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How to Reintroduce Foods After a Whole30 Challenge

Have you completed your Whole30 challenge? Congratulations! What an incredible experience it can be, right? If you survived 30 days of a Whole30 Challenge, you can do anything!

Now that you’re finished with your thirty days of the Whole30 Challenge, you may be wondering what’s next? I can tell you from my first experience, going back to eating the way you did before isn’t the answer <ahem>. But if you want to take full advantage of having experienced an elimination diet and believe you are ready to start reintroducing foods that you enjoy, keep reading. In this article, we’ll be sharing a guide for reintroducing foods after a Whole30 Challenge in a simple and healthy way!

Note: If you are like me and believe you have a really unhealthy gut (ie: you’re suffering symptoms of autoimmune disease, joint and/or muscle pain, or general inflammation), you may want to continue eating the Whole30 way for another 30 days or longer. I have personally found that 90 days worked best for me. After 90 days, I felt that my symptoms were under control enough that I could begin slowly (and successfully) adding in some foods that I had not suspected were contributing to my symptoms.

How to Reintroduce Foods after a Whole30 Diet

How to reintroduce foods into your diet

It’s important to start reintroducing foods back into your diet one food group at a time. After all, you’ve just eliminated several groups to get to the bottom of what makes your body respond a certain way. When reintroducing foods, if you reintroduce them one group at a time, you can pinpoint what foods affect you negatively. You can do this by reintroducing different food groups on different days. This is a pretty crucial step in the Whole30 process, so don’t rush to add all of these foods to your diet again at once if you want to find out how your body responds to them individually.

Don’t rush it

The Whole30 creators suggest taking your time reintroducing potentially problematic foods into your diet. This way, you can really take time and evaluate how these ingredients and foods affect your body and the way you feel. They recommend taking 3 days between each new food group introduction so you’re able to take time and assess afterward before introducing another. If you start reintroducing foods too fast, it can be difficult to truly pinpoint what is causing any issues you may be experiencing.

Don’t skip it

If you’re feeling good, that’s a great sign that you’ve had a successful Whole30 experience. Congratulations! However, Melissa Hartwig (co-creator of the Whole30 diet) encourages you to go through a reintroduction period regardless. Even if you plan to continue doing Whole30 or want to attempt another round, reintroducing foods is an important part in the learning process. If you don’t reintroduce potentially problematic foods, you won’t be able to pinpoint those problem foods that are affecting your health

Note: The creators of Whole30 don’t encourage doing Whole30 forever. Read here to see why and what they DO recommend as far as continuing Whole30.

Follow a reintroduction plan.

If you’re completing a Whole30 for the first time, it can be helpful to have your reintroduction plan laid out for you. This is your best bet for a successful period of reintroduction. You can find information about reintroduction protocols in It Starts With Food as well as the general outline and guidelines on the Whole30 site. Another great resource is The Whole 30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom so definitely pick that up if you feel like you need the extra support through this journey.

Do it at your own pace.

This is such an important piece of your journey. Doing things at your own pace can help you not only achieve success in the days and weeks following your 30-day journey but also in the long term as well. If you don’t feel like you want to reintroduce foods immediately after 30 days, wait as long as you need to until you feel ready. Want to start reintroducing foods on a much slower basis? Go for it! You can introduce one new food group a week, or even a month. It is all completely up to you and dependent upon your personal goals for your Whole30.

Was your main goal to lose weight? Consider reintroducing foods that are still healthy, but allow you to splurge here and there. For me, this included raw honey and maple syrup (my tea really missed its honey!) Don’t over-do it on sugar immediately and stay on a path of exercising willpower over junk foods though.

Was your main goal to learn how food affects your body? Consider a slower reintroduction phase to give yourself adequate time to assess how each food is making your body feel.

Is there a food you really miss, add it first. For me, I missed cheeses such as bleu and feta, as well as homemade yogurt. So I attempted to add these foods early on.

The end goal is to feel better, live a healthier life, and understand your body better. At the end of the day, you make the choices that you feel are best for your own body, and pace is equally as important when making those choices.

If you’ve started reintroducing foods already, what have you learned about how each food group affects your body? If not, what are you most looking forward to reintroducing? Share in the comments!

Visit the landing page for the entire 6-article series, A Simple Guide to the Whole30 Diet.

Instant Pot Recipes Paleo Recipes Recipes Whole30 Recipes

Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken Recipe (Whole30, Paleo)

Lemon and garlic are two of my favorite culinary words. And when combined with chicken and the Instant Pot, they are even more heavenly.

This simple Instant Pot lemon garlic chicken main dish will be ready in less than 30 minutes, and everyone in your family will enjoy devouring it.

Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 lemon + lemon slices for garnish
1 cup chicken broth
4 tsp. minced garlic
Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Turn Instant Pot to sauté until hot
Brush both sides of the chicken breasts with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
Place the chicken in the Instant Pot and sauté on each side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
Pour the chicken broth over the chicken breasts
Add the lemon juice, minced garlic, and parsley
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and seal shut, ensuring vent is closed
Press manual and set the timer for 15 minutes
Allow the Instant Pot to vent naturally
Garnish with lemon slices and fresh parsley if desired

Chicken breast with lemon and garlic on a plate

4.0 from 1 reviews

Instant Pot Lemon and Garlic Chicken

Save Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

Author: Marcy Crabtree

Recipe type: Dinner

Serves: Serves 4

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 lemon + lemon slices for garnish
1 cup chicken broth
4 tsp. minced garlic
Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Turn
Instant Pot
to sauté until hot
Brush both sides of the chicken breasts with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
Place the chicken in the Instant Pot and sauté on each side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
Pour the chicken broth over the chicken breasts
Add the lemon juice, minced garlic, and parsley
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and seal shut, ensuring vent is closed
Press manual and set the timer for 15 minutes
Allow the Instant Pot to vent naturally
Garnish with lemon slices and fresh parsley, if desired

Health Weight Loss Whole 30

How to Get Your Family on Board with Your Whole30 Diet

Sometimes the most challenging thing about making a lifestyle change is getting your family on board. Overcoming cravings and missing your old comfort foods can be hard during those first days of the Whole30 challenge. To put it simply, it can be tough to resist the bread, chips, and sweets you may have been accustomed to eating. You don’t really need the temptation of having these foods in the house, so if possible, put the whole family on Whole30 with you!

Some of you are shaking your head. You’re telling yourself there is no way your family will get on board. I feel ya, really I do. It was a bit of a struggle getting my own family to accept the changes in our meals when I first started eating the Whole30 diet way. At first, there was complete resistance, but over time, they figured out that eating this way doesn’t mean deprivation as much as it means eating well.

How to Get Your Family on Board with the Whole30 Diet

Here are just a few tips to help you in your mission to get your family on the Whole30 diet bandwagon.

Education

Sharing with your family what you are planning and why is a good first step. If you’re one of those wives/moms who is always “dieting” you may get the, “oh no, here we go again” response. But if you have educated your self well on the health benefits (not just the potential weight loss) and approach this dietary change from that perspective, you may get a little more empathy. Don’t be afraid to tell your family that you need for them to help you get through these 30 days and that you would like for them to hold you accountable and support your efforts wholeheartedly. Approaching this from the viewpoint of improved health for all of you may increase their willingness to give it a try.

Meal Planning

When you are doing your meal planning and preparing your grocery lists, try to find recipes that are similar to what you know your family already likes. A Whole30 recipe that mimics a family favorite is far more likely to be enjoyed than a brand new recipe that no one is familiar with. You may find that you already have some recipes in your box that are either Whole30 diet compliant already or can be with very simple modifications.

Invite your family to help you pick out new meal choices. Kids (and adults) are more likely to be interested in trying new things if they feel empowered to make some choices of their own. If you do choose to try a new recipe, try it out on yourself before you prepare it for a family dinner. This will give you time to perfect the preparation and cooking methods involved, as well as a chance to decide whether or not you actually like the dish yourself.

Shopping

Once you have your meal plan and grocery list ready to go, you don’t have to go it alone. Bring your kids (or even spouse) with you and let them help you. The more you can engage them in every step of the process, the more interested they are likely to be in the final result. Give them a rough outline of the types of foods that you need to pick up, and let them take the reins. You can even make a game out of finding all of the items on your list. With older children, you can give them each a piece of the shopping list and offer a prize for the winner who returns with all of the correct items first. For younger kids, try giving them a small choice and letting them take their time to pick for themselves. Tell them that you need three types of meat and a fruit in every color and see what they come up with. Making grocery shopping fun and engaging is a great way to get them more interested in the meals that these ingredients will become.

Preparation

When you get ready to start preparing your Whole30 meal, let your kids help you. For many moms, this can be a little bit scary. But kids usually like to get their hands dirty and do a bit of experimenting. If you are worried about the way your child’s food will taste, cook the same dish right alongside them. Not only will they feel empowered because they were able to make their own dinner, but you will have a backup dish on hand if you need it, (and if you don’t need it you can freeze the extra dish to use as leftovers).

When Your Family Won’t Get on Board with the Whole30 Diet

In the end, you may have members of your family that just will not give in to the Whole30 diet lifestyle. It’s not any easier for them than it is for you, and they may not have the same health-related motivations you have to succeed. It is not an expectation you can have for most of your family members. If this is the case with your family, there are a few things you can do to please them while staying on plan yourself. For example, you can cook a Whole30 compliant dinner for everyone and then add rolls, a side dish, or dessert just for them. It will take an extra measure of self-discipline on your part not to eat these foods along with them, but it can be done if you have plenty of Whole30 diet- friendly foods to fill your plate. Another idea is to offer your family their regular foods for breakfast and lunch (meals that many kids and spouses might not mind fixing for themselves, lessening your temptation) while enjoying a Whole30 dinner together.

Embracing a new lifestyle is hard, but having the support of your family will make it much easier. Hopefully, that support can come in the form of your family enjoying Whole30 diet meals along with you. But if not, I hope you can enjoy and accept whatever support they are able to offer.

Next Up: A Whole30 Guide to Reintroducing Foods

Giveaways Wellness Work at Home Mom

10 Smart Ways to Be a Productive Work at Home Mom + FREE Printable 30-Day Productivity Challenge

Whatever your ideals were before motherhood, you are doing this work at home mom thing. At the present time, because you want to be with your children you’re making this business happen. Without delay and with much delight, you start your morning routine and go with the flow. But let’s face it, we all know that things usually don’t go quite according to plan. But that’s not to say that you can’t increase those odds. Part of wellness includes managing your level of stress, and speaking from experience, nothing much raises stress levels more than feeling like you’re not juggling being a wife and mom with working from home well.

Here is a list of ways to be an amazingly productive work at home mom.

1. Meet With Your Heavenly Father

Good days or bad days, seek Him first (Matthew 6:33). He is there for you. He has blessed you with your life and with the loving care of your children.

Number One. Prior to anything else, bless your time with Him in praise, thanksgiving, prayer, and reading His Word.
Company. If your child is awake at the same time, bring him into this moment of closeness with God.
Commit. In Proverbs 16:3, we’re told that if we commit our work to the Lord, our plans will be established. Naturally, this is our work as moms and as business women.

2. Check Your Planner

Without delay, check your daily schedule. Isaiah 32:8 reminds us: “But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand” (NIV). That sounds like a great motto to have, doesn’t it? With this in mind, you’ll see that you already have a decided flow for your day. How noble of you.

Overview. To begin with, ask yourself if you have any appointments. And take a moment to read what projects are due. Straightaway make a mental note of them so that you don’t miss them.
Routine. Then get busy with your routine leading up to the time you need to leave for your appointment.
Due dates. Or if appointments aren’t pending for the day, do your routine until the afternoon rolls around to begin working on your projects.
Project Planner. To be sure that you keep track of ideas that pop into your mind, jot them down in your project planner. Then readdress them when it’s time to revisit your project focus for the day. I use the Bloom Daily Planner and the Bloom To-Do List Book to keep my calendar and track my vision, goals, and daily to-do list.

3. Maintain a Healthy Diet

Important to realize is the value of a rich, nutritious diet. Enjoying good health and hopefully, all will go well with you (3 John 1:2) .

Blood sugar. Ultimately, keeping in mind that blood sugar levels need to be stabilized throughout the day will help you with optimum function and focus.
Hydration. In fact, this includes the proper amount of water in accordance with your weight. Hydration is one of the key factors to health and productivity.

4. Exercise

Movement is so very good for us. Whatever suits you for exercise, go for it! It’ll help you set about your work vigorously with strong arms to do it (Proverbs 31:17). But remember that while some physical training is good for you, it’s not the end all of the end all (1 Timothy 4:8).

Self-care. As long as you make this one of your top self-care agendas, you’ll have better overall health and focus.
Being around. This blesses you but more importantly, it blesses your children. They rely on you to be there for them. They love you and want you around as long as possible.
Positive outlook. Plus, it helps with keeping a positive outlook on life. As a result, happy endorphins make a more joyful world go round.
Energy. Physical energy begets more physical energy. Obviously, this adds to your productivity.

5. Get Ready for the Day

With your morning routine out of the way, it’s time to clean up and dress nicely. It simply helps with motivation and mindset.

Workout clothes. All things considered, your sweatpants or yoga pants just had their moment in the spotlight.
Casual or work clothes. Ordinarily, if your profession isn’t in the realm of leading exercise groups or creative workout videos, it’s time for another outfit. In short, now it’s time to dress for success for the rest of the day.

6. Stick with Your Priorities

Many things will vie for your attention. But whether at home or away, let’s be certain to please God with what we do (2 Corinthians 5:9).

Also, remember that you can’t get the moments back with your kids. And the whole point of working from home is so that you can remain with them to spend the time with them.

Your young child comes first. Presently, he may still be a baby or toddling around and he needs you to hold him, read to him, sing to him, and play with him. This stage goes by so quickly mom. Embrace it. Everything else will fall into its rightful place.
Your older child comes first as well. Keep in mind that no matter how old your children are, they long for and need that bonding time with you. Quality time with your child will never be topped by any project you need to get to. These are the years you have with your child. And you’re working from home to be able to spend time with him. Make him a priority.
Homeschooling. On the other hand, perhaps you’re homeschooling as am I. Depending on how independent your learner is, you may need to consider teaching him his lessons prior to working.
Work. After lunch then be the most suitable time for you to begin working on your business. But admittedly, sometimes it isn’t until your child is in bed that it’s time to work.

7. Be Inspired

Children help us moms to be inspired in countless ways. To be inspired means to be infused. There are several things you can do together to breathe in creativity and beauty to revive productivity for the day.

Create. Including coloring in coloring books, or drawing, or painting, you’ll have so much fun and breathe in a whole new outlook.
Games. Amid the flux of all things digital, board or card games help with other creative processes. And, depending on the games, they offer necessary mental exercises.
Outdoors. Here and there, go for a walk or take a hike in the woods together. In either case, God has given us so much to enjoy and be curious about in His creation. Something is bound to inspire you.
Play. What a gift kids are in so many ways. If your child is still playing with toys, sit and play with him. You’ll be amazed at the imaginative inspiration you’ll walk away with.
Read. Excellent quality classics and children’s books open up literary worlds that you become a part of who you are.

8. Tidy Up

The less distracting your workspace is, the better. Ideally, put things away as soon as you have you finished using them. To be sure, if one cannot manage their household, how can one care for God’s church (1 Timothy 3:5)? Or one’s business for that matter?

Keep it together. Ordinarily, like things are kept with like things.
Surfaces. Naturally, surfaces are needed for workspace. In the meantime, keep your surfaces clear so that there isn’t any unnecessary visual clutter.
Distractions. Whenever a workspace is mostly clear, there are fewer distractions to contend with.

9. Stay Organized

A home that is organized is reflective of an organized thought life. All things should be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40). In essence, it’s the same with an office space.

Projects. During work on current projects, you can keep them in 3-ring binders with dividers. Due dates keep your projects organized. Also, keeping a list and checking tasks off as they are accomplished helps ensure you don’t miss a thing.
Papers. After you complete projects, keep paper records of past projects in their proper files or a 3-ring binder for past projects.
Receipts. After balancing accounts, keep your business related receipts for tax purposes.

10. Sleep

From time to time, you may find that you have to pull longer hours or later hours than are ideal. It’s understandable that worry can disrupt sleep. But Psalm 4:8 reminds us that we can go to sleep in peace because it’s the Lord that makes us dwell in safety. And we can’t add another day to our life by worrying (Matthew 6:27). With this in mind consider the following to keep sleep a priority.

Schedule it in. Since it’s often times easy to slip into an unhealthy cycle of staying up too late, be sure to schedule in your sleep. And stick to it.
Balance. Overall, you are looking to keep an average of healthy sleep hours. This doesn’t mean go with 4 hours of sleep and then try to make up for it later. Hence, you truly want a balance where you are averaging your sleep hours.
Rest. Going to bed at a decent hour is critical. Also, the proper amount of restful sleep helps you to be the most productive work at home mom you can be. Nothing compares to being rested.

30 Day Productivity Challenge

If you’re feeling inspired, we have a great 30 Day Productivity Challenge that you can do. The challenges aren’t assigned to certain days. As soon as you finish one that you want to do, mark it off and go for the next one that suits your fancy. Have fun with it! And here’s to being the best productive version of you!

To receive your FREE printable 30-day Productivity Challenge, enter your email below and then check your inbox. You should have it within 15 minutes!

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Paleo Recipes Recipes Whole30 Recipes WW Freestyle Recipes

30 Paleo Weight Watchers Freestyle Recipes

Have I mentioned that I think Weight Watchers should give me a Lifetime Membership for the simple fact that I have joined no less than 20 times? The struggle is real, friends. I remember the last time I joined the leader for the meetings I attended would give her “testimony” to the new folks by stating she had lost 80lbs — the same 20lbs over again 4 times. I scoffed at what a novice she was. If we’re counting weight loss like that, I could probably brag about losing about 300lbs during my tenure at Weight Watchers!

All joking aside (sort of), I’m not currently attending Weight Watchers meetings, but I’ve been thinking about it ever since I heard of the new Weight Watchers Freestyle Plan, where there are now over 200 foods that are zero points, and they aren’t all fruits and vegetables! This is exciting news in particular for those who eat a Paleo diet because many of the new foods recently added to the list are Paleo friendly proteins (chicken, turkey, eggs, seafood). The Weight Watchers Freestyle plan also includes beans, lentils, corn, peas, tofu, and nonfat yogurt as zero point foods, but those foods are not considered Paleo.

I’ve always appreciated that Weight Watchers is constantly keeping up with the latest science about food and is willing to change things up when necessary. I see these new changes as a boost for the Paleo lifestyle — those of us who have tried it understand that you can eat clean foods and lose weight without counting calories (or points). For people like me who enjoy a little pat on the back, accountability meetings, or a reward system and eat a Paleo diet, the new Weight Watchers Freestyle program may just be perfection, with careful consideration for food choices.

While I’m deciding if I want to venture back into the world of weekly meetings (or perhaps just doing the Freestyle Plan at home), I’ve been researching and looking around for some recipes that are both low or zero points within the new guidelines of the Freestyle Program and Paleo. There aren’t a lot of recipes published that say, “hey — this one is great for Paleo and Freestyle” so I’m having to look at each recipe and make a determination on a case-by-case basis. For this particular list, I’m only sharing dishes that are Paleo and 3 SmartPoints or less. I may come back later and add more, but for now, here’s what I have been able to find.

Paleo Weight Watchers Freestyle Recipes

Weight Watchers Freestyle Zero SmartPoint Recipes

Salsa Chicken Over Cauliflower Rice

Slow Cooker Tomato Balsamic Chicken

Slow Cooker Italian Red Pepper Chicken

Stovetop Shredded Chicken Taco Filling

Crockpot Chicken Verde

Asian Chicken Soup (substitute Coconut Aminos for the Soy Sauce)

Meal Prep Taco Bowls with Cauliflower Rice

Grilled Turkey Lula Kabobs

Grilled Cilantro Lime Shrimp Kabobs

Salsa Roasted Salmon

Broiled Tilapia

Muffin Tin Eggs

Tex Mex Scrambled Eggs

Weight Watchers Freestyle One SmartPoint Recipes

Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms and Lime

Baked Chicken Fajitas

Hawaiian Chicken Skewers (substitute Coconut Aminos for the Soy Sauce)

Turkey Apple Burgers

Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls Soup

Blackened Zucchini Wrapped Fish

One Pan Shrimp Fajitas

Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp and Asparagus

Maple Mustard Salmon

Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts

Weight Watchers Freestyle Two SmartPoints Recipes

One Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken and Asparagus

Cilantro Lime Chicken Kabobs

Blackened Salmon with Garlic Zucchini Noodles

Sheet Pan Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli

Weight Watchers Freestyle Three Smart Points Recipes

Healthy Kung Pao Chicken

Slow Cooker Easy Beef Stew

Best Steak Ever

Do you have a favorite Paleo recipe that is 3 SP or less? I’d love to know about it!

Health Whole 30

7 Unexpected Benefits of the Whole30 Diet

Whether you’re just getting ready to dive into your first round of the Whole30 diet or you’re a seasoned veteran, you probably have interest in learning about the unexpected benefits of the Whole30. There is so much more to the Whole30 and why people may choose to do it. In this article, we’ll be discussing some of the unexpected benefits of Whole30 diet and sharing our experiences with each other in the comments!

Note: Remember, your mileage may vary on these benefits and symptoms. Not everybody will react the same way to the Whole30 diet. Some people may experience all of these, some of these, or none of these. Each individual has their own journey. At the end of the day, the Whole30 can teach you a lot about how to live a healthier life even if you don’t experience any of these benefits.

7 Unexpected Benefits of the Whole30 Diet

Clearer skin

Of course weight loss is always a wonderful benefit and a completely valid reason to try Whole30 as well. However, one of the coolest unexpected benefits of completing a Whole30 is having clearer skin. Many people who complete one or more rounds of Whole30 have reported that they notice a visible change in skin clarity.

Increased energy

This is often a reported benefit by people who do the Whole30 as well. This is one of the most common unexpected benefits of Whole30 that people discuss. If you feel a little sluggish for the first week or two, try your best to stay committed for the full 30 days. After the initial period of detox, ridding your body of the “junk” or your past diet, you’ll likely notice a difference in your energy levels.

Decrease in cravings

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit, and after 30 days, you’d be surprised how easily you’re able to satisfy your cravings with healthier foods. Many people report a noticeable decrease in the number of carbohydrate cravings they have in particular, and when they do have cravings, find it easier to satisfy in a healthier way.

Better sleep

The quality of your sleep can be vastly improved with the elimination of “junk” foods. Things like heartburn that would normally interrupt sleep could be eliminated altogether, allowing you to get a deeper sleep each night. Each person’s reaction will vary, but many Whole30 achievers have discussed an improvement in their quality of sleep. This is probably the most noticeable unexpected benefit for me personally.

Reduction in number and intensity of migraines.

If you’re a sufferer of migraines, like I am, you’ll be happy to know that many people report a reduction in the number of migraines they suffer! This has been one of the best benefits for me personally. Additionally, the Whole30 gives you a great opportunity to pinpoint migraine triggers during the reintroduction period after each Whole30 round. I went from nearly daily migraines to about once a month after doing a Whole30 challenge followed by continuing to eat a mostly Paleo diet. I have not been able to pinpoint my food triggers so far, even after the reintroduction of a few foods. I suspect either gluten or dairy to be my main causes, but at this point, I’m not willing to go back to eating those foods to find out.

Reduction in chronic pain.

Sufferers of chronic pain have reported a decrease in pain as well as less dependency on pain medications. Many causes of chronic pain can be (at least somewhat) attributed to inflammation. Because eliminating these food groups from your diet for 30 days can also greatly decrease inflammation, you may notice that your pain is greatly reduced. You’ll likely find that even if inflammation isn’t the root cause of your chronic pain, it is a contributing factor, and eliminating it can help with your pain management. This was my number one reason for trying the Whole30, and I am happy to report that much (most) of my joint and muscle pain has disappeared.

Decrease in swelling

This is an unexpected benefit that I was not anticipating. For many years, I have struggled with joint pain and swelling, particularly in my ankles. After my first Whole30 challenge, I began to notice that not only was my pain improved, I had noticeable ankle bones again. I believe this benefit comes from the reduction of sodium in my diet since I’m no longer eating processed foods. If I do eat a meal out, with a lot of added salt, the swelling begins to return almost immediately.

Discussion:

If you are a veteran of the Whole30, what unexpected benefits of the Whole30 diet have you encountered?

If you haven’t completed a round of the Whole30 diet, which of these benefits of the Whole30 diet are you looking forward to the most? Share in the comments!

Next Up: How to Get Your Family on Board with Your Whole30 Diet

Paleo Recipes Recipes Vegan Recipe Whole30 Recipes

Spicy Zucchini Noodles Recipe (Whole30, Paleo, Vegan)

I have a confession to make. Sometimes eating the Paleo or Whole30 way challenges me because of all the meat. Both diets require a larger protein consumption than I would naturally choose. So I eat a log of eggs. For several years, I was a lacto-ovo vegetarian, so eating eggs to get enough protein is second nature to me.

But sometimes, I just want a good vegetarian meal. In the past, that would have included a really great pasta dish. I really love good pasta. So combining my love for pasta that I shouldn’t eat now that I’ve mostly given up grains, with a meatless meal, landed me at attempting to come up with a good zoodles, also known as zucchini noodles, recipe. If you like a little spice in your life, I think you’ll enjoy this delicious bowl for lunch. You could even make it as a side dish for your main meal. It’s chock-full of healthy goodness and is very simple to make. I use a spiralizer to make the zoodles, but if you don’t have one, simply use a veggie peeler to make your zucchini noodles.

Spicy Zucchini Noodles Recipe

Ingredients

3 zucchini
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon chili flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1-1.5 cup spinach, chopped
1.5 cup chopped tomatoes

Instructions

Spiralize the zucchini into noodles and place in a bowl.

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium to high heat. Add the red pepper flakes and cook 2-4 minutes.

Add the garlic and tomato- it should sizzle once added.

Cook 2-3 minutes.

Add the sundried tomatoes, spinach, and zucchini.

Cook until zucchini noodles are heated through and spinach is slightly wilted.

Serves 3.

Note: this pasta is SPICY. If that’s not your thing, use 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes.

You might also enjoy:

Spicy Zucchini Noodles

Save Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

Author: Marcy Crabtree

Recipe type: Lunch

Serves: Serves 3

Ingredients

3 zucchini
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon chili flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1-1.5 cup spinach, chopped
1.5 cup chopped tomatoes

Instructions

Spiralize the zucchini into noodles and place in a bowl.
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium to high heat. Add in the red pepper flakes and cook 2-4 minutes.
Add in the garlic and tomato- it should sizzle once added.
Cook 2-3 minutes.
Add in the sundried tomatoes, spinach and zucchini.
Cook until zucchini noodles are heated through and spinach is slightly wilted.
Serves 3.

Notes

Note: this pasta is SPICY. If that's not your thing, use ½ teaspoon red chili flakes.

Desserts Gluten-free Recipes Recipes

Gluten-free Sugar Cookie Recipe

Even if you’re trying hard to eat the most healthy diet possible, sometimes, you just need a little sweet treat. Or perhaps you want to make a homemade cookie for your family that won’t completely set you off course should you sneak a bite. Either way, this little gluten-free sugar cookie made with coconut and oat flour is a great option.

Because it’s imperative to balance the wet and dry ingredients when you’re making cut-out cookies, this recipes uses just a bit of cane sugar, coupled with raw honey and maple syrup for sweetness and a lovely taste that pairs well with the cinnamon.

Don’t skip the freezer chilling step. This dough is pretty sticky and without chilling it, you won’t be able to roll it out successfully. And you’ll need to work kind of quickly when you’re cutting it out as well. It’s easier than it all sounds and totally worth the effort. On a really positive note, you’ll mix it all with a fork; no mixer required!

Gluten-free Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

Cookies
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon cane sugar
• 3 eggs
• 4 tablespoons coconut oil (measured solid)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1.5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons honey

Topping
• 1 tablespoon cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

In a large bowl combine the first five ingredients. Mix well and ensure there are no clumps from the coconut flour.

Melt the coconut oil and whisk together the remaining five ingredients.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until everything is combined. Let sit in the bowl for 5-7 minutes. Coconut oil absorbs moisture so this will thicken the batter.

Lay a piece of saran wrap on the counter and place dough into the center. Wrap into a ball and place in the freezer for twenty minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Remove the dough from the freezer and place the ball between two pieces of parchment paper.

Roll until dough is about 1/4 inch thick.

Note: you want the dough to be thicker as it’s easier to make molds this way. You also need to move fast so it doesn’t completely thaw.

With a cookie cutter, cut the dough into desired shapes and use a silicone spatula to lay on a baking pan on parchment paper. Roll, cut and repeat until all the dough is used.

In a small bowl combine the stevia and cinnamon. Dust the cookies with the topping (you can also sift through a fine mesh strainer for this).

Cook in the oven for 8 minutes, flip the pan and cook for another five. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan for thirty minutes. This helps them firm up so don’t try to move them too early!

Store in the fridge.

Makes 12-14 cookies

Gluten-free Cinnamon Sugar Cookie

Save Print

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

40 mins

Author: Marcy Crabtree

Recipe type: Cookie

Serves: 12-14 cookies

Ingredients

½ cup coconut flour
½ cup oat flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ tsp cinnamon
1 tablespoon cane sugar
3 eggs
4 tablespoons coconut oil (measured solid)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons honey

Topping

1 tablespoon cane sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

In a large bowl combine the first five ingredients. Mix well and ensure there are no clumps from the coconut flour.
Melt the coconut oil and whisk together the remaining five ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until everything is combined. Let sit in the bowl for 5-7 minutes. Coconut oil absorbs moisture so this will thicken the batter.
Lay a piece of saran wrap on the counter and place dough into the center. Wrap into a ball and place in the freezer for twenty minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Remove the dough from the freezer and place the ball between two pieces of parchment paper.
Roll until dough is about ¼ inch thick.
Note: you want the dough to be thicker as it's easier to make molds this way. You also need to move fast so it doesn't completely thaw.
With a cookie cutter, cut the dough into desired shapes and use a silicone spatula to lay on a baking pan on parchment paper. Roll, cut and repeat until all the dough is used.
In a small bowl combine the stevia and cinnamon. Dust the cookies with the topping (you can also sift through a fine mesh strainer for this).
Cook in the oven for 8 minutes, flip the pan and cook for another five. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan for thirty minutes. This helps them firm up so don't try to move them too early!
Store in the fridge.

Whole 30

5 Tips for a Successful Whole30 Challenge

Now that you’ve read the How to Start the Whole30 Diet and downloaded your free Whole30 Shopping List you’re ready to dive in! We’ve discussed it briefly before, but The Whole30 can sometimes feel overwhelming on your first attempt. It’s totally normal to feel that way! Eliminating foods from your diet can certainly be a challenge, but when you are able to get a better understanding of how your body responds to certain foods, you’ll be glad you made the attempt! Today, I’ll be sharing some tips and tricks for a successful Whole30 challenge. These are some of the things I discovered along the way that made the Whole30 Challenge a bit easier for me.

5 Tips For a Successful Whole30 Challenge

Stay on top of hydration.

This is an often overlooked aspect of trying to complete a successful Whole30 challenge. Hydration is so important! Besides the fact that we can confuse the signals our brain sends for thirst as hunger, contributing to overeating and weight gain, hydration is key to combatting some of the unpleasant side effects of detoxification. For the first week or so of the Whole30, as you eliminate certain foods from your diet, your body begins the task of detoxifying itself. This can lead to symptoms such as headache, fatigue, skin reactions, and more. Staying hydrated goes a long way toward helping ease these symptoms as many of the toxins are eliminated through the kidneys.

Adding lemon, lime, orange or cucumber slices to your water may also help with the detoxification process, and will help with the boredom of drinking so much water. Really afraid you’ll get tired of drinking water? Try some of these yummy mocktails using La Croix sparkling water. Those of you giving up carbonated beverages might really enjoy these.

Save money where you can.

It’s a fact that eating a healthier diet can sometimes seem more expensive, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Spend time searching your local grocery flyers for the best deals on produce and meat each week to help cut down on your grocery bill. In the meat department, look for the “manager’s specials” (meat about to read expiration) and cook or freeze the meat immediately. Recently I was able to buy several packs of organic/free range chicken legs and thighs this way. I slow cooked the thighs, shredded and froze the meat in serving sizes to use for soup, lettuce wraps, salads, etc. I made buffalo chicken legs for my family and they were devoured in a couple of days. If you have a local farmer’s market, consider visiting each week to buy your produce there. Not only will you be getting farm fresh food, you’ll be able to save a lot of money and support your local farmers. If you have an Aldi grocery store, they have a plethora of organic foods, and our store carries grass-fed ground beef for a great price.

A membership to Thrive Market may help alleviate the increased expense of purchasing pantry items that are Whole30 approved. Thrive Market carries healthy, organic foods and works like a Costco membership — you pay a yearly fee and then shop at a wholesale discount. Shipping is free for orders of $49 and higher. I shop once a month so I can get the free shipping and stock up on what I need. Some of my favorite products include the Primal Kitchen line of mayos and salad dressings, ghee, coconut aminos, coconut milk, cocao powder, cassava flour, Medjool dates, Wild Planet pink salmon, Safe Catch tuna, pasta sauces (sugar-free), coconut oil, bone broth, Larabars, and Nutpods creamer.

Click here to try Thrive Market free for one month and get 25% off your first order.

Stay strong against temptation. It’s only 30 days!

Let’s face it, there will likely be reasons that you could justify having a “cheat meal” or a “cheat day”, but don’t do it! You can absolutely last for 30 days while you complete your Whole30 challenge. Trust me, if I can do it (and I’ve gone it several times now), you can do it. It gets easier as time goes on, but it does take planning. If you have a special occasion coming up, plan ahead for it. Do what needs to get done ahead of time to make decisions that will help you be successful in your Whole30 challenge. For example, if you have a social occasion coming up – work party, birthday party, special dinner – take along a sweet Larabar treat to get you through or look at the menu ahead of time and know what you will order before you get there. If you do mess up, you’ll need to begin your 30 days all over again. Use that as an incentive to stick with it!

Meal prep whenever possible.

Meal prepping is one of the best ways to ensure you have a successful Whole30 challenge experience. The Whole30 includes a lot of cooking and preparing food and it’s ultimately much easier to spend one day doing it all than having to find and set aside time every single day to prep each meal. This means you’ll likely be eating the same foods for 3-4 days in a row, but you’ll get used to it. I have actually found that this helps me not get bored with my food. Once the 4 days are up, I switch to a different protein and mix in different salads and veggie sides. By the time I’m starting to get bored, I’ve moved on to a new meal prep. At the very least, it is helpful to meal prep 3-4 days of your proteins at a time.

Consciously eat enough protein and fat.

Speaking of protein, a lot of people who are cutting out grains can often forget to fill up on protein. Most people do not eat enough protein, and this can be true for those attempting the Whole30 challenge as well. You should aim for 4-6 oz. of eggs, meat, or fish at each meal, and 1-2 tablespoons of healthy fats. Protein and fat are extremely filling, so making sure you eat plenty of both will help you limit snacking throughout the day.

Ultimately, the only thing that can make you have a successful Whole30 challenge is you. Please know that you absolutely have the capability to do it. Your mind is a very powerful thing and success with any goal is usually a matter of execution. So commit, plan, and execute, and you will have a successful Whole30 challenge.

What are you most excited about for your first (or next) round of the Whole30 challenge?

Next Up: 7 Unexpected Benefits of the Whole30 Diet

Instant Pot Recipes Paleo Recipes Recipes

50 Paleo Recipes for the Instant Pot

My husband gave me an Instant Pot for Christmas over a year ago. I’ll admit that at first, it intimidated me a little. Okay, a lot. For the first 9 months, all I ever cooked in it was hard-boiled eggs. I was seriously afraid of blowing the thing up (or ruining the food). But eventually, I found some great Facebook groups dedicated to cooking with the Instant Pot and then scoured the internet for recipes to try that would work well for eating Paleo.

These recipes are on my to-try list. I’ve made some of them, but nearly all. I hope they’re all as delicious as they look. I’m excited to find out.

50 Paleo Recipes for the Instant Pot

At our house, we all fix mostly fix our own breakfast and lunch, so I’m focusing this list primarily on the dinner menu. Below you’ll find recipes for chicken, beef, pork, soups, and side dishes.