Day 29.

[Angel]

So, I am about to wrap up Day 29 of my first Whole30. It's been a fruitful journey so far and one I am extremely glad I embarked upon, albeit initially on a whim. I have been 100% compliant, although I have bent the rules slightly a couple of times (Larabars while traveling for ease) and am still eating more fruit than I'd like (not excessively as far as the overall template goes, just with regards to my own sugar issues.) I have no plans to officially stop, and actually plan to continue and concentrate on my sugar demons by slowly eliminating fruit altogether for a while. So why am I so scared? Nothing is going to change for me, it is merely an arbitrary number/day. I will wake up on Day 31 with no plans for reintroduction or change. I have the full support of my spouse to continue as long as I desire so I am not being pressured to stray. I haven't missed anything in particular so I am not longing for something I can't have. Yet I have an underlying sense of unease about moving past Day 30.

[Tom Denham]

Some people find it easier to say, "What the heck" and go off plan after 30 days, even if they have planned to keep going. It can be an emotional battle. Personally, I went about 120 days when I first started because I was so happy with how I felt, I did not want to mess with it.

[Angel]

I wonder if that is what is worrying me - that despite how I feel right now, I will finish Day 30 and spectacularly crash and burn? I am certainly capable of it. It is also possibly why I feel so determined to continue. Not only do I feel so much better, it is much easier to control myself with strict guidelines to adhere to. I don't have to think and make decisions, I simply follow the rules and the decisions are made for me. At some point I need to face taking responsibility for myself (nutritionally speaking, I am a fully functioning adult in every other regard) instead of allowing the EDs to rule my behaviour.

Food for thought, so to speak!

[Beets]

Stay with the rules as long as you feel they are working for you. There is no reason to go off. I will say that your monkey mind will be telling you to eat all kinds of verboten foods on Day 31, so be prepared with compliant food you enjoy.

[calee]

I'm on day 62 because 1. I'm afraid I'll crash and burn. 2. Because eating this way feels good and 3. I'm making progress with medications, Pilates work outs and general health.

I know I will off road while in Europe at the end of the summer and want to just contine strengthening my time away from dairy, sugar and grains.

Congrats on your journey!

[Chregan]

I'm with you! Day 28 and I have no desire to reintroduce anything. I don't have any physical cravings, but my mental cravings are pretty real and I've decided I'm not ready. While a lot of things have improved for me in this month, some are still here, I want to keep going and see where I can get!

[jillian]

I "crashed and burned" after both of my Whole30s. And guess what ... I survived . I learned so much during my Whole30s - it taught me new habits, showed me all the amazing benefits of eating a paleo diet, and showed me that I could say no to cravings (over and over again). As a result, and despite "crashing and burning" twice, I've recently transitioned to a paleo/primal diet with ease. I don't feel deprived or overwhelmed by this new lifestyle. It's been one year since my first Whole30 - sometimes change takes time but it has been totally worth it. Crashing and burning was part of my journey