Congratulations—you’ve officially changed your life with the Whole30! Your first Whole30 is over, and you feel amazing! Your skin is glowing, your clothes feel more comfortable, your self-confidence is at an all-time high, and you’ve racked up a number of non-scale victories. You’ve finally found something that works!
At some point you’ll likely come back for another Whole30. Maybe a vacation or holiday throws you off your healthy eating game. Maybe you’ve had some life stress and have been comforting yourself with sugar. Maybe your friend, mother, office, or gym is doing the Whole30, and you want to participate for moral support. Or maybe you just want to take your learnings deeper, and refine your Food Freedom plan to be even more effective.
Here’s a shocking fact: For those who come back for a second round, 26% of you find the second one even harder than the first.* How can this be? You’re a label-reading expert, you know the Program Rules inside and out, and you still cook Whole30 dinners regularly. You make your own mayo and don’t even own a scale anymore, for gosh sake. So why would the second round be harder?
*According to a survey of more than 1,800 Whole30’ers.
The Newness is Gone
The first reason is simple: the Whole30 is no longer a brand-new thing. The first time through anything difficult or complicated can be easier because you don’t know what’s going to happen. During your first program, everything was exciting. Even the hard parts, like figuring out what to eat at a restaurant or dealing with a family dinner. (And when you did figure it out, wasn’t it exhilarating?) You had no idea what to expect from one day to the next, which meant each morning unfolded like an adventure. Yay, Whole30!
Okay, maybe every day wasn’t magical, but there’s something to be said for getting through something, looking back, and saying, “Whoa, that actually was really hard!” But as you head into your second round of Whole30, you already know. You know the hard parts, the parts where you’ll struggle, the parts where you’ll be frustrated and cranky. (Plus you know how much work it is, compared to grabbing something semi-Whole30-ish at the deli during lunch every day.) All of these things make the next 30 days seem less exciting, and maybe even harder to finish.
Action item: If this is your context, make a plan for the tough times you know are coming. If late nights at the office, travel days, or family dinners were difficult in your first go-round, figure out how you’ll handle those your second time through. Inject some fun or newness into your second program. Commit to trying two new dinner recipes a week, jump on Instagram to support others, or plan more social events. Take your stress management tools even deeper, exploring your cravings and how you’ll handle them. Make this program more exciting, and you’ll feel reenergized!
The Rules Are Annoying
During your first Whole30, you were probably really careful about making sure absolutely everything you ate was compatible, because you took the idea of starting over seriously. You didn’t know what would happen if you got two weeks into the program and accidentally ate dairy or gluten. You didn’t want to take the chance of messing up the experiment, or feeling awful again after two weeks of feeling great.
After your Whole30, however, you’re a lot more aware. You know regular butter isn’t a big deal, the cream in your coffee doesn’t impact you much (if at all), and if there’s soy in your sushi, you wouldn’t even notice. This could make it feel harder to stick to the Program Rules. You may be thinking, “Do I really have to avoid butter and cream? I already know how that stuff affects me.” And that puts you in the mindset of, “Do I really have to worry about all of these other rules too?” Questioning whether or not you’ll follow all of the rules makes it so much easier to abandon when it gets inconvenient or the cravings start calling your name.
Action Item: Read this article, particularly Lesson #4. What you think works “just fine” may, in fact, be not-so-fine from one Whole30 to the next. Each program builds on the last and brings a greater range and depth of awareness when you reintroduce. Plus, your body, context, goals, and lifestyle are always changing! This Whole30 will not exactly mirror your first, which means it’s a unique and discrete self-experiment. Commit to treating every program like it’s your first, because it basically IS like starting all over again.
No More Low-Hanging Fruit
Chances are your first Whole30 was an eye-opening experience, and a radical departure from your past diet and lifestyle. Because your diet on the program was such a big shift, you saw dramatic results really fast. You lost the bloat, your energy skyrocketed, you slept better, your skin cleared up, your pain or swelling went away, and your mood or anxiety improved. You really did change your life!
However, more than 79% of you report either mostly or definitely maintaining your Whole30 habits after your program is over.* If that’s the case, your next Whole30 won’t be as radical a dietary departure, which means you won’t get the same radical results. It’s common to get halfway through your second Whole30 and feel better, but not as “miraculously good” as you did during your first round. It’s also common to miss the dramatic changes that happened to your skin, digestion, allergies, or migraines during that first round. That can be discouraging! You may wonder if you’re doing something wrong, or if the program just isn’t working for you. And that makes it easier to give up.
*According to a 2014 survey of more than 2,300 Whole30’ers
Action item: Real talk:You won’t get the same stunning results the second time through, because the Whole30 isn’t as drastic of a change, and you’ve already made SO much progress. Use this opportunity to lean into the nuances you’re experiencing. Your energy didn’t go from 0 – 100, but you have noticed your focus is better after lunch than it was before Day 1. Your skin didn’t clear up like it did the first round, but it looks less dull, and less red. Your sleep has been pretty good since your first Whole30, but you’re waking up with more energy, and a brighter mood. Commit to really leaning into these nuances during reintroduction, to help you refine your Food Freedom plan.
Your Ride May Be Rough
You had great success with your first program, but haven’t been sticking to your Food Freedom plan. Still, you’ve done the Whole30 before! Surely you won’t experience the same degree of exhaustion, crankiness, cravings, and headaches you did the first round, right?
You may be unpleasantly surprised when the first 10 days of your second program are way harder than you expected. Though you’ve done the program before, if you’re coming off a few months of lots of sugar, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods, your body is going to go through the same adjustment period you went through before. Back then, you expected it. This time, however, you didn’t see it coming. And it might prove such a shock that you abandon your second attempt altogether.
Action Item: If you’re coming back to the Whole30 after a few weeks (or months?) of sugar-palooza, brace yourself. Review our Whole30 Timeline and prepare for some of the less-than-pleasant moments. Plan a week off from the gym, schedule more early bedtimes, take more walks, and prep plenty of Whole30 emergency food. Take it one week, one day, one meal at a time if you have to. And create a good support network now, so when the going gets tough, you have plenty of options besides bailing.
Quick Fixes
These aren’t the only reasons your second (or subsequent) Whole30s may feel harder than one of your prior programs. Here are a few additional common scenarios in abbreviated form, with some quick fixes.
Timing: Maybe your second Whole30 falls during a busy school semester, lots of business travel, or a stressful family event. If your context this time around is vastly different, that will affect how your Whole30 feels.
Action Item: Grab a calendar, look at the challenges you’ll face in the coming 40 days (elimination and reintroduction), and ask yourself whether the Whole30 will add more stress than it takes away. If now’s not the time, postpone your Day 1 until you can give it the time and attention it deserves, and work your Food Freedom plan until then.
Preparation: Are you simply under-prepared? If you’ve done the program before, you may think, “I’ve got this,” only to find on Day 1 that you have not, in fact, got this. The Whole30 is different than your usual healthy diet, and requires far more planning! If you find you’re struggling with breakfasts, post-workout meals, or on-the-go foods, a little work here will go a long way.
Action Item: Whether it’s your first or fifth Whole30, planning and preparation are key. Run through our Plan and Prepare checklist It’s not too late to start planning meals, stocking your pantry, prepping some food, and creating your If/Then plans. You may feel more excited this program once your pantry and kitchen are sitting pretty.
Commitment: Did you agree to do this program because a friend, family member, or gym group wanted the support? It’s possible you know in your heart that you don’t need another Whole30, and that makes it hard to go all-in.
Action Item: You can support others without doing the program yourself. Instead of following our set of rules, model working your Food Freedom plan. Then, tell your friend or family member you’ll offer advice, share recipes and resources, or be their daily support check-in.
Flying Solo: If you had a buddy during your first Whole30 (like your spouse, a co-worker, or your gym group) and you’re doing this one alone, you may find this program much harder. Having daily support, accountability, and advice goes a long way to keeping you motivated and committed.
Action Item: Join our new Whole30 Foundations course! In this self-guided course, Whole30 co-founder Melissa Urban offers daily video lessons, bonus reading and resources, recipe inspiration, and thought exercises designed to support real behavior change. Get the support you deserve, and fly through your next Whole30 elimination and reintroduction.
Coming Back to the Whole30
For the 74% of you who found the second Whole30 about the same or even easier than the first, fantastic! Use these tips to help a friend feeling stuck on their second attempt, or send it to someone you know is coming back for a second round. For those of you who have been struggling to complete a second program, we hope these tips help you succeed with the program again, and show yourself more grace along the way.
