Welcome to our blog! We are going to collaboratively use this space as a tool for reflection and motivation on our Whole30 journey. Because Nicole is taking the month of August off and won't see Leanne daily in the office, we needed a space to "meet and chat" about how we feel, cheer each other on and share tasty recipes that feature Whole30 compliant foods.
Some of you may be wondering what this Whole30 business is all about.
In a nutshell, the Whole9 believes that no food is neutral: what you eat either contributes to your health or detracts from it. They created a program that would give followers an opportunity to hit the refresh button on their digestive system, and subsequently, their health and wellness - the Whole30. For thirty days, we will choose only nutrient dense, whole foods that are Whole30 compliant. There are so many excellent choices that will be available to us - vegetables, meats, eggs, nuts, fruits and good fats - we know we will have lots of great meals over those thirty days. But we also know that not indulging in foods on the No list - sugar, dairy, soy, vegetable oils, preservatives, alcohol - (for a complete list, see the Whole30) will be challenging from time to time.
We both have vacation requiring travel planned during August, so that means a lot of preparation and forethought will be required to ensure success. We are pretty sure this space will detail lots of triumphs, but some grumblings too. Ultimately, it's an excellent tool for accountability and support.
We will start our journey on August 1. We chose that date because the Whole30 creators are also committing to a month of super clean eating. Their pages will be updated regularly with tips, tricks and stories and will be a great source of support for us. What other program do you know about that freely offers support and clear frameworks for success? And their website is filled with success stories of real people realizing huge health benefits from following the program. Melissa and Dallas Hartwig and the team at Whole9 are, in Nicole's opinion, nutrition and wellness rock stars. Check out their site, buy their book and follow us. Maybe you'll be inspired to give this a shot too. What have you got to lose?
Hi Ladies
ReplyDeleteNicole, it's me Jo :0)
I just wanted to wish you good luck with your August Challenge!
As Nicole knows, I am fairly new to the paleo/primal way of eating. So far I am really enjoying it.. Although I did cheat a little this past weekend. I felt so guilty, but then reallized the only person I have to answer to is myself, so we had a little chat - LOL
My personal goal is to stay strict during the week ,then see how the weekends go.
We entertain a lot and we eat out with friends a lot too, sometimes life is too tempting- I am working on it :0)
I have tried a few of Nicole's recipes and they are fabulous! My new favourite thing is zucchini noodles.. O.M.G - I don't think I will actually make pasta for myself again! Love them
Anyhoo - good luck!
I will follow your blog faithfully
Jo
xx
I'm Nicole's cousin Teena. I'm doing my own Whole 30 that started yesterday. I learned about this program from Nicole and I'm so glad that I did. My first W30 was in March and since that time I've lost almost 40 lbs and feel great. Not quite as brave as you ladies- I want to get my 30 days done before vacation. I'll be following along with you though. :)
ReplyDeleteTeena, I am so proud of your achievements and the improvements to your health that you have realized through this way of eating. I've also found it fascinating to follow your increasing awareness of what your body needs - it's inspiring to have you share your journey too. Thank you!
DeleteWhat have I got to lose? About 10lbs and an emotional-eating monster on my back, that's what! :) Nicole first introduced me to Whole30 earlier this year, and I did my first round back in March. Time to clean house again, and this time I'm going in for a Whole40, starting tomorrow. Can't wait to follow along here - to cheer you ladies on, and to get inspiration as well!
ReplyDeleteThanks guys for posting and for sharing your stories. I hope you continue to follow us through our Whole30 and that you share in our journey by sharing your own!
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with paleo/primal diets but I'm going to read the links you gave on the blog. I was just wondering if you have to cut out all dairy including goat dairy. I've been reading that goat dairy can be healthier than cow dairy. It also doesn't have the environmental or social impact that pasture raised cows have. I have my own Nubian dairy goat and I milk her and I use the raw milk but I also pasteurize it. There are so many things I can do/make with the milk and the goat, it is incredible.
ReplyDeleteHi Alicia, the answer to your question about whether it is necessary to cut out dairy is, "it depends." If you are following a Paleo diet, most of the forerunners there would not consume dairy at all, whereas the Primal frameworks allows for some dairy (full fat cream, natural yogurt, goat cheese). It makes sense to me that the products you are getting from your goat would be more nutrient dense than anything conventionally produced because your goat is likely a ruminant, chomping on grass and what she was designed to eat, unlike the less fortunate factory cows.
DeleteIn any case, regardless of whether you are Paleo or Primal, for the Whole30 dairy is on the "no" list. Dairy from any source can be irritating to many digestive systems, and a goal of the Whole30 is to eliminate anything that can irritate your gut.
Alicia, I really like the Primal frameworks that allow a little dairy. My goal is to transition into this kind of eating style once I finish this Whole30, provided that my body can handle dairy. The problem is that right now, most of us don't know what our bodies can handle. They could be screaming at us every time we eat dairy but there are so many other things going on that we just can't hear it. So the Whole30 is set up to help us weed out all the background noise and learn to really listen. The Whole30 program even talks about a reintroduction phase after the 30 days. I really hope that I can handle dairy because I would really like to try some of Matilda's milk and maybe even cheese!
DeleteShouldn't you be designated nutritionists if you are giving health/nutrition advice??? Just a thought and a concern for balanced, well educated, informed and research based information ...anybody it seems can create a blog but is it legit? Very concerned that you are giving advice based on pop culture reading rather than intensive study in the area of sound nutrition.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right, anonymous. We aren't designated nutritionists, however we are following the nutrition framework established by nutritionists and scientists. Please see Robb Wolf's The Paleo Solution, the Whole9 website and book, It Starts with Food, and Diane Sanfillipo's book Practical Paleo for examples of the science rich material we are drawing from. This site, as stated above, is a tool for us to share what we are learning and to support each other in a world that doesn't make whole food eating easy all the time. F you are interested in learning about how accepting marketing claims for health benefits of foods has had a detrimental effect on our society's health, please check out award winning science journalist Gary Taubes' books, Good Calories, Bad calories and Why We Get Fat. Grant it, Taubes is also not a nutritionist, but I trust his research. Of course, deciding who and what you should trust is your choice. Thanks for the question.
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