Day 20 - Issues

[sid8580]

Greetings.

 

This is my first post here, and I apologize if it's redundant, looking around and some similar threads.  It's day 20 of my first Whole30.  I was inspired to do this for a number of reasons, like my wife who is a big champion of paleo eating (which is partly necessity for her due to a dairy allergy and celiac disease), reading "It Starts with Food", reading Mark Sisson's blog, and working out in a Crossfit gym where clean eating is smiled upon from a performance standpoint.  Most importantly the science seems to be there.  I'm not doing a Whole30 for weight loss reasons, to cure hormonal dysfunction, or to beat out bad eating habits... I'm doing this simply because I wanted to experience the potential of my highest physical functioning as impacted by food.  The idea got in my head that maybe I don't know what optimal feels like, because I've never really eaten optimally for an extended period of time, and that it couldn't hurt to simply allocate 30 days to finding out.

The thing is... it's day 20 and all I can think is, where's my tiger blood?!  I know the timeline of what to expect is not exact.  But I'm having the following issues:

 

1.  Stress levels are unusually high.  I'm having trouble managing it when I normally wouldn't.  There aren't any particularly unusual stressors in my life presently (beyond the typical).  I woke up shaking this morning, don't know why.  This has been going on for several days.

2.  I have almost no appetite.  Eating is a matter of pure survival, that I have to remind myself to do, because my body usually won't.  I haven't enjoyed food in some time.

3.  Exercise doesn't make me feel good anymore, which doesn't help #1.  I barely have the energy to do it (Crossfit).

4.   I've had diarrhea for about the last 10 days.  And constant gas.  My coworkers are eventually going to kill me.

5.  My mood and attitude are in the toilet.  I feel hypersensitive, unable to reason clearly, and my attention span is almost nonexistent.  

6.  I can't perform in the bedroom.  This has NEVER happened to me before.  VERY disturbing.
7.  All I want is some %$#!ing pizza.  The first 10 days of this, I had no trouble whatsoever.  Now, with each passing day I want fried, bready, cheesy, fast food even more.  I thought by now I'd actually feel good, maybe reach a new plateau of health/energy/mental focus I hadn't yet seen and that would be a motivating factor in making it through.  But things are feeling quite the opposite.

I get enough sleep each night, and I eat pretty well per the program's rules.  I don't know if it's encouragement I need, or I'm doing something wrong, but as it stands I'm counting the days until I eat some crap foods again (in moderation) and the world once again becomes a happy place.

Suggestions welcome   Thanks in advance.

[Guest]

As encouragement, I hope: When I did my first 30 days, I got really sick.  I kept pointing to food, because it starts there, right?  But there are 8 other factors in the Whole9life, so know that some of what is happening to you may not be food.  In my case, I simply happened to get sick around the same time.  Also, it sounds like you are pretty miserable.  So, let's get to the helping....

 

Can you post some typical meals and workouts?

How does all of this compare to before?

[Physibeth]

It sounds to me like you are not eating enough in general and in particular you have gone way too low carb for your energy level. Could you post a few days of what your typical eating, activity level, sleep, and water look like? That could help us give you suggestions. Make sure you give us your serving sizes in relationship to your hand size as per the template. 

[Carlaccini]

Hi There,

 

I'm not sure if I can help you in all areas.  But let's start from the most basic question:  Are you able to post a couple of days worth of meals here so people can have some more insight and troubleshoot for you?

 

Please understand that "Tiger blood" means different things to different people.  During my first whole 30 I went through mere hours of feeling fantantastic and then it would stop and I would go back down to the tired lethargy that I had before.  It was not until day 23 or 24 where I felt I had the true "Tiger Blood".  Some people report never to have really seen it but have seen increases in other health markers.

 

Food bordem - pretty common on where you're at.  You can beat this.  Either make something different that excites your taste buds, or go back to an old favourite.

 

I truly suspect you are not eating enough and maybe going too low carb?  This is not really a low carb program.  Especially on days that you are most active make sure to include a pre and post work out meal and a starchy veg somewhere in one of your meals.

[sid8580]

Yesterday's food:

Breakfast = 3 raw eggs with tomato juice (drank), full cup (~12-16oz. all together)

Lunch = 2 bratwurst (8", medium sized), 1 medium sized white potato (palm-sized), handful of catfish fritters (almond flour recipe - handful), handful of grilled asparagus

Dinner (split in half, pre and post workout) = 1 chicken thigh, medium white potato - after workout: 6oz. can of black olives, two big spoonfuls of almond butter, 1 large carrot (raw), 1 banana, and a bowl of chili (with squash in it instead of beans, but mostly meat) consisting of maybe 2 fistfuls.

 

I can't remember further back than yesterday (fog!), but this is very typical.  I used to work out 3 times a week (which I consider enough, since not only is Crossfit a true challenge but I've got 2 kids, wife, a full time job, and a time-consuming hobby that's important to me).  Now I'm struggling to get up the gusto to work out twice a week.  Only once so far this week.

I go to bed around 10-10:30 each night and get up between 6:30-7.  

 

Water is something I thought about, in the back of my mind.  I'm averaging about 50oz. daily.  I think this might need to go up, but 1) I never think about drinking water, like I never think about eating and 2) if I drink a lot of water, it aggravates my gas/diarrhea, and I don't like getting up to pee in the night more than twice (small bladder I guess, but I do normally get up twice).

 

Food boredom is definitely there.  I was more involved with my food choices and preparation during the first week, less so now, which is easy because my wife cooks almost nothing but fully compliant meals in our house.  My eating habits before this, were about 50-50, with half being paleo/Whole30 style meals and the other half was the worst stuff I could find (Totino's party pizzas, White castle burgers out of the vending machine, diet soda).  It wasn't 100% awful, but far from optimal.  I plan on aiming for a more 80-20 balance when I'm done with this.  

Reading one of Mark Sisson's blogs after a search, I get the feeling I may not be taking in enough food in general, but I'm eating until I don't want to eat anymore with each meal. 
 

[Physibeth]

I have some definite thoughts.

 

Thought #1 - Eat a template sized meal of real food at your first meal within an hour of waking. 3 raw egg yolks and tomato juice while technically compliant isn't a very balanced meal. Eating whole eggs cooked with some whole veggies will increase your protein and your fiber intake which will probably help with some of the gastrointestinal issues you are having.

 

Thought #2 - I would lower your protein and increase you vegetables in general and specifically variety of vegetables. While potatoes are allowed now going for more variety in a day will give you a greater variety of nutrients. 

 

Thought #3 - You are doing your pre and post workout nutrition incorrectly. Before your workout if you need it you should have protein and fat no carbs. 15-30 minutes after your workout you should have lean protein and starchy vegetables (like chicken breast and sweet potato). Pre workout is only needed if you have not had a meal in a long time. About an hour after your post workout you can have a regular third meal. What is the overall timing on all of this for you? 

 

Thought #4 - Assuming you weigh more than 100 lbs you need more water - at least half your body weight in ounces.

 

Thought #5 - It is hard to trust your own body signals when your hormones are not balanced yet. It takes some time. Our general recommendation is to eat a minimum sized template meal every 4-6 hours 3x a day whether you are hungry for it or not. If you really can't eat a full minimum template meal than save the leftovers and eat it later.

[Physibeth]

Thought #6 - Based on your food log and your symptoms it is quite possible you are sensitive to nightshades. White potatoes and tomatoes are both in that family of foods.

[sid8580]

Ok and thanks!    

 

About breakfast... I'm all nerves when I get up in the morning, at least I am now (didn't used to be).  Eating is difficult, so I try to make it as quick and painless as I can.  I can try eating something else.  I also don't eat until I've been up for about 2 hours.  I'm still not hungry at that point, I just do it because I know I should.  Because I have to get ready for work and then sit in traffic for a while, the soonest I could probably do breakfast is 1.5 hours after getting up.  I've never been a breakfast person, or a morning person.  Still aren't.

 

I could eat more vegetables I suppose... although I'm bored to death of everything.

 

I don't really think about pre and post workout nutrition all that much.  I get home from work, have to slam something in my mouth so I can survive the workout, then I get home, have to help put the kids to bed, and by then it's usually 1.5 hours after the workout ended and in another 1.5 hours I will be going to bed.

I know I can't trust body signals.  I went a few days (maybe days 12-15?) where I skipped a meal here or there, just because I flat out forgot.  

I'm upping the water intake.  I think this is definitely a problem now.

 

Generally speaking, I'm just getting more and more pissed off.  Every word I read says "apply more effort" and that's that last thing I want to do.  I know I'm just making excuses, but I'm really beginning to question all of this... as in, if it matters to me enough to be worth the effort.  I guess it mattered enough to come hear and moan about it, because I'm 20 days in and I feel like it would be a waste to give up on it after coming this far.

I think I need to go grocery shopping and refocus my interest, feel inspired again.  And maybe buy some expensive smoked salmon!

[Physibeth]

I think "apply more effort" is actually the opposite of what I'm saying. I am saying that you should make room for the things in your life that matter and improve your quality of life. So what are those things? And do you really truly believe that food matters? I know for myself taking the time to nourish my body correctly has paid me back in great fitness gains, better sleep, even temper, and a whole host of other benefits. But it does take time and thought and I feel the difference when I don't plan and prepare properly. You are someone who might benefit from a weekly cookup so you can just grab and go.

[sid8580]

I'm feeling somewhat better today.  

I think part of this could be that I haven't been very happy in general lately and when I'm struggling with something like a Whole30 on top of it, it comes across this way - a lot of complaining and not wanting to take ownership.  

 

Coming back to the nuts and bolts of the W30, I'll take these suggestions into account and see how things go.  I thought I was doing everything correctly but there are some minor details I haven't been paying close enough attention to, or more honestly, haven't wanted to bother myself with because of the extra effort/discomfort involved (eating a better breakfast is one of those things).  

Thanks again.

[Carlaccini]

I have a question for you.  Are you drinking coffee at all?

 

If you are please don't drink it until after your meal one.  Why? Well because coffee diminishes hunger signals.  You are better off eating a couple of boiled eggs with an apple than not to eat breakfast at all. 

 

Would soup interest you first thing in the morning?  Maybe you can make an easy pureed soup, (takes about 20 to 30 minutes + prep time) and drink it/slurp it on the way to work.  Just add a few boiled eggs or if you are feeling experimental some egg muffins on the side and you'll be good to go.

[sid8580]

I've only had 5 or 6 caffeinated drinks over the course of my entire Whole30 so far (typical black tea, twice I had coffee).  I enjoy caffeine but have tried to be cautious about my intake since I'm not eating what I'd normally consider to be my "buffer" foods that lessen the impact.  Historically, more than 2 caffeine-laden drinks a day, and I mean even green tea - not espressos or tall coffees - will make me nervous and jittery and mess up my sleep a little.  

 

I usually avoid coffee specifically, not because of the taste (I love it) but because of the acidity and how that feeling combines with the caffeine to make the uppity feeling into a nervous one.  This doesn't happen with tea, or even diet soda in moderation, but almost always with coffee.  So I found it interesting that I had some coffee twice last week and neither time did it seem to disturb my system.  

 

Soup is a great idea.  So are boiled eggs.  I can eat both of these in the car too, which could be helpful if I'm going to eat breakfast within an hour of getting up in the morning - I don't want to get up earlier to cook (I already go to bed earlier than I prefer, but that's the nature of having small children), and I'm usually not in the mood for food when I get up so I wait until after I arrive at work to eat, hence the 1.5 hours after getting up.  I do try to always have something for breakfast though.  The raw eggs and pureed tomatoes are just a habit of convenience that I developed years ago; it takes 2 minutes and generally agrees with my system.

 

We're almost to the weekend and I should be able to find the time to regroup and plan out the best options for my final week.

[Carlaccini]

Yes - if you make a pot of soup sometime this weekend - enough to last you 5 - 6 days, and while the soup is on you can boil a dozen eggs (or whatever) for the week.

 

I mention egg muffins because I used to make these on the weekends so I could have during the week. If they were made on the weekend,  it was easy to grab and go.  My favourite recipe was Buffalo Chicken egg muffins from Balanced Bites (Diane Sanfillipo/Practical Paleo website) but you can google "Paleo egg muffins" and I am sure you will find many a recipe more on the interwebs.  Nomnom Paleo's website has one that is wrapped in Procuito.  Also yummy.

[sid8580]

Cool.  Thanks to my wife's interest there are at least a half-dozen paleo cookbooks in the house, I'm sure I can find something for egg muffins if I want to go that route :-)   The soup and boiled eggs sounds like my thing.  

[Guest]

Here are two pureed soups that I have made and enjoyed.  I found that both were easy to tweak with a little more/less of this or that.  Tomato would go great in the red pepper one, if you want your tomato fix.   You could also put in some carrot.  If you want to go with a little less nightshades, the asparagus one would be good.  Olive oil and garlic would be fine instead of an infused oil.

 

 

http://paleopot.com/2012/11/paleo-roasted-red-pepper-sweet-potato-soup/

 

http://cookeatpaleo.com/asparagus-soup-recipe/