Just starting out and terrified about gaining

[pattyw]

I recently lost 40 lbs on a program where you buy the program food.  This program discouraged gym workouts.  I wanted to be back in the gym so I quit before reaching weight loss goals.  I have about 20-25 lbs yet I want to lose.  I know W30 isn't about weight loss but it is for me.  I'm terrified about gaining from eating carb dense foods like potatoes.  I really like sweet potatoes and prefer them over white.  Is there a guide to only have them a few times a week?  I'm a picky eater with things like rutabaga, parsnips, etc I'd rather pass.  I workout with weights and cardio 3 times a week.  Will I be gaining weight eating them often?  I can't go back to weighing more than I do now.  

[loobylifts]

Congrats on the weight loss! Theres a thread similar to this here http://forum.whole30.com/topic/31991-sheer-terror-i-wont-lose-weight/with some great points it is daunting starting out on such a different program, but it will most definitely be worth it! Remember that weight loss is only a minor benefit of the whole30..think of all the other benefits! Better skin, shinier hair, stronger body, healed gut, the list goes on! You never know until you try, so go for it As for carb levels, its very personal. If you're going to be working out you will need more carbs than a sedentary person, but the only way to know for sure is to experiment! I'm not on a whole30 at present but I eat starchy carbs every day and I have not gained weight (even though thats my goal ) you will be just fine! 

[Doge1117]

I would be more terrified if you were still sticking with a program "where you buy the program food" and are "discouraged [from] gym workouts." You have found a sensible plan here. Your hormones will regulate so that your body learns how to drop weight the right way. I think if you keep big-picture goals in mind, you will see results you want.

[ultrarunnergirl]

For you, staying off the scale will be paramount to your success. You can do this!

 

I'm a slim runner who ate starchy veggies throughout my first (and subsequent) Whole30(s) and still lost weight, even though I was not trying to do so. You do not want to go too low carb, that will backfire. Eat your starchy veggies (and your lean protein) for your Post Workout meal, and perhaps a fist size portion at Meal 3. See how you feel. Active people will always need more starchy veggies than non-active people to function.

 

My advice for your best results: Make sure you are eating meals based on the Meal Template. Stay away from nuts and dried fruit (too easy to overeat).

 

The really good news? As you progress in your Whole30, your tastebuds will change and things like rutabaga will start to taste amazing. I shred mine and fry them up with some onion and spices, then top with fried eggs. YUM!

[ShannonM816]

I recently lost 40 lbs on a program where you buy the program food.  This program discouraged gym workouts.  I wanted to be back in the gym so I quit before reaching weight loss goals.  I have about 20-25 lbs yet I want to lose.  I know W30 isn't about weight loss but it is for me.  I'm terrified about gaining from eating carb dense foods like potatoes.  I really like sweet potatoes and prefer them over white.  Is there a guide to only have them a few times a week?  I'm a picky eater with things like rutabaga, parsnips, etc I'd rather pass.  I workout with weights and cardio 3 times a week.  Will I be gaining weight eating them often?  I can't go back to weighing more than I do now.  

 

Hi, Patty -- I came to Whole30 after doing Medifast, which may or may not be what you did, but sounds very similar. It was low carb, low fat, low calorie, and while they said it was okay to do some light exercise, that was definitely not the focus of the program. I just want to offer some reassurance. I was thrilled to be able to eat sweet potatoes and fruit, and probably overdid it with them that first round, plus I really, really embraced the added fat (I strongly encourage you to try making your own mayo, it is absolutely wonderful on pretty much everything). I lost just over seven pounds on that first Whole30, which is a good amount of weight to lose in a month, a little over a pound a week. It's not as impressive as some people's results, but I suspect since I came straight from Medifast to this, with no real break in between, I didn't have water weight to lose or anything like that, it was just continued weight loss, just with better tasting food, no hangriness between meals, and a much more sustainable feel to it. 

 

Please just trust in the Whole30 program for the next month. Build your meals to meet the meal template, don't stress too much about carby vs non-carby vegetables, instead just eat a variety of vegetables of all colors. Try not to eat too much fruit (the recommendation is limit it to two servings a day, where a serving is about the size of your fist, and not to let fruit push the vegetables off your plate), but if you think a chicken salad made with diced apple and a few grapes along with mayo and walnuts, on top of a bed of salad greens or stuffed in half a tomato or bell pepper along with some other vegetables sounds good, go for it.