fitpaleopassion Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Hey guys, I've started the whole30 3 days ago and my mom spontaneously decided to join me. She is skeptical about the rules but wants to give it a try because she needs to change her eating habits (she is overweight and has knee problems). I know we have both only just started the program and enjoy our meals quite a lot. However, we are already running into troubles: While my mum has been suffering from painful cramps in her calves and toes since yesterday, I was nauseated last night and tonight and got stomach cramps that kept me awake. My mom has never had problems with cramps before and I have never had any stomach conditions either. I also didn't adjust my diet drastically as I've been eating paleo for several months already. I really want to follow through with the program. But I can already see how my mum is starting to doubt the whole thing. She is a doctor and generally doesn't believe in guidelines like no dairy or no legumes... All this is making me very insecure. Should we just push through? Take supplements? Or is the whole30 just not for everyone? It makes me miserable and discouraged to think that I am making my mum feel bad when she trusted me and my research instead of what she learned in medical school... Thanks in advance for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Can you post your food log for the past 2-3 days, so the folks here can give you specific feedback on what you've been eating?EDIT: Are you both staying sufficiently hydrated? You want to drink water in the amount of at least 1/2 your body weight in ounces, daily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted July 30, 2013 Moderators Share Posted July 30, 2013 If your mom read It Starts With Food, she would appreciate the Whole30. My wife doesn't eat Whole30-style, but admits the science is good. But take comfort in this: The Whole30 asks you to fill your plate with meat and vegetables and to drink plenty of water. You might not like giving up some of the things the Whole30 asks you to eliminate for 30 days, but no one can seriously fault the goodness of what you are asked to eat. Cramps could be a result of something missing magnesium or potassium in your diet and nausea might be a result of too much of something (although I don't know what). However, we would have to know what you are eating to make any suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fitpaleopassion Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Thanks for the quick reply! For breakfast we ate scrambled eggs with spinach, tomatoes and shallots on all three days. For lunch and dinner we had home-cooked meals from organic quality products. E.g. today: a salad with shrimps plus baked sweet potato fries for lunch, roast beef and sautéed veggies for dinner. We also had a small serving of fruit (watermelon or berries from our garden) every day so far, plus a spoonful of cashew or almond butter. I know that this isn't optimal and we don't intend to eat fruit every day during the program, but I just can't believe that some watermelon and nut butter would cause cramps and nausea that have never occurred before... Edit: I do make sure I hydrate properly, not so sure about my mom... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 It's hard to tell how much you're eating, portion-wise. I question whether you're each eating enough?Make sure you're following the meal template http://whole9life.com/book/ISWF-Meal-Planning-Template.pdf- At least one palm size of protein per meal and 1-2 cups of vegetables per meal. - When you have eggs as your protein, the number of eggs you eat should equal the number of eggs you can hold in your hand.- Make sure you're each getting enough healthy fat per meal.On Tom's potassium thought, try having a banana as one of your fruit servings and see if that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fitpaleopassion Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 I was thinking about the portion sizes as well. Since I'm not snacking anymore, I eat less than I used to. But I feel satisfied most of the time... My mum took a magnesium supplement an hour ago because she couldn't stand the cramps and now she is fine, she says... So it seems to be magnesium. I read that leafy greens, walnuts, berries and bananas are good sources, anything else that I am missing out on? Thanks again for the quick help, I am still determined to finish the program! I just want to do it right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Yes, you've got some good sources there. Almonds, cashews, halibut and avocados are other possibilities.Also, you don't need to not snack on a Whole30. If you are genuinely hungry between meals (hungry = you could eat steamed fish with broccoli), the meal template allows for up to 2 snacks per day. A snack should be a mini-meal including at least a protein and fat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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