Obliterate Your Sugar Addiction: The Whole30

Whole30 accountability, support, meal plan, and shopping list.

As you all know, or may want to learn more about here, I shared some of my goals for the year with you at the beginning of January. One of those goals is to complete The Whole30.

Like you, I am not interested in joining a diet plan, nor am I interested in becoming a Keto/Paleo/Vegan/Vegetarian. But, what I do know and will confess to you now is that

I AM ADDICTED TO SUGAR. Are you?

WHY SUGAR MATTERS

I know that sugar addiction doesn’t carry the weight and consequences that addiction to substances, gambling, or other harmful habits do. But, I also know that my sugar cravings are out of control. I rarelyy eat a meal without bread; I have never made it through the day without sugar in some form.

So, I had to be honest with myself. Even if I wasn’t gorging on cookies, Costco muffins (yum, my favorite!), or puppy chow (another one of my favorites), I was still eating cheese, milk, bread, rice, or oats. All of these foods contain or act just like sugar in your body. Yes, they are not necessarily, in and of themselves unhealthy, but if I can’t get through a day without a healthy helping of sugar, something is wrong.

Now, can you identify? Do you believe that every single meal must be rounded out with bread on the side and a cookie for dessert? Do you crash at 2:00 and go looking for the candy bowl? I know I do. It is even a joke at work that I need my sugar fix and that chocolate makes me feel better.

A SUGAR RESET

Aside from the addiction, I also know that my reliance on sugar and sugar-like substances puts me at risk for developing diabetes or other illnesses. Several in my family have already been diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes, so I know that without a change in my diet, I might be at risk too.

Now, I am looking for a reset. And, that is exactly what The Whole30 by Melissa Hartwig Urban and Dallas Hartwig propose. Not a lifestyle but a reset. Simply a few days out of your entire life that you change your eating habits to exclude sugar and dairy among other products. They say that their premise is simple: “certain food groups could be having a negative impact on your body composition, health, and quality of life.” (The Whole30)

However, what I was also looking for was accountability and support. If I do this on my own, I am sure to sneak a snack at lunch. I will certainly take an innocent bite of my kids’ dinners, or I will fudge on the amount of sugar on a label. So, you are my accountability, and my husband is my support. My updates here will hopefully be accountability and encouragement for you if you choose to do The Whole30 now or in the future.

LET’S GET TO IT:

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THE WHOLE30

Wondering what in the world this crazy scheme is? Well, I recommend the quick and easy read of the The Whole30 by Melissa Hartwig Urban and Dallas Hartwig. It sold more than 1.5 million copies, and has transformed millions of lives. It is informative and inspiring. After reading it, I was inspired to get moving on this experiment.

As you might now, the premise behind the experiment is to eat only whole, real foods for the entirety of 30 days and observe the changes in your body, emotions, metabolism, and digestion. That means, skipping the processed foods and eating more meats, veggies, and fruits instead of pastas, grains, dairy, and sugar.

Further, the book discusses how the foods that you eliminate might be affecting your body without you even realizing it. The authors surmise that you might not have a true understanding of the way different food groups make you feel. So, they propose the 30 day reset called The Whole30.

HOW DOES FOOD IMPACT YOU?

For example, in our house we notice that some foods really do effect how we feel. Specifically, have you ever noticed if you start coughing after you eat ice cream? Have you ever noticed that you are lethargic after consuming bread? Have you ever gone for a workout and found yourself sick? There could be a myriad of explanations for all sorts of symptoms, but WHAT IF IT’S OUR FOOD?!

You say, ok, I’ll agree that foods are probably having an impact on some of my body functions, but can it really be that bad? Well, I say, who knows until you try it. This is only 30 days, and you can use it as an excuse to eat steak and potatoes every night for dinner if you want. Just skip the butter and the roll.

WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO EAT?

The good news is that for every food that you are supposed to eliminate on this reset, the authors suggest a superior option to replace it.

The Whole30 says eliminate:                                   The Whole30 says eat:

Sugar (of all kinds, even artificial sweeteners)	Meat
Alcohol	Seafood
Grains	Eggs
Legumes	Vegetables
Dairy	Fruit
MSG	Natural fats (coconut oil, olive oil)
Modified baked goods (banana pancakes, for example)	Ghee
THE SCALE!	Some fruit juice

Giving up the scale for a whole 30 days? Not caring whether you gain or lose a pound? That sounds like a welcome respite!

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THIS PLAN?

Now do I have your attention? Do I have your participation? Will you do this with me? Are you ready to take the plunge! Maybe, but the whole process seems kind of difficult and like a lot of work.

Ok, so, to make such a change in my food planning, I will need a complete shift in my shopping, planning, and eating. Add on to that my children, and this experiment will be difficult and time consuming to figure out. BUT WAIT!  I DID THE PLANNING FOR YOU!

Read on to get my shopping list and meal planner!

Plus, The Whole30 acknowledges that along the way you are going to need some outside help. Remember that some restaurants offer The Whole30 approved foods (Chipotle for example). Also remember, that entire meal services will cater to this program and provide you with healthy The Whole30 approved meals directly to your door (if you prefer that method).

But you say, who will do it with me? I WILL!

FIND YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY HERE

In other words, with some help, we can all do this together. In addition to corroboration of foods, The  Whole30 challenges you to commit to the plan, find your support, and make it PUBLIC! Well…HERE I AM. ARE YOU?

Next, the authors recommend that you do a clean out of your home so that the secret stash of cookies you keep away from the kids won’t tempt you. Or, reading the labels that you believe to be healthy and realizing how many have added sugars. Can you believe the amount of sugar in milk? In ketchup?

Finally, The Whole30 says to get planning. Well, you are in luck, because I LOVE TO PLAN AND RESEARCH! So, I put together an entire shopping list and meal list here. For the basics, we are talking about meat and potato dinners, eggs for breakfast, and a combination of salads and lunch meats for lunches. However, I have gone farther than that and provided breakfasts, varied meals, and a shopping list on a budget!

To make this easier for you, I have been scouring Pinterest (follow me here) for recipes and ideas for making The Whole30 more bearable! I have found several recipes that I am planning to try and will share at least 5 with you. Stay tuned for pictures and reviews as well as my progress.

Moreover, I created an entire Whole30 Aldi shopping list that will feed 2 people (at least) each week for under $75.00. Two weeks of groceries for you and the kids for $150.00 at Aldi eating only Whole30 approved foods!

ARE YOU IN?

HERE ARE THE DETAILS:

Our house is starting The Whole30 on January 30 and will celebrate its ending on February 28. Maybe you want to choose a different time, but prepare yourself, your home, your friends, and your family accordingly.

THE FINE PRINT

BUT…DON’T FORGET the reentry phase. The authors of The Whole30 recommend that you slowly reintroduce the foods that you cut for the 30 days. If you gorge yourself on dairy and sugar the day after you complete 30 days of the program, you might find yourself very very sick. Don’t do it.

LET’S GO!!!

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MY PRINTABLE WHOLE30 ALDI SHOPPING LIST, CLICK HERE.  

(PLEASE KNOW THAT MY LIST CONTAINS ITEMS THAT ARE TO FEED MY FAMILY OF 5. You might need more or less depending on your family. But, this list will feed my family for 2 weeks for less than $150.00. Also, these are items that I found at Aldi. Because items and availability can vary from store to store, be sure to check the labels for added sugars, soy, and dairy products.)

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MY PRINTABLE WHOLE30 MEAL PLAN, CLICK HERE.

IF YOU WANT A PRINTER-FRIENDLY PRINTABLE WHOLE30 MEAL PLAN, CLICK HERE.

FIND THE RECIPES FOR MY MEAL PLAN ON MY PINTEREST BOARD HERE. FOLLOW ME WHILE YOU ARE THERE!

LASTLY, do not forget to let me know if you are following along! Let me know how The Whole30 is effecting you, how it is making you feel, and, of course, when you make it to the end. DO THIS BY SUBSCRIBING HERE!

P.S. I plan to continue my half marathon training throughout the course of this experiment and am anxious to see how the two work together!

P.P.S. If you are using this as a way to get fit for Spring Break, check out my suggestions for hiking with kids here, which is our Spring Break plan this year!