I am about to start on round #4 of Whole 30. What is the first thing I do with Whole 30 newbies? Remind them of favorite quote in “It Starts With Food”

Sure, every single time, on Day #1, I ask myself, “Why in the heck am I doing this” and on Day #4, I want chocolate so bad and hate life. Not to mention, that first weekend of being the only adult not enjoying a cocktail… just downright sucks.

Oh, but on Day #21, I am on cloud nine. I look and feel my best and so incredibly thankful for the Whole 30 program.

Here are 4 ways I have made this process easier.

1) Ask for help.

I am as stubborn as they come. Before Round #1, I envisioned the Whole 30 as this elaborate way to cook these amazing meals at home 4-5 days per week. I spent over $300 that first week ready to seize the kitchen.

Nope. I threw out almost half of it and felt defeated.

Now, I exchange meals with friends and actually use an outside service to cook 2 breakfast/2 lunch/2 dinner options for me.

It’s ok for someone else to do the cooking while balancing a job, family, and household. You are not a superhero. Although on occasion, it does cross my mind that I could be.

2)  Distract Yourself.  

My to do list in January as a gym owner can be quite long. The days go by quick.

And then a snow day hit in Tennessee. You know the ones that shut down the entire town for 3-4 days.

HARDEST 4 DAYS OF WHOLE 30 EVER!

I realized after opening the freezer for the 9th time just to stare and even smell the ice cream, busy is a good thing for me.

Find a hobby. Read a book. Clean out closets. Create those to do lists a mile long.

They say idle hands are the devil’s hands and I think they were talking about popcorn, cheese dip, chocolate and ice cream.

3. Disregard what you think a “meal” should look like. 

Last year during January, I looked down on my plate.

Chicken Apple Sausage

Broccoli

Apples

What? Back in my Whole 30 rookie days, I would never. That’s not a traditional meal!

Hmmmm, let’s think. I was full, satisfied until my next meal and met all Whole 30 requirements.

Check!

4. Stop craving comfort. 

Your mind wants comfortable. It wants to stay inside on cold days and warm up with your coffee and Reese’s Peanut Butter Coffee Creamer.

It does not want to get up and eat eggs and drink black coffee.

My advice? Get up. Do the hard things. Keep doing the hard things and then guess what? They end up being not so hard after all.

And my experience with healthy eating and pushing outside the comfort zone…the reward will be greater than you could ever imagine!

YOU.

CAN.

DO.
THIS.