Okay, so I’ve been seeing “Whole30” popping up everywhere, and with fall being my absolute favorite season for cooking, I figured, why not give it a shot? Plus, I was feeling kinda blah after all the summer BBQs and ice cream. This is my journey – the good, the bad, and the surprisingly tasty.
Getting Started (and Getting Organized)
First things first, I had to figure out what Whole30 even was. Basically, you cut out a bunch of stuff for 30 days: sugar, grains, dairy, legumes, alcohol… the list went on. It felt a bit overwhelming, I’m not gonna lie. I spent a good few hours just Googling “Whole30 recipes” and “Whole30 meal plans.” My Pinterest board exploded.
The key, I realized, was planning. I’m usually a “fly by the seat of my pants” kind of cook, but that wasn’t gonna fly here. I made a giant list of all the fall veggies and fruits I love – butternut squash, sweet potatoes, apples, Brussels sprouts, you name it. Then, I searched for recipes that used those as the stars.
The First Week: What Have I Done?!
Okay, confession time: the first few days were ROUGH. I had a headache, I was cranky, and I craved sugar like a monster. I seriously considered quitting. But, I’d told myself I’d do this, so I stuck with it. I roasted a huge batch of vegetables on Sunday – sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and onions – so I’d have something easy to grab. That definitely helped.
- Breakfast: I got really into sweet potato “toast.” You just slice a sweet potato lengthwise, roast it, and top it with whatever you want! I did avocado and everything bagel seasoning a lot.
- Lunch: Big salads were my lifesaver. I loaded them up with roasted veggies, grilled chicken (prepped on Sunday, too!), and a simple homemade dressing (olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper).
- Dinner: This is where I got to be a little more creative. I found some amazing recipes for butternut squash soup (made with coconut milk instead of cream – SO good!), and I even mastered a Whole30-compliant chili (no beans, sadly, but still delicious).
Weeks 2-4: Finding My Groove (and Some Awesome Recipes)
By the second week, I started feeling… good. Like, REALLY good. My energy levels were way up, my skin looked clearer, and I wasn’t craving junk food nearly as much. It was like my body was finally saying, “Thank you!”
I experimented with a lot of new recipes. I discovered that spaghetti squash is a pretty decent substitute for pasta, especially when you toss it with a hearty meat sauce (I used ground turkey and lots of veggies). I also made a killer shepherd’s pie with a mashed cauliflower topping instead of potatoes. It was surprisingly comforting and flavorful!
-
Spiced apple and sweet potato bake.
-
Roasted root vegetable and chicken.
-
Butternut Squash Curry
The biggest challenge, honestly, was eating out. It’s doable, but you have to be that person asking a million questions about the menu. I mostly stuck to cooking at home, which was fine by me because I was actually enjoying it!
The End (and Beyond!)
I did it! I made it through 30 days. And you know what? I felt amazing. Not just physically, but mentally too. I was proud of myself for sticking with it, and I learned so much about cooking with whole, unprocessed foods. I still had some foods and recipes that I would like to try, such as pumpkin spice and coconut cream.
Will I stay 100% Whole30 forever? Probably not. But I’m definitely going to keep incorporating a lot of these recipes and principles into my diet. I’m hooked on feeling this good! And I’m already thinking about what Whole30-friendly dishes I can make for Thanksgiving…
