The Whole30 program is an elimination diet that calls for avoiding grains, legumes, dairy, added sugar, and alcohol for 30 days.
It also bans MSG, sulfites, and carrageenan, additives commonly found in processed foods. Participants are also discouraged from trying to re-create baked foods using Whole30-approved ingredients (so, like, no Paleo muffins, for example). And they're also told not to weigh themselves for the duration of the diet. The idea is to "focus on making good food choices" for a month.
The thing is, eliminating several food groups from your diet can be pretty daunting, even for just a month. And as BuzzFeed Health has reported, following restrictive diets can actually lead to bingeing down the road. (Not to mention that it can take a toll on your social life and enjoyment of food.)
So we reached out to health and nutrition experts to ask them how to make impactful changes to your diet in a sustainable way, so you can practice a healthier, non-elimination-based approach to eating. Here's what they said!