Resources for a Whole 30

Since a number of my friends are starting Whole 30's, I thought it might be useful to post some of the resources that I use/have used to come up with meal ideas, for support, etc.

First, if you're going to do a Whole 30, I highly recommend that you read the book "It Starts with Food". This sets forth all of the program requirements/expectations and is pretty readable (I think it took me 3-4 sittings to read it).  At the very least, read through their website, including the Program Rules.

Second, the two biggest keys to success in doing this are 1) planning and 2) support. Plan, plan, plan your meals. Have a prep day. Cook dinner the night before.  Have something in the fridge or freezer for those unexpectedly late nights, when you get home from work, the kids are cranky and all you want to do is order a pizza or Chinese food. Trust me. You'll have those nights. I'm not going to re-write the book on planning, but here are some resources for how to plan and recipes:

Well Fed by Melissa Joulwan: This is a Paleo cookbook all but one of the recipes are Whole 30 approved. She also has a big section on how to do prep work for the week - great for planning and figuring out how to make this work in a busy life.

Well Fed 2 by Melissa Joulwan: A follow-up to the first cookbook with more awesome recipes.

The Whole 30 website. Lots of good resources, whether you're a beginner or have done this before. Also has a large forum for community support and questions!

The Official "Can I have" Guide. Check here first if you're not sure!

Blogs - Note that not all of these are Whole 30, most are Paleo. BUT, most Paleo recipes are okay or can be modified very easily to be okay. LOOK AT YOUR INGREDIENTS! Remember:

The Clothes Make the Girl

Nom Nom Paleo

Paleo Parents

PaleOMG

The Paleo Mom

Pinterest can also be a great resource. I have a Whole 30 board (again, check your ingredients - these are things I've linked to and may or may not have made and/or modified the ingredients to be compliant).

For support, there are lots of online options (Facebook groups, forums, etc). If your family isn't doing this with you, it can be tough, but you can do it! I really encourage you to look to some online support from folks who have done this before - let me know if you need some help!

I hope this is helpful to at least some of you! A Whole 30 is tough, because it seems so restrictive at first. But trust me, YOU CAN DO IT! And it's totally worth it. You can do anything for 30 days!