Hi - and help?

[Melody7464]

I'm well into my third week of Whole30 this week & while I'm proud of myself for having stuck with it so diligently, I'm beginning to get a bit discouraged by the lack of results I'm seeing.

 

As a bit of a back story, I was on the Medifast plan for a couple of years, on which I lost around 50 lbs. During that time, I was also working out around 5-6 days a week - which I found out later was a reason I plateaud. We tried a variety of things to correct it - more protein, fewer Medifast meals, etc. - but nothing would make it budge. I finally got so discouraged with it - and frankly, tired of eating all the prepackaged food - that I decided to go it alone. And, of course, I regained about 20 of the lbs. I lost.

 

I heard about Whole30 through a friend & decided to try it. I got started on February 24th with high hopes of more energy, weight loss, etc. However, as of today, I'm still feeling a bit bloated, my clothing doesn't fit any differently, I'm extremely tired/sleepy all the time & just not even close to where the guideline says I should be at this point. My meal plans are essentially the same every day (creature of habit) - poached eggs, spinach, tomato & avocado for breakfast; roasted veggies & fish for lunch; lettuce wraps of GF turkey or avocado/shrimp salad for dinner; snacks of fruit & nuts (not excessively, as I messed up the first week with smoothies).

 

Am I simply impatient? Or is there something more I could/should be doing?

 

Thanks for any help you guys can offer!

 

Melody

[Tina R]

I'm well into my third week of Whole30 this week & while I'm proud of myself for having stuck with it so diligently, I'm beginning to get a bit discouraged by the lack of results I'm seeing.

 

As a bit of a back story, I was on the Medifast plan for a couple of years, on which I lost around 50 lbs. During that time, I was also working out around 5-6 days a week - which I found out later was a reason I plateaud. We tried a variety of things to correct it - more protein, fewer Medifast meals, etc. - but nothing would make it budge. I finally got so discouraged with it - and frankly, tired of eating all the prepackaged food - that I decided to go it alone. And, of course, I regained about 20 of the lbs. I lost.

 

I heard about Whole30 through a friend & decided to try it. I got started on February 24th with high hopes of more energy, weight loss, etc. However, as of today, I'm still feeling a bit bloated, my clothing doesn't fit any differently, I'm extremely tired/sleepy all the time & just not even close to where the guideline says I should be at this point. My meal plans are essentially the same every day (creature of habit) - poached eggs, spinach, tomato & avocado for breakfast; roasted veggies & fish for lunch; lettuce wraps of GF turkey or avocado/shrimp salad for dinner; snacks of fruit & nuts (not excessively, as I messed up the first week with smoothies).

 

Am I simply impatient? Or is there something more I could/should be doing?

 

Thanks for any help you guys can offer!

 

Melody

Hi Melody, I am so glad you have stuck with the whole30! I am sure you are doing great! Everyone's whole30 is different some of us don't have drastic changes. Also it can take at least 30 days or more to heal your gut so I would keep on with it. The only change I noticed on mine was my acid reflux disappeared. I didn't get any tiger blood energy or lose a single pound.

 

Are you following the meal template? I can't tell from your meals if you are eating enough fat. Also you should not be eating snacks at all and fruit and nuts are not the best choice. This could be why you don't have the results you are looking for. Make sure you are eating enough at each meal so you don't need to snack. Make sure you are drinking 1/2 an ounce of water per pound of body weight each day. (If you weigh 150 you should drink 75 oz of water) Here is the meal template. http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf.  

[Guest]

I second what Tina says.  I'm not familiar with Medifast, but it sounds as though it may have been hard on your body.  Your body may have been a bit starved and actually need to hold on to some nutrients for a while.  You can help it by giving it even more nutrients!  Bone broth, a variety of meats, various fats if your body tolerates them all, and a whole rainbow of veggies.  You can do this without variety, but your body will thank you for giving it more!

 

Also, make sure you are getting pre and post-WO meals if you are working out, but don't push the working out for now if you don't feel up to it.

 

With fruits and nuts, only allow these as part of a meal. Fruits 1 to 2 times a day or not at all.  If your body isn't satisfied with three meals, make your meals larger (they sound a little small) or add another plate of protein, fat, and veg evenly spaced between your other meals.

 

This is a 30 day program.  So, don't count it out yet.  The magic can happen at day 30 or after so keep your head in the game and play until the last second or through overtime.  http://whole30.com/2012/10/six-reasons-why-the-whole30-didnt-work-for-you/

[kitmao]

 I'm not familiar with Medifast, but it sounds as though it may have been hard on your body.  Your body may have been a bit starved and actually need to hold on to some nutrients for a while.  You can help it by giving it even more nutrients! 

 

This!

 

Yo-yo dieting is hard on your body and it may need some time to recover. Eating this way is about much more than losing weight, although a lot of people do lose weight. This is about giving your body what it needs to be healthy. Sometimes your body is so focused on healing, that it is just going to hold on to the pounds for a while. I did a couple months of Whole30 once and didn't lose anything (in fact gained) the first month, but somewhere in the second month the weight started to come off at 2-3 lbs a week. But, I felt AMAZING and happy anyway. 

 

Also, other lifestyle factors can play a role. I will gain weight if I don't sleep well or am stressed out for long enough- no matter what I eat. 

 

I hope you don't give up on this lifestyle if at 30 days you still didn't get the results you were hoping for. Sometimes, we need to go longer (or at least stay very close to the Whole30 with only occasional off-plan food choices). 

[Carmen Azcona]

Hey Melody,

 

I totally know what you are going through. Right now I am on day 19 and have not hit any new energy levels and am super bloated. I was concerned so I did some searching and found that not everyone's timeline is the same. Some people have incredible results after 30 days, but for some people it can take 45 or even 60 days. I would definitely give the program more time, and focus on any positive results that you see. For me, I've noticed that I've stopped snoring. I can now sleep with my mouth closed for the first time. Also, less hair falls out in the shower and my skin is clearer.

 

I definitely want to thin out, and am bummed that that has not really happened yet, but focusing on the positive gets me going through. I would also look at the workouts you are doing. If you are doing something like interval circuits, for instance, you are not going to lose a lot of weight. You will instead gain endurance and muscle, but not lose a lot of fat. Yoga is fantastic for slimming down. It tones your entire body and I highly recommend it! I've tried all sorts of different workout routines, from running, to the 60-day Insanity workout. I literally trained for a ran a half-marathon, and actually gained weight. What I've learned is losing weight and getting thinner comes from the kind of exercise you are doing so I would definitely evaluate that! I hope that this helps or at least gives you more motivation!

[Tom Denham]

The reason many people lose weight while doing a Whole30 is that their hormones finally get into their proper rhythm and their bodies begin to release fat that it does not need. Several of our recommendations help get hormones to the place they need to be. Eating a substantial breakfast within one hour of waking in the morning, mainly eating three substantial meals per day, avoiding snacking all day, and eating a good variety of nutritious foods so that are bodies are actually well fed. Some people get into a good hormonal rhythm quickly and some take longer. The process definitely works, so keep working it!