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.

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

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.

Do doctors recommend Whole30? ›

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.

Whole30 has gained a reputation as an effective program for weight loss and overall health improvement. Many individuals have reported successful weight loss outcomes while following the Whole30 guidelines.

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.

You're not consuming enough fluids

"Increasing protein or fiber intake (both could be common to Whole30 participants) means your body needs more water to help properly digest and absorb. If you haven't increased your water intake, you might be dehydrated, which can show up as hunger," said Goldberg.

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.