nomad2224 Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 I didn't have time to prepare my protein for lunch today at work, but my cafeteria has chicken breasts and lamb meatballs today so I figured one of these could serve as the main protein for my meal 2. I asked the chef if it contained dairy, sugar, msg, or soy. He said no, it's just spices, onions and lamb, with a chicken base stock. I also got some steamed greenbeans as a side. Seemed ok, until when I went to eat it, I took one bite and swallowed and then realized...oh no! What about breadcrumbs! And the greenbeans probably were sauteed with butter! I went back to the chef and asked if he used breadcrumbs in the meatballs and lo and behold, yes, he did! Arghhh! So frustrated right now. I feel I have ruined my whole30! I stopped eating the lamb meatball and bought the seasoned chicken breast instead (just salt and spices on it, no sugar to my knowledge), but my big question is: Do I need to start over now? Eating out of the house seems like it will be a real challenge, since so much food is made with off-plan ingredients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted November 6, 2015 Moderators Share Posted November 6, 2015 Bread crumbs are serious. The question you are asking gets asked a lot, so Melissa Hartwig wrote a full response... http://whole30.com/2014/06/really-start-whole30/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomad2224 Posted November 6, 2015 Author Share Posted November 6, 2015 Ok, thanks Tom for linking to that article, and after reading it, and thinking about it, I've decided to just keep going on (no restart). I'd have no excuse if it was a deliberate choice to slip, cheat, or say it was a "special occasion", as that would truly be against to the whole30 rules. Nor would I be able to plead ignorance if I had eaten the whole serving of meatballs. But this was not the case, it was completely by accident, and the quantity is really marginal. It was one small bite - impossible to know how much breadcrumbs were in that bite, but it must have been a minute amount). I know this stands in the face of answer #3 (the science of full elimination), and I may have exposed my body to a small amount of gluten (from the breadcrumbs). But ultimately, the the answer that rings most true with me and will allow me to continue on falls within the territory of answers #4 and #5. By the way, my decision to not restart is not set in stone, since I am only on day 6, I may very well decide to extend my whole30 once I get closer to the end. My decision is also influenced a lot by my primary motivation to do the whole30: to reset my habits, health and relationship with food. The FULL Elimination part of the rules is not my primary focus, but I know it is of key importance, and I nonetheless am committed to doing my whole30, continuing to follow the elimation protocol to the BEST OF MY ABILITIES. If I beat myself up over this small mistake, I feel - at the moment at least - that I will be losing the spirit of the whole30, and I can't let that happen. So for these reasons, which are personal, and not everyone would agree with, I need to forgive myself for the mistake and move on. I'm going to chalk this up as a small goof (newbie mistake), learn from the experience (to be sure ask all the right questions to meals I don't prepare), and move forward with a better awareness of what minefields may lie ahead for me when dining out. Ultimately, like in answer #5 (do whatever you want, because you are a grown up) it is my own decision to continue on and I'm comfortable with accepting that my whole30 may not be 100% perfect, as positive an experience as possible. Thank you for listening! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegoldengrahamgirl Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Nomad, I like that you took the time to write this out! As you say, it's a personal decision for each of us, but I liked reading through your reasoning. Thanks for sharing! Good luck as you move forward. Cheers, -Lauren (GGG) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomad2224 Posted November 13, 2015 Author Share Posted November 13, 2015 Thanks! Coming into the end of week 2 and starting to feel better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennv515 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I just experienced a similar situation... I ordered a steak and brussel sprouts from a local restaurant. I told them I can't have dairy or sugar, and asked how the steak and brussels were prepared. They said that they would not add dairy or sugar. I got my order, and I ate one brussel sprout, and it just seemed buttery to me. I don't know if I'm crazy, and that it was actually oil, but it just didn't seem right. I called the restaurant to double check and they said that they had not added butter, so I ate one more brussel sprout...but I just wasn't convinced, so I threw the rest out. I'm reading Melissa's POV on starting over, and I see this: Answer #4: We can see a circumstance in which you wouldn’t. The rule about added sugar is clear—you may consume none during the program. This isn’t because two grams of sugar in ketchup is going to send you spiraling into metabolic derangement or trigger an autoimmune response. It’s because we want you to be aware of how often companies sneak sugar into products, and to understand that a few grams here and a few grams there add up, and to teach you to read your labels, and to force you to look for (or make) healthier, sugar-free alternatives to your favorite products. So maybe you find yourself at Mom’s house for dinner on Day 28 asking, “Hey Mom, any sugar in this salad dressing?” And your mom says no, all clear, and you have a lovely family dinner. And as you’re cleaning up, Mom says, “There wasn’t sugar, but there was honey—that’s not the same though, honey is natural.” In this context, you’ve done everything you can do. You asked the right questions, got the right answers, and proceeded exactly on plan with the Whole30. As added sugar is unique in that it won’t disarm your “reset” button (and salad dressing isn’t likely to send you spiraling into sugar cravings), we can see a decision (especially on Day 28) to chalk it up to a learning experience and move on. Does that rule apply to my situation as well? I did everything I could. Twice. Thoughts? Help me! I'm freaking! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I just experienced a similar situation... I ordered a steak and brussel sprouts from a local restaurant. I told them I can't have dairy or sugar, and asked how the steak and brussels were prepared. They said that they would not add dairy or sugar. I got my order, and I ate one brussel sprout, and it just seemed buttery to me. I don't know if I'm crazy, and that it was actually oil, but it just didn't seem right. I called the restaurant to double check and they said that they had not added butter, so I ate one more brussel sprout...but I just wasn't convinced, so I threw the rest out. I'm reading Melissa's POV on starting over, and I see this: Does that rule apply to my situation as well? I did everything I could. Twice. Thoughts? Help me! I'm freaking! Thanks! You did your due diligence and then some. Move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennv515 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Thank you! It didn't send me into a downward spiral, so I'm good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.