Is the Whole 30 for you?

Some of you may recall last summer when I completed the Whole 30.  What is the Whole 30 some of you may wonder?  The Whole 30 is a way to reset your body from all the junk you've been feeding it so that you can discover what makes you tick.  It is also in line with the Paleo/caveman style diet.  The book we follow, It Starts With Food, does an excellent job of describing how food leads to autoimmune disorders.  So who should do the Whole 30?

First of all, kids with SPD, Autism, severe allergies, asthma, arthritis or any immune related disorder can greatly benefit from this eating plan.  Personally, I do not force this on my older two, but I do strongly encourage and reward them for eating the same as me.  My toddler is pretty much stuck eating what I eat.

The Whole 30 is also for any adult who wants to lose weight, gain energy, and rid their body of autoimmune related disorders.  It is not a cure for anything but you would be amazed at the effect food has on diabetes, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, thyroidism and the list goes on.

So how does this diet work.  Well, to keep it simple, you eliminate all dairy, grains, legumes and processed foods.  Sounds impossible to some but once you get the hang of it, it really feels right and becomes much easier. After the first week of misery, you'll find that three meals a day is all you need to feel wonderful.

So me and my husband are starting the Whole 30 tomorrow!  Yikes. I am eating my last taste of cheese tonight for 30 days. But that's it folks.  After 30 days, you get to reintroduce your favorites for two day, then take a break for two and introduce another.  If you find those foods make you miserable, then you know not to eat them.

I thought I would include our meals for the next several days just to give you an idea of how it goes.  I am not including fruit in the meals because I only eat it if I need something sweet.  But for my kids, who don't need to loose weight, I give them a bunch of high carb fruits and veggies.  I also feed them potatoes which is not Whole 30 approved but they love them as french fries and it gives them the carbs they need.

So here is our first few days:

Tuesday:
Breakfast - 4 eggs, 4-5 pieces of bacon over spinach  (Gary will do 6 eggs); coffee with coconut cream
Lunch - Very large salad with grilled chicken and avocado; iced tea
Dinner - California style chicken with asparagus, sweet potato and cucumber slices

Wednesday:
Breakfast - Frittata with ground pork, asparagus and red pepper
Lunch - Large salad with left over chicken and avocado
Dinner - Sweet potato hash (ground meat, spices and potatoes), broccoli, zucchini sticks

Thursday:
Breakfast - Left over frittata
Lunch - Tuna over salad
Dinner - Burgers wrapped in lettuce, sweet potato fries, kale chips

Friday:
Breakfast - Eggs, bacon over spinach
Lunch - Left over burgers over lettuce
Dinner - Thai wraps, cauliflower "fried rice"

So how does it sound?  Add a little fruit and your on your way to feeling great!