Need help getting back on the horse

[kmeyers]

Please bear with me... it's been a while since I've posted here but I'm not sure how else to get going again and I need some help/guidance.

 

First a little history- I completed my Whole 30 last summer after having some serious and ongoing digestive issues and not understanding where they were coming from. I was SO proud of myself for strictly sticking to my 30! I ended up giving up coffee altogether (which I LOVE) because I couldn't handle it without cream and sugar. It ended up being more of a whole 40-ish because I skipped the reintroduction for the most part. I followed plan and started with a bit of wine, a little dairy and gave up because I realized dairy was what was killing me. I expected to lose some weight though I didn't lose as much as I thought I would (about 6 lbs) but I felt great. I attributed my minimal weight loss to the fact that it was summer so I was eating way more fruit than normal and thus, taking in more sugar than I should have been.

 

Flash forward to now and I've made several attempts to restart the whole 30 after half assing the program multiple times (ie- cream and sugar in my coffee but otherwise compliant foods; having bread or a granola bar "once in a while" but telling myself I'm otherwise following the program). I just can't seem to jump start my system! Logically I know I felt better while following W30 but that doesn't keep me away from things I KNOW are going to make me feel terrible. I've also just moved to a new city about a month ago and I want to partake of all the delicious, decadent foods I didn't have access to before.

 

I know I ended up dropping out of the program in the first place because I just got burned out with planning meals and prepping. I got bored eating the same things over and over, cooking every single night. My boyfriend is incredibly supportive after serious skepticism when I initially started. He's encouraged me repeatedly to make better choices but I can't seem to get into the mental space where I fully commit. 

 

So here's my plea... how does everyone else stay on track or how have you gotten back on track after a lapse? I need some motivation techniques because logically I want to do this but laziness is taking over my will to eat right.

 

Thanks in advance!

[MeadowLily]

Your motivation techniques are like your fingerprints.  Unique.

 

Some do very well eating the same things day in and day out.  They let food boredom actually work for them.  I read an account of one eating the same breakfast and lunch for 4 years in a row.  They only varied the dinner.   Staying in your own lane can work for a long time.

 

Others don't plan or prep.  They switch it UP every single day, fly by the seat of their pants and wing around the corners coming in on two wheels.  One size does not fit all.  

 

There are days you may have to throw everything up against the wall to see what sticks. Creating a solid plan and having a support system works for most of us.

 

As the authors,  forum, blog, manifestos say... Whole 30 was not meant to be a Whole 365.  So after a lapse, you may not need another 30 days but only 8 days to get your groove back.

 

To flip the switch,  I found a counselor to help me keep the Head Reset after my Whole 30 Food Reset. 

[ElizabethG]

Your motivation techniques are like your fingerprints.  Unique.

 

Some do very well eating the same things day in and day out.  They let food boredom actually work for them.  I read an account of one eating the same breakfast and lunch for 4 years in a row.  They only varied the dinner.   Staying in your own lane can work for a long time.

 

Others don't plan or prep.  They switch it UP every single day, fly by the seat of their pants and wing around the corners coming in on two wheels.  One size does not fit all.  

 

There are days you may have to throw everything up against the wall to see what sticks. Creating a solid plan and having a support system works for most of us.

 

As the authors,  forum, blog, manifestos say... Whole 30 was not meant to be a Whole 365.  So after a lapse, you may not need another 30 days but only 8 days to get your groove back.

 

To flip the switch,  I found a counselor to help me keep the Head Reset after my Whole 30 Food Reset. 

 

Spot on reminding us that Whole30 is not meant to be a Whole365!

 

Kmeyers, it sounds like you are doing a great job. You figured out what bothers you during your Whole30, and now you are working through how to find a good balance in your life...be kind to yourself, you are doing great. What in particular is making you feel like you are "off track"? Maybe you have started incorporating a few things that don't agree with you physically? 

 

I often struggle with the same things, and am also trying to find the right balance, but every day I still have to make choices to be kind to my body and stay away from things that will only make me less healthy. When it is just my husband and myself, I cook Whole30 meals (plus make rice/beans for my husband who is not bothered by them at all). I happen to love the ease of the Whole30 template and have greatly enjoyed an entire new menu of recipes to experiment with. When I am not doing the cooking, I do my best to pick Whole30 foods with the information that is available to me, but I don't stress about it if I later find out something had butter in it, etc. Then there are those times when I am faced with delicious things that I know are not nutritious and will only make me feel bad, BUT, still look amazing. This is where the continued work is...no one is perfect. I can say that for me, ice cream is almost always worth it, so I indulge, but I keep working to remind myself that during my Whole30 I did not miss other sweets, so they probably are not worth my time.

 

I hope this all helps.

[ElizabethG]

I need help getting back on the horse today. Had a not great day yesterday and woke up feeling hung over. I am feeling physically gross and mentally frustrated. Some of my old poor body image habits are creeping back into my head today, which is frustrating. I am wanting to get back on the horse today, which for me is a paleo diet + full fat greek yogurt + the occasional glass of wine. I know from trial and error that this works for me, and the small amount of honey and wine do not affect me. However, this is not always as easy to put into practice, as we all well know. I also recently had some labwork done that showed not great cholesterol numbers, so I am also trying to figure out what changes I can make to make myself happy with those numbers without letting go of some of the foods that make this way of eating enjoyable and sustainable, like avocado, coconut oil and eggs. One thing I have realized though is that nuts and I may need to break up...another reason I am feeling down this morning. 

 

I have started relying on nuts way too much and they are most definitely causing some GI distress, plus I tend to go overboard with them.

 

Does anyone else sometime feel mentally fatigued from always trying to tweak how they eat? I sure do, which makes it that much more difficult to get back on track. I know I will feel much better in about a week if I can get back to it today and stick with it, but right now, that seems like such a mountain to climb. 

 

Looking for some ideas and encouragement today!

[eliz33]

Please bear with me... it's been a while since I've posted here but I'm not sure how else to get going again and I need some help/guidance.

 

First a little history- I completed my Whole 30 last summer after having some serious and ongoing digestive issues and not understanding where they were coming from. I was SO proud of myself for strictly sticking to my 30! I ended up giving up coffee altogether (which I LOVE) because I couldn't handle it without cream and sugar. It ended up being more of a whole 40-ish because I skipped the reintroduction for the most part. I followed plan and started with a bit of wine, a little dairy and gave up because I realized dairy was what was killing me. I expected to lose some weight though I didn't lose as much as I thought I would (about 6 lbs) but I felt great. I attributed my minimal weight loss to the fact that it was summer so I was eating way more fruit than normal and thus, taking in more sugar than I should have been.

 

Flash forward to now and I've made several attempts to restart the whole 30 after half assing the program multiple times (ie- cream and sugar in my coffee but otherwise compliant foods; having bread or a granola bar "once in a while" but telling myself I'm otherwise following the program). I just can't seem to jump start my system! Logically I know I felt better while following W30 but that doesn't keep me away from things I KNOW are going to make me feel terrible. I've also just moved to a new city about a month ago and I want to partake of all the delicious, decadent foods I didn't have access to before.

 

I know I ended up dropping out of the program in the first place because I just got burned out with planning meals and prepping. I got bored eating the same things over and over, cooking every single night. My boyfriend is incredibly supportive after serious skepticism when I initially started. He's encouraged me repeatedly to make better choices but I can't seem to get into the mental space where I fully commit. 

 

So here's my plea... how does everyone else stay on track or how have you gotten back on track after a lapse? I need some motivation techniques because logically I want to do this but laziness is taking over my will to eat right.

 

Thanks in advance!

This is me exactly.  I completed my first Whole 30 in March.  I felt great, lost 12 lbs., slept better than ever, skin was great, etc...I have tried and failed several times since then to start another round, but have normally cheated in the first day or two.  I don't know how I can go from following it 100% in March, to having such a hard time now.  I have started again today.  Wish me luck!

[hmg1993]

I would start with writing down what your goals are.  Why do you want to do another W30?  You can be healthy and not do W30 too and it  might be easier to cut yourself some slack.  Or, if you know it's what you want then recommit with goals that you record and revisit often.  I find this works best for me.......

[dcmom]

I find when I am having trouble gearing up I try a few weeks of being 80% good- ie. compliant 80% of the time...it helps me ease back into full compliance.  I think once you are through the first week of the whole 30 it's actually easier than trying to manage normal life.  So many decisions are taken away- I guess that can be considered a bad/good thing, but if you have issues with food the beauty of the Whole 30 is that it is so clear and definitive.  You clearly know what you can and cannot have.   

[sstrayer]

My husband and I did our first W30 in June.   July I did reintroductions but stayed pretty complaint most of the time.  August...I found myself having more off-plan foods more frequently (tortilla chips are the devil!)  and September has even been worse....I've had non complaint food almost every day.  I haven't gained weight but I definitely have not felt well.   So, I started a W14 today, and going to take 1 week off for my birthday week and then start a full W30 on October 1st.  I feel lIke I need the strict rules still, so I'm hoping this will help me get back on track!!!!