reintroduction - still eat the full template?

[tlsimonson]

I feel like I have a ton of questions about reintroduction, I think I did better with very strict rules :-)

I'm on my second group of foods, today I am reintroducing non-gluten grains.  I just had breakfast, a bowl of non-gluten oatmeal with some almond butter stirred in for fat, and some bacon for meat- which I realize ins't the best meat choice and probably 3 strips wasn't a full meat serving, BUT am I still supposed to have all the veggies in the template and the full amount of meat- at every meal?  That just seems like a LOT of food.  I'm also worried about gaining back the precious few pounds I lost during the last 30 days.

Thanks.

[MeadowLily]

Visit the Reintro Section of the forum.   Many of your questions will be answered. 

 

http://whole30.com/2015/05/whole30-learning-tool/

 

 

http://whole30.com/2015/03/dallas-whole30/

[MeadowLily]

"All of this is to say that the Whole30 is not a diet, and the rules of those 30 days are not meant to stretch into a lifestyle. The Whole30 is a learning tool, a springboard into the rest of your life, where you can spend less mental energy and willpower struggling with your food choices and more time and emotional energy living.

 

After doing a Whole30, you don’t need to say you eat “modified Whole30” or “mostly Whole30.” You can simply say that you did the Whole30 program, you learned how great you feel when you changed the food on your plate, and you’ve decided to continue eating in a way that makes you feel happy, stable, healthy, and energetic."

- See more at: http://whole30.com/2015/05/whole30-learning-tool/#sthash.SCeRdpfU.dpuf

[MeadowLily]

"I love the Whole30 because it provides the platform off of which you can springboard into a whole new life. It gives people self-confidence, joy, and a clean slate to tackle hard things, good things, new things.

 

The Whole30 can be the gateway into a whole new life. Don’t hang out at the doorway. Walk forward, go beyond. We’re here for you, and we’re rooting for you."

- See more at: http://whole30.com/2015/05/whole30-learning-tool/#sthash.SCeRdpfU.dpuf

[MeadowLily]

I feel like I have a ton of questions about reintroduction, I think I did better with very strict rules :-)

I'm on my second group of foods, today I am reintroducing non-gluten grains.  I just had breakfast, a bowl of non-gluten oatmeal with some almond butter stirred in for fat, and some bacon for meat- which I realize ins't the best meat choice and probably 3 strips wasn't a full meat serving, BUT am I still supposed to have all the veggies in the template and the full amount of meat- at every meal?  That just seems like a LOT of food.  I'm also worried about gaining back the precious few pounds I lost during the last 30 days.

Thanks.

 

The Reintroduction Phases.  Instructions are lined out for you how to reintroduce the different food groups.  Beyond that, you will have to develop your own strategy.   I call it my Positive Food Management Plan.  Rebound weight gain is common if one immediately  returns  or falls back into bowls of pastas, pizza, refined carbs and too much sugar.

 

If we do what we've always done...we'll get what we've always gotten.  A Whole 30 is 30 Days for a Food Reset.  The Mind Reset is just as valuable and there really is no Finish Line with the mind.   Many minds prefer simple, non-negotiable principles for comfort.

 

There is so much conflicting weight-loss advice out there but you will have to experiment and test your foods. You probably already know your trigger foods and as Nadia says,  if something is like crack to you....you probably don't need it that much.

 

There are no directions for weight stability after a Whole 30 because the Whole 30 is not a diet or a cleanse.  You'll need to listen to your body's cues and practice, practice, practice.  Riding Your Bike.  Remember everything you've learned from your Whole 30 about cravings.   Cravings pass after about 5 minutes.  They're false cues and mainly in the mind.   True hunger comes roaring back.

 

The Sugar Dragon.   If you go back and play with that fella, he comes roaring back, too.   Some may be under the assumption that after 30 Whole days,  your body and mind's ability to process sugar is completely different.  It might take a year or more for your body to heal from a lifetime of sugar consumption.    If you came into the Whole 30 with Diabetes....you might not ever be able to go back and tangle with the Sugar Dragon on a regular basis.   There are so many variables and this is why one size does not fit all.   

 

Some are alarmed on Day 31 and beyond that it's so easy to fall back into old habits.  Reintroduction phases buy you some time and make you think twice before you step back into the sharky sugary waters with reckless abandon.

 

I think Reintroduction is the most valuable piece of the food puzzle.  It separates those who are only here for a diet from those who want to make serious changes for their health and overall well being.  

 

You're under no obligation whatsover to throw foods back in that are nightmare fuel for you.  You can continue working on a bunch of sugar avoidance.   Foods do not have to marsh your mellow going into your future. 

 

On a personal note,  with several Whole 30's over the past year,  every pound I've released is still gone. No rebound weight gain.    Continue working on trading UP for new patterns for weight stability beyond 30 whole days.

 

  

[chezjulie]

I'm doing reintro, too, and I've been trying to eat roughly template but pare down the portions a wee bit and incorporate the new food item the same way I might do a sweet potato. For example yesterday I was reintroducing Gluten Grains, and for breakfast I had a chicken kebab, about 2 cups of roast vegetables in EVOO, and a multigrain bagel. I agree with you that if we eat a full template meal PLUS a serving of the new food, it's going to probably be too much food, but it's still a good idea to follow the template as best as possible and not just have, say, a big bowl of oatmeal with banana slices for breakfast.

 

Good luck!