Whole30 Diet Plan: 50+ Whole30 Approved Recipes You'll Love (2024)

FAQs

What are the hardest days on Whole30? ›

According to The Whole30 Timeline, Days 10 and 11 are the hardest, because you've gotten past the headaches and tiredness, but you haven't started seeing the big benefits.

Whole30 is a great way to reset your eating habits and jump start your weight loss journey. While results will vary from person to person, many people report losing 10-15 pounds in the first month.

Since the Whole30 diet is more of a food challenge than a long-term change, there are some hurdles. The Whole30 diet has strict rules. The overall goal is to restrict your eating. So, if you “cheat” on a day of your challenge, they recommend you start again from day one.

All I could think of was a deep dish pepperoni pizza. Regardless, I made it through the 30 days and finished the program. During the 30-day program, I had lost a total of 12 pounds and a couple of inches around my waist. I felt better and I was sleeping much better.

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.

It's a fairly large weight loss goal and will require you to stick to a healthier lifestyle for a significant amount of time. Typically, you should aim to lose approximately one to two pounds each week. This means that in about four months or so, you'll be able to lose about 30 pounds.

Step Two: Reintroduction

The reintroduction period is perhaps the most important Whole30 stage. This is where you really learn how the foods you used to eat (and eliminated for the last 30 days) affect how you look, feel, and live.

Following the 30-day elimination, you'll enter phase two, a 10-day period (at least) of reintroduction. This is the fun part—where you get to bring back the food groups you've been missing one at a time, and compare your experience.

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.

Why do I feel so bad on Whole30? ›

In the first week or so on the Whole30 diet, your body is adjusting, physically and psychologically, which can lead to needing some major down-time. Around day six is when exhaustion and cravings typically hit their hardest, Hartwig says. That's because your body has been so reliant on using sugar, not fat, for energy.

While the competitive crowd might agree, the doctor says Whole30 is probably not a good idea. “At the end of the day, nutritional advice should be individualized," he says. "It's a very restrictive diet, and it can cause some serious problems.

No. The Whole30 diet doesn't have a carb limit, so it's not meant to put you in ketosis. However, it tends to be lower in carbohydrates than a standard American diet (SAD) since it cuts out grains, traditional baked foods, and processed items, which are major sources of carbs.

Though diet sodas and sugary beverages are off-limits on the Whole30 diet, you can drink water, herbal teas, coffee, and any other liquids that don't contain any sugar or artificial sweeteners. Fruit juice, when 100% pure, is also acceptable on occasion.

“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.

In the Whole30 book, it's explained that you don't feel good until around day 14, but the beginning is not for the faint of heart; don't think you're going to immediately feel like a million bucks because your eating is better — it takes time.

As the Whole30 book predicts, the first two weeks of the diet are painful. Days 2 and 3 are called “The Hangover” because your body experiences soreness, headaches and fogginess from sugar and carbohydrate withdrawals. And it doesn't stop after the first few days.

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.

Days 4-5: Kill ALL the things!

At this stage of your Whole30 timeline, you wake up with a clear head, recovered from your hangover. You feel good, you think. Then someone starts talking to you, and you just feel... annoyed.