Day 17 and NO Results!!

[LMR822]

Hi y'all.  So here I am, on day 17, and I'm feeling pretty much the same as I did before I started.  I can report that my energy levels have improved slightly, but not enough to say that this result can be wholly attributed to Whole30.  Just to give a bit of a background on myself, I am a curvy 5'11", well-proportioned (i.e. excess weight gained doesn't all go to just one place, it's pretty evenly dispersed), Manhattanite (I walk at least 2.5-3 mi. a day, just living in the city), gym member (I try to go at least 3 times a week, but have been slacking a bit lately), and have tried other weight loss/eating plans (specifically Weight Watchers and other low carb, high protein/veggie-heavy, no drinking eating plans).  I am no stranger to following and sticking to an eating plan.  My intention for Whole30 was for it to act as a "reset," in hopes of shedding excess pounds and inches for spring/summer.  I have NO clue what I'm doing wrong because I am just NOT seeing any results!!  I'm following the plan as instructed with NO results and am becoming more and more defeated.  I'm still trying to remain positive, but I can't believe that by day 17, I have not lost any inches, nor have I seen any difference in how clothes are fitting me.  I even tried on several pairs of pants this AM that fit  me exactly the same as before I started.  I am desperate to hear from anyone who can help shed some light because as of now, I am at a complete loss and not feeling good about all the time and money spent on following this plan.  I can provide a daily eating log if anyone wants to see it, but don't want to add to an already lengthy post.  HELP ME PLEASE!

[jmcbn]

Ok, first - breathe.

Second - this is NOT a weight loss plan.

Third - this is a THIRTY day gut re-set/food elimination plan, not 17 - you have some ways to go yet. Many people don't feel/see the results until the latter stages depending on where they were coming into this.

You say your energy is improved slightly so that's a good start. What other changes have you seen? Are you sleeping better? Have steady energy throughout the day? Did you have any pre-existing medical conditions? What was your diet like preW30? What do your meals look like now? Are you including pre/postWO meals on the days that you DO work out?

I'll be honest - I'd worry that your primary focus of weight loss is causing you unnecessary stress, which is in turn effecting your hormones (hello cortisol), which isn't doing you any favours....

[SugarcubeOD]

Hi there

Sorry you're feeling disheartened.  This is a 30 day plan, not a 17 day plan for starters... second, it's not a weightloss diet, it's an elimination diet meant to heal your gut to help determine at the end, how individual foods affect you.  That said, weightloss is 'sometimes' a side effect but is in no way guaranteed.

Can you please provide a breakdown of what you've been eating including portion sizes, specific veggies, protein and fats at each meal, meal timing, water intake, sleep, stress, exercise, pre and post workout meals if you have them.  The more detail the better and we don't mind reading long posts.

[MeadowLily]

Google fu,  Whole 30 discouraged, I'm defeated, I'm bloated and my jeans no longer fit,  I'm ready to quit, this isn't working for me, HELP.... with Whole 30 and you'll come up with previous answers. 

A Food Reset has nothing to do with dieting or losing weight. If you didn't lose a single pound, it wouldn't matter.  Trading UP for muscle mass is far superior than a quick weight loss fix. That doesn't last.  Losing 10 or 18 lbs in 30 days, it's mostly muscle mass.

If you regain that same 10 or 18  lbs back in the next month or so, it does not come back as muscle mass.  Rebounding quickly, regaining it all, it comes back as fat, the unhealthiest kind.

A Food Reset can change your gut which can change your life.  Gut healing is superior to fast tracking it with fast weight loss. Regaining everything within another few weeks or even a major 100 lbs  - regaining all  back within the next year.  That's some real mental discouragement and feeling defeated...never to be heard from again.

Far better to goooo Oooooo sooooo slowly and actually maintain the positive results of Whole 30 than having to start over and over and over again.   The mindwarp of the scale, the scale, the scale...or the inches.

Be honest.  How long have you been struggling with other plans that were so brutally strict right out of the chute that you could not continue.

Stay the course, finish it out and complete a reintro phase.  Immediately.  Then come back for further tweaking or help with creating a positive food management plan that you can live with for the rest of your life.  One that you can manage.  

 

[Cambria144]

LMR822

I appreciate you sharing your struggle as it helps all we newbies know were are not the only ones trying to work through challenges. I hope you'll hang in   there until day 30. Look forward to reading your "I made it" post in a couple of weeks. 

 

[LMR822]

Hi guys, thanks for the words/encouragement. I went into this program super open minded, with a positive attitude, and with the mindset of knowing change doesn't happen overnight.  I have NO intentions of quitting; I am absolutely going to finish the 30 days, no question about it.  I understand that I'm only on day 17, and still have another 2-ish weeks to go.  I just wanted to get some insight from others who may have been experiencing the same thing.  Regarding "stressing out," I'm not spending time stressing over it at all.  I haven't been obsessing day after day, meal after meal.  I'm just now, at day 17, beginning to feel slightly defeated.  This doesn't mean that I'm in a completely negative head-space at all.  In fact, I've remained quite positive.  My eating before this was not much different.  In the weeks leading up to me trying W30, I was eating very closely to the plan, with the exception of alcohol, some whole grains (quinoa and brown rice mainly), and "indulging" only on the weekends.  Me being a Texas girl, I love my beer, whiskey, wine, etc etc. I drank at least 1 or 2 glasses a day.  My daily eating is close to the following:

Breakfast: 3 organic eggs over veggies (normally whatever I have in the fridge and has been mainly sauteed kale and broccoli, sweet potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts) and black coffee.  I'll often add a couple slices of avocado on top of it all, and crushed red peppers.

Lunch: any W30 recipe, and maybe some fresh veggies (celery, carrots, broccoli) with the W30 ranch dressing recipe (made with Primal Kitchen paleo/W30 friendly mayo).  I've tried the pork shoulder with butternut squash, kale and tomatoes (yum!!), and the brisket recipe (I ate it with sweet potatoes and brussesls sprouts). This week, I made a pulled tandoori chicken recipe that I found online ( http://thebigmansworld.com/2015/03/22/pulled-tandoori-chicken/) over the coconut cauliflower rice (yum!!).  This meal is SO good.

Dinner: I'm blanking on exactly what I've eaten for dinner throughout the weeks...but as best as I can remember: week 1, I made sauteed shrimp with zoodles and a puttanesca sauce, week 2 was buffalo chicken (W30 buffalo sauce recipe found in book) with sweet potato "chips" and some of the ranch dressing or a small baked potato. This week, I am having all natural pork loin chops (organic, seasoned with cracked black pepper and sea salt) with sauteed veggies (again, mainly broccoli and brussels sprouts, or a small/medium sweet potato). 

 All meals are made with organic meats/eggs and using either ghee and EVOO as the cooking fat. In all honesty, this eating plan is the easiest one I've tried!  The only headache I've had is tracking down the Primal Kitchen mayo, that's it.  And more importantly, I'm not constantly obsessing over food all day, everyday, which is why I discontinued Weight Watchers.  That's no way to live your life, obsessing over every little thing that goes into your mouth!  Protein intake is fairly balanced and usually depends on what I'm eating it with.  But I think it's safe to say that most meals are more "veggie heavy" than protein.  I'm also constantly drinking water, at least 3 liters a day, which either comes in the form of just tap water or seltzer (mainly La Croix).  I usually get about 7-8 hours of sleep a night, and I have been noticing that I'm more prone to stay asleep the full night, whereas in the past I've gone through spells of waking up at 4 AM and not being able to go back to sleep.  Energy seems to be *sort of* consistent throughout the day, but by no means am I leaping out of bed every morning, super ready to take on the day. I have no pre-existing medical conditions.  I am a very healthy girl, with the exception of carrying an extra 20 lbs that I'd like to shed. 

[jmcbn]

1 hour ago, LMR822 said:

I am a very healthy girl, with the exception of carrying an extra 20 lbs that I'd like to shed. 

Do you need to shed 20lbs though? Often we have some idea in our heads of how we'd like to look but it is often very different to where our bodiies are at their happiest...

Your meals sound okay to me going on what you've said. You're sleeping well, have better energy - I'd say you're on the right track. If your eating wasn't HUGELY different before then it's possible that you won't see an abundance of change, and it may be thatthe benefits you gain will be during your reintroductions.

As has been said before this is NOT a weight loss diet. Many people lose weight as a side effect of making huge changes to their diet, but many do not.

Keep on trucking  I'd say, see how you feel in another week, and in the mean time focus on any other changes/improvements you might have - healthier looking hair, stronger/faster growing nails, less bloat/aches/pains, clearer skin etc...

Hope this helps.

[amyrob79]

I too am on Day 17 and although much shorter - 5'3, am also hourglass, curvy, proportionate body type. I can so relate to everything you said!!!! I too have been following the program and getting slightly discouraged at not seeing weight/fat loss results. I also was just trying on my pants/shorts last night because we have an upcoming trip to the beach in 10 days and I'm getting a little anxious. I was hoping this would help me drop a few lbs at least. Its frustrating to see all these people saying "oh I've lost 10 lbs!" or whatever and I would be thrilled with 4-5 or my pants fitting better. I'm not weighing but I know my body well enough to know - what I weigh when my pants fit me like they are.

But I am like you...I am determined to finish. I do feel better - energy, better digestion, can tell certain foods were bothering me.

But I would like to feel like I'm also making some progress on losing a bit of stubborn fat too. And GEEZ, for the love of god, I KNOW its not a weight loss program but EVERYONE raves about how much weight they have lost on the program so its frustrating for that part to be dismissed. And I also know its a 30 day program but you would think if you are going to see weight loss progress it would come gradually - its not like 5 lbs is going disappear in week 4!!!

[LMR822]

47 minutes ago, jmcbn said:

Do you need to shed 20lbs though? Often we have some idea in our heads of how we'd like to look but it is often very different to where our bodiies are at their happiest...

Yes, I absolutely do- I'm 200 lbs. and don't fit into clothes that I could fit into at this time last year. I am overweight. I've gained at least 10 lbs during the holidays and into the winter, which is fairly normal for me (and I'm sure a lot of people) during the colder months.  I know the primary goal of this eating plan is not specifically to lose weight, but if I'm eliminating foods from my diet that were the cause of my weight gain, on top of not drinking alcohol, and I'm not losing any weight, then how else am I supposed to be eating?  Eating this type of diet should absolutely result in weight loss and I'm concerned that it isn't happening for me, or hasn't happened to me by this far into the program.  Regardless on if the intention of W30 is weight loss or not, I should be losing weight since I am eating healthy, clean food. I have no intention of quitting, and I'm SO happy that you confirmed that my meals are looking right.  I had no doubt in my mind that they were off, but it's really nice to hear confirmation of that  

[LMR822]

20 minutes ago, amyrob79 said:

I too am on Day 17 and although much shorter - 5'3, am also hourglass, curvy, proportionate body type. I can so relate to everything you said!!!! I too have been following the program and getting slightly discouraged at not seeing weight/fat loss results. I also was just trying on my pants/shorts last night because we have an upcoming trip to the beach in 10 days and I'm getting a little anxious. I was hoping this would help me drop a few lbs at least. Its frustrating to see all these people saying "oh I've lost 10 lbs!" or whatever and I would be thrilled with 4-5 or my pants fitting better. I'm not weighing but I know my body well enough to know - what I weigh when my pants fit me like they are.

But I am like you...I am determined to finish. I do feel better - energy, better digestion, can tell certain foods were bothering me.

But I would like to feel like I'm also making some progress on losing a bit of stubborn fat too. And GEEZ, for the love of god, I KNOW its not a weight loss program but EVERYONE raves about how much weight they have lost on the program so its frustrating for that part to be dismissed. And I also know its a 30 day program but you would think if you are going to see weight loss progress it would come gradually - its not like 5 lbs is going disappear in week 4!!!

Amen, sister! Your reply had me laughing and agreeing with everything you said. It's super frustrating to hear other people's weight loss success and not seeing any of your own. Even if the intention of W30 is not weight loss, by eliminating crappy food and alcohol, weight loss should be happening. Stay strong, girl! And know there's another gal who is feeling the same way as you 

[MeadowLily]

Melissa says it best...

 

 

 

My short answer is… no. No, I cannot offer you suggestions to tweak the Whole30 for weight loss, because the Whole30 is not a weight loss program. But that’s the “tough” part of my tough love, and there’s way more “love” to be found in this answer. So, here’s the longer version (which, by the way, does actually include a few tips).

I don’t want anyone to take the Whole30, designed for a VERY specific purpose, and try to tweak it to accomplish something it was not designed specifically to do. Could you make some changes to your lawnmower engine so it turns into a bubble machine for your kid? Probably. But that’s pretty dangerous, and it probably won’t mow your lawn very well after that.

Samesies with tweaking the Whole30 for weight loss by purposefully counting/cutting calories, unnecessarily restricting food groups (like carbs or fat), or adding protocols like Intermittent Fasting. You’ll do some serious damage to the way the program is supposed to work… and you probably won’t get much further in your weight loss journey either. At least, not the kind of sustainable, permanent weight loss the Whole30 offers, exactly as written.

Because I just KNOW you’re not looking for a quick-fix. You’ve done that. It never works. Moving on.

Our premise is simple—change your health (tastes, blood sugar regulation, hormonal balance, digestion, immune system), habits (how you reward, self-soothe, comfort, and show love to yourself), and emotional relationship with food (losing cravings, attachments to, and dysfunctional thoughts around food), and a healthy body composition has to follow. It HAS to. But it doesn’t work the other way around.

You can make your Whole30 a low-calorie, low-fat, low-carb approach, and you’ll for sure lose weight. But you’ll screw up your hunger, cravings, hormones, and willpower AND slow your metabolism. Which means (you guessed it)… welcome to Rebound-O-Rama, where you violently descend into a frenzy of donuts/cookies/cakes/chips/wine, and end up regaining all the weight and then some. How do I know this will happen? SCIENCE. The literature clearly shows that diets based on caloric restriction simply don’t work for sustainable weight loss.

So don’t turn your Whole30 into another quick-fix crash diet. The very idea breaks my heart.

Here’s the thing; the Whole30 isn’t a weight loss program, but I know you want to lose weight. And I honor that. I just want you to do it the right way. So, now we get to the meat of the question: Can I offer some suggestions to help you lose weight on the Whole30? I can. Here you go.

1. Sleep more, and sleep regularly. Yes, I’m serious. This is perhaps the biggest unrecognized factor in body composition, and really just about everything else.

2. Walk. Here’s a bold statement: walking is the most underrated form of exercise. You don’t have to join a gym, kill yourself at home in front of a DVD, or sign up for an adventure race. Just go for a walk. Regularly, at a brisk pace. Maybe sometimes up a hill. Maybe sometimes with a backpack. Ideally outside in a green space. Hey, bring a friend!

3. Reduce stress. Yeah, yeah, easier said than done, but I’ve got a strategy outlined in Food Freedom Forever, and a 20-minute talk about the stress/craving connection to get you started.

4. Embrace a growth mindset. I talk about this a lot in Food Freedom Forever, but the best thing you could do for healthy, happy, sustainable body composition is embrace the idea that you are a healthy person, living a healthy lifestyle. Then, surround yourself with people, places, things, and experiences that support that!

Armed with those tips, the new Whole30 Cookbook, our amazing @whole30 social media community, and our extensive NSV Checklist (many of which, as requested, are things you can SEE and not just feel!), there’s no way you won’t rock round 2 of your Whole30—regardless of the scale.

Best in health,
Melissa

 

[MicMD2503]

Hi everyone !

Here I am on Day 18. I can honestly say I feel a lot better since starting the Whole30...no more acid reflux, intestinal distress,  I sleep better at night, am more even-tempered (so says my husband LOL); energy levels are pretty good (enough sleep is key, as I have found..)  have been enjoying the heck out of cooking compliant meals using the W30 book and the recipes on the Instagram feeds ! last night made salmon cakes, they were great ! the other day I made walnut crusted pork tenderloin, loved it ! I don't know if I have lost weight (have avoided the scale, as prescribed)  but I am pretty sure I lost a few pounds as my clothes fit better...So far so good. I've gotten into some kind of rythm that I never thought I could...

so, what's the issue ?  Well today, I am daydreaming...about chocolate...strawberry shortcake (it's spring!); pizza;... I knew this phase was coming as Melissa describes it in the book. I guess I just need to suck it up and keep going but will appreciate any and all suggestions from all you veteran Whole30ers out there ! Maybe I am getting bored with the restricted choices...I am determined to make it to Day 30 and beyond but I guess right now I need a little pep talk

Thanks!

[SugarcubeOD]

42 minutes ago, MicMD2503 said:

Hi everyone !

Here I am on Day 18. I can honestly say I feel a lot better since starting the Whole30...no more acid reflux, intestinal distress,  I sleep better at night, am more even-tempered (so says my husband LOL); energy levels are pretty good (enough sleep is key, as I have found..)  have been enjoying the heck out of cooking compliant meals using the W30 book and the recipes on the Instagram feeds ! last night made salmon cakes, they were great ! the other day I made walnut crusted pork tenderloin, loved it ! I don't know if I have lost weight (have avoided the scale, as prescribed)  but I am pretty sure I lost a few pounds as my clothes fit better...So far so good. I've gotten into some kind of rythm that I never thought I could...

so, what's the issue ?  Well today, I am daydreaming...about chocolate...strawberry shortcake (it's spring!); pizza;... I knew this phase was coming as Melissa describes it in the book. I guess I just need to suck it up and keep going but will appreciate any and all suggestions from all you veteran Whole30ers out there ! Maybe I am getting bored with the restricted choices...I am determined to make it to Day 30 and beyond but I guess right now I need a little pep talk

Thanks!

 

PepTalk:

There is nothing about chocolate, shortcake or pizza that is so rare that it won't be around later... there is also nothing about any of those things that is going to be of more value in the short term than the long term feelings of success and completion that you'll have when you finish!

Don't fall for the super engineered foods calling your name... you're already smarter than that!

Also, there is nothing about the food you can eat that has to be boring... look up www.meljoulwan.com for amazing flavorful recipes that are easy and amazingly tasty to perk up your tastebuds!

[jmcbn]

15 hours ago, LMR822 said:

I should be losing weight since I am eating healthy, clean food.

Perhaps. I mean 'It Starts With Food', right? Yep. But it doesn't end there.

There are MANY folk on this forum who, through Whole30, have discovered some underlying health condition - a vitamin D, Chromium or Zinc deficiency for example (all common deficiencies linked with weight gain or difficulty in losing weight), or a thyroid problem, SIBO, or even Menopause..... If you happen to be suffering from ANY of these things (even if you don't know it) your body will priortise healing over anything else. Not everything can be treated with food, so if you do have weight to lose, and you get to 30 days (or even 45 or 60 as many chose to do) seeing absolutely no change, having followed all of the rules and all of the recommendations surrounding the meal template, no snacking, pre/post WO meals etc., then perhaps it's time you talked with a functional medicine practitioner.

[LMR822]

I certainly see how the issues above could be to blame. But considering that I have had success in losing a significant amount of weight in the past with other programs that don't completely cut out certain foods, it's highly unlikely that a medical condition is to blame. I've lost upwards of 25-30 pounds in the past on Weight Watchers, and even had success on the program as recent as last year. But as I mentioned earlier in the thread, I got off of WW because I found myself becoming SO obsessed with food and with every little thing that went into my mouth. Food/point usage was all that I thought about, and I hated it. That's no way to live. Maybe quitting some foods cold turkey isn't what works best for me, which I guess in theory is "good" because I'm not depriving myself of things I want to eat. But it goes against the common sense thought of "eat healthy, lose weight" which absolutely doesn't make ANY sense. At all. 

[MeadowLily]

I believe the best thing we can do is stay true to the spirit of the Whole 30. 

I like giving honor to ISWF and the Whole 30 pioneers who've gone before me.  That includes the Boss, Mods - past and present and alumni that have given it their all.

Those of us who've been here a few years have watched those who've dialed down a Whole 30 into a few chicken thigh bones and a spinach ball, never to be heard from again. 

They had a chance at finding their pathway to healing but they did not listen to sound advice. They tried to combine all past dieting practices with a Food Reset program.  It doesn't work.  

Change your gut and you can change your life.  I've known that since reading every manifesto and many threads on this forum. It's the key to everything.

Out of your gut flow the issues of your life.  Fix that and everything will fall into place.  Mostly hormones but it's the silent autoimmune diseases and issues that people may not even know they have.  More dieting won't fix it.   More dieting will actually speed up the destruction of the thyroid gland.

The most honorable thing we can do is quit coaching others strictly for the weight loss.  If that actually worked, the secret dieters would've found true lasting success, forever. They wouldn't need to keep starting over and over and over again.

One diet, one time and it should solve everything.  It doesn't and it never will.  Focusing strictly on weight loss actually stops the weight loss.  The body and brain are connected. They are bent on survival.  You've got to throw the weight loss focus out with the bathwater.  Wash it on down the drain.  

Don't give it another thought.  If all of the other things that people have done worked...they wouldn't be looking for a dieting hack.  It doesn't work.  Even a gastric bypass can't fix it...not long term, anyway.  The appetite control center is located in the brain, not the stomach.

Start eating the template, 3 meals aday for 30 days.  Don't look back over your shoulder.  If all of the past experiences did not result in lasting weight loss ...it's time to clean the slate.

It anyone tries to lead you down another dialed down path that reduces your food down into a 2 or 3 items while trying to outexercise all past dieting flops...don't listen.  Keep your eyes forward and remain focused on template, template, template.  

 Yesterday's past temporary dieting successes are gone.  We only have NOW and today to make real changes for the future.

 

 

[MeadowLily]

Lastly,   thanks for asking this question.  I'm speaking in general.  I remind myself that brutally strict diets made my life a living hail. 

I'm not starting over. I won't let anyone lead me into a dieting hack.  Honing in with discernment we  clearly see that Whole 30 is a springboard into finding a sustainable way of eating for the rest of your life without ever dieting again.

[slc_melissa]

Just wanted to say that you probably shouldn't dismiss a possible medical condition based on your past, because things do change over time. My thyroid was fine most of my life, until it wasn't.

[SugarLandGirl]

Blatantly honest here....I am on day 15 and although I am sleeping better (which IS a big success) and have less stomach upset and gas, we are so programmed to look at the scale and evaluate ourselves based on the changes to the scale.  I hear everything that everyone is saying about this not being a weight loss program, and I do agree that on Weight Watchers, I thought about food all the time and the changes to their program every year or so were ridiculous and too hard to keep up with.  At least on this program I am not constantly looking things up and calculating.  Its pretty clear after the first week. I definitely think less about food on day 15, but again, I think less about eating it, not less about food in general, because I have never cooked this much or shopped this much in my life even though I love to cook.  That part is a bit exhausting after two weeks.  But for those who said they are discouraged by no weight loss or change in the fit of their clothes, I do relate completely!  I am trying hard not to let this rule my mind and not to measure success or failure by it, but its very very hard.  I would like to know from anyone else if it took them till the third or fourth week to notice these changes.  I don't even care if I lose 2 pounds the whole month.  But to lose nothing when I am sacrificing all my favorite things to eat, is depressing at times.  For reference, I have about 10 pounds to lose.  People don't have to tell their weight, but it really helps when people say how much they would "like" to lose or how much a doctor might tell them to lose.  I read many blog entries where people say "I lost 15 pounds!" and then some of us get depressed, but what we may not know is if this person was perhaps 50 pounds overweight, and perhaps then the 15 pounds comes off quicker.  It also helps if people give their age range-I am post menopausal and I know plays a part in things as well.  I am 100% committed to finishing this program, and have not had significant cravings, but would love to put on some pants and feel like I need a belt or something like that or even have someone else notice that I look different...

 

[Monii_1013]

On 4/13/2017 at 0:23 PM, amyrob79 said:

But I would like to feel like I'm also making some progress on losing a bit of stubborn fat too. And GEEZ, for the love of god, I KNOW its not a weight loss program but EVERYONE raves about how much weight they have lost on the program so its frustrating for that part to be dismissed. And I also know its a 30 day program but you would think if you are going to see weight loss progress it would come gradually - its not like 5 lbs is going disappear in week 4!!!

YES to this! 

[illiah]

I have completed 2 Whole 30's and am finishing up a third. The magic happens the last week. Seriously.

[ArtFossil]

On 4/14/2017 at 3:28 PM, SugarLandGirl said:

Blatantly honest here....I am on day 15 and although I am sleeping better (which IS a big success) and have less stomach upset and gas, we are so programmed to look at the scale and evaluate ourselves based on the changes to the scale.  I hear everything that everyone is saying about this not being a weight loss program, and I do agree that on Weight Watchers, I thought about food all the time and the changes to their program every year or so were ridiculous and too hard to keep up with.  At least on this program I am not constantly looking things up and calculating.  Its pretty clear after the first week. I definitely think less about food on day 15, but again, I think less about eating it, not less about food in general, because I have never cooked this much or shopped this much in my life even though I love to cook.  That part is a bit exhausting after two weeks.  But for those who said they are discouraged by no weight loss or change in the fit of their clothes, I do relate completely!  I am trying hard not to let this rule my mind and not to measure success or failure by it, but its very very hard.  I would like to know from anyone else if it took them till the third or fourth week to notice these changes.  I don't even care if I lose 2 pounds the whole month.  But to lose nothing when I am sacrificing all my favorite things to eat, is depressing at times.  For reference, I have about 10 pounds to lose.  People don't have to tell their weight, but it really helps when people say how much they would "like" to lose or how much a doctor might tell them to lose.  I read many blog entries where people say "I lost 15 pounds!" and then some of us get depressed, but what we may not know is if this person was perhaps 50 pounds overweight, and perhaps then the 15 pounds comes off quicker.  It also helps if people give their age range-I am post menopausal and I know plays a part in things as well.  I am 100% committed to finishing this program, and have not had significant cravings, but would love to put on some pants and feel like I need a belt or something like that or even have someone else notice that I look different...

 

Warning: tough love ahead.

IGNORING the scale and all numbers for 30 days will do you more good in the long run than any weight loss. 

Nourishing yourself with healthy meals and re-learning what it's like to honor your body's needs will do you more good in the long run than weight loss. 

Doing a survey of what other people lost is putting your focus on something meaningless--numbers on a scale. 

If you want the most benefits from your Whole30, you'll forget about weight and weight loss for 30 days. 

[Ryanwade1234]

I have to say I am completely disappointed with the majority of people that are giving tough love in this forum. I personally am doing whole30 to initially lose weight and carry many things forward into my life after. I am doing this with 7 other people and only us males have noticed significant changes/weight loss initially.

Most of us have turned our personal lives and pantries upside down to accommodate these changes so a little more encouragement without the hassle would be nice. My social calendar has gone in the toilet and most people can't stand to hear people talk about it all the time. I've noticed that most of the people that are hassling are hard core and have done it several times already... just be positive and encouraging