Trip to India put me way off track PLEASE HELP!

[yams_before_gams]

I did my first Whole30 in January of this year and then another in July. I had great energy levels at the end, upbeat moods were easy to come by and I lost some weight. So I was going along riding my own bike and then BAM - I was offered a 3-week trip to India (I work for a travel company sometimes these opportunities come up). This was around mid-October the offer came up.

 

I tried to do a Whole20 before leaving for India and did alright. But I made 0 plans for eating well in India. I left at the beginning of November and almost instantly things got way out of control. I stopped following any plans at all and full on off- roaded into the deep jungles of sugarland.

 

I had rice almost every day as it's a main staple served with the different sauce rich Indian foods. After living gluten free for the past 5 years I actually had NAan. The repercussions of wheat/gluten, lots of grains and sugary desserts were apparent and I became incredibly disappointed in myself. As if the other mistakes weren't enough I was kind of shocked I went back to breads. 

 

Any way I was in a different country so I tried not to beat myself up too terrible. Now I've been back home for almost two weeks and while i have gone back to eating gluten free. I've continued my sugar/carb bender - eating lots of non-gluten grains that I wasn't touching at all before I left. Also sugary treats abound.

 

I'm pretty upset I haven't gotten back to the plan (i know i need to do another full whole30) my hormones, moods, energy and overall well being are all way out of whack. I'm really disappointed I'm almost back to where I was before I started this at the beginning of the year. 

 

The bad feelings of not starting when I know I should are being compounded by worries that even if I get it together. It will only be a matter of time until I'm sucked back into my old ways of overeating carbs and stuffing my face with food with no brakes. 

 

I'm also making excuses about Christmas coming up and I know I won't stick to the plan with all the upcoming festivities so that's also making me put off starting again. 

 

Any motivating tips / ideas / or thoughts of any kind are welcome! 

[Brewer5]

Well, I guess I would first have to ask:  What motivates you?

 

We are all driven by something.  

 

Is it your health?

 

Your weight/appearance?

 

Your energy levels?  Needing to be clear-headed?

 

All of the above?

 

I have read some really great books -- beyond ISWF, which is obviously why we are all here.  I wonder if any of them would help you?  But I'd need to know what brings you here, besides eating things that you feel you "shouldn't".

[yams_before_gams]

I really miss having high energy and the ability to focus easily. I like looking in the mirror and seeing the weight loss. Especially having more stable moods and not getting angry/depressed so easy. The feeling of control was nice too - knowing I would feel full eating the right templates and not feel this need to binge something or overeat. 

[ShannonM816]

It's never easy to get back on track, and Whole30's after the first one can be harder, because the new has worn off some and it's just not that same sense of excitement anymore. But you've listed some good reasons here to help keep you motivated.

Maybe, rather than focusing on a true whole30 right now, just take it a meal at a time, making them meet the template. Maybe have a rule that if you're eating at home or foods you've prepared make those meals whole30, but if you go out to restaurants or friends' homes, do the best you can without worrying about ingredients, unless there are ingredients you know make you feel so awful you would prefer to avoid them.

Mostly, just don't beat yourself up for choosing to enjoy foods while you were on your trip. That was a choice you made, you can't change it now. Just move on and make better choices going forward.

[Brewer5]

I agree that you don't necessarily have to "do" a Whole 30.  Every choice we make matters -- every meal, every snack.  You do not need 30 days of rigid rules to make good choices.  You have that power within you, you just have to find it.  You have to want it badly enough.

 

I would recommend reading the book again -- with a highlighter this time.  Maybe you only get to read a few pages every day.  But take it with you when you go places, keep it next to you on the couch.  Make it a part of your daily life.  You will be inspired -- I'm sure of it.  

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

I would agree with everything said above.  Also, if a full Whole30 seems to daunting to even attempt (especially with the holidays looming), you might consider a Whole3 or a Whole5 or a Whole7.  I recently read an article by Melissa Hartwig, and that is her strategy for a quick little "get back on track" reset.  Or heck, even just a Whole1, or making sure that you have a Whole30 breakfast and lunch before heading out to a holiday event, where you will "off-road" but might not feel so unhinged with two satiating meals under your belt.

 

Cheers,

 

-Lauren (GGG)

 

P.S. - I completely relate to the culinary enticements of travel.  I travel semi-regularly for my work, plus we've been taking vacations to new-to-us Asian destinations for the duration of my overseas assignment.  I don't really feel as though I've truly experienced a place unless I've experienced its food, but it can be a slippery slope.  I went completely off the rails in Singapore.