Day 18...

[Eva626]

So I am on day 18 of my first whole30 and so far I have enjoyed it. Although I have noticed that at times I am lacking energy. The problem is this, I am a student and have a few huge final papers due in the next few weeks and some all nighters will most likely need to be pulled. I do not drink coffee, and usually drink soda instead to help with staying awake and snack on some sugary treats. Clearly this is not whole30 acceptable. I am thinking about giving up on the whole 30 (still following everything with the exception of allowing my soda/candy in minimal amounts for studying) because I don't want to interrupt my study grove. Although I don't want to give up on the whole 30 either. 

 

Help!

 

[Tom Denham]

I am able to go without sleep when necessary without any caffeine. Caffeine may help some, but you don't absolutely have to have it. That said, you can get caffeine pills or drink strongly brewed black or green teas.

[GFChris]

Do you like sparkling water? Try that by itself or with lime or lemon. My favorite is Pellegrino.

Here is an article with other ideas for Whole30 approved drinks. http://whole9life.com/2012/10/quench-your-thirst-whole9-style/

[jamina1]

This has a lot to do with what you are eating. Before I was doing whole30 I was doing a ketosis diet - which is basically high fat low carb, akin to the early phases of Atkins or Southbeach. One of the main symptoms just starting out on this diet is a "foggy" feeling with lethargy and lack of energy. In general its caused from the crash of coming off eating carbs constantly. So, I have to ask:

 

What are you eating? Are you eating enough fat? Are you eating enough *period*? Healthy foods can be a lot less calorically dense than their less-healthy counterparts. You could eat an entire plate of veggies and still have consumed under 200 calories, so its easy to under-eat on a diet like this.

 

Bulletproof coffee also comes to mind. It's a cup of black coffee with a spoonful of coconut oil in it. The caffeine helps perk you up and the coconut oil gives your body some fat to burn for energy - win win.

 

I will also suggest that though you are used to doing all-nighters to study it's actually less effective. You learn better when you sleep well. If possible, try to manage your time in such a way that you don't have to stay up past your bed time. Sleep is an integral part of your wellness, too!

[Eva626]

Thanks for the help and advice everyone. I have been eating a lot of veggies and protein, but I think I need to up my intake of sweet potatoes and probably the fats. I have a problem w/the fat part because avocados make me want to vomit, but I have been eating some nuts. 

 

I also tried drinking some tea and that has helped. I'm going to try hard to stick with it, although to be fair I haven't really noticed any huge changes yet....is that normal?

[amberino21]

Fats are easy - and I haven't eaten avocado in two weeks (I think?)

Cook in fat - ghee, coconut oil.

Add fat to salad - olives, olive oil

Add coconut milk to coffee, on fruit, to curry

Make mayonaise

Eat coconut, use it to crumb things...

[Bet]

You think the caffeine and sugar are giving you energy, but they are actually robbing you of it. You may have a spike, but that will last for about an hour and then you will crash (where you will probably have more soda/candy).

 

Eat a big dinner with enough fat, amberino gave you great suggestions above. Go to bed early, or whenever you start to feel tired (your body is telling you to sleep, not to eat a bunch of junk). Then you will likely get up really early, earlier than normal. Then you can have some coffee with coconut milk and continue studying. You will be more awake (naturally) and not sugar charged. Make sure you eat something within an hour of waking. A good breakfast, eggs, bacon, veggies a piece of fruit.

 

Getting off the sugar dragon is one of the best things about W30.

[Eva626]

Bet thanks for the advice. I guess I was just looking for alternative to coffee since I do not drink it. But I think I may have found some tea that helps and I am going to try adding in those fats that amberino suggested. You guys are so helpful! Day 20 and still going strong

[orianaoracle]

I would say stick with black tea or some coffee instead of the sugar, if you really need the caffeine.  I find that after too much, though, I crash even worse than if I had not had anything.  You might just try going without and see what happens.  Try to get a nap in if you can, too.

 

I actually have a somewhat related question, at least as far as all-nighters go, if you don't mind me squeezing this into the conversation.  (Hopefully, this will help you out, too, Eva626!) 

 

Does anyone have any suggestions about food during all-nighters?  I've had a lot of last-minute client work the past week or two (I'm on day 19 of the Whole 30), which requires me to stay up all night (e.g., files given to me at 9 p.m. that are due by 7 or 8 in the morning).  This really throws my eating schedule off.  When I finally am able to sleep, I don't wake up until 11 or later.  That means I'm eating breakfast around noontime, trying to squeeze in lunch around 4 - 5 p.m., and then snagging my dinner around 10ish or later.  Or, if it's a really late morning, I sometimes only get 2 meals in before sleeping that night.

 

Then, when I have the all-nighter (yep, there's a reason I'm still up at 5:42 a.m. on a Friday morning) going, I get hungry around 4 a.m. or so, at least.  Do I go ahead and eat something, or just try to hold off until I can finally have breakfast?  I hate to eat so late because I will have to crash for a little bit at some point, even if it's just a two-hour nap or something.

 

As an example: I worked late last night until about 3:30 a.m. I went to bed and woke up around 10 a.m.  I ate breakfast around 11 a.m.  I ate my "lunch" around 4 p.m.  I worked out from 5:30 - 7.  I ate a post-workout mini-meal around 7:30 p.m.  I finally got to eat dinner around 11 p.m.  Client work came in late, so I am still awake at almost 6 a.m. the next day, but I haven't eaten since my dinner.  I'm hungry, but hope to be able to sleep for a little bit in an hour or two.  So, do I eat, or just wait, sleep, and then eat a good breakfast when I wake up?