Jump to content

Nine months in - next step? Could use some insights/advice/personal experiences


AmyS

Recommended Posts

I did my first Whole30 starting Sept. 23, 2012 (I'm not sure why I remember this particular date, since I am not a food logger or date-keeper of any kind :lol: ).  From then to now I've done the equivalent of 7 Whole30s - so most of the past year has been spent eating Whole30.

 

I came to Whole30 from a diet that consisted mainly of fancy coffee drinks and potato chips.  So unlike people who heard about Whole30 from a gym where they were already working out; or folks who wanted to fine-tune their Paleo eating; or those who heard about Whole30's potential to solve health problems - unlike all of those people, I just dove in because a friend said it helped her with mental focus. :rolleyes:

 

Well, I got mental focus and resolved several health problems that I thought were unresolvable.  So - this experience has been something on the order of an old-fashioned miracle for me.

 

Now, though, I'm pondering what to do next.  I'm not interested, at this point, in continuing to cycle from a Whole30 to a break during which I eat stuff I used to eat to another Whole30 and so on.  Don't get me wrong, that has worked fine up until now, mostly because it turns out I like Whole30 food better than a steady diet of potato chips (who knew? :ph34r: ).  But it also turns out that when I'm not actively doing a Whole30, I don't really have a good sense of what to eat.  I am finding myself increasingly dissatisfied with returning to grains, dairy, sugar, etc. because the results of eating all of those foods are unpleasant (I had many childhood allergies to almost all of the Whole30-prohibited foods, so it makes sense to me that as an adult who has cleaned up my eating, I'd react to those foods when I eat them now).

 

I'm thinking about eating Paleo (almost) all the time - that is, unless I'm eating out, traveling in a situation where I can't figure out how to do it, or having a special occasion like a holiday.  Then cycling in and out of Whole30s as desired won't be a potato chips-to-Whole30 transition anymore.

 

What do folks think about this kind of strategy?  I know anything is possible, but I'm wondering about personal experiences, favorite resources, general thoughts, food philosophies.

 

I think this means I'm finally ready to ride my own bike without training wheels (as often).  Woah. :o:D

 

Thanks in advance for your feedback and input.  :wub:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like a great move! Eat mostly to the W30 rules, with the occasional dash of chocolate, some milk in your chai or a bean side dish at a Mexican restaurant. For example. Or whatever else floats your boat to make life interesting! I think using the meal template as a base is a great starting point. And having some 'no' list foods, over the long term, will keep you sane. Well it definitely keeps me sane! And makes socialising easier too. Let us know how you go working it out!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

I find that being a member of a CSA keeps me on track. I get a load of veggies and eggs every Saturday. My goal then becomes to eat all of them before going back for more the next Saturday. I can put the same pressure on myself shopping at Whole Foods - I buy all the good stuff I think I should eat for a week and then I have to stay on track to eat everything before it spoils. And I agree, it helps when you find out you really like meat and veggies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Amy, I'm going to move this out of the logs and throw it in reintroduction, so it doesn't get lost.

 

I think you're on the right track. Personally, before I eat something off The List, I ask myself if it's going to be worth it, do the circumstances force me into what could be the least bad option I have, and am I okay with the consequences of eating that food.

 

Right off a whole30, the answers are almost always no, but every now and then, the occasions will slip in. A wedding with no GF options, then lunch at a locally sourced deli with house made dipping sauces for their sweet potato fries. It won't kill me. It's just not ideal.

 

After a while, the yeses become a little too frequent, but it's not like I'm chowing down on chips or burger king. They're just not ideal. I still need a W30 every now and then to right the ship.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I went paleo at the beginning of the year. My definition of paleo is basically whole30 with a little relaxation on the no added sugar rule, and the no alcohol-not-even-for-cooking rule (I only use alcohol to cook with). To me it just means eating whole, real foods that don't have negative health consequences, and it's how I'd like to eat all the time. I also add full-fat dairy and cheese to my diet because I tolerate it well and I LOVE it.

 

I would suggest that you make yourself a set of rules that you can live with long term based on the whole30 rules, but maybe relax them a little so they are more sustainable, but still strict enough to keep you on track.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you so much for all of these insights (and for moving the thread to the appropriate forum, oops!).  I really appreciate the affirmation and personal accounts.  Tom, I am now imagining you hurrying to eat up the last of this week's kale because a new bushel is arriving in ten minutes!  :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

I wonder if anyone recommends a particular book or resource to explain Paleo?  I started with Whole30, migrated to ISWF, and I have a few cookbooks.  Beyond that, I just hang here.  I wonder about the best way to learn about the broader world of Paleo.  I'm especially interested in making it a family project, something I haven't approached yet - my kids still eat what they always did, just less sugary most of the time.  (The dog is grain free though. :rolleyes::lol:  )

 

Thanks again and looking forward to book/resource information too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've always found Mark's Daily Apple to be a great resource (the diff between Paleo and Primal is Primal's inclusion of dairy, given that you tolerate it well), but I haven't frequented his site recently enough to know whether it's retained its quality in the last few years.

 

 

A good place to figure out about the broader Paleo world is really the Whole9 blog. That's what we're all about. Whole9 isn't the Whole30! There are 8 other factors that M&D talk about in the blog and on the site that we just can't get into them on this forum. Don't make the mistake thinking that that's all we are!

 

 

Honestly, Amy, I think you're overthinking it. You're already living it. You know what works for you and what doesn't at this point. If you've been yo-yoing between Whole30s and crap food, then maybe you still have stuff to learn/conquer, but I don't think that's what's going on here. Keep it sane and reasonable for what works for YOU and you'll be FINE

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like a good, sustainable approach. I agree with Jenna's suggestion to use the meal template as a baseline. For additional help on brainstorming what to eat, Robb Wolf's Paleo Food Matrix can be helpful: http://robbwolf.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/thePaleoSolution_FoodMatrix.pdf

Why aren't mushrooms on the veggie list? I love them...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I ate mushrooms for breakfast this morning.  Also dinner last night.  Possibly lunch yesterday... :P   Robb Wolf's matrix would be very mushroom-heavy if he ate with me.  :lol:

 

I'm enjoying pondering a Whole9 life.  I think it will suit me very well.  This makes me happy.  :wub:  Living for health and well-being.  What could be finer?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...