Looking for some support!

[gboyum]

I finished my first Whole 30, with great success, the day before Thanksgiving. Over Thanksgiving weekend I ate what I wanted, and pretty liberally. All weekend long I suffered from bloating, stomach aches, and then a few days ago my chin broke out.

I used the Whole 30 Daily, which was a great motivator. I am having trouble with that motivation now. I obviously know what is best for me, but I keep telling myself "TOMORROW I will eat clean", then I don't. After a long weekend all my poor habits seem to be back. I've already had a handful of Hershey Kisses at my desk today. UGH! Stomach ache here we come!

So here is where I am right now. I am not going to pretend that I will stick to a strict Whole 30 over the Holidays. I would like to stay clean on most days but be able to enjoy gatherings with no restrictions. I am planning on doing the Whole 30 again in January, but are there any suggestions on how to stay on track without the daily emails? I figured I can't do the Daily again because I have already. I haven't read ISWT, I've considered buying it, do I really need to? Or is the information in the book going the same as the Daily? Suggestions from people who have done multiple Whole 30's on how to take it up a notch? It is obvious to me that I have issues with sugar that are unresolved. And after my second Whole 30 I plan to do the proper reintroduction so I can see if it is dairy that makes my chin break out. My long term goal would be to get to a place where I can enjoy some of the "forbidden" foods every now and then, and not have that lead to a day of poor choices. Do people get there? Any thoughts from people who NEVER get there? Is this stuff in the book?

Has the Whole 9 team considered a daily email program for intermediate or advanced Whole 30 participants?

[Susan W]

I am just about finished with my 3rd W30. The one thing I see missing from how you did it is I see no gradual reintroduction phase. So..you really don't know what causes you issues and what doesn't. I can't recommend ISWF highly enough. It's a great book and may just give you the push that you need. I highly suggest you do a w7-14 and add in the different foods one at a time. Ending your W30 the day before Thanksgiving and diving head first into all that seductive food was just too much. Good luck with making the choice to do what you know is best for you.

[Kirsteen]

If you enjoyed the emails, I would definitely get the book. I had both. I did a W60 and am about 2 weeks? (I lose track of time) past that. i have stayed mostly compliant because I'm convinced it suits me. I still find myself referring back to the book frequently.

I can understand not wanting to do a Whole 30 with the holidays coming up but why not do a W5 or W10 or whatever you can fit in. I think one of the most basic things, for me, is planning. If you plan what you're going to eat each day, it's much easier to stick to it. You're already half way there, saying you want to eat *clean* - you just have to plan exactly what that'll be. I reckon that would work, even planning the odd off-road day if you've got something special on. Good luck

[Renee]

Pick a number of days you want to do this for, and stick with it! I agree that there's just so much in december (I have my job's Xmas dinner, my by and I have separated parents, so that makes about FOUR Christmas dinners, then there are friends, etc.) But Doing a week or two of clean eating is much better that doing nothing! Clean your fridge and your pantry, and get cooking!

I'd also recommend to have a plan for maybe a second W30 AND reintroduction. the knowledge you will gain from the reintroduction will most likely help you make the right choices.

[CaseyD]

The book is different from the daily and might help explain some of this for you. Doesn't hurt to read it.

I think having the mindset of "I'll eat whatever" over a special occasion is not at all the mindset of one who can really eat "forbidden foods" now and then. Actually, calling them forbidden foods doesn't even fit in that mindset, but that's a whole different train of thought...

I don't remember if this is covered in the daily's, but I know it has been on the site and I think in the book, but you may need to learn different thought processes when it comes to deciding when and what is worth eating, when eating less healthy foods.

It takes practice to change your mind when it comes to food. Doing a W30 helps with learning new habits when it comes to what you want to fuel your body with, but there is still work that you have to do in order to be one of those people who can go to Thanksgiving, eat healthy, and then decide your mom's special pie she makes once a year is worth it... and then go right back to clean eating the very next meal. There is a decision making process you have to learn, but it can be done!

[luvbnhealthy]

You know, I don't even know where I first saw the Whole30 thing first, but I saw something about the book. I purchased it from Amazon because it got such good reviews, and I always find anything about nutrition interesting. I'm usually skeptical, but this book makes so much sense. I think you would definitely benefit from it. From there, I found my way to the website, subscribed to the Daily30 to give myself the extra push, printing them all out so I have them to refer back to. I'm almost to the end of my first 30. Did I have some slipups? Yep, but I've eaten the cleanest that I ever have in my life. Even when presented with foods outside of Whole30, if I decided to have it, it was a small portion, and I paid attention to how it felt to eat a particular item. Just do the best you can and try not to put food in catagories of have/have not, but maybe "what is better?"

[befabdaily]

In between Whole 30s, I got myself an account on chains.cc and just shot for the longest runs of consecutive days possible. I didn't beat myself up too much if I fell off, but I tried not to fall off many days in a row.

[kb0426]

I live in MN too; do you need me to come take away the Hershey kisses?

Do read ISWF. It helps to understand that even though you may feel ok, you have the knowledge about the impact of the less healthy food choices. I really do believe that knowledge is power.

[GLC1968]

Another vote for get the book ISWF. I was already whole hog paleo and bought the book mostly because I love to read and thought perhaps I'd find some ideas to talk a friend of mine into the lifestyle... It talked ME into it..again! I find it a very motivating read and I refer back to it all the time when I feel myself getting sloppy about my choices. Not because I don't know better...but because sometimes it helps to have someone else point it out for me!

[Sharon Simpson Thumann]

I fight this everyday! The right side of my brain thinks.. "Oh it didn't make you sick, so it's okay to eat!" then the left side kicks in and is like "Nooooooooooo!" Daily struggles, but they are getting better, although sometimes I feel as though I have multiple personalities. I have conversations with myself and 99% of the time I talk myself out of eating something that's not good for me. My husband has been really supportive by not being an enabler like in the days before whole30. Reading the forums and realizing I am not alone in this also helps... tremendously.

[gboyum]

Thanks for all the advice! I've been working on sticking to Whole 30 protocol most days but not at holiday events. I have resorted to writing it in my daily planner, which serves as a great reminder. I am planning on getting the book now and using it as I do my second Whole 30 in January. Seriously, following the Whole 30 eating plan was NOT that hard for me, I just need to plan better.

A couple of things that I have noticed since finishing my first Whole 30:

1. I can really recognize my triggers. Like if I have one Hershey Kiss (or any type of sweet) I will have more (they are gone now, by the way. We had them for a special event at work, I try to keep that stuff out of the office now). Also, alcohol is a huge trigger for me, and I don't even drink that much. I have a beer or wine once or twice a week, but just one beer or one glass of wine seems to trigger this urge to eat and I end up snacking late night.

2. There is so much sugar in everything! I don't even eat a lot of processed food, but there were a lot of things that were left out of my diet during the Whole 30. I do a lot of home pickling and canning. Often there is sugar in the pickling brine, and I make salsa and tomato sauce, both of which have sugar. I canned ketchup this year, one of my favorite condiments, but again, sugar. I thought I was cutting back on sugar in my diet, and I probably did but there still is a lot of sugar sneaking in.

Honestly when I finished my first Whole 30 I really didn't feel ready. I probably should have planned my timeframe better. So I am hoping better planning through the Holidays will help me feel better while I prepare for my second Whole 30 in January.

Thanks again for the responses!