How long does the personalised phase last?

The length of the personalised phase of a low FODMAP diet is individual and will be dependent on many other factors. Things that can influence the timescale include;

• number of FODMAPs tolerated in isolation
• frequency of FODMAP reactions/flare-ups
• severity of FODMAP reactions/flare-ups
• non-FODMAP related flare-ups
• general health and wellbeing
• nutritional need to reintroduce at a quicker/slower pace
• time and energy available for experimenting
• anxiety over reintroductions
• holidays, celebrations, commitments
• work schedule, lifestyle, external factors
• follow up appointments with dietitian or healthcare team

Unlike the first two phases of the diet, there's no set timescale or strict schedule to stick to. The experiments and challenges you set yourself in the personalised phase are specific to you. They take into account the factors above plus everything you've learned about your triggers so far.

How does this fit into my life?

In reality, the personalised phase happens quite naturally as you begin to relax back into your regular diet.

Some people may find they can quickly reintroduce most FODMAPs back into their diet in decent portions. This means they can go back to eating a pretty much "normal" diet for them with a few tweaks here and there.

Others have issues with combining FODMAPs together or eating multiple FODMAPs. In this case, they'd need to continue experimenting with their personal threshold to try to achieve a balance.

For the unfortunate few that struggle with reintroducing most FODMAPs back into their diet, revisiting the FODMAP challenges to see how their tolerances change over time may become part of their long term dietary plan.

Many people continue to tweak, retest and experiment with new foods and combinations as part of their regular eating habits in day to day life. So you could argue that the personalised phase continues for as long as you are aware of how the food you eat is affecting your gut. In addition to this awareness, for as long as you implement the things you've learned to improve or relieve your IBS.

Looking for more help for your low FODMAP personalised phase? Check out the other posts in this series.

How long was your personalised phase? Share your tips in the comments below.