A WHOLE LOTTA WHOLE30

Don't worry guys, this isn't going to become a nutrition blog, but I plan on doing a few more Whole30 posts for any of you considering doing Whole30, or just for any of you that want to eat healthier. I just wanted to touch on a few more things about the program, some things I've learn, and some great places to eat that have saved me:

• Whole30 has taught me so much about "unnecessary ingredients."  You wouldn't believe how many things have sugar and artificial flavoring and preservatives in them. Some of my most used condiments are ketchup and salad dressing. Go to your fridge now and see what's in yours. There is a good chance your salad dressing is loaded with things like sugar, caramel coloring, maltodextrin, soy lecithin, etc. And your Ketchup (if you're buying the worst possible kind) probably has high fructose corn syrup. There are unsweetened ketchup's out there. I've found them at Harmon's and Whole Foods. Yes, they do taste a little different so if you don't like that then find a ketchup with organic cane sugar. It's easier then you think! Salad dressings can contain a whole concoction if ingredients but there are several out there that are primarily made of oil and vinegar. I immediately noticed they weren't as flavorful as my old salad dressings but duh! How could they be when the old ones were packed with sugar and I didn't even realize it! Now I've come to love the simplicity of all natural dressings. 

• If you don't like to cook, meal plan, and make grocery lists, Whole30 will not be easy for you. Whole30 is all about dirtying dishes and then cleaning up and doing that again a few hours later. Everything you make will basically be from scratch (although I will share a few pre-made stuff I was able to find that was compliant). If you come home from work starving and you haven't planned ahead, you probably will succumb to your old routines. Luckily the Whole30 website has a bunch of helpful downloads including a shopping list, meal planning template, a grocery guide, a guide to "sneaky sugars" to watch out for, and much more. 

PLACES TO EAT:

• Jimmy Johns: This is one of my favorite sandwich places and man is that bread delicious. But did you know on their menu there is something called an "Unwhich?" It's basically a Sandwich in a lettuce wrap. They are fabulous. And you can take it home and put your own homemade Whole30 mayo on it and eat it with a side of sweet potato chips. 
• Cubby's: This is obviously only for Utah locals but go get their tri-tip steak salad! Salads are a great option anywhere but most of the time you will have to bring your own dressing. Not here though! The cilantro lime dressing is in fact Whole30 compliant and don't forget to get a side of sweet potato fries!  
• Chipotle: Get the carnitas burrito bowl with lettuce, pico de gallo and guacamole. 
• In-N-Out: Get a burger protein style and make sure you ask for it mustard fried. It will make it 10x better (so I hear). Make sure to ask them to hold the spread if you want to be completely compliant. 

* I'm sure there are a lot more places and things to eat but those are some great go-to options. Always ask questions. All the basic ingredients may be compliant, but make sure to ask what kind of oil things are cooked in. Sometimes that can be the deal breaker, but lots of places will accommodate you so don't be afraid to ask! 

MY BEEF (figurative beef not literal beef): 

The one thing that I didn't like about Whole30 (and that I wasn't compliant on) where what they call SWYPO foods. It stands for Sex With Your Pants On. Have I lost any of you yet? Basically it's metaphor for foods that are ingredient compliant, but too closely resemble foods you shouldn't be eating. Their analogy behind it is that it's like having sex with your pants on: it's somewhat satisfying, but it will remind you too much of how good sex without pants is and it might make you want to give in. For example, they say you shouldn't have (compliant) store bought sweet potato chips. All they are are sweet potatoes, salt, and oil. So if I cook a sweet potato myself, and put oil and salt on it it's fine, but if they are super crispy and resemble a chip its not? I'm calling BS on this one. Instead of assuming these things will make people fall off the bandwagon, I like to think its had the opposite effect on me. I found compliant sweet potato chips made by a brand called "Food Should Taste Good." And guess what, now that I know I can have "healthy" chips, I never want to go back! This has opened a new door for me of ways to make junk food healthier! Another SWYPO food that Spencer particularly liked was a banana pancake recipe I found on @amazon_ashley's instagram. Just combined 3 eggs, 1 banana, and 1/4 cup coconut flour. Of course you can't have syrup with this but Spencer would put eggs and bacon on top of them for breakfast and loved it. This didn't make us want to cheat and eat real pancakes; this actually made me realize there are a whole bunch of grain and sugar free options when it comes to making out favorite breakfast items and I'm excited to experiment with them. Bottom line, I ate SWYPO foods and didn't feel it effected me in a negative way but if you are doing Whole30 then you can come to your own conclusion about including those items in your diet. 

Oooooooooook I've talked enough for today. Next week I'll share my favorite Whole30 store bought options so that I don't make this post any longer. But again, I hope even if you aren't doing Whole30 that you find this post helpful. It's always great to be aware of what you are eating and let your food empower you... 80ish% of the time... and the rest of the time you just need to eat a damn cupcake when you want it!