Day 19...Why am I counting?

[megmac]

I'm starting to look forward to day 31. I have been reading the stories of what other people did right and wrong, and what they would they would recommend. I'm working through the book, and having great results so far. I am the doing the Whole30 as a lifestyle change, not a diet. I don't plan to add back much-maybe a little red wine and occasional piece of dark chocolate. Maybe I won't scrape the parmesan off the veggies at a restaurant or refuse a marinade that has honey.

SO WHY AM I STILL COUNTING THE DAYS?!?!

This is my downfall historically. The "on" or "off" switch. I am an all or nothing person, which is probably why this plan has been pretty easy for me to follow. Moderation is NOT my middle name, so NO dairy, NO alcohol, NO grain, NO sugar works just fine for me. "Some" of the aforementioned is my problem.

I want to be excited about completing the Whole30 according to the guidelines, but I'm not quite sure how to wrap my head around the day after. Will anything change that day? It's a slippery slope for me, and I definitely don't want to repeat my past behaviors. I know I don't want to live a strict Whole30 life, but I don't trust that I will succeed with anything less. Historically, once I'm "off", it's all downhill from there.

For the first time in my life, I feel like I am eating to fuel my body. I am enjoying what I eat, but for the last 18 days it's been a necessity rather than a hobby. How do I make this last a lifetime? I know 80/20 won't work for me, but can I even do 97/3?

Help.

[Colleen Roy]

I feel your pain. We did our whole30 for the same reasons-just wanted to feed ourselves better and stop feeling like crap. And it worked-very well, in fact. We both lost about 15 pounds, were sleeping better than either of us could remember and just felt better in general. We knew we'd be eating "off-road" once the 30 days were up, as we had a long weekend mini-vacation planned. And off-road we went...not methodically, but whole-hog. Yuck. Slept poorly that whole weekend, had a food and drink hangover the day after we got home. Not pretty.

We made the decision to continue to eat well and "on plan", understanding that we'd have occasional days where we'd eat or drink off-road. Had another off road day last weekend-and once again, felt like utter junk for a full 24 hours. So, two negative experiences thus far. I'm hoping that's enough and we don't repeat it again! It's the whole moderation thing that gets us-like it's all or nothing, a feast or famine mindset. As if these not-so-good for us foods and drinks will never be available again!? Grrrrrr.

I'm choosing not to pay attention to the number of days I'm on or off at this point. We planned on doing a second whole30-it's become a whole 5, oops weekend, whole 3 (so far)...but, I'm not counting! I swear. I'm just focusing on more on days than off. This works. Now to figure out how to make it a lifetime pursuit, not a hobby as you said! Good luck to you!

[Adagio]

I am an all or nothing person.

I decided to do Whole30 indefinitely. There will be no off switch.

[Mer]

I'm totally in the all-or-nothing boat. Having one treat usually turns into daily treats and eventually a full-on SAD binge that usually lasts for a few days. Sugar is my biggest vice--I can really do without the rest. But man, even having one treat--like a cupcake or a cocktail completely undermines any progress I make.

[Renee Lee]

Here's a good list of whole9 posts about nutritional off-roading/cheating/riding your own bike. I let things get a little too loose after a while because I just simply forget to do this (or i lie to myself):

a) is it special?

is it worth it?

c) is there a less bad option available?

c1) do you care?

Additionally, this chart is phenomenal...because don't we all love a flowchart? http://whole9life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Whole9's-Guide-to-Nutritional-Off-Roading.pdf I think it helps all or nothing people to choose isolated incidences to off road.

[megmac]

I think what Adagio says is going to have to be my new mantra..."There is no off switch." I need to spend the next 11 days getting my head in THAT game. And then use the decision makers Renee listed above for the occassional off road. I think it will be important for me to go through that list (and I never met a flowchart I didn't like) BEFORE having that glass of wine. Because after, it's ALL worth it, and I definitely don't care.

Here's to the Whole30Life.

[CaseyD]

I'm also someone who doesn't have an on/off switch with most non-Whole30 foods. Dark chocolate, which is actually considered healthy, is a wrecking ball for me. It is the gateway to all sorts of terrible foods. Not only that, but I swear it messes with my brain. Like, I literally feel like I'm on a weird happy high for hours after eating it. And I always crash.

I've Whole30/paleo challenged my way down to eating very clean plus dark chocolate and Diet Coke. This time, after the 30 days, there will be no reintroduction of foods. I've learned all I need to and now I know what is the best for me. I honestly am just counting for the fun of it, I think. And because for the first few weeks, I am going to have cravings. Maybe it's a way for me to trick my brain into relaxing into accepting this is it. Added sugar/sweeteners in any amount is just not ok for me.

[Steph912]

I'm all or nothing too! Today is my Day 31 and I can already see myself struggling to adapt this into a lifestyle because I can have a little something here or there. I can envision myself going nuts on the Paleo treats if I do not keep the switch "on". Moderation is not in my vocabulary. I like "there is no off switch". Good stuff.

[megmac]

I'm afraid wine my be my wrecking ball, but it's also probably my favorite thing in the world. I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do about that. I think I associate wine with a celebration, and of course I know I associate food with a celebration. I'm going to have to give that one some serious thought.

[befabdaily]

I thought I was going to go on after my first one and just be moderate, but apparently I didn't quite stay on for long enough because I took a four-week tumble into standard eating. The first week was almost entirely clean, except for a couple of glasses of wine. The second week I was socializing with my family. More wine, and even though I cooked some Whole30 meals at their house I also let in rice and sauces and, at one point, a full-on diner dinner at a little hole-in-the-wall Wisconsin dive, with a huge roast beef sandwich, fries and a brownie (all of which were, amazingly, WORTH IT). And then I was clean for a week, and then I went to a conference and dived into a pitcher of sangria with my friends. Anyway, I'm back on and building a 2-month layer of reinforcement onto my good habits. What I'm saying is -- I agree with y'all that moderation is actually harder than Whole30!!!

[Laura B]

I have been losing track of the days (thankfully) and am committed to a paleo lifestyle. As for a Whole30Life...I think I would become borderline neurotic if I stuck to it so strictly. I love that the Whole 30 is black & white for 30 days. I cannot function in a world where I have to be so consumed with any trace amounts of soy or sugar being added. I am definitely not going to switch back to the SAD, and I will indulge here and there, but I plan to be as 100% paleo as possible.

My day 31 I will be starting my week vacation at my parent's beach house. I'm not too worried about it because there is a full kitchen and plenty of grocery stores, plus fresh seafood! I will definitely have a drink or 2, but I am committed to keeping that in check because I know it will hit me pretty hard.

I love to bake so I am pretty excited to play around with some paleo treats...maybe 2 a month at most. I am just happy to have this program glued into my head so I can use it when traveling or anything else to a degree to keep my body in check but also my mind clear.

[megmac]

What you're making me think is that 30 days isn't long enough for me to change 30+ years of habits. (Okay, I'm 45, but I'm not responsible for the early years.) The fact that I'm feeling a bit anxious about day 31 is telling me that my retraining is working, but it's not complete. I totally agree with you, Laura, about becoming neurotic if I lived this way forever. But if this could become my norm, with off roading becoming the exception, that would be ideal.

I appreciate everyone's stories about "falling off" after their first Whole30. Consider yourselves having taken one for the team. I am heeding your advice, and learning from your mistakes. I am no longer planning my first day 31 meal to be any different from day 30.

[Bridgedurso]

I was eating "loosely" paleo before I started my whole 30 (on day 6). I was eating tons of paleo treats, allowing potatoes, and whenever I travelled going all SAD! So, I still felt crummy and wasn't turning into a fat burner. The whole30 is helping me flip my metabolic switch, break bad habits, and interrupt emotional eating. When it's over, I intend to live whole 30 style at home, but I look forward to going to restaurants without finding out of there's maltodextrin in the sauerkraut, for example. I hope to use my mad baking skills for special occasions instead of after every dinner, and sometimes lunch, and sometimes whenever I happen to pass the kitchen. I hope to have a not sugary cocktail from time to time, and if my mom serves me gluten free pasta instead of regular because she just doesn't get it, I will be a gracious guest and eat it. I think that's as close to moderate as I can be. I have one caveat--if I ever actually get to italy, all bets are off!