ragbaby Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 -I'm on day 24 and have battled with exhaustion and bad sleep the past few weeks just like before w30. My diet hasn't radically changed apart from no dairy or alcohol and this is the first time I've eaten consistently clean for so long. I've had lots of help on the forum and I am pretty sure my food balance is right. Is it really worth another 6 days? I can do it, I'm not craving anything but it seems a bit pointless. Im not sure its good for me thinking about food all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anonymous548 Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 You are looking at it the wrong way. The question is why quit now? You have 24 days behind you what is another 6 days. You can stick with it for that. Something just take time. Everyone is different. You can complete it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragbaby Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 Good point, thank you. It just seems unlikely that anything will change in 6 days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Take a look at this article on deciding whether to quit a Whole30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberrantatavia Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Rag baby it also depends on what you were hoping to accomplish during your whole30. Did you set any goals and do you feel that any of them have been met? I finished my first whole 30 and was really glad I did. While I didn't accomplish all of my goals because of some health issues, I learned a great deal. I guess I would ask, what is the benefit in stopping now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelli Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 IMO - you should go for longer than 30 days rather than throwing in the towel. Everyone is greatly different, things take time, the "average Joe" might be all Tiger Blood at this point in their journey, you might not be an "average Joe" and that is ok a lot of us aren't. My first W30 turned in into a W57 because once the MAGIC finally happened I did not want to go back. I think you have hit a bit of a "wall" and you need to keep on trucking' and push through it. You got this! I SUCK at sleep and this seems to help: http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Vitality-Magnesium-Calm---/dp/B000GJOZWE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1409148601&sr=8-2&keywords=natural+calm I add a small squirt of lime juice to cut the flavor. Best of luck on your journey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragbaby Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 Thanks everyone, my goals were to sleep better, have more energy and for my clothes to fit better. None of that has happened.There is no way in hell I'm doing more than 30 days. I have never in my life been as miserable as I have been on the W30 for no good reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jendes10 Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Ragbaby, you might recall I commiserated with you a few days ago. I had such low energy and low mood through days 10-24. As of this week though I am feeling much, much better. Like Shelli said above, I am considering extending my W30 to reap the full benefits (hopefully). I might not yet be at tiger-blood or be Miss Mary Sunshine (er....that one isn't too likely EVER ), but I've learned a lot. Particularly about the foods I've been reliant on or emotionally/habitually attached to, that I did not even realize. I hope you have reflected and found that you've gotten something out of this, even if it is not what you hoped. Frankly, though, it sounds like you've made up your mind, and no one here is likely to change it. So, if it isn't for you, so be it. I hope that by examining why it made you so miserable, you find something noteworthy to take away from this. It would be a shame to waste even 24 days of dedication only to discount it as a big FAIL and a waste of time. There is something to learn from this, your body and/or brain is giving you clues. I hope the best for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragbaby Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 Ragbaby, you might recall I commiserated with you a few days ago. I had such low energy and low mood through days 10-24. As of this week though I am feeling much, much better. Yay! I am so pleased for you! Did you change anything or did it just shift by itself? I'm still hanging on in here but I am not expecting changes any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jendes10 Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Just when I felt the same way, no longer expecting much, and felt kinda desperate, is when it happened. Go figure! I think it was a combination of things. For sleep - I got vigilant about eating breakfast as soon as I get up. It is TOUGH. I am very unused to consuming anything besides coffee until I've been up for three hours or so, and I have an hour commute - so I eat breakfast at 5:30am. It is getting easier. Also, I got serious about the protein and fat and veggies in the morning. Either three eggs, or two eggs with a chicken sausage. I scramble that with half a bag of baby spinach, and eat with half a sweet potato, or some berries. I drink half a cup of coconut milk in coffee for extra fat (bonus, I find it delicious!!) I think the breakfast habit has made a huge difference for me, and I noticed the biggest change in my sleep the better I got at this. Overall I have upped my fat, and greatly increased the variety and somewhat also the quantity of veggies, including starchy ones. It took a few steady days eating more starchy veggies but my mood is definitely improved. I also added cashews - one commenter mentioned cashews may be a natural antidepressant - I have no idea if they are helping me but who knows? It's possible I guess! I've also gotten a bit more active (kinda had to force it at first because I wasn't feeling very motivated) and made sleep a bigger priority. And I am working on stress management/relaxation....which is going to be a long road for me. But the more the pieces start to fit together (food, sleep, exercise, stress control) the more improvement I am seeing. And as I said - I feel like the big picture has only started to become clear in the last few days. I sincerely hope you feel better very soon! Keep us posted! Wishing you all the best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyS Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Along with the comments above, do know that day 24 is prime time for thinking this way. Give it a couple of days and see how you feel about finishing out. Another thing to consider is that sometimes Whole30 points out things that we need help with beyond food. This happened to me. I did have very happy results in several areas - but in key areas of sleep and energy I had no gains, like at all. I gave it almost a year and finally saw a functional medicine practitioner, who did extensive testing and determined that my adrenals were severely depleted. A year and many supplements later, I sleep well and can get through the day without desperate exhaustion. My story is not yours, of course - but sometimes the Whole30 shows us where food can help, and sometimes it shows us where we need to reach out for help finding more answers. Answers are out there, and it does start with food, regardless of where you end up. Hang in there if you can, and especially see how you feel about finishing out after a couple of days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennylynn143 Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 I agree with what everyone's said. Good luck! You might already know... but scheduling sleep and meals make a big difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragbaby Posted August 28, 2014 Author Share Posted August 28, 2014 You brilliant people, thank you. You said just what I need to hear. Day 25 now and I'm sticking with it. Sleep is terrible but it's never been good. I'm going to take a sleeping pill tonight because I need a night of sleep once a month. Tomorrow is a new day etc.My meals and sleep are pretty much scheduled. I don't eat to late and I go to bed before 10 so I don't get a second wind and start working. I'm going back to bed for a nap then I will face the day, I have work to do that needs a brain and I have none at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmcbrien0119 Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 I completed 15 days of my Whole30..only to find out I had actually been "cheating" with the non-stick spray I was using. So I stopped right then and had planned to start another W30 the beginning of the week (it was Saturday). I thought I had done well. I lost some weight and was actually feeling pretty good for the most part (except for being tired). Well, that was two weeks ago. I am planning to start again on September 1st, but this is not easy. I'm in the process of making myself a whole 30 binder to help keep me on track and maybe even motivated. It would be easier to talk myself out of doing it than into doing it. I could use some words of encouragement. I love my morning coffee with creamer it's probably the thing I miss the most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juice06870 Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 I'm on my 3rd Whole30 now. When I did my first one last May/June, I struggled with the energy levels for most of the 30 days, as well as my mood and sleep. It was peaks and valleys, some days I would feel good or almost great, and then the next day I would feel like I had the worst hangover of my life - no energy, sore, no motivation etc. This lasted on and off right up until around day 23 or 25 from what I can recall. Then I hit my stride and I never looked back, I was feeling better than I had ever felt in my life (literally). It just takes a lot of time for some people. Some people, like a former coworker of mine, did a Whole30 and never experienced any of the really low points. He just started off and just felt better and better every day. There are others who do need to extend it past 30 days to really get their body to adjust fully. Hopefully you feel the magic kick in very soon, but in the even you do to the 30 days and don't feel much better, you really should try to stick with it another 5-10 days at least. At that point, it would be such a waste of 30 days to get so close and then stop. What else would you have to lose? You won't be doing yourself any favors by going back to your old habits. I know it's easier said than done, but just try to stay strong. Mind over matter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leila88 Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 You brilliant people, thank you. You said just what I need to hear. Day 25 now and I'm sticking with it. Sleep is terrible but it's never been good. I'm going to take a sleeping pill tonight because I need a night of sleep once a month. Tomorrow is a new day etc. My meals and sleep are pretty much scheduled. I don't eat to late and I go to bed before 10 so I don't get a second wind and start working. I'm going back to bed for a nap then I will face the day, I have work to do that needs a brain and I have none at the moment. Ragbaby, how are you feeling now? I can totally sympathise with you - I'm on day 20 and am struggling. I honeslty thought this would be easy for me as a coeliac who didn't eat sugar anyway, it was really just the dairy, grains and legumes to go (and alcohol...). Though I have noticed that my mood has really stabilised, I am struggling to sleep and lacking in energy most of the time. A skin breakout (very unusual for me) has finally cleared up within the last couple of days, but the stomach bloating that I've experienced since day one has continued every single day. I haven't lost any weight (haven't weighed myself but my clothes are tighter, if anything) and I'm now experiencing almost constant pain in my stomach. This isn't normal is it? I'm sticking to the diet plan to a T but am beginning to wonder if I'm doing myself harm, I am in more pain now than I was before with accidental gluten ingestion. I had a routine endoscopy shortly before starting whole30 so I know there's nothing sinister, but I'm frustrated that having put in all this effort I'm feeling worse than before. If anyone has any advice I'd be eternally grateful - the thought of another 10 days of this is making me want to fall face first into a bucket of wine. Leila Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Physibeth Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Ragbaby, how are you feeling now? I can totally sympathise with you - I'm on day 20 and am struggling. I honeslty thought this would be easy for me as a coeliac who didn't eat sugar anyway, it was really just the dairy, grains and legumes to go (and alcohol...). Though I have noticed that my mood has really stabilised, I am struggling to sleep and lacking in energy most of the time. A skin breakout (very unusual for me) has finally cleared up within the last couple of days, but the stomach bloating that I've experienced since day one has continued every single day. I haven't lost any weight (haven't weighed myself but my clothes are tighter, if anything) and I'm now experiencing almost constant pain in my stomach. This isn't normal is it? I'm sticking to the diet plan to a T but am beginning to wonder if I'm doing myself harm, I am in more pain now than I was before with accidental gluten ingestion. I had a routine endoscopy shortly before starting whole30 so I know there's nothing sinister, but I'm frustrated that having put in all this effort I'm feeling worse than before. If anyone has any advice I'd be eternally grateful - the thought of another 10 days of this is making me want to fall face first into a bucket of wine. Leila Can you post a few days of what your food normally looks like. Also include water intake, activity level, sleep, and any stressors in your life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragbaby Posted August 29, 2014 Author Share Posted August 29, 2014 I had a sleeping pill last night so I feel groggy today. I think my problems cannot be solved by what I eat, I have to work more on getting day to day stress down to a more manageable level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leila88 Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Can you post a few days of what your food normally looks like. Also include water intake, activity level, sleep, and any stressors in your life. On waking: small glass of home brewed Kombucha black coffee Breakfast (at work): egg fritatta with mixed veg and smoked salmon (approx two eggs per day) water (large bottle) and another black coffee Green and herbal teas throughout the morning Lunch: Mixed veg salad with lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, gherkins (compliant), olives, tuna or smoked salmon, half an avocado and dressing made with apple cider vinegar and olive oil with mustard powder, salt and pepper. Mixed berries - strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Green and herbal teas and more water all afternoon Usually attend bikram yoga class after work, 90 minutes Dinner: Fish (cod, haddock, salmon, prawns or mixed seafood) with a variety of veg - last night had cod with asparagus and cooked tomato and homemade mayonnaise. Night before I had prawns stir fried with veg in coconut milk sauce served over cauliflower rice. Often do veggies like brocolli or brussels sprouts baked in coconut oil when I have time. Sometimes a few more berries after dinner, or occassionally a peach/pear. Not every night. Drink water with dinner, and herbal teas after. I have trouble getting to sleep but average 8 hours sleep a night I would say. My breakfasts and lunches stay the same every day so it's just a bit of variety in dinner - I don't eat meat or chicken hence all the fish. At weekends I will snack on olives or pistachios when I'm with friends, and drink sparkling water with mint leaves and cucumber. My stress levels are fairly high, I work in investment banking. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary though. More pain this afternoon, and my clothes are digging in once again - it's driving me mad! Any ideas? Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jendes10 Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I know it sounds strange, but getting strict with myself about eating breakfast within the first hour of the day made a big difference in my sleep. I think it's a hormone-cycle regulation thing. And finishing eating at least two hours before bed as much as I can help it probably helps too. I can't speak to how celiac disease might affect your Whole30 but maybe your body just needs more time to heal and adjust before you begin to see the benefits? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 On waking: small glass of home brewed Kombucha black coffee Breakfast (at work): egg fritatta with mixed veg and smoked salmon (approx two eggs per day) water (large bottle) and another black coffee Green and herbal teas throughout the morning Lunch: Mixed veg salad with lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, gherkins (compliant), olives, tuna or smoked salmon, half an avocado and dressing made with apple cider vinegar and olive oil with mustard powder, salt and pepper. Mixed berries - strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Green and herbal teas and more water all afternoon Usually attend bikram yoga class after work, 90 minutes Dinner: Fish (cod, haddock, salmon, prawns or mixed seafood) with a variety of veg - last night had cod with asparagus and cooked tomato and homemade mayonnaise. Night before I had prawns stir fried with veg in coconut milk sauce served over cauliflower rice. Often do veggies like brocolli or brussels sprouts baked in coconut oil when I have time. Sometimes a few more berries after dinner, or occassionally a peach/pear. Not every night. Drink water with dinner, and herbal teas after. I have trouble getting to sleep but average 8 hours sleep a night I would say. My breakfasts and lunches stay the same every day so it's just a bit of variety in dinner - I don't eat meat or chicken hence all the fish. At weekends I will snack on olives or pistachios when I'm with friends, and drink sparkling water with mint leaves and cucumber. My stress levels are fairly high, I work in investment banking. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary though. More pain this afternoon, and my clothes are digging in once again - it's driving me mad!ll Any ideas? Thank you! Raw vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, brussel sprouts and nuts can cause bloating for some. You might try dropping those items and see if that helps. The recommended snack is a mini meal containing protein, veg and fat. Nuts are a fat source on a Whole30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Maryann Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I now find nuts extremely irritating to my gut. I never did before I started eating this way, but I'm sure I had a mucous layer 5 miles thick lining my intestines because of all the crap I ate. Now that I've been eating clean and the inflammation is gone, I no longer have that protective layer and even small amounts of certain foods, like wheat, give me those kinds of stomach pains and bloating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leila88 Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Thanks for the responses. I was in such pain Friday night I had to drive home from my friend's at 1 o'clock in the morning - after eating loads of pistachios. Saturday I avoided any nuts all day and it was a lot better, though this morning it's bad again. Cutting out all cruciferous veggies seems like it might be quite restricting - but I will give it a go! Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragbaby Posted September 1, 2014 Author Share Posted September 1, 2014 Quit whole 30 on day 28. I decided it wasn't working for me. Results - weight; the same, measurements; 1 inch off my boobs. Good things - no dips in blood sugar at all. Bad things - depression for no good reason, sleep not better.I think that having food as such a main focus of my life wasn't helpful to me. Planning meals actually added stress which I don't need. So, last night, family I haven't seen for a year came over. I had a pizza and a glass of wine, shared some of my son's pudding and I feel fine.The weirdest thing that came out of it was the depression. I feel ok now, back to my old grumpy self, not desolate like I was in week 2. I really wasn't expecting that and I'm not sure which bit of the W30 triggered it.The best thing that came out of this was learning that what I eat doesn't make any difference to how good or bad I feel - apart from the blood sugar which I already know is better if I stick to paleo principals. I really need to not think about food for a bit. I'm going to eat what I feel like and keep an eye on what I feel like but I'm not doing any more planning for a bit. There is some fish in the freezer and that is about as far ahead as I want to think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juice06870 Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Sorry to hear you gave up and packed it in after only 28 days. If you ever decide to give it another go, remember that its a healing process. You are trying to undo years and years of damage to your body and it takes a while to heal. If you broke a bone, would you expect it to be healed in 14 or 20 days? It would hurt and throb for quite a while, but even though it would be painful, you would know that it's actually in the process of healing. You entire body works like that. Nothing feels good WHILE it's healing. Nothing good or worthwhile comes easy. Carbs and sugars and processed foods are all highly highly addictive, they are designed in labs to be this way so you can't give them up easily. I read somewhere that the ingredients in Oreos (for example) stimulate the same part of the brain as cocaine does. When you try to give these highly pleasurable things up, your brain (where all of your pleasure centers are located) rebels. Hence the crappy feelings, moods, energy levels etc. It's trying to get you to give it the fix it needs of those things. It's basically withdrawl. I went through it. It was some of the worst i ever felt. But it doesn't last forever, and one day you finally adjust and the feelings go away forever and you start feeling really, really good. Again it's too bad that you threw in the towel for some pizza. Hope you can find the opportunity to give this another shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.