Re-Intro Plan

Day 27 – check. Now enjoy this vintage coffee commercial... and be glad times have changed.

So here is my sample plan for reintroduction:

MY PLAN

There is no plan to reintroduce.   I am feeling so much better that I am not ready to go back to regular eating.  I am going to ride this ride for a while longer......

Here some instruction from WHOLE30 on how to reintroduce foods back into your system.

STEP TWO: REINTRODUCTION

The reintroduction portion of the Whole30 is critical to the learning experience. Over the next ten days, you’ll slowly, carefully, systematically reintroduce some of the off-plan foods you’ve been missing, and evaluate how they make you feel in the context of a healthier relationship with food, metabolism, digestive tract, and immune system. 

The Reintroduction Plan

You’ll reintroduce “less healthy” foods back into your diet one group at a time, while keeping the rest of your diet as Whole30-clean as possible. Think about it like a scientific trial, where your Whole30 is the control and the one food group you are trying to evaluate is the experimental group.

This means you’ll have to plan carefully, and not combine major food groups during your reintroduction period. For example, don’t eat a slice of toast with peanut butter, because how will you know whether it was the peanuts or the bread that made your joints ache? Do your best to reintroduce each designated food group (as outlined below) alone on your reintroduction day.

Yes, you’ll likely get some added sugar in many of your “experimental” foods—that’s really hard to avoid.If you do choose a reintroduction food with lots of sugar—say, a Starbucks grande Caramel Frappuccino (with a whopping 64 grams!) with whole milk—you’ll have to deal with the dairy  + sugar consequences all at once. Chances are, however, you’ll know intuitively what to attribute to which ingredient—digestive issues are generally dairy-driven, while energy fluctuations, cravings, and mood swings are probably sugar-related. However, some side effects, like skin breakouts, may be the result of the sugar, or the dairy, or the combination of both.

We encourage you to continue to increase your awareness of how the foods you eat are affecting you even after your Whole30 and reintroduction are over. By paying attention every time you eat a non-Whole30 food in the months to come, you can learn even more about how your body reacts to certain foods or ingredients—and continue to make more informed decisions about which foods you deem are truly “worth it.”

Reminder: If you don’t miss a particular food or drink that you know makes you less healthy, don’t bother to reintroduce it. Not missing tofu, black beans, cottage cheese, or brown rice? With evidence pointing towards these foods making you less healthy, there’s no reason whatsoever to add them back into your diet. Only reintroduce those foods that you suspect you’ll really want to include back into your diet once in a while, and leave the rest happily behind.

Sample Schedule

Here is a sample 10-day reintroduction schedule. Feel free to alter your particular food choices to suit your needs.

Day 1: Evaluate legumes, while keeping the rest of your diet Whole30 compliant. Try some peanut butter on your green apple with breakfast, a bowl of miso soup at lunch, and a side of black beans with dinner, while paying attention to how you feel. Then, go back to the Whole30 for the next two days, and see how things go. Pay attention, evaluate and decide how, how often and how much to incorporate legumes into your regular diet—if at all.

Day 4: Evaluate non-gluten grains*, while keeping the rest of your diet Whole30 compliant.  Eat a serving of white rice, some corn tortilla chips, and a slice of gluten-free bread, while paying attention to how you feel. Then, return to the Whole30 for the next two days, and see how things go. Pay attention, evaluate and decide how, how often and how much to incorporate non-gluten grains into your regular diet—if at all. *Corn, rice, certified gluten-free oats, quinoa, etc.

Day 7: Evaluate dairy, while keeping the rest of your diet Whole30 compliant. Have yogurt in the morning, some cheese in the afternoon, and ice cream after dinner, while paying attention to how you feel. Then, return to the Whole30 for the next two days, and see how things go. Pay attention, evaluate and decide how, how often and how much to incorporate dairy into your regular diet—if at all.

Day 10: Evaluate gluten-containing grains*, while keeping the rest of your diet Whole30 compliant.  Gluten is such nasty stuff that we want to break it out from the other grains, so you can evaluate it all by itself. Over the course of your day, eat a muffin, two slices of whole wheat bread, and a side of whole wheat pasta, while paying attention to how you feel. Then, return to the Whole30 for the next two days, and see how things go. Pay attention, evaluate and decide how, how often and how much to incorporate gluten grains into your regular diet—if at all. *Anything made from wheat, rye, or barley.

Today is Jess's Birthday, But the plan is to eat clean with Steak and Cauliflower to celebrate his birthday.

Have a wonderful day ladies.

Welcome to Day 28!

Three days and counting! Or maybe you’re feeling so good, you’ve lost track of the days. (We hope that’s the case!) With the end of your Whole30 so close, and you feeling so darn good, we’re betting you’ve been sharing what you’ve learned with family, friends, co-workers… anyone who will listen.

On Day 23, we helped you share the Good Food word in ways that won’t frustrate you or your conversation partner, and you crafted your own Elevator Pitch to help you communicate your experience effectively. Today, we’ll expand on that theme, to help you better determine who’s ready for this life-changing information, why some people just aren’t going to be (despite your best intentions), and how not to let that get you down.

So brush up on your Psychology 101, and let the Whole30 Daily help you cruise on through these last three days.

Have a great Day 28!

The Five Stages of Change, Part 1

The Stages of Change Model was originally developed in the late 1970's and early 1980's. The idea behind the Stages of Change Model (SCM) is that behavior change does not happen in one step. People tend to progress through different stages on their way to successful change, and each of us progresses through the stages at our own rate. Expecting behavior change by giving someone appropriate information for one stage while they’re still in another is counterproductive—they’re just not ready to hear it.

In each of the stages, a person has to grapple with a different set of issues and tasks that relate to changing behavior. Understanding where your conversation partner is in these five stages can help you tailor your message—so you’re giving them just the right information at the right time, making the conversation far more productive, and far more likely to end in successful change.

The five stages of change include:

• Precontemplation. Not yet acknowledging that there is a problematic behavior that needs to be changed. People in this stage tend to defend their current bad habit(s) and do not feel it is a problem. They may be defensive in the face of other people's efforts to pressure them to quit. They do not focus their attention on quitting and tend not to discuss their bad habit with others. In some addiction circles, this stage is also called “denial.”
• Contemplation. Acknowledging that there is a problem, but not yet ready or sure of wanting to make a change. In the contemplation stage people are more aware of the personal consequences of their bad habit, and spend time thinking about their problem. People are on a teeter-totter, weighing the pros and cons of quitting or modifying their behavior. Although they think about the negative aspects of their bad habit and the positives associated with giving it up (or reducing), they may doubt that the long-term benefits associated with quitting will outweigh the short-term costs.
• Preparation/Determination. Getting ready to change. In the preparation/determination stage, people have made a commitment to make a change. Their motivation for changing is reflected by statements such as: "I've got to do something about this - this is serious. Something has to change. What can I do?" This is sort of a research phase: people are now taking small steps toward change. They are trying to gather information about what they will need to do to change their behavior.
• Action/Willpower. Changing behavior. This is the stage where people believe they have the ability to change their behavior and are actively involved in taking steps to change. This is a stage when people most depend on their own willpower. They are making overt efforts to quit or change the behavior, and are at greatest risk for relapse, so it’s key that they leverage any techniques available to stay motivated.
• Maintenance. Maintaining the behavior change. Maintenance involves being able to successfully avoid any temptations to return to the bad habits. The goal of the maintenance stage is to maintain the new status quo. People in this stage tend to remind themselves of how much progress they have made. They remain aware that what they are striving for is personally worthwhile and meaningful. They are patient with themselves and recognize that it often takes a while to let go of old behavior patterns and practice new ones until they are second nature to them. Even though they may have thoughts of returning to their old bad habits, they resist the temptation and stay on track.

Sources: addictioninfo.org; Dr. Emily Deans, Harvard Medical School

The Stages of Change, Part 2

Think of five people you’d like to help change their lives with the Whole30 program. Now, evaluate where each of them are in the five stages of change. (We’ll rule out “Maintenance,” as these folks are already well on the right path.) When you’ve pegged each of your people with the right change-stage, follow these guidelines to effectively communicate your knowledge, passion, and expertise with the Whole30 in a manner they’re actually ready to hear.

• Precontemplation. Unfortunately, these folks aren’t ready to hear your message, despite the fact that they may be the ones who need it the most. It may take an emotional trigger, or crisis of some kind that can snap people out of their denial. Don’t waste your time on preaching to those in the precontemplation stage—as difficult as this is to accept, your breath here is wasted. Trust us on this one.
• Contemplation. These people may be asking you questions, but they’re also the ones who will challenge your responses the most. They’re admitting things aren’t perfect, but they’re also doubtful that what you have to offer will be worth the struggle. On the plus side, people in this stage are more open to receiving information about their bad habit. The more you can focus on the positive, and show them (using testimonials, personal experience, scientific research, or plain old common sense) that the long-term benefits will outweigh the short-term challenges, the easier they’ll be able to move into the next stage. Be prepared, however… people can remain in this stage for years without actually taking action.
• Preparation/Determination. These folks are gathering information, planning and preparing for the change, and are one step away from actually taking action. Maybe they’ve cleaned out their pantry, registered for a nutrition seminar, or read It Starts With Food. Support them in these efforts and provide them with as many resources as they’re asking for, but don’t push them towards the next phase before they’re ready. Too often, people skip this stage: they try to move directly from contemplation into action and fall flat on their faces because they haven’t adequately researched or accepted what it is going to take to make this major lifestyle change.
• Action/Willpower. Good news! People in this stage tend to be very open to receiving help, and are likely to seek support from others—an important element in their success. But they’re also the most likely to relapse, as their healthy habits are still so new. Be their support system! At this stage, people are committed, so keeping them accountable, motivated, and on track (maybe even with some tough love) is an easy way you can move them towards new habits, and the maintenance stage.

Why Some People Just Aren’t Ready

It can be frustrating to see a friend or loved one suffering from health issues but still in the precontemplative stage. They may be unwilling to admit there is a problem and that they need to make a change. How can they be so unwilling to do something about their health, when they’re so obviously sick and unhappy? Maybe for these reasons:

• Fear of admission. If you admit you have a problem, then you by default acknowledge that you need to do something about it. Change is hard. Status quo, while often painful and depressing, still may feel easier.
• Fear of failure. Some folks have tried so many times to lose weight, fix their health issues, exercise more—and they consider each attempt a failure, whether they actually made progress or not. Failure is painful—and vowing to try yet again is a scary proposition.
• Fear of success. Believe it or not, some people have assigned their illness or health issues as their identity. It’s become a part of who they are—they have MS, they have arthritis, they’re just overweight, and that’s how they’ll always be. And asking someone to lose their identity, even if it’s for the better, is inherently threatening.
• Fear of responsibility. This is perhaps the toughest to work through. People blame “fate” for their illness—it’s genetics, it’s hereditary, it’s their environment. To accept the idea that they could feel better by changing their diet and lifestyle is to accept the fact that their own actions in part could have contributed to their illness or health condition—and accepting that degree of responsibility is incredibly difficult.

Have sympathy for those who are still in the precontemplative stage, and see if you can’t use some psychology to help them move to the next stage of change. For example, if they’re afraid of failure, explain to them how this program is totally different than anything they’ve tried before—and they simply can’t fail, because it’s not about losing weight, but eating healthy, delicious food! By meeting people where they are, and not trying to jam information down their throats before they’re ready, you can become an even more effective Good Food evangelist.

Three Ways Your Whole30 Can Bum You Out

Sometimes, in trying your hardest to share your experience with others and keep on with your own journey towards a new, healthy relationship with food, you can fall into traps—traps that turn your Whole30 into a big bummer. Steer clear of these three profiles!

• The Crusader. This person loudly preaches the Whole30 at every opportunity, to anyone within earshot... and often ends up doing nothing but annoying friends and family with their level of perceived fanaticism. This leads to isolation—people don’t want to eat with you if you’re always criticizing their food choices, or acting smug with your healthy plate.
• The Secret Follower. You’re loving your new food choices, but have decided it’s more trouble than it’s worth to try to explain why you’re doing what you’re doing. So... you hide it. When offered bread, you say, “No, I’m good, I had a sandwich earlier.” When invited to a pot-luck, you bring Paleo brownies, but don’t tell anyone they’re gluten-free. This behavior only serves to isolate you in your new food habits.
• The Hermit. You’re feeling so good, you’re just terrified to go off-plan. So, you stay inside and cook in your own kitchen, where it’s safe. Pizza night with the girls is far too tempting, even though you could order a salad. Dinner at Mom’s is highly suspect, so you feign a sore throat. And yes, you guessed it—this behavior is the most isolating of all.

Don’t fall into any of these Whole30 traps. Lead by quiet example. Be confident in your choices, and stand up for your right to eat foods you think are healthy. Seek socialization, not isolation, and your Whole30 (and beyond) will be that much more fulfilling.

Source: Dr. Anastasia Boulais, http://primalmed.com