I’m sure by now most people have heard about the “Whole30” diet. It’s an extremely healthy, but very restrictive, eating plan that has garnered a lot of weight loss success for many people. I personally know a few who have lost weight on this eating plan… the challenge is longevity… because it is very restrictive.

When it comes to eating healthier, it’s always about striking a balance between what you should eat vs what you want to eat. (And ideally, the more you eat what you should, the more your body will begin to crave healthy things… so over time what you should eat really does become what you want to eat!)

The concept of Whole30 is great… because it’s real food, actual food, healthy food. There are no modified shakes… you aren’t doing anything drastic that is putting your body into a different state (like Keto… although I know many people who have had success with this too!). So, is there a way to balance Whole30 and eat wholesome while still allowing for a little wiggle room?

Yes, there is! Try adopting a “5 or less” rule. Only eat or drink things that contain 5 ingredients or less. (An exception to a rule like this would be if you made veggie soup with 8 different veggies!) The 5 or less plan gives you the ability to focus on healthy eating and reaping some of the benefits of the Whole30 lifestyle, with a bit of an allowance that ultimately makes this plan more sustainable for the long haul.

Believe it or not, there are even things you can bake that will fall under the 5 or less plan. This allows you to have things that normally you wouldn’t be able to eat. Personally, I have been following the 5 or less rule for the past month, and there weren’t a lot of modifications that I needed to make in order to make it happen. And the things that I did need to cut out, I was happy that I was able to find replacements for these as well! I’m still a work in progress… but I’m determined to get there!

Beginning in 2019, I will be incorporating 5 or less into the blogs that I write, so for anyone who is interested in trying the five or less rule, be sure to subscribe and follow the blog, as I will post tips and tricks, as well as some awesome recipes!

Thank you to my readers who have made 2018 such a great year. Here’s to a great 2019!

Image by Lukas Bieri from Pixabay