The Food Freedom Forever FAQ

From Whole30 headmistress Melissa Urban, who is snuggling her advance copy of #Whole30FFF while she types this

In under a month, Food Freedom Forever will be available at booksellers nationwide (and in Canada! And in e-book format in the UK!), and pre-ordered copies will be in your hot little hands.

Yes, I know, it’s very exciting.

It officially comes out on October 4, 2016 in both hardcover and e-book formats. We gave you the details in our announcement (including how to pre-order Food Freedom Forever), but you still had some questions. So here is a little more information about my newest project, and how Food Freedom Forever will help you take the life-changing results of your reset and turn them into a lifetime of healthy habits.

What’s the difference between all of your books?

I’ve got four books under my name, and they’re all written with a unique goal, and from a unique perspective. You can read a summary of each on our books page, but here is my behind-the-scenes breakdown:

It Starts With Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways: If you want to know the “why” behind the Whole30—all the science-y reasons the program eliminates certain foods, and the health benefits of those we’re eating—this is your bible.  There’s some information on the Whole30 program and some recipes at the end, but this book was designed to help you get invested in the program, and understand more about how it works from the inside-out.

So you’ll read ISWF and say: “This makes so much sense. (OMG! Chapter 4! THANK YOU!) Now I really want to do the Whole30… so, how, exactly, do I do it? Oh, and I need some recipes.” Which brings me to…

The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom: This book gives you everything you need to actually do the Whole30. Ev-er-y-thing. The program rules. How to prepare. What to expect during the program. How to cook. (Yeah, we teach you how to cook. All the basics—boiling eggs, grilling chicken and salmon, making the perfect burger, homemade mayo…) OH, and there’s 100 delicious Whole30-compatible recipes using ingredients found in any normal grocery store. If you want to DO THE WHOLE30, this is all you need.

So you’ll read The Whole30 and say, “This was amazing! I rocked my Whole30! I feel amazing! I never want to go back to the way I used to eat! So how do I take what I’ve learned and turn it into a lifestyle? And I’d also like more recipes, please.” Which brings me to…

Food Freedom Forever: Letting Go of Bad Habits, Guilt, and Anxiety Around Food: This is the book that answers the question you’ve been asking me since The Whole30 was released: How do you take any short-term dietary intervention and turn it into a lifetime of healthy habits? Food Freedom Forever outlines my 3-step plan for discovering and sustaining your version of food freedom, whether you start with the Whole30 or any of the other resets I outline in the book. There’s also a special section on how to talk to friends and family about your new, healthy habits in a way that brings you closer together and keeps you feeling supported on the journey.

So you’ll read Food Freedom Forever and say, “THIS is the piece I was missing! I now know how to do a successful reset, stay on track, identify when I start heading off-track, and recover gracefully. I’m going to start working this program immediately… oh, but I STILL WANT MORE RECIPES, m’kay?” Which brings me to…

The Whole30 Cookbook: 150 Delicious and Totally Compatible Recipes to Help You Succeed with the Whole30 and Beyond: Unlike The Whole30, this new cookbook is all about the recipes. We’ve got more than 150 tasty dishes that will let you kick your heels up with new ingredients and take your kitchen confidence out for a spin using interesting cooking techniques, kitchen tools, and preparations. There’s a little bit of Whole30 info in the front (like the program rules, a “planning and preparation” outline, and tips for outfitting your kitchen), but the bulk of this book is focused on the meals—and they are delicious.

If I’ve done multiple Whole30’s, do I really need Food Freedom Forever?

I’ll answer your question with a question: you’ve done the Whole30 and changed your life (because according to a 2016 survey of more than 8,000 Whole30’ers, 88% of you said the program really did change your life!). You’ve created new habits, changed your tastes, improved your health, and developed a new relationship with food. You really want to maintain these new behaviors, food choices, and benefits. Like, forever.

Do you have a very specific plan for exactly how you’re going to do that? Even during the holidays, vacations, or stressful times? Do you have a plan for when you notice your habits are starting to slip, understand your triggers, and know how to explain this new lifestyle to friends and family?

If you said “not really…” to any of these questions, you’ll really like Food Freedom Forever, because I cover all that (and more).

Do I have to do the Whole30 program to benefit from Food Freedom Forever?

No, although I highly encourage it. I’ll explain in FFF why the Whole30 is the best reset on the block, and why you really should consider giving it a go… but if (for a number of reasons) you’re just not ready or able to complete the Whole30 as written, I’ve outlined a number of reset protocols that will change your health, habits, and relationship with food, and give you the foundation to continue on with my food freedom plan. Your reset options include:

• The Whole30
• Craving-Buster Reset
• Anti-Inflammatory Reset
• Vegan Reset
• Basic Reset

I also mention more restrictive protocols like the Paleo AIP, GAPS diet, SCD, and low-FODMAP diet. I don’t provide specific details for these plans, but there are resources in the appendix for those interested in a broader reset.

How much information in Food Freedom Forever is new?

Almost all of it. There are six pages on how to do the Whole30, but it’s obviously nowhere near as detailed as the information you’ll read in The Whole30 book. You also may find yourself nodding and smiling as you read Chapter 4 and 5, about why it’s so critical to your food freedom to actually complete a reset like the Whole30. Still, don’t skip over this part! You may remind yourself of some valuable, motivating information, and even learn a thing or two.

The remainder of the book is all brand new information. I’ve taken some Dear Melissa questions and one-off presentations I’ve given throughout the years and updated some of my talking points for the book, and if you follow me on social media, some of the concepts may sound familiar, but you’ve never seen the food freedom 3-step plan before, nor seen all of this information put together into one comprehensive package. Even the most die-hard Whole30 fanatic will learn plenty of brand-new information.

Are there recipes?

Nope, we saved all of those for The Whole30 Cookbook. This book is all about your food freedom, and in your food freedom, your recipes can include whatever ingredients you decide are worth it for you!

Where will it be published, and how can I read (or listen) to it?

Food Freedom Forever will be released in the US (by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) and Canada (by Penguin Random House) in hardcover and e-book format on October 4, 2016. You can pre-order now, using any of the links here.

The book will be published in the UK (by Little Brown) in e-book format on October 4, 2016 and in print on January 5, 2017, although readers in Australia and New Zealand can expect a printed copy to hit their shelves a little earlier, on November 29, 2016.

I’ll also be reading the audiobook version myself (!), which will be available in early 2017 on Audible.com. (Stay tuned for the official publication date.)

How long is the book?

It’s 239 pages, and very slim in design. We wanted to make it easy to pack and travel with, especially because The Whole30 and The Whole30 Cookbook are hefty.

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