Whole 30 Q&A

All your Whole 30 and elmination questions answered! My experience with Whole 30 and the pros and cons. 

Have you heard your friends talking about doing a Whole 30? Did you try an elimination diet?

What is a detox diet? Why might you choose to complete a Whole 30? Isn’t healthy about finding a balanced lifestyle, not restrictive eating?

Do you have questions about elimination and detox diets? Read to find out my experience and why you might choose to complete a Whole 30.

I just completed a Whole 30ish detox and have gotten quite a few questions along my journey. So today I am sharing my personal experience with Whole 30 including my why and tips I learned along the way.

Q: Should I do a detox or elimination diet?

Maybe. There is no need to do a Whole 30, detox, or elimination diet to be healthy and happy. If you are trying to eat better to feel better you can make gradual sustainable changes to be successful.

On the other hand, elimination diets can be a useful tool to determine food intolerances, clean up cravings, and determine what foods make you feel and look your best.

Q: You already seem healthy, why did you do a detox?

I have completed various elimination diets and sugar detoxes over the years because I love to experiment with food as medicine. I just completed a Whole 30ish detox to help my body heal.

I stopped taking birth control pills a year ago and have been on a journey to heal my hormonal imbalances. My hormones have never recovered from a few years ago when I went through a prolonged time of being unhappy, stressed, and surviving on little sleep. That combined with many years of taking hormonal birth control caused imbalances in my body.

Q: Did you have sugar cravings?

Is the sky blue? Of course! It is normal, the standard American diet has sugar hidden in almost everything. The first time I completed a sugar detox I went through withdrawal symptoms including headaches because my body was addicted to sugar.

Thankfully, I have tamed my sugar monster enough that I didn’t get any headaches this go-round, but I still had cravings for something sweet. I was able to satisfy my sweet tooth with frozen banana slices topped with almond butter, cinnamon, and pink Himalayan sea salt.

Q: Can you have a cheat meal?

No, to get the full benefits of a Whole 30 or elimination diet you cannot have a cheat day. This is the HARDEST part because, in reality, a Whole 30 takes more than 30 days! After completing the 30 days, the point is to reintroduce foods one at a time and notice how your body reacts.

If you are going to take the time to do an elimination diet I would highly recommend not skipping the reintroduction phase. It is a wonderful learning experience that can help you become more in tune with your body.

Q: What are your tips for getting through a Whole 30?

Know your why. What do you want to gain from completing an elimination diet? Is it to find out if dairy makes you break out? Is it to gain more energy and get rid of brain fog? If you don’t have a why then maybe an elimination diet isn’t for you at this time.

Also, it helps to have a support system. I was able to recruit my fiance, who thankfully is always willing to try any diet or recipe I come up with. Check out my Pinterest boards if you’re looking for recipes and try out my favorite Whole 30 sweet potato breakfast parfait.

Q: What did you miss the most?

I ate good on Whole 30 and enjoyed coming up with some new easy go-to meals. I didn’t allow myself to focus on what I could not eat, just on what I could. There are so many delicious easy foods you can have on an elimination diet.

However, the very first thing I added back in was peanut butter. I can’t wait to make these peanut butter chocolate chip collagen bites for a healthy treat or snack.

Q: What was the best part? The worst?

As with any sugar detox, my skin cleared and became super glowy. Whole 30 gave me steady energy, restful sleep, and regular digestion. The worst part is you have to be prepared. Meal prep is vital to a successful Whole 30. I think of an elimination diet or Whole 30 as a tool for health and wellness.

If you are just beginning a health journey or weight loss journey a Whole 30 may be too extreme. Try to incorporate small healthy changes and once you are comfortable cooking healthier foods you can always try a Whole 30.

Final Thoughts

I am not a fan of following a specific diet or food rules. I believe everyone’s body and lifestyle are unique. You have to learn what works for you and your body. I did not have cheat meals on Whole 30, but I did not follow all the rules. I know my body and lifestyle and made it work for me.

I had still had smoothies and ate a snack each day. There is no elimination diet police, feel free to -Alter Whole 30 so it works for your body and lifestyle. Remember elimination diets are a useful tool to learn about your body so you are able to be your brightest and most confident self each and every day.

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