6 Types of Whole30 Resets
If you are looking for a great eating plan that will help you RESET, RESTART, RESTORE and RECOMMIT to your health for good, Whole30 is the plan for you.
Whole30 an elimination diet where for 30 days, you eliminate certain foods like grains, gluten, dairy, sugar, legumes, and preservatives to allow your body, mind, and cravings to RESET.
The whole point of the Whole30 challenge is to reset your system and detox your body of chemicals and things that don’t below, restore your relationship with food, discover what foods work for you and don’t work for you, reach your health goals in a sustainable way, have fun enjoying healthy foods and creating new habits, and recommit to your health for the long haul through an eating plan that is unique to you and works for you.
Now, Whole30 seems really intimidating at first and almost impossible. However, I’ve done it around six times and have been able to do the challenge each time a lot of success through planning, intentionality, and support from others.
This is why I’m offering this same support to others for a Whole30 6 week program starting September 4th! If you are interested in trying the Whole30 challenge and receiving support, you sign up >>HERE<<.
Yet, I understand that not everyone may want to or even be able to do do the FULL Whole30 at first which is why I wanted to share the six different Whole30 resets that you can start with, found in the “Food Freedom Forever” book by Melissa Hartwig.
The six different resets are:
- Full Whole30
- Craving-Buster
- Anti-inflammatory
- Energy
- Vegan
- Basic
Read on below to find out more details about each reset.
FULL WHOLE30 RESET
During the Full Whole30, you will have NO:
- Sugar or artificial sweeteners – maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, coconut sugar, Splenda, equal, stevia, etc.
- Alcohol – wine, beer, champagne, vodka, rum, whiskey, tequila – not even for cooking.
- Grains – wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgur, sorghum, sprouted grains, and all gluten-free pseudocereals like amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa. This also includes anything of these items as ingredients in the food.
- Legumes – beans of all kinds – black, red, pinto, navy, white, kidney, lima, fava, etc. – peas, chickpeas, lentils, and peanuts. All forms of soy – soy sauce, miso, tofu, tempeh, edamame. Exceptions are green beans, snow peas, and sugar snap peas.
- Dairy – cow, goat, sheep’s milk products such as cream, cheese, kefir, yogurt, and sour cream. The only exceptions are clarified butter or ghee.
- Preservatives – carrageenan, msg, added sulfites, etc.
- Recreation of baked goods, treats, or junk foods with approved ingredients – banana-egg pancakes, almond-flour muffins, Paleo bread, or coconut milk ice cream. Your cravings and habits won’t change if you keep eating these foods, even if they are made with Whole30 ingredients.
- Stepping on the scale/taking measurements during the 30 days – Whole30 is about so much more than weight loss and to focus on your body composition means you’ll miss out on the most dramatic and lifelong benefits this plan has to offer. So, no weighing yourself, analyzing body fat, or breaking out the tape measure during your Whole30.
Okay, take a deep breath. There is hope and you will eat A LOT OF GREAT FOOD, even if you did the Whole30. So don’t run away yet. Let’s explore the other resets to see if one suits your needs a bit better.
CRAVING-BUSTER RESET
On the craving-buster version of Whole30, there is NO:
- Grains
- Dairy
- Nuts and seeds
- Dried fruit
- Alcohol
- Sugar and artificial sweetener
- Sweets, treats, baked goods
- Stepping on the scale
This reset is all about helping you tame your sugar dragon by eliminating all forms of grains and any other carb-dense foods you may be relying on.
Dairy is eliminated because there tends to be a lot of sugar in dairy products that all promote cravings.
Dried fruits, nuts, and seeds are highly rewarding foods that even though health, may mess with your brain the same way a candy bar does. They are also easy to overeat on and can be referred to as nature’s candy.
Also, no matter what you are eating during the Whole30, always ask yourself if the food you are eating is actually helping you change your cravings or not. If eating a banana for an emotional reason isn’t helping you change your eating habits and cravings, then stop eating it. You want to slay the sugar dragon for good and be able to have the food freedom you deserve.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY RESET
During the anti-inflammatory reset, there will be NO:
- Grains
- Legumes
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Nightshades
- Alcohol
- Sugar or artificial sweeteners
- Sweets, treats, or baked goods recreation
- Stepping on the scale
The big difference between the anti-inflammatory and the other resets is the EXCLUSION of eggs and nightshades
Eggs are avoided on the anti-inflammatory reset because for those who struggle with autoimmune diseases and inflammation, eggs are one of the key foods that lead to inflammation. This is due to the fact that the egg whites are designed to protect the yolks against microbial attack while it’s growing, and tend to cleave to certain bacteria. Therefore, by eliminating eggs, you eliminate the possibility of certain inflammatory bacteria staying around for too long. Furthermore, eggs are also tied to some skin and joint issues caused by inflammation.
Melissa Hartwig in Food Freedom Forever describes nightshades as a “group of plants that contain compounds that may be inflammatory in those who have a digestive sensitivity.”
Nightshades include:
- Tomatoes
- Tamarillos
- Tomatillos
- Potatoes (but not sweet potatoes or yams)
- Eggplant
- Bell/sweet peppers
- Cape gooseberry, ground cherries or golden berry
- Goji berries
- Hot peppers (such as chile peppers, jalapenos, serranos, and habaneros)
- Hot sauces (like Tabasco)
- Pepinos
- Pepper- or chili-based spices (such as black pepper, red pepper flakes, paprika, or cayenne)
- Pimentos
- Ashwagandha (an Ayurvedic herb)
Although this may feel overwhelming, this may be just the reset for you if you struggle with inflammation or have an autoimmune disease. When looking for recipes, you would search for the Autoimmune Protocol Whole30 recipes on the web.
Real Plans actually has a feature that can actually help you include/exclude certain food items while on the Whole30. So if you are interested in having a meal planning tool that makes it easier on you, check out real plans >>HERE<<.
ENERGY RESET
On the energy version of the Whole30 reset, there will be NO:
- Grains
- Dairy
- Caffeine
- Alcohol
- Added sugar
- Artificial sweeteners
- Sweets/treats/baked goods
- Stepping on the scale during the 30 days
The main difference between the energy reset and the full Whole30 reset is that you CAN have legumes, but you CAN’T have caffeine.
The key focus of the energy is reset is to teach both you and your body how to become FAT ADAPTED and to learn to run as fat as fuel, and not sugar or caffeine.
In our typical diets, we eat way too much sugar for energy which always leaves us feeling foggy and our energy crashing in the end. And the sad part is is that sugar isn’t just in desserts or sweets – it’s also in a lot of carb-dense, nutrient poor foods like bread, cereal, and even those 100 calorie snack packs we often think are win-win snacks.
Furthermore, if you are really looking to have more energy and go to food/your body’s stored fat for energy, then caffeine may have to go 🙁 But it’s only a short experiment, so don’t let it scare you 🙂
The energy reset, just like all of the resets, may take longer than 30 days to see results because the fat adaptation for energy may just take time. If you need to consider doing the reset longer to 45 or even 60 days, do so – it will be worth it trust me.
VEGAN RESET
On the vegan reset, you will have NO:
- Gluten-containing grains
- Peanuts
- Alcohol
- Sugar and artificial sweeteners
- Sweets, treats, and baked goods
- Stepping on the scale
On the vegan reset vs the full Whole30, you CAN have grains and legumes, but no grains with gluten and no peanuts.
Gluten free grains include amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, rice (brown, white, wild), millet, sorghum, teff. However, although these foods are processed for human consumption, their structure changes which may cause inflammation in the body. So limit these foods.
Soy is one of the most commonly allergenic foods, but it would be very hard to do the vegan version without soy or legumes. So keep your soy consumption as healthy as possible and choose organic/fermented forms (like organic tofu, tempeh, natto) and unprocessed forms like edamame over processed products like vegetarian burgers.
Beans are allowed on the vegan reset, but since they are one of the foods that may produce a lot of digestive distress, you need to be careful with these. If you are going to include beans, consider prolonged soaking, extended cooking, rinsing, sprouting, and or fermenting your beans and your gluten-free grains. By taking extra care in preparing the beans, you are reducing the anti-nutrient compounds and release the beneficial vitamins and mineral.
BASIC RESET
In the basic reset, there are NO:
- Gluten-containing grains
- Dairy
- Alcohol
- Stepping on the scale
You also limit added sugar, artificial sweeteners, and processed foods.
This plan is different from the others and has a lot less to exclude. This plan is designed for those who are hungry and ready for change but don’t have the emotional capacity to go all in yet.
However, this plan requires more self-awareness and self-discipline than the others. There are way more gray areas so you will need to ask yourself whether a food is really serving you and helping you move forward in pushing through cravings and other goals you have.
This plan isn’t as likely to work as well as the others in fully resetting your body and mind as it doesn’t eliminate all the problematic foods, but it’s still a good place to start depending where you are at 🙂
WHICH RESET DO YOU WISH TO START WITH?
Of the 6 resets above, which reset sounds like it suits YOU best?
Don’t worry about what other people are doing or whether or not you aren’t as strong because you don’t choose the full Whole30. Whole30 and its various resets are all about helping YOU move forward with your health and life and helping you figure how to do that in a way that is DOABLE and works for YOU.
If you would like support with the Whole30, I would love to help be there for you in some way through my FREE 20 Minute Whole30 Breakthrough Call!
> Book a FREE Whole30 Breakthrough Call <<
Have you tried the Whole30 before but didn’t get the results you wanted, because you needed more support?
Maybe you’re interested in trying it, but have some concerns or questions and want to make sure it’s the right fit before going ALL in.
If your answer to any of those was YES, then I have just the thing for you!
Each month, I open up a few spots on my calendar for FREE 20-minute calls for women to chat with me and get all their questions answered around the Whole30 program, and to see if my 6-week program is a great fit for them.
If you’re ready for a breakthrough in your health and weight-loss goals once and for all, book a call today and let’s chat through how the Whole30 can help you get there.
Book a call >>HERE<<
–GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT YOU
As always, I’m grateful for the opportunity to be able to support you all in your health journey. I hope that through the Whole30 Made Easy Program, you too will come to see the power in knowing how food affects you as an individual and learning that you are in control – not food.
P.S. Want to try some simple and easy Whole30 recipes? Grab five of my favorite ones >>HERE<<.
P.S.S. Don’t forget to book your FREE 20 minute Whole30 Breakthrough Call >>HERE<<.
