Published 2017-05-17
I am sick and tired of articles like this one from Glamour.com.
"I did Whole30, but I really didn't because I half-assed the program and then completely gave up when my family visited. Now I've invented the Whole15!"
Ok, that doesn't quite convey the reality of the issue, so let me share with you her own words:
... If you half-ass it, they say, it doesn't count.
But I'm going to be honest with you now: I half-assed it here and there. Almond milk is very gross, and I quickly returned to soy as my preferred morning latte ingredient, bean ban be damned. I didn't ask at restaurants whether my piece of fish was cooked in butter. And if a lentil found its way into my veggie mix, who was I to remove it? I really did leave dairy, sugar (including my beloved Diet Coke), and gluten behind, but I refused to stick to a "healthy" eating plan that didn't permit rice cakes and peanut butter. If rice cakes and peanut butter are wrong, I do not wish to be right.
Let's get a few things straight:
Why am I emphasizing the fact that you failed, despite your admission of failure in your very first paragraph? Because you were still incorrect when you said you made it 15 days. Your program ended the second you put soy creamer in your coffee, or ate a buttered fish, or let a little lentil into your salad. When did those things happen? What was it, eight or nine days in? You never said so in the article.
When it comes to doing a Whole15, you plan to end your program at the appropriate time, then you follow through. Even Melissa Hartwig herself said you can complete shortened versions of whatever length you think appropriate:
"If you've done at least three full Whole30 programs, been working hard to maintain your new healthy habits, and just need a little reminder/pick me up/kick in the pants, a shortened version of the Whole30 may be just the ticket to help you accomplish some short-term health and habit goals." -Melissa Hartwig
Instead, you decided to rationalize the program failure and claim you did a "Whole 15." Bullshit. Anybody who "modifies" the program or decides they can have "just a little" isn't doing the program. There are no cheats, there are no exceptions, and you don't get to say you "did it halfway" if you violate those rules. You aren't allowed to claim you did anything remotely "Whole 30" if you change the program.
Elizabeth Logan, you and those like you have lied and are deliberately deceiving the rest of the world with your lie.
Stop it.