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Day 25 and afraid to quit Whole30!


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Not sure if this the right area to post this, but it seemed as good as any. I'm half joking, but not really. I've been reading the reintroduction topics, and think I know how I'll begin. The thing is, after getting so accustomed to the structure and knowing just what to do during Whole30, I'm kind of scared to veer off track and experiment lol! I assume I'm not the only one who feels this way...??

On another note, we've had weather changes. I'm in the Pacific NW, and we went from 90 degrees to 50, with rain (after months of no rain) in a matter of a week. I usually have some reaction to the change (or get sick), but I've noticed for the last week or so I've felt like my seasonal allergies are returning, or I'm coming down with something (headachy, sore throat, achy, tired, cranky) after feeling SO solid and energetic and sleeping better, now I just feel icky. Every day. And after refusing to take ibuprofen or anything really since starting W30, I now feel I need them often. It's a real bummer. I haven't changed my eating, no off plan foods or ingredients that I am even remotely aware of, so am a little confused. Just curious if anyone else has had similar experiences. I could just be sick, or it could be allergies, I'd just hoped that after this amount of time doing W30, it wouldn't affect me quite so much...or at all. Dang. Any similar experiences? I feel like I want to make it a Whole 31, 2, 3, 45...lol!

Ok, thanks!!! :)

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Ya know what? You don't have to reintroduce. My first time I didn't reintroduce anything until I had a social occasion. I like the food I'm eating, there's no nutritional reason to add back the other stuff, and every time I've taken a few days back eating the foods I've eliminated, I puff up, my sinuses close up, and it just feels not worth it. I can get away with maybe 1 or 2 off-plan food items per week and then my Paleo Glow starts subsiding. If you feel like keeping going, keep going.

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I can relate to it! I am on day 27, and I am feeling the same. However, since I will be travelling like crazy for the next two months, I think I will have to reintroduce some food - and then do another Whole30 in January, when I am back home.

My idea is to look at it as an experiment, to see how I react. The plan is to reintroduce:

Day 1-3:
Dairy.
Plain yoghurt, well-aged cheese.

Day 5-7:
Whole grains
. Oatmeal, whole grain bread.

(Day 8-10: travelling to Switzerland)

Day 12-14:
Legumes
. Lentils, buckwheat, quinoa

(Day 15-17: travelling to France)

Day 19-21:
Rice.
Plain white rice (only as a preparation for India).

I will also try a glass of
red wine
and some
dark chocolate
(85%).

However, I will continue to eat like Whole30 in general and at home. So the reintroduction does not mean that I will add these things all the time, rather just as an experiment, to see how I react. And, if it feels OK, then I will be able to eat them while travelling. But not necessarily at home!

I can also relate to the second topic. I am also feeling worse towards the end of Whole30 than I did in the beginning. I think I might be catching a cold, but it could of course just be a coincidence (and due to the change of weather - here in Sweden we have already had our first snow... :(). Or perhaps it is psychological; knowing that it is only a few days left on Whole30.

My goal is nevertheless to make November and the reintroduction as exciting as Whole30 in itself!

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I absolutely know where you are coming from. I finished my w30 last Sunday. By Thursday, I had a bit of cheese at lunch and went right back to the w30 protocol. I don't miss the less healthy foods, and I am better for not having them. When food is in my control, as it is most of the time, I will be compliant. Meals out and vacations, etc, I will relax and enjoy.

As for your recent weather changes and the change in the way you feel, they could definitely be related. I am someone that has always struggled with my allergies when the rain in the autumn arrives. Maybe some hot rooibos? I think rooibos is my cure for everything. :)

It really is great to read when others feel the same way you do. Thank you for sharing!

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Today I specifically went looking for people who posted who were almost done with the whole 30 or just completed. I don't feel worse physically (day 27)but definitely feel anxious about turning back the good progress I've made. I think I am just better in control of myself when I eliminate large categories of food rather than trying to have a little of everything now and then.

My plan, as of now, is to stick to the program with the addition of real milk instead of almond milk in my tea in the morning. I think that is the only thing I still really miss. I would also love to have glass of wine. As far as the food goes I really didn't find it that difficult and I think I have gone a long way towards changing my relationship towards what I eat and the idea that I needed to eat certain things.

It is pretty remarkable when I think about it. One night at dinner someone brought over a plate of cookies and my husband put out his hand and said, "No, she can't have those". Without thinking I said, "I can have them but I just don't want to have them". That may sound like no big deal to most people but it is a huge shift for me. In the past making a decision about following a plan of eating was to decide to deny myself. It feels different now and I am not sure why. Maybe I have a little more power over it than it did over me. For some reason., I don't feel the constant craving and the need to eat immediately. I can delay gratification for much longer and it is long enough for me to get something appropriate and compliant. I am keeping my fingers crossed for the 22 days after my Whole 30 which will take me to Thanksgiving day when I plan to try whatever I want. I wonder how that will affect me? I would be interested to hear what happens to people when they do something like that!

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I'm near the end too and have been having similar thoughts, even though this Whole 30 has totally messed with my social life (one more night out with soda water and veggies when everyone else has wine and cheese and I'll cry!). I haven't had too many problems following it in the past 24 or 25 days (can't remember where I'm at exactly, must check), mainly because I know I can't have XYZ, with no ifs, ands or buts. I like having the parameters to work within. I rarely have craving and even when I do they are easily ignored. Generally I feel okay. I've definitely shape-shifted and have probably lost weight and I like this. I've needed this.

When I think about going back to a less controlled regimen, I can totally see myself re-igniting cravings. I can see myself wanting that 2nd cookie, or that other slice of pizza or the refills on the glasses of wine with a friend. It's so much easier saying no from the start than to say no when you're in the middle of enjoying something. I never binge (as in, being out of control) and don't have food issues, but I'll usually end up having 2 or 3 of something rather than just one, if I am enjoying it...

We'll see what happens. My boyfriend is planning a night out at a really nice Italian place, with wine and all. They have lovely lamb and spinach with mustard sauce, so I won't be stuffing my face with pasta just yet...

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Congratulations on your success! Think positive. Reintroduction is not about some horrible thing that you dare bring back into your life fearing immediate weight gain and digestive bloating sending your health into the toilet. It's about thinking about something that you really enjoy and having some because you want the pleasure of it and then seeing if you can handle it mentally and physically. It's not a task that you have to check off on day 31 :)

If you have this fear about something, in my opinion, you are not at a healthy place to reintroduce it. You want to enjoy the thing, whatever it is, and not have this fear, guilt and anxiety the whole time you're eating it because then even if you don't have physical reactions to it the mental reactions can be worse. What do you really like to eat that you haven't had in the last 30 days? What are your favorite non whole 30 foods? What would you really enjoy right now without fear of a binge? Maybe you're super happy with your food and don't want any. Maybe mentally you can handle snacking on an apple but bread would bring on guilt and fear of consequences. Maybe your tastes for sweets have changed and a carrot with sunbutter is now more satisfying than a candy bar. Begin to know yourself...what can you mentally deal with right now?

For me, I have a dairy allergy so I know that's always off limits but I love other non whole 30 things from time to time. I also know myself. I will ALWAYS eat the whole bag of cookies, so if I have a cookie, it's never just one, I have the whole bag and am ok with that because I don't have cookies very often. For years that sent me into a guilt binge loop but my food relationship is in a much better place. Look at where you are and work from there...know your limits for now, and work on improving. Check out Melissa's F-off list, it's awesome for this. My 2 cents is that food should always be good and if you have that seed of doubt, it's not going to be good anymore. Be excited for reintroduction! Best of luck!!!

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I'm coming to the end of my Whole30 too, and have been worried, thanks for everyone posting this. I was planning on just carrying on unless I had an occasion when I really wanted to splurge. Plus of course I really don't feel like I've done all that I've wanted to - I wanted better sleep and more energy (!) So I need to address somethings to make this happen.

I would love to read the F-off list too!

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