Prepare for your Whole30 in five easy steps

Many people start their Whole30 on the first of the month, but you can start any day you choose. Before you mark your calendar, though, here are some important items you should consider:

• Allow yourself at least a few days for planning and preparation before you start. A week is even better, so you don’t feel rushed through meal planning or grocery shopping.
• Plan around special events. If you’ve got a special vacation, a long business trip, or an important race coming up, start your Whole30 after that event. Navigating the Whole30 under those conditions may prove difficult and stressful.
• Build in at least 10 days at the end for reintroduction! If Day 31 is the first day of your vacation, your wedding day, or your team’s playoff game, it will be hard (if not impossible) to reintroduce properly.

However, you don’t need to delay your Whole30 because of an upcoming family dinner, business lunch, or kid’s birthday party. In fact, those kinds of events are a great opportunity to take your Whole30 skills out on the town, and practice saying “no, thank you” with confidence.

Habit research finds that succeeding with a commitment as big as the Whole30 requires accountability and community support. But in surveys, 50% of people do the Whole30 on their own—not with a family member, friend, work group, or gym group. Here are tips for recruiting support from family and friends, even if they’re not doing the Whole30 with you:

• Share your personal reasons for taking on the Whole30. Let your loved ones know the challenges you are experiencing with your health, habits, or relationship with food, and the benefits you hope to see.
• Ask for support! People aren’t mind-readers, so share your needs clearly. “Can I count on you to support me this month?”
• Be specific. If you need your co-workers not to pressure you to have a drink or slice of pizza, say so. If you want your spouse to share encouraging words once in a while, ask for that. If you’d like your best friend to check in once a week for accountability, choose a day together.

One promise from us: You never have to do the Whole30 alone. While in-person support is helpful, you can also find all the accountability, motivation, advice, and encouragement you need from Whole30 co-founder Melissa Urban and our thriving online community.

It’s time to get your pantry and fridge Whole30-ready. You may feel confident enough to skip this step and play things by ear—but please don’t. This is where Present You sets Future You up for success, knowing there will be stressful days, busy days, and temptations ahead. There is no such thing as “too prepared” for the Whole30, so at the very least, let’s organize your pantry, plan a few days of meals, and hit the grocery store.

• Clean out your pantry. Donate the foods you won’t be eating (or box them up for reintroduction). Habit research shows the more distance between yourself and temptation, the easier it is to resist the pull.
• Doing the Whole30 alone? Dedicate one drawer in your fridge, an out-of-the-way cabinet, or a plastic storage tote in your pantry for your family’s treats.
• Plan 3-7 days of Whole30 meals. A meal plan sets you up for Whole30 success and reduces stress. Don’t forget to plan on-the-go foods, too!
• Head to the grocery store. Use your meal plan to restock your pantry and shop for your meals. Sticking to the list saves time and money, and prevents food waste.

You’ll find plenty of recipe inspiration on our website, Original and Plant-Based Instagram feeds, YouTube channel, and Whole30 cookbooks. But you don’t have to use a recipe. Ingredient meals include a protein source, veggies, fruit, and healthy fats—and are quick, easy, and delicious. (Think “steak, veggie and pineapple kabobs, and chimichurri,” on the Original Whole30, or “crispy chickpeas, roasted sweet potatoes, sliced apples, and a creamy tahini sauce” on the Plant-Based Whole30.)

There is a 100% chance you will face unexpected challenges during your Whole30. Peer pressure, social events, business travel, and life stress can easily derail most people’s Whole30 commitment. But not you! Because you’re going to have a plan for these situations, too.

• Anticipate the obstacles you might face during your Whole30. These may include family dinners, business lunches, birthday parties, travel plans, peer pressure, or long days at work.
• Use “if/then” statements to create your plan. Behavior-change science has found that the “if/then” framework can help you better recognize challenging situations, and more easily shift into your desired response.
• Plan for peer pressure. “IF my co-workers pressure me to order a drink, THEN I’ll say, ‘I’m not drinking right now—I’m fine with my sparkling water,’ and change the subject.”
• Plan for emergency food. “IF I get to the airport and my flight is delayed, THEN I’ll snack on the Chomps snack sticks and pistachios I packed in my carry-on.”
• Plan for long work days. “IF I don’t have time to meal prep, THEN I’ll order a Whole30 bowl from Chipotle for dinner.”

You can already see how thinking through these “if/then” scenarios helps you better plan for challenges. (Now you know to always have a glass of sparkling water in your hand, pack snacks in your carry-on, and download the Chipotle app.) Record these plans in a journal or app, and add to them as new opportunities present themselves.

The Whole30 isn’t a weight-loss diet, but we know many of you come to the program hoping to lose weight. We honor that desire. But to fully embrace the Whole30’s potential (and achieve your desired results), you’ll have to shift your mindset away from “dieting” and “weight loss” for the next 30 days.

• Ditch the scale. Hide it in your garage, toss it in a cabinet, or donate it. That hunk of plastic won’t support your confidence, self-esteem, or results on the Whole30.
• Reject the diet mindset. Remember that no food is “good” or “bad,” you are not good or bad based on what you eat, and body weight is not a reflection of health or worthiness.
• Celebrate non-scale victories. Look for NSVs big and small during your Whole30 elimination and reintroduction. They all count! These results can’t be seen on the scale, but can have a positive impact on every area of your life.
• Focus on food freedom. Remember that after reintroduction, your food freedom can and should include any and all foods you’ve decided are worth it for you. No more food rules! You’ll be confident in your plan, thanks to your Whole30 experience.

Give yourself a well-deserved break from your preoccupation with the scale. Focus on all of the other benefits the Whole30 can bring to your physical health, mental health, emotional well-being, relationships, and self-confidence. Who knows—when your Whole30 is over, maybe you’ll realize life without the scale feels far more free than life attached to it. For more on the Whole30’s perspective on weight loss, read this article from Whole30 co-founder Melissa Urban.