Confused about post-Whole30 diet

[Dee H.]

I did my first Whole30 beginning Feb. 3 of this year and finished 61 days straight of perfect Whole30. It took until about Day 45 for me to comprehend and feel the benefits of the diet change. I reintroduced some foods and found a combination or two that I cannot tolerate eating anymore. I also found that I can eat dairy and sugar and suffer very little physically. I feel best eating Whole30 and I do that most days. Sometimes, I eat a meal that is entirely noncompliant. For example, Saturday I had a meal that included tortilla chips, flour tortillas, cheese, wine, ice cream and a cookie. In the past, cheese, ice cream and cookies were trigger foods that started a days-long binge for me. Now I can eat these foods one time at one meal and be satisfied with it. In fact, after a noncompliant meal, I am usually eager to get back to Whole30.

Also, I am a binge eater from way back. It was nothing for me to polish off a large bag of mini candy bars in one sitting. No package of Girl Scout cookies was safe around me. Now, I do not buy packages of food at all. If I want a cookie, I buy one well-made cookie from a bakery. I don't eat candy anymore unless it's a hand-crafted piece of chocolate. This keeps my opportunities to enjoy these treats to a couple of times a year or so. I do like ice cream in the summer, so will indulge, but I no longer eat the whole pint in a sitting like in the past. In fact, I don't buy ice cream at the store.

My question is this: Is it OK to eat a meal that is entirely off Whole30 from time to time? I do usually plan for it as part of some special event or a good time spent relaxing with friends. I know that many of you will eat a single item at a meal that is noncompliant, but what about a meal that is 50, 75 or even 90% noncompliant? What about eating candy, cookies, ice cream, etc. from time to time? Will continued Whole30 progress ever

enable me to stop eating these treats? Should it?

Thanks for any advice.

[LadyM]

Sounds like your post w30 diet is working really well for you. My sense is it's perfectly fine to eat whatever noncompliant foods you want, especially if the consequence of eating them is worth it for you and if you can contain the epic off-road. I also think it's important in not developing further or repeat intolerance to gut-irritating foods to indulge infrequently. All of which it sounds like you're doing, so congrats!

[Dee H.]

OK - so off road being that I indulge one meal and then 6 months later.....still eating the old way? Eating the one noncompliant meal and returning to my plan is perfectly ok?

[Physibeth]

OK - so off road being that I indulge one meal and then 6 months later.....still eating the old way? Eating the one noncompliant meal and returning to my plan is perfectly ok?

 

You are in the stage we call "Riding Your Own Bike" 

 

There are lots of blog posts on this and everyone's journey looks different. I agree with Miss Mary that your journey seems very well suited to you. It is quite similar to the way I ride my own bike when I'm not on a Whole30. If you are continuing to enjoy good health and reap the benefits then you are doing fine. Whole30 is always here for you if you feel the balance slipping. I did my 2nd Whole30 recently because I was starting to feel the balance slip and I wanted to recenter myself.