January Whole30: Prepping for Success

It's that time of year! The time of holiday parties, of grabbing a few drinks with visiting friends, and of tasting all the delicious goodies delivered to the office. What's a few bites here and there, right? As a foodie, this is my FAVORITE time of year. Unfortunately, my metabolism and body aren't quite in agreement. Can we talk about the realness of a slower metabolism after 30???  Despite my efforts to be mindful and healthy during the holidays, my social brain takes over my healthy brain and I over indulge....every.single.year.

Since 2014, I have been attempting (and occasionally completing) a January Whole30®. I like the structure of the program, the community support, and the challenge. Luckily, after 4 years I now have a few tips and tricks to share.

One Month Before Starting a Whole30®

Establish a community - It's not completely necessary to do this with people you know but there are several internet support communities. Start browsing Facebook groups and/or Instagram accounts and follow the informative ones. There have been many days when a stranger posted a funny, relatable meme which motivated me to push through the day's struggles and temptations.

Review the Rules - Before I start collecting recipes, I refresh my knowledge of the rules. The Whole30® website has a straightforward and detailed list of the rules. I make a quick yes/no list for easy reference which I post on my fridge and save to my iPhone notes.

Gather recipes - Pinterest is a brilliant site for collecting compliant recipes from a variety of sources. (Link to my Whole30 board) I also love to skim through my Paleo cookbooks for inspiration. Local libraries are another great collection of cookbooks.


My Paleo Cookbooks:
America's Test Kitchen Paleo Perfected
The Frugal Paleo Cookbook
Zenbelly Cookbook
Mediterranean Paleo Cooking

Look for Stock-Up Deals - When I first tried a Whole30®, I went to the grocery store the Sunday before my start date and bought a massive load of groceries. It was expensive and overwhelming. This year, weeks prior to my start date, I'm scanning the grocery store weekly ads and deals for stock-up items. Freezing meats ahead of time reduces my grocery costs during a Whole30®. This week I found a Buy One Get One Free deal on pork loin chops and a pork shoulder roast for $0.99/lb! Because what's a Whole30® without cooking at least one Nom Nom Paleo Kahlua Pork, am I right? 

Other stock-up deals to watch for:

• La Croix® - Buy when it's around $2/12 pack
• Larabars - Buy when it's less than $1 a bar 
• 505 Southwestern Green Chile Salsa - Buy when it's around $3/jar
• Olive oil, Coconut oil and Ghee

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." ~Benjamin Franklin

Check back in for my next post about broth and stock preparation. 

~Cheers,

Staci