Hartwig emphasizes the importance of sticking to this plan with zero slip ups, so you give your body the complete break from not-so-healthy food that it deserves.

If life happens and a glass of wine or a piece of bread gets in the way, Hartwig recommends starting over. She wants you to feel the full benefits of the entire 30 days.

We’re not gonna lie: Some of us have let a glass of wine slip before. We didn’t start over and still felt on top of the world at the end. We aren’t suggesting you do the same, but we’re just being real.

Here are some official and unofficial rules and tips we follow to get us through the program.

Do it with a friend

Surround yourself with support. “Touch base with [other Whole30ers] every single day. Ask for help when you need it. Be authentic with your successes and your hard times. Share resources and take the time to offer advice to others where you can,” Hartwig says.

You can also follow #Whole30 on Instagram to connect with like-minded people.

No fake treats

This one was hard for us to grasp, so it deserves some explanation. If a paleo pancake calls for nothing but Whole30-approved ingredients, such as eggs and bananas, the flapjack is still off-limits. The Whole30 wants you to change your habits and your emotional relationship with food.

“Your brain doesn’t know the difference between an almond flour brownie and your mom’s recipe, it just knows you crave sugar. So, if you keep eating those sweets during the 30 days, your habits aren’t changing,” Hartwig says.

Don’t shoot the messenger!

Read the Whole30 book

The Whole30 book is helpful, clear, and will get you motivated. Want even more Whole30 ideas? Hartwig’s cookbooks may not have the nitty-gritty plan details, but the recipes are solid.

Clear your house of temptations

Hartwig calls these “foods without brakes.” The ones that give “once you pop, you can’t stop” true meaning. Say goodbye to everything on the “no” list. Toss it, pack it, send it to your grandmother. Just get it out.

Celebrate with coffee

You can’t drink alcohol, but you can turn your after-work happy hour into a midday coffee date. You can drink black coffee with a splash of unsweetened nondairy creamer.

Plan and prepare

This is Hartwig’s No. 1 tip when it comes to success on the Whole30. No more grabbing a slice of pizza on the way home from work.

“Before day 1, you should have your first week of meals planned, grocery shopping done, pantry stocked, and you should have some Whole30-compliant emergency food stashed away,” Hartwig says. Here’s a Whole30-approved shopping list to get you started.

Don’t make it complicated

You’ll be exposed to a ton of new, delicious recipes. If you know you’re not the cooking type, start simple.

Instead of making the fancy egg-bake in a cast-iron pan, grab some eggs, veggies, sausage, and avocado then scramble your breakfast. Top it with sugar-free hot sauce, and you’ll have yourself a solid meal in 7 minutes.

Don’t be afraid to make that for breakfast five times a week — making similar meals over and over again is easier than trying to whip up new complicated ones.

Always make leftovers

For lunch and dinner, make extra so you have leftovers. There’s nothing more rewarding than knowing your meals are already cooked and ready to go for the day. Pat yourself on the back and have a party.