Past day 60 and gaining weight

[Ahartkopf]

So my husband and I just passed day 60. After our 30 days, which we were very strict on,we added back in a very little bit of dairy, I.e. Some feta on a salad, and maybe shared a small square of dark chocolate in the evening. Now that being said, we really haven't changed anything else. We were thrilled with the results in the first 30, my husband is nearly at his goal weight but I am stalled out and even gaining this week! We have been a little bit sedentary as our weather has been horrible, but have now joined a gym, so I hope this makes a difference. I also think I am not drinking enough.

Here is my intake for a day if someone wouldn't mind giving me a little eval.....

Breakfast: 2 eggs with bell pepper, onion and spinach, sometimes an avacado half

Lunch: a big spinach salad with a cup of chicken, a small bit of feta, some orange slices, olives and Annie's dressing.

Snack: a handful of cashews and some fruit, and a larabar before my workout

Dinner: a big salad with chicken, and some dried cranberries

We had a small piece of chocolate last night

So that was yesterday, do I need to go back to very strict whole30 to make a difference? Or am I doing something very wrong? This is SO different from the way I was eating before that I really thought I would just wither up and blow away and it is not working for me. I am 5'8" and need to lose about 30-40 lbs. I am at 188. I have only lost 8 lb what with the two I gained back this week. I am very discouraged. I don't want to go back into my bingeing habits, I never denied myself anything and I am ready to give up.....this has been rewarding in a lot of ways, but also so hard and expensive too. I want to look good again. I feel good again, but I haven't even dropped a size.

Please help!

[GFChris]

Some thoughts:
- on breakfast, you say sometimes you have 1/2 an avocado. If you're not consistently including a healthy fat, that could be an issue.
- the Annie's dressing. Check the ingredients - last time I checked they either had junky oil, sweeteners, or both.
- the PreWO recommendation is protein and fat. No fruit. Nuts are a fat source on a Whole30.
- dried cranberries may contain sugar or sulfites (sulfur dioxide) - check the ingredients

- you're having lots of raw vegetables, which can cause bloating - perhaps try switching to all cooked vegetables?

 

Are you getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep nightly? How are your stress levels?  Are you doing to bed with a quiet mind?

 

You say you're not drinking enough. Aim for drinking water, in the amount of at least half your body weight, in ounces, daily. (So, at your current weight, that means drinking at least 94 ounces of water daily.)

 

You say you were thrilled with the results of your first 30. I would suggest returning to 100% Whole30 compliance for another 30 days, following the recommended template for all your meals and pre/post WO, and see how you do.
 

[Tina R]

I am not an expert but it looks like you are eating too much sugar. I would give up larabars because they are sugar bombs. I would add more variety of veggies to your meals. Do you have any issues with dairy that you are aware of? Dairy can cause inflammation which could result in the 2 lbs you've gained. We are all so unique that it is a guessing game. Some people can eat chocolate without any problems, the rest of us can't. I would take Chris's advice above and go back to the whole30. Your body may need more time to heal.