The Whole30 is a nutritional reset/elimination diet that aims to remove inflammatory foods from our diets for 30 days while changing our relationship with food. The Whole30 challenges participants to eat nothing but real, nutrient dense food for 30 days while removing grains (including quinoa and corn), dairy, legumes (including peanuts, soy, and peas), sugars and sweeteners (including honey and agave), and alcohol (yes, even if its just used to cook). The program also challenges participants to change the relationship they have to food by the next two program rules: no weighing yourself, and no recreating dessert-like foods (no pancakes, no cookies, no 3pm sugar bomb. No smoothies either, because it’s important to eat your food and not drink it). Those who have successfully completed the program have seen many benefits, including a reduction in inflammation, better sleep and energy, better performance at the gym, clearer skin, heightened focus, a loss of old cravings. 99% of successful program participants will lose weight.

I am currently in the middle of my third Whole30. I decided to try out the program back in August of 2016, after contemplating going on the program for about 6 months. Over the past year, I have learned a lot—not only about food and how my body reacts to certain foods, but about myself and my discipline in general. I always considered myself a not-very-disciplined person before Whole30, but as it turns out I actually really excel when there are a lot of rules to follow. I acknowledge this isn’t the perfect program, and may not work for everyone, but because I have really enjoyed this program and have gotten so many questions about the program, I wanted to share my tips for success with you all.