New year, new you? If you’re looking for a way to reboot your health, switching up your nutrition plan might be the way to go. While there are many plans out there, there’s one that’s taken the world of fitness by storm. So, what is the Whole30 Diet? You may have heard whispers of this plan before, but do you know how it works?

As the name suggests, you have to stick to the diet for a span of 30 days. While many people indeed use this to shed body fat, it’s also a chance to hit the reset button on your eating habits. To follow it correctly, you’re going to need to learn some of the baseline rules. (Spoiler: They are super strict!)

Foods to Avoid on the Whole30 Diet

The guidelines for the Whole30 Diet are relatively strict. You’re supposed to stop eating entire selections of food. Sadly, the things that you’re going to need to avoid are likely to be the things that you crave the most. Here are the foods and drinks you need to omit.

Sugars

While on the diet, you need to absolutely avoid sugars. That doesn’t just mean the white sugar you add to things. It includes syrups, honey, and sweeteners too. The plan suggests that you read ingredients thoroughly to ensure no sneaky sugars are added to food.

Grains

They might be the staple of your diet right now, but it’s time to say goodbye to grains. This group includes rice, oats, barley, bulgar, rye, and wheat, among other grains. You should also avoid cereals and pseudo-grains, such as quinoa.

Alcohol

Cutting out alcohol may be a big ask but it’s a major part of the Whole30 Diet. Abstaining from drinking for this period is a great way to revamp your health. You should also avoid using alcohol in cooking and recipes too.

Legumes 

It’s time to cut out all types of beans, chickpeas, peanuts, and lentils. You should also avoid soy-based products like tofu, soy sauce, and edamame. However, there’s some fine print that you should take note of here. You can eat some types of legumes, including sugar snap peas, green beans, and snow peas.

Dairy

Whether it’s cow’s milk, goat’s milk, or sheep’s milk, it’s out. You will need to ditch a whole range of dairy forms during the course of the diet. On the other hand, there are some exceptions to this rule. You can have ghee and clarified butter, for example.

Carrageenan, MSG, and Sulfites

Before you eat anything, you should make sure that you check the labels. Should you see any of the above ingredients, you’re going to need to avoid the product completely.

Junk Food

Of course, it wouldn’t be a diet if you could eat loads of junk food. That means fries, pizza, tortilla chips, nachos, ice cream, brownies, and pretzels are out. Basically, if it comes from a fast food restaurant or the snack aisle of a store, you can be 100% sure that you can’t eat it while following the Whole30 Diet.

What to Eat on the Whole30 Diet

Now that we’ve covered what you can’t eat, let’s take a moment to talk about what you can. During the 30 days, you can have a range of foods, including meat, seafood, fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs, spices, and seasonings. While your meals can include any of the above, you should make sure that you eat everything in moderation.

How to Follow the Diet Properly

All of the above may sound like a trial, but it doesn’t have to be. Spend time meal prepping, planning out simple recipes you can reuse and repurpose, and always have Whole30-friendly foods on hand. While it might feel uncomfortable at first, rest assured forming new habits usually is in the beginning.