Whole 30 and Paleo- How I survive - Nesting With Grace (2024)

I can list about 10 people I know who are are trying to eat better and are giving Whole 30 or Paleo a try with the new year. I have shared before on THIS post that I have eaten Paleo for about 3 years. I was not as strict while I was pregnant and while I have been nursing. I didn’t want to restrict anything for risk of losing my milk, I ate oats, dairy and wheat when I wanted it. Now that Finn is 9 months I have started again to be a 95% Paleo eater. I have to admit I did try macro counting for about two solid months. I got burned out on that real fast, I don’t have the time to weigh all my food and I don’t want to send that message to my girls of obsessing over food. I did like parts of it, like paying more attention to the amount of protein, fats and carbs my body needs. But you can do that by making sure you eat a balanced diet. I have to say that I see the BEST and fastest results and I am the happiest with myself when I eat Paleo and a Whole 30 lifestyle. I see the most muscle definition when I eat Paleo. I don’t drink any caffeine at all and sleep about 6- 7 hours a night. Eating a healthy diet and loosing an hour of sleep to actually workout every morning GIVES me more energy. Amazing how that works.

I do get asked often what my favorite meals and snacks are. I thought I would share what saves me while on Whole 30 and my Paleo lifestyle. These are not sponsored. These are just things that have helped me.

The hardest part for me when I go strict Paleo cutting out on a little sweet treat. Even natural sugars are a no-no to loose weight and if you are on the Whole 30 diet. So that means no honey, no maple syrup, no dried fruit and very limited fruit.

WHOLE 30 AND PALEO SNACKS

The way I curb those sweet tooth cravings are with my new favorite drink calledCrio Bru, I am seriously so in love with it. I want to tell everyone about it.Crio Bruis a superfood and an all-natural coffee alternative(does not taste like coffee) made fromcocoa beans, roasted and brewed just like coffee. It tastes more like really dark chocolate- or unsweetened hot cocoa. It is 99% caffeine free and actually high in antioxidants and has ZERO additives and the best part-Only 10 calories per serving and 0 sugars! YES! So it is Whole 30, Paleo, 21 Day Sugar Detox approved.I found my Cri Bru online HERE. I love the peppermint flavor HERE. You could sweeten with Truvia or sometimes I added a little coconut cream to it.

I brew mine in THIS really cute French press. Or you can brew in a coffee maker, if you have one. You can also use the french press for loose leaf teas, that I love as well.I actually don’t add any sweetener to mine. I just mix two tablespoons of the Crio Bru in boiling hot water and follow the instructions on the french press. You could add some coconut milk to it. I really like dark pure chocolate so I enjoy the taste just as is.

Speaking of drinks. I find that when I drink something warm it really fills up my belly and helps me to feel full before bed. THIS tea is another favorite. I like it again without any sweetener in it. It has a warm honey flavor that is very calming before bed.

I have shared my favorite protein bites before. But I thought I would share them again. I had spent a lot of time a while ago looking through a lot of Protein Bite recipes on Pinterest. I came up with my own recipe that has ZERO added sugar. It is hard to find any that do not add honey that are Whole 30 compliant. I love these because they totally feel like a treat to me. Again they have that dark chocolate taste that fills that desire for a sweet treat and they actually leave me feeling satisfied and full!

PaleoDarkChocolate Coconut Bites

• 1/2 cup almond butter (I buy mine online HERE)
• 1/2 cup chia seeds (I buy mine online HERE)
• 1 scoop protein powder (I buy mine online HERE)
• 1/4 cup cacao powder unsweetened
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut and another 1/2 cup to roll in at the end
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or mint extract is really good too
• Additional add-ins-
• 1/4 cup Cacao NibsHERE(these are an alternative to chocolate chips- bitter chocolate that adds a yummy crunch and flavor *they don’t taste too great on their own)
• 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries

Mix all ingredients together until it starts to stick together. They will be pretty sticky. Form into balls and roll in shredded unsweetened coconut. They will need to be stored in the fridge orin the freezer.

These are great healthy treat and something to grab when you need a quick paleo snack. (*these are not exactly strict Whole 30 just omit the Cacao Nibs and use a Whole 30 compliant protein or place the protein powder Hemp Seeds).

You can find the protein bites I make for my kids HERE.

WHOLE 30 AND PALEO DINNERS

This is my favorite way to cookSalmonI shared the easy recipeHERE. It really isn’t even a recipe it is that simple.

This is a family favorite when you are craving lasagna or spaghetti or even pizza. I shared the recipeHEREand have added extra veggies to it when I make it and a lot of veggies on the side!

These lettuce wraps are another favorite-

Colorful Healthy Lettuce Wraps Recipe

WHOLE 30 AND PALEO BREAKFAST

The breakfast that I eat about 90% of the time are eggs with veggies. I love to do a lot of broccoli, peppers and onions with my eggs to fill me up. If you want something different your your breakfast these are our favorite Paleo Crepes. My girls love them.

All you do is beat 1 Tablespoon Arrow Root Powderwith 1 egg and 1 Tablespoon of water. Just wisk those ingredients together so there are no clumps and there you have it! I used 5 eggs, 5 Tablespoons water and 5 Tablespoons of Arrow Root Powder to get nine 8″ crepes. My girls eat about 3 of these when I make them, but they add Nutella to theirs. I like them with a little almond butter and blueberries.

One thing I am LOVING lately are THESE shakes from Daily Harvest. They are so convenient and help to keep you on track with eating healthy and Paleo. I love that I can grab one and hurry and blend it and it is packed full of veggies and healthy ingredients that I don’t always have on hand. Use code NESTINGWITHGRACE for three FREE smoothies on your order HERE.

Find a bunch of meals I make week after week HERE

What I buy from Trader Joe’s and a Shopping List for you too HERE

ALL my other Healthy Recipes HERE I share ONLY the recipes that we make again and again

A few other tips that keep me on track with the Paleo Diet-

• Buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it to keep on hand in the fridge for quick meals and when you are starving before dinner

• Keep chopped up veggies ready in the fridge to grab instead of chips. If you are like me and will eat the entire bag of sweet potato chips- just don’t even buy them!

• Drink WATER! I keep water in THIS tumbler to keep the ice cold for a million hours- this really helps me drink the most water. Used coupon code NESTINGWITHGRACE for 10% off!!

• Hang on and keep up your diet- it gets easier after day three!

• Track how you FEEL. Do you feel bloated at night anymore? Do you feel better making healthy choices rather than guilt at the end of the day? Those are wins!

You can find more Paleo and Whole 30 meals HERE where I shared how I food prep for our family for the week in just a few hours.

Hopefully my little tips help you if you are going to start eating clean and healthy this year!