CHAPTER 20:
STRATEGIES FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS
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“The Whole30 has set me free of so many things. Now I can look at my plate as I am creating my dinner and know when enough is enough so after my meal I am neither hungry nor uncomfortably full. I have, for the first time in my life, learned how to listen to my body. I can list all of the ‘classic’ bonuses of the Whole30 with an emphatic yes. I am sleeping better. I am feeling better. My intestines are behaving the way they should for the first time ever. My skin is clear. I have lost weight, and my clothes fit better. I have kicked the sugar demon to the curb and am coping with stress without eating the entire kitchen, packaging and all. But even with that entire list, if I could only tell someone one benefit of my Whole30 experience, my answer would be a single word: freedom.”
—Laura C., Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, Ireland
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You’ve finished your Whole30, and you’re probably feeling pretty good. You’ve worked hard to change your habits, and you’re finding it easier to turn down foods you used to find “irresistible,” thanks in part to a reduction (or elimination) of cravings. But you may also be a little bit nervous about what’s to come. Here is one universal truth:
It’s much harder to make Good Food choices out there in the “real world.”
The rules of the Whole30 program are very specific, and completely non-negotiable. They remove some of the stress from making your own food choices, take all the guesswork out of our expectations, and give you a clear goal. (“Start eating healthy” is a far more difficult challenge to wrap your head around than “Eat no added sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, or dairy in any form whatsoever for thirty days.”) The program also gives you an easy fall-back when faced with social or peer pressures—a built-in excuse for why you don’t want that piece of cake or glass of wine. Blame us. We can handle it.
The rules of the Whole30 function much like training wheels on a bike, giving you all the support you need while allowing you to complete the program under the power of your own pedal strokes. But what happens when your thirty days are up? All the comforts of our rules, your built-in excuses, your clear objectives disappear with the end of your Whole30. Which leaves you with the desire to continue to eat healthfully, but no clear plan to make that happen.
So, let’s create a plan. We’ll outline our best suggestions for transitioning your Whole30 program into lifelong, sustainable habits—and then you can customize the plan to suit your lifestyle and goals.
IT’S NOT THE WHOLE365
Remember, the Whole30 is just a springboard into a lifetime of healthy eating habits. We don’t expect (or want) you to stay on the program forever, or eat according to our rules all the time! Think of the Whole30 as a tool, allowing you to build new, sustainable habits that will be with you for the rest of your life.
IT’S A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT
Here’s what most of you Whole30’ers can expect when your first program is over. You may wait a few days before eating anything off-plan, nervous about taking that first step. Eventually, though, you’ll reintroduce some less-healthy foods. Most likely, these foods won’t taste as good as you remember, and perhaps they won’t make you feel as good as you felt during your Whole30—which makes it pretty easy to set them aside and return to your Whole30-ish eating habits.
But slowly, eventually, inevitably, poor choices will start to creep back in. Vacations, stressful situations, family events, and celebrations are common catalysts for the backslide into old habits, although perhaps the backslide starts with a glass of wine or bowl of ice cream on a random Tuesday night. It might take a month, or two, or three … but we predict that eventually you will wake up and realize that (a) you’ve somehow slipped back into mediocre eating habits, (b) you don’t feel so fantastic anymore, and (c) it’s really time to clean things up again.
When you get to this place, hear us clearly:
This does not mean you’ve failed your post-Whole30 test.
Habits are hard to break, pressures are hard to resist, and the temptation of delicious, less-healthy foods are everywhere. In the real world, it’s easy to have a relapse—it happens to everyone, including us. And it will, at some point, happen to you.
CHEAT DAYS
This is why we are not fans of scheduled “cheat meals”—and even worse, “cheat days.” When you purposefully plan to make poor food choices, you are literally setting yourself up to fail! Plus, you are more likely to eat something you don’t really want, just because you’ve told yourself you can. In addition, devoting an entire day to poor food choices (allowing yourself to binge on all the super-normally stimulating, processed, nutrient-poor foods you want) wreaks havoc for days to come. Your sugar cravings, GI tract, energy levels, and mental health will take far less of a “hit” if you eat healthy, slip in your less-healthy choice, then go right back to eating healthy foods (versus an entire day of Carb-a-Palooza).
This process of restoring your health (and then some) is just that—a process. While the Whole30 was a fantastic jumping-off point, and will form the foundation of your healthy eating habits for the rest of your life, remember that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. You cannot expect yourself to be a “perfect eater” today, or tomorrow, or probably ever. In fact, we don’t generally think that’s a good goal to strive for. And it’s unreasonable to expect a lifetime of habits, patterns, and relationships with food to completely change in a mere month.
Which means that your lifelong healthy-eating journey will take you, well, the rest of your life. And that’s OK. Because much like your Whole30, this healthy-eating thing gets easier with time and practice.
MAKE CONSCIOUS DECISIONS
Instead of preplanning your “nutritional off-roading,” we recommend a more flexible, intuitive approach. The basis of your everyday meals should look a lot like our “more healthy” recommendations, focused on high-quality meat, seafood, and eggs; vegetables, fruit, and healthy fats.
If you are happy with your food, feeling great and lovin’ life, there is no reason whatsoever to stray from this template.
The idea that dietary “cheats” are necessary to “shock the body” and “jump-start your metabolism” is total malarkey. Binging on pizza, pasta, cake, and cookies has absolutely zero positive impact on your health, and may have serious consequences, depending on the food and your context. However, there are a few reasons to eat foods that are less healthy.
First, there are culturally significant or family-related events in which food and drink play a major role. A wedding, a special vacation, or your family’s Christmas dinner may involve foods that don’t make you physically healthier but have important emotional significance. In addition, there are valid psychological reasons for eating less-healthy foods. You crave a special food from your childhood. Your brain rebels against the rigidity of “can have” and “can’t have.” You get the urge to “test” a food group again, because you’re not yet totally convinced that those foods make you feel as terrible as you remember.
But perhaps the most compelling reason to go off-roading with your food from time to time is:
Because they are delicious.
Sometimes, the fact that a food or drink is so delicious is a good enough reason to indulge. So, how do you work these choices into your everyday life?
On a case-by-case basis, making conscious, deliberate, informed decisions.
Keep eating your healthy foods until you bump into something that you believe might be worth it. Maybe it’s the homemade cookies Mom bakes, your favorite pomegranate martini on a dinner date, or that decadent-looking dessert in the bakery window.
THAT AIN’T SPECIAL
One thing we’ll tell you right now—the box of doughnuts (or the open bag of pretzels, or the bag of M&Ms) sitting on the break-room counter is not special. You’re a grown-up. You earn your own money. And if you want doughnuts, pretzels, or a bag of M&Ms, you can walk right into any supermarket or convenience store and buy them. These foods are not special. They’re not homemade, or a once-a-year treat, and we’re pretty sure they don’t evoke fond childhood memories of sitting around the dining room table while Mom pulls things out of the oven. Now, if a chocolate-glazed doughnut is your favorite food in the whole world, that may be a different story. But don’t indulge in something that’s less healthy just because it’s around. That’s not a good enough reason in our book.
Once you’ve identified something you think might be worth it, ask yourself a series of questions to help you decide if it’s really worth it. Do I have a specific desire for this particular food, or am I just emotional, hungry, or craving? Is it going to be incredibly special, significant, or delicious? Is it going to mess me up—negatively affect how I feel or the quality of my life?
This process might seem tedious or unnecessary. After all, you’ve been choosing your own food for a long time now—surely, you are capable of deciding what you want to eat or drink, right?
Not so fast.
Isn’t that kind of automatic “decision making” what got you into trouble in the first place? Because of the kinds of foods and drinks we often indulge with (supernormally stimulating, nutrient-poor, calorie-dense, and highly processed), it’s all too easy to let your reward, pleasure, and emotional pathways do the talking. And if you allow that to happen, you often find that cookie, martini, or breakfast pastry half gone before you even realize it. So please, stop and think critically at this point. It may make the difference between reinforcing your new, healthy habit and taking one step backward into an old one.
If you decide the food or drink really is worth it, congratulations! You can move on to the next step—enjoying it.
NEED MORE HELP?
If you’re a visual learner, or need more help deciding whether that less-healthy food is really worth it, we’ve created a handy flow chart just for you! Download our free “Guide to Nutritional Off-Roading” at http://whole9life.com/itstartswithfood.
EAT SMART
The first thing we’d like to suggest is, don’t use the word “cheat” to describe your less-healthy indulgences. We want you to be able to make guilt-free choices to indulge in less-healthy foods from time to time, but “cheating” has a negative connotation. (And really, there is no guilt—only consequences.) We don’t believe those negative associations have any place in your new, healthy relationship with food, so going forward, we’ll call them “treats” instead.
The second tip: Eat only as much as you need to satisfy your craving. If you’ve been dreaming about your favorite treat—say, homemade chocolate-chip cookies—and you decide today is the day, then by all means, bust out the cookie sheet and make some. But remember:
You don’t have to eat the whole tray just because it’s there.
How will you know how much is enough? Because you are going to savor those cookies. It’s a terrible thing to mindlessly eat a plate of homemade cookies while watching TV. That is a shameful waste of a delicious food. So when you finally pull that hot tray of cookies out of the oven, put one on a plate and spend time with it.
Light some candles, put on some soft music, and get downright romantic with your cookie.
Take small bites. Chew thoroughly. Savor the flavor, smell, and texture. Make it last. Share the experience with a friend or your family, or simply enjoy the quiet time. Since we indulge partly to provide mental satisfaction, squeeze as much satisfaction as possible out of what you are eating.
With this approach, you should have plenty of time to notice that your craving has been satisfied, and that satisfaction has been achieved. So when it has, stop eating. Maybe that’s half a cookie. Maybe it’s four cookies. It doesn’t matter, as long as you are mindful of the process every step of the way.
THE SLIPPERY SLOPE
If you’re following this general prescription, your overall diet should be consistently moving you in the direction of “more healthy,” with just enough “treats” to make the plan feel sustainable and satisfying. Please note, however:
Where you draw that line is entirely up to you.
One person’s “healthy and balanced” may be another person’s “I really need to clean things up!” In addition, where you draw the line, and which foods you crave, will most likely change as the years go on. Sure, we’ll go out on a limb and say that 99 percent of the time “treat” equals processed or sugary food or drink. But with time and the reinforcement of your new habits, tastes, and awareness, your perception of what constitutes a treat will evolve.
THE 80/20 RULE
Resist the urge to classify your overall diet in numerical terms—“I eat 90 percent healthy” or “I follow the 80/20 rule.” First, it’s a bit like scheduling a cheat day—you’re practically setting yourself up to eat less-healthy foods a set percentage of the time. But more important, what does that number even mean? If you’re “80/20,” does that mean that one out of every five foods on your plate is less healthy? Or that every fifth meal is a highly processed sugar-fat-and-salt bomb? In addition, the food that makes up that 20 percent is of critical importance. If those “off plan” foods are peas, hummus, and corn tortillas, that’s totally different than off-plan cookies, pizza, and dirty martinis. Long story short: Keep this process intuitive and fluid. Don’t paint yourself into a corner with meaningless numbers or percentages!
Now at some point, we’re betting that even with careful analysis of the “worth it” factor and the deliberate manner in which you enjoy and savor your treats, your overall diet will eventually start to slide from more healthy to less healthy. You may be a few weeks into the process of daily treats, overconsumption, and automatic eating before you even realize that you’re spending more time in less-healthy territory than you mean to. Maybe you notice that you’ve gained a few pounds, you’re not waking up as easily, or your energy levels aren’t as consistently high. Maybe you’re experiencing allergies, asthma, migraines, acne, aches and pains, or other symptoms of conditions that you thought you’d gotten rid of.
And at this point, you’re likely to be discouraged. After all, you’ve been here before, haven’t you, every time you’ve tried a new diet? You do well for a while, lose some weight, feel better. But then, usually sooner rather than later, you’re back to your old habits and patterns, and it’s as if nothing changed. But in this case, we want you to remember one very important fact:
This is not that scenario.
You are no longer on a diet. In fact, you will never have to “diet” again! You have used the Whole30 to change your habits, gain awareness, and establish a new, healthy relationship with food. This is your lifestyle now—and though things might not be as good as they could be at this very moment, please do not panic.
Because this time, you’ve got all the tools you need to get yourself right back on track.
Whole30 (or Whole7, or Whole14) to the rescue!
All you have to do to regain that awareness, reset those good habits, and remind yourself how amazing clean eating makes you look, feel, and live is to jump right back on the Whole30. And while you can if you want to, you don’t always have to do the program in full! There’s no reason that you can’t follow Whole30 rules for a weekend, a week, two weeks … just long enough for your body and your brain to remember how good you feel, how delicious healthy food tastes, and how much you enjoy this way of eating. Once you’re back on solid ground, kick off your training wheels and head right back out into the real world, with your newly reinforced knowledge, habits, and awareness keeping you as safe as a bike helmet.
See? Easy!
In addition, one of the best parts of our program is that each of your Whole30s builds on the last one. This means that as you stay connected with our program, your periods of slipping back into bad habits will grow shorter and less frequent, and your clean-eating adventures will grow longer in duration (and easier). And of course, should some special occasion, vacation, or stressful event knock you right off your bike, the Whole30 will always be there to help you get right back on.
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
One of the most helpful factors in staying on track during your Whole30 and beyond is having a support network—people who believe in this approach, who have “been there, done that” and who can provide motivation, inspiration, encouragement, and accountability for one another. If you don’t have a local community to reach out to, join ours! We host Whole30 programs monthly and have a thriving, supportive community on our Web site (http://forum.whole9life.com) and Facebook page (http://facebook.com/whole9).
FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Seeking (and obtaining) support from family and friends is another important part of your good-health transformation. Some may offer support unconditionally, others may start paying attention once they notice the changes in your appearance, mood, attitude, and health. But we feel it’s fair to warn you—despite the fact that you’re taking healthy, sustainable steps to improve your quality of life, you may encounter negative reactions, too.
“All that fat can’t be good for you.”
“It’s just another fad diet.”
“It’s so restrictive—you can’t eat anything!”
We’re sorry, but you’ll probably hear all this and more, regardless of the life-changing results you achieve through the program and your hard work.
It can be tough enough to stick to your guns, let alone have to defend yourself against the onslaught of negativity-doubt-criticism from family, friends, and coworkers. So here are some of our best tips for dealing with the naysayers in a way that won’t get you divorced, defriended, or fired.
Lead by quiet example.
This one is first for a reason, and it’s your most powerful ally. Your Whole30 results will speak for themselves. And in the months to follow, when your energy is high, your skin is glowing, your aches and pains are gone, and you’ve shed some fat or built some muscle, people will notice, and they will ask you what you’ve been doing. It’s hard to doubt the method when the proof of its value is staring them in the face, so let your experience shine through, and answer questions if asked—but don’t waste your breath proselytizing. Just be a living example of what the Whole30 could do for them.
A HORSE AND HIS WATER
This is perhaps the hardest lesson to learn. Chances are, you feel amazing right now. You want to shout from the rooftops about this plan you’ve discovered and the results you’ve experienced. And, if you have friends and family members who could use a little help with their health, it’s all too tempting to start preaching the Good Food word. Just remember, you can lead them to water … but your friends and family may not be ready to take a drink. Be patient—when they’re ready, they’ll come to you.
Pick your battles.
You can make people feel bad about their food choices just by rolling up to the table. The way you eat may remind people that they aren’t eating the way they should, or might want to. So they’ll be on the defensive the minute the waiter sets your salmon and veggies down next to their macaroni and cheese or BLT with fries.
But beware—now is not the time to point out the dangers of grains, or comment on the correlations between diet soda and obesity. Keep your lunch to yourself, and encourage others to do the same by ignoring snide remarks or attacks on your “weird diet.” If someone is truly interested, have the conversation away from the crowd (and the food), when you can speak privately and not be interrupted by the criticism of others.
Educate yourself.
You know you’ll have to deal with questions, comments, and challenges from time to time, so you’d better be prepared. If we asked you right now, “Why aren’t you eating grains?” how many of you would have an answer on the tips of your tongues? Your answer could range from the fact that grain proteins are potentially inflammatory to the fact that when you gave up bread your stomach lost its bloat—anything from scientific data to personal experience. The point is, you’d better have an answer, and it can’t just be, “Because Dallas and Melissa said so.” (Although we do like that answer.)
So, do your homework. Be able to explain why you don’t eat certain foods. Memorize our Web address. Prepare some remarks based on your own experience. Just don’t show up empty-handed, because if you do, you’ll lose any chance you may have had to get the other party to buy in. And if that other party is your mom, who shops for all the family’s food; your husband, who cooks all the food; or your roommate, who pays for half the food, you really can’t afford to lose that chance.
On that note, however …
Refer to “scientific evidence” cautiously.
We’re not saying you shouldn’t research and cite the conclusions of scientific studies. What we are saying, however, is that for every science-y article you find that talks about, say, how dairy can create hormonal disruption … there are a hundred just as science-y articles that will say the exact opposite.
Our recommendation? Unless you’re totally up to speed with scientific references and able to smartly refute the opposing side on the fly, don’t let the scientific research be the only leg you choose to stand on. Lead by example, the first line of defense, and cite real people who have had real results. Which brings us to our final point …
When outnumbered, fall back.
You may very well find yourself stuck in a battle that you just can’t win. It’s a family dinner, and you’re being hammered with questions, skepticism, and outright criticism. So take a deep breath, smile, and simply fall back. In the end, the only person’s health and wellness you are responsible for is yours. And while it may pain you to witness the unhealthy behaviors of your friends and family, they are, ultimately, responsible for their own lives, and their own choices.
So rather than spark a bitter feud and ruin a family gathering, swallow your ego and your frustration and simply say, “Well, this is actually working really well for me right now, but I do appreciate your thoughts. Now let’s get back to enjoying this delicious meal!” Sometimes, that’s all you can do … and that’s OK. Refer back to our first point: If people are open to change, they will eventually come to you, and you’ll get the opportunity to help them change their lives too.
A FAMILY AFFAIR
You may at some point find yourself faced with a dilemma—eating something less healthy that you really don’t want to eat, or hurting someone’s feelings by refusing. Handle these situations delicately. First, if the food in question is seriously going to affect your health, then you have to speak up. Your loved ones don’t want to make you sick, so if they simply didn’t realize that you don’t tolerate dairy well, explain (without getting too graphic) and politely decline the dish. If it’s just a matter of preference—you don’t want the dessert, but your mom made it special for the occasion—then it’s best to go with the flow. Accept a small piece, eat just enough to participate in the celebration, and deal with the consequences—which will be nowhere near as serious as turning down the triple-layer chocolate cake your mom spent the afternoon making just for you.
Finally, there are some “special populations” that could benefit from the program by modifying our general recommendations to accommodate their medical conditions, lifestyle, or nutritional needs. Let’s talk about those now.