Post Whole30 Rules

[Vian]

Last time I stopped eating paleo, it was so hard to give up sugar (mostly because I would get a horrible headache if I went more than 24 hours without it). Today is day 30 for me, and I feel like I want some rules for my life after whole30 so that I don't just go binge on junk food (which I've been craving like mad these past few days, knowing my whole30 is almost over).

 

Now, I know that I don't have any violent allergic reactions to any of the foods that we're not supposed to have on whole30. I was very strict Primal (paleo + dairy) for 2 months before I got very sick for 5 weeks and stopped eating that way. When I gave in and ate burgers with buns and fries and corn and everything else, I didn't really notice any digestive disturbances or headaches or anything. 

 

However, over the course of the next 4 months, I really noticed a general feeling of ickiness. I knew those foods were making me less healthy, even if it wasn't with diarrhea and headaches. I felt bloated and had random abdominal pain once in a while, my psoriasis got worse, and I just didn't have the energy. So here are my rules.

 

First, I will reintroduce dairy. If it doesn't bother me, I will add it back into my life in moderation, but only quality cheese and pastured heavy cream and butter.

 

Second, I wont obsess if everything I eat has any added sugar in it. If I want to use chipotle peppers in a recipe and they have a teensy bit of added sugar, I will use them (they ALL have added sugar!). However, I won't add sugar myself, other than for use in recipes in small ammounts (molasses in BBQ sauce and ketchup). I will not make paleo-ized deserts and baked goods with loads of sugar. I still have fat to lose and I want to stay low-carb. Plus it's better for insulin sensitivity and hormone balance.

 

Third, I will not reintroduce gluten grains, non-gluten grains, vegetable oil, legumes, or processed foods. If I eat out at a restaurant and they cook their meat in soybean oil, I won't freak out and I'll still enjoy my meal because I so rarely eat out that I don't think it will make a huge difference. I will order gluten-free items and avoid corn and legumes.

 

Basically, I will stay compliant with whole30 with a slight relaxation of the rules when it comes to added sugar in prepared otherwise-compliant foods and cooking oils at resturants, and I'll add dairy back if it doesn't bother me (for real, cheese has been the only non-compliant item that I've really, really missed these past 30 days. Caesar salad just isn't the same without parmesan!)

 

While my results weren't crazy dramatic like some people's, I know this way of eating is what's best for me and I feel better when I do, so I want to keep eating like I was at the beginning of the year.

 

Edit: I forgot to specify alcohol and sodas. I never really drank much alcohol anyway, I'd occasionally split a beer with my mom or something, but I've just never been big on drinking wine or anything else. I do however use wine in cooking. So my post-whole30 rules regarding alcohol is that I can use wine in cooking, but I will not have any alcohol with gluten in it (beer).

 

As for soda, I think once I start brewing Kombucha, that will be a fantastic replacement for soda and I will be able to live without coke zero in my life ever again!

[calee]

Congrats on completing your W30! You sound like you have a great reintro plan in place. I get what you mean about wanting to feel as good as you can. I feel the same way.

[Physibeth]

Great rules! Finding long term sustainability is the key to a healthy and happy life! 

[Vian]

So, yesterday I reintroduced dairy. I had butter and cheese with every meal and some half and half in my quiche at dinner. I felt pretty good, though I had more gas than usual. Today I had some odd abdominal pain (I've had it before) that went away when I ate something, so maybe I was just hungry. 

 

Today I had some more of the quiche and some fruit with half and half on it, but the rest of my meals were dairy-free. I think dairy is going to be a few times a week thing, not an every day thing.

[sheba-kitty]

Hope it is still going well for you. I am thinking/hoping/planning to add back the same things as you... Wine, cheeses and a little added sugar occassionally... But still need to get through the 30!

[Bet]

Your plan sounds a lot like mine. I was already off grains and grain oils and legumes, so no need to add those back in. Dairy I found didn't cause a severe reaction, but I found I like coconut milk in my coffee as much as half and half, and I think the coconut milk is better for me. So when I'm home, I'm sticking to that. I do like pasture butter better than coconut oil on veggies like sweet potatoes, so I will do that. I also love this bacon that does have sugar in the ingredients (even though it doesn't show up in the nutritional label), so I'm ok with that. I did miss hard cheeses, so I can have those once in awhile.