No results on day 13 -- just tired, gassy, hives and missing wine

[JLA]

I am on day 13 of the Whole 30 and thinking it's not really for me. Prior to starting, I was already pretty much eating paleo for months. I decided to do the Whole 30 for several reasons: to get back on track after some holiday cheating, to see if dairy was an issue for me and to see if I would finally lose some weight as my husband had significant results after going paleo and compared to my much less obvious results. Also, from time to time, I would find a strange hive on my back in the evening.

After 13 days on Whole 30 I have not seen or felt any benefits at all. In fact, I am more tired than ever, last night I broke out in multiple hives and my gas issues (which essentially had gone away when I started paleo) are back. Not that I drank heavily (a couple glasses maybe twice a week), but I really miss my wine. Thus, I am am thinking this is not for my so it is best to stop now and cut my losses before suffering through the rest. Anyone else get this far with absolutely no results?? Very frustrated and on the verge of just going back to how I was eating when I started paleo -- results were the same if not better....

[runninglawyer88]

I don't really see how cutting out dairy could have ADVERSE effects for you. What other changes have you made that this could be attributed to? Are you eating gaseous vegetables (brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) that you weren't eating much before?  

 

You said you're tired, are you eating starchy vegetables? A sweet potato, turnips, rutabaga, or even a nice portion of carrots could serve you well in increasing your energy levels (especially if you're active). 

 

If you were getting hives before, which it sounds like you were ("Also, from time to time, I would find a strange hive on my back in the evening") then maybe that's unrelated to the whole 30. If you want a reason to quit then do it because you don't want to but I don't think that any of the symptoms that you've listed can clearly be attributed to any of the whole 30 principles. 

 

I do hope you start seeing results soon if you decide to stay the course. There are MANY MANY MANY people who don't see any benefits until they are nearing the end of their whole 30 so just because you've not noticed any yet doesn't mean that you won't. Best of luck to you! 

[Robin Strathdee]

Tough love here:

 

It's a 30 day program.  We don't promise stellar results in 13 days. This is a process. There are things we could probably help you figure out (rashes, low energy, gas) and things you will have to wait patiently for (wine and weight loss).  If you'd like our help, give us some information - a few days worth of typical meals, and significant issues to accompany those meals, your activity level, your stress level...

 

Read this article. Now. Seriously.  
http://whole30.com/2014/01/whole30-tough-love/

 

Then, let us help you maximize your results.

[JLA]

Thank you both very much for your thoughtful replies and for your help in getting to the bottom of what is going on here.

 

To answer your questions, in addition to cutting out cheating, dairy and wine, I am probably eating more avocado and sweet potato than before. I don't weigh and measure but I ate a lot of vegetables before so I don't think much has changed there. In the beginning, I will confess that I was probably doing more snacking than is advised (none) but I really felt I needed it (again, I understand the part about eating enough at meals but I felt I had sufficient meals - maybe I was/am wrong). I probably tend to be on the higher end of the stress spectrum and I exercise 3-4 times a week (one spin class, 1-2 barre classes and 1-2 day at the gym for either interval running/walking for 20-30mins on the treadmill or eccentric weights with a quick cardio warm-up).

 

Here are a couple of sample eating days (I just started writing everything down this week):

 

Sample day 1:

 

Breakfast: black coffee, 3 egg omelet with spinach cooked in ghee; 1/4 avocado; sweet potato

 

Lunch: taj mahal chicken; spaghetti squash; 2 heaping spoons sweet potato

 

Dinner: shrimp with lemon, garlic, ghee and caper sauce; spaghetti squash; brussels sprouts; berries

 

(lots of gas this day - could be attributed to brussels sprouts but strange bc I ate them weekly previously)

 

Sample day 2:

 

Breakfast: black coffee; 2 hard boiled eggs; 1/4 avocado (skipped veggies bc stomach not great - still gassy)

 

Lunch: spaghetti squash; boneless skinless chicken thighs (2); sunshine sauce; sweet potato/ghee

 

Dinner: chicken sausage and carrots as appetizer; turkey burger, huac, salsa, sautéed spinach(2 big handfuls)/ghee; clementine

 

The snacking was better on these 2 days but today I felt the need to have 2 clementines, a spoon of sunflower butter and some carrots and about a spoon of guac as a snack. I had eaten a hard-boiled egg pre barre class and a spinach omelet with guac and salsa post barre class followed closely by a small plate of sweet potato and brussels sprouts (no gas right now).

 

Thanks again for the help. I don't want to stop because I know I will feel like I quit and I would hate that. On the other hand, maybe there is something else going on and my body/metabolism just need a different approach.

[runninglawyer88]

It doesn't look like your eating is to blame--I don't see anything that could cause those sorts of issues. Are you having loose stools? Maybe fermented foods, a probiotic or enzymes would be helpful for you. I certainly wouldn't give up because I don't see how adding any non-compliant foods would help your situation. Eating dairy certainly wouldn't alleviate gas/bloating and eating less sweet potato is something you could while doing the w30. So, I'd reconsider throwing in the towel. 

 

Are you expecting your monthly visitor? How are you sleeping? Are you MORE stressed than usual? All of these things can contribute to digestive unrest. 

[JLA]

Thanks!

It should be about another week before that time of the month.

 

I don't think I am more stressed than usual. However, I may stress more than I previously recognized -- having read one of the daily emails regarding stress, it seems I am a stress junkie (but that's really nothing new).

 

My husband is not doing the Whole 30, but eats primarily Paleo, so he is on board with whatever I have for dinner. He lost 10-15 lbs when going Paleo whereas I only lost 4-5lbs (almost all of which went back on as soon as cheating started).