Whole30: Haters Gonna Hate

*I originally wrote this post for liberatingworkingmoms.com on January 15, 2015. 

I am now placing it here for safe keeping.*

When I decided to complete a Whole30, I started thinking about what challenges I would face at the workplace. I purposely picked 30 days in which there are no holidays (that require celebrations, no offense Groundhog Day) and no birthday parties at the office. Challenge number one: handled. Then I began to think about the amount of times I eat out for lunch, oh and don't forget Starbucks. Meal planning, tupperware, to-go coffee mugs, and I'm all set. But what about Fridays? People really like to bring doughnuts on Fridays. I happen to have a freakishly strong willpower and a secret stash of Lara Bars, check. The one workplace challenge I didn't consider was the OTHER PEOPLE. Co-workers.

I have only just begun my Whole30, but I have already found that there are three types of responses from others when you tell them about your eating plan. The majority of people fall into the first category, which is indifference. They don't want to hear more, but they also don't call you a lunatic. High fives to those people. The next category consists of those that feel SUPER excited for you. They want to hear more, ask a ton of questions, and are happy that you are trying to do something good for your body. These are the people who will end up doing a Whole30 themselves in the next couple of months. The final category is the group I have lovingly dubbed the
"Super Duper Jerkfaces""Negative Nancys." These are the people that call you crazy. They somehow take offense to the fact that you are doing this, as if it affects them personally. Within this category, responses range from the harmless, "I couldn't go without creamer!" to the uninformed, "Just drink DIET Coke." to the downright hurtful, "There is no way you are going to make it all 30 days."

I am extremely lucky that I work with people who are very health conscious and supportive (I'm not even the first person to put ghee in their coffee). So far every response has been either indifferent or fairly positive. Unfortunately, I think I am in the minority with this supportive environment, and therefore I usually advise people to take a moment to think it through before coming out of the Whole30 closet at work. If you think your co-workers will be unsupportive, if there is even a chance someone will put a mockingly-buttery croissant on your desk every morning for 30 days, maybe don't even tell them.

I think a huge part of completing a successful Whole30 is being able to rely on your support group. Whether it is your family, your nerdy internet friends (hi guys!), or your co-workers, you need people around you who will be your cheerleaders. I'm not saying you can't do this alone, but it would be way less fun. Find those people, they exist.

If you truly have no support and everyone around you is telling  you that you are going to fail, use that as your motivation to succeed. Prove them wrong, you've got this. In the words of the inimitable Taylor Swift, haters gonna hate (your delicious side of roasted Brussels sprouts).