I quit...And maybe I shouldn't have?

[Bocage222]

My husband and I quit at the end of day 9.  We have the cookbook "Well Fed" and LOVE all of the food.  We also have a 7.5 month old daughter that I am nursing.  The straw that broke the camels back was the 3rd time I did not have enough milk in my breasts to comfort and fill her.  I am a pediatric nurse and I am aware that it's a supply and demand and stay hydrate blah blah.  Around day 4 or 5 I added an extra meal or full snack to help.  I honestly was surprised that I did enjoy this way of eating.  My kitchen however looked like thanksgiving just hit it every minute of the day, I was losing play time with my precious baby, and losing an minute of couple time we could have had prepping and such.  I think maybe we overcomplicated it?  I also am not really into meat and for 33 years I've eaten carbs, and carbs, with a side of carbs before a candy bar.  I must say that we learned a ton.  I also spent literally hundreds, more than hundreds of dollars at the grocery in those 9 days.  That being said, my husband now takes lunch to work, I love coconut oil and milk, we both like cauliflower mashed better than mashed potatoes...Did we stop too soon.  Is there a way to do this where it isn't consuming all of our time and money and destroying our kitchen?  We were all in until I couldn't feed the baby.  That for me was a dealbreaker the 3rd time it happened.  I know people said it would come back, but waiting and seeing with a hungry child was not an option.  Advice?!

[Heather Robertson]

It sounds like you made some great strides in eating better! I know its recommended to just go all in and not hesitate on starting a W30, but some times it takes a few baby steps to get in the right direction. That worked better for my husband and I.

 

I'm not sure about the issues with BF as I have not done that yet. But I have read that Whole9 says to make sure and eat snacks if your are pregnant or BF. Its hard to get enough calories in three meals to supply your needs during that time!

 

Keep up making the little changes if thats what you can manage right now. And celebrate those victories! Every step toward more healthy is a step toward permanant change.

[Xandra]

First, congrats on trying to change eating habits while nursing a baby! I couldn't have done it. You learned a lot that will be useful to carry forward. It sounds like the food prep took the wind out of your sails. That can be hard with any kind of change, and as you said, this way of eating was drastically different than your previous way of life. So give yourself all kinds of credit for sticking with this for one hour, never mind the 9 days. I think you did great!

 

Now as for food prep, I am the queen of easy. I cook everything in one pot if at all possible, and I make batches enough to last me a few days.  What I try to do is cook up one big batch of vegetables and keep those in the refrigerator, and then it's easy to take a bowl of those, microwave them, and add whatever proteins/fats need to make the meal.  If that's a can of sardines or some thawed shrimp, then that's what it is. Often, it's some ground beef I browned and saved as well.

 

The vegetables don't have to be complicated. I will often use frozen veg, kale if possible, or other mixed veg and add fresh tomatoes and avocado when serving. 

 

Check out Tom Denham's blog for some great one-pot recipes that are quick and easy, too: http://www.wholelifeeating.com

 

Good luck for next time!  You got this!

[amberino21]

It sounds like your 9 days inspired some changes in your normal day to day routine - that's fantastic!

I would definitely try again though - as a BFing mother, you should be eating more though! The template isn't designed for you, as you need more calories and nutrients. 4-5 proper meals would provide enough nutrition for you and your bub.

I'm not sure about budget where you are, besides going for eggs, cheaper cuts of meat - leaner cuts if they aren't organic- and seasonal vegies. Try making dishes not full of complex ingredients. Also stick to similar foods for a week so you don't have food wastage.

I cook in bulk - dinner time involves reheating something I pulled from the freezer while cooking fresh vegies. If I make salad I make 3 days worth. When I chop I chop bulk food. We have a pile of cooked chicken breast pieces in the freezer to have with salad for lunch.

Day 9 isn't really enough time to see the benefits that would outweigh some of the "negatives" you experienced. I would give it another go if you feel ready - perhaps take time to cook some freezer meals before you start so you won't be bombarded.

[MrsStick]

For speed, I second doing as much food at a time as you can. If need be, you can get bags of compliant frozen veggies (check carefully) - onions and peppers, carrot/cauliflower/broccoli, even green beans are allowed. Or non-mixed bags of one type of allowed veggie. The veggies might cost a bit more, but they can be a HUGE timesaver - put in pan, put in water, cook, drain, eat. I'm looking to get a food processor that has an attachment to grate veggies and such for me - that way stir fries are over half prepared just by dropping veggies in the chute. I don't have a little one, but hubby and I both work and the time required for our work can be a little much (if I have to be there at 6 am and don't get home until 5/6 or even later...yeah...).

 

When I was on my Whole30, I did find that doing "hot plate" ideas out of It Starts With Food made things SUPER easy. Brown some ground beef, prep some veggies (do it on the weekend so you and hub can switch off food prep and watching baby). Then on the weeknights, you can just mix and match and add spices/whatever else (like tomato sauce) as required.

 

That being said, if you're nursing, eat more. Eat more everything. Eat 4 meals a day plus snacks if you need to. Melissa Hartwig sips on coconut milk all day to keep her supply up. Eat more fat and carb-loaded veggies (sweet potatoes, beets, parsnips, carrots, rutabagas, turnips, celery root) and fruits. Your body needs the energy more than those of us eating for 1 person, not 2. Obviously, drinking water will also help.

 

Instead of going cold turkey, why not try phasing things out one at a time? So cut out your bread (or cheese or whatever). Figure out how to make that work (how much more of other stuff do you need to eat?) without killing your supply. Then phase out the next thing. That might be easier on all 3 of you! 

[ajclemons5]

It doesn't need to be complicated at all!  In my opinion, it's actually the most simple, cost effective way of eating.  The most difficult part of the life style change is learning how to make it work for you.  I've been eating clean doing whole 30 for almost a year, and have certainly learned a lot of tips and tricks along the way.  Keep it simple is the best advice that i can give.  good luck

[drmommalaelle]

You might want to try taking a month or two and gradually incorporate the Paleo changes to your diet. Cut out grains, then dairy, then legumes, then sugars, etc. Your body and milk supply can adjust slowly so that once you start eating 100% super clean on Whole30 you aren't likely to experience another dip in production. Unless you're ready to go again right away, then just eat a lot more and frequently as others have suggested and hopefully all will go well!