5 Ways to Get Back on Track with the Autoimmune Protocol

So you have fallen off the wagon? It’s okay, don’t beat yourself up. The most important to consider now is what you are going to do about it. I have been in your place before. I went off the beaten path and suffered the consequences of eating a diet that was not optimal for my health (my allergies started acting up again, my gut was really not happy, and my energy levels were way down). So now I have a few tricks up my sleeve to get back on track with the Autoimmune Protocol whenever I lose my motivation. I hope these might prove to be helpful for you as well!

Related post: How to stick to AIP when the going gets tough?

1 – Remember how good you feel when you are eating right

The Autoimmune Protocol literally saved my life. You can read more about my story here. I had a really rough time back in 2009 when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. The most powerful step I took to regain my health was to change the way I eat and start the Autoimmune Protocol. The AIP diet allowed me to reverse my autoimmune disease and live a pain-free life, full of energy.

And that’s what I tell myself when I don’t feel like cooking or eating health-promoting foods. I remember how I was before AIP, the fatigue, the pain, the anxiety, insomnia, and all the other symptoms making my life miserable. Do I want to go back to that? Oh no! I want to feel my best, I want to sleep well, get up in the morning feeling refreshed, able to work and do all the things I love!

If you need a tangible reminder of how good the AIP makes you feel, write it down in your journal, on a flashcard, or a sticky note. Make it easy for you to remember how you were feeling before and how far you have traveled on your journey towards health.

2 – AIP emergency food

Life happens and there are days when, despite your best efforts, you just don’t have the energy or the inclination to cook. That’s when you need a plan B. That’s when you need to have a stash of AIP-approved convenience food items you can just grab and eat.

Here are some AIP-friendly staples I keep on hand:

• frozen AIP meals from Paleo On The Go (enter code SQUIRREL at checkout to get $15 off your 1st order). My favorites are their pot pies!
• cans of tuna (delicious mixed with mashed avocado and some green onions) or sardines.
• cassava chips, sweet potato chips
• coconut wraps (similar to tortillas): fill them with avocado, cut veggies, bacon, etc
• Wild Zora dehydrated chicken soup in disposable pouches. They also carry an entire line of AIP-approved meat and veggie bars and dehydrated meals (like the ones you would use while camping).

Related content: AIP convenience foods

3 – Start meal planning and batch cooking

Are you familiar with meal plans and meal prep? If not, it’s time you get on board, my friend! It does require a little time investment up-front, but the rewards make it totally worth it. This is the best way I know to eat right even if you are super busy or just too tired to cook on a daily basis.

The whole process can be broken down into 4 steps:

1. Select a few recipes you like for the week and create a menu, detailing what you will eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day.
2. Make a shopping list with all the ingredients you will need to cook these recipes. This is where an AIP pantry comes in handy.
3. Go shopping and plan a big batch cooking session. I like to shop on Saturday and batch cook on Sunday.
4. Gameday: cook all the meals on your menu and store them in the refrigerator for the week.

Now that you have prepared all your meals for the week, all you have to do is to reheat them! See how a little time investment during the weekend can make your entire week go smoothly?

4 – Know your personality tendencies

In her best-selling book “The Four Tendencies“, author Gretchen Rubin identifies 4 personalities, each responding differently to inner and outer expectations.

Once you know in which category you belong (you can take a quizz here), the book offers you a framework to:

• Understand your personality patterns.
• Make better decisions.
• Create healthy habits you can stick with.
• Generally improve your life and feel happier.

How can this help with getting back on track with the Autoimmune Protocol?

Well, reading The Four Tendencies made me realize that I stick much better to my health goals when I have outer accountability.

Outer accountability comes in many forms, such as joining a support group (that is why I joined the AIP reset program; see below), posting a picture of your meals every day on Instagram, joining discussions in Facebook groups, working with a nutritionist or health coach, etc.

When you know how you respond to expectations (whether they comne from inside you or from an outside source), you are much better equipped to implement strategies that will really work for you.

5 – Join the AIP Reset program

The AIP Reset is a 30-day online program providing help and support when you just can’t do it alone!

A while back, I really needed help to curb my renewed coffee addiction and decrease my sugar consumption. For a few months, I tried to do it on my own but I was not in a good mental place to tackle this challenge by myself. I kept failing again and again.

So I decided to join the AIP Reset program. That was one of the best decision I ever made! You can read my experience here.

Thanks to the help of Joanna Frankham, the AIP mentor/coach running the program, and the support of other people going through similar challenges in the group, I was able to accomplish my health goals. I drew strength and motivation from the group to tackle my own challenges.

Check out this post to learn more about the program and what is included in the curriculum (such as access to a private facebook group, daily videos and discussions, support from a coach, etc).

And I have a sweet deal for you! Click here and enter code SOPHIE at checkout to get 15% OFF when you register!

That’s it folks! If you have another tip or trick to stay on track or get back on track with the Autoimmune Protocol, please share in the comments below. We can all benefit from your input!