Whole 30 Nutrition Challenge

Our first Whole 30 Box Challenge has come and gone.  Please note that any athlete can take on the Whole 30 Challenge at anytime. We suggest you get the Nutrition guide and find some fellow athletes to embrace the challenge with.

  •  Simply post when and who plans to take part and the results and challenges.
  • The challenge is FREE. There will be no tangible prizes etc..
  • The guide for the Whole 30 challenge is in the back of the Nutrition Guide.  This will give you all the information you need to be successful.  See a coach to get a guide book.
  • Point system is very simple, for a clean day you get 1 point, anything else is 0.
  • You can post your questions and experience on this page. There will be  continual comments  that will remain on our website for the entire 30 days and beyond.  We encourage you to share your success and struggles throughout the month.  This will help our community stay connected and create a support system that that will be vital to everyone’s success.
  • You can also post pictures to these comments. We encourage you to take them.
  • We encourage you to choose a benchmark wod as feedback.
  • If you have any questions or concerns, first read the Nutrition Guide cover to cover, then contact us anytime.
  • Have fun

204 thoughts on “Whole 30 Nutrition Challenge”

  1. Pingback: NUTRITION- THE WHOLE 9 « CrossFit Synergistics

  3. Looking forward to the challenge!!! I’m trying not to think of this weekend’s meals as my ‘last meals’, but rather as an opportunity to ease into the Whole9 lifestyle. I’ve been gradually weaning myself off of the unhealthy foods, and filling my pantry with better choices. I plan to use Sundays as my ‘planning and cooking for the week ahead’ day. I was able to convince my daughter to join the challenge, and she has convinced one of her college roomates to join her for a support person! Good luck to all of us!!

  4. Whole30 – so far, so good (I think!) I wanted to share my little food journal the first few days to get meal ideas from other people … and please let me know if I am doing anything ‘wrong’!

    1) 5am pre-workout – egg white and spinach scramble
    2) 6:45am post-workout – 1/2 chicken breast and 1/2 sweet potato (I need to get over this quickly and not be grossed out by eating chicken at this time of day! had to mentally put myself in another place not to make myself sick…)
    3) 9am breakfast – paleo pumpkin walnut muffin (yum)
    4) 12:45pm lunch – spinach salad with grilled chicken, every color pepper imaginable (thanks to Wegmans for cutting them up for me), celery, tomatoes and cukes. Had a little EVOO and balsamic vinegar with it.

    29.5 to go!

  5. So far a good day but I’ll need some help tonight around 9pm. I LOVE to snack! Omelet this morning with spinach, onions, garlic, avocado. My pwo meal (egg whites and sweet potato)seems to be satisfying and I am not missing my recovery shake (yet). It took some macadamia nuts to satiate me after lunch. Another obstacle for me will be fruit. I love that we can blog about this!

  6. Not a a bad start this diet. I am def gonna need some ideas for meals as I’m not much of a cook haha.
    1) 8AM Egg,onion and pepper omelet with an avocado and some almonds as well.
    2) 1:45 Lunch Salad with mixed greens, Peppers,Onion,Cukes, tomatoes.. half a portion of grilled chicken(roughly), and a hard boiled egg with EVOO and vinegar

    How is everyone preparing the sweet potatoes? Love sweet potato fries but I assume those are out

  7. So far, day one has been good. Since I have a lengthy commute (1.5-2 hrs one way) three times a week, I have to learn to ‘think outside the box’ for breakfast and pre wod meals on the way home. Hard boiled eggs can be eaten by hand in the car, and I have no problem eating turkey wrapped around avocado slices for breakfast. But I think that may get old pretty quickly. It’s too long a commute to wait for breakfast until I get to work, and I take meds which must be taken on an empty stomach, so I really don’t have time to fix and eat anything decent at home. Any suggestions for other ‘hand foods’ ?

  10. Can someone help me with the fruit? The guide says you can have 1-2 servings but I am not sure where it goes. Is it during a meal? Also, I was truly hungry about 3 hours after lunch so I had to have a snack. I did try to make it like the guide says but I assume this means I am not eating enough with my meals? Thanks!

    • John, this is confusing. On page 9 in the way back of the book, there is an FAQ about cooking with wine or other spirits and it says no… where as you pointed out it is OK elsewhere in the book.?

  12. Tonight I made the seafood chowder in the guide. It was easy and good!
    For a yummy snack cut an apple in half; take out seeds in both halves; put about a teaspoon of almond butter in each half where the seeds were; sprinkle with cinnamon.

  13. Day 1 – Harder than I thought. I was pretty clean before, I thought… but I am hungry today! Tuesday is usually a hungry day though because I am up at 5 a.m. for the day and today started at 4 a.m. A longer day makes for more desire to eat food and more awake hours to get hungry. I still managed OK.

    Breakfast – 2 hard boiled eggs, 1 nectarine and black coffee. I rationalized the morning ‘sweet’ fruit with a bitter black coffee to kill the sweetness.

    I ate 3 cashews while driving this morning – this was 3 hours after breakfast, but too early for lunch.

    Lunch – Foodie Cafe steak salad. I ate this at 11 and was still hungry at noon, so I went to the cafeteria and got a very small amount of some greens, cucumbers, grilled chicken, sunflower seeds w/balsamic vinegar and OO. The risk here is the sulphites in the vinegar, but I was super hungry. I bought some strawberries too.

    By dinner, I wasn’t hungry. I drank a ton of water all afternoon.

    Dinner – Foodie cafe fish. This was plenty of food, but fish always tricks me. I am fine as I eat it then am hungry after. Right now, I am hungry, so I ate five pistachios and a glass of water. I also had a hard time NOT eating what was left on my kids plates, but did eat a bite of banana, about 10 blueberries and 2 blackberries that the kids were eating with dinner.

    Not an awful day… a little more fruit than I should have but not by much.

  15. Hey Julie. Do you mind if I put in my 2 cents? Assuming you said, “sure DT go ahead” this is my analysis. I think you need more veggies and fat in your breakfast. I buy the frozen peppers and onions from Trader Joes. Do you have time to make an omelet or something that resembles one? Just nuke the veggies and throw your eggs (that you cook in ghee or olive oil…more fat) over them. I also have about a 1/4-1/2 of an avocado. No fruit for breakfast…spikes insulin levels.
    Lunch: I have a big salad with many veggies with chicken and again avocado for some good fat. I make dressing with olive oil (more fat) If I am still hungry after that I eat some more protein and some macadamia nuts.
    That’s it in a nutshell (no pun intended). See you soon. Good luck!

  16. Thanks Deb! I don’t mind the input at all. I have time for cooking just about every morning but tuesday. I have a weekly meeting at 7 am that I need to get up for. I have a recipe for some beef/spinach muffins I will make tomorrow. I wanted to try the foodie cafe for convenience. The dinner portions were great, but the lunch salad was more like an appetizer compared to the salad I usually get at work which consists of 2 cups of greens, loads of cucumbers, broccoli, a few tomatoes, eggs, chicken and sunflower seeds. I was hoping that 2 eggs would have been enough, but it just wasn’t. Hopefully tomorrow will be better since I have time to prepare for tomorrow through Friday. I have a menu planned, I just need to finish it up. I knew the beginning of the week was going to be nuts…

    I appreciate your input! Benchmark WOD in the morning. Time for sleep!

  17. Made it through the first day!!

    Meal planning for the week was critical for me and something that I have to get religious about.
    That way no question about what to eat – just follow the plan.

    Felt hungry during the afternoon – had a healthy snack. Hoping this feeling passes as the challenge progresses.

    Feeling good.

  18. First day in and I already felt lighter throughout the day today. I had a nice dinner with 2 smallish tilapia fillets, herbed and steamed in coconut oil with a side of boiled kale that I tossed around in olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper. I had some cashews for a snack today and grapes a little while after lunch. Made steak and mushrooms for lunch. Have to work on my breakfasts. I never had anything for breakfast before except for coffee with cream and sugar (yuck! after today, I’ve made up my mind I’m never going back, though I don’t think I’ll ever go all black. I was happy to find that the coconut milk provides the right amount of smoothness for me). Anyway, my breakfast today was that coffee and a can of sardines, the skinless, boneless Crown Prince kind in pure olive oil. I love the taste of these. Not sure if I’m having too much olive oil. I do know I need to get creative with breakfasts.

    Here’s a post wod snack for anyone interested: Baba Ganoush or Eggplant Caviar – Warning: the garlickier your breath the better job you must have done making it ;)

    Preheat oven at 450 degrees. Make a few slashes or pokes in two eggplants so they don’t burst and bake them until they’re wrinkled and soft, usually about 45 min. Let them cool afterwards and then peel them. Get all the pulp in a bowl, use a fork to mash the pulp or throw it in the food processor for a creamier dip. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil; 1 or more crushed and finely minced garlic cloves (depends how much you love garlic); 1 and 1/2 to 3 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon; 2-3 pinches of cumin powder, and salt. You can also add a little parsley. I prefer adding a little coriander. Mix well and then enjoy with carrots, bell peppers or whatever meats you have around. You can refrigerate leftovers.

  19. Hi all,

    There has been some confusion with the start of our Whole 30 challenge.
    Question: Can I use alcohol to cook with?

    Answer: No. For the purpose of the whole 30 we are not cooking with alcohol. Simply put we are not sure if all the alcohol is burning off so we are cutting it out for the 30 days. Refer to Page 4 of your guide on why we are taking alcohol out of the eating plan.

    Question: Can I use honey in my tea or to cook with?

    Answer: No. Honey is sugar and should be avoided for the 30 days of the challenge.

    I have read the guide book cover to cover and unless I’m missing something there are no desserts in the guide book. The only thing I see close is the pancakes which you make with honey. This is classified as a treat and can be put in the LARABAR catagory to be used in an emergency only situation. If you are eating them every day you are not really tameing that sugar dragon.

    If you used honey or alcohol in your cooking day one you still get a point, but moving forward let’s avoid it:)

    Remember people – don’t over complicate this. Keep it simple. Keep blogging and sharing. Keep referring to your guide book. Plan ahead. Find fun and tasty things to eat and change your life in the next 30 days.

    Sincereley,

    John

  21. I think I’m already in the “I need a Nap” phase… :)

    Does anyone know if Foodie sells nitrate free, sugar free bacon? I thought I saw they did but can’t find it now. Adding a little bacon to my morning omelet would be awesome. Bacon with anything would be awesome.

  26. I made the Mayo and Italian dressing as well – it’s awesome – way better than I thought it was going to taste.
    Try it on the Broccoli Slaw with diced chicken in it.

  27. Here’s a great recipe for sweet potatoes. I remember Angela mentioning lime and cilantro on sweet potatoes during Throwdown in May and just googled it: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lime-Cilantro-Sweet-Potatoes-109459

    John or Glenn, is it OK to have a few dates after a wod? I read about dates as being an unprocessed but high-sugar food. In most paleo related posts, they talk about them as a great source of potassium, vitamins and antioxidants that should be consumed sparingly. I so wanted to buy some today, but wasn’t sure.

  28. Made shrimp ceviche for tonight, but man I didn’t know shallots can be so strong! I usually use a small onion when I make this. Had to make the sacrifice of leaving out the tabasco sauce because it has vinegar. Ceviche is a delicious and quick to make meal. Here’s a recipe: http://paleobetty.com/2011/07/12/quicky-and-easy-shrimp-ceviche/

    I usually don’t put olive oil at all (tabasco would have been the right sauce, just a few sprinklings) and I also add diced cucumber, a green bell pepper, oregano and the juice of a few more limes per pound of shrimp (one lb of shrimp marinating in the juice of 8 or more limes). I also add a few olives to the bowl for decoration and more yumminess.

    Made guacamole last night and had my boiled eggs with some of that this morning thanks to Cindy’s idea above!

    I haven’t had a headache in any of these three days. Hoping it has everything to do with paleo!

  29. Doing well on day 3! I have noticed I haven’t had heartburn nearly as often as I used to.. (real or perceived? who cares, it’s gone!). At the moment, I am baking the egg cupcakes Ann suggested. However, since the bacon I had in the house has added brown sugar, I improvised and used some of the steak tips I got from the Foodie Cafe. Hey- people eat steak and eggs all the time, right? I’ll let everyone know how they turn out. Also, I bought the stuffed pepper dinner from Foodie- enough for two dinners really, and they were good, once I resigned myself to the fact I wasn’t going to find any rice in them!

  30. Day 3 a success… feeling fine. Not tired, not starving, not ready to hit people. Life is good. Husband, not so much. I thought he’d have a tough time. He is “sick” today – achey, feels like a flu is coming on. I think he is healthy, but his body is reacting to the purge of carbs. We’ll see in a couple days!

  31. Day 4: Feeling good although I wake up ravenous. I’m a bit nervous about the weekend. This is the time I always cheat. We tend to go out to dinner, summer ice-cream. I will not cheat! A weekend is three nights and two days. I can do this…right, people! Attempted to make mayo last night and realized before I did that the mustard powder I have is a mustard blend and has wheat flour in it…whewwww, glad I read the ingredient label!

  32. I love this blog! As I read all these comments I love that we are all in this together. Everyone is doing great!! I just ate spaghetti squash and meat sauce – yum. Even my 12 year old daughter is doing this and she’s very committed to learning about what she’s eating.

  33. Is anyone interested in pooling for a shipment of the sugarfree bacon from http://www.grasslandbeef.com/Detail.bok?no=1186? Foodie cafe doesn’t have it on their website (or at least not a few minutes ago), and the whole30 approved bacon from Grassland needs a minimum of 7lbs of product for an order. But there is a 10% discount for 10-15 pkgs, and 15% for 15 or more. I went to Trader Joe’s today and even though they had about 10 different kinds of bacon- all had added sugar. I certainly don’t need 7 lbs of bacon…anyone interested?

  36. To Ani, Melissa, Glenn, Ann.. I ordered 10 pkgs of the bacon (1.5 lb pkg). Reg price is 16.45, but we get 10% for volume and I found a promo code for another 15% off. Net price: $13.30 for each pkg, including $7.50 total handling fee.. I’ll deliver to the box, and let you know what’s due when it comes in.. I also emailed Foodie to see if they will be carrying it again and how much etc..

  39. Thank you so much! I said 2lbs without looking at how much there is in a package, but you can give me 2 packages (3lbs) or even just one depending on how many you have left. Thanks again, Cynthia!

  40. Today is the first real challenge for dre and i…headed to the cape to visit his parents where we normally get force fed delicious puerto rican rice and beans. Brought a bag full of food and our game faces. Wish us luck!

  42. Kayleigh, Melissa and I all participated in the Diva Dash yesterday (5 K with obstacles), and proud to say- we stayed whole30 true, despite the free beer at the end!! It was really tough! Sending Kayleigh back to school with some dinners and some meal ideas to keep her on track.. it forces me to plan too, which is good. I have never bought so many eggs in my life!!!

  43. :) Sounds awesome! Good for you. I just got back from shopping for the week. Ouch, the bill pinched! But I had to buy more coconut oil and other things that last for a while so that consoled me somewhat.

  44. Almost through the first week! I just made some, ‘Man-Cakes’ as my husband called them. They are cupcake tins with ground beef, spinach, onion, garlic, salt and pepper and cayenne pepper. I’ll try one tomorrow. I only had Halloween cupcake paper, so they look pretty strange. I ran into Kevin, Connie, Pam, Karen and Melissa at whole foods today. Everyone is looking for goods, checking labels, etc.

    I think I will defer to the precooked whole chicken at least once, if not twice this week. I went overboard with recipes last week and it was exhausting to prepare, cook, clean, store every night. That itself would eventually become discouraging. Stil feeling pretty good!

  45. Julie–That recipe sounds awesome. I’m in the same boat as you. I cooked too many meals last week. Exhausting!! As Elizabeth said, “it’s like a dinner party every night at your house.” I need to lighten up a bit. The Whole Foods chicken (plain, no salt) is a great option. I go through 2 a week! I just made Paleo mayo. I can’t wait for lunch. Tuna salad…woo hoo! I think I am going to look into the Foodie Cafe.

  49. Sick of eggs yet? Here’s a good breakfast or I even had if for dinner on sunday night b/c I like Julie and Deb was sick of a long week week of cooking.
    “Oatmeal” Minus the Oats
    1/2 cup coconut milk
    1/2 cup liquid egg whites
    1 banana, mashed
    1/4 cup chopped walnuts
    1/2 tsp cinnamon

    Put the coconut milk and egg whites over medium heat in saucepan and whisk. Add in the mashed banana. Top with cinnamon and walnuts or other desired toppings.
    Recipe from http://carrotsncake.com/

  50. Thanks, Julia. That sounds great. I’ve been doing fine with lunch and dinner but still having terrible, boring breakfasts. I’m going to try the oatlessmeal tomorrow.

    Yesterday, I made pesto roasted salmon (recipe here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO0-zO_b1jU)

    with lime-coriander sweet potatoes from here: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lime-Cilantro-Sweet-Potatoes-109459

    For the pesto sauce – dump the following in the food processor and then process till it gets saucy:

    Basil leaves, about 3 handfuls without stems
    Pine nuts, about 1/2 cup
    2 small garlic cloves
    2-3 tablespoons olive oil
    salt and pepper to taste
    juice of a half a lemon

    I had plenty pesto left over so tonight I’m making chicken meatballs with pesto on top and kale (I never ate this before, so glad I found out I love kale!). Plenty leftovers for tomorrow as well.

  52. Good morning! Bacon update: shipment is on track to arrive today by 4:30 pm. I plan to bring it to the box for the 6:30 pm WOD. I will put the packages in the freezer (ok Glenn/John?) with your names. Cash is fine if you are going to be there tonight, otherwise, I will leave an envelope for checks. Please pay when you pick up your bacon? Thanks. If this works well, I will be happy to coordinate future shipments…..(checks to Cynthia Hodgdon) I have pkgs for Glenn/Linda (2 pkgs-$26.60), Ann (2 pkgs $26.60), Ani, (2 pkgs $26.60) Debra Termine (1 pkg $13.30), and Julie Winston -(1 pkg $13.30).

  54. Yup I’m in on the Whole 30. Its been OK so far. I still crave sugar or fruit around 3pm. Travel is tough but I managed last week with help from tuna in a bag, hard boiled eggs and salad with lemons. Being at home is so much easier. I was still the only Mom at the hockey tournament this weekend with cold chicken and sweet potatoes in my bag. :)

  55. Here it is day 9 and my cravings have pretty much gone away, with the exception of one: alcohol!! I didn’t expect this to be a problem, since I’m not ‘a drink a day’ person, indulging mostly on weekends. I even dreamed about it last night. I am supposed to go out to a Mexican restaurant with friends Friday night. I had planned to eat salad, and have club soda with lime.. now I am really concerned I won’t be able to resist the Margaritas!! HELLLLLLP!!

    • Cindy,

      I agree with Deborah. Take the temptation out of the picture. Margarita night will ne there next month. Go the 6:30 wod Friday night. Have a small post wod meal. Then do the 7:45 yoga. Then you can head home rent a movie on pay preview and have a delicious paleo dinner. Remember you are in it to win it:)

  56. Cindy, you can do it!! Don’t think about it – the anticipation of of not being able to have a drink is worse than not actually having the drink. I was in the same situation Saturday night and it really was easy!! Stay strong my friend! :-)

  57. I take the reclusive route. Temptation is a killer for me so therefore I wouldn’t go out Saturday night and I would reschedule after the challenge. I know that sounds extreme but I’m being honest. And just think how much money you will save!! However, if you do go out be strong. It’s not worth messing up. If you do drink or eat Mexican food you will most likely feel like shit the next day. You may even start to feel like crap while you are out with your friends. You can do this and hopefully you have considerate, caring friends who are supporting the great strides you are taking to improve your health!!

  58. Hey CynCin! Let’s do what John suggested – 6:30pm wod on Friday and then have a taste of yoga! I won’t drop the ball if you don’t, remember? Let’s do this together. I’m going to skip the BBQ at work tomorrow for the same reason – margaritas!

  59. Although that sounds like so much fun Ani, this night has been planned for months and I haven’t seen these people in years!! I need to learn how to cope in difficult situations, not hide from them.. I plan to eat my appropriate food before I go, get club soda or just water, and order a side salad to ‘pick at’.. I can and WILL make it through without breaking down!!

    • You can do this! Just make a decision NOT to do it and stick to it. Think of the 9 (and by then 10) days you’ve already dedicated to this and to drink margaritas will only make you feel like crap in the morning (and in general). Tell your friends what you are doing, why you are doing it and ask for their support in not pushing the margaritas on you. I find that if my peers don’t know why I am doing something or how serious I am about it, they will just say, ‘ONE beer won’t kill you’… but that is how we get into these predicaments – when they don’t understand the importance. I went out for a friends birthday last weekend and I was the only one with water, but still had fun. I have drill this weekend (Army) and face the challenge because I have to REALLY plan ahead to avoid nasty Army food or going out to grab a bite to eat.

    • I keep telling myself, cheating is just not an option!! You will be so fine on Friday and I am so proud you are doing this. We can’t shut ourselves off from difficult situations, right? You have done a lot harder things than this in the last few months. Trust me, thinking about it is worse. This will be a breeze!!

    • You could also offer to be designated driver for anyone that might need it (after also explaining to them why you are doing this). If you know you are a DD, even if it is unlikely you’ll be needed, no drinks allowed (for a true DD).

  61. Oh, I had no idea. I thought you were just hanging out with friends you’ll probably hang out with again in a few weeks. I like Julie’s attitude – tell your friends what you’re doing and why. Nobody is going to push you and you’ll have a great time. I’d love to have a margarita with you after the challenge!

  63. Great suggestions, Ladies. Such a supportive bunch. I love it.
    Does anyone plan on going to yoga Friday nite. I like Ani’s idea. Yoga will save me from myself (and the couch with a glass of wine.) I

      • I was planning to make these too this week but was also wondering if I could just substitute ground chicken. Seems like a lot of work to use whole breasts. Can’t wait to try them though!

  68. Deb- just read in the booklet about Guar Gum. Not sure if you already got your answer, but it looks like its OK. See p. 51 under Coconut Milk. I think someone also asked about Citric Acid. I think that’s OK too. See p. 51 under tomatoes (crushed.) Good luck to everyone this weekend :)

  71. Successful night out with friends and still whole30 clean!! Proud to say I stuck to my plan. And once I told my friends what whole30 was all about, it was not an issue at all. Didn’t touch the freshly made tortillas, and ordered a steak fajita salad, confidently asked for no sauces, no sour cream and oil and vinegar for the dressing. Drank my club soda and had a great time!! Now tomorrow might be a little tougher- birthday party with food catered by one of my favorite local restaurants (45 in Medway). I have a plan for that too… and I’m bringing a whole30 friendly dish (cottageflower pie- thanks Deb) so I know I have something safe to eat. Thanks to my CFS friends for suggestions and support!!!

  72. Went to dinner last night in Framingham. I had a plan going in – sticking to protein and a veggie, salad to start with a little evoo and vinegar, maybe an iced tea with lemon unsweetened. I decided on a piece of beef. In ordering i asked the waitress for them not to put anything on the steak when they cooked it. She informed me (and so did the menu in fine print) that they put MSG on all their steaks for “flavor enhancement”. Every steak I’ve ever cooked at home tasted just fine without MSG.

    This experience has been really eye opening.

  75. Ok don’t know where I’ve been I can’t believe how much blogging people are doing, this is great!! Great ideas and recipes. This is what it is all about supporting each other!! I remember when I thought I could never not have certain foods and now I couldn’t care if about them, very empowering. For me sugar is an addiction. I am never happy with one cookie or one serving of ice cream….I always want more! Now going on to week 3 the cravings is has subsided. I’m not saying I’m never going to have this stuff again but feel more aware of all this more than ever. I am going to do it for another 30 days after this is over so feel free to join me =) I am still dumbfounded by the msg on steak……does every restaurant do this???? Linda

  76. Hey.. here we are at day 15!! Congratulations everyone!! Halfway through.. I still have occasional cravings, but made it through a weekend packed with food-centered social activities totally clean!! I am still kind of a boring eater though, I haven’t ventured into too many recipes, just trying to make the right choices with basic foods that don’t take much effort. I have started getting a few headaches over the past few days, but I think it may be trees/leaves/grass allergies winding up the season. It’s so funny how your tastes and food choices change. About an hour ago, I started getting ‘hunger pangs’ (which I don’t think I can honestly say I have felt in a long time), so instead of going to the vending machine, I grabbed a pork chop out of my lunch bag. Yeah, munching on a pork chop at my desk in the middle of the day- didn’t see that coming!! I can’t say I have seen a noticable improvement in my workouts, but I’m still in the novice stage anyway. I can say I have noticed a change in my sleeping patterns- it’s easier to fall asleep and I wake up less during the night. I really didn’t expect that either. Hang in there everyone, 15 more days!!!!!

  81. Anyone else having these serious issues:
    – Skinny pants are hanging off body?
    – Workout pants jiggle down when doing double unders (or attempts)?
    – Belt has to be cinched 1-2 extra holes?
    – People commenting about how you look like you’ve lost weight?

    I think Paleo might be agreeing with me! I am sure I’m not the only one…

  82. For some reason a post I just made jumped to the top and I was curious to see if other people were missing the Recovery Drink as much as I am. Post WOD snacks are just not having the same result.

  86. My husband’s been doing this challenge with me and he happened to have his physical earlier this week. We don’t have a pre-paleo set of stats, but we do have his March 2011 stats. I was pregnant, and we were both eating for 2 :) .

    Since his March 2011 physical, he’s lost 27 pounds (we estimate 12 of that is this month). His Cholesterol went from 194 to 168. His HDL went from 28 to 32 (good chol) and LDL went from 135 to 120 (bad chol). Ratio went from 7 to 5 and his triglycerides went from 155 to 82!! I always told him he ate like crap. This is PROOF! Now he can reapply for his life insurance and have a reason to continue on.
    Now, if I could JUST get him to exercise!!!

  89. Julia – I get one every year from the Army. You only get the results if they are bad. I’ve never had any results sent… so I guess I’ll never know what my improvement is/was in those areas. I have dropped some weight and inches, so I’ll take that for now. :)

    My husband claims he doesn’t have the time. no comment.

  90. All my pants had been falling off me and even a size 6 skirt that I could never fit into for years is real loose around my waist. So went and bought a pair of jeans. Was shooting for 6, but 4 was the perfect fit. Woohoo! Never in my life have I been a 4! Maybe when I was a teen. That’s a long time ago, but holy crap what a great time to get back there right now. Thanks CFS people! I really appreciate your support, whether it’s through encouraging me as I’m the last one to finish a wod or simply through sharing, like we’ve all done here on this blog.

  91. That’s so awesome Ani! I have a doctors appointment next week, I’m looking forward to seeing bloodwork results as compared to 6 mos. ago (pre-CFS). I’m hoping to maybe even drop my blood pressure meds..

  93. Wow, delicious!! Thanks for sharing this, Cindy. I had no marinara sauce so I made some pesto, threw in halves of cherry tomatoes, and voila. Two entire julienned zucchinis gone in probably under a minute. Ha! I cooked the z. in the pan in coconut oil. This was also the least messy to make recipe. Love how few dishes there were to wash afterwards. Only thing I was missing was protein so I guess I’ll make some Devils on Horseback for later tonight. Recipe here though for the potluck last night, I simply wrapped dates in bacon, didn’t have time to stuff them with almonds and no cheese for now: http://www.theperfectlastbite.com/2011/05/devils-on-horseback.html Also, I cooked them in 400 degree oven, for 20-25 min.

  94. Oh, I meant to say that as I was eating this zucchini pasta tonight, I felt real appreciation for real food, the kind of food that is available to all of us in nature. I felt grateful to be alive, free from want, and pretty amazed at how holy food actually is. Growing up with a grandmother who prayed at every meal, I’m surprised that this never dawned on me until now.

  95. Ani – thanks for sharing the Bacon Wrapped Dates recipe. They were awesome at the pot luck definitely a favorite – look forward to making myself.

  99. Hi Everybody–Congratulations on completing the Whole30. I found it to be an awesome experience and I feel great! I hope you do too. I’m sure you have a plan (or maybe you don’t) on what you are going to do next. I just read the “Instructions for Reintroducing Foods.” (page 11 in the back of the book). I found it to be very helpful. I had my post workout shake today and it was amazing! I’m off to Philly this weekend and I know my family wants to indulge in Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches. I’m not so sure about that. I feel great and don’t want to ruin it…you know? Have a great weekend!

  100. I’m going to try to stick with paleo and possibly even whole 30. These 30 days I felt in the best shape ever.
    Enjoy the long weekend everyone!

  101. I’m also planning to stay paleo after seeing the results of the whole30 plan. I may do another whole30 in a month or so, just to remind me how to keep things under control. I’ve learned a lot from the whole30 experience, and think I can be successful with paleo as a lifetime choice. Thanks to everyone at CFS for the support and encouragement you all gave those of us participating in this challenge!

  102. I just received results from my recent lab work. Here is validation for all my efforts!! Also as a result of my bp readings lately, my doctor has cut my hypertension meds dose by half!! Thanks CFS!!
    “Your lipids were checked recently. Your total cholesterol was 196. Your HDL (good cholesterol) was 63. Your LDL (bad cholesterol) was 118. Your triglycerides were 76. These are better than last time! Your total is down 15 points and your LDL is down 8 points. The HDL or “good” cholesterol is up 10 points.Hooray!!
    Testing of your sugar was done recently. Your hemoglobin A1c was 6.0. These are better than last time. You continue to go down and are almost in the normal range (5.8). Keep up the good work!”

  104. Not sure if people are still reading this part of the blog, but Melissa P and were toying with the idea of doing another Whole30 round starting Nov 1. I know this includes Thanksgiving, but that’s one of my reasons for picking this timeframe. I don’t want to undo all the good I’ve done recently with one weekend. Maybe if we go with the point system again, we could award 2 pts if you remain whole30 clean on Thanksgiving? Anyone want to join us?
    Cindy

  107. I’m late to the party but – I agree with all the sentiments above. The Whole 30 Challenge has been the most amazing experience. I feel great – lost 10 – 11 lbs during the challenge and motivated myself towards my nutrition and fitness in a way that I’m not sure I’ve ever done before. Thanks to CFS, and especially John B. for all the encouragement and to everyone on the blog for the great ideas and support.

  108. I’m thinking about it. Although I am doing okay at maintaining Paleo after the Whole30, I am more successful when I have stringent guidelines. Thanksgiving will be tough, however, I can’t see myself gorging like I have done in the past.

  109. Hi everyone! There are a few of us who are planning to start another Whole30 on November 1. A few concessions which have been suggested: we would allow the post WOD protein shakes, and also give ourselves 2 points for remaining Whole30 clean on Thanksgiving Day. Although it’s a difficult time of year for a challenge like this, I look at it as an opportunity for me to come up with healthy alternatives to the usual holiday fare. I personally am going to have a difficult time, as I make thousands of cheese ravioli as part of a family tradition for Thanksgiving- my challenge will be to avoid eating them, or come up with something better! I know I felt so much better while doing the last challenge, at least this time I have the advantage of knowing I have made it through before. So who’s in?

  110. Cindy – I’m in. I missed the last one so I’ve been doing it for the past week or so and have really been struggling without the accountability and community of others. I was fine until the hurricane hit and I realized I was alone and ill-prepared…strategies and recipes would be appreciated!

  111. I’ve heard from quite a few people who want to participate in another whole30 which we are beginning tomorrow, 11/1. If you want me to make a board for the box, I’d be happy to.. or we can keep track of our own. Personally, the fact that I can put a 1 (or 2 for Thanksgiving Day) on the board makes me feel a bit more accountable. Let me know who is in and if you want to be included on the board. I’m going to re-read my whole30 workbook tonight so I can make sure I remember the details. A few of us discussed we would allow the SFH shakes this time. Any other comments? Good luck to everyone participating!!!! I had 2 zeros last time, due to my inability to avoid tequila and wine.. I vow not to succumb to temptation this time!

      • After tonight’s peanut butter cup overdose, I’m in.

        I’m hoping to do better this time. International travel killed me for 2 weeks during the last challenge.

        Sent from my iPod

  113. There is a board up by the office, please add your names. I had put the ones that had confirmed as of Tuesday.. if we need more room, let me know. Good luck everyone! P.S. I have an unopend bag of butterfingers, anyone want them? I want them out of my house!

  114. Made it through my first weekend…although I eat pretty paleo anyway, some things have been hard to give up – almond milk in my coffee (I don’t care what they say, coconut milk is not the same!!), a glass of wine after my Stone’s shift on Saturday, and the weekly meal out with Dre. I have to say though, I feel great. I’m kind of a boring eater anyway (for lunch I always have 1/2 avocado, 2 tomatoes cut, 1 cucumber cut, and tuna in olive oil…I’ve literally eaten this for months) so I really want to use this challenge to branch into some more exciting recipes…my nutrition will only be as good as the variety I put into my body. I work a ton so any quick recipes would be greatly appreciated (i.e., dinner in 20 mins or less)!! I especially need breakfast recipes as I normally just eat a banana in the car on the way in…which is Whole30 frowned upon. How’s everyone else doing??

  115. PS – I tend to have a problem with Larabars, so I’m trying to avoid them altogether during this challenge. Wish me luck…ginger snap is my favorite :( .

  116. NIce work Lindsay J! I had a rough start to my whole30..tequila and beer were my downfalls. I just had to celebrate the Ruckus with the free beer at the end! I have since comeback to earth and am at least thinking whole30 more. Here’s a really easy recipe I got from “livin Paleo”, not sure if there is a link earlier in this blog, or if it was an offshoot of a link. I make the marinara in a double batch and have it for a few days (i bring my lunch to work everyday) put it on spaghetti squash, zucchini ‘pasta’ and even on ‘cauliflower mashed potatoes’.. It’s also good on chicken when extra protein is needed. i bought a ‘julienne tool’ for $10 at Bed, Bath and Beyond, use it on squash zucchini, cucumbers etc

    1 TBSP olive oil
    3 zucchini, julienne peeled
    2 cloves garlic minced
    1 lb ground turkey
    1 can (25 oz) crushed tomatoes (i used diced)
    1 onion chopped
    salt and pepper
    Brown turkey and onion, add tomatoes, 1 clove garlic, salt and pepper, simmer. In a separate skillet heat olive oil over medium heat and add zucchini and 1 clove garlic, cook until zucchini is slightly softened. Top zucchini with turkey marinara.

    I also like to make the zucchini and top it with pesto (EVOO, pine nuts, basil in a food processor), or put the pesto on spaghetti squash with a side of chicken breasts.. Pretty simple and quick, with a few meals from each..

  117. Cindy, thanks so much for the recipes!! Super helpful to have some “grab and go” foods. Another strategy I’ve been using is to roast whole chickens in my Ronco, then pick off them for a few days. I can put the meat on a salad, mix it with avocado and egg in the morning, or serve it alongside some steamed kale in the evening. Plus, I save the bones for homemade stock :)

      • Great! Cash or check is fine. I’ll leave the goods a CFS and I will tape an envelope to the fridge. You can leave your money in the envelope. I will probably put in the order tomorrow or Thursday. There is a big difference in price between pork and beef. Both are sugar free. I’m waiting to hear back from Cindy on which bacon we ordered the last time.

    • Cindy, when we ordered bacon in the past was it beef or pork? Big price difference…
      Beef: $10.99 for 1lb save 10% on 8+ packages
      Pork: $16:45 for 1.5lb NO DISCOUNT

      Shipping is free with $7.50 handling fee per total order for both products. Thoughts

  121. Made almond flour pancakes this morning. So yummy. The recipe is included in the Whole 30 book but also in The Paleo Recipe book. I have included it here. .
    Almond flour pancakes
    1 cup almond flour
    1/4 cup water
    1 tsp vanilla extract- not flavoring
    pinch of ground cinnamon
    coconuut oil or ghee
    a pinch of salt
    Whisk eggs, honey and vanilla. Add almond flour and salt. Combine well. Heat a large pan. Add coconut oil or ghee to coat pan. Pour 1/8 of batter, quickly turning the pan around to spread the pancake over the whole pan. Cook until brown on the underside, about 1 minute and then flip and cook the other side for a minute. Reipe does not say this but a picture of it shows berries as a topping.

    Also some researchers say real grade b Maple Syrup would be considered Paleo. Real Maple Syrup is gluten free.
    For whole 30- probably should stick with the honey if you need a sweetener.

  128. I was wondering. Yes, I will still take the bacon if you order it. I will take 4. If you decide not to order just let me know. Thanks for being our bacon buyer.

  131. Hey Cindy and Nancy–The Bacon has arrived! I will bring it to CFS on Thursday when I go to the 9:30. There is a small box attached to the fridge. You can leave check or cash in an envelope when you pick up the goods. Pleasure doing business with you!

  133. Is anyone interested in buying sugar free bacon. I need to order in bulk…7lbs. I can save 10% by ordering 8+ packages. I’d like to get the order in by Monday. Please let me know.

    • Hi Nancy…The bacon is in! Your total cost is $57.38 (2 packages each of pork and beef bacon) including handling divided by 5 people ($1.50). Do you still want it?

    • US Wellness is temporarily out of sugar free pork bacon. I’ll let you know when they restock. Also, if you are the only person ordering beef bacon you will have to pay the full price of $11.49…no 10% discount ; (

    • Deb,
      Leaving a check for you today. Been absent minded and leaving checks at home. Today, wrote the check ahead of time and will bring it with me to 6:30 am. I will pick up my order too. Once again, thanks.

  138. My yummy lunch today: tuna salad made with paleo mayo on a bed of arugula next to my own baked kale chips. (That crunch felt a little like cheating.) Very satisfied.

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