I’ve actually had a physical copy of this book since 2013, but back then I only read as much as I thought I needed to in order to do the Whole30 (we actually did the whole Lent season — 46 days, instead of 30). We were looking for solutions for persistent stomach pains that our youngest was experiencing.

I recently started downloading audiobooks of books that were still sitting in my Goodreads library unfinished, and this was one of them. And so, while commuting, I have been listening to books, and this was one of them.

Listening to this all the way through, I realize now that I have never done the Whole30 the way it was intended. And looking back through my journal, I found that I’ve done it at least 8 times!

I have to honestly say that I find the Hartwig’s writing style very annoying, very cutesy — but their information is VERY important. So, if — like me — you don’t care for this style of patronizing writing, please grin and bear it, and listen/read ALL the way through, like I have now, and give this lifestyle change (not diet — as I had been treating it) a try.

I will be digging in and doing so myself. ( )

This isn't the kind of book that you love or hate, but the program it outlines--The Whole 30--is. I'm on day 26, and I officially love it! Also, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig have good voices for audiobook narration, and I found this much easier to listen to (mostly while cooking!) than to sit down and read, so I was very glad. I do have the book checked out from the library too, which is helpful for seeing charts and illustrations, but those are also available on Audible and iTunes if you buy the audio. I don't have the background to critically evaluate what they call "the sciencey stuff" with any real rigor, but I'm willing to go with it anyway because I feel so much better than I did a month ago. Hooray! ( )

I loved that this book had more details on how to eat Paleo (albeit a stricter Paleo) than Robb Wolf's Paleo Solution does. I also liked that it didn't waste pages by putting in a "here's how you exercise" section.

What I wished they had done though was...
-provide a nice summary of what you CAN eat at the end of the chapter, like they have in every other chapter and on their site.
-put the little details that they slipped in here an there like "drink a cup of bone broth with your meal" in the summary of "how to do the plan" PDF that they have on their site.
-Put the Master Recipe section of the book out in a PDF on their site so that I could print it easily. I have the kindle version of the book, so not only was cut off on some of the tables because of formatting issues but, there's no way in hell I'm going to use my Kindle as a cookbook. Come on. Seriously. Let me print the damn thing. (So, instead, I highlighted it all and will print it from Amazon so that I can splatter grease on it and spill chicken broth on it and it doesn't cost me $100 to replace.) ( )

A good book? Yes. Practical? Yes. At times tough to follow because of the science? Yes, unfortunately.

These are the types of books that makes me feel dumb...for several reasons. Not only do I feel dumb about the eating choices I made, I realize just how much science I know nothing about.

The good thing is: I don't have to know it. They make that perfectly several places.

I'd highly recommend this book to anyone looking to get healthy. ( )

I am half frustrated with this book and half inclined to try it as part of the elimination diet I've been considering as a way to track down foods that might be triggers for my migraines and other health irritations. I'm just SO tired of every time someone comes up with a "new plan" it's always the best thing since man learned to eat...it's not a diet, it's a " new way of life!!!" Still, as irritating as I find the presentation, and as hard as I am inclined to avoid the cult-like adherence yet another long term plan that's going to change my life forever (!!!) the basis of the plan as an effective elimination diet is solid. ( )