Health

I’m borrowing this, but so you know what I’m talking about, you can click through the above image to The Whole 30’s website.

I’ve gotten a lot of advice in the last week as to whether to go Paleo or The Whole 30. The goal is to find a healthier way to eat. And I don’t want to rule out anything. so this is a trial period, testing my body to see what works for me instead of hating myself every time I eat too much.

So I’m 99 percent sure that Andy and I are going to take on The Whole 30 for November. Yes, I might give in for Thanksgiving, don’t hate me, I’ll just take another day out of December or something. But that’s the plan. I might tackle Paleo after, but to me, they are super similar.

I’ve already attempted a few Paleo/The Whole 30 lunches, but I have to tell you, I can already tell this is going to be hard. There’s going to be a lot of prepping (on my part) for meals, especially lunches. And I probably should start making a meal plan for the first week so I’m not caught off guard the first time I forget to bring my lunch to work with me.

The rules we must obide by for The Whole 30 are:

1. No Sugar

That means no sweeteners, whether artifcial or real. That’s no maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, white sugar, brown sugar, Splenda, Equal, Sweet N Low, etc. None of it.

Which for me, will actually be pretty easy. For Andy, who has a sweet tooth the size of California, there’s going to be some hesitation I can tell.

2. No Alcohol

That’s no drinking or cooking with wine, beer, liquor, or even coridals.

Easy for Andy, not so easy for me. I enjoy a nice glass of wine from time to time, and I do, in fact, like to cook with wine a lot. So, this one will be hard for me.

3. No Grains

That’s no wheat, rye, oats, corn, RICE, pasta, barley, bulgar, sprouted grains, or even quinoa.

I think I just panicked. Almost every meal I make is centered around a grain like pasta or rice. So this one is extremely hard for me to comprehend. I know even with Paleo, I’d have to say “bye-bye” to my carbs. I even use tortillas for most of my meals and lunches, so yikes!

4. No Legumes

No beans (black, pinto, navy, white, kidney, lima, fava, etc.). No peas, chickpeas (no hummus), lentils, or peanuts, including peanut butter.

Another yikes. Not so much for Andy, but for me, I’m going to have my panic moment right now. I love beans and peas. I eat snap peas like it’s my job as a healthy snack. And black beans and me go way back, they’re even in my alternative to eating meat when I went vegetarian for a month. Black bean burgers, yum!

5. No Dairy

No cow, goat, or sheeps milk. No cream, cheese, yogurt, or sour cream. The only execption is clarified butter or ghee. Whatever that is. I’ll have to do some digging.

The only hard part of this one is the cheese. I don’t normally drink milk and I’m not a fan of sour cream. Butter isn’t even something I use, I use margarine, so I think I’m ok there. That’s ok, right? Margarine??

6. No Carrageenan, MSG, or Sulfites

I don’t even think I eat these now.

7. Do Not Try To Recreate Baked Goods or Treats with Approved Foods

Well, I mean, what’s the fun in that? I get it, I’m missing the point if I make Whole 30 Pop-Tarts, “cake,” or nibbles. But is that really going to ruin this for me?

Anyway, those are the rules. I have to fine tune it all, but it appears I’m going to be reevaluating my recipes and dishes for the next month. And I’m happy to take any suggestions, since I’m panicking just a bit.