An Interview with Dan Schawbel:
I interviewed Melissa Hartwig, who is both the author of The Whole30 Fast & Easy Cookbook: 150 Simply Delicious Everyday Recipes for Your Whole30 and The Whole30 Day by Day: Your Daily Guide to Whole30 Success, on why the Whole30 movement has taken off, what daily food habits people should have to be healthier, how the food we eat affects our productivity, what she’s learned from this journey and her best career advice.
She is a certified sports nutritionist who guides people in changing their reliance upon diets as well as developing healthy eating styles. A co-creator and developer of the renowned 30-day dietary reset program based on whole foods called Whole30; Hartwig has made appearances on Dr. Oz Show, Today Show, Wall Street Journal; She has also written articles for Outside magazine and SELF. More than 2 million people a month read Hartwig’s articles through the Whole30 website and social media feeds and she provides resources for them and also offers support through these platforms.
Dan Schawbel: Despite health and nutrition blogs being in abundance today as well as books about it or even companies which are devoted to that niche you still remain ahead of them all. Why do you think Whole30 caught on while others haven’t?
Melissa Hartwig: First of all, I think that so many people love the idea behind Whole 30 because it isn’t a weight loss plan. And at some point most dieters know this cycle too well – starting with restriction leading to deprivation then labeling certain foods as “bad”, feeling remorseful when they gain back their initial wait plus extra pounds because they have been trying out different kinds of diets without any results.The traditional approach to dieting leaves people feeling guilty or ashamed about eating food. That kind of thinking creates extreme stress whenever a person gains weight due to re-regulating ones metabolism.The scale is put away on a 30-day period that brings out changes in person’s habits and relationship with food.
Additionally, joining the program introduces you to the internet’s most engaged, supportive and friendly group. It can be scary to give up foods we have emotional or physiological ties to. Our website, forum, and social media offer resources, support, and accountability for people who are trying to stay on track after their Whole30 ends as they transition into healthier lifestyles.
Furthermore, the Whole30 has always been entirely free. No seriously—free! We’ve got our program rules posted; getting started tips available; grocery shopping guide found here; meal planning template and so many more resources just waiting for you to peruse them on our website. So there’s that.
Schawbel: What are some daily food habits that people should adopt to be healthier and to have more energy at work and at home?
Hartwig: The simple answer is “do The Whole 30,” but if you’re not quite ready for that start by having a protein based Meal 1 each day. Consistently eating breakfasts high in carbs like fruits smoothies will leave your energy levels crashing soon after this results into fogginess as well as “hanger.” Instead of going down this road of consuming mainly carbohydrate-rich foods like cereals or breads (even though they seem healthier) early in your day opt for moderate portions of animal protein (preferably grass-fed, pastured or organic), natural fats such as coconut oil or avocados together with some veggies plus fruit on top which tend to be more satisfying when consumed thus keeping blood sugar levels stable hence raising attention spans plus general increase in energy throughout the day making one a happier employee too.
By and large, prevent yourself from taking in added sugar and even the so-called “natural” products. You will get better at using fat (including body fat) as your fuel when you stop relying on sugar for energy. Therefore, you’ll need to begin analyzing any label of a product since manufacturers can introduce sugar into foods you’d least believe could contain it. (It is important to make sure that one becomes aware of what they consume.)
Last but not least, try learning how to cook – real food, without labels. This is the first step in any healthy eating effort.
Schawbel: How does the food we eat impact our productivity and overall career/business success? What role do companies have in creating a healthier workforce?
Hartwig: Focus, attention span, memory, energy, and mood are all dramatically impacted by our diets. If your diet involves eating foods that make you rely on sugar for energy causing a rise and fall in your blood sugar levels then disturbances to your digestive system become inevitable along with stimulation of immune reactions within the bodysuch that there’s no part of ‘performance’ be it work or anything else that doesn’t take a knock as a result of this.Your sleep quality worsens; confidence drowns; trousers tighten up; motivation dwindles down; and skin disorders, headaches, allergies indigestions or chronic pain may ensue affecting how productive you are during the day.
When a company goes beyond simple health insurance coverage for its employees by providing services aimed at making them healthier (and more than just weight loss), it benefits everyone involved. Insurance costs go down. Sick time goes down. Employee morale goes up. Job satisfaction improves. And shareholders like seeing those numbers.
Schawbel: Since you started the Whole30 movement in 2009, what have been the biggest victories and disappointments? What are your plans for the future?
Hartwig: The biggest successes are reading the stories every single day from people whose lives have been changed by this program but also seeing some of the remarkable changes in the food industry as a result of the Whole30 movement. This is evident through companies like Epic, Applegate, and Zupa Noma who changed their product ingredients to meet Whole30 rules yet catered to our community showing both how powerful our brand is and what most shoppers want in terms of sugar free products and less additives.
I’ve never been disappointed by any part of this path. Sure, there are moments when I get annoyed by an article on “trendy Whole30 weight loss diet” that’s been posted somewhere, but I’m just focused on serving our community. I don’t need to respond to every half-assed article about the program that I see—I’m kind of busy helping millions of people actually change their lives.
In 2018, we will be expanding our corps of whole 30 certified trainers & developing a new WHOLE 30 app (Its 2018 people, GET WITH IT WHOLE30). Me personally? One more whole 30 cookbook will be released. Also starting a podcast for myself and book tour events, media engagements etc.
Schawbel: What are your top three pieces of career advice?
Hartwig:
I would say, that such advice must be specific. The first thing one should do is establish a morning routine, and make it your anchor. By doing this you are in effect setting the tone for your day, enhancing your moods and self confidence. None of this matters as much as the doing itself, but if you’re asking me I’d say don’t use email or social media at all.
Determine when you are most productive and try to arrange your day accordingly. I’m most creative between about 10 AM (after my morning routine) and around 2 PM so that’s when I write. After that point, creativity and focus tend to wane so I switch instead to less mentally challenging work for a while. You might not have complete control over how you spend the whole day but if you know that the first hour at your desk is always filled with distractions, then plan important meetings or brainstorming sessions for later.
Learn how to flex your communication style. To be effective working with teammates, instructing employees directly or driving change in an organization requires speaking their language. Kidding aside if people can’t stand how you communicate at work it is YOUR problem. That’s why I took several different personality assessments like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), FIRO-B scales, Enneagram and DISC Assessment which helped me understand who I was, how I preferred to interact in the world, what my preferences were and how they could be modified to better connect with others.