There’s a good chance you’ve heard a friend mention Whole30 while they pass up a drink at happy hour, or a coworker talk about the program while munching on a grilled chicken salad in the breakroom.

If you don’t quite know the details of a Whole30, it’s basically a 30-day reset where you eliminate certain foods from your diet like added sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, dairy, soy, processed foods, and anything not “real.”

Foods to be enjoyed during the month are meat, eggs, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and natural fats. Whenever possible, it’s recommended to opt for sustainable, ethically-treated, grass-fed, pasture-raised, and/or organic fare.

The goal of the Whole30 is to make intentional, mindful food choices, feed your body well, and hopefully shift your emotional relationship with food. It’s NOT a diet.

There’s no calorie counting, portion limits, or weigh-ins. You nourish your body by eating real food when you’re hungry, and that’s about it.

Completing a Whole30 isn’t necessarily a walk in the park. It can be challenging, even for those who tend to eat on the cleaner end of the spectrum. But I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to change their relationship with food for the better. And you’ll learn A LOT while going through the program (check out what I discovered from last year’s Whole30).

Plus, the food you enjoy on a Whole30 doesn’t have to feel limiting or sacrificial. Some of my favorite recipes that I make year-round are Whole30-approved (or can be with simple modifications).

Need a little help getting started? Here’s my Week 1 Whole30 Meal Plan. It includes leftovers and a few repetitive meals, but I find that relying on repeat meals prevents me from wasting time making food decisions and allows me to batch cook, which is a huge timesaver. Keep in mind, I’ll also add in a pre-workout snack if I need one (a banana or apple + almonds is a good go-to).

Week 1 Whole30 Meal Plan

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Monday

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs + raw sauerkraut + 1/2 avocado + glass of green juice

Lunch: Chicken and vegetable soup

Dinner: Homemade bolognese sauce with spaghetti squash + roasted broccoli

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Tuesday

Breakfast: 2 fried eggs + roasted broccoli + raw sauerkraut

Lunch: Grilled chicken + kale salad

Dinner: Salmon + sauteed kale + roasted sweet potatoes

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Wednesday

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs + 1/2 avocado + raw sauerkraut + green juice

Lunch: Leftover chicken and veggie soup

Dinner: Roasted chicken + delicata squash + roasted broccoli

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Thursday

Breakfast: 2 fried eggs + roasted broccoli + raw sauerkraut

Lunch: Grilled chicken + roasted potatoes + kale salad

Dinner: Leftover bolognese sauce with spaghetti squash + roasted broccoli

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Friday

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs + 1/2 avocado + raw sauerkraut

Lunch: Roasted chicken + leftover veggies + bone broth

Dinner: Burger patties + sauteed onions/mushroom + avocado + kale salad

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Saturday

Breakfast: Brussels sprouts with bacon and eggs + green juice

Lunch: Leftover burgers and veggies + bone broth

Dinner: Carnitas + sauteed bell peppers

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Sunday

Breakfast: 2 fried eggs + sauteed kale + bone broth

Lunch: Leftover carnitas + sauteed bell peppers

Dinner: Shepherd’s pie (cooked that afternoon with meal prep)