The Whole7 is a shortened version of the Whole30. It follows the same guidelines and can be used to reset sugar cravings, reduce that bloated feeling before a big event, or to just keep healthy habits in solid place (all according to the official Whole30 website). Today I’m sharing my experience with it and my Whole7 meal plan.
While driving home from Disney, David and I sipped kombucha and talked about a budgetary and dietary detox. I’m typically not one for extremes but after an extended period of eating foods we aren’t used to and spending amounts of money that though we planned for still seemed excessive, we decided to take action. Action one: redo a budget. You know, the every dollar has a name method. Luckily a 12 hour drive home from Miami gave us plenty of time to tackle that. Action two: completing a dietary boot camp.
I always feel better when I eat loosely modeled after a paleo style. My typical eats are paleo with some whole grains, dairy, and wine. Since I don’t think I’d ever have a strong enough desire to complete the Whole30, the eating guidelines do intrigue me, so David and I decided to do a Whole7. Honestly, I didn’t think it was a real thing, but apparently I’m not the first to just go with it. Read more on doing a mini Whole30 here.
Knowing that eating this way is typically more expensive (quality meats and produce will crank that bill pretty high!), I tried to take note of items that were on sale and had coupons on the Whole Foods app.
I also had to snag a few products that weren’t in my pantry, like arrowroot powder and almond flour, which raised the overall cost too. Still, I was excited for a week full of super clean eats.
I’m going to run through our meals, then discuss changes we saw, challenges we encountered, and overall thoughts.
Whole7 Dinners
Dinner #1: Cod Picatta with Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes and Asparagus
Feedback: I was impressed by the almond flour coating and since I love capers, I thought it was delicious!
Dinner #2: Steak Fajita Bowls
Feedback: I intended to serve it over cauliflower rice, but since they were out in the frozen section and I was too lazy to make my own, I just roasted it, which turned out to work just fine.
Dinner #3: Bunless Burgers with Sauteed Mushrooms and Onion served with Avocado, Dill Pickle Kraut, and Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes
Feedback: I could eat this any day. Farmhouse Culture’s Garlic Dill Pickle kraut offers a nice kick to liven up the entire meal.
Dinner #4: Roasted Whole Chicken with Onions, Carrots, and Fennel
Feedback: I should have added potatoes too. It just wasn’t satisfying enough on its own.
Dinner #5: Slow Cooker Butter Chicken over Cauliflower Rice
Feedback: Super easy and tasty. I appreciated the more complex flavor that came from the spices, including garam masala, turmeric, coriander, and more.
Dinner #6: Paleo Shepherd’s Pie with Cauliflower Topping
Feedback: One of my favorites! I’m not usually a Shepherd’s Pie kind of girl, but this dish was hearty and comforting at a time during the Whole7 when some meals left us feeling unsatisfied. I will make again! PS- forgive my horrible photography.
Dinner #7: Paleo Spaghetti Squash Pizza Pie
Feedback: I’ve made this 100 times and we always all like it! However, it’s another photography fail.
[Tweet “The Whole7 is a shortened version of the Whole30. Get the full week meal plan here! #whole30 #whole7”]
Whole7 Breakfast
Here are 30 breakfast ideas for doing the Whole30. I opted for a simple egg bake. I made this recipe which was good, except I would add hot sauce next time to give it a little more flavor.
I let it cool and cut it into squares. David would eat 2 squares and a banana on his way out the door while I dressed mine up a bit more.
Whole7 Lunches
I found out quickly I needed to eat a lot more to stay feeling full. I tried two different paleo wraps (more on whether this is “allowed” in my afterthoughts). Julian Bakery (found at Whole Foods) and Siete Foods (found in the freezer section at Whole Foods).
Above: Julian Bakery paleo wrap and below is Siete Foods.
I preferred the Siete Foods, though both made nice options for lunch wraps!
My favorite lunches followed the laws of volumetrics. I liked the large salads like below with a dip side item, like these plantain chips and guacamole.
Whole7 Results and Feedback
David: Lost 5 pounds in 7 days. Hated almost every minute of it. He felt like he was eating enough to get full but never felt satisfied. He said by a few days in he felt permanently in a mental fog, had low energy, and his crossfit workout sucked.
Brittany: Did not lose a single pound. However, my stomach felt super flat and I had no bloating the entire time (even when monthly hormones came into play). Honestly, I am considering doing this once a month for a week if it can help with my horrific period pain (which it seemed to do, but that’s a post for another day). There were a few times I felt that “full but unsatisfied” feeling which really sucked. Overall though my energy and attitude were good, which I attribute to the fact that my diet leans that way most of the time as is. In fact, if you added in wine and dairy, I’d probably be good to go!
Whole7 Take Aways
I realize I may get called out for not “doing it right.” Purists say you can not snack or attempt to recreate baked goods/other items, even if all ingredients are compliant. Well, I’m clearly not a purist. The Siete Foods tortilla chips saved our sanity (so good!) and this organic (all ingredient compliant) coffee and almond butter smoothie saved me on a mom and daughter day out at Discovery Place Kids.
David did have ONE positive thing from this experience- I blended a can or full fat organic coconut milk in the blender, then stored it in the fridge in a mason jar. He stirred it into his coffee every morning and really loved the flavor. It was even better when I blended the coffee with a scoop of coconut milk in the blender. It tastes like a latte!
It’s expensive. Between the initial trip to the grocery and subsequent trips to other grocery stores, our weekly total topped $300. That is really hard to admit. I could do it for less by not eating as wide of a variety for meals (we used lamb for the Shepard’s pie and convenience foods like compliant tortillas and chips add up quickly too). I also bought items like arrowroot powder that I should have ordered from Thrive Market (affiliate link!) ahead of time to save money. Lessons learned.
Will I ever do a Whole30?
At this point, I don’t think so. While part of me gets giddy at the challenge of it, for me, I prefer not to focus so intently on food. I don’t have any real health concerns (minus beans, which I’ve learned just don’t do that well with my digestion). I think it can have enormous health benefits if it’s a real shake up to a person’s day to day diet, but for me, it felt like a more restrictive version of the way I eat normally. I will admit, I felt great having a flat, non-bloated stomach at all hours of the day, but that doesn’t outweigh the happiness that a glass of wine with my husband on a random Tuesday night brings.
I really did enjoy shaking things up with my meal planning and will definitely be repeating some of these dinners and buying some products I might not have before. Even David is enjoying his new coffee creation, so I always think it’s worth experimenting and trying something new in the culinary department!
Any questions on my experience with the Whole7?
Would you (or have you?) do a Whole7 or Whole30?
Jen says
I completed a full Whole 30 last summer with the support of my sister in law and while it was pretty tough, I felt better than I’ve felt in years. I loved not feeling bloated and I lost 8 lbs and hit my “feel super awesome” weight. But, like you, I always felt full but not satisfied. I really missed crunchy foods (and raw veggies do not count!). I just started another Whole30 yesterday because I really need a reset and I fully intend to make some modifications to the plan. Honestly, I found some of the rules were pretty ridiculous for someone who already eats pretty healthy (I do). Cutting out sugar, grains and most dairy are my main goal along with stopping the snack monster that has recently emerged.
I NEED that dill pickle kraut in my life! But they don’t sell it near me. Whaaaaaa!!
Brittany Dixon says
That’s exactly how I feel! That I eat pretty healthy most of the time so pushing that to an extreme doesn’t give me a benefit that is worth the cost. I do think it’s a pretty awesome way to reset/get back on track though. Good luck in your second Whole30 and I think you should email the company and demand pickle kraut in your stores 😉 It’s worth it!
Sue says
http://www.theorganicdietitian.com/dill-pickle-raw-sauerkraut-includes-step-step-photos/ Would this work for you? I just googled it and now I plan to make it!
Allison Thompson says
I’ve never done the Whole 30 but have been following a Paleo diet and lifestyle for nearly 4 years now. I will certainly think about using Whole 7 when we have guests over the coming months.
montessoriishmom says
This is so interesting! I never thought of doing a shorter version of the Whole 30. That sounds much more manageable. It’s interesting that the two of you had such different results. I think the hardest for me would be breakfast – I love oatmeal and never want anything else in the morning!
Nicole says
I recently gave up all grains and added sugar. I have hypothyroidism (Hashimoto’s). For months I battled daily migraines, nausea, and exhaustion, even while on medication. My doctor suggested I eliminate grains and sugar. The results have been phenomenal. I feel great and have tons of energy. My thyroid levels have also regulated. For me, there is no going back.
The mental fog and low energy that David experienced was most likely sugar withdrawal. Your body has to learn to use fat as fuel rather than carbs. Once you get over that, your energy soars. But, I totally understand that the lifestyle is not for everyone. I miss my occasional desserts, wine, and pizza, but I’d rather feel good!
Brittany Dixon says
That’s amazing that it’s made such a difference for you! I totally agree that food influences our bodies and minds so much more than we give it credit for. I avoid most added sugar because I can definitely feel a difference with it. Thanks for sharing and again, so glad you feel so good!!
Kim says
Same here! I am hypo and cut down on alot of gluten and of course sugar and the difference is so amazing! I need to get hubs on the Whole7 bandwagon. He would not do whole30 but whole7 sounds perfect! Thanks Brittany!
Elise says
I completed a Whole 30 a couple months ago. I feel like doing a Whole 7 would be beneficial, but really didn’t see non scale victories until about 2 weeks in, which is probably why your husband felt in a mental fog for the first week. The initial first week is really hard, especially coming off of an indulgent vacation. Congrats on completing it!
Brittany Dixon says
I honestly didn’t expect to lose anything and was still thrilled at how I felt. I think you’re absolutely right about David- I kept telling him if we went to day 14 he’d get “tiger blood” but I then he looked like he wanted to kill me 😉
Heather says
I’ve considered trying a Whole30, but if anything maybe I’ll try a Whole7 to see how that goes. Or maybe I’ll just focus on balancing foods better. I really don’t want to give up wine, but I know I could stand to cut back on the amount of breads I eat and foods with added sugar. I love the coffee tip, though! I am absolutely going to try the coconut milk and see about finally ditching my super unhealthy coffee creamers.
Katy says
LOVE this post!!! Some great recipes that I will be trying over the next week or so. I do have a question….what do you do with your leftovers? I suck at meal planning because I never plan meals back to back because I feel like we have leftovers usually 1 or 2 nights?
I have added/subtracted things to my diet around my period week and see the biggest difference!!
Brittany Dixon says
With David around we seriously don’t have many leftovers! Ha! But seriously. I had enough leftovers for a small lunch for me on two of the days, but that’s it. If we had more leftover, I totally would have re purposed it or just had a leftover night (which would have been really nice to not have to cook one night).
Christine says
I feel like you may have written a similar post a couple of years back and both David and you had the same reactions.
I did a whole30 in January 2016. I planned it when I knew I didn’t have much of a social life and there were no holidays (elminate temptations). While I enjoyed learning how to eat better, whole foods and like how my body reacted to it, I didn’t like having to spend more money, being a short order cook (my husband thinks whole30 is dumb, lol) and trying to plan every single meal (where as now I could grab a yogurt and call it breakfast if I didnt’ have time to make a casserole or boil eggs). Plus I don’t think I needed the whole30 days to learn what made my body feel good and to reset my good eating habits. I feel like 7 days is enough to get back on the right track.
That being said, I feel like I’m on the same page as you – I enjoy alot of the paleo diet but I also enjoy my whole grains and dairy (and wine but thats on hold until baby #2 arrives!). I don’t think I’d ever do a whole30 again but I would consider doing mini ones.
Megan says
Question about the coconut milk – did you just blend it straight from the can? Nothing else added? I’m assuming it stays frothy all week? I’m so intrigued and would love to hear more.
Brittany Dixon says
So you know how it’s half solid and half liquid in the can? I scooped the solid and poured the liquid into the blender, then the mixed coconut milk held up well (didn’t separate much) in a mason jar for 5 days in the fridge. If you have extra time, I’d recommend blending the (blended) coconut milk with the coffee (or coconut oil actually works for this too) in the blender for 10 seconds or so- makes it frothy and well mixed!
Whitney says
My understanding is the Whole30 is a “you-sized” science experiment and days 1-30 help create a “control group” or “baseline” of how your body works without things that may cause inflammation in your body. Then, the experimental phase is Reintroduction of the foods you have eliminated, or days 31-40. Did you do a reintroduction period to see if you noticed any changes?
Brittany Dixon says
Hi Whitney, Yes, all that is right! Since I don’t have any noticeable food intolerances, I opted for the Whole7 which is more of a healthy habits reset rather than a self-diagnostic experiment. If I had any concerns I would definitely look into following the Whole30 as prescribed. Thank you for your input and further clarification for those that are considering a Whole30 themselves!
Whitney says
I’m glad you and David did what worked best for you and shared what you learned. Thank you!!
Cristina-the batchmaker says
Oh i love this post! I havent been too interested in doing it (like I said in the instagram stories, I need wine! and cheeeeese! or butter…. yea im the worst!) but the thought of a quick detox is great and honestly more attainable. I havent really wanted to do it- even for 7 days because YES- the cost always seem so steep! I would rather do clean eats of salads, no sugar or dairy or something. Good for your guys for finishing and I love the coconut milk idea! Is this coconut milk like from a can? I drink my coffee black but this sounds yum!!! Thanks for sharing! loved reading!
Brittany Dixon says
Yes- from the can! I blended it to combine the solid/liquid into a thick cream- it held up for 5 days pretty well without separating!
Jen says
Wow, your food all looks fresh and yummy! What did you make for the girls?
I did a Whole 30 back in the fall of 2012. I had been mostly vegetarian (with just a few lapses here and there) for almost 20 years, but wanted to give it a try. It was way, way too much meat for me, and it proved to me I just don’t like meat, which is why I’m back to my old way of eating. I definitely like the emphasis on vegetables, did lose maybe 6 or 7 pounds, and I guess felt okay.
To tell you the truth, and this is TMI, I didn’t have a normal/good, uh, BM the ENTIRE TIME. I just don’t think that way of eating agrees with me. I also really love beans and oatmeal and things like that, and I just definitely would not venture down that road again. I’m happy with the way I eat (lots of fruits and veggies, whole grains, beans, nuts, some dairy, some cookies (ha!), etc.) and I don’t have to focus/obsess too much about food, so I’m good with what I’ve got. I think I’m done with challenges like that.
Lauren says
I’m pretty reasonable when it comes to food and I don’t exclude any food groups because I think they all have a role in a healthy, happy and enjoyable life (I’m looking at you, wine and coffee).
Having said that, I have cut out processed meat from my family’s diet (ham, salami, bacon etc.) based on the World Health Organization’s findings about carcinogenicity. Fine for me or my husband to eat them if we wanted to because we are educated and old enough to decide for ourselves, but considering I do have the knowledge and therefore power to help lower my kids’ risk of disease, I feel very strongly that I ought to do right by them. I mean, I’m not going to flip out if they have some ham on a pizza at a birthday party, but I don’t cook or serve it at home.
So many debates about what is healthy these days, but all we can do is make choices for our own families and circumstances based on the information available to us.
Love these posts of yours – keep them up!
Katie @ Live Half Full says
My husband and I completed Whole30 in January and he lost 27 pounds and I lost 8 and most importantly we felt amazing. We’ve been working to find a balance and have kept the weight off so far. We had a ton of changes that I think will stick around- eating more veggies, less starches as side, packing our food always for work and limiting treats and alcohol to occasional vs daily.
sherry says
If someone would cook for me like that every day, I would eat it! It looks delicious.
Morgan says
My husband and I have completed two rounds of whole30 and try to eat fairly close to paleo the rest of the time. During our first round, I found this recipe for pork carnitas and it has been on our meal plan every week since. http://simplymrsedwards.com/2015/06/28/whole30-pulled-pork-carnitas-recipe/
It is super cheap and it makes enough for multiple dinners and lunches
Laura says
We are four days into a whole14, and despite the expense, it’s been really good. Frozen cauliflower rice, a crock pot chicken, and spaghetti squash have been such a help! What is the dipping sauce you had with your burgers? I am definitely putting that whole meal (and the butter chicken) on next week’s plan! Thanks for the ideas! Coconut milk and coffee blended– who needs Starbucks!
Brittany Dixon says
Day 14!! Way to go!! It’s just dijon mustard with the burgers 🙂 Whole Foods has one that we really like. Go girl go- halfway there!