Need help, please.

[SarahRoseyCheeks]

So, I finished my first Whole 30 on May 12th. I had great success and decided not to re-intro but to stay the course and continue on with a Whole 30/Paleo lifestyle. I enjoy the freshness and naturalness of food. I enjoy cooking everything I eat and knowing exactly what is going in to my dishes (usually no more than a handful of ingredients). This way of eating and living is something I plan to continue forever. I will most certainly be bringing my children up to enjoy the naturally occurring sugars in fruits and vegetables instead of being raised with the dreaded sugar dragon on their backs from birth. But I am really stuck at a crossroads.

 

I am an abstainer. 100%. Once I finished my first Whole 30 my brain went from "I can't eat that" to "I don't eat that". However, with the absence of the strict (and frankly welcome) rules of the Whole 30 I have been adding things that I know are not compliant. I made "creamer" for my coffee (coconut milk, fresh pumpkin puree, cinammon, nutmeg, all spice and half a banana blended). Granted there was nothing inflammatory in here. Nothing non-compliant. But I feel like it is awakening the desire to see what other technically compliant really not Whole 30 approved foods. Ice "cream"...for example. Which I have done. I made raw chocolate almond butter fudge two nights ago because Husband wanted brownies and I didn't want to make them the traditional way. The problem?? I ate two of them! I kept waiting for the brakes to engage and I felt like it took all the will power in the world to ignore the fact that they were in my fridge. 

 

I feel like I need the stability, rules and guidelines of the Whole 30. In saying that, however, I also feel free of my desire for dairy, gluten, processed foods, fried foods, etc. At first, I felt the occasional Paleo indulgence would be good. I don't feel physically bad. No headaches, no lethargy. I really don't feel different. It is my brain I am wrestling with. My brain that says "too much fruit. too much fat. Too much, too much". But what is really too much? Have I really changed my relationship with food. Or is another round necessary to get my head in check? I look to you my fellow Whole 30-ers and appreciate all the advice. 

[jmcbn]

I think it very much depends where you came from food wise, and with what mind-set you came into the plan.

 

Did you eat SAD pre whole30? Did you come into this purely for weight loss? Or was it more about the health benefits of ditching sugar (et al) and eating whole foods? Were you strict paleo?

It is said that it takes 21 days to develop a new habit, but I think it takes a whole lot longer to break old ones...
 

[Loulabelle]

Riding your own bike can be daunting but it is necessary to find out what suits you and when. Eating fully compliant W30 for life is nigh on impossible and not really what it is all about. After our 30 days we need to learn how to incorporate the odd treat or non-compliant food item; we need to do this to see how our bodies react and also how our minds react. You need to figure our what works for you and without feelings of guilt. 

[Tom Denham]

A complete Whole30 includes reintroductions. Careful, thoughtful reintroductions to discover what foods effect you and how. You can't create your own personal eating/lifestyle plan without the information gained from doing reintroductions. Read through Dallas' new article: http://whole30.com/2015/05/whole30-learning-tool/

 

When it comes to reintroductions, you will probably need the slow roll approach: http://whole30.com/2014/09/dear-melissa-slow-reintroduction-roll/

[MeGA"gardener"]

My response got lost in space Sorry!

few of you beat me to it

They are right

Tom is a moderator

Don't ignite your sugar dragon

I look at it this way I'm a salt craver Day 14

so if I choose post W30 to introduce occasionally

Potato chips locally cooked in compliant oil

Then just ONE choice I'll test not ( corn) Doritos etc

Hope this helps!

[Beets]

I will echo the others and say planned reintro has to be better than the stay the course till you totally fall off the wagon and dive headfirst into all of your old bad habits method I've followed. This Feb I did my third whole. I've stayed the course for months and months in the past (even AIP for the most part) but this time for some reason I really started bingeing when I came off too quickly. I've never done proper reintros and I'm feeling the pain. Don't be like me!

[MeadowLily]

Some may not be interested in testing or experimenting with their foods...maybe they're only interested in the side effects of a Whole 30 - Weight Loss.

 

If they don't slow it down after 30 days, it only takes a few days or weeks -  to ratchet one's self right back to square one.

 

Without a Slow Roll or any kind of a reintro, some may think the implication after a Whole 30 is simply return to the old ways and your body will respond differently.   It doesn't.  

 

Thanks for ringing that bell, Beets.

[ladyshanny]

 I kept waiting for the brakes to engage and I felt like it took all the will power in the world to ignore the fact that they were in my fridge. 

 

You've had some great advice on the reintro portion but this line you wrote really spoke to me and I wanted to address it specifically.  Eating foods that feed into your emotional or mental issues is a harder cycle to break than the food elimination portion of the Whole30.  There are a zillion compliant foods that you could eat that would not fire up inflammation but could fire up deep seated emotional and mental baggage.

 

Any time you are trying to "create" a food (your coffee creamer or the "fudge") you need to stop and think about what you're doing.  Are you really honoring your heart and soul and your commitment to your healthy self or are you trying to feed a dragon, numb an emotion, dull anxiety, reduce boredom, increase "happiness" or even just feed a sugar dragon?  I am a 100000% abstainer also.  It is a constant and ongoing struggle.

[Barb1]

I did my first Whole30 in Jan, started on the first.......... By the end of Feb, I fell right back where I was with all my bad habits. I'm an emotional, stressed reck!!! My turning point was when I realized this is my only body and I'm letting my brain feed it! Did my second Whole30 last month and am dealing with a raging sugar dragon right now because I'm also dealing with some bad news. I am doing this reintro one day at a time and sticking to compliant food as much as I control myself with keeping these emotions at bay.

 

It is harder than much but if I read and reread the Whole30 messages and remember why I'm doing this in the first place, in time it will be easier. I, myself, will take much more than this quick 30 days to change a life time of denial, bad habits and excuses.  We can do this!!!!!!

[SarahRoseyCheeks]

So, I began re-intro. I started with non-gluten grains (rice, oats, corn). It went well and I feel in moderation these things will be a good addition to my diet. Today I re-introduced gluten. I thought it was the culprit behind years of heartburn/GERD. So far, I've been just ok. I've noticed both grumbling in my stomach, gas and a little bloating but no heartburn. All in all I think gluten can stay eliminated. Knowing other non-gluten grains are ok will make for a nice, occasional gluten free treat. My next re-intro will be dairy. I'm interested to see if after 31 years of milk and milk products (cheese, ice cream, etc.) in my system if they are to blame for my gastro discomfort. Once dairy is done I'm going to try unrefined sugar. Organic maple syrup, honey and coconut sugar. I went to culinary school. I have a bachelors in Baking and Pastry. It's very hard for me to give up something I love to do but I want to be able to do so without white granulated processed sugars.

After my reintroduction is complete I will be going to a Paleo diet. It really appeals to me. It isn't hugely different from a Whole 30 but does lend for a little wiggle room. I like knowing I can do another round of Whole 30 whenever I want to reset or stay focused. I can't turn my back on how great I have felt eating this way and I can't ignore the benefits to my weight, skin, hormones, energy and focus.