When January rolled in, Nima Cort felt the weight of a year filled with late-night takeouts and skipped workouts.
A chef by trade, she knew her way around a kitchen but often cooked for everyone except herself. She craved a reset — something to break old habits and reconnect with food in a more mindful way. That’s when she discovered the Whole30 program.
For 30 days, Nima committed to cooking only from whole, unprocessed ingredients. Gone were dairy, grains, added sugars, and processed snacks. In their place came vibrant salads with grilled chicken, zucchini noodles tossed with homemade tomato sauce, and pan-seared cod with a side of roasted vegetables.
Nima approached it not as a restriction, but as a culinary challenge. She experimented with spices to keep flavors bold, creating dishes like turmeric-roasted cauliflower and coconut curry chicken. She even developed a dairy-free pesto that became a household favorite.
By the end of the month, Nima felt lighter, more energized, and surprisingly calm. “It’s amazing how much your mind clears when your body isn’t processing so much junk,” she said. The Whole30 wasn’t just a diet for her — it was a fresh start and a renewed appreciation for the beauty of real food.