikePfirrman wrote: »Whole30 just wants your Whole wallet. The reality is for most average people, just getting in a balance of macro and and micronutrients in RDA is enough to stay healthy, and controlling calories will help with weight loss/gain/maintenance.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I think Mark Sisson sold Primal Kitchen for $200M, so it's been a pretty nice brainwashing business for him. Water, cashews and some nutritional yeast, blended with some cauliflower -- yeah, that should cost $9 and not taste anything like the real thing. But people convince themselves that it's wonderful, likely because they just paid like $9 or $10 bucks for this little tiny jar of sauce.
Yeah, I try to avoid most dairy and eggs due to food sensitivities and try to avoid any form of MSG, so it's hard to find premade stuff that doesn't cost a fortune. I refuse to buy that primal kitchen unless it's on a deep discount. Luckily, I have a Trader Joe's that not too far away that carries a lot of good stuff! I've learned to make a lot of my own stuff, which is probably better for me and saves a lot of money, anyway!1 -
Speakeasy76 wrote: »MikePfirrman wrote: »Whole30 just wants your Whole wallet. The reality is for most average people, just getting in a balance of macro and and micronutrients in RDA is enough to stay healthy, and controlling calories will help with weight loss/gain/maintenance.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I think Mark Sisson sold Primal Kitchen for $200M, so it's been a pretty nice brainwashing business for him. Water, cashews and some nutritional yeast, blended with some cauliflower -- yeah, that should cost $9 and not taste anything like the real thing. But people convince themselves that it's wonderful, likely because they just paid like $9 or $10 bucks for this little tiny jar of sauce.
Yeah, I try to avoid most dairy and eggs due to food sensitivities and try to avoid any form of MSG, so it's hard to find premade stuff that doesn't cost a fortune. I refuse to buy that primal kitchen unless it's on a deep discount. Luckily, I have a Trader Joe's that not too far away that carries a lot of good stuff! I've learned to make a lot of my own stuff, which is probably better for me and saves a lot of money, anyway!
My wife is dairy sensitive and slightly sensitive to eggs, so I feel you.
And yes, TJs is wonderful and reasonable. Kroger's is starting to come through, too, on the non-dairy side. Their new Sour Cream alternative is good. So are some of their new non-dairy ice creams (not as good as TJs, but good). They also have new fake cheese dips as well that are good.
I pick on Primal Kitchen, but many other brands are steep too (Siete is one that comes to mind) and overrated.0
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