Thinking about starting the WHOLE30 program or already started and needing some quick tips and tricks?  Look no further, you've come to the right spot!

 

Choosing to do the WHOLE30 program meant MANY lifestyle changes for my husband and me.  Along the way, we've found a few products, life savers, and keys to success that have made our journey much easier and more manageable.  Below is a list of our Top 10 Survival Tips that we've compiled during our journey.

 

I will also be adding a future post on WHOLE30 EASY & CREATIVE SNACK IDEAS as well as a post on WHOLE30 FAV GAME-CHANGERS & MUST-HAVES, including products and tips and tricks that have helped us along the way.  Stay tuned!

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Don't forget to follow our WHOLE30 CHALLENGE which includes daily anecdotes, recipes, lessons learned, and the occasional comic relief.

 

Enjoy our Top 10 Survival Tips (below) to help you along your WHOLE30 journey and as you adopt, embrace and/or continue to live out healthy lifestyle changes! 

 

 

WHOLE30 TOP 10 SURVIVAL TIPS: 

1. GO TO THE GROCERY STORE PREPARED.  Make a list ahead of time along with the printable WHOLE30 Grocery List and check the labels of any and all food you buy. Manufacturers  have a way of sneaking sugar into so many products, so bring that magnifying glass if you have to.  Also, do not go shopping on an empty stomach, or you will buy half the store.  Ask me how I know...  

2. FOOD PREP, FOOD PREP, FOOD PREP.  I can't stress this enough as it makes preparing and cooking meals so much easier and more enjoyable.  After you buy your fresh veggies and fruit, go ahead and dice and slice what you will need for the week.  Cook some ground bison and beef along with some chicken to have on hand.

3. HAVE AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER.  Aka spouse, best friend, mom, anyone that will hold you accountable.  Find someone to check in with every night to make sure you are staying on track. If you can find someone to do the program with you, even better! Then you can share recipes, ideas, and WHOLE30 struggles and successes together!

4. HAVE SNACKS READILY AVAILABLE.  You never know when you need that extra energy surge, have an overcoming sugar craving, or start feeling light-headed.  I've listed some of my favorite Go-To Snacks that I'll keep nearby as well as have some back-ups in the car and at work.  See the WHOLE30 EASY & CREATIVE SNACK IDEAS post (which I will be adding in the next few days. Stay tuned!)

5. VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE.  Have a few go-to recipes that you can pull out of your hat quickly, but also try to add as much variety as possible to your meal time to avoid boredom and dreaded repetition.  Chicken and salad every day will make you want to end this quickly.  Be creative, think outside of the box (but within the Whole30 box), have fun.

6. PLAN AHEAD. Plan ahead to make and pack your lunch for work.  If you will be traveling or going out to restaurants while on WHOLE30, plan ahead! Look over the menu online, make some phone calls to the kitchen manager if you have to, and plan ahead what you will eat. See our "On the Road with WHOLE30" guide for traveling tips and ideas while on WHOLE30.

7. BE PATIENT WITH YOURSELF (AND SPOUSE).  Your body will need to adjust so give yourself some time and extra patience.  Your taste buds will adapt and you will eventually find that your sweet tooth can be pacified with a variety of fruits.

8. GO TO BED AT A DECENT TIME.  (Yes, this is something I'm continually working on.)  Not only will getting into a healthy sleep hygiene pattern help your overall health, but it will help with those late-night cravings.  Getting the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep will also help with impulse control along with improving your energy levels and mood.

9. KEEP THE END IN MIND.  This is so much more than just a number on the scale, this is a lifestyle change and way to reset the way you think about food and what you are putting into your body.  Look up the harmful effects of sugar on the body, do some research so it becomes valid and personal to you.  Look up the positive outcomes of the program.  Check out this amazing list for the MANY potential Benefits and Non-Scale Victories from WHOLE30, as found on the WHOLE30 website. Write out some of the goals you'd like to achieve and look at this list daily, especially during times of cravings.

10. REWARD YOURSELF ALONG THE WAY.  This does not mean the usual Cookout milkshakes, which I've become accustomed to.  Come up with creative ways to reward yourself, whether it's a weekend getaway, massage, bubble bath with essential oils, new dress or shoes, spa day, another case of La Croix sparkling water, mani/pedi, or a night out on the town sipping that sparkling water on the rocks, like it's going out of style. Find something meaningful and stick to it! 

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BONUS TIPS:

(Because we all need a few unexpected surprises in life) :)

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11. INCORPORATE HEALTHY FATS INTO YOUR MEALS.  Make sure to incorporate healthy fats into your body, whether it's through avocados, salmon, nuts, and cooking with olive oil and avocado oil.  Research shows that healthy fats also help in impulse control and decreasing sugar cravings.

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12. MAKE & BRING YOUR OWN SALAD DRESSING.  Make your own salad dressing ahead of time to keep in the fridge.  Also keep a few small to-go containers so that you can take the salad dressing with you while still being somewhat inconspicuous if you're eating at a restaurant.  See one of my favorites salad dressing recipes on the page, "My Whole 30 Challenge Diary: Day 3"  as it's quick, easy and delicious!  (It's located on "Day 3" of the challenge.)

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13. BUY SOME FRANK'S RED HOT SAUCE.  That s****'s good on everything (see commercial below). If you need to kill some time, search the rest of these videos on YouTube and let the videos speak for themselves.

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THE WONDERS OF FRANK'S RED HOT SAUCE... (you're welcome)

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WHOLE30 GAME CHANGERS & MUST HAVE's:

After our Whole30 Challenge victory, we came up with a few of our favorite Must-Have's and Game-Changers that helped us on our journey. Check out our list and see what works best for you!

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READ BEFORE YOU EMBARK ON YOUR WHOLE30 JOURNEY:

• Read these tips as well as our "Whole30 Top 10 Survival Tips"  

• Look at this journey as a fun new adventure with an opportunity to adopt a healthy lifestyle as well as master some new skills in the kitchen. Check out our Whole30 Recipes, and have fun in the kitchen trying out new healthy recipe ideas and discovering new favorites. 

• Read our daily Whole30 Challenge to give you some ideas, encouragement, and the occasional comic relief!

• Eliminate food triggers or temptations from the house as much as possible before you start, to keep you going strong! 

• Check out some of our favorite Whole30 Tools & Gadgets as well as our favorite Whole30 Food Finds.

• Drink plenty of water! Stay hydrated. Add lemon or slice of fruit to your water to help make this easier.

• Plan ahead for the week. Get recipe ideas together and make a grocery list to set yourself up for success when the busy week starts! 

• Don't go to the grocery store hungry! We all know this tip, but staying true to this will help you avoid those unexpected pesky sugar and processed-food cravings!

• Have Whole30 frequently used ingredients like Whole30 approved spices, coconut oil, olive oil, ghee, mayo, and anything else you might need on hand so you don't have to make a last-minute trip to the store.

• Food prep!! I can't stress this enough. Plan ahead and prep what you can ahead of time, which will save time and energy later!

• Make extra everything, you’ll be thankful later when you’ve had a long day and don’t feel like cooking.

• Use your cheese drawer in the ridge for extra produce or for meat since you won't be consuming dairy for the month!

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KITCHEN TOOLS & GADGETS (Which made our Whole30 life easier):

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• meat thermometer

• garlic press

• hard-boiled egg cooker

• pineapple corer/slicer

• apple slicer

• sharp cutting knife

• cast-iron pan

• food processor

• strawberry huller

• juicer (a small handheld one works just fine)

• fire extinguisher... (you never know when a kitchen creation can take a turn for the worse)

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RANDOM FOOD TIPS:

• Check out this Veggie Hack link for great tips on cooking vegetables: https://whole30.com/2015/07/veggie-hacks/

• Oranges:  Roll an orange on the table to help it peel easier.

• Garlic:  Shake the garlic in a pan with a lid to break off the outer peeling without making your hands smell garlicky.)

• Eggs:  If you mix up your cooked and uncooked eggs, spin an egg on the counter to find out which are cooked and which are hard-boiled. The eggs that spin quickly are hard-boiled and the ones that wobble are uncooked.

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FAVORITE WHOLE30 FOOD FINDS:

• La Croix with twist of lime/lemon

• Water with a slice of fruit (This was a game-changer for me as I've always struggled to drink water. It's amazing what a little splash of fruit can do!)

• Spice Blend (We found these spices at WholeFoods and used them almost every day! They are versatile and make everything taste delicious!)

• Frank's Hot Sauce: As mentioned above, this was a life saver too. We used this on our eggs, chicken, potatoes, just about anything that needed a little kick and something extra!

• Lara Bars: See the list below for the Whole30 approved list, compliments of https://lifehealthhq.com/whole30-larabar/

• Check out the picture below for some of these items:

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$ TIPS:

• Save money by shopping in bulk at SAM's or Costco for the items you eat frequently. Some of our favorites were organic beef, bison, chicken, fruits, veggies, avocados, bananas, almond butter, Frank's Red Hot Sauce, Aidell's chicken sausages, coconut oil, olive oil, and La Croix.

 

• Have a balance with the types and cuts of meat you buy. When you buy lesser expensive cuts of meat, use your crockpot to make a stew or quick meal with meat, veggies, seasonings, Whole30 broth or can of diced tomatoes, etc. As it cooks for a few hours in the crockpot, the flavors will bend nicely and the meat will become more tender without spending as much on nicer cuts of meat. 

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• ​Check out the local ads to see what's on sale, and make the most of the deals by planning your week's menu accordingly.

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WHOLE30 EASY & CREATIVE SNACK IDEAS:

COMING SOON!!

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ON THE ROAD WITH WHOLE30:

COMING SOON!!

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