New, Day 2 and a few concerns

[lbeachteachkshealthy]

I'm new to this group and just started yesterday, after reading the ISWF book over the weekend. I'm not overweight, but I do have an unhealthy relationship with food, especially chocolate and sugar. I want to learn to eat to give my body the nutrition it needs, rather than being an emotional eater, especially after a long day or in the evenings. For the past 3 years, I have been using My Fitness Pal to log my meals and exercise. I am also a runner, having just completed my 3rd half marathon. However, currently, I only run about 3 times a week with just one long run on the weekend. I am also a teacher, so all of the sudden, I have much more time on my hands than I do most of the year, since it is summer break.

 

My concerns:

 

I. I'm worried about not eating enough calories because MFP encourages 1200 calories a day at the very least. I know I shouldn't log, but I did yesterday and only ate about 1000 calories. I am so use to tracking my macro nutrients and sugar content and it's hard to let go of that without worrying I am going gain weight.

 

2. I am also concerned about eating so many fats, even though I know they are good fats....again, worried about gaining weight. ( I am 48 years old, 5'2" and about 113 lbs. I have lost about 20-25 pounds in the past 2-3 years by tracking meals, exercise, limiting added sugar, and trying to avoid processed foods.)

 

3. I also was eating 5-6 times a day, 200-300 calories per meal and I am so use to eating smaller meals, every 2-3 hoursThese big meals, 3 times a day are an adjustment. Any advice or encouragement on this?

 

4. When I only run for about 30-40 minutes as a workout, do I really need an extra pre and post workout meal? I can see doing that pre and post a long run, but not 30 minutes of exercise.

 

5. I want to do cross-training, now, since I have more time in the summer, but I don't want to confuse effects of Whole30 with a new cross-training exercise program. Should I wait until 30 days are up and then add cross training days to my 3 days week of running which is only about 10-15 miles a week right now?

 

6. Finally, I know I can do the no added sugar, because I have done that before and felt great. The hard part for me is giving up oatmeal, whole grain pasta, quinoa, cottage cheese and my plain greek yogurt mixed with fresh berries. I really want to learn how dairy and gluten may be affecting my body. Also, I have always struggled a bit with getting enough fiber and hope that enough veggies will be sufficent.

 

Thank in advance for your input. I need some support as I do feel a little somewhat solo on this new adventure.

 

Lisa

 

[jent103]

I'm not the best person to answer all of these, but I'll take a stab at some!

 

I. I'm worried about not eating enough calories because MFP encourages 1200 calories a day at the very least. I know I shouldn't log, but I did yesterday and only ate about 1000 calories. I am so use to tracking my macro nutrients and sugar content and it's hard to let go of that without worrying I am going gain weight.

 

Put down the fitness tracker. Seriously, one of the best parts about Whole30 is that it teaches you to listen to your body for what it needs, rather than relying on some calorie total that someone who doesn't know you came up with. If you follow the meal template, you'll be eating plenty of filling, nutrient-dense foods. Your body will be getting what it needs and you won't have to think about every single calorie. It's an adjustment, absolutely, but incredibly liberating once you get used to it. If you're concerned about eating too much or eating the "wrong" foods, keep a log here (there's a whole forum section for them!) and the moderators and other posters can give you feedback to help.

 

2. I am also concerned about eating so many fats, even though I know they are good fats....again, worried about gaining weight. ( I am 48 years old, 5'2" and about 113 lbs. I have lost about 20-25 pounds in the past 2-3 years by tracking meals, exercise, limiting added sugar, and trying to avoid processed foods.)

 

Fat is beautiful. Good fat keeps you full and helps your brain and all kinds of other things. I grew up in the "fat is evil" world of the 80s and 90s. If eating low-fat kept me healthy, I would have been a very thin and healthy child - but I was far from it (size 18 in sixth grade). Fat isn't something to go overboard on, but the beautiful thing is that it's so satiating that going overboard is hard to do.

 

3. I also was eating 5-6 times a day, 200-300 calories per meal and I am so use to eating smaller meals, every 2-3 hoursThese big meals, 3 times a day are an adjustment. Any advice or encouragement on this?

 

I used to do this too, and was hungry a lot during my first Whole30. But the more your body gets used to it, again, it's so freeing - I'm not eating constantly during my work day anymore, and it's great! Just do what you can: eat as much as you can (up to the template) at a meal, and if you're hungry later, eat a mini-meal that has at least a protein and a fat (not just a piece of fruit or nuts, for example). Add more to your meals as you go and eventually you won't need the mini-meals.

 

6. Finally, I know I can do the no added sugar, because I have done that before and felt great. The hard part for me is giving up oatmeal, whole grain pasta, quinoa, cottage cheese and my plain greek yogurt mixed with fresh berries. I really want to learn how dairy and gluten may be affecting my body. Also, I have always struggled a bit with getting enough fiber and hope that enough veggies will be sufficent.

 

I feel you - the thing I was maddest about giving up was my Greek yogurt with granola in the mornings! Breakfast was the hardest part for me. But you do get used to it. I don't have any magic bullets, but I can tell you that after eating this way for 9-10 months, I don't really crave that yogurt at all anymore, mainly because I know how much it didn't fill me up long at all. And replacing those grains with vegetables should be plenty of fiber. If you start having trouble, posting a log of what you've been eating can be really helpful.

 

Good luck!

[Tom Denham]

Your first three points suggest that you do not trust the recommendations the book makes for healthy eating. I don't know what more we can say. They work. They are important. They apply to people just like you. You do not fall into a category where we would recommend anything different.

 

Many people eat too little when they begin a Whole30. I believe that is the diet effect. People think eating less is healthy, so they eat less when they are trying to eat healthy. That bit of conventional wisdom is false. Our bodies require a certain amount of nourishment and we can't be really healthy until we give our bodies what they need.

 

The great secret to weight loss is gaining the cooperation of our hormones. If we don't eat enough, our metabolism slows and losing weight is difficult. When we eat enough of the right foods and eat on a good schedule, our hormones begin to work in a good rhythm and those of us who need to lose weight start to lose weight because our hormones help us along and don't fight the process. Many people, start to lose weight steadily after they nourish their bodies adequately and gain the cooperation of their hormones. 

 

I hate My Fitness Pal. It is not your friend. You make worse decisions about eating when you track your food in MFP while doing a Whole30. I'm not kidding. I've been here for years and no one does better because they use MFP. And it is not as if we expect you to know how much to eat without some help. We provide the meal template as your best guide to how much you should be eating. 

 

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

 

Follow the meal planning template and you will do well. Now the meal template needs explaining sometimes. When we say fill your plate with veggies, we mean really fill your plate with veggies. Not a thin layer of raw salad that reduces down to almost nothing when chewed, but full of cooked veggies in a generous heap, cooked with plenty of fat to make the food taste good and stay with you for hours. 

 

And never eat less than a palm-size portion of protein at a meal. And if you are hungry, eat up to two palm-size portions.

 

You do not have to eat pre- or post-workout meals for short workouts. However, if you find yourself needing to snack on days when you workout, take that as information that you probably should be having at least a post-workout meal.

 

You do not need to postpone changing your workout until after your Whole30. That would allow for a more precise experiment, but I don't think it will be necessary. Personally, I lost 15 pounds between 2008 and 2010 with exercise and tried the Whole30 because my weight loss had stalled. The Whole30 immediately got me losing weight again and it continued for 15 months in a row before I stopped losing every month. 

 

It is often difficult for people to accept eating as much protein as we recommend, especially at breakfast and lunch. However, eating protein generously has a very positive effect on our health. Part of why we ask you to do a Whole30 perfectly according to the recommendations is so that you experience the benefits directly. 

 

And if you eat plates full of veggies like the meal template specifies, you will be getting plenty of fiber.

[lbeachteachkshealthy]

Advanced Member, thank you for your understanding and helpful replies. You seem to get where I am coming from. I need an appreciate your response.

[lbeachteachkshealthy]

Your first three points suggest that you do not trust the recommendations the book makes for healthy eating. I don't know what more we can say. They work. They are important. They apply to people just like you. You do not fall into a category where we would recommend anything different.

 

Many people eat too little when they begin a Whole30. I believe that is the diet effect. People think eating less is healthy, so they eat less when they are trying to eat healthy. That bit of conventional wisdom is false. Our bodies require a certain amount of nourishment and we can't be really healthy until we give our bodies what they need.

 

The great secret to weight loss is gaining the cooperation of our hormones. If we don't eat enough, our metabolism slows and losing weight is difficult. When we eat enough of the right foods and eat on a good schedule, our hormones begin to work in a good rhythm and those of us who need to lose weight start to lose weight because our hormones help us along and don't fight the process. Many people, start to lose weight steadily after they nourish their bodies adequately and gain the cooperation of their hormones. 

 

I hate My Fitness Pal. It is not your friend. You make worse decisions about eating when you track your food in MFP while doing a Whole30. I'm not kidding. I've been here for years and no one does better because they use MFP. And it is not as if we expect you to know how much to eat without some help. We provide the meal template as your best guide to how much you should be eating. 

 

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

 

Follow the meal planning template and you will do well. Now the meal template needs explaining sometimes. When we say fill your plate with veggies, we mean really fill your plate with veggies. Not a thin layer of raw salad that reduces down to almost nothing when chewed, but full of cooked veggies in a generous heap, cooked with plenty of fat to make the food taste good and stay with you for hours. 

 

And never eat less than a palm-size portion of protein at a meal. And if you are hungry, eat up to two palm-size portions.

 

You do not have to eat pre- or post-workout meals for short workouts. However, if you find yourself needing to snack on days when you workout, take that as information that you probably should be having at least a post-workout meal.

 

You do not need to postpone changing your workout until after your Whole30. That would allow for a more precise experiment, but I don't think it will be necessary. Personally, I lost 15 pounds between 2008 and 2010 with exercise and tried the Whole30 because my weight loss had stalled. The Whole30 immediately got me losing weight again and it continued for 15 months in a row before I stopped losing every month. 

 

It is often difficult for people to accept eating as much protein as we recommend, especially at breakfast and lunch. However, eating protein generously has a very positive effect on our health. Part of why we ask you to do a Whole30 perfectly according to the recommendations is so that you experience the benefits directly. 

 

And if you eat plates full of veggies like the meal template specifies, you will be getting plenty of fiber.

Tom, thank you for your reply. I trust the book recommendations enough to give this a 30 day shot. I am committed to learning what I can. I am a little skeptical because there are so many opposing views out there on how to be healthy and eat right. Giving up grains and dairy is something I have never done before and for me this is an experiment to see if these foods may not be fueling my body with the nutrition I thought they were providing. I have read the book once. I know it's in lay terms, but I will be going back to re-read and better understand as I go through my Whole30. I am just tired of yoyo dieting which I have been doing for most of my adult life. I want to find a way to eat which helps me to break my unhealthy relationship with food. I am going to forego MFP. Another person, also suggested that I log my meals somewhere on this forum, which I will for a while as long as I have questions and concerns. I am trying to use the template as my guide and will likely grow more comfortable with doing that as time goes by.

 

I appreciate your willingness to address each of my concerns. The following in regards to workouts is very helpful. Thank you, again! 

 

You do not have to eat pre- or post-workout meals for short workouts. However, if you find yourself needing to snack on days when you workout, take that as information that you probably should be having at least a post-workout meal.You do not need to postpone changing your workout until after your Whole30. That would allow for a more precise experiment, but I don't think it will be necessary.

[GFChris]

 Another person, also suggested that I log my meals somewhere on this forum, which I will for a while as long as I have questions and concerns. I am trying to use the template as my guide and will likely grow more comfortable with doing that as time goes by.

 

The place to post individual logs is in the Your Whole30 Log section. 

[Tom Denham]

Tom, thank you for your reply. I trust the book recommendations enough to give this a 30 day shot. I am committed to learning what I can. I am a little skeptical because there are so many opposing views out there on how to be healthy and eat right. Giving up grains and dairy is something I have never done before and for me this is an experiment to see if these foods may not be fueling my body with the nutrition I thought they were providing. 

 

Thanks for reminding me that this is new and different. I have been living inside the Whole30 world since 2010 and forget this is a radical break from conventional thought. Of course, the Whole30 is a lot closer to how our great, great grandparents ate and they were generally healthier than we are. 

 

I came to the Whole30 when it was new. The owners of the gym where I trained had been to a seminar with the Hartwigs and referred me to the website when I complained that I was not losing weight despite exercising intensely. I had never followed a diet in my life and I thought I understood what healthy eating was from being a smart boy who read a lot. Nonetheless, I followed the guidelines and was excited that I lost 2 pounds the first month. Losing 2 pounds may not sound like much, but I had not lost any weight in a year, so any movement made me happy. I kept going and eventually lost 30 pounds. I even won a fat loss competition at the gym without doing anything "special." It was a 60 day competition. I weighed in at the start, forgot the competition was in progress, and then got measured at the end and won. I lost more fat than anyone else in a big CrossFit gym. 

 

I never meant to become a Whole30 expert, but kept hanging around the Hartwigs website until we became friends. I have experience as an academic editor, so offered to help when they started writing It Starts With Food. I roughed up the first chapter they sent me, but Melissa kept sending me more chapters until the book was finished. By then, I really was a Whole30 expert.