More Meals Per Day?

[Karin Cournoyer]

So, I am eating very close to Whole 30 for a paleo challenge at my crossfit box.  I would like to do the last 30 days of the 60 day challenge as a whole 30.  I have done two Whole 30's in the past year.  However, I am seeing a new naturopath and for a variety of reasons, she wants me to try to divide my meals into smaller meals spread throughout the day.  I have read all of the research and I have read ISWF twice.  My liver enzymes are high (after eating 3 meals and not really snacking and no sugar or fruit, just sweet potatoes after workouts).  Also, my food doesn't seem to be digesting as well as it should be.  She just put me on a new fish oil, probiotic, and 3 types of digestive enzymes (including HCL).  I am also using castor oil topically to support my liver.  She also suspects thyroid/hormonal issues as I have nodules and a goiter, although we are waiting for some bloodwork before she gives me a supplement to support my thyroid.

 

Anyway, after all of that background, my question is, could I do a whole 30 and just eat 4-5 meals following the meal template (just make my meals smaller)?  Or should I wait to do a whole 30 until things seem to be a bit more normalized?

 

Thanks for any input!

[missmary]

You can totally follow the whole30 rules without following the recommendation to eat only 3 meals per day; we often recommend more meals for various reasons (people needing more food than they can eat in three meals, nursing or pregnant people, people with smaller stomachs from gastric bypass, etc.), if you want to experiment with more meals in collaboration with your naturopath, that's fine.

 

For the average whole30-er reading this, though: this should not be taken as an endorsment of your personal trainer or nutritionist or sister's boyfriend's mother who thinks you should eat on the hour every hour (or 6 small meals or whatever). For the general population eating whole30, avoiding grazing all day is an important recommendation that is worth trying. For most people, giving your body time to rest and digest will help with hormone regulation and metabolism. context matters.

[Karin Cournoyer]

Thanks.  I do understand what you are saying for the general whole30-er.  I have done it that way, and I have planned my meals to loosely following the whole 30 template even when not actively doing a whole 30.  For some reason, it's not working for my body.  But, that said, I do crossfit, stronglifts, hot yoga, and sprints, so if I actually start being better about a pre and post workout meal, it kind of works out to the same thing, right?