When Arielle Moss first heard of the Whole30 program, she was skeptical. “It sounded restrictive—no dairy, no grains, no sugar, no legumes?” she remembers. “I wasn’t sure if I could last more than a few days.” But after years of bloating, skin issues, and feeling sluggish, she was ready to try something different.
The first week was rough, she admits. “I missed my morning oatmeal, and the coffee without cream was depressing,” she laughs. But by day five, something shifted. “My cravings started to fade, my energy leveled out, and I actually looked forward to cooking.”
Instead of focusing on what she couldn’t eat, Arielle focused on how she could make the plan delicious. She played with herbs, citrus, and homemade sauces to elevate simple ingredients. “I made roasted chicken with chimichurri, sweet potato hash with eggs, and even a zucchini noodle pad thai with almond butter sauce,” she says. “It became fun.”
She also learned to read labels more closely. “So many products hide sugar or soy—things that are off-limits on Whole30,” she says. “It made me more mindful of everything I eat, even after the 30 days ended.”
What surprised her most was how satisfied she felt. “I wasn’t snacking constantly anymore,” she says. “My meals were hearty, and I stayed full for hours.” As a side benefit, her skin cleared up, and she stopped waking up tired.
Arielle didn’t go back to her old habits after the program. Instead, she carried forward the best parts: cooking from scratch, avoiding ultra-processed foods, and choosing meals that made her feel good. “It taught me to listen to my body, not just follow a diet,” she reflects.
Now, she helps others craft Whole30 meal plans that don’t feel like punishment. “You don’t have to eat bland chicken and steamed broccoli every day,” she says. “If you season your food and cook with love, it tastes amazing—Whole30 or not.”
