Reintroducing paleo cheats rather than food groups...

[mdjess86]

So I just finished my second whole 30. I finished my first back in January, and honestly I lost weight (I dont' really need to lose weight, so nice but not the point) but didn't have amazing energy, didn't feel great at the end, still had all my sugar cravings...although my skin looked amazing. I did pretty good for a few months being complaint-ish, then completely fell off the wagon. So I've completed my second one and I now know what everyone was talking about! I feel great, my head is clear, I have no desire for off plan foods really, like they look nice but I don't necessarily want them, I have much better energy throughout the day...I don't know what happened differently this time, because I did everything pretty much the same, including my bad habit of having apple with almond butter on a somewhat frequent basis. But I'll take it, I'm certainly not complaining! So now it's reintroduction day 1, and rather than introduce anything that I don't really want, since I have been through reintroduction before...I'm more interested in introducing some whole 30 ingredient compliant but spirit not complaint foods. For example, I was going to make some mango/coconut milk "ice cream" (just those two ingredients) today and have it as part of dinner. So if I find my sugar dragon goes nuts, or I have trouble controlling myself at least it's still compliant ingredients and not added sugar, and I can just go back to strict whole 30 for a while before I try to introduce something again. I'm going out of town this weekend, and I may end up wanting something, and if I do I'll try to make it just one food group. But I'm bringing food with me so I don't have to eat off plan unless I really want something. 

 

I guess what I'm wondering is, does anyone else do this? as part of FFF and staying on track so to speak you make ingredient compliant but otherwise not ok things, like "pancakes" or fries etc? I guess it's the only thing I feel comfortable with right now but I don't know if I'm just pretending like I'm being healthier while really not eating well. just looking for some perspective.

 

Thanks!

[kirkor]

The SWYPO rule is to make sure people have their heads right and aren't using compliant food as a crutch to keep off-plan cravings at bay. But think about even the title of your thread: paleo cheats?  What is it cheating on?  If the inner dialog pathway of sweet=treat=cheat still exists, maybe there's still work to be done.

[MeadowLily]

After a Whole 30, you can do whatever you want to. Have you read Food Freedom Forever?

Off and On Whole 30 doesn't work for me.  I created a positive food management plan that I can live with, consistently. Cheat Meals would lead to Cheat Weekends. Cheat Weekends would lead to Cheat Months.   I don't cheat on anyone including myself. I don't cheat myself out of enjoyment with my foods.  The only thing I'm leaving out... my Big Kahuna trigger foods. 

[jmcbn]

There is no good or bad, cheat or treat, clean or dirty food.

The food we choose to eat does not have morals, only consequences.

Once you figure that out, then you can start developing your own food freedom.

[Alisha]

Hi, @mdjess86 I finished my whole30 at the end of August and I've had a bumpy reintroduction period. I'm trying to figure out a way of eating that is sustainable for me but it is seriously hard. I understand why the word cheat has negative associations with mind set, but all of that aside, I know what you mean. Trying to incorporate healthier versions of treats/non paleo foods in hopes of it being satisfying and not throwing you off track, I think you should just take it slow and really monitor how these foods make you feel. Like you said see if it wakes up your sugar dragon and than recover with a compliant day. For me it has been really tricky... I found things like that (my homemade paleo banana bread or coconut coffee creamer) made it way harder for me to stay on track the next day, and I would tend to keep eating more of these foods, and now I find myself having the internal struggles a lot more, about justifying bad food, and then feeling guilty about it. I'm working hard and I'm not giving up. I'm in University full-time and I work part time so life is busy and stressful but I know FFF is what I really want and it will take time to get there. I'd love to hear how it goes for you as I could use some help as well! I think maybe I should do a whole7 to get back on track, but I'm dragging my feet about it.