Day 27, not sure where to go from here.

[Irish Rose]

I was already on a primal diet for a about a year but decided to try this as I was eating WAY too much dairy and my fat loss had stalled. On day 27 and frankly , I am disappointed with my results.

BENEFITS

I haven't counted macros or calories which is freeing

I have realised my expensive supplements are a waste of money

Myself and all the family are eating more vegetables .

NEGATIVES

no change in body comp

No alleviation of nasal / sinus problems

No change in excema

No lessening of PMT

And worst of all I feel even more neurotic about food. I couldn't even eat with my family in our favourite Japanese restaurant to celebrate my son achieving a new karate belt. They got takeaway, I ate something I prepared myself.

I don't know where to go from here , I feel like crying today. I intended to carry on but eliminate nuts , as I suspect they might be a problem , but that leaves me even LESS food choices .

I am frightened I have swapped a 90 % clean diet for a new diet where I am restricted and isolated from family occasions and celebrations. I am SCARED of eating non compliant food and of drinking alcohol and I have big social occasions in September where I would normally enjoy a glass of wine or two with old friends and family.

Is this a stage anyone else can relate to????

[LRM]

Hi Rose,

First of all - Breathe!  Second, remember you opted to do a Whole 30, not a Whole 365.  None of this is permanent, unless  of course, you make that choice.    It sounds like you are seeing many benefits so far, others may take a little longer.  I can totally relate to your restaurant experience.  Recently I went with friends to a Japanese restaurant and the only compliant option for me was the avocado salad:  avocado on a bed of iceburg lettuce with some lemon wedges.  I wasn't impressed, lol. 

 

Once your W30 is finished, it is your choice to continue eating this way for a little longer, or for a portion of the time, or not at all.  Personally, I follow the program a good 90-95% of the time, when I'm not on an official W30.  I could never be 100% compliant every single day of my life.  Occasionally, I drink wine, knowing it might make me feel tired or blah the next day.  Between the dairy and sugar, ice cream leaves me bloated and congested for a good week, and anything with grains causes lethargy, joint pain, and bloating.  I don't off-road often, but when I do, it's my choice, and I'm fully aware of the consequences.  I can't control how food affects me, but I can decide if it's worth it.  Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't.  And if I find myself indulging a little too much, I immediately do another W30, W15, W7,  etc to re-set myself and get back on track.  W30 is not about punishing yourself.  It's about being healthy and figuring out what works for you. 

 

I will admit in the beginning, I experienced a mourning period where I thought I had to say goodbye to all of the things I loved, but that isn't true.  Some foods I don't miss at all, and some I just know the side effects are not worth the indulgence.  It's always a choice.  Knowing this is something I choose, and not something that's required has helped me adjust much more easily. 

 

Please don't stress so much.  Life is meant to be enjoyed.  Food and socializing are a part of that. There is no need to isolate yourself or be afraid.  Just remember that food either makes you more healthy or less healthy.  The choice is yours and you are in control.   All the best to you in the last few days of your W30. 

 

Lisa

[Irish Rose]

Thanks Lisa, I forget sometimes that no one is making me do this. You are listening to the PMT talking above! I love the idea of a whole 7 or a whole 14 ect, I could totally do that year round. It's the feeling different from friends and family that I dislike . I don't wish I was doing what they are, I wish THEY were doing what I was. I have given myself a good talking to and I am continuing on without nuts and with renewed vigour. This is just a bump in the road : ))

[notacommittee]

I don't know where to go from here , I feel like crying today. I intended to carry on but eliminate nuts , as I suspect they might be a problem , but that leaves me even LESS food choices .

I am frightened I have swapped a 90 % clean diet for a new diet where I am restricted and isolated from family occasions and celebrations. I am SCARED of eating non compliant food and of drinking alcohol and I have big social occasions in September where I would normally enjoy a glass of wine or two with old friends and family.

Is this a stage anyone else can relate to????

 

I think you're showing some warning signs of disordered eating, and it's really good that you recognize this now.

 

It's a pretty common eating disorder pattern to go on a restrictive diet, feel bad because you don't get the results you wanted, and then try to restrict even more (in this case, nuts) - and it's easy to drive yourself down a total rabbit hole with this, to the point of total orthorexia. It seems like you realize how crazy this is making you feel, and how isolating it is.

 

If a diet is making you "feel like crying" and "frightened" and "restricted and isolated," it's not because you're failing the diet. It's because the diet is failing you. If doing the W30 is having that effect, then the W30 might not be for you, at least not in the long term. As LRM pointed out, it's not supposed to be the Whole365. You point out some positives, so you learned something from the experience, but just because you learned something doesn't mean you have to carry on being so strict forever.

 

You should enjoy a glass of wine or two with your social occasions. You should (after your W30 is done) go to restaurants and celebrate with your family. Think about it: the point of eating healthy is to improve your quality of life; if it's making you utterly miserable, it's defeating the purpose.

 

I feel so bad for you right now; I wish I could give you a big hug. You deserve to find a way of eating that makes you feel like a superstar, mentally and physically. Letting go of the uber-strict W30 rules might be right for you and a better fit in the long term. Take what you're learning from it, appreciate that, and use the information to find a way of eating that works better for you.

[LRM]

Oh, Rose,  I completely understand where you are coming from.  Wouldn't it be great if everyone around us ate the way we do, or at least chose a healthier path?  It would make it so much easier.  I sometimes feel that the road to health is paved with nails and thumbtacks.  It seems like temptation is everywhere and someone is always trying peer pressure to get us to eat or drink something we don't want.  I avoid talking about my way of eating as much as possible, and avoid offering any explanations as to why I'm not indulging with everyone else.  I usually just say I'm not hungry, in the mood, etc.  I'm learning that people who pressure me are often those that are uncomfortable with my will power.  It's their issue, not mine.  I've also noticed over the last year, that people do consider my food preferences when planning a meal or event, and make sure I have choices.  As a result, meals with family and friends have become much healthier for everyone.  You just never know who you might be inspiring in this journey. 

 

As someone who has had an eating disorder, and a disordered way of eating most of my life, I know how challenging food/food issues  can be.  W30 and Paleo have really helped with this in a way that no other plan ever has.  I hope you find a way that works for you.  But remember:  in the end,  it's just food, and you can have anything you want, anytime you want.  You are just choosing, in this moment, not to have something. Maybe later, but not now.   Then you take it one day, one hour, or one minute at a time.  BIG HUGS!!!!!

[Renee Lee]

As usual, notacommittee's post is excellent.

[Irish Rose]

Thank you for the wonderful replies, just what I needed. I will finish my whole30 but return to my previous paleo lifestyle afterwards. I think I expected too much. I will gradually add back in my 90% chocolate, my Greek yogurt and goats cheese and the occasional bowl of ice cream and glass of wine. Whey protein shakes will return too. I am going to experiment with going nut free for a while, to see if there is a positive health benefit. I am never going back to gluten, it inflames my joints.

One of the most discouraging things to happen during my whole30 was that the head of nutrition at my local university came to give a talk to my karate club and was advising ham sandwiches, sports drinks, squashes ( all full of aspartame ) I felt my nutritional knowledge was superior to hers and yet I will be applying to study a degree in nutrition there in the Autumn. What hope is there when universities are out of step with all the latest research?

I will admit to being a constant 'dieter' since a teenager. I have tried every fad going and came to paleo because it was the first thing I ever found that was based on science and common sense. I would never say I regret doing the Whole 30 and I definitely have some lessons to take away but from here I will probably do little whole 7's or 14 's whenever I feel I am getting off track again. I really appreciate you all taking the time to offer support , you never know, the Tiger blood I had on Monday might be back tomorrow and I will see it all differently : ))

[MariolaDJ]

Irish Rose,

I completely feel you on everything you mentioned as far as frustrations go. I keep having to tell myself this is for good health, and that my annoying my friends and restaurant staff with, "I can't eat that" is really bumming me out.

 

I also wanted to just comment about the nutritionist telling people to eat ham sandwiches and sports drinks! YUCK! I am applying to a holistic nutritional Master's program in the next year. I was on vacation recently and experienced a woman at breakfast, who is a John's Hopkins (one of the top health universities in the States) trained nutritionist advising a man to drink Coke Zero.

 

I wanted so badly to shake her and go, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME"!!! But alas, the only advice I have is go on and get your degree and then advise your future clients with what YOU know is best for them, not what some school teaches you. It saddens me that this is what is being taught as healthy "nutrition", but what we can do is finish our degrees and preach what we need to preach Carry on! 

[Irish Rose]

Exactly Mariola! I intend to get my qualifications so that people will respect my opinion and I can change people's lives with paleo. I am so passionate about the link between diet and modern illness , both physical and mental. It's going to take me a few years but , hey! The time will pass anyway!