Starting Saturday, a bit skeptical

[AlexaB]

I've been researching paleo diets for a while now, and have decided to go for it, for 30 days. I eat a mostly vegetarian diet, so this will be a change. I have always been a fan of plant-based diets, and believe (in theory) that they are the healthiest way to eat, for most people. I also believe that there is no perfect diet for everyone, and while some do well eating a certain way, others do better eating another way.  

 

I have lately been wondering if maybe a vegetarian diet isn't the best for me. When I go all plant-based (vegan), I am hungry! I find myself snacking a lot. While I don't crave sweets much, I do crave, bread, crackers, rice, pasta etc. I find myself eating way too much of them when I eat vegetarian. I'm not heavy, but I'm one of those people who always wishes I weighed 10 pounds less.

 

So, I've decided to do the Whole 30, more as an experiment than anything else. I want to see if my body agrees with this way of eating. I want to see how I feel doing it. Often, when I eat meat, I feel heavy afterwards, but maybe that because I usually eat it with bread or some other starchy side.

 

So, I guess I'll see what happens. I'll be checking in with the vegetarians, semi-vegs, and former vegs a lot.

 

Oh, and I'm in the wine business, so giving up wine will be the toughest part for me! I'm happy for coffee, and I drink mine black anyway.

 

 

[silvey5]

We (the family) JUST started today and I am skeptical too.  A bit lost in the forum!

[robotarmy]

Hey AlexaB,

Eating paleo can (and, in my opinion, should) entail eating mostly plants. Soooooooo many people brag online about eating giant steaks or a pound of bacon at every meal. I don't eat that way. Too much meat also makes me feel heavy, and, uh, stopped up. (I do generally consume some animal protein at every meal, but keep it small.)

It's really cool that, even with your skepticism, that you are willing to give this a go. I hope you have a good experience and that you learn something positive about how to fuel yourself!

[ShannonM816]

Hi! Welcome to Whole30. I thought you might find this article addressing a few issues former vegans have when they begin eating meat helpful. I don't know if any of it applies to you, but even as a non-vegetarian I found it an interesting read.

 

Best of luck on your Whole30.

 

 

We (the family) JUST started today and I am skeptical too.  A bit lost in the forum!

 

Silvey5, if there's anything in particular you're looking for in the forum, sometimes the easiest way to find it is to go to google, and search Whole30 and whatever item you're looking for (so if you wondered about whole30 and healthy fats, google Whole30 healthy fats) -- it works better than the search button at the top of the forum page.

 

The forum is huge and a little overwhelming sometime, but I've found the people to be mostly friendly and helpful, so if you have questions you can't find answers to, just jump in and ask.

[silvey5]

Thank you so much Shannon!

[Tom Denham]

Feeling heaviness in your stomach after eating meat when you have not been eating much meat for long periods suggests your gut does not have all the bacteria it needs to accomplish digestion efficiently. Your gut will eventually grow what it needs, but the transition can be difficult. Taking digestive enzymes can help a lot and won't hurt. You might want to read up on them here:

 

http://whole9life.com/2012/09/digestive-enzymes-101/

 

And echoing robotarmy, many paleo people need to eat more veggies.... a lot more. I never need to double my meat portions when I eat out, but I always need to order 2 or 3 times the volume of veggies that come with meals. 

[Sfeldman22]

Starting Saturday too! Also skeptical but excited!!