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Realizing bad habits, and kicking them for good


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I'm on day 19 of my second Whole30 (woo!) and I've learned SO many new things about myself and my habits this time around. My first round, I discovered how to control cravings and read labels. This round, I'm recognizing bad habits that I have as I go through the month (without looking for them). I'm starting to get really nervous for the end of my Whole30 and reintro period because I'm afraid to fall right back to these habits. Here are examples:

Bad habit no. 1: Stopping for coffee and breakfast sandwich before work. "I'm just going to stop once before work this week" turns into three stops; and that's a lot of gluten and dairy that my body doesn't like. So the other day I was sitting on the couch before work, watching the time tick by, and I threw a temper tantrum in my head saying "I don't want to make breakfast this morning!" .... Even though I had at least 2 choices pre-prepared in the fridge. I recognized that THAT would be one of those mornings that I would stop for a breakfast sandwich if I wasn't on the whole30. My fear? When I'm not on the Whole30, what will keep me accountable? (That morning, I ended up throwing some soup in a coffee mug and drinking it on the way to work. It was great, fulfilling, and the best decision ever.)

Bad habit no. 2: Going to Bdubs at night with hubby. We both get off work around 11pm-12am and that's one of the only food places open at that time, so it's been a habit of ours to eat there 3-4 times a month after a long day at work. When we're on the whole30, we do NOT go there at all. The other night, I thought "this would be a perfect night to go to Bdubs..." but we did not, and the whole30 was what kept us home. Instead, we goofed around in the kitchen sharing almond butter and some tuna salad. We recognized the benefit of staying home, but how do we keep that strong will when the whole30 is over??

Bad habit no. 3: Thinking every trip to a restaurant is a "special occasion" and I can order whatever I want off the menu. This just hit me today. I thought -- "Would I order a plain salmon filet with a side of zucchini if I wasn't on the Whole30?" The answer is no, but I WANT it to be yes! It was a great, fulfilling meal, but I'm nervous I will forget that when off the Whole30. 

I'm a person of momentum.. If I've been doing something for 15 days, I can keep going forever! But once I start to reintroduce regular food into the mix, the momentum is gone and I'll start making "exceptions". Those deep-fried wings from Bdubs will be "worth the stomach ache" every single week (even when it's really not!) I feel like I'm SO CLOSE to food freedom, but my whole30 is going to end before I develop a game-plan for those bad habits. Any advice?

Thank you in advance!!

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Angelina G -- I hear you on the bad habits!  I have enough to fill a book and the W30 is the first program that has really helped me beat them by somewhat repairing my relationship with food.  I can only speak to my own journey but the momentum point you make applies to me too.  I'm on Day 42 of my second W30 and aiming to make it a W60 or 90.  The reason for the extension is that the first go around I really didn't attack the bad habits like my sugar addiction (lots of fruit first time around) or my snacking (lots of compliant nuts).  This time is different and better but also harder because I am tackling the habits head on.  I know that 30 days isn't long enough to make the new behavior old habits so hence the extension.  I know my body will tell me when it's time to take the training wheels off.  Good luck in your journey!!!

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I agree with hmg1993. I completed my first whole30 and feel myself slipping right back into my old habits. It is the weekends that get me - I eat perfectly throughout the week but once Friday rolls around, I always let my habits creep back in. Then I get back on track and eat perfectly through the week until the next weekend comes along. And this repeats! I definitely do not eat AS poorly as I did pre-whole30 but it still is the same habits and mindset that is getting me. So I am going to do the group whole30 next month even though I just finished my whole30 a week or so ago.

I do not think the 30 days was long enough for me and it sounds like it might not be long enough for you either. Think about extending it even a week or so until you get a plan in place or get your mind on track for how you want to tackle post whole30. It is a lot easier to say no to off plan foods during your whole30. If you feel like you can't make these decisions yet, stay on the whole30! Then when you feel more comfortable, start reintroducing foods. And if there is a food group you really don't want to mess with anymore, don't even bother reintroducing it. (in my opinion)

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Yes! I'm thinking about going back into a Whole30 now, and I finished my first W30 about a month ago. I eat W30 food M-F, weekend mornings, and try to make better choices overall - proud to say I didn't choose the gut-ruining foods I normally would have when a friend wanted to go to an old favorite Mexican restaurant on Saturday night.

Speaking from the perspective of having had this fear, and now seeing it somewhat realized, I wish I hadn't felt compelled to reintroduce everything. I'm glad I learned those things about my body, though. Even for the two things I have reintroduced that haven't seemed to bother me at all, I don't feel like I need them the way I used to "need" them. Every stressful day called for a glass of wine, and cheese was more of a condiment than a basic ingredient. The things that have made the difference in breaking those bad habits are directly related to the reasons why I was doing them. I had to - still a 'have to' since it's a work in progress - learn how to handle my stress better. I had to learn how to appreciate the flavors of the foods I was eating.

I'd agree that an extension would be helpful, but also do not feel that you HAVE to reintroduce things, especially as this is round two, and you know what bothers you.

Also, on an unrelated note, your profile pic is gorgeous.

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On 8/15/2016 at 10:18 AM, ms62060 said:

It is the weekends that get me - I eat perfectly throughout the week but once Friday rolls around, I always let my habits creep back in. Then I get back on track and eat perfectly through the week until the next weekend comes along. And this repeats! I definitely do not eat AS poorly as I did pre-whole30 but it still is the same habits and mindset that is getting me. So I am going to do the group whole30 next month even though I just finished my whole30 a week or so ago.

I have the EXACT. SAME. PROBLEM. I think this is common. I always want to "treat myself" just once over the weekend, but a well-thought-out decision to enjoy one pint of ice cream Friday night usually turns into that PLUS hibachi lunch Saturday, takeout pizza Sunday night, polished off with a bowl of paleo "brownie batter" whipped together in a frenzy at bedtime before I start all over again with a clean slate on Monday. Sigh... #sugardragonproblems

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On August 14, 2016 at 6:22 AM, hmg1993 said:

Angelina G -- I hear you on the bad habits!  I have enough to fill a book and the W30 is the first program that has really helped me beat them by somewhat repairing my relationship with food.  I can only speak to my own journey but the momentum point you make applies to me too.  I'm on Day 42 of my second W30 and aiming to make it a W60 or 90.  The reason for the extension is that the first go around I really didn't attack the bad habits like my sugar addiction (lots of fruit first time around) or my snacking (lots of compliant nuts).  This time is different and better but also harder because I am tackling the habits head on.  I know that 30 days isn't long enough to make the new behavior old habits so hence the extension.  I know my body will tell me when it's time to take the training wheels off.  Good luck in your journey!!!

Good for you for realizing 30 days just wasn't enough for you! Sometimes that finish line looks so good that it blurs our vision, and we forget about all the progress because we've "been waiting all month to have that ice cream". That's how it was for me on my first whole30, but this time I'm not ready for the end! I like your idea of setting another 'end date'. At first, I just thought I would reintroduce and slowly re-incorperate what my body would allow by eating mostly whole30, but I tried that last time and fell off the wagon. I think setting a new end date is what's going to happen. Congrats on your strong healthy food run!!

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On August 15, 2016 at 11:18 AM, ms62060 said:

I agree with hmg1993. I completed my first whole30 and feel myself slipping right back into my old habits. It is the weekends that get me - I eat perfectly throughout the week but once Friday rolls around, I always let my habits creep back in. Then I get back on track and eat perfectly through the week until the next weekend comes along. And this repeats! I definitely do not eat AS poorly as I did pre-whole30 but it still is the same habits and mindset that is getting me. So I am going to do the group whole30 next month even though I just finished my whole30 a week or so ago.

I do not think the 30 days was long enough for me and it sounds like it might not be long enough for you either. Think about extending it even a week or so until you get a plan in place or get your mind on track for how you want to tackle post whole30. It is a lot easier to say no to off plan foods during your whole30. If you feel like you can't make these decisions yet, stay on the whole30! Then when you feel more comfortable, start reintroducing foods. And if there is a food group you really don't want to mess with anymore, don't even bother reintroducing it. (in my opinion)

Love this thought, and I completely agree! Even since posting this ~8 days ago, I'm STILL discovering regular bad habits, and I think I need to tackle them one at a time with a bit more whole30. I've got 2 weddings coming up after my whole30 for which the couple was gracious enough to attempt a gluten/dairy/soy free meal. So maybe I can keep rolling for a while and figure things out. Thanks for your response and good luck on Sept W30!

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On August 15, 2016 at 0:46 PM, Staggolee41 said:

Yes! I'm thinking about going back into a Whole30 now, and I finished my first W30 about a month ago. I eat W30 food M-F, weekend mornings, and try to make better choices overall - proud to say I didn't choose the gut-ruining foods I normally would have when a friend wanted to go to an old favorite Mexican restaurant on Saturday night.

Speaking from the perspective of having had this fear, and now seeing it somewhat realized, I wish I hadn't felt compelled to reintroduce everything. I'm glad I learned those things about my body, though. Even for the two things I have reintroduced that haven't seemed to bother me at all, I don't feel like I need them the way I used to "need" them. Every stressful day called for a glass of wine, and cheese was more of a condiment than a basic ingredient. The things that have made the difference in breaking those bad habits are directly related to the reasons why I was doing them. I had to - still a 'have to' since it's a work in progress - learn how to handle my stress better. I had to learn how to appreciate the flavors of the foods I was eating.

I'd agree that an extension would be helpful, but also do not feel that you HAVE to reintroduce things, especially as this is round two, and you know what bothers you.

Also, on an unrelated note, your profile pic is gorgeous.

I like how you have regularly scheduled "whole30 time". That might be a good strategy for eliminating the go-to bad habits (like the stressful day wine, or my breakfast habit). And yes! You're absolutely right about not having to reintroduce everything. If I already know gluten is bothersome, why enhance the craving by tasting it when I know it will be a problem?

 

And thank you :) 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello everyone! I just completed my second whole30 this year on August 30th and I have lost a whole dress size and feel awesome! Everyone is telling me I look great and I do and I feel so great too. But this weekend is my sisters wedding and I already know I'm going to go off the rails. I'm just really worried that one weekend of binging is going to send me in a downward spiral. I'm already planning to start a whole7 or a whole10 when I get back home on Monday. Are there any tips you guys have for allowing yourself a treat after you've worked so hard without feeling guilty while also knowing you need to get back in shape once it's over? Help!!!

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For me it's a mindset issue.  if you believe that your sister's wedding will mean a spiral then that is what will happen but if you believe that you will manage your way through it then the same will be true.  By manage, I mean plan .. so what are the things you feel you will relent on like a few drinks or a slice of wedding cake.  Make a plan for what you will have -- and give yourself some wiggle room -- and make a similar plan for how quickly you will get back on track and then do it.  This is what has worked for me, and hope it helps!

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