Day 4 intentional screw up, starting over. Need support!

[Tatinana]

So before you berate me please understand I'm sensitive and have already cried twice over my screw up today. I'm human and I made a massive (predictable) mistake.

 

So yesterday was day 3 for me and it was rough. I wanted nothing more than salty chips, cheese and high fructose corn syrup pickles. But I stayed strong! Even while making my boyfriend extra cheesy ground chicken nachos with loads of non compliant salas and toppings. At one point I almost gave into his taunting to have just one. But I went to bed satisfied after the compliant chipotle meal, and my meal prepping for today. 

 

Then today, day 4, I woke up exhausted, I hit the snooze button, or so I thought and woke up and hour later running late for work. I scrambled to get ready and in my rush I forgot all of my whole 30 compliant meal prep food. On my way to work I stopped to grab something, anything compliant to hold me over. When I got my breakfast I discovered not only had they added bacon (which I asked them not to do) they added cheese. I knew I was wrong but I ate it, about half way through the guilt came, and then about an hour later the upset stomach followed. Now I know I am in the wrong, I also know I probably would not have slipped had I not forgot my lunch. BUT i also understand I have had a very unhealthy relationship with food in the past. It's been my comfort, my reward, my sabotage, all of that. That is why I started the whole 30 to begin with. To have more control and a better understanding of my relationship with food.

 

 

On the bright sideshow stomach ache was enough to make me realize I've GOT to complete a whole 30 days no matter what. I know I can do it, I just need to be better prepared, more motivated and smarter with my choices (ex I could have stopped at a store to grab some fruit, carrot sticks, Lara bar, etc) anything better than what I had. 

 

 

So here here are a few things I'm trying different when I restart Sunday night, any tips and HELPFUL not hurtful comments are welcome. 

 

 

1.  Keep a daily food diary, track what I'm eating, how much, how I feel, etc.

 

2. Better prep, keep emergency food in my car strictly for emergencies not for snacking. 

 

3. More meal prep! Bigger portions to cut down on my snacking. Doing my best to stick with the meal template. 

 

4. Reaching out. Keeping in contact with others doing the whole 30. Also letting those around me know what I'm doing for more support and accountability. 

 

5. Avoiding temptation. In a perfect world  there would be no sweets around me and my boyfriend would be whole 30 too. But that's not the case. So instead I'll try my best to not be hungry when I know I'll be around temptation (eating dinner before cooking my boyfriends yummy food, having a handful of nuts before going to the cafe with the delicious pastries near work for play dates, etc) 

 

 

I screwed up and I'm owning up to it. But I'm not giving up!

[LeahF]

All your ideas sound great to have a successful Whole30 - which I know you can do!!!

My one suggestion would be to ditch making a second dinner for your boyfriend. While he doesn't have to be completely on board for the Whole30 I don't see why you guys can't share an awesome whole30 approved dinner together for the next 30 days. One thing my husband and I were so surprised by is that as long as we were eating yummy, flavorful food nothing about Whole30 felt restrictive. Inconvenient sometimes and yes, it takes some planning but all the food is good! A lot of this is mental. You see his food as yummy but not what you get to eat. 

Steak and potatoes, chili, grilled chicken, we even fell in love with spaghetti squash with organic compliant tomato sauce. There are so many options that I bet your boyfriend would love too.

Just my thoughts....I wish you a lot of success!!! You can do it!!!

 

 

[LeahF]

Also, other things I found helpful was coming to the forum everyday and reading and posting in my whole30 log. Reading Whole30 and It Starts With Food whenever I was feeling weak. Writing out my whys for doing the Whole30 and looking at them when I was feeling weak. I also signed up for the daily email which I looked forward to getting each day. 

[gradstudent]

Tatiana, I'm doing my first Whole 30 as well.  I'm on day 16.  I agree with Leah, and say make one meal and your man can deal.  If not, he is a big boy and can cook his own food.  I don't think it is very nice of him to taunt you with his cheesy food!  But I understand, some men just aren't as receptive to "healthy" eating.

I worried about what I would eat, if I'd feel deprived before I started this journey.  I scoured Pinterest for Whole 30 meal ideas, put together a list of meals that I thought I could make and would enjoy, and then I planned a menu out for the first two weeks of Whole 30.   I'm not one to follow a plan though, so really I haven't eaten what I planned to eat each day, but I have stayed compliant and it was extremely helpful to have a list of meal ideas to choose from when I couldn't think of something to make. 

I eat leftover for lunches the next day.  I plan ahead what I need to pull out of the freezer as far as meat for the next meal.  And I keep my fridge stocked full of good stuff.  I put all the non-compliant foods on a special shelf in my fridge and in my cabinet.  I love me some salsa, and I eat Pace Medium Picante and it is compliant.   I've never had a big cheese craving, so I can't help you there. 

I think the key is planning and having some emergency food snacks on stand by for when you are running late (as will happen!).  Larabars, compliant beef sticks, fruit.  So many resources on this website to help you find compliant foods. 

You can do this.  Prove to yourself you are worth the dedication to your health.  Others might not understand your journey, but you were drawn to this program for a reason.   Also, I have a picture of a fabulous dress on my fridge that I plan to buy as my reward for my 30 days of dedication!  

You have a WHOLE community behind you here!    You can do it!!!!!  (oh, and we are all human, don't beat yourself up girl!)

[Karen_Suep]

I did a whole 30 with a not compliant hubby and toddler. Our house has always been what I cook is dinner. My husband can drive to pick up food but my toddler is stuck. Sometimes she's not hungry at dinner time, but that's her dinner. Most of what I usually make is easily compliant with a few modifications due to reducing a lot of crap bc of my pancreas. 

I think you have a great plan. My advice is to have mini frittatas in the freezer or fridge with individual servings of veggies and additional fats for those days the snooze button happens (although it may not be too often once you get the hang of w30) meal planning and preparation definitely make it a lot easier. 

You can do this

[merryheart5]

I agree with others that you should not make a separate meal for your guy. With my kids I made dinner compliant but offered them some non-compliant additions (such as rice with their stir fry). So I wasn't completely temptation free but it wasn't the same as having nachos waved in my face on Day 2. 

Also, I found that the longer I was on the Whole30 the less tempted I was. 

Your other plans sound perfect! 

I would also suggest reading the Whole30 book. It really helped me stay on track. And meal prep and planning ahead! 

You can do this!

[Tatinana]

@LeahF @gradstudent @Karen_Suep @merryheart5 Thank you all for the wonderful advice and encouragement. I'm officially back on my whole 30 as of today (although I ate compliant over the weekend minus some ketchup) I feel more prepared this time around and excited to get through the 30 days. 

 

I also made a whole 30 compliant meal for my boyfriend and I last night and he was totally surprised it was something I could eat.  He agreed to no more teasing me since he sees how serious I am about this. We will alternate between him eating whole 30 meals and me still cooking his favorites every once in a while. Luckily we don't live together so this isn't an everyday battle. So here's to day 1 and the 29 that follow  

[LeahF]

@Tatinana Wonderful news!!! I'm so glad your boyfriend will be supportive and it sounds like you have struck a great balance.

 

Have a great WHOLE30! You are worth it. 

[CoffeeBean]

One thing that really helps me is the perspective I've adopted for the W30: "I won't have ____" (as opposed to, " I can't have ___.")

It's only 30 days and they'll pass by before I know it (such is the case of every month in my adult years, lol).  But we deserve the chance to see what this can do for us given a 100% honest effort.  Simply the change in self-talk calms down any desire for jumping ship.  Anything you crave will still be available after day 31, or whenever you choose to reintroduce.

Glad you're back on track, but I am sorry to hear how upset you were about the backstep.  Life is far too short.  Every millisecond the present becomes the past, so focus on the future.. and don't let the past do anything but propel you to better places!

Last thing: having food options prepped ahead of time is sooooo critical, I don't think I could remind myself enough, lol.

Best of luck (: