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Day 16, feeling confused and discouraged


n9vember

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It pains me to have to post here, but I just need a little help. I completed a Whole 30 in August of 2012 and everything was hunky dory. I effortlessly lost my last 6 pounds, finally felt comfortable with my body for about the first time in oh, 40 years. I had energy, I had strength, it was great! I was doing very well with not rebounding until this past May and then things started going downhill. i lost my job, which meant more time around the house, which translated to not feeling so great, which led to more snacking and general poor food choices. I made an effort to remain very active over summer and spent an enormous amount of time cycling (at least 50 miles/week), in addition to yoga and running. I did gain a bit of weight from my low, but about 5 or 6 lbs. Manageable.

 

However, as Summer ended and Fall (in Chicago) began, I pretty much stopped my outdoor activity and even my regular yoga practice. I also got really out of control with the food during a vacation in Mexico and then the Halloween to New Year stretch. So, here I am, back on the W30 to get myself out of my terrible grain/sugar/booze/dairy pit. And of course, I would love to fit back in my non "fat jeans."

 

Only thing is, 16 days in, I swear I'm even heavier than when I started (and when I started, I was about 15 lbs heavier than at the end of the last W30, and for me, the heaviest I've been in decades.) I'm not weighing myself, but nothing is getting even the teeniest bit looser. I measured and I'm seeing numbers I don't remember seeing since 2003 (hint, not good.) I feel like I'm following the template to the T. I drink tons of water, I get 8 hours of sleep, I practice power yoga 60-75 min/day at least 5 days a week, with less intense practices the other 2. I walk my dog. I meditate and I make sure to keep my stress level as low as I can manage. 

 

I just don't know what else is going on, except maybe my calories are way out of line for my activity level? 

 

Here's an average 3 days of meals:

 

Day 1:

M1: 3 eggs with spinach or broccoli (1-2 cups), either 1/2 an avocado or a few olives, plus 2 cups of coffee with a Tbsp of unsweetened coconut milk, a few blackberries or strawberries (3-5)

 

M2: grilled chicken breast over arugula salad (2 cups), some red pepper slices, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, maybe a few olives or the other 1/2 of avocado, with olive oil and balsamic, a few blackberries or strawberries (3-5)

 

M3: chicken breast, green beans with a T or so coconut oil, 1/2 medium or whole small sweet potato, 2 dates

 

or 

 

Day 2: same breakfast as above

 

M2: compliant chicken sausage, green beans sauteed in olive oil, cherry tomatoes, 1/2 apple

 

M3: chicken breast, broccoli slaw, red pepper slices, 1/2 avocado, 3 strawberries

 

or

 

Day 3: breakfast remains the same

 

M2: ground turkey/ 1/4 roasted acorn squash with coconut oil, curry cauliflower rice (Well Fed), 1/2 apple

 

M3 angus beef patty/ 1/2 sweet potato, small arugula salad, spoon of homemade mayo, 2 dates

 

 

Too much of something? Not enough of something? Any advice greatly, greatly appreciated. Other helpful stats (F, 43, 5'3", currently 130 lbs., I'm normally between 118 and 120-ish)

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Your meals all seem to fit the template really well. I would say limit your fruit to just 2 meals per day. But otherwise everything looks fine. Are you hungry between meals? Are you satisfied at the end of meals? It is normal to feel a bit of bloating in the middle of a W30. Keep following the template, listen to your body, and trust the program. Also remember that this is not designed to be a weight loss program. Focus on getting your eating healthy and your relationship with food healthy again and your body will respond. 

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I would say that I do feel satisfied and most of the time, not hungry between meals. And, I know it's not a weight loss program, but after last time, I just assumed that would definitely be a very, very welcome and necessary bonus. I intend to keep on keepin' on, even past my 30 days (planning on 45.) I appreciate your input and I hope my body gets with the program .

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You might be okay cutting the avocado or olives at breakfast. The fat of whole eggs may be enough. Add it back if you find yourself hungry before lunch. 

 

Honestly, caring intensely about losing weight seems like it interferes with losing weight. I've heard reports several times of people finally losing weight after they give up and just live the Whole30-style of living.  :unsure:

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Thanks, Tom. I'll try the breakfast tweak. And, oh, do I wish I didn't care...but I do. I'm just miserable at this current weight and I wanted to go the healthy route, rather than resorting to extreme measures, i.e. quick fix "cleanses" or "fasts." Beyond the fact that I'm so out of my weight comfort zone, financially, I don't want to purchase an entirely new wardrobe. Added to that, I'm a yoga teacher, which is a weird place to be when you don't fit the "ideal." It's just a bit disappointing that what worked before doesn't seem to be working now and I just don't know what else to do.

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5''3 and 130? That is great. I am 5'3 and 145, with a goal weight of 130. I'm only 27 years old. I think you should not let the numbers get to you. I am a solid size 8 and would love to be a size 4 or 6, one day. Maybe try adding in strength training and cardio to your routine. I think your meals look fine.

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I'm ridiculously small-boned and pear shaped, for some reason, I don't carry 130 well. My body loves to keep me at 118, but I like it best when I'm a pound or 2 lower. I actually have broken off a terrible relationship with my scale. I try never to weigh myself and go solely on how my clothes fit. Unfortunately, even my most forgiving jeans are nearly unwearable. The yoga I do is pretty cardio based and I was strength training 3x a week, but the growing muscle under the puffy covering was making things even more snug, so for the moment, I'm going for the body weight benefits of my yoga program. I should resume running, though. Darn Midwest winter.

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I'm also on day 16 and feeling discouarged. This week was a really stressful one at work and I immediatly wanted to turn to food to make myself feel better. My mind keeps racing through all the food I can't have like a reuben or ice cream. It makes me want to throw in the towel and run to the cheesecake to order a whole cake for myself.

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I hear you, Quiggle. I was pretty close to throwing in the towel today, too. But, we've made it this far! That's at least some sort of victory. I think I'd feel a million times worse giving up and going back to the habits that landed me here in the first place. I am pretty fortunate that I haven't been missing or craving any non-compliant foods. But, here's to staying strong! We can do this! 

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I'm pear-shaped too, and it's such a PITA. My best friend is hourglass. Hourglasses look 10 lbs lighter than what they weigh and pear shapes look 10 lbs heavier. SO UNFAIR.

Giving up the scale has been really hard for me, but it has been my second favorite part of the program. (My favorite is not counting calories.) I've had some really unhealthy weight-related obsessions in the past, and this program... in comparison it's so easy and so much more... calming? It just makes me feel so placid and calm when I make my meals, following the simple template, whereas before I would race around the kitchen taking literally an hour to pack my lunch, sometimes being late for work because I was struggling to find something to make up that last 100 calories or last few WW points.

You can make it! Even if you don't lose weight on the whole 30, look at it as getting those habits under control, and then when you finish, you can tackle your weight loss goal with healthier habits on board to help you! That was my plan when I started the program, I decided I would just do the program and my usual exercise, and if I'm not where I want to be at the end of the program, I'd add additional workouts.

Be careful not to get fixated on a meaningless number though. If you feel happy and healthy and like how you look, don't worry that the number isn't what it was when -insert criteria here.-

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I agree with you that being a pear is a pain. Finding jeans that fit a small waist and ample hips gets old fast. But, I guess as far as body types go, it's healthier to not have as much fat around your middle. So, there's that... As I mentioned, I don't weigh myself, normally (gave that up a few years ago, but do weigh on the rare occasion that I need to plug numbers into one of my running apps or a machine at the gym.) Now, I just go by clothing fit and how I'm generally feeling. So, I'm not so concerned about the number as the fit, which is really off right now.

 

And, I do love the non-calorie counting aspect as well. I, too, did WW years ago and man, just trying to get those points in line really took up way too much of my time and energy and made me really obsessed with food in general. 

 

So, I was just hoping that during this W30, I'd see the same results as the last, which is why I chose to embark on another one. From the last one over a year and a half ago, I did maintain most of my healthy habits and do regularly and naturally eat paleo a large portion of the time, but got pretty derailed with my vacation and these past few holiday months. I just hope that with my nutrition back on track the rest will follow (SOON!)

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Being an hourglass shape is not any better. Not only do I have the problems trying to find jeans that fit my small waist and big hips, I also have trouble finding a small top to fit my large chest. If my clothes don't have a defined waist I look pregnant. Nothing makes you feel as good as people asking you when your baby is due when you are not pregnant. My favorite piece of clothing are those big white cross your heart bras, they are so sexy.

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I guess you always think what you don't have is better! I am sorry to hear about your troubles with clothes and feel your pain there. I have the same problem with bottoms - if it fits my butt, it doesn't fit my waist. My mother loves to rant about how she hates those kids and their low rise jeans, but they were the best things that ever happened to my butt. Wait what, I only have to fit these to my hips and won't have a foot of fabric sticking out in the back? YES A MILLION TIMES.

I am usually fine with tops since I have negative bra equity; push up bras do nothing for me since there is nothing to push up. However, I have trouble buying suits or dresses with jackets, because manufactured sizes assume that if you have my size butt you also have a bra size to match, and NOPE NOPE NOPE.

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