Calla West never thought she’d do something like Whole30. “It always seemed like a rich person’s diet,” she jokes. “Almond flour, grass-fed everything, organic-this and organic-that? No way I could afford it.” But after years of digestive discomfort, constant bloating, and low energy, she was willing to try something—anything—that might help.
The hardest part wasn’t giving up grains, sugar, or dairy—it was figuring out how to follow the Whole30 rules without blowing through her grocery budget. But with a bit of planning and a lot of creativity, Calla found her own way to make it work.
Her first step? Let go of perfection. “I didn’t have to buy the fanciest ingredients,” she says. “I just had to find real, whole foods that fit the plan.” She started shopping in bulk for basics—eggs, sweet potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and canned tuna. Frozen veggies became her best friend. She bought cheaper cuts of meat and slow-cooked them for rich flavor and tenderness.
What emerged was a rhythm that didn’t just support her health goals—it respected her wallet, too. For breakfast, she’d make big batches of veggie scrambles or egg muffins. Lunch might be a reheated chicken stew with cabbage and tomatoes. Dinners became a mix of roasted root vegetables, seasoned ground beef, and maybe a fried egg on top.
Meal prep was key. “If I had food ready, I wasn’t tempted to grab something quick that wasn’t compliant,” she says. Sundays became her cooking day, when she’d plan out five meals and freeze extras.
By day ten, the changes were already showing. Her energy stabilized. She wasn’t bloated after meals. Her skin cleared, and she felt lighter—not just physically, but emotionally, too. “It wasn’t just about food,” she reflects. “It was about learning to take care of myself within the limits I had.”
