Off-Limits Foods?

Simmie

There is always confusion with those new to Whole30 on what items are specifically Off Limits for Everyone. There are a lot of people that think if certain items aren't an issue for them, then they can choose to have them.

BZZZZT! Wrong!

We've been seeing a lot of breakfast cereal type posts or as suggestions in comments lately that are NOT allowed on Whole30.

Hint: That yummy sounding pumpkin breakfast bake recipe is not ok on Whole30, per Melissa (in a pm with an Admin of a Whole30 group).

The list below comes from the Program Rules as off limits for everyone--it doesn't matter if you don't have an issue with them--eat them, then you Restart.

• pancakes (including just bananas and eggs)
• waffles
• bread
• tortillas (including cauliflower-based) also includes tortilla shells
• biscuits
• muffins
• cupcakes
• cookies
• brownies
• pizza crust (this refers to pizza crust that uses flour, cauliflower pizza crust is allowed if you don't consider it a personal SWYPO item)
• cereal (i.e., Paleo granola type stuff too)
• ice cream
• No commercially-prepared chips (potato, tortilla, plantain, etc.) or French fries either.

However, this list is not limited strictly to these items—there may be other foods that you find are not psychologically healthy for your Whole30. Use your best judgment with those foods that aren’t on this list, but that you suspect are not helping you change your habits or break those cravings.

Our mantra: When in doubt, leave it out. It’s only 30 days.

Is Cauliflower Pizza Crust allowed on Whole30?

Simmie

The answer is: it's up to you!!! The Whole30 folks have not said no, nor have they said yes -- which means each of us needs to decide for ourselves if it is SWYPO for us personally.

There are some Facebook Groups who are confused and (in my opinion) have not exercised a little bit of common sense and logic, so here is some information for you:

YES, the Program Rules and SWYPO article both say that pizza crust is out.  However, let's exercise some common sense and logic here.  This is referring to pizza crust that uses flour, not pizza crust that uses ground meat or cauliflower. We already know that "pizza crust" using ground meats is allowed... C'mon people, think it through, please!

And really, this isn't mimicking the real thing.  The truth is that nothing you can make on Whole30 will taste like the pizza you know and love. Part of the point of SWYPO is whether it duplicates or tries to duplicate the Taste or Texture of the real thing.  This does neither, altho for some, it may remind you too much of the real thing, so for you personally, it's a good idea to eliminate it.  But for most people, it's not going to do that.

From the Senior Moderator on the Whole30 Forum, on THIS post:

The Whole30 team is ambivalent about some of the ways cauliflower is being used by Whole30ers. We would like to settle the debate and give clear-cut answers to every question, but a yes or no answer may not be appropriate in this case. (Comment added 23 January 2015)

Original comment: Making cauliflower veggie muffins or a cauliflower pizza crust is fine. Seriously, I am the bad cop around here and I think your idea sounds good! :)


We take seriously the principle of not replicating conventional foods with compliant ingredients around here. If you were using almond or coconut flour as your crust, the answer would be STOP! NO! But, cauliflower? Sure. Principle is one thing, but I don't think you can use cauliflower wrong during a Whole30. (Unless you go for a cauliflower tortilla. We have a ruling against "wrappers." Google the Whole30 and coconut wraps to see the whole story on that issue. This last comment added 23 January 2015).

NSV Goals and Accomplishments

Most of us are familiar with the Whole30 NSV Checklist (click here to see it).

Well we got to thinking about the checklist and making it into more of a Before/After worksheet type of thing!

It doesn't take much to get me to dive into Excel to accomplish that!  I ran it by Melissa Hartwig and she has given the thumbs up to share this.

The idea is to go through the worksheet and in the first column, check those items you expect improvement with.  On Day 31, return to the worksheet and indicate whether each of those Expectations were met, not met, or stayed the same.  BUT....go through the entire worksheet to see if there were other areas you didn't expect improvement in that you had improvement (or even worsening) with.

Below are the two pages. Also, to download the Excel file to work with, click here - to download a pdf to work with/print off, click here.

Whole30 REINTRODUCTION -- a must!

Simmie Sinow

Did you know that Reintroduction is a mandatory part of Whole30? Yes, this is true.

We all know those who don't want to do Reintroduction.  Some because they don't plan to add things back into their eating program, others because they don't trust themselves. And others because they don't understand the process of Food Freedom.

What they don't realize is that Reintroduction is not necessarily about adding those items back into your food rotation, but knowing which foods you need to treat like poison, which foods you can tolerate occasionally with minimal reactions, and which foods can be added back into rotation with no reactions.

Doing an elimination diet and not reintroducing just makes no sense, because you don't come out of it knowing which foods are causing issues -- and that is the whole point. Whole30 is not a "forever" plan, so knowing where to start with customizing your way of eating is essential.

We all know that the reintroduction schedule from Whole30 is lacking some items.  Below you will find graphics of both the Whole30 schedule and also the schedule that has worked best for me.

You can also add another two categories: split wine into organic (no sulfites) in addition to the wine category; split sugar into an artifical sweeteners category in addition to the sugar category.  I found that adding an artificial sweeteners category to be super helpful. Splitting dairy into 2 categories is, in my opinion, really important -- a lot of people  can tolerate either yogurt/milk or cheeses, but not both.

WHOLE30-RECOMMENDED SCHEDULE:

AN ALTERNATE SCHEDULE:

Whole30 Rules and Recommendations

Simmie Sinow


Rules and Recommendations!!!! This is a quick graphic that you can keep with you to help you remember what's allowed and what isn't.

Rules, if broken, are a "Back to Day 1 for you" thing, so do your best not to go there!

It is, in my opinion, so very important to follow both of these lists (even though the Recommendations are not requirements).  If your Whole30 doesn't go as planned, if you haven't followed the Recommendations, then you really don't know WHAT the cause for a less-than-stellar Whole30.  If, on the other hand, you have followed the Recommendations, then there's one thing you can toss out as a possible source.

Good luck with your Whole30!

Meals on Whole30

Simmie Sinow

How much should you eat, and what should you eat on Whole30?

Here's a graphic that will help you visualize how much of each category you should eat -- remember 3 meals, no snacks.  Eat enough at each meal to sustain you until the next one.

If you're exercising, your snacks before/after should be a mini meal, not a true "snack."