This Whole30 Shopping List Will Make Your Life Easier (2024)

FAQs

What are the hardest days on Whole30? ›

On Days 10 and 11, you are statistically the most likely to quit your Whole30. (That's why they're “the hardest days.”) By this point, the newness of the program has worn off, and though you've made it through most of the unpleasant physical milestones, you've yet to experience significant benefits.

Whole30 is a 30-day elimination diet designed to reset your eating habits and improve your relationship with food. While weight loss is a common outcome for many participants, it's not the primary focus of the program.

The Whole30 program is an intense, 30-day dietary detox that requires you to hyper-focus on whole, minimally-processed, easy-to-digest foods. Notably, you can't have sugar, alcohol, grains, beans, soy, dairy, processed snack foods, or additives (or “healthified” versions of processed snack foods) on the plan.

If your energy isn't high or steady, your workouts are dragging, or your focus is meandering, it might be you're just not eating enough. Specifically, enough carbohydrate. It's really common for people to under-eat on the Whole30, and it tends to catch up with them towards the end of the second week (or in the third).

Sure enough, I was up 2.6lbs “overnight.” It's water retention and the beginning of the infamous “my pants are tighter” phase of Whole30 as the body continues expelling all the junk and getting used to a new way of eating. Day 8ish is usually a bit of a digestive adventure, so we'll see where things go.

I encourage you to read the whole post (and the experience that prompted it), but I'll summarize it here: If you get one bite into a less healthy treat and realize it's not worth it, stop eating.

The cons of Whole30: Very restrictive, which may make eating out or socializing difficult. May be difficult to get adequate calcium for bone health.

Whole30 and Coffee

“Yes, you can have your coffee. You're welcome. You can drink it black, add unsweetened compatible nutpods, coconut milk, almond milk, or add cinnamon or vanilla beans to the brew.

Yes, you can eat potatoes of all colors under the new Whole30 guidelines, white varieties included. Mash 'em up, roast them, or throw them in the skillet to enjoy. Just don't eat them commercially deep-fried or in packaged chip form to stay Whole30-compliant.

Is it normal to poop a lot on Whole30? ›

Whole30. If you're used to eating a traditional low-fiber American diet—meaning not many fruits, veggies, and whole grains and lots of sugar and processed carbs—switching to this veggie-heavy diet may trigger diarrhea, Upton said.

Many people will lose weight on a diet like Whole30, but weight loss isn't the only goal. The diet can also help if you are at risk for diabetes, and help with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. But after a 30-day wonder diet like Whole30, it's likely weight will return if you don't follow a few rules.

“As well, you're not supposed to weigh yourself or take any measurements during the 30 days.” The idea behind this approach is to reset your metabolism and digestive tract. According to some research studies, elimination diets like Whole30 can be an effective tool to help some people with gastrointestinal issues.

What about bananas? Yes, both pickles and bananas are allowed on Whole30. Yet if they are a potential trigger food for you (for instance, the sweetness of bananas sets off a craving for other treats or makes you want to binge on the fruit), then you may consider including them on your “don't eat” list.

Clarified butter and ghee are the only sources of dairy allowed during your Whole30, as they've had their milk solids rendered out. Plain old butter is not allowed, as its milk proteins could impact the results of your program.

A calorie deficit is needed for weight loss. Because of its restrictive nature, the Whole30 diet will likely help create this calorie deficit. However, unless the food choices you make on this diet become a habit, the weight loss you experience may not be sustainable in the long term.

Your body may feel differently during the first few weeks of your Whole30. Refer to The Whole30 Day by Day as well as the Whole30 timeline for an idea of what to expect. Some uncomfortable feelings you may experience during the first few days can include headaches, fogginess and feeling more tired than usual.

According to the official Whole30® website, once those 30 days are up, it's up to you to “carefully and systematically reintroduce those foods you've been missing”.

It can take several weeks before you learn to trust the “hungry” and “full” signals your body is sending you—and you may not have been eating enough in the beginning, because you were afraid of all that fat. Many Whole30'ers report that they didn't feel or see “the magic” until day 45, 60, or beyond.

Some downsides include Whole30 side effects like digestive problems, worsened food cravings, and reduced nutrient intake. The diet restricts certain foods and food groups, which, if followed long-term, can result in nutrient deficiencies.