July 06, 2026

46: Making the Elimination Phase Sustainable

23 minutes

In this episode, AIP Certified Coaches Jaime Hartman and Marie-Noelle Marquis answer a listener question that gets at something many people feel but don't say out loud: do you really have to do AIP every single day? Can you give yourself weekends off? The short answer is yes, the elimination phase requires full adherence to work. But the more important conversation is about understanding why, and then building the conditions that actually make it possible to sustain.

Key Points Covered

What full adherence means during the elimination phase of both core AIP and modified AIP, and why both frameworks require the same level of commitment even though modified AIP gives you more foods to choose from

Why the lifestyle branches of AIP (sleep, movement, stress management, time in nature, social connection) allow for more day-to-day flexibility than the dietary portion

How the elimination phase works as a physiological reset: removing potential triggers long enough for inflammation to calm and symptoms to shift, so that the reintroduction phase can give you reliable information

Why "doing AIP five or six days a week" isn't almost AIP, it's a different thing entirely, and why neutral language (full adherence, not "cheating" or "being good") matters when thinking about this

How the urge to take weekends off is useful information, not a character flaw, and how to use it to identify the root cause of what's making your current approach unsustainable

Common sustainability gaps and their root causes: food boredom, social pressure, feeling deprived rather than empowered, lack of planning, and unsupportive home environments

Why helping clients identify their specific sustainability gap is more valuable than lecturing them on compliance, and how to use a client's desire for a "cheat day" as a coaching opportunity

Practical strategies for making full adherence sustainable: batch cooking and freezer stocking, building an AIP social toolkit for navigating restaurants and gatherings, finding abundance in the protocol's yes list, setting a defined endpoint, and leaning into the AIP community for accountability

How cravings can shift over time as the microbiome changes, and why a spirit of detachment (rather than "white-knuckling") can help with foods you're grieving during elimination

Resources Mentioned

Episode 1: The ABCs of AIP

Episode 6: Answering Common Questions About AIP

Episode 43: Our Conversation with Mickey Trescott

Freezer Cooking for the Paleo AIP, edited by Jaime Hartman

Urban AIP (AIP-compliant meal delivery)

Autoimmune Wellness (Mickey Trescott's website)

The New Autoimmune Protocolby Mickey Trescott

AIP Certified Coach directory

...more

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By Jaime Hartman & Marie-Noelle Marquis

44 ratings