Life After Whole 30
The Whole30 program (which involves eating clean, whole foods for 30 days) changes many lives.
Eaters develop a rich understanding of how food affects them (emotionally and physically) and how to foster healthy food relationships. Whole30 even launches some into a permanent paleo pattern, resulting in long term healthy eating.
Regardless of how you move forward after your first Whole30 program, there are a few things that you’ll never see the same again after whole 30. Here are 4 things I’ll never think of the same, now that the veil has been lifted!
1. Sugar
Sugar, you sneaky beast. There’s a reason why many Whole30-ers talk about battling their “sugar dragons” – sugar is a heck of a monster to grapple with.
Prior to Whole30, I was convinced that sugar and I were in a healthy relationship. I thought sugar was my friend, my pal, my afternoon slump co-pilot, there to give me a quick pick me up.
But a few days into Whole30 will show that sugar is possessive, controlling, and has a vicious chokehold. To think this villainous creature has been living alongside me for all these years, and I had no idea! It’s quite eye opening, to say the least.
After Whole30, I find myself giving sugar the old stink eye, now that I know of its crafty ways.
2. Labels
If you weren’t a label reader before, you probably will be after Whole30. And let’s face it, you might have to grab some reading classes because that type on the back of cans can get pretty darn small.
Like Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones, sugar goes by many times – high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, maltodextrin, and more.
Then of course you have to look out for crazy additives too like sulfites, monosodium glutamate, and carrageenan.
The saddest part? This stuff is in nearly everything, and it’s pretty dark to realize what you were gladly gobbling down before Whole30 taught you any better.
3. Zucchini
Whole30 shows us that zucchini is a truly under-valued vegetable. Who knew zucchini could disguise itself as pasta so easily? A simple spiralizer shows how easy it is to make zoodels, and suddenly you find that vegetable noodles are actually pretty darn good!
Just top zoodles with some meatballs and tomato sauce, and you may be surprised how much you aren’t missing that fettuccini in the cupboard.
4. Coffee
Whole30 taught me the taste of real coffee, and my relationship with old Joe has only deepened since.
I use to be a half milk, half coffee kind of gal. I gawked at the idea of drinking black coffee – what kind of demons did that!?
Giving up dairy in my morning brew seemed like an arduous task at first, but I eased myself in with Whole30 coffee helpers like coconut milk and cinnamon. Eventually I ended up diving head in with black coffee – and surprise – I loved it! Who would have thought?
What have your eyes been opened to after Whole30? What will you never see the same again? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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