Are you struggling trying to decipher if something is Whole30 approved or not? You can have this, but not that… More of this, but limit that… Cook with this but don’t with that! GOSH – it seems like with all the do’s and don’t… there has to be an easier way to figure this out!
The next time you find yourself asking, “Can I have…” try following these steps
1. Reread the Program Rules. Seriously.
No … I know Quinoa is the new super food – but it’s not Whole30 Approved.
2. Read your labels.
Need help? Check out Day 8 for a PDF print out to Sneaky Sugars!
Remember you are looking for ingredient lists that are easy to read. If you don’t understand the scientific names or if the ingredients list is longer than a few items – sorry buddy but chances are… it’s not Whole30 Approved.
3. Grey Area? For grey-area questions I turn to the pros. Check out the official Can I Have Guide.
For questions such as… Can I have smoothies? Can I use a Paleo Protein Powder?To answer your question… Smoothies are “We rather you didn’t” and Protein Powder is “almost always no!”
Read the guide for answers why.
4. Still in a pickle? Check the Can I Have Forum for an entire collection of “Can I have” questions.
You can search within the forum by using the search toolbar. And be sure to read the Forum Rules before posting! The mediators are pretty firm about letting users know if thier questions follow the rules. I highly suggest searching the forum before posting a question! 😉
And sorry – most pickles are made with added sugar, so nope they are not Whole30 approved either!
What do I tell my clients? I am completely honest with them. If they ask I almost always ask them, “What do you think?” Not because they are in trouble, but due to the fact that we typically have a gut feeling if something is approved or not. Go with your gut.
And finally, it’s 30 days. Sure – you can make exceptions here and there, but it’s your experience… not mine! You decide what matters to you and what things you feel that you are willing to be more relaxed about. In the end, you still have to live your life for 30 days and hopefully your significant other doesn’t want to kill you by the end of it, or vise versa.
So the take home message for today is … A dash of this and that isn’t going to make you implode from the inside out. But venturing off your Whole30 plan might send you into a spiral of future excuses and binge episodes.
Find your balance, and trust yourself to make the right choice.
Image Source: mywholelife.com