Finished Whole 30, lost 8kg; 3 Days later half of it is back on...

[Noboru]

I know the Whole 30 isn't a weight loss diet but since I did need to lose some weight (I had a baby 12 weeks ago), it was a lovely bonus to discover at the end that I had somehow, fairly painlessly, managed to get back to my pre-baby weight. I felt great! I felt light and slim again, after months of feeling ungainly and heavy.

 

Then, on Day 31, my husband (also on the W30) and I celebrated with our first night out alone since I was pregnant- some wine, some tapas, followed up with a lovely, semi indulgent brunch (crusty rolls, bacon and eggs, tea and chocolate digestives...). Basically, we had a weekend of some of our old favourites, not stuffing our faces but tasting little bits and pieces that we had missed. It was really nice but we realized that we didn't like the heavy feeling in our guts or the sugar spikes so we're back on the Whole 30 again today. So that's cool.

 

What I don't understand is how I managed to regain half of what I'd lost in just 2 days... I had been so happy to find myself back at my pre-pregnancy weight- relieved that it had been so effortless thanks to the Whole 30. But was it just an illusion? Was it all just water and bloating? I'm confused.

[missmary]

The whole30 is just the beginning. If you go back to your former way of eating you will gain it all back, either quickly or more slowly.

 

If you did a proper reintroduction, you might be able to tell which of the many foods you ate that caused you to become inflamed. You might learn that you are ok with chocolate or wine or bread but not all three, which might lead to different choices when you indulge.

 

Since you and your husband have already made the choice to be back to the whole30, why not give yourselves a few weeks and then try the reintro more slowly so you can have that information to help guide your choices in the future?

 

Also, although it is totally your choice if you want to weigh yourself daily post-whole30, personally I find once-per-month still works well. Most people are just not comfortable with natural fluctuations in weight--the media has falsely given the impression that weight could or should remain stable within a pound or two at all times when this is simply not realistic. You eat, you digest, you sleep you sweat you retain water and depending where all of those processes stand at any moment in time the weight will be different. More important: how do you feel?

[GlennR]

Inflammation and bloating can definitely lead to rapid weight gain. I read somewhere in these forums of a case where someone gained 10 pounds virtually overnight just because of water retention and inflammation. After a Whole30, your gut is starting to heal and has dropped off some of the mucosal lining that protected you from irritants and allergens. However, this makes you much more sensitive to these irritants and allergens, and ingesting them can cause severe reactions.

 

Which is why Whole30 encourages a strict reintroduction protocol to introduce the noncompliant foods one by one, so you can isolate which foods you are particularly sensitive to. I'm glad that you've jumped back to Whole30 to reconsolidate your gains, and perhaps you'll consider doing a proper reintro once you decide to get off it.

 

Good luck!

[Noboru]

Thanks for the replies. I had actually done the gradual reintroduction the first time I did the whole 30 last year and the things I ate this time were fine back then but not this time. I had thought it would be the same but obviously not. I'm back on track today.

[GlennR]

I like your blog!

[AllyB]

I can gain 5 pounds in a couple days if I go off roading.   I think it's water weight/inflammation.  When I go back to eating whole30 style, it comes off quickly.  I take it as a sign that stuff isn't good for me!

 

Also about being 12 weeks post partum.  Your body is going to hold onto the weight you gained while pregnant.  It needs that fat to make sure you don't get too skinny while lactating.  Ignore the stars in the tabloids who are pre-baby weight soon after giving birth.  It's not typical.

 

I found that my body hung onto about 20 extra pounds while I was nursing.  Once I stopped, it kind of melted away.  It's nature's way of taking care of you and your baby.

[Noboru]

GlennR- Thank you!

 

And yeah, I know it's unrealistic and unhealthy to expect drastic results after having a baby but I have to say that I felt quite a bit of relief that the W30 did contribute significantly toward my body's return to normal. My husband and I have been back on 2 days and feel better already. Lesson learned...