Whole30 Quotes

The food you eat either makes you more healthy or less healthy. Those are your options.

You cannot “out-exercise” poor food choices and the resulting hormonal disruption.

It is not hard. Don’t you dare tell us this is hard. Quitting heroin is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard.

Genetics loads the gun, but environment pulls the trigger.

There is no food neutral; there is no food Switzerland—every single thing you put in your mouth is either making you more healthy or less healthy.

You cannot “out-exercise” poor food choices ad the resulting hormonal disruption.

Stress affects the activation of reward pathways and impairs your attempts to control your eating habits. Did you catch that? Stress makes it even harder for us to resist our cravings.

Despite what you may believe, habit research shows that dramatic changes are actually easier for us to manage, both physically and psychologically.

If we were hunting and foraging our food in nature,

We believe you should consume only foods (and drinks) that support normal, healthy digestive function; eating anything that impairs the integrity of your gut impairs the integrity of your health.

Being chronically underslept, constantly over-exercising, or experiencing chronic psychological stress—a hallmark of modern life—can all trigger unhealthy levels of cortisol in the body. But so can prolonged periods of not eating (extended fasting), or eating too little (excessive calorie restriction).

The calcium in vegetable sources may prove more bioavailable (useful to the body) than the stuff you get from milk. One study compared the absorption of calcium from kale and from milk and found kale the clear winner. (Yeah, kale!) Recent studies have shown that plant-sourced calcium in particular increases bone-mineral density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. This is probably not just due to the calcium content of the plant—the complement of other vitamins (such as vitamin K), minerals, and phytonutrients work synergistically to provide additional benefits to bones. Yet another reason to eat your greens.

As a rule, we think the foods that are good for your body should also not mess with your mind.

what is at the root of lifestyle-related diseases and conditions like heart disease and stroke? Take one guess. Systemic inflammation.

There is not a single health-promoting substance present in grains that you can’t also get from vegetables and fruit.

simply reducing your calories isn’t likely to change or alleviate your food cravings, even if you do lose weight.

But one thing is certain—in the case of nutrition and health, the science can be confusing and can lead to “paralysis by analysis” (a state in which you take no action because you’re not sure what to do).

physical coordination are better. And you’ll probably notice

Bread

Good Sources of Monounsaturated Fats   Avocado     Macadamia nuts     Avocado Oil     Olive Oil     Hazelnuts     Olives  

folks. Chronic systemic inflammation plays a key role in more than just age-related diseases. Inflammation contributes to a long list of conditions that you may be dealing with right now. Like asthma, allergies, acne, eczema and other skin conditions, depression, ADHD, and mood swings. Do we have your attention now? EXERCISE AND RECOVERY Chronic systemic inflammation affects your physical fitness, whether you play a sport, are

Your only job? Eat. Good. Food. The only way this will work is if you give it the full 30 days: no cheats, slips, or “special occasions.” You need such a small amount of any of these inflammatory foods to break the healing cycle—one bite of pizza, one splash of milk in your coffee, one lick of the spoon mixing the batter within the 30-day period and you’ve broken your health and healing “reset,” and have to start over again on Day 1.* You must commit to the full program, exactly as written, for the full 30 days. Anything less and we make no claims as to your results, or the chances of your success. Anything less and you are selling yourself—and your potential results—short. It’s only 30 days.

Eating before bed not only messes with leptin levels, but it can impede growth hormone release, which is critical for tissue regeneration and growth and repair of many cells in the body. And if that snack is sugary or rich in refined carbs, it also pushes insulin levels up, which may lead to a blood sugar crash in the middle of the night. This affects melatonin secretion, which governs our sleep patterns, and means you could

when the liver and muscle glycogen stores are full. In the case of full glycogen stores, the liver then turns the glucose into fat—specifically, a form of saturated fat called palmitic acid (!)—which could be used for energy but is more likely (because you’re a sugar-burner and not fat-adapted) to promote elevated triglycerides, leptin resistance, and insulin resistance and to be added to your fat stores.

Belly fat is especially active in this process, contributing to inflammation more than fat stores in other areas (like your buttocks or thighs).

Calories     kcal     2,318     2,901     (20%)     Protein     g     146     115  

Protein     g     146  

The food you eat either makes you more healthy or less healthy. Those are your options.

The Whole30 rules and meal recommendations also target a sluggish metabolism, helping you restore a healthy hormonal balance, effectively regulate blood sugar, and become “fat adapted” (able to use dietary and body fat as fuel). Over time, the overconsumption of foods with no brakes conditions your body to rely on sugar for energy, leaving you unable to burn the fat stored on your body, and requiring you to eat every few hours to maintain energy, focus, and a pleasant demeanor.

the National Institutes of Health estimates that soybeans, usually in the form of oil, now account for an astonishing 10 percent of total calories in the United States. Ten percent of total calories is a lot. These seed oils are ubiquitous because they’re cheap—but they are not healthy.

Artificial sweeteners may be even more problematic because they are designed to deliver a sweetness hit that is far beyond what you could ever find in nature. Aspartame (Equal) and stevia are 200 to 300 times sweeter than table sugar. Sucralose (Splenda) is 600 times sweeter than table sugar. Saccharin (Sweet’N Low) is up to 700 times sweeter than table sugar.

basic mayonnaise Makes 1½ cups Prep Time: 10 minutes 1¼ cups light olive oil 1 large egg ½ teaspoon mustard powder ½ teaspoon salt Juice of ½ lemon You can change up our Basic Mayonnaise any number of ways to create a variety of different flavors. For inspiration, see Mayonnaise Variations. Place ¼ cup of the olive oil, the egg, mustard powder, and salt in a blender, food processor, or mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly. While the food processor or blender is running (or while mixing in a bowl with an immersion blender), slowly drizzle in the remaining 1 cup olive oil. After you’ve added all the oil and the mixture has emulsified, add the lemon juice, blending on low or stirring to incorporate.

1 cup Basic Mayonnaise ¼ cup coconut cream 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon onion powder ½ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon paprika This thick and creamy, kid-approved ranch is great for basting chicken, fish, or pork; makes a great dipping sauce for raw vegetables; and is perfect on a fresh green salad. Whisk together the mayo, coconut cream, and vinegar in a small bowl. Add the parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and paprika and stir until thoroughly combined. This dressing will keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. ✪Super Snack Prep our Buffalo Sauce, whip up our hot wings, cut up some carrot sticks and celery, and serve with the Ranch Dressing, and you’ve got yourself the perfect sports-watching, New Year–celebrating, or housewarming appetizer.

herb citrus vinaigrette 1½ tablespoons orange juice 1½ tablespoons lemon juice 1½ tablespoons lime juice 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons mustard powder ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper This dressing is great on our Stir-Fry Chicken, and also makes the perfect marinade or topping for fish, shrimp, or scallops, or a fresh green salad. Whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, and mustard powder in a small mixing bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking steadily to emulsify. Add the thyme, cilantro, parsley, salt, and pepper and whisk until blended.

italian vinaigrette ¼ cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried) 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon mustard powder ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper This is a great marinade for chicken or shrimp, or it can be used instead of the lemon oil in our Green Cabbage Slaw. Mix together the vinegar, oregano, garlic, and mustard powder in a small bowl. Add the olive oil in a steady stream while whisking to emulsify. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and whisk until fully incorporated. raspberry walnut vinaigrette ½ cup fresh raspberries, finely chopped or smashed ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts 1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro (or ¼ teaspoon dried) ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt and black pepper This dressing is used in our Harvest Grilled Chicken Salad, but it’s also delicious on a summer salad of baby spinach, chopped berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries), and diced cucumbers, or mix it into any variation of a Protein Salad. You can also swap out the raspberries for a different berry in this recipe, or use crushed pomegranate seeds in the winter. Mix together the raspberries, vinegar, walnuts, and cilantro in a small bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking steadily to emulsify. Adjust to taste with salt and pepper and whisk until fully blended.

balsamic vinaigrette ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons mustard powder ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro (or ¼ teaspoon dried) Salt and black pepper This dressing is used in our Walnut-Crusted Pork Tenderloin, and also makes a great topping for grilled vegetables, white fish, and salads. We also like to make a creamy variation (sub in Basic Mayonnaise, for the olive oil) and use it as a dip for a raw vegetable tray, drizzle it over Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash, or mix it into a Protein Salad. Mix together the vinegar, garlic, and mustard powder in a small bowl. Add the olive oil in a steady stream while whisking to emulsify. Add the cilantro, adjust to taste with salt and pepper, and whisk until fully incorporated. asian vinaigrette ¼ cup rice vinegar 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 clove garlic, minced ½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil Red pepper flakes Salt and black pepper This makes a great alternative dressing for our Cold Thai Salad. A creamy variation (use Basic Mayonnaise, instead of olive oil) can be mixed into Cauliflower Rice or spooned over Perfect Oven-Baked Salmon. Mix together the rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl. Add the olive oil in a steady stream while whisking to emulsify. Adjust the seasoning with a pinch of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and whisk until fully incorporated. latin vinaigrette 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced Juice of 5 limes ¾ cups extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper This is a delicious marinade for a Perfect Grilled Steak, Perfect Seared Chicken Breast, or Perfect Grilled Shrimp. Whisk together the garlic, jalapeño, and lime juice in a small mixing bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking steadily to emulsify. Add the cilantro, parsley, salt, and pepper and whisk until blended.

coconut-curry chicken Serves 2 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes 3 tablespoons cooking fat ½ onion, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes ½ cup coconut cream 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 1½ pounds bone-in, skin-on, split chicken breasts (2 pieces) 1 lime, quartered Don’t pour all the curry sauce over the chicken; once the mixture has come into contact with the raw meat, you have to throw it out. Instead, place your chicken in a shallow bowl, and pour a little of the sauce over the chicken. Brush or rub it evenly over the meat, then flip and repeat on the other side. Save the extra sauce to drizzle over the top of this dish before serving, or use it to top tomorrow night’s chicken, shrimp, or vegetables. To make the curry sauce, melt the cooking fat in a saucepan over medium heat and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. When the fat is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until it becomes aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the curry powder and stir for 15 to 20 seconds, taking care that the garlic and curry powder don’t burn. Add the tomatoes and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the contents of the pan to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a mixing bowl and let cool. Mix in the coconut cream, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken in a shallow bowl. Pour some of the sauce over the chicken and brush it on each side. Preheat a grill to high heat (500°F). Remove the chicken from the curry sauce and discard the extra sauce. Add the chicken, breast-side down, to the grill and sear until golden brown, about 2 minutes. (When the meat is properly seared it will pull off the grates very easily, so don’t rush this step.) Turn the chicken over so the bone side is down and place over indirect heat. Cover with the grill lid and continue to cook until the internal temperature of the chicken is 160°F, or the breast meat springs back when pressed with a finger. This will take 10 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Serve with a squeeze of lime juice and the reserved curry sauce. Make It a Meal: This recipe goes great with Cauliflower Rice and Sautéed Kale with Almonds, or grilled peppers, onions, and pineapple (see Perfect Grilled Vegetables). ✪Baked Coconut-Curry chicken If you don’t have a grill, you can bake the chicken in the oven. Turn the oven to Broil (or 500°F), and place the raw chicken in a baking dish. Sear the chicken in the oven for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Brush the chicken with the curry sauce and finish cooking in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness), until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.

cold thai salad Serves 2 Prep Time: 25 minutes Chill Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 55 minutes 2 small zucchini 1 small cucumber 2 carrots, peeled and shredded ½ cup mung bean sprouts (optional) ¼ cup chopped cashews ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro ½ cup Sunshine Sauce Skip the 30 minutes of chill time by placing the zucchini, cucumber, carrots, and bean sprouts in the fridge the night before you prepare this dish—or just skip it altogether, if you don’t mind your salad at room temperature. If you feel like a lighter dressing, try tossing the vegetables with our Asian Vinaigrette or the creamy Cilantro-Lime Mayo instead of the Sunshine Sauce.

buffalo sauce Makes 2 cups Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 2 minutes Total Time: 7 minutes ½ cup coconut oil ½ cup ghee or clarified butter 1 cup hot sauce 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 clove garlic, minced Want to kick your heat up a notch? Add ¼ teaspoon cayenne to the mix—more if you’re feeling feisty. You can also mix the buffalo sauce into ground beef for a spicy twist on a burger. Top with a fried egg, some avocado, and a little more of the sauce mixture.

In a small saucepan, gently melt the coconut oil and ghee over medium-low heat until completely liquefied. Combine the hot sauce, vinegar, and garlic in a medium mixing bowl and whisk until thoroughly blended. While whisking, drizzle in the melted coconut oil and ghee. The sauce should have a smooth, consistent texture. Store this sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. (Note, the coconut oil and ghee will solidify in the cold, so pull it out of the fridge, let it come back to room temperature before serving, and gently stir to reblend.) ✪Buffalo Wings For the perfect buffalo wings, fire up the grill! Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (400°F). Add a pound of wings to the grill and close the lid. Turning the wings every few minutes, cook until lightly charred and the skin starts to bubble, 15 to 20 minutes. Toss the wings with the buffalo sauce in a large bowl immediately after removing them from the grill—then let them sit in the sauce for a few minutes before serving with a side of celery and carrots and our Ranch Dressing. (You can also preheat the oven to 375°F and, following the same technique, have golden, crispy wings in about an hour.)

butternut squash soup Serves 2 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes 3 tablespoons clarified butter, ghee, or coconut oil ½ cup diced onion 3 cups diced seeded peeled butternut squash 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ teaspoon ground ginger 4 cups chicken broth 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper Not sure how much squash to buy for this recipe? Generally, a 2-pound butternut squash yields 3 cups once the seeds are removed, but don’t stress about having slightly more or less squash than the recipe calls for—this one is pretty forgiving. You can also buy pre-cut butternut squash and save yourself the guess work and 10 minutes of prep time, but that’ll definitely add to your grocery bill. In a large pot, melt the cooking fat over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom of the pot. When the fat is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the squash, garlic, and ginger and stir until the garlic becomes aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until the butternut squash is soft, about 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. In one or two batches, transfer the soup to a food processor or blender and blend on high speed until smooth in texture. Return the pureed soup to the pot. Heat the soup over medium-high heat until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 7 to 10 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. Make It a Meal: To make this a complete meal, add cooked chicken, scallops, or hard-boiled eggs when returning the soup to the pot for the last 7 to 10 minutes of cooking. For extra greens, add two generous handfuls of spinach or kale in the last 3 minutes of cooking. ✪Prepping Squash Peeling and dicing squash isn’t that tough if you have the right

Serves 2 Prep Time: 10 minutes 1 avocado, pitted and peeled 2 cans (5 ounces each) tuna, drained 3 green onions, thinly sliced Juice of 1½ limes ½ jalapeño, minced 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro ½ teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon black pepper 1 head endive, separated into leaves This dish makes for the perfect lunch—just pack up your tuna in a glass container and wrap your leaves in a slightly damp paper towel inside a resealable bag to keep them crisp. Or, stuff the tuna salad inside a romaine lettuce leaf, hollowed-out bell pepper, tomato, or cucumber cups. This dish would also work with canned chicken or salmon and would taste amazing with a drizzle of cool Ranch Dressing or Avocado Mayo. In a medium sized bowl, mash the avocado with a fork, leaving it slightly chunky. Add the tuna to the bowl, flaking it apart with a fork, and mix to combine with the avocado. Add the onions, juice of 1 lime, jalapeño, cilantro, chili powder, salt, and pepper and mix well.

Serves 2 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 25 minutes 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 4 cups) 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup coconut cream 2 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ½ cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley This may be the most versatile recipe ever. It’s a lighter substitute for mashed potatoes, and has dozens of variations to match nearly any style of cuisine. Add more chicken broth if you like it extra creamy, or keep the chicken broth to just a tablespoon or so if you prefer it really thick. Try topping with crumbled Whole30-compliant bacon or crispy prosciutto; add a blend of fresh herbs like rosemary, oregano, and thyme; kick it up a notch with 2 tablespoons of grated, peeled fresh horseradish root or 1 teaspoon chili powder; add a dollop of whole grain mustard (perfect alongside pork); or stir in shredded cabbage and kale sautéed in clarified butter or ghee. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower florets and garlic and simmer until the florets are fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and transfer to a food processor. Add the coconut cream, ghee, salt, and pepper and pulse until the cauliflower begins to turn smooth in consistency. Add the chicken broth one tablespoon at a time, pulsing to mix, until the desired consistency is achieved. Add the parsley and continue blending until completely smooth. Serve warm. Make It a Meal: This dish goes well with anything. Seriously, anything. But if you made us pick a few favorites, we’d say Braised Beef Brisket, Chicken Meatballs, Halibut with Citrus-Ginger Glaze, and Walnut-Crusted Pork Tenderloin. ✪Mashing You can use a variety of tools for this dish, depending on how you prefer the texture of your mash. If you prefer a silky smooth mash, the food processor is a must. If you like it really chunky, use a hand tool (like a potato masher or large kitchen fork) instead. If you like your mash somewhere in between, try using an immersion blender.

broth or “stock” from the grocery store relies on high temperature, fast-cooking techniques, which don’t confer the same benefits. In addition, many contain off-plan additives (like MSG) and ingredients (like sugar). If you just need a small amount for a recipe, compliant store-bought stuff will do, but if you’re interested in the healing properties of bone broth, you have to make it yourself.

You can’t imagine how you would live (happily) without certain foods in your life.

Autoimmune conditions are especially stubborn, often requiring six months or more of dietary and lifestyle intervention to bring significant healing and resolution of symptoms.

Eggs and Nightshades You may improve your results by restricting eggs and nightshades, too. Egg whites contain proteins that can indirectly increase immune activity—a contributing factor in immune-mediated diseases. Nightshades are a group of plants that contain compounds that promote gut irritability, inflammation, joint pain and/or stiffness in sensitive individuals. Nightshades include potatoes (all varieties except sweet potatoes or yams), tomatoes, all sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, tamarios, pepinos, and spices like cayenne, chili powder, curry powder, paprika, pimento, and red pepper flakes. These two groups are the most commonly problematic in those with autoimmune conditions, chronic pain, and other immune-mediated medical conditions, so consider leaving these off your Whole30 if this is your context.

frittata) 1 bag (about 9 ounces) baby

Chronic systemic inflammation plays a key role in more than just age-related diseases. Inflammation contributes to a long list of conditions that you may be dealing with right now. Like asthma, allergies, acne, eczema and other skin conditions, depression, ADHD, and mood swings. Do

body’s initial, short-term response to damage. Think of acute inflammation as the cleanup before the rebuilding. It decreases

Chronic     Your body’s initial, short-term response to damage. Think of acute inflammation as the cleanup before the rebuilding. It decreases quickly as your body begins the healing process. Acute inflammation is a good thing, and you wouldn’t want to lose that function.     Chronic

Improving your sleep, energy levels, mood, attention span, body composition, motivation, self-confidence, self-efficacy, and quality of life starts by changing the food you put on your plate. Yes, the Whole30 eliminates cravings, corrects hormonal imbalances, fixes digestive issues, improves medical conditions, and strengthens the immune system.

The physical benefits of the Whole30 are profound. A full 96 percent of participants lose weight and improve their body composition without counting or restricting calories. Also commonly reported: consistently high energy levels, better sleep, improved focus and mental clarity, a return to healthy digestive function, improved athletic performance, and a sunnier disposition. (Yes, many Whole30 graduates say they felt “strangely happy” during and after their program.)

These “foods with no brakes” are the cookies, crackers, chips, chocolates, ice creams, and other comfort foods to which you find yourself irresistibly drawn when you’re stressed, lonely, anxious, or unhappy.

We’ll even simplify it here: basic cuts of meat, seafood, and eggs are always compliant. All vegetables except for corn, peas, and lima beans are compliant. All fruit is compliant. Healthy fats are outlined in detail on our shopping list.

My seven-year-old was diagnosed with PDD (similar to autism) at the age of four. He has always had behavior issues (screaming, tantrums, hitting his siblings, hurting himself), and I’ve tried everything I could to change this—including taking parenting classes, because I thought I was doing something wrong. In December 2011, my husband and I were introduced to the Whole30. Within just a few days, he was like a brand-new child! He woke up one morning with a smile on his face, was very compliant, and would even sit down and do his homework without whining and crying about it. We are so happy with the results of our whole family that we have continued to eat clean foods, and we rave about this program to anyone who will listen.

Some are derived from nature, but after chemical processing, Splenda has more in common with pesticides than table sugar.

Fruit juice as a sweetener. Products or recipes that include orange, apple, or other fruit juices are permitted on the program, although we encourage you not to go overboard here.

Green beans and snow/ snap peas. While these are technically legumes, they are far more “pod” than “bean,” and green plant matter is generally good for you.

Vinegar. Most forms of vinegar, including distilled white, balsamic, apple cider, red wine, white wine, champagne, and rice, are allowed during your Whole30 program. The only exceptions are flavored vinegars with added sugar, or malt vinegar, which is thought to contain gluten.

Iodized salt. All iodized salt contains a tiny amount of dextrose (sugar) as a stabilizer, but ruling out table salt would be unreasonable. This exception will not impact your Whole30 results in any way.

But the Whole30 is not a diet. It’s not a quick fix. It’s not even a weight-loss program. The Whole30 is designed to change your life. It’s a monumental transformation in how you think about food, your body, your life, and what you want out of the time you have left on this earth. It’s so much bigger than just food. It’s a paradigm shift the likes of which you may only experience a few times in your whole life.

Improving your sleep, energy levels, mood, attention span, body composition, motivation, self-confidence, self-efficacy, and quality of life starts by changing the food you put on your plate.

Do not consume added sugar of any kind, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, coconut sugar, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, stevia, etc. Read your labels, because companies sneak sugar into products in ways you might not recognize.

Do not consume alcohol in any form. No wine, beer, champagne, vodka, rum, whiskey, tequila, etc., whether consumed on its own or used as an ingredient—not even for cooking.

Do not eat grains. This includes wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgur, sorghum, sprouted grains, and all gluten-free pseudocereals like amaranth, buckwheat, or quinoa. This also includes all the ways we add wheat, corn, and rice into our foods in the form of bran, germ, starch, and so on. Again, read your labels.

Do not eat legumes. This includes beans of all kinds (black, red, pinto, navy, white, kidney, lima, fava, etc.), peas, chickpeas, lentils, and peanuts. This also includes all forms of soy—soy sauce, miso, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and all the ways we sneak soy into foods (like soybean oil or soy lecithin). No peanut butter, either. The only exceptions are green beans and snow/ snap peas.

Do not eat dairy. This includes cow’s-, goat’s-, or sheep’s-milk products such as cream, cheese, kefir, yogurt, and sour cream. The only exceptions are clarified butter or ghee.

Do not consume carrageenan, MSG, or added sulfites. If these ingredients appear in any form in the ingredient list of your processed food or beverage, it’s out for the Whole30.

Do not re-create baked goods, “treats,” or junk foods with approved ingredients. No banana-egg pancakes, Paleo bread, or coconut milk ice cream. (See Let's Get Specific, below, for more details.) Your cravings and habits won’t change if you keep eating these foods, even if they are made with Whole30 ingredients.

A few off-limits foods that fall under the “No baked goods, treats, or re-created junk foods” rule include pancakes, bread, tortillas, biscuits, crepes, muffins, cupcakes, cookies, pizza crust, waffles, cereal, potato chips, French fries, and that one recipe where eggs, date paste, and coconut milk are combined with prayers to create a thick, creamy concoction that can once again transform your undrinkable black coffee into sweet, dreamy caffeine.

These foods are exceptions to the rule and are allowed during your Whole30. • Clarified butter or ghee. Clarified butter (see recipe) or ghee are the only sources of dairy allowed during your Whole30, as they’ve had their milk solids rendered out. Plain old butter is not allowed, as its milk proteins could impact the results of your program.

Eggs, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes, instant coffee, nuts and seeds, beef, lamb, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and limes . . . These are all foods that are either known to be commonly problematic for those with autoimmune conditions, or are common food sensitivities for those with increased gut permeability.

Habit research shows that the average craving lasts only 3–5 minutes. If the stuff you’re craving is anywhere nearby, that spells trouble. If it’s not in the house, however, you’ve bought yourself some time. By the time you change out of your pajama pants, find your keys, grab your wallet, and head for the door, the craving has passed,

Back in the 1920s, a Russian psychologist discovered that incomplete or interrupted tasks tend to “stick around” in people’s brains, distracting us and stressing us out. This preoccupation with things left undone requires so much cognitive effort that it keeps our brains from focusing on other (more important) things.

Habit research shows the average number of days to make a new habit stick is 66—but the harder and more complicated the change, the longer it will take you to really solidify the new behavior.

scale weight says nothing of your health. You want to lose 20 pounds? We can make that happen. Cut your daily calories in half and spend two hours a day doing low-intensity cardio. That’ll make that scale show the “right” number . . . for about a month. Until your willpower runs out (as those behaviors aren’t at all sustainable), and your messed-up metabolism fights back. At which point, you gain all the weight back and then some. But hey, for a few weeks, your scale said you were down 20 pounds! Does that digital readout moving in either direction tell you anything about whether you’re in worse or better health? Of course not. (In our scenario, the scale is going down, but your health certainly isn’t improving! Conversely, you could be doing some smart strength training, sleeping well, and eating healthy, and be gaining weight in muscle mass—but that weight gain doesn’t mean your health is declining!) That scale number alone tells you nothing about what’s going on with your relationship with food, hormones, digestive system, or inflammatory status.

If you cop out now, you’re telling yourself that the commitments you make to yourself are open to compromise. You’re telling yourself that you are not important enough to honor your promise to you. But that is simply not true. You are important. You are worth the promise.

Should I consider extending my Whole30 to 45 or 60 days? We talk about this in the Reintroduction section, but if you’ve got a chronic medical condition, an autoimmune disease, or a long history of unhealthy food habits or addictions, you may want to plan on being on the program longer than 30 days. While the basic program is long enough to steer you in the right direction and bring you some of the results you’re hoping to see, you can’t expect to fully reverse years (or decades!) of medical symptoms or food-related habits in just a month. Autoimmune conditions are especially stubborn, often requiring six months or more of dietary and lifestyle intervention to bring significant healing and resolution of symptoms. If you feel like you can commit to a Whole45, 60, or 90 right out of the gate, go for it!

If you’re going to include grains and beans in your daily rotation, take the time to soak them for 12 to 24 hours, rinse, and boil them for at least 15 minutes to reduce the anti-nutrient and inflammatory compounds. The Weston A. Price foundation has a good video on proper preparation methods for grains and legumes; watch it at

It will be hard. You will not be perfect. Don’t even try to be perfect. No one is judging, no one is keeping score, and there are no penalties for admitting that this is hard, you are struggling, and you need help. Be patient with yourself, because real change takes time. Be kind to yourself, and celebrate even the smallest of victories, because a series of small victories is all it takes to change your life.

We refer to your brain’s unrelenting demand for sugar, junk foods, or simple carbs as your “Sugar Dragon.” The more you feed it, the more fire it breathes, and the stronger it gets. The only way to slay your Sugar Dragon is to starve it, which is why the Whole30 allows for no added sugar—not some, not less, but none.

When you make yourself healthier from the inside out, improved body composition, self-esteem, and happiness generally follow, but it doesn’t work the other way around. In addition, scale weight is one of the fastest ways to lose motivation, even if you thought you were making great progress in other areas.

The Whole30 is ideal to help normalize an overactive immune system, decreasing systemic inflammation and reducing or eliminating the symptoms of your autoimmune disease, chronic pain, or immune-related conditions (like Lyme disease). However, there are some Whole30 Approved foods that are healthy for most people, but might exacerbate your symptoms or fire up your immune system. The trouble is there isn’t just one list of foods that negatively impact all chronic diseases. You are a unique snowflake. That means foods that may be perfectly fine for someone else with your same condition may make your symptoms much worse, and vice-versa. This makes it incredibly hard to create one protocol that works well for everyone with an immune dysfunction. Eggs, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes, instant coffee, nuts and seeds, beef, lamb, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and limes . . . These are all foods that are either known to be commonly problematic for those with autoimmune conditions, or are common food sensitivities for those with increased gut permeability.

A “Paleo Autoimmune Protocol” (Paleo AIP) is somewhere between a Whole30 and a medical elimination plan. It asks that you eliminate some Whole30 foods, plus many others that are commonly problematic for those with autoimmune conditions.

drink plenty of water throughout the day—but not with your meals, as it can inhibit proper digestion by diluting stomach acid and digestive enzymes.

Based on our experience and the scientific literature, we believe many people would benefit from taking high-quality fish oil, vitamin D3, magnesium, and maybe some digestive help, like enzymes or probiotics.

Based on studies of smokers resisting the urge to light up, the average craving lasts just three to five minutes. Your brain will be screaming that you really need sugar, but if you can distract yourself briefly, you’ll find that craving will pass.

Many people report the bread in Europe isn’t as disruptive to their systems as the bread in the U.S. Some theorize that the strains of wheat overseas aren’t as hybridized, which makes the gluten less troublesome in our guts. We don’t have any scientific evidence of this, but take heed—just because you eat bread in Italy with little consequence doesn’t mean you’ll have that same experience when you’re back in the United States.

perfect boiled eggs Serves 2 Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 7 to 10 minutes Total time: 12 to 15 minutes 4 eggs, large This technique and cook times are the same whether you boil 2 eggs or a dozen. We like boiling a large amount at once for on-the-go protein or to include in a Protein Salad. Prepare a small bowl half-full with ice water. Fill a small saucepan halfway with water. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then add the eggs by sliding them gently into the pan with a wooden spoon. For soft-boiled eggs, cook on high heat for 7 minutes. (This will leave your eggs truly soft-boiled, with very runny yolks.) For soft but not runny yolks, cook for 9 minutes. For true hard-boiled eggs, cook for 11 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, and immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to prevent them from cooking further and make them easier to peel. To peel your eggs, crack the shell at the very bottom of the egg. Then, peel under cool running water, using the shell membrane to guide the removal of the shell pieces.

However, over the course of a day (or even a few hours) your weight can go up or down by as much as five or six pounds, and that fluctuation isn’t at all representative of body fat gained or lost. You can eat a few higher-carb meals and gain a few pounds of water weight, or wake up dehydrated and “lose” a pound or two.

Physically, you’ve been throwing your body off balance for the last five (ten? twenty?) years by overconsuming foods that promote cravings, disrupt your hormones, damage your gut, and overwork your immune system. Through your food choices, you’ve been unknowingly waging a war with your body.

Based on studies of people resisting temptation, the average craving lasts around three minutes, and the most effective way to get through it is to distract yourself. Go for a short walk (even if it’s just around the office), pay a bill or two, drink a glass of water, take a sniff of some peppermint essential oils, text a friend, or read a few pages of a good book.

Being chronically underslept, overexercising, or experiencing chronic psychological stress—a hallmark of modern life—can all trigger unhealthy levels of cortisol in the body. But so can prolonged periods of not eating (extended fasting) or eating too little (excessive calorie restriction).

Epigenetics is the study of gene expression—whether genes turn on or turn off and how loudly their information is expressed. While we are all born with a certain code, we are also born with switches that tell that code what to do. Our environmental input (diet, exercise, air quality, etc.) activates those switches. Think about it this way: Genetics loads the gun, but environment pulls the trigger.

Sat-Fat Myth #4: Saturated fat promotes insulin resistance and inflammation. True. Some forms of saturated fat (particularly the “long chain” versions) do contribute to insulin resistance and, by extension, inflammation in the body, which does increase your risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke. Palmitic acid (PA) in particular is the type of saturated fat most correlated with insulin resistance and inflammation. But the form of saturated fat that gets all kinds of ugly in your body doesn’t come from eating saturated fat. The harmful kind of saturated fat comes from eating too many refined carbohydrates.

changing the way you think about food is hard.

Apple, with skin 1 large 3.3 Banana 1 3.1 Blackberries 1 cup 7.6 Orange

troublesome

even years, which impairs the rebuilding of normal tissues