Too much meat...

[Allison W]

Hi folks,

 

I'm on day 5 of my first whole 30, and so far, so good!  (Though apparently I am on auto-pilot first thing in the morning and accidentally added sugar to my coffee this morning... only took 2 sips before I realized it and then I threw it out and made a fresh cup!  Oops!)  Here is my big concern though: I'm not a big meat eater.  I do enjoy it, but I was a vegetarian for years, so before attempting this my meat consumption was limited to 1-2x per week, most of my protein being met by legumes and occasionally tofu and edamame.  This is in part due to economics, organic black beans are a whole heckuva lot cheaper than grass fed ground beef, and also because I was meeting my protein needs in more unhealthy ways (too much cheese, one of the bad habits I'm hoping to break this month!!).

 

 I've been eating meat with all but one meal this week, and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed.  I've had a good variety, but I don't think I can sustain it for the entire month.  (Also, I ate turkey lunchmeat last night and threw it up this morning... It was whole 30 compliant, but I think even the minimal processing was too much for my system).  My question is: can I add a couple of vegetarian protein sources without compromising the integrity of my whole 30?  My goals are to really 'reset' my digestive system - I have some digestive issues, and I've always had a weak immune system (due to Lyme disease as a kid), so I'm hoping to fortify it.  I'm also pretty sure I have a wheat intolerance and possibly a sensitivity to dairy, so I wanted to really eliminate them and then test my reactions with the re-introduction period.

 

What would be the best vegetarian protein I could add in?  Or could I use nuts/nut butter as a source of protein for one meal a day (instead of just a fat source)?  Or would any tempeh/edamame really compromise my end goals?

 

I'm sorry if this is a repeat question - I scanned a few of the topics but couldn't find anything that exactly addressed this...

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

[runninglawyer88]

I think the answer is no, you cant add any vegetarian sources of protein without compromising your results because the vegetarian plan, while better than the SAD, is not ideal. I think you have to do what you have to do but I'd strongly encourage you to stick it out. I was a vegetarian for ~10years before the w30 (I'm on day 6) and I'm just kind of sucking it up.

Curries and stir fries are easier to tolerate than meat and veg separately because the flavors are strong and there's lots or veggies added.

Egg salad is a good choice

Eggs on a green salad with nuts and olives plus balsamic vinegar and oil is another great choice

Seafood is good when meat is too much for me

Hope this helps. If you must add a vegetarian protein source then I'd take a look at the template and choose the "best" options.

[GFChris]

runninglawyer88 is correct - choose to follow either the standard Whole30 or the vegetarian Whole30 - the hybrid is not recommended.

 

What about seafood? Tuna? Scallops? Shrimp? Salmon? 

Nuts are considered a fat source on both the standard and vegetarian Whole30.

[Allison W]

Thanks for the responses!  I do eat seafood - haven't done as much this week because I've been trying some new recipes, but I think going forward I'll try to do an even mix of seafood/eggs/traditional meats and see if my system handles that better.  

 

I appreciate the feedback!!

[peace_positive]

I was vegan/gf/df for 10 yrs before i went paleo a few years ago. My first protein was canned willd caught tuna. I figured out different ways to make it taste good (mixed in guac, mixed in no bean chili instead of ground meat, etc). Then i had bacon. Then i had liver lol...just take it day by day. Also, cocnut oil/fat makes it taste soooo much better.

[mercuryhime]

I also felt like it was too much meat in the beginning.  I'm pescatarian and chose to remain that way for my Whole 30, but even though I ate seafood prior to Whole 30, I probably only ate it a couple times a week.  Having 3 meals a day with eggs or fish was too much for me.  Or so I thought.  I got used to it after a while and now that I'm off Whole 30, I actually find myself missing the animal protein sources. 

Of course, I can't sustain the Whole 30 way of eating indefinitely, so I'm transitioning back to legumes for most of my protein.  I must say, I felt a lot better while eating Whole 30.  I'll try to incorporate more fish into my diet from now on, but I have law school to pay for as well.  blech. 

 

So I guess the short answer is, just hang on.  You will get used to it, and it will feel great! 

Good luck!

[Allison W]

Thanks everyone!