#Whole30 Restaurant Tips & Snack Suggestions

Just a few more days and this diet will be a distant memory. It’s been pretty rough on me. The first week I was hungry all the time…so I upped my portion sizes and added more meat to my diet. Then my stomach started to retaliate. Now I’m back to being hungry all the time. Sugar cravings haven’t stopped at all…in fact they’ve only gotten worse with time. To be honest, that’s exactly why I don’t believe in elimination-type diets like this. When you completely eliminate something you love, it will only make you binge on it later. I did this diet as an experiment but it’s failed pretty miserably.

Despite my misery and all of the issues that I’ve experienced, I continued to stick it out. I came up with some snacking suggestions to beat hunger, while staying #whole30 compliant. I also figured out what to eat at certain restaurants…should you be going stir-crazy and want a break from the kitchen.

Now the rules for #Whole30 state you aren’t supposed to snack…but that’s impossible. There is no way you can survive eating just the 3 measily meals..especially if you workout. So, I’ve come up with some suggestions to conquer your hunger and keep you fueled all day long.

• Larabars – these bad boys have saved me. They say to not eat them except for emergencies however if you get the fully compliant ones (cashew cookie is a perfect example) you should have no issues.

• Monkey salad (comprised of nuts, sliced banana, and coconut chips.) I found that this is perfect to fuel a workout.
  

• Frozen blueberries with coconut chips
  

• Apple slices with cinnamon
  

• Apple slices and frozen blueberries
  

 

Now, just because you are on this crazy diet doesn’t mean you can’t go out and enjoy life with friends and loved ones. I’ve found that going out breaks up the monotony of what I normally cook and eat…and someone else does the dishes! Below you will find some suggestions I have for eating at restaurants on this diet.

• Look at the salad options first. More often than not, these are gigantic portions and contain mostly compliant foods. Carefully view the ingredients and after you make your selection, order the salad with oil and vinegar on the side.
  

• Turkey burgers (or regular if you can eat them) – order them off the bun (obviously) with a side salad or baked potato. Sweet potato fries may also be okay if you know the restaurant to not deep fry them. If you don’t know, ask!

• Look for grilled meats and fishes then order a vegetable or sweet potato on the side. Virtually every restaurant under the sun will offer this option. While it may not be the most exciting…it is definitely compliant. Just make sure no butter is used and you should be good to go.
• Omelettes – This is one of the best options I feel. You can order egg white omelettes and often get just about any vegetable in it. AND they almost always come with home fries. win-win. Just make sure that they don’t use butter or milk in the eggs and you’re in the clear 🙂

• Diners seem to offer the easiest solution. They have huge menus with endless possibilities. Be cautious and ask questions
• Ladies and gentlemen…CHIPOTLE! They offer a glorious salad option – stay away from the cheese and you’re set! Also, you can ask them to add a little extra chicken and they usually will for no extra charge…especially when they see how little is in the bowl.

•Last (and most important): No matter which restaurant you choose…always ask your server questions! Their job is to provide a service. You are on a special diet and most times the restaurant will do whatever it takes to accommodate you. You could even call ahead and ask the questions prior to your visit if that makes things easier.

Whether you’re doing this diet or just trying to eat healthy, give it your all. This diet has been really hard on me physically but I’m not giving up. I promise to write a full review (warning-it won’t be pretty) once it ends later this week. Work hard, lift heavy, and NEVER QUIT! After all, nothing worth having comes easy.

Stay strong & stay in the fight!

-Gina
TheFight2BeFit@gmail.com