How to Tell If You’re Having Sex With Your Pants On (SWYPO)
As a Whole30 Certified Coach, I have found that there is one rule that is most confusing to my clients: no SWYPO allowed. What is SWYPO? If you’re brand new to Whole30, know that SWYPO stands for Sex With Your Pants On, and it basically means you’re not allowed to recreate your favorite foods out of Whole30-compatible ingredients. (Note: this is now referred to as The Pancake Rule.) The point of this rule is to help you change your habits around food— one of the main goals of the Whole30. If you make a pizza out of coconut flour and cashew cheese, for example, your brain still knows it’s getting pizza and the habit or craving lives on. Plus, these recreations are not as good as the real thing and can leave you feeling unsatisfied.
Sometimes, it’s easy to tell if something is SWYPO. Do a quick Pinterest search and you’ll know what I mean: you’ll find recipes for “Whole30 pancakes” and “Whole30 muffins” and these are definitely SWYPO. But there’s also some gray area: what about a creamy dip made with cashews, or an unsweetened coconut yogurt? Here’s the hard truth: I can’t always tell you if it’s SWYPO. Sometimes, you have to be honest with yourself about your cravings and habits and decide for yourself.
So, how can you tell if a food is SWYPO for you? Here are some questions to ask yourself:
Am I recreating a food that I usually use to treat, comfort, or reward myself?
Am I able to have some of this food and then stop, or will I want to just keep eating it beyond when I am full?
Will eating this food contribute to my goals for my Whole30, or
Will eating this food reinforce some of the habits I am trying to change by doing a Whole30?
Let me share an example to show you what this can look like: one food that has been SWYPO for me is Larabars. The flavor names alone provide a clue here (e.g., Cashew Cookie, Blueberry Muffin, Cherry Pie). I would eat them as a treat, I would want to keep eating as many as I had in the pantry, and eating them reinforced my habit of having something sweet after a meal or as an afternoon treat.
I once did a Whole30 where I ate Larabars every day. By the end of my Whole30, my sugar cravings were very strong and I knew exactly why. The next Whole30, I didn’t allow myself to have any Larabars, since they were clearly SWYPO for me. My sugar cravings were noticeably lower at the end. Now, I’m able to have Larabars here and there during a Whole30 without awakening my Sugar Dragon. I have had many other clients who are able to eat a few Larabars during their Whole30s, and it doesn’t throw them off course, so I would not consider Larabars to be SWYPO for them.
Yes, the SWYPO rule can be a little fuzzy, and that requires you to do some soul-searching, be honest with yourself, and reflect on your eating habits. But that’s a good thing! Being able to do this is an incredibly important skill that will benefit your diet and wellbeing beyond the Whole30. It’s worth taking the time to practice this now so you can implement it during your Food Freedom and maintain the benefits of your Whole30 long term.
What about you? What foods are SWYPO for you?
