My "stop eating" button has ceased working

[grace422]

I am on day 16. I ate fairly well as a pescatarian and gluten-free before starting (about 1200-1400 calories a day). I have already been though the bloated stage of whole30 which is a stage I am glad not to repeat! I have lost X pounds off my small frame which is fine and not a real concern.

 

My problem is I am thinking about food all the time. When I eat, I think about what to eat next. Between meals I think about eating. I cannot stop thinking about food. I am not thinking about sugar or even cheese that much. Just real food. I am even thinking about a cheeseburger and it has been decades since I had one!

 

Today so far I have had: 1/2 grapefruit, 1/2 c strawberries, 1 c unsweetened organic almond milk, 3 T almond chipotle dip, 3 T guacamole, 1/4 c blueberries, a few organic blue potato chips, a banana, a pile of celery and come black decaf coffee. This is more food than I would have eaten in the past at this point in time of the day, although probably less calories.

 

Yesterday I had: 2 egg whites, 1 egg yolk, 1 c kale, banana, 1/4 c strawberries, 2 c zucchini, 1/2 c home made tomato sauce, 1/2 c grapes, 1/2 c mixed roasted nuts (homemade), 2 dates, 1/2 rxbar, 1/2 grapefruit, 1 c almond milk. Again - hungry all the time.

 

I am not really losing weight, so I am getting enough calories. But obsessing over food is not pleasant.

 

Any suggestions?

[Karen_Suep]

I can't help your mental state but... It doesn't look like you're getting enough protein (eggs should be as many as you can hold in your hand so for most women, 3-4 and the whole egg is where the nutrients are), veggies or fat.

Chips (unless made in the oven or a very shallow fry) aren't compliant.

And you're eating a lot of fruit and nuts. That can feed the sugar dragon and there are better fats out there. RX bars are emergency foods for when your stuck on the Tarmac in a blizzard and can't take off for another few hours type situations and even then, there are better emergency foods.

Also, it's hard to tell what you're eating for each meal the way you have it listed.

[grace422]

ok, what is a better fat? I would seriously eat coconut oil straight from the jar right now. Quick - where is a spoon! I will cease with the chips (I only had about 4, so that will not be a problem). I just read the information about even if the ingredients (blue potatoes, coconut oil and salt) are compliant, the food is not compliant.

[ultrarunnergirl]

Basically nothing you report eating today besides the guacamole has any filling power. You are eating too much fruit and nowhere near enough protein and veggies.

As noted, no chips of any kind are allowed unless you make your own (without deep frying).

Stick to the Meal Template portions for every meal. You may wish to hold off on fruit until Meal 2 or Meal 3. For some people (myself included) it makes me hungrier the rest of the day if eaten in the morning. 

Eat eggs, ground meat, vegetables. There are TONS of ideas, just google the phrase: Whole30 non-egg breakfast.

 

You can do this!

[jmcbn]

Have you seen the recommended food template? 1-2 palm sized pieces of protein, 1-3 cups of veg (with 3 being optimum) and a geneorus serving of fat, x3 times a day, the first within an hour of wakening. And if you're working out you'll have an additional post (& possible pre) WO meal.

You're not eating anywhere close to this, and your craving a cheeseburger cements this - cheese is particularly calorie dense and a common craving in those who are under nourished. Nutrition is cumulative and if you've been eating this way for 16 days it's no wonder you're hungry - your body needs fuel.

Not weighing is a rule by the way - just like no grains, no alcohol & no dairy - I've edited your post to remove your documented weightloss.

Step away from the scale, stop counting calories & start listening to your hunger signals & honouring them by following the meal template.

 

Seriously, eat.

[jmcbn]

ok, what is a better fat?

Avocado (& oil), coconut milk/oil/flesh, olives, olive oil, macnut oil, compliant bacon, home  made mayo & mayo based sauces, lard, ghee, tallow, schmaltz, duck/goose fat - all superior to nuts.

Fat is your friend here.

[grace422]

^{Ok, will give it a try. Obviously not going to be eating bacon, goose, duck, lard or meat, but I can add in the other suggestions.}

[Karen_Suep]

It's possible to do whole 30 sans most meats, but you'll need to up your seafood and/or egg consumption if you plan to continue W30 as a pescatarian.

[grace422]

RX bars are emergency foods for when your stuck on the Tarmac in a blizzard and can't take off for another few hours type situations and even then, there are better emergency foods.

Also, I ate part of the rxbar because it was an emergency. I was at rehearsal, had several hours to go, could not leave, and had only my emergency rxbar in my bag. It was either that or bonk and play even worse than I was and piss the rest of the group off even more. But I ate a bit and made it to the break where I had my zucchini and tomatoes. I will put some different emergency foods in my bag. Not sure what. Maybe I can figure out how to make some nut-butter balls that are easy to sneak at a rehearsal.

[Karen_Suep]

Also, I ate part of the rxbar because it was an emergency. I was at rehearsal, had several hours to go, could not leave, and had only my emergency rxbar in my bag. It was either that or bonk and play even worse than I was and piss the rest of the group off even more. But I ate a bit and made it to the break where I had my zucchini and tomatoes. I will put some different emergency foods in my bag. Not sure what. Maybe I can figure out how to make some nut-butter balls that are easy to sneak at a rehearsal.

Maybe have cans of fish and packets of olives? That way you have real food with you.

*confession* I've been carrying around an unopened jar of (compliant) mayo in my diaper bag ready to crack open because I used to hate mayo and now a jar lasts me maybe a week

[jmcbn]

^{Ok, will give it a try. Obviously not going to be eating bacon, goose, duck, lard or meat, but I can add in the other suggestions.}

Of course - I was just highlighting that there are many fat options other than nuts.

Coconut, Avocado & Macnut oils are excellent fat sources, but for improved satiety something along the lines of avocado, olives & mayo work well - the mayo can of course be made using any of the afore-mentioned oils, with half avocado & half coconut oil working particularly well.

[grace422]

Thanks all for your helpful comments. I have a few more questions.

 

I measured how much a handful of nuts is for me and it is 1/4 cup. So can I have 3 handfuls a day (3/4 cup?

 

My friend who just completed Whole30 ate like 12 servings of fruit a day so I thought I was good with the 3-4 servings I was eating. Did she not complete it correctly?

 

Last night I had 6 oz cod which I brushed with coconut oil, salt, pepper and paprika and baked, 1/2 avocado, 1 Tablespoon salsa and 1/2 sweet potato broiled according to the recipe I found on alternative breakfast foods, 1/4 jicama and 4 stalks celery.

 

This morning 2 eggs + 1 egg white + 1 cup kale with carrots and cabbage, 3 Tablespoons salsa and 1/2 c almond milk.

 

Starving. Shaking. Could eat this keyboard hungry. Weepy. Cognitive powers of a gnat. Can't write a coherent sentence without 12 re-dos. Lunch is 3.25 hours a way, not that I am counting. Frustrated.

 

Any more suggestions would be completed. Apparently I am not smart enough to figure this program out.

[jmcbn]

Thanks all for your helpful comments. I have a few more questions.

 

I measured how much a handful of nuts is for me and it is 1/4 cup. So can I have 3 handfuls a day (3/4 cup? Not unless you want to suffer some serious tummy ache, no - our recommendation would be for a closed handful every other day max.

 

My friend who just completed Whole30 ate like 12 servings of fruit a day so I thought I was good with the 3-4 servings I was eating. Did she not complete it correctly? You can eat compliant foods for 30 days and say you did a Whole30 because you haven't broken any rules, but if you want the most bang for your buck you'd follow the recommendations as well as the rules, which stipulate 1-2 servings of fruit per day, with a little more leeway in summer when there is so much of the good stuff available.

 

Last night I had 6 oz cod which I brushed with coconut oil, salt, pepper and paprika and baked, 1/2 avocado, 1 Tablespoon salsa and 1/2 sweet potato broiled according to the recipe I found on alternative breakfast foods, 1/4 jicama and 4 stalks celery.

 

This morning 2 eggs + 1 egg white + 1 cup kale with carrots and cabbage, 3 Tablespoons salsa and 1/2 c almond milk.

 

Starving. Shaking. Could eat this keyboard hungry. Weepy. Cognitive powers of a gnat. Can't write a coherent sentence without 12 re-dos. Lunch is 3.25 hours a way, not that I am counting. Frustrated.

 

Any more suggestions would be completed. Apparently I am not smart enough to figure this program out. Don't think that - your head's in a bad place right now & your brain is playing tricks on you to get you to eat what it thinks might make you feel better. Your head is wrong. Your breakfast is light on fat, and also light on veg, and don't forget that if you've been under-eating your body will be playing catch up for a few days and so it's bound to be hungry. Also, where are you in your cycle? Many women report a massive increase in appetite in the run up to their period - if this is the case increase volume of food, and increase volume of starchy veg. (And actually I'd up the starchy veg until your head is in a better place anyway - you can always cut back again. Try eating it with oily fish for maximum impact) And please, eat the whole egg!

I've replied above for you - hope this helps..... Hang tough - you're getting there!

[Karen_Suep]

Remember that a serving of eggs is as many as can fit in your hand. I'm confused why you 2 whole eggs and then added a white.

Your breakfast is better though! Just remember to add some fat. Enough fat will keep you satisfied so you don't have to picture the keyboard made out of food. It will get better. Just keep tweaking until you find the right for you combo

[grace422]

Thanks for more advice. One more question. Is eating nut-butter the same as eating nuts? So every other day a serving of nuts or nut-butter?

 

As far as the egg whites, I have genetically high cholesterol. I am not supposed to have egg yolks at all, but the absolute maximum is 300 mg cholesterol a day which is 1.6 egg yolks.

 

Tuna salad (compliant), olives, jicama, celery for my long-awaited lunch and actually starting to feel more present. Good incentive to keep going.

[SugarcubeOD]

Thanks for more advice. One more question. Is eating nut-butter the same as eating nuts? So every other day a serving of nuts or nut-butter?

 

 

Yes, nuts and nutbutters are all the same category and combined should be every other day at most...

[SugarcubeOD]

Starving. Shaking. Could eat this keyboard hungry. Weepy. Cognitive powers of a gnat. Can't write a coherent sentence without 12 re-dos. Lunch is 3.25 hours a way, not that I am counting. Frustrated.

 

 

If you are this hungry between meals while we help you get this figured out, EAT!  Seriously... no one should be starving, weepy and shaking on this program.  If lunch is 3.5 hours away and you're in this state already, it is not a recommendation to tough it out...during the transition to figuring out this way of eating, if you need to be eating between meals, protein and fat or protein and veggies is great... seriously, we wouldn't want you in this condition...

[Karen_Suep]

Thanks for more advice. One more question. Is eating nut-butter the same as eating nuts? So every other day a serving of nuts or nut-butter?

As far as the egg whites, I have genetically high cholesterol. I am not supposed to have egg yolks at all, but the absolute maximum is 300 mg cholesterol a day which is 1.6 egg yolks.

Tuna salad (compliant), olives, jicama, celery for my long-awaited lunch and actually starting to feel more present. Good incentive to keep going.

More recent studies suggest that nutritional cholesterol doesn't affect blood lipids, but dr's orders trump w30. You still need a bit more protein for breakfast, maybe add a little bit of fish?

[grace422]

Hi all,

 

Thanks for pulling me back from the brink. I have been focusing on eating protein, healthy fats and vegetables and feel soooooo much better. Not to belabor the point, but I am still confused about the nuts. On the template it says:

"Add fat in the following recommended amounts per meal: Nuts and seeds: Up to one closed handful"

 

But the advice here is: "our recommendation would be for a closed handful every other day max"

 

Why? What is the problem with nuts?

 

Many thanks and have a happy weekend.

[Karen_Suep]

It has poor omega ratios and causes gut issues for lots of people. Also some have high amounts of anti nutrients :-/