How to reintro when I'm not interested in ever eating many of those things again

[1Maryann]

Today is Day 99 of my Whole100. I've given a lot of thought to reintroduction, but there isn't much I want back.

Grains: I've been wheat/corn free for several years, and I'm not planning on going back there. Rice for my sushi is a possibility. I hate oatmeal.

Legumes: Never cared before and still don't care if I never see a bean on my plate.

Dairy: May want some cream in my coffee on occasion, or a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on my tomato sauce, but regular cheese is a food without brakes for me and I don't want it back, I would rather starve than eat yogurt or drink a glass of milk, and I don't have a sugar dragon, so ice cream isn't something I have any interest in.

Take dairy for example. If the purpose of reintro is to consume enough to make sure to trigger a reaction if it's there, how would I do so? You can only put so much cream in your one or two cups of coffee. You can only shake so much parm on a dish.

Then grains: I have no intention of eating rice for three meals a day, or even eating it every day. How often do you eat sushi, really?

Is a proper reintro just not worth it for me? If I have no intention of eating the foods I already know will cause me problems, and I don't see eating enough of the few things I do want for it to make a difference.

[Kirsteen]

It's obviously a personal decision. I'd been gluten free for over 12 years, serious issues with it and dairy free for a couple of years for other reasons. I was also seriously limiting sugar for health reaons. While doing my first W30, I read and read and became convinced that grains and legumes are not ideal food for us so I didn't want them in my diet. So being dairy, legume, grain and mostly sugar free there wasn't a whole lot left to try to reintroduce I did try the odd square of dark chocolate but haven't had any for about 3 months and the odd spoonful of manuka honey for a sore throat but again it's been about 3 or 4 months since I had any.

I like eating this way and it seems to suit me. I do occasionally feel, perhaps I should do a proper reintro so if I'm stuck anywhere I'll know which noncompliant foods won't upset me. I can see it would be really useful for this but so far i haven't got around to it I wouldn't see the point in trying anything you already know upsets you. good luck let us know what you decide and how it goes.

[ScoutFinch]

I agree--I did a full reintro of dairy, and had no problem with it, so that while I don't think I'd make a habit of eating dairy, I know that it won't totally knock me off and I can enjoy a latte when I choose. Sugar and flour were another experience altogether--and I'm glad I know that now. Will be rare if ever that I choose to eat those. I've never been a huge fan of rice, so while that's an okay food, I won't eat it often, probably not at all would I make it at home. Legumes another rarity--I'd eat good peanut butter if it were offered in something that didn't have sugar in it, and I really love ham and bean soup, but that would be something I'd be just as happy to have a bowl of once or twice a year if I made it myself.

[Renee Lee]

Maryann, if you don't want to go back to those things, don't! The reintro is a semi-controlled self-experiment to show folks who DON"T know how food affects them how it does, and to identify problems for better educated decision making in the future.

If you're happy with what you're doing, and have no desire to try 'em out, then just keep going until you have a yen for sushi...then have some sushi.

Same thing with dairy! If you want cream in your coffee, have some cream! Don't think it's some required part of the W30 that's forced on you if you don't miss the things you gave up.

[1Maryann]

Thanks, Renee and Kirsteen. Scout, flour and sugar separately aren't so bad for me, but somehow the combination of the two causes all kinds of insulin spikes and dips and makes me hungry, nauseous, and wishing I'd never done it.

[ScoutFinch]

I hear you. Do I ever hear you! You don't really know the meaning of the word regret until you've felt that one. Wow.

[HopelessDreamer]

this is great! so glad to hear I am not alone in having no interest in adding stuff I don't eat anyway!

I have not had much dairy in years, and cutting cream and butter hasn't been a big deal. I am going to try ghee tomorrow, since I made it myself. I am trying rice, since I made it myself, but I don't eat it often anyway. I generally stick to food I make, since I never know what other people sneak into their concoctions. (I even saw my mother put sugar in her chicken soup.....I try not to let her cook anything I will be eating when she visits!! When I visit her, my goal is not to be "glutened"...all else I can live with for a few days....)

[birder]

I felt the same way when I finished.  But then I realized for the next month I will be traveling and counting on others for some of my food.  I decided to see what I would really need to stay away from and what I could handle so I don't have to be a total food snob.  I will not eat grains besides occasional rice but I was fine with dairy.  I still don't want it though so will for the most part avoid it.  Now sugar has taken full hold of me again so I'm tackling that again now but I'm planning on needing to do a whole 30 at the end of the summer.

[yuubou]

Yes, I would think at least trying dairy (cream in your coffee, cook with butter instead of ghee (ghee is Whole 30 compliant) for portions of each meal would make sense for you.

 

The only other point is, when you travel or are at someone's house for dinner, are there things you'd be eating just so its easier?  It might be good to take this opportunity to test things so that you know, okay, I will eat the things that have butter on them but not the things with grain because that seriously affects me.

Grats on a Whole 100!