Whole30℗ is a thirty-day protocol of eating real foods derived from nature. This program is designed to reset your body’s digestive system. By adhering to a real foods diet for thirty days, our body can begin to heal itself from the effects of processed and refined foods. We can see improvements in energy, digestion, and immunity if we eat natural food our body was designed to process.
The program will change your relationship with food. Instead of looking to food in times of stress or comfort, we choose to eat food for its nutritional content.
Whole30℗ involves planning, preparing, and trying foods maybe we haven’t had before. Thirty days in a relatively short period of time but the benefits of this thirty-day reset have a profound effect.
At The Foundry, we’ve partnered with Whole9 to deliver the most up-to-date and accurate information about nutrition. Several of The Foundry coaches have completed the Nutrition Trainer and the Foundations of Nutrition courses, so we are happy to discuss any questions that may come up about Whole30℗.
Here are some common FAQs about Whole30℗ as answered by the creators of the program on their website www.whole9life.com:
How is the Whole30 different from Paleo?
The Whole30 is based on a Paleo framework, but restricts some foods that might be considered “Paleo” in nature. (Of course, the exact definition of Paleo varies, based on who you ask.) The goal of the Whole30 is to eliminate all foods that may be having a negative psychological or physiological effect on how you look, feel and live. As such, some technically “Paleo” foods (like honey, or desserts made with almond flour) are ruled out for the duration of your program.
Why should I do the Whole30?
Because, as the program says, it will change your life. It will change the way you think about food, it will change your tastes, it will change your habits and your cravings. It could, quite possibly, change the emotional relationship you have with food, and with your body. It has the potential to change the way you eat for the rest of your life. We know this because we did it, and thousands of people have since done it, and it changed our lives (and their lives) in a very permanent fashion.
The Whole30 program has quietly led tens of thousands of people to improved quality of life and a healthier relationship with food – accompanied by stunning improvements in sleep, energy levels, attention span, mood and self-esteem. More significantly, many people have reported the “magical” elimination of a variety of symptoms, diseases and conditions – in just 30 days.
Will I lose weight on my Whole30?
Before we answer this question, we need you to understand that the Whole30 isn’t a weight loss diet. This is a 30 day program designed to jump start optimal health for the rest of your life. Use the program to break old patterns, build new, healthy habits and push the reset button on your metabolism and inflammatory status. And take these 30 days to give yourself a much needed, long overdue, well-deserved break from your preoccupation with body weight and focus on healthinstead.
Here’s the good news: The Whole30 will improve your overall health, and that is almost always reflected in improving body composition. But it doesn’t work the other way around. You can achieve short-term weight loss by taking some drastic steps (like a super-low calorie diet plus two hours of cardio a day)… but that weight loss neither makes you healthier, nor is it sustainable long term. So trust us, and be patient. We’ll get you there the healthy way – the right way – in a manner that you’ll be able to maintain for the rest of your life.
Finally, some reassurance: In an ongoing poll of over 1,400 Whole30 participants, more than 96% of them lost weight during their first Whole30 without even thinking about weight loss. Be patient. Your (weight loss) time will come.
What happens when my Whole30 is over?
It’s not the Whole365, and at some point (whether that’s 30 days, 45, 60 or however long you choose), your Whole30 will come to an end. We’ve got a great post detailing what to expect duringlife after your Whole30, with lots of helpful resources to keep you on track in a sustainable fashion.
Usually, folks feel so good after their Whole30 they can’t imagine going back to their old habits! But eventually, less healthy foods creep back in, and you’ll probably realize that you’re not feeling as good as you could be. Not to worry – the Whole30 will always be there to help! If you find your old habits are creeping back in too much for your liking, jump back on the Whole30 for a week, a month or longer, until your cravings, tastes, energy levels and symptoms are back on track. Then, use what you’ve learned during that experience to continue your new habits in a healthy, sustainable way. The best part? Your new habits are easier to retain with practice.
Am I supposed to count calories? How will I know if I’m eating enough?
We don’t think weighing, measuring or tracking your intake facilitates a healthy, sustainable relationship with food. In addition, folks often override the signals their body is sending them (eat more!) because they get so stuck in the numbers (calories, blocks, grams or points). When you’re eating Good Food, you don’t have to track your intake. The nutrients in the foods we recommend, coupled with the healthy hormonal responses these foods promote, send accurate satiety signals to your brain to tell you when you’re hungry, and when you’ve eaten enough.
Your body knows how much you should be eating better than any calculator you pulled off the internet – and when you’ve been eating Good Food for a while, you can trust the signals your body is sending you. If you’re brand new to Paleo, use the meal planning template in the Whole30 Success Guide help you figure out portion sizes and meal frequency. After a few weeks, you can let your energy levels, hunger, mood and performance in the gym or in your sport help you decide whether you need to eat more.
So what are you waiting for? Change your life in thirty days by participating in Whole30℗.
You can find more information by asking a coach for a Foundry nutrition guide or by seeking out the following resources:
http://whole9life.com/category/whole-30/
It Starts With Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig
*Whole30℗ is developed by Whole9. The Foundry Printer’s Row CrossFit is a Whole9 partner.