How Much Fat is Too Much?

[nicaboosh]

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm not sure if this qualifies as a female-only topic, but since it's kind of embarrassing I thought I'd share here.  I've done the Whole30 on a couple of occasions, and the one thing that always makes me second guess the effectiveness of this plan on my body is the fat problem.  It might just be my body or it might be that I am eating the wrong things, but I seem to have issues digesting the excess fat.  I will spare you the details, but let's just say things feel off for me in the number-two-department around Week 3.  It's just not normal, not bad, but not normal.  From what I've read in the forums, it seems like most people tend to cling to a certain food group in the Whole30 and over-eat in that arena (excess protein, mainly).  For me, I love the fats...I could live off of coconut-anything and avocados.  A normal Whole30 day would be eggs scrambled in coconut oil or organic lard with a bunch of veggies, with half an avocado and something crunchy (cucumbers, nuts, or honeydew melon, etc).  Lunch is usually a big salad, with the rest of the avocado and olive oil, with chicken grilled on a George Foreman.  Dinners vary, but I love to make Thai curries, and I cook everything in coconut oil.  I also take a fish oil supplement and eat fish 2x per week.  Is this my problem? Research praises good fats as these untapped resources of wonderment, but perhaps I am just overdoing it? I thought I was doing a pretty good job of balancing everything, but without fail, by Week 3, things start getting funky in my belly again and I run to the nearest sprouted grain english muffin. Anyone have any advice? None of my friends or family are into this sort of thing, which is why I recently joined the forum.  Thanks! 

[amberino21]

Your fat intake definitely doesn't sound excessive - sounds perfect to me! You may have trouble digesting fats...I think that would be evident by "floaters" and a slick on the water... Digestive enzymes with HCL are what I've seen suggested for this problem.

Perhaps it's the type of vegies you're eating? Not enough starches, too many fibrous vegies etc?

[nicaboosh]

Well a couple of years ago I had some gallbladder issues and when I refused medication, the doctor gave up and told me to try milk thistle instead.  I took it regularly when I was experiencing the pain caused by pre-gallstones, or "sludge," but once the discomfort went away I became inconsistent and eventually just forgot to continue taking it.  For veggies I mostly rotate the same bunch with a few variations weekly: a TON of baby spinach, broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, etc.  But the bulk of my greens comes from spinach and I eat at least an avocado a day.  There's no water slick or things floating, but I do experience stool that is...well, oily I guess.  What a gross conversation!! What digestive enzymes are recommended in cases like this? I really don't want to get to week 3 again and become so discouraged about my digestive issues that I give up again.  I have a sneaky suspicion the culprit is coconut oil, but it's too depressing a thought.  As soon as I add my Ezekiel bread back into the mix, the problem goes away, but so does my success and willpower to avoid grains.  Once I have the muffin, then I'm craving the blue corn chips later that afternoon, and the cycle repeats itself.   

[shazza650]

Hi this happens to me as well but usually at least once a week if I'm too low on carbs I think the thing here is to eat more starchy veggies like butternut squash or any type of squash and sweet potatoes parsnips although you are eating plenty of spinach it's not dense like squash and you body needs a bit of stodge, because your gallbladder is what helps you process fats try cutting them down a little and up your starchy veggies just for a week and see how this helps it seems to work for me or like you I end up eating the rubbish carbs. Hope that helps

[trezkholl0806]

I'm having the same problem! Guess I need to up my carbs... I'm stuck on my pre-whole30 in the way of eating here; my trainer had me mainly eat carbs just with lunch, "no carbs after 7pm"... is that just one of those things rumored to be bad for you? Man, I'm also feeling really bloated this afternoon. Lunch was: sweet potato/apple/homemade sausage hash, roasted broccoli, cauliflower & zucchini and 1/2 avocado.

[amberino21]

I'm having the same problem! Guess I need to up my carbs... I'm stuck on my pre-whole30 in the way of eating here; my trainer had me mainly eat carbs just with lunch, "no carbs after 7pm"... is that just one of those things rumored to be bad for you? Man, I'm also feeling really bloated this afternoon. Lunch was: sweet potato/apple/homemade sausage hash, roasted broccoli, cauliflower & zucchini and 1/2 avocado.

No carbs after Xpm is the biggest load of baloney in the world. Eat carbs, when you like!

[trezkholl0806]

I've really been trying to focus on eating more carbs, sometimes eating them with each meal. I'm still having issues.. Constipation and now oil slick. Gross. Any ideas? Should I eat more carbs?? Less fat? Thinking about trying Natural Calm supplement; would this help or something totall different? I've also read about eating fermented foods and drinking kombucha (which I drank over the weekend)