It Starts With Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways (33 page)

Now at some point, we’re betting that even with careful analysis of the “worth it” factor and the deliberate manner in which you enjoy and savor your treats, your overall diet will eventually start to slide from more healthy to less healthy. You may be a few weeks into the process of daily treats, overconsumption, and automatic eating before you even realize that you’re spending more time in less-healthy territory than you mean to. Maybe you notice that you’ve gained a few pounds, you’re not waking up as easily, or your energy levels aren’t as consistently high. Maybe you’re experiencing allergies, asthma, migraines, acne, aches and pains, or other symptoms of conditions that you
thought
you’d gotten rid of.

And at this point, you’re likely to be discouraged. After all, you’ve been here before, haven’t you, every time you’ve tried a new diet? You do well for a while, lose some weight, feel better. But then, usually sooner rather than later, you’re back to your old habits and patterns, and it’s as if nothing changed. But in this case, we want you to remember one very important fact:

You are no longer on a diet. In fact, you will never have to “diet” again! You have used the Whole30 to change your habits, gain awareness, and establish a new, healthy relationship with food. This is your
lifestyle
now—and though things might not be as good as they could be at this very moment, please do not panic.

Because this time, you’ve got all the tools you need to get yourself right back on track.

All you have to do to regain that awareness, reset those good habits, and remind yourself how amazing clean eating makes you look, feel, and live is to jump right back on the Whole30. And while you can if you want to, you don’t always have to do the program in full! There’s no reason that you can’t follow Whole30 rules for a weekend, a week, two weeks … just long enough for your body and your brain to remember how good you feel, how delicious healthy food tastes, and how much you enjoy this way of eating. Once you’re back on solid ground, kick off your training wheels and head right back out into the real world, with your newly reinforced knowledge, habits, and awareness keeping you as safe as a bike helmet.

See? Easy!

In addition, one of the best parts of our program is that each of your Whole30s builds on the last one. This means that as you stay connected with our program, your periods of slipping back into bad habits will grow shorter and less frequent, and your clean-eating adventures will grow longer in duration (and easier). And of course, should some special occasion, vacation, or stressful event knock you right off your bike, the Whole30 will always be there to help you get right back on.

Seeking (and obtaining) support from family and friends is another important part of your good-health transformation. Some may offer support unconditionally, others may start paying attention once they notice the changes in your appearance, mood, attitude, and health. But we feel it’s fair to warn you—despite the fact that you’re taking healthy, sustainable steps to improve your quality of life, you may encounter negative reactions, too.

“All that fat can’t be good for you.”

“It’s just another fad diet.”

“It’s so restrictive—you can’t eat anything!”

We’re sorry, but you’ll probably hear all this and more, regardless of the life-changing results you achieve through the program and your hard work.

It can be tough enough to stick to your guns, let alone have to defend yourself against the onslaught of negativity-doubt-criticism from family, friends, and coworkers.
So here are some of our best tips for dealing with the naysayers in a way that won’t get you divorced, defriended, or fired.

This one is first for a reason, and it’s your most powerful ally.
Your Whole30 results will speak for themselves.
And in the months to follow, when your energy is high, your skin is glowing, your aches and pains are gone, and you’ve shed some fat or built some muscle, people will notice, and they will ask you what you’ve been doing. It’s hard to doubt the method when the proof of its value is staring them in the face, so let your experience shine through, and answer questions if asked—but don’t waste your breath proselytizing. Just be a living example of what the Whole30 could do for them.

You can make people feel bad about their food choices
just
by rolling up to the table. The way you eat may remind people that they aren’t eating the way they should, or might want to. So they’ll be on the defensive the minute the waiter sets your salmon and veggies down next to their macaroni and cheese or BLT with fries.

But beware—now is
not
the time to point out the dangers of grains, or comment on the correlations between diet soda and obesity. Keep your lunch to yourself, and encourage others to do the same by ignoring snide remarks or attacks on your “weird diet.” If someone is truly interested, have the conversation away from the crowd (and the food), when you can speak privately and not be interrupted by the criticism of others.

You know you’ll have to deal with questions, comments, and challenges from time to time, so you’d better be prepared. If we asked you right now, “Why aren’t you eating grains?” how many of you would have an answer on the tips of your tongues? Your answer could range from the fact that grain proteins are potentially inflammatory to the fact that when you gave up bread your stomach lost its bloat—anything from scientific data to personal experience. The point is, you’d
better
have an answer, and it can’t just be, “Because Dallas and Melissa said so.” (Although we do like that answer.)

So, do your homework. Be able to explain why you don’t eat certain foods. Memorize our Web address. Prepare some remarks based on your own experience. Just don’t show up empty-handed, because if you do, you’ll lose any chance you may have had to get the other party to buy in. And if that other party is your mom, who shops for all the family’s food; your husband, who cooks all the food; or your roommate, who pays for half the food, you really can’t afford to lose that chance.

On that note, however …

We’re not saying you shouldn’t research and cite the conclusions of scientific studies. What we
are
saying, however, is that for every science-y article you find that talks about, say, how dairy can create hormonal disruption … there are a hundred
just
as science-y articles that will say the exact opposite.

Our recommendation? Unless you’re totally up to speed with scientific references and able to smartly refute the opposing side on the fly, don’t let the scientific research be the only leg you choose to stand on. Lead by example, the first line of defense, and cite
real
people who have had
real
results. Which brings us to our final point …

You may very well find yourself stuck in a battle that you just can’t win. It’s a family dinner, and you’re being hammered with questions, skepticism, and outright criticism. So take a deep breath, smile, and simply fall back. In the end, the only person’s health and wellness you are responsible for is
yours
. And while it may pain you to witness the unhealthy behaviors of your friends and family, they are, ultimately, responsible for their own lives, and their own choices.

So rather than spark a bitter feud and ruin a family gathering, swallow your ego and your frustration and simply say, “Well, this is actually working really well for me right now, but I do appreciate your thoughts. Now let’s get back to enjoying this delicious meal!” Sometimes, that’s all you can do … and that’s OK. Refer back to our first point: If people are open to change,
they
will eventually come to
you
, and you’ll get the opportunity to help them change their lives too.

Finally, there are some “special populations” that could benefit from the program by modifying our general recommendations to accommodate their medical conditions, lifestyle, or nutritional needs. Let’s talk about those now.

“I was diagnosed with my first autoimmune disease at 19—autoimmune hepatitis
.
Then seven years later, I was diagnosed with lupus. I had a rash on the face, mouth sores, fatigue, hair falling out, swollen, painful joints, shortness of breath. Then, my kidneys started to fail, and I was diagnosed with lupus-induced swelling of the brain. I started chemo treatments, reached remission, then came out of remission in 2010. Nothing worked—I was heading toward dialysis and more chemo.
During all of these years, I gained weight from the steroids, and my legs were was so full of water my skin would crack. This is when my cousin told me about the Whole30, and how it helped her arthritis. In the first week, my pulse fell from 98 to 78. It only took the Whole30
seven
days to get the water out of my legs! I could see and feel the inflammation leaving my body. My BP is now 120/80, and my blood sugar is more regular. I feel great, I have energy to make it through the day and then some, and most importantly, I’m pain-free
.
Your program has changed my life—if not saved it.”

—Heather B., Stevens Point, Wisconsin

While we believe that our dietary recommendations, and our Whole30 program, would benefit everyone, there is no one-size-fits-all nutritional plan. There are those with specific medical conditions, lifestyles, or activity levels who may require the modification of our general guidelines to achieve optimal results.

If you fall into one of these categories, feel free to make the adjustments that we’re going to recommend during your Whole30 program and beyond.
^*

This program is
ideal
for managing blood sugar and insulin levels, and for preventing (and even reversing!) type 2 diabetes. We have seen firsthand the effects of our Whole30 program and healthy-eating guidelines on those with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and the
scientific literature
also supports our protocol.

However, diabetics must work very closely with their doctors to ensure that the powerful effects of these dietary changes are monitored and medications are properly adjusted. We have seen dramatic results in as little as one week, with one client being able to cut his oral medication in
half
. Radical improvements, in just seven days—which means that you’ll need to speak with your doctor
before
making changes in your diet, so that together you can decide how to monitor and adjust your medications.

In addition, those with type 1 diabetes will need to make changes far more gradually than the Whole30 program calls for. Start with
small
modifications to meals, gradually substituting your “less healthy” foods for high-quality meats, vegetables, fruits, and fats. Working with your doctor, adjust your insulin dose and/or oral medication as necessary to accommodate these new foods, until you’ve successfully replaced all the less-healthy foods on your plate with more-healthy choices.

Our protocol is ideal for normalizing an overactive immune system, reducing systemic inflammation, and minimizing (or eliminating) symptoms related to an autoimmune disease. There are some additional caveats with respect to our autoimmune guidelines, however, as certain foods that are generally “safe” for many people may provoke inflammation in those with an autoimmune disease. Since your margin of error is that much smaller, you may want to consider removing these additional items from your daily diet.

• Eggs (whole eggs and egg whites):
  Egg whites contain proteins that can adversely stimulate the immune system—a contributing factor in autoimmune diseases. We recommend that those suffering from autoimmune diseases avoid eggs for at least ninety days, to evaluate sensitivity.
  
• Nightshades:
  Nightshades are a group of plants that contain compounds that promote gut irritability, inflammation, and joint pain or and stiffness in sensitive individuals. Nightshades include white potatoes, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, tamarios, pepinos, and spices like cayenne, chili powder, curry powder, paprika, pepper sauce, pimento, and crushed red pepper flakes. We recommend avoiding nightshades for at least ninety days, to evaluate sensitivity.
  
• Dairy (including heavy cream, clarified butter, and ghee):
  Milk solids (proteins), even the trace amounts found in ghee, can be problematic if you have an autoimmune disease. For this reason, you should avoid all dairy products during your Whole30, and potentially indefinitely.
  
• Nuts and Seeds:
  Nuts and seeds contain compounds that may be inflammatory in those with an autoimmune condition. Consider other sources of dietary fat per our recommendations.
  
• NSAIDs:
  Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and Celebrex disrupt the lining of the gut, leading to intestinal permeability, a contributing factor in autoimmune disease. For pain relief, Tylenol (which is not an NSAID) is a better choice—or ask your doctor about other pain-control strategies.