Search the Community

Hello! I am looking for support an accountability as I rashly decide to do a whole30. I did one 6 years ago and it was bliss, and I haven't been able to replicate the success of my initial round! I'm going through a rough patch as a mom of 4 wild hyper boys. Most days I just do not want to do my life. I remember in my first whole30 i felt so mentally fantastic, I thought maybe I should try it again. My husband thinks I should just cut out flour and alcohol. I guess I better get clear on how deep i'm going to go in this before I start!

So... is anyone else dealing with brain fog? I seriously feel like I am losing my mind. It makes everything so much harder! I don't know if it is from my drastic change in food, the fact that I have an 11-month-old that doesn't sleep through the night, or a combo of both... and am still just so tired.

Hey everyone, it´s the first time I am here and I am so excited for having this forum for support on my whole30 experience. I am on day 7 and the truth is that it´s been feeling a little lonely. Well, I´d like to ask you for suggestions with the following issue: The thing is, I come from binge eating. This new year 2019 I am letting go of disordered eating of any kind, and I really really really want to change my relationship to food into a healthy, loving and peaceful one, and doing whole30 is the first step of my plan towards achieving that resolution. It has been great so far, and I feel that if I keep doing this till I completely get used to it so much is gonna change. I am making a menu, a mealplan every week and I have promised myself that I will keep making weekly mealplans and sticking to them for the rest of the year. This is challenging my patience, discipline, boredom feeling and also my impulses and anxiety. I wanna get in control of my choices 100%. So I would like to ask you for advice or any suggestions you may have for me to stop cooking and eating with anxiety. Today I snacked and it´s something I don´t wanna do cause binge eating is all about "let me have a little bit of this, a little bit of that". I simply wanna stick to what I plan. Learn to wait for food. Learn to cook patiently, even enjoying it. For example, today I went grocery shopping for the next week, which took me around 3 hours. I bought some grapes and felt like having some to taste their sweetness on the way home. By the time I got home I was moody and it had already been 5 hours since I had had breakfast, and still had to cook my lunch. Pfff, and I needed to tidy up all the groceries before. So I started doing that and ended up eating some hazelnuts I had bought for a snack for some other day I really needed them, I haven´t contained myself. And I knew I was gonna eat lunch soon but I still had to cook it. So while eating those things I was standing, and cooking fast and the kitchen was still kinda messy. I didn´t take it with peace and calm and that made me feel messy too. By the time I got to eat I found myself devouring my lunch, maybe overeating a little bit without feeling myself too much and in a hurry. So do you know any ways in which I can make my eating experience a peaceful, slow and loving one in my relatinship with food? Thank you so much

D1R2 Hello my name is Elissa ! I completed my first whole 30 in January of 2016 and I had never felt or looked better. I stayed fairly on track most of 2016. After some life changes and challenges in 2017 my eating habits went downhill. I currently battling anxiety and depression and have never weighed more than I do today. I am bloated, uncomfortable and my face and body feels all over swollen. I cannot remember the last time I slept through the night without waking up. I have decided to commit to at least 30 days of the whole 30 program because I want to feel good again. My appearance and how I feel as resulted in a loss of confidence and I am striving to regain that confidence. I am hopeful that by posting in the forum I will gain support from other whole 30 participants and I will stay motived and committed to the program. If any of you are willing or would like to help me stay focused on the journey I would really appreciate it. During my first whole 30 I belonged to a facebook group. We posted daily and it really helped me stay on track and be accountable for my action.

Hi everyone. So I've been trying to start a Whole30 for a while now for one reason and one reason only: to conquer my sugar dragon. My goal is to quit sugar for long-term. I am a nutrition major and I know how incredibly awful sugar is for your body, so I want to make it a rare occasion only sort of thing. However, I'm finding it very difficult to do a fully compliant Whole30. Cutting sugar out of my diet is hard enough and I'm feeling very overwhelmed trying to do a complete Whole30 at the same time. It's giving me major anxiety if I'm being honest. On top of this, I am also currently going through some major life changes, so I have a lot on my plate already. My question is: should I just focus on cutting out sugar for right now, wait until my life settles down a little bit, and then do a Whole30?

I've searched the forum for "anxiety/depression" discussions but am hoping there are some additional ,compelling stories out there that credit Whole30 directly as a key source of healing. I have a young nephew with diagnosed and severe sleep apnea combined with anxiety disorder. He turned to alcohol (and food) to stabilize his anxiety until drinking became THE issue and he stopped 4 months ago, which immediately made his anxiety worse. In lieu of alcohol, food's now his go-to mechanism for calming himself down, (no prescribed meds have worked). Quite the full plate for 26 year-old. I'd like to point him to some food-related success stories to bolster the case that maybe Whole30 would be a good way to identify any sensitivities that are compounding his anxiety issues, and maybe other conditions as well. It's been a tough sell so far—food, sugar mainly, seems like the last bastian of comfort for him, so he's reluctant to consider doing without it. I get it, I'm a fellow sugar/carb addict, on Day 10 of my own first Whole30, but a long time "foodie" and Paleo cheerleader. This is a brilliant, gentle, funny, talented kid whose life is being stolen by daily struggles with what could be his own biochemistry. If that is the case, I'm sure Whole30 could have a dramatic impact. I've evangelized all I can, hoping some of you have some personal and/or relevant anecdotal experience I can share with him.

Hi everyone! I’m just looking for a little advice and any one who may be able to weigh in on what I’m going through! Let me preface this post by letting you know that I’m in my 20’s and I’ve never had any hormonal imbalances or issues with my mental health before in my life. Last year I started using birth control pills and about 6 months in I started feeling awful. I started to experience anxiety and depression, which I’ve never felt in my life. Because this was the only thing that had changed in my life over the last 6 months, I knew it must be the pills. I decided to stop in October and thought I might be in the clear. However, in November my body went nuts. I started experiencing panic attacks every day, very extreme depression, anxiety, constant nausea, shaking, heart palpitations, and rapid weight loss. I found out that some women experience these extreme side effects as their bodies are trying to learn how to work once they’ve stopped taking birth control. I had no idea! It has now been about five months since I stopped taking birth control and I’m definitely better than I was, but not completely healed. I am mostly left with anxiety, days where I just feel “off” or sad, and some mood swings. I see a naturopath and she suggested that I start Whole30. I’ve already done Whole30 twice before and have enjoyed it, but never have seen any difference in how I feel on it. However, this was before I experienced any of these hormonal/mental issues. I’m wondering if anyone out there has every been through anything similar or if anyone has any advice for me and how Whole30 could help me get back to my normal! Any tips on specific foods I should eat or avoid are welcome!

Hi all! This is my first post on the forum. I am 10 days into my W30. I was a little nervous coming in as I am recently pescatarian (after about 10 years as a vegetarian, and several of those spent as vegan). I have done some elimination diets in the past but have always struggled with feeling like my body was lacking or missing something. I have quite a few gut issues as well as auto immune-related conditions (anxiety, asthma, heartburn, ibs, graves disease *in remission* to name a few)...I have often felt like a lot of my health issues were directly related to my gut health as every other aspect is 100% unremarkable on paper. According to labs and tests I am one of the healthiest women alive, but inside I feel like I am dying / falling apart. It was upon my acupuncturist's recommendation that I give the Whole 30 a try. As an aside I have been gluten free for coming up on 4 years now, I went GF in an attempt to help my thyroid and the switch was the reason that my levels normalized and have been normal for about 3 years now! With that said, when I switched to GF I started ironically (or maybe not so ironic) eating a TON more carbs (mostly in the form of brown rice and sugar in processed foods.) My days before Whole 30 included shrimp, hummus, oats, gluten free bread, amys tv dinners, fruit and peanut butter - I also probably had pizza about once a week. I considered myself to eat "fairly healthy" but in retrospect it probably was not a very balanced diet with very little protein. The first week I dealt with a LOT of spaciness, often feeling like I'm in a dream, not really here and VERY anxious. I was able to push through a little bit of this but mildly exerting myself. Starting around day 3 I started experiencing bouts of light headedness, one day, starting to grey out and seriously thinking I was going to faint. I have been feeling like I am eating enough - and not really getting very hungry between meals - the only times I have snacked have been when I am having intense afternoon slumps. I normally exercise 3-4 days a week but have only worked out once since starting this because I just don't have the energy and feel so sick and light-headed when I have tried to exert myself much. By Day 5 or 6, the spaciness and brain fog had lifted slightly but then I started getting horrible crashes in the afternoon between about 2 PM and 7 PM. On a few of these days I have had some increased energy starting around 8 or 9 PM and lasting through until bedtime. I feel pretty relaxed at bedtime but then have woken with horrible anxiety or starts for most of the nights I have been on the W30. My blood pressure and blood sugar have remained normal/stable although today when I was feeling particularly tired and light-headed, I took it and it was 110/61 which is the lowest its been in a while. I mostly just wanted to share my experience as well as the food I have been eating to see if I am on track and need to eat more and/or different types of foods to maintain energy and mood. I am not sure at this point what is W30 and what is anxiety but I have been feeling pretty damn crappy, weak, tired, anxious and light headed for a week now. The most frustrating part is that I actually felt way better before I started doing this but am trying to stick it out until the end as I really want to see what good this could do my body, specifically my gut health. I just don't want to do it at the cost of hurting my health more. As a pescatarian I am pretty maxed out on eggs and fish and ways to get creative. I don't know if anyone else has concerns about mercury but eating seafood every single day and sometimes twice a day does make me a little nervous. Since my only sources of protein are really nuts, fish and eggs, I burn out pretty quickly. Any feedback and/or recommendations are greatly appreciated. Thank you! Monday: Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs with guacamole and 1 1/2 c coconut chia pudding with sautéed bananas and pureed almond meal Snack - Cherry Pie Lara Bar Lunch - shrimp curry (coconut milk, spices and coconut amigos as sauce) - with red onion, zucchini, red bell pepper, carrots and portabella as veggies Snack - Electrolyte "smoothie" - 1 c kale, 1 banana and 1 c cashew malk Dinner - blistered shishito peppers cooked in olive oil with lime and basil, 2 hard boiled egg whites, spinach and kale salad with small amounts egg yellow and white, celery, raw shisito peppers with oil and vinegar dressing Tuesday: Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs, 1/2 c hashbowns, 1/2 avocado, 4 or 5 cherry tomatoes and 1/2 banana Lunch - salmon and avocado salad with lemon, green onions, tomatoes, parsley & baked sweet potato "fries" Snack - Electrolyte "smoothie" - 1 c kale, 1 banana and 1 c cashew malk Dinner - egg quiche (piece about 5"l x 4"w) with white onions, mushrooms, spinach, pumpkin & crab dip (crab, w30 approved mayo, red peppers, jalapeños, green onions) with some plantains (fried in coconut oil) Snack - 2 coconut rolled dates with 1 tsp each almond butter Wednesday: Breakfast - leftover egg quiche (piece about 5"l x 4"w), 1/2 avocado, 1/2 banana Lunch - leftover egg quiche (piece about 5"l x 4"w), 1 medium sized tomato, handful macadamia nuts, handful cherries Post-Workout Snack - 3/4 sweet potato with 2 tablespoons almond butter and cinnamon Dinner - We are going to make grilled shrimp with butternut squash noodles, cashew cream sauce and sautéed spinach or zucchini)

Hello Whole30ers! First, I must admit that this isn't exactly my first adventure with Whole30, in fact this is my fourth time having a second day on Whole30, however, I am hoping this will be my first time reaching days 8-30. In case that isn't making sense, I have never made it more than a week on Whole30 because of the withdrawal headaches, however, this time I am planning to do all I can to push through and past the headaches. My Why: I have a number of reasons or whys for doing Whole30: 1. I'm not getting any younger....I'm creeping ever closer to 30 and that just feels weird to me 2. I have Diabetes Type 2 and haven't been good at watching what I eat like I should. I am also not very good at taking my meds so I would love to be off my diabetes meds. 3. I have poly cystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) -- if I can get my hormones in a more regulated place then I am all for it! 4. I am overweight...I have been a large portion of my life but it's gotten worse in the last year and I need to fix that 5. I want to prove to myself that I can do hard things Although food is a battle for me, even more difficult for me is getting exercise, I love to nap, snuggle with my cats and watch TV/movies so I am hoping to bump in my energy levels helps with that as well.

Long story short, I've always had pretty severe anxiety and bouts of depression. It is what it is, and exercise always helps. The first couple days I felt fine and pretty optimistic. As of yesterday and today all that has changed. Yesterday I had two major panic attacks (which I haven't had in years) and without sounding dramatic I fell asleep crying and woke up crying. I haven't felt this miserable in a very very long time. I mean my outlook on life has done a 180 just since starting this, which makes no sense since I know it's only 30 days, and I know so many people have benefitted from it. And the idea of food (of any kind, even non-compliant) makes me sick; I'm nauseous all day long. I don't want to eat a single bite of anything (which I also know isn't good). I know the timeline says it's normal to feel agitated and short-tempered and everything, but my question to you is how do I know if that line is being crossed? I reached out to fellow whole30-er yesterday and she had a good point about hormones being reset and whatnot, encouraging me not to quit and I certainly don't want to quit and I know it could get better if I continue, but is this normal? And worth pushing through? I can honestly say I haven't felt this miserable since I was on medication for severe depression. (Side note: I fell off the workout train last summer and just started consistently running again in conjunction with this whole30, so if anything, I would think the return to exercise would help with my mood?) I am on day 7, I have been forcing myself to get enough starches- at least one sweet potato a day- believe me I have researched this topic endlessly and know the first thing advised is to up your starches. I have done what I can with what I can stomach given the problem. I also am aware of the whole "everything isn't caused by whole30" but to me this is just not a coincidence. It is rooted by whatever is going on in my body because of this diet change, undoubtedly.

Question: my husband and I started January 2 so on day 5! We love it and notice a difference already! The whole family is doing it! 4 kids and ourselves! At night my husband and I notice anxiety before bed? We have tried all different things to try and calm down, ie: working out, reading, tv, tea, etc but nothing seems to help? I literally felt like a drug addict coming off dugs day 3 and 4. Hoping this too shall pass? Any help?

I'm on day 25 and I feel terrible. My headaches have returned with a vengeance, I'm tired all the time, my anxiety is through the roof, I've lost my appetite entirely, and I've lost all motivation to get things done (which is a huge problem because I'm self-employed). I can't believe that I'm feeling this awful when I'm so close to day 30. I was supposed to start feeling the "tiger blood" at least a week ago. I didn't have these issues before I started this round. I've tracked a couple days of my calorie intake just to be sure that my problems aren't being caused by insufficient calorie intake. Despite my lack of appetite, I've been able to force myself to eat about 2200 calories per day, which has been enough to maintain my weight. In a normal day, I usually have 4-6 servings of fruit and 6-10 servings of vegetables. My macronutrient breakdown is about 20% protein, 40% fat, and 40% carbohydrates. Other info that might be helpful: This is my second round of Whole 30. I did one 6 months ago and felt so amazing afterwards that I decided I want to do it twice per year to keep myself on track. I have a neurological condition that required surgery 5 years ago. I've had almost no symptoms since then. I kept up with clean eating after my first round of Whole 30, but I reintroduced sprouted wheat bread and became less strict with occasionally eating out (once per month maximum). I exercise 5 times per week: HIIT/strength training combo workouts M/W/F, light recovery cardio or yoga T/Th. This is more exercise than I did during my first round. I'm a 21 year old female, 5'3 and 115 lbs. I've stayed the same weight since I started, which is good because weight loss is not a goal of mine. I've practiced intermittent fasting for over a year now. I use the LeanGains 16/8 protocol. Before starting this round my diet was not great because I had been on the road for 9 days. Lots of sugar from sweetened dried fruit in trail mix, not enough fruits or veggies, and occasional fast food. Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone have any idea about what might be causing it or how to make it better?

yesterday I went to see a wedding venue, fell in love with it and put a deposit down. I then started to freak out about how much I would have to save money-wise and the changes to be made. More than ever I wanted a glass of wine to relax the anxiety and nerves so my head would quieten down (I was on day 8), I was so close to just giving up my whole30 (not feeling the magic yet, obviously to be expected on day 8) I also gave up caffeine 2 days ago to help with my migraine headaches so yesterday I was really feeling it. I even asked my OH if we could go via my house first so he could drive us to dinner then I could drink. BUT when the waitress came to take my order and asked what drink I would like, I imagined Melissa next to me saying "you're not going down like this" and I ordered a sparkling water

Hi All, I'm on my first Whole30 and talked several friends into joining me but by Day 16 I thought I would be feeling great but it's quite the opposite. I have had anxiety the last four days or so and terrible insomnia. My pants feel tighter and my skin is still breaking out. I can't figure out where I'm going wrong. The lack of sleep is affecting my workouts Breakfast: 2 eggs, procuttio, handful of berries (I have a hard time with veggies in the am) Lunch: Compliant chili with half an avocado, small amount of berries Snack- Rx bar dinner: pork loin and roasted brussel sprouts.

Day 31 - It's over! Wow... I didn't think I'd make it, but I did! Typing this as I eat my usual omelet, but with feta . Interesting... while I'm excited to have the cheese, now that I'm eating the thing I've eaten for breakfast most of the last 30 days, I don't feel like the feta is really necessary. The first several days I was eating this for breakfast, all I could think about was how it needed cheese. Posting this in Success Stories because I really hope this inspires some of you! Please let me know if you have any questions or if I can help in any way. So... recap. I'm copying this from my "home" thread, where I had borrowed Kate's format. Starting with the things I wish I had done better: Eaten out less. I got lazy some nights or on weekends mostly and ended up eating my "safe" meal at Chipotle. I still ate food I cooked most of the time, but I wish I'd been more prepared for that to happen. Paid attention more to my eating. I still tend to multitask - as I'm doing now - and don't even leave my desk for lunch. Since I'm in a support role, that means lots of distractions while I'm eating. I intend to start leaving my desk to eat more often. Slept more. Though I'm getting more sleep than I was before, I'm still short of the ideal amount, and I feel it. Drank more water. I definitely increased my intake, but this is still a work in progress. The days I hit my water goal, I felt great. I have to make a conscious effort to stop and drink some water more regularly, especially while I'm working. Given myself more time for prep at the beginning. I was very miserable at the beginning, in part because prep took so much longer than I thought it would, so I lost sleep over it. For the benefit of those reading this who haven't finished (or maybe even started) yet... things that really helped me: The forums! I was part of a really fantastic thread - read there for more tips (Strength in Numbers) - and everyone's encouragement and advice helped me make my way through the 30 days. I also loved reading some of the moderators' posts and encouraging others. Clarified butter. I wrote down my NSVs as they happened. I told everyone I know about the plan and how excited I was about it. I marked my work calendar with the days in permanent marker. I acknowledged my struggles as they happened, documented them in the thread, and talked my way through them. I tossed my (cheap, $5) scale and everything I couldn't eat. I made a display out of spices and produce that doesn't need refrigeration in my kitchen (making it all very visible and accessible meant more of both went into all of my cooking). I took meal planning and grocery shopping seriously and wrote it all out. I'm putting up a chalkboard strip on the wall in my kitchen so the week's menu is always visible, even though I've finished my Whole30. I rewarded myself with non-food items during the plan - new books at the midpoint, flowers at the beginning of the fourth week, and a new, fancy scale and fitness tracking wristband for finishing. Benefits Aesthetic Roughly 8-10 lbs lost (hard to say because there was so much fluctuation up to my start date) Definite loss of fat around the midsection, front and back Face seems thinner (to me) Softer, smoother skin and hair Stronger nails that grow like crazy Less tired-looking Less acne/less oil on face Down a shirt size and a pants size, my ring comes off much more easily, and I have to use a tighter hook on my bra Cooking & Eating Reintroduced to my kitchen - woohoo! Loads more confidence in the kitchen Much easier to make good choices now (also don't feel like I'm missing out) Weirded out now by things that companies position as food that really aren't food Heightened awareness to what's in everything Comfortable eating without worrying about calories (this is so huge) CLARIFIED BUTTER!!! Lots of cool new tools and techniques in the kitchen No negative reaction to eating cooked spinach (always upset my stomach before) Emotional Cut the cord with sugar - no longer feel like something is really wrong if I can't have it (bahahahaha my sugar dragon is DEAD) Able to work through tough moments more, rather than avoiding them by eating something compulsively in the moment or later on Significantly reduced anxiety and depression (though this is a process, and I'm only beginning it as of about three weeks ago) Don't feel limited by the scale Proud of myself for completing the challenge, proved to myself that I have much more discipline than I give myself credit for (just have to stop being so darn lazy, and tiger blood helps with that) Smiling a lot more More confidence socially Don't feel the need to have alcohol to have a good time (proved this to myself last night, when I didn't break the guidelines to have a drink at a company happy hour - hung out with my club soda with lime and had a great time) Don't feel impacted by advertisements for food anymore (they seem so bizarre now!) Health Minimal/no heartburn (no Tums needed for over a month now!) Improved vision? (leaving a question mark there because this seems absolutely crazy but I can't ignore the fact that I can read small print signs with my bad eye that I for sure couldn't have read before, though my vision isn't perfect; will confirm when I see the eye doctor soon) Lower resting heart rate (have to confirm this, but I just did a few runs through it using the stopwatch on my phone and counting myself, and all were lower than the last several measurements) Better recovery time on injuries, sunburn, and illness Improved dental health (no change in toothpaste or routines, but less gum and tooth pain) More regular digestive activity Easier to get out of bed every day All in all, I'm totally thrilled that I did this, and even if I hadn't lost weight, I'd be thrilled with every other benefit. I will continue to eat with intention and try to stay away from take-out. I was actually REALLY hungry for breakfast this morning, despite a good dinner last night, which is so different from my life pre-Whole30. Again... please let me know if I can help you!

So, Day 13 -- still hardcore missing oatmeal and greek yogurt with honey over the top, but that's another thing. I am so tired. Exhausted. I slept for almost 10 hours last night, and woke up this morning in a sort of daze, even though I ate really well and completely yesterday. Had a decent breakfast (4 deli turkey slices with leftover roasted veggies drizzled in olive oil and an apple) and a good lunch (heaping handful of turkey meatballs with pesto over more roasted veggies -- sweet potato, asparagus, brusselsprouts, and onions). I was running some errands and I was still feeling pretty groggy, and on the way back, I dozed off behind the wheel -- closed my eyes for two seconds, but next thing I know I'm slamming on the brakes and hitting the bumper of the guy in front of me on the freeway. His car was fine, and I lost a few plates off the front of mine, but no one was injured thankfully. I just couldn't stop crying afterwards -- here I am, doing everything in this program as right as I can, and still feeling exhausted and run out and miserable. On top of that, this whole thing has seemed to make my depressive episodes and my anxiety worse; I get stuck in terrible negative thought spirals, and the obsession over what I can/can't eat seems to be taking me back to my disordered eating habits, which I've worked hard to get away from. I keep waiting for the magic to hit -- I want to stick with this program, I only have another 17 days, but I am tired and miserable and sad and I feel like I could fall asleep standing up at any moment throughout the day. I feel like I should be past all these things by now. I'm doing everything by the book (and I'm working REALLY HARD to cut back on my fruit snacking, though I'll still eat an apple to hold me over from lunch to dinner sometimes), and I don't understand why nothing seems to be working. I also still have the headaches that I got every few days before I started the program -- nothing head-splitting but enough to be a nuisance while I'm trying to work. Please advise.

Yesterday was day 10 and it was SO HARD! I thought about quitting several times. Well not quitting per se but having a small cheat - diet dr. pepper and a cupcake. I didn't do it but today is not any easier I made it through but I am really hitting a wall. I'm tired of cooking, I'm tired of not eating anything that I WANT. I know that I'm doing a good thing for my body. I can tell, my joint pain is less and I definitely feel better but being so strict is just beginning to make me sad. Someone, anyone talk me off the ledge!

hi everyone! i didn't know where to post this, so i'm asking the ladies. i've been doing whole30 for 55 days now and definitely plan on making it a lifestyle change. i've seen sooo many benefits so far (down 13lbs, more energy, better sleep, less skin irritation) but i was hoping it would help with my depression and it hasn't. i definitely don't want to be taking medication for it, since it's not super serious. but it's bad enough that it keeps me in bed all day long (i work from home, so no reason to leave my bed honestly), i hate leaving the house, i feel so cloudy, and have a general disinterest in life outside of my apartment right now. i moved out to california a year ago with high hopes that i would feel a lot happier but my depression is keeping me from going out and making friends and i'm lonelier than ever. does anyone have any natural ways of dealing with this? any natural supplements i can take? thanks!

Hello Whole30ers! I'm on Day 19 of my first Whole30. Aside for a quick visit to KillAllTheThings land in week one, the program has been going well for me and I've noticed some very positive changes like improved focus, clearer skin, less gas, no PMS, being able to go hours between meals without feeling like I'm going to faint, and feeling like I'm finally conquering my sugar dragon. YAY! In the last 3 days, however, things have gone a little downhill. I've had bad gas, constipation/diarrhea, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes on my neck, and my mood has fell. I'm in bed today feeling pretty sick, bleh, and discouraged. I'm not sure if this shift has been caused by something in my diet, or if it's simply all part of my body adjusting and like any standard cold/flu rest will cure it. I was diagnosed Bipolar 2 a few years ago so I'm pretty hypersensitive to these kinds of changes in my body. As soon as I have a low day I'm like, "Oh crap no not again I've been doing so well!! " etc etc and stress out. Which obviously doesn't help haha. Can anyone with a mood disorder/depression/anxiety relate? Anyways I'm trying to think of anything in my diet/lifestyle I can control that could be an issue... - Too much omega 6 or nuts. I know the importance of keeping omega 6 to omega 3 ratio intake in check with a mood disorder, so maybe that's been out of whack and causing the change in mood? I've been having up to 1 avocado a day, which I know is high in omega 6. I have a little olive oil here and there in a dressing, and I cook with coconut oil. I don't eat many nuts BUT I've had more almond butter in the last few days. Do nuts also influence some kind of hormone? - Too much fructose. I'm not eating a lot of fruit on Whole30, and when I do it's almost always eaten with a meal. I eat 1-2 bananas a day, occasionally by themselves. I had dates with almond butter and coconut flakes as a snack 3 days in a row a couple days ago. Maybe that was too much sugar? Could that cause digestive upset or mood changes? - Increased exercise too quickly. I did two pretty intense workout classes last weekend. I walk a lot but haven't done proper makes you sweat exercise in over a year. I felt great during and after the workouts, but maybe that was too much stress on my body right now and made me sick? - lithium withdrawal. I had been taking lithium for nearly 3 years and have been VERY steadily decreasing it from 1200mg 18 months ago to 300mg a month ago. I dropped down to 300mg 6 months ago and stopped taking it altogether 1 month ago, a week before starting my Whole30. I'm not on any other medications or birth control. I take vitamin D, B vitamins, omega 3, magnesium, and a probiotic. I didn't feel any lithium withdrawal when I stopped a month ago, I was on such a lose dose, but maybe it's coming back to bite me now? I'm sure my liver/kidneys are under some stress right now clearing out that medication and adjusting to a new diet. I know I've probably put my body through too much at once, especially stopped a medication so close to a Whole30, so it's hard to tell what's causing what. My diet isn't drastically different than before, I'd already cut out gluten, alcohol and most dairy two years ago. The biggest change is no sugar and no grains. I'm not looking for some kind of bulletproof solution as all of these things are probably factors, just any insight or personal experience as I'm sure I'm not alone in this. I'd love to start a conversation about it we could all benefit from!

I am on day 6 and have found that the past few days I have had very high anxiety after eating or throughout the day between meals. I recount everything that I just ate, worried that I messed something up or accidently had a non compliant food sneak in. Between meals I get worried that I thoughtlessly snacked on something that I wasn't supposed to, and replay the past few hours in my head. Is this normal? Or has anyone else experienced it? I believe it is probably stemming from a thoughtless relationship with food previously, meaning that I would eat without thinking or sometimes without reason. I am hoping to form a healthier relationship with food and thinking more about what I am putting in my body.. But this anxiety is worrying me that I am building a more unhealthy restrictive relationship with food. Any thoughts are welcome!

Hi all, I am on Day 3 of my first Whole30. Things have been going surprisingly well in regards to compliance and physical symptoms, however, I am finding that my anxiety is driving me CRAZY! Background: I have always been an anxious person, and although it's never been so severe that I have needed medication, when things are bad it certainly interferes with my enjoyment of life and make me irritable with people I care about, etc. Generally, when I feel anxious about my new job, or have stress about my busy schedule, or am in any way feeling emotionally sub-optimal, I have a snack. Usually junk food. Now, on Whole30, that "escape route" is unavailable to me and I am REALLY feeling it. My chest is always fluttery, my hands occasionally get the tingles, and my irritability level is slowly climbing. (And I know that these are symptoms of my anxiety and not an underlying medical condition, in case anyone would wonder). I'm hoping I am not the only person who has experienced this. Thankfully, the actual cravings have been minimal, plus I am so horrified at how blatantly I have been treating my anxiety with snacks that my resolve to stick to the plan and BREAK this cycle is getting stronger by the day, so right now I'm not too worried about falling off the wagon. However, if anyone has a similar story and has found ways to redirect their anxiety or invented some healthier ways to cope, I would love to hear them. Thanks!

Just need to vent a little. I have "dieted" for over half of my life, starting with Weight Watchers at age 12, and I am finally in a much better place in my life. I think my body dysmorphia has mostly faded away and I overall live a really active and healthy lifestyle. I no longer think of my eating choices as a "diet" but a way of life. I try to live by the mantra eat to live but I do enjoy sweets, cocktails and wine (hence my journey into my current Whole30!) I am enduring my fourth Whole30 (on Day 4 now!) and feel really excited and optimistic about it. The only thing is, I get really anxious about being in situations when I need to explain to others what/why I'm doing what I'm doing. I work in hospitality marketing and last night I was at a client event where everyone was eating fried chicken and french fries. I was going to hold off on eating and eat a dinner when I got home, but there was a kale salad with grilled chicken on the menu and I saw a few others who were ordering sandwiches, so I went for it. Mid-first bite, my boss calls out, while standing next to the client, "Why are you eating a salad?!" I blushed and just thought of the first and easiest response: "I can't eat bread." and she replied "OhHHHHH I didn't know that." Not only was it embarrassing but it pissed me off! Working in food has been hard on me. I gain weight easily and with many meals out and cocktails, I have put on a few pounds. This Whole30 was my attempt to get back on track. My family, boyfriend and a selection of my friends are supportive but I am nervous as I am going to my boyfriend's roommate's girlfriends (PHEW, mouthful) birthday party on Saturday night and I know people will be drinking and indulging in tacos. I know how to navigate the menu-- that really isnt the problem for me. I more worry about people remarking over why I am abstaining from X Y and Z. It doesn't make me want to stop but it pisses me off really badly! Any tips on how to not get anxious/angry when people give you unwanted attention over your dietary choices?

Hi all! A little background...I'm a 40 year old mother, wife, and business owner. I'm in good shape, healthy weight, with a history of anxiety disorder (been symptom free for years, med free since 2005). I also have an eating disorder history (EDNOS) and have been symptom free from that since 2006. Lastly, I got sober in 2011 Sort of sound like a hot mess, but really I've been in strong recovery for a long time and been mentally and emotionally well. Enter the Whole 30. I'd been wanting to clean up some eating for some time, and my husband I decided to give it a shot. I've gained about 8 pounds since last summer and knew we needed a change. We're currently on Day 19. The first week was fine, the only symptoms I felt was a headache and fatigue on day 1 and that was it! At the end of the first week I'd clearly lost weight (no scale, no measurements, but my pants fit better, yay!). Week 2 was the same. Around day 14 I woke up with an overwhelming feeling of sadness that I could. Not. Shake. It's still with me on day 19. I've never had a history of depression, but this sure feels like it. A couple days later I was getting dressed and noticed in the mirror that I had not only gained the weight back I had lost, but look like I'm gaining more. Which sent me into a tailspin. I don't know what's causing the weight gain and strong feelings of sadness. I'm wondering if I should quit the Whole 30. I've got what I wanted-- better insight with food, and I don't even want ice cream, I just want the stress and sadness to go away. Or, should I stick it out? I know the weight gain shouldn't matter (even though my husband has lost about 14 pounds- yes, he weighed himself) but for a girl whose struggled with an eating disorder, this isn't good. All my old thought patterns have come back and are making things worse. So, please be gentle with your feedback and advice. The weight gain could be too little calories, I don't know. I feel like I'm getting enough carbs, but maybe not. And to be honest, at this point I don't want anything MORE strict, like, "Eat this, not that" or "cut out this and see what happens". No, I'm over the rules. I think what I'm looking for is- has this happened to anyone else? I read an article from a doctor who spent her life studying alcoholism and sugar addiction and she said they are the same and that quitting sugar so abruptly makes us WORSE, not better. I don't know how much of that is clinically proven or true, but it sure as hell made me feel broken. All in all, at this point I'm still doing the Whole 30 just to do it. Not because I want to. I don't want to quit. But, I just don't know what to do... Thanks for listening.

I'm on day 16 of my first whole30. I use Aczone and Dapsone gel to treat my cystic acne, and it works really well minus some random pimples that turn up now and then. My acne has flared up in the last two days, though. I have new pimples forming all over my face. I've also noticed my mood has worsened significantly while on whole30. I'm not sure if it's external factors not related to the food or if anyone has experienced this. I'm hoping to hear that my mood and acne will improve!

I'm normally a happy person, so this dragging sadness is tough to take. Ok, so to begin with, I've been experiencing fatigue, low energy and depression and anxiety for the last year. Not all the time, but about one -four days a month. I have a busy job, a busy life and I teach yoga on the side. I did Virgin diet 21 days, (a lot like whole 30 but beans and rice added) and then 10 days of "Easter" eating candy, chocolate, wine along with the virgin diet I'm doing Whole30 and while I do feel thinner, pants are looser muscles more prominent sleep better skin may be better less bloating brain fog gone but I recognize anxiety for what it is, instead of getting caught up in it. (in fact just figured out what it was) But.. Where is my energy? I could go home right now and sleep all night. I am working hard to make sure I'm in bed by 9 lights out 10ish. and get 8 hours of sleep no matter what, (if my job keeps me out til 12, I stay in bed 8 hours) and I hate people, (well they deserve it. I'm wondering if thyroid. And if so, isn't whole30 supposed to help with that?