My Whole30 Meal Plan, Week 1
I can’t even believe I’m writing a Whole30 meal plan right now. But wait… First off, Merry belated Christmas! I had a wonderful month (yes, month) with visits from my dad and sister, followed up with a visit from the in-laws.
We ate, had fun, ate, watched movies, ate, drank, ate, drove up a mountain (what, did you expect us to HIKE?!), ate, drank, ate, slept,…you get the picture. While this holiday season was especially relaxing and enjoyable, it has done nothing for this fab figure of mine.
Even more troublesome than my sincere concern that my pants won’t fit when I go back to work in a week, is how I feel. UGH. Yesterday I actually thought I was getting sick. Since I woke up today feeling much better, and without all the tummy gurgling, I can only assume it was what I ate. Maybe that 48th jelly bean was one too many? Or maybe it was the third mini Toblerone.
Ironically enough, while stuffing my face full of the yummiest cookies and foods I could find, I read the book “It Starts With Food” by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. It explains the science behind Paleo eating and gives you all the information you need to do the Whole30 program.
The point of the Whole 30 is to take away all of the foods that are inflammatory to your body, foods that cause a negative response that you may not be aware of.
After the 30 days, you can reintroduce those foods (grains, legumes, etc) to see how your body tolerates them. It’s like a science experiment in your kitchen, with YOU as the subject!
Check out all of my other healthy meal plans here!
At the same time, while eliminating non-Paleo foods from your diet, you should notice a few things:
- -> falling asleep faster and waking up more rested
- -> reduced cravings after the first couple of weeks
- -> feeling full between meals
- -> improved mood (my family will enjoy this one)
- -> weight loss, specifically FAT
So I am ready! I have created my meal plan for the first week, and I am all set to start my Whole30 eating tomorrow! Here’s what I plan to eat:
You can find a whole month of Whole30 recipes here!
Whole30 Meal Plan
Monday:
Breakfast – Shakeology (the one not-quite-paleo food I refuse to give up, due to the unmatched nutritional benefits) with almond milk, banana, and a boiled egg on the side
Snack – 2 bell peppers, sliced, with cashews
Lunch – salad with chicken breast and a variety of veggies, olives, and topped with salsa
Snack – Chocolage Shakeology with spinach, water, and mint extract (I could use the extra shakeology to flush toxins)
Dinner – baked curry porkchops, shredded cabbage/carrots/romaine salad topped with avocado and paleo dressing
Tuesday:
Breakfast – 1 whole egg plus one white, scrambled with spinach, mushrooms, onions, peppers, jalapenos, and salsa
Snack – 1 cup berries, 2 Tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
Lunch – leftover porkchop, kale salad, and a Cutie
Snack – Shakeology with almond milk
Dinner – Slow cooker pulled pork, sweet potato with cinnamon and 2 tsp butter (I use Kerrygold)
Wednesday:
Breakfast – 2 turkey egg cups, 2 c spinach, avocado slices, and a cutie (doesn’t this sound like a TON of food?!)
Snack – apple slices with almond butter
Lunch – leftover pulled pork, bowl of veggie salad with paleo dressing
Snack – shakeology with almond milk
Dinner – chicken fajitas with peppers and onions over a bed of lettuce, topped with avocado and salsa
Thursday:
Breakfast – 2 eggs scrambled, with a side of rosemary steamed sweet potatoes
Snack – grapefruit and avocado salad
Lunch – leftover chicken fajitas over salad with paleo dressing
Snack – shakeology with almond milk
Dinner – bunless burgers with lettuce, tomato, onion, and a side of carrot fries
Friday:
Breakfast – shakeology with almond milk, banana, and almond butter
Snack – fruit and nuts
Lunch – leftover burger, small salad with paleo dressing
Snack – deli ham (nitrate free) and grape tomatoes
Dinner – Thai coconut soup
Saturday:
Breakfast – shakeology with water, fruit bowl topped with almond slivers and shredded coconut
Snack – apple with almond butter
Lunch – leftover soup, small salad
Snack – sliced turkey and peppers
Dinner – Shredded buffalo chicken lettuce wraps
Sunday:
Breakfast – shakeology with almond milk, avocado (for creaminess), and fruit
Snack – cutie and cashews
Lunch – leftover cajun chicken
Snack – sliced turkey and peppers
Dinner – my favorite paleo chili over salad
In case you are wondering why I have SO MUCH FOOD at my meals, there are two reasons…
1) I don’t want to be hungry. Being hungry makes me want to munch. This isn’t about starving. This is about avoiding foods that cause a negative response in my body. I plan to eat myself silly on all of the GOOD stuff, especially veggies and healthy proteins.
2) I am starting P90X3 next week, and while I am following the Whole30 plan, I am ALSO following the nutrition guide for X3. That means I eat a specified amount of carbs, proteins, and fats at each meal. I am also aiming to eat around 1500 calories per day, so that my body doesn’t think it is getting too little nutrition, causing me to stall or plateau.
After doing this plan for a week or two, I will see how I feel and see what’s going on with my body – then I will reassess caloric limits as needed.
I’d love for you to join me! Even if you don’t decide to follow the Whole30 plan for a month, try out some of the meals I’ve listed and let me know what you think. 😉
MEET AMANDA
Amanda is a mom of 4 living a mostly crunchy lifestyle outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband, 2 dogs, and a cat. As a former special education teacher who also has her personal training certification — Amanda really enjoys teaching others how to do things!
When she’s not working, Amanda enjoys DIY projects, exercising, photography, hiking, and long walks through Target.
My husband and I are starting a Whole30 next week after we finish a cleanse. Your meal plan looks amazing, thanks for all of the great ideas, we hope to keep this eating plan for a long time!!