1. Don’t get married two weeks into your Whole30 Experience.

The End.

That’s right, folks, I was not Whole30 compliant this past weekend. I’m not going to say that we “cheated” – because there was nothing sneaky about it. The Man (The Husband!!) and I made the conscious decision to break the Whole30 to enjoy wedding cake, champagne, and excellent Virginia wine. And you know what?

THAT’S OK WITH ME. (and not just because that cake was SO worth it!)

So what now, you ask? Well I’ll tell you. I’m going to continue with my Whole30 posts because I’m starting over. Yep. You heard correct.

The Husband and I made a second conscious decision (the first one being to break the Whole30) last weekend, and that was that we would start over – for real – once we returned home. And surprisingly I’m not upset about it!

As a matter of fact, I feel so much better this time around and I’m looking forward to keeping the good feeling an extra two weeks.

So without further ado, I am going to share some tips (real ones) on how to succeed during your Whole30!

1. Clean out your house. That’s right, you heard me. If you really want to succeed, you need to remove all non-Whole30 approved items from your fridge, your freezer, your pantry, etc. Either toss them, donate them, or give them to someone else (who doesn’t live with you) to store them for you until you’re done. Trust me, that loaf of frozen garlic bread will be mocking you every time you open the freezer otherwise. Or that bag of chocolate covered pretzels you hid in the back of the cabinet because you just can’t get rid of it? Trust me – one bad day will send you running to that cabinet to down those suckers. You may not even waste time chewing them first. Cleaning out your house of all temptation is the most important thing you can do!

2. Plan ahead. Make a meal plan or menu for the week and stick to it. Do the prep work in advance – that way, instead of having to chop six types of vegetables at 7pm for your shrimp stir fry (which will probably send you running for the chocolate covered pretzels in the cabinet), all you’ll have to do is toss the veggies together and go! Also – if you have a meal plan/menu prepared in advance, stick it to the fridge or keep it on the counter where you’ll see it the night before, and don’t forget to defrost whatever meat you need for the next night’s dinner. You know by now I’m a huge fan of routine, so it will come to no surprise to you when I say that once I’ve packed my lunch and set up the coffeepot for the next day, I take a look at my menu and take out whatever needs to be defrosted for the next day. Done, and done!

3. Keep some emergency protein on hand at all times. Some of our favorites are hard boiled eggs, hamburger patties, almond butter packets, and mixed nuts. Keep these in your fridge or desk drawer so you always have a healthy and filling snack when hunger hits. (This is particularly important at work when you’re tempted to take a mid-afternoon stroll down to the vending machines for a pick-me-up!) Another great thing to keep on hand: homemade mayo and/or guacamole. This way you can whip up an easy chicken or egg salad, eat some veggies with guacamole, or add a dollop of healthy fat to the top of a hamburger patty or hard boiled egg.

4. “Variety is the spice of life”. Remember this. Make it your mantra. Try new things. 30 days of plain grilled chicken and steamed veggies and eggs served 900 different ways WILL get old. Instead, why not make some cauliflower fried rice? Or Apple Cinnamon Roast Chicken? How about Cajun Burgers with Smoky Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries? And for a snack, how about some chicken salad deviled eggs or roasted beet chips?

5. Drink lots of water. Did you know that more often that not when you feel hungry, you’re actually thirty? Drinking water all day not only curbs hunger, but it’s great for your complexion and for detoxing your body. Not a fan of plain water? Add some cucumber slices, orange wedges, or even some fresh berries to a tall glass and drink up!

5.5 And speaking of drinking…my favorite trick is drinking a glass of sparkling water with a slice of lime at dinner. It makes me feel like I’m indulging in something special and I don’t miss my wine…as much.

6. Create the right mindset. Instead of thinking about all the foods you “can’t” have, try looking at it like this: you’re just choosing not to eat them. If you look at the Whole30 as a choice (It’s not that I “can’t” have pancakes this morning, I’m just choosing not to eat them), your mind won’t crave them as much. (Yes, I am speaking from experience!)

7. Think about how good you feel. Are you sleeping better? Do you have more energy? Are your workouts getting stronger? If not, stick with it – the elusive “tiger blood” will come! And when it does, remember that feeling. It’s worth it.

Is anyone else doing the Whole30? What are your thoughts?