Yesterday was my last day of Whole 30 and I’m here to give you the details on how things went this time. As I have mentioned, this was my second round of Whole 30 (I completed my first round in the spring of last year). I’ll share my Whole 30 results and recap some of my thoughts on the plan.

What to Eat on Whole 30

I am all about keeping our meals simple in general but especially while on Whole 30. In my post earlier in the month, I talked about how I stick to the same meals we normally eat but adjust to make them Whole 30 approved.

Typical Breakfast

I ate eggs every single day for breakfast. My husband, who was also following Whole 30 ate eggs too, so you can imagine how many eggs we went through each week! When I factor in the kids having eggs sometimes too, we would go through almost 3 dozen!

This was my typical breakfast plate:

2 eggs, roasted sweet potatoes, 1/2 an avocado, fresh salsa and a small serving of fruit!

This breakfast was no different from what I had been eating since my last round of Whole 30. So I don’t see this meal changing now that I’m done with Whole 30.

Easy Whole 30 Lunch

My lunches were also very repetitive! It is easier for me to stick to the same things then try to come up with new ideas every meal.

Usually I would have a salad with compliant deli meat or leftover chicken, veggies and almonds or pistachios. I am OBSESSED with Tessemae’s condiments. We use three of their Whole 30 approved dressings–Ranch, Caesar and Lemon Garlic. Plus, I love Tessemae’s BBQ sauce and ketchup! Condiments are really key in adding flavor and variety while on Whole 30!

During the second week of Whole 30, I made a big batch of this butternut squash soup from Stupid Easy Paleo and ate it for lunch every day. On occasion, I had leftovers from our previous dinner. But really, I made something quick and easy!

Snacking During Whole 30

So, snacks are not officially allowed on the Whole 30 plan unless absolutely necessary. But I found that most days I really did need/want a snack in the afternoon. If I denied myself a snack I was STARVING and grumpy by dinner time.

Also, I exercised more than I did the first round of Whole 30. So, I was always hungry!

Every day after lunch, I would have a sparkling water. Either a LaCroix or a Spindrift. I looked forward to the time of day when I could have my favorite drink!

Then, around 3 p.m. when the kids got home from school, I would have a snack with them. I’d usually have an apple with almond butter or a Larabar. (While these bars are technically approved, it is not suggested that you use these as a snack). But I’m being honest here and most days I had one as a snack!

Typical Whole 30 Dinner Menu

We stuck to our favorites and repeated them often (notice a theme here?). Our meals included:

Taco Salads

Pulled Pork/Pulled Chicken in the crockpot with a side of roasted potatoes

Chicken Stir Fry

White Chicken Chili 

Breakfast for Dinner (Eggs, bacon/sausage, fruit and veggies)

Salmon with Zoodles

Cobb Salad

Chicken on the Grill, veggies and potatoes

We discovered one new recipe —> Smashed Potato Burger from Cooking with Curls! So yummy that it will continue to be a family favorite long after Whole 30!

We had roasted veggies with every meal. I would just throw whatever veggies I had on hand on a baking sheet. BONUS: I ate the leftover veggies for breakfast the next day!

My Whole 30 Results and NSV (Non scale victories)

Everyone that considers or starts a round of Whole 30 wants to know what kind of positive results they can expect! My husband and I both agreed that we have gotten better sleep and had a lot more energy this month! I did not have the usual afternoon slump that I can often get when I am not on Whole 30! Also, I have noticed that my skin seems clearer and less dry than the last few months.

Finally, the scale results…my husband lost 8 pounds and I lost 6 pounds this round. Last time, he lost 12 pounds and I lost 8 pounds. So, we definitely experienced positive results, just not as significant as our first time. I think the main reason  I didn’t see quite as many results is that I have been eating Whole 30ish for almost a year, so my body has already adjusted to my eating changes.

My Whole 30 Recap

Did I follow the plan 100%?

No. I had a few treats that were off plan or not completely in the spirit of the plan (like the Larabar snacks). But overall, my meals were 100% compliant and I was fully engaged in completing the program.

Would I do another round of Whole 30?

Maybe. My husband and I have been talking about this the last few days and the jury is out on whether we would do this program again. While we experienced several positive outcomes with the program, we didn’t especially love it the second time around. My husband pointed out that while it should seem easier to do Whole 30 in January after all the holiday indulgences, it is also a tough month it its own way. Since there is not a lot of events and special occasions in January, sometimes it’s nice to have a treat or special meal to break up the winter blahs. We struggled a bit with this!

Perhaps throughout the year I will do a Whole 15 or Whole 20 when I’m feeling like I’m getting off track!

Are my sugar cravings gone?

No. Honestly, after completing my first round last spring, I did feel like my sweet tooth was gone and I did not feel tempted to indulge. But, this month, my cravings were there a lot of the time. While I think I can resist pizza and other salty snacks for the most part, I don’t think I’ll be able to say no to the occasional chocolate or dessert now that the thirty days is over!

What will I eat now that the 30 days is over?

Per the plan, you are supposed to reintroduce food groups one at a time to see how your body reacts. Since I already know which foods make me feel better than others, I don’t plan to do a formal reintroduction process.

Instead, I will continue to eat Whole-ish and indulge in the occasional treat. My goal is to follow a mainly Whole 30 plan during the week, but allow for treats and meals that are not compliant on the weekends. It’s all about balance! Most days I will make healthy food choices, but if it’s pizza night at home, I’m not going to say no!

A Few Tips..

*Do not be surprised if you find that you need to head to the grocery store more often! While I would plan out our week’s worth of meals, I was inevitably stopping at the store 2-3 times a week to get fresh produce! I wouldn’t say that our food budget increased this month, but I did have to shop a lot more!

*Planning ahead is essential! The easiest way to get off track is when you don’t have a meal planned and it becomes easier to grab something non compliant!

*Meal prepping is a lifesaver! When I had time I would cut up fruits and veggies, including lettuce for salads. You can cook a bunch of chicken, hard boiled eggs, etc. This prep work really pays off!

*Find a buddy! I don’t know that I could have done it without my husband also doing the same thing with me! I also had some friends on Whole 30, so it was nice to be able to check in (or commiserate) with them!

*Find a few recipes that you like and stick with them. It is too easy to get overwhelmed by all of the ideas on Pinterest. But, whether you  make gourmet meals or you make very basic ones, if you are compliant, you will be successful!

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Overall, it was a great month to reset my eating habits after a few months of holiday indulgences!  I’m looking forward to continue to eat healthy now that the plan is over. But, I’m also looking forward to a occasional  bowl of ice cream!

Comment below if you were on a healthy eating kick this month and how it went for you!