Am I doing something wrong?

[Lisaj]

This is my first Whole30 and I will admit I am doing it to jumpstart my metabolism and lose weight.  I have read almost everything on the website and am halfway through the book.  So far, I haven't felt any of the side effects of the first few days.  Either I'm really lucky or I'm doing something wrong?  I have been following the template but I have also been logging my diet in an app called My Fitness Pal (strictly out of curiosity) and my total calories have been around 1,000 per day with 20-30% carbohydrates even though all I'm eating is meat, vegetables, and some fruit.  I also get the dreaded red warning that I'm eating too few calories at the end of every day.  So here's my question, am I eating enough or am I going to screw up my metabolism?  I feel comfortable at the end of a meal, not full and not craving.  I rarely snack. 

[Tom Denham]

Added note: I did not see that this post was in the Ladies Only section.   I would have kept my mouth shut if I had noticed, but now that I've already had so much to say, I will let it stand. 

 

You are doing something wrong... you are logging your food in MFP. Stop. Knowing how many calories you are eating and the macronutrient ratios is information that is hostile to making appropriate choices about food and learning to listen to your body. Seriously, stop the logging.

 

Many people do not feel awful when they do a Whole30, but most feel a little off during the first two weeks. If you don't feel bad, enjoy it.

 

Many people do not eat enough when they do a Whole30. Feeling hungry may take more than a few days in some cases, but let's talk about how you know you are eating enough... The guide to eating enough during the Whole30 is the meal template: 

 

http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf

 

The meal template specifies three basic meals per day, plus bonus pre-workout and post-workout meals when you exercise. See the template for details. If you are eating at least the minimum for each meal at least three times per day, you are okay. You can and should eat more if you feel hungry. Up to twice as much protein, more fat, and more veggies.

 

A mistake that is common with eating veggies is eating tiny portions. The meal template calls for filling the plate with veggies. I have seen people take that to mean scattering some lettuce with a few cut up veggies on top out to within 2 inches of the edge of the plate. That is not what we mean. Filling a plate with veggies means 2-3 cups or more of cooked veggies. Salad does not have much bulk and takes up little space when chewed. We are talking substantial portions of veggies cooked with generous amounts of fat so that it tastes good and fills you up. 

 

Eating according to how you feel is not always a reliable guide early in your Whole30 journey. We see more people under eat than over eat during a Whole30. Rather than going entirely by feel, we recommend eating at least the minimum described in the meal template and adding to that if you feel hungry for more. 

 

To get feedback about what you are eating, provide a report of your meals for a day with any snacks. If you like, post pictures. Pictures are how I have spotted people eating way too few veggies in the past.

[CarolinaVol]

My gut reaction is that 1000 calories is no where near enough. I think I eat 1000 calories just between breakfast and lunch! Are you eating according to the template? http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf

 

One thing I did already notice from what you said is that you eat meat, veggies, and fruit but you didn't mention fat. Make sure that you are eating enough fat. That will help add calories and help to fill you up. Make sure, also, to limit your fruit intake to one or two servings a day and make sure the fruit doesn't push the veggies off your plate.

 

But without knowing more details about what you're eating, it's hard to say where you might think about tweaking what you're eating. Can you give us a couple of days worth of your meals? Activity level? It may also help to know your height/current weight (if you don't mind!) because I am 5' 8" so if you're only 5' it would make sense that I eat a lot more than you  

 

Also, on the side effects, I didn't really experience any of the negative effects that the timeline said I should…except dreams about food (but I'll take that over the carb flu and sugar detox headaches I've read about in the forums any day!). I would consider yourself lucky and not worry too much about that!

[missmary]

Listen to these people.

 

In addition to Tom and Carolina's excellent advice: I detect a beautiful little baby in the picture. Are you breastfeeding right now? If so, you need even more food. Breastfeeding moms should have at least four meals and be a little more liberal with the fats and starchy veggies than people who are not. 

[Lisaj]

I am 41 years old, 5'5" and weigh 247 (now 240 thanks to all that water weight gone.  Yes, I was naughty and stepped on the scale).  My typical day of food has looked like this:

Breakfast: 1 banana and 2-3 cups of black coffee 

I know I should be eating more for breakfast but I have never been a breakfast eater, often feeling nauseous until at least 10am so even a banana is a stretch for me.  I am going to try adding in a hard boiled egg this week.

Lunch: Salad containg approx. 2 cups romaine,  approx. 1-2 cups baby spinach, 8-10 grape tomatoes, 1 cup of english cucumber, 1/2 can black olives and about 1 tbsp light olive oil and some sea salt, mushrooms sauteed in olive oil(1 tsp approx) with minced garlic, medium sized chicken breast either grilled or sauteed in some olive oil(1-2 tsp approx) with Mrs. Dash. 

Dinner: 1 baked sweet potato split in half with a fried egg(1 tsp olive oil) on each half, 2 Bilinski chicken and sundried tomato sausages, 1 cup english cucumber, 5-10 baby carrots dipped in guacamole.

 

I should note that I am doing this on a pretty limited budget.  I still need to buy/cook regular food for my family as they are not on board with this...yet.  I am not breastfeeding or pregnant, that is a baby picture of my now 7 year old.    I have yet to add workouts to my plan, trying to find a time to fit that in but I am pretty active with a family of 5, full time job and all that those entail. 

 

Tom, thank you for your help.  I will take a few photos if you still want me to in the coming days and don't worry about answering on a ladies only, I didn't know where else to put my question! 

[Guest WholeStanley]

my first piece of advice would be to eat more!!! I started my whole30 to rectify my relationship with food (mindless, night time sugar binging!) and also kick start metabolism and lose weight, so same as you. Coming from a place when you want to lose weight the first week of Whole30 can feel strange as I found myself eating way more than before - I really lost my appetite around day 4-5 cos i just couldn't stomach those 3 bigs meals, but i promise if you stick with it the feeling passes. 

 

I know you said you're not a big breakfast eater but I think sorting out your Meal 1 should be your top priority and will really help you reap the benefits of the whole30. Is it the types of food or amount of food you can't stomach in the morning?

 

If it's just the amount I would replace the banana with a boiled egg straight away (the banana has too much sugar to start your day IMHO) and then gradually try to add veggies to your plate.  (If it was me I would just force myself through a proper breakfast i.e. sauteed greens, mushrooms, baked sweet potato and fried eggs, for a couple of days and just get used to it, but that doesn't work for everyone). Maybe an option of you for the first week would be split you first meal into two mini meals that still follow the template but just have smaller quantities.

 

I'm sure the mods will have more to say but thats just my 2 cents, also I just wanted to write and say stick with it! hand over your 30 days to Whole30 and you'll reap the benefits i promise, and it does get easier and your body and appetite does adapt. On day 1 i dreamt all night about waking up to a bowl of porridge, banana and honey, last night i dreamt of waking up to my breakfast of home made sausage patties, veggies, tomato and guacamole! 

 

good luck with the rest of your whole30 xxx

 

p.s. also please please stay away from the scales! it's a rule for a reason, and if you keep focusing on your calorie intake and weight you'll miss all the other benefits (for me clear skin, better sleep, less mood swings and improved cooking skills! ha). I know that the whole30 is helping me lose weight because I'm fitting into clothes I thought I was going to have to throw out and I think I'm probably eating at least twice as much as you at the moment!

[Physibeth]

Great advice from WholeStanley! Pretty much everything we moderators would tell you.

 

On Meal 1 this is my general advice to people in your situation. Make a template meal and eat what you can within and hour of waking. Save the leftovers and finish it when you feel hungry again. If you keep doing this you will eventually get to eating the entire thing. I would leave fruit off any meal that doesn't first meet the template. Veggies and protein and fat first. You might also wait on your coffee until after you have eaten some real food in the morning because it can act as an appetite suppressant. 

 

As someone who comes from many years of calorie counting and measuring everything I put in my mouth I know what an adjustment this is but it is so freeing! Same goes for letting go of the scale. 

[Peg541]

I never felt anything. No hunger. No cravings. No carb flu. Just good. Listen to the moderators they are there to help us.

I don't mean to sound smug. I think I ate enough. Plus enough good fat to keep me satisfied.

[Lisaj]

Thank you all for your feedback-it's very helpful!  I did eat a hardboiled egg this morning instead of a banana, will try for two tomorrow.  When I started this I had a plan in the back of my mind to see where I'm at in 30 days and do another 30 right away so I have no plans of quitting.  I feel great!  WholeStanley-I'd love your recipe for homemade sausage if you could share? 

[Lemony]

Girls I am day 24 and this is the farthest I have got with previous attempts.

This time I banished the scales from the house and really am trying hard to ignore the annoying voice that tells me I am eating too much ...

Can I get your advice on my meals that I has today.

I will add that I feel I am not getting anywhere with losing any weight as my monthly cycle has not been seen for nearly 3 months. I started a low dose of HRT 10 days ago to help with the symptoms like hot sweats , spots, pmt .

I feel like I am running a uphill battle with my body and mind BUT eating this way I think has helped . I would welcome your thoughts.

Meal 1 - 3 eggs scrambled with coconut oil

Cabbage, onion (lots)

Meal 2 - tuna fish cakes ( tinned tuna, cooked veg

Onion, egg, 2 tbps almond flour) plus

Lots veg and half avcardo , apple

Meal 3 - ground beef bolognaise sauce, 2 small

Organic burgers, lots of veg and caulif

Special rice ( well fed book) and

Every night I crave frozen blueberries

And flaked coconut .

I feel so hungry of a night !! Daytime meals are fine but I just want to carry on eating after dinner

[Physibeth]

Girls I am day 24 and this is the farthest I have got with previous attempts.

This time I banished the scales from the house and really am trying hard to ignore the annoying voice that tells me I am eating too much ...

Can I get your advice on my meals that I has today.

I will add that I feel I am not getting anywhere with losing any weight as my monthly cycle has not been seen for nearly 3 months. I started a low dose of HRT 10 days ago to help with the symptoms like hot sweats , spots, pmt .

I feel like I am running a uphill battle with my body and mind BUT eating this way I think has helped . I would welcome your thoughts.

Meal 1 - 3 eggs scrambled with coconut oil

Cabbage, onion (lots)

Meal 2 - tuna fish cakes ( tinned tuna, cooked veg

Onion, egg, 2 tbps almond flour) plus

Lots veg and half avcardo , apple

Meal 3 - ground beef bolognaise sauce, 2 small

Organic burgers, lots of veg and caulif

Special rice ( well fed book) and

Every night I crave frozen blueberries

And flaked coconut .

I feel so hungry of a night !! Daytime meals are fine but I just want to carry on eating after dinner

 

Lisa your meals look fine but I would maybe cut the frozen blueberries and coconut after dinner. It is possible this is spiking your blood sugar and making you think you are hungry when you are not. I would also add another egg to your first meal and maybe a fat beyond your cooking oil. I find that my hunger through the day hinges on my first meal. Is the hunger after dinner real or is it habit? 

[Guest WholeStanley]

Lisaj, here's the recipe I use for sausage patties http://www.primalpalate.com/paleo-recipe/breakfast-sausages/

I had to go to whole foods to find pork mince with no added junk, I made a batch of eight on Sunday night so I can have two for breakfast or lunch this week. Or if you have more time in the mornings you could freeze a batch of raw patties and fry up a couple each morning.

Good luck!

Lisa A, your meals look good but I get hungry if I don't have enough starchy veg so I would add some sweet potato, squash, parsnips or lots of carrots at least ONCE a day - I'll often have two sweet potatoes in a day! Also I think Physibeth is right, maybe try a week without fruit and see if that helps and make sure your fat in meal 3 meets the template, are u eating a whole heaped handful of coconut? Could you add some olives or cashews? Also you didn't mention whether you are doing any exercise? If so you'll need more food

[Lemony]

Thank you and yes I am going to try all your suggestions about fruit , starchy veg and an extra egg at breakfast. Usually I have half a avcardo at most meals as my fat source as well as cooking in coconut oil and ghee but because I feel so bloated I .... Yes I cut it out , back on my plate today. I exercise 5 days and walk for 2 days. I work out on a power plate for 5 days. I find if I start having extra snacks it makes me hungry all day. And finally I totally think it's habit to eat sweet in the evening

[Lemony]

Will post my meals tomorrow and I feel so much happier about my meals after reading your replies this morning . I love my food ! And cook lovely meals from Melissa joulwan cook book well fed . I laugh to myself when I read that people can lose interest in food .... I wish !!

[Guest WholeStanley]

If you are exercising 5 days a week you should also be having your pre work out and post work out meals as extra (on top of meal 1, 2 and 3) - don't cheat your muscles and body of those extra nutrients when they need it most!!

[PamH]

Added note: I did not see that this post was in the Ladies Only section.   I would have kept my mouth shut if I had noticed, but now that I've already had so much to say, I will let it stand. 

 

You are doing something wrong... you are logging your food in MFP. Stop. Knowing how many calories you are eating and the macronutrient ratios is information that is hostile to making appropriate choices about food and learning to listen to your body. Seriously, stop the logging.

 

Many people do not feel awful when they do a Whole30, but most feel a little off during the first two weeks. If you don't feel bad, enjoy it.

 

Many people do not eat enough when they do a Whole30. Feeling hungry may take more than a few days in some cases, but let's talk about how you know you are eating enough... The guide to eating enough during the Whole30 is the meal template: 

 

http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf

 

The meal template specifies three basic meals per day, plus bonus pre-workout and post-workout meals when you exercise. See the template for details. If you are eating at least the minimum for each meal at least three times per day, you are okay. You can and should eat more if you feel hungry. Up to twice as much protein, more fat, and more veggies.

 

A mistake that is common with eating veggies is eating tiny portions. The meal template calls for filling the plate with veggies. I have seen people take that to mean scattering some lettuce with a few cut up veggies on top out to within 2 inches of the edge of the plate. That is not what we mean. Filling a plate with veggies means 2-3 cups or more of cooked veggies. Salad does not have much bulk and takes up little space when chewed. We are talking substantial portions of veggies cooked with generous amounts of fat so that it tastes good and fills you up. 

 

Eating according to how you feel is not always a reliable guide early in your Whole30 journey. We see more people under eat than over eat during a Whole30. Rather than going entirely by feel, we recommend eating at least the minimum described in the meal template and adding to that if you feel hungry for more. 

 

To get feedback about what you are eating, provide a report of your meals for a day with any snacks. If you like, post pictures. Pictures are how I have spotted people eating way too few veggies in the past.

Very brave of Tom to venture into Ladies Only territory.  

[Lisaj]

Lisa A, I'd like to know where you find canned tuna that is whole 30 approved?  All the tuna I read has vegetable broth (contains soy) on the label. 

[Physibeth]

Lisa A, I'd like to know where you find canned tuna that is whole 30 approved?  All the tuna I read has vegetable broth (contains soy) on the label. 

 

Look for tuna that is packed in water or olive oil. Trader Joe's is a good place to find it. Personally I've never seen one that contains soy but I've never picked one up that was packed in broth either. Wild Planet is my favorite brand but Trader Joe's is cheaper.

[jent103]

Trader Joe's is where I get mine too - my regular grocery store (a Publix) had zero compliant tuna the last time I checked! I'd imagine Whole Foods would have some but I'm not sure.

[Physibeth]

You can also order Wild Planet brand from Amazon.

[Lisaj]

The closest Whole Foods or Trader Joe's is about 150 miles away and my local grocery stores and food co-op do not have them.  Also cannot get organic sunbutter here so a shopping trip on Amazon may be coming up.  One more thing-turkey.  I've looked at ground turkey and it contains "natural flavorings," is that Whole30 compliant?  Because I am the only one in my family of 5 doing this I need to keep the cost down as much as possible but also need to switch up the flavors so I don't get bored.  Thanks for all your help!

[jent103]

"Natural flavor" is allowed on a Whole30 - some people choose not to eat foods with that in it, since there can be an air of mystery, but per the guidelines it's fine!

[Lemony]

I am in the UK and tinned tuna is fine , it's just tuna, olive oil and salt.

I have decided to have a few days off from my usual exercise routine as I am tired and finding the classes very hard . I am learning so much about the food I eat . For example I increased my eggs to 4 scrambled as suggested with loads of veg and half a Avacardo and forgot all about food !!!! Wow messed my lunch up as it was 5pm before I had a small meal 2 and waiting until around 8pm to have meal 3 . No fruit today .

I am on day 25 and my jeans are tight !! Maybe I will go for a whole 60 . The pre 1 and after meal I don't really do as the classes are 25 min long and mostly not big on cardio so figure I can use some fat stores as energy ! As a postscript I am 5.8 ft and weighed 164 lbs when I started and for sure I still weigh the same .... Please not more ðŸ˜.

[Physibeth]

The closest Whole Foods or Trader Joe's is about 150 miles away and my local grocery stores and food co-op do not have them.  Also cannot get organic sunbutter here so a shopping trip on Amazon may be coming up.  One more thing-turkey.  I've looked at ground turkey and it contains "natural flavorings," is that Whole30 compliant?  Because I am the only one in my family of 5 doing this I need to keep the cost down as much as possible but also need to switch up the flavors so I don't get bored.  Thanks for all your help!

 

If you are a Amazon prime member you can get a number of great pantry staples on the subscribe and save program. I get pureed pumpkin and sweet potato, wild caught tuna and salmon, and coconut milk every 2 months.

[Peg541]

I found mine at whole foods.