30 days complete but don't feel much different

[KathyBooth]

I am on day 31 of my whole30 and I don't really feel much different. My digestion is better but that is it. I know that for some people they need to keep at the diet for longer than 30 days but I feel really down about the lack of results I have had. Some of the things I had hoped for signs of improvement included tiredness and depression. I was hoping to be able to get off my antidepressants (Pristiq) for which I have some side-effects I would like to eliminate. I have not been able to sleep through the night without waking at least once (that is when I only sleep for 6 hours, If I am in bed for 8 hours I wake twice). My sleep has not changed and neither has the depression. I do believe that the sugar cravings have improved but I seem to try to replace the craving for sweets and desserts with eating nuts and I love roast vegetables so I eat more of those. I think part of the way I deal with depression is by eating things that taste nice. I haven't weighed myself but I don't think I have really lost any weight either which was one thing I thought was pretty likely. I'm one of those woment who after having each of my children, lost all the weight and more without trying. In fact I ate junk in large quantities and still lost weight. With both children, once my period returned, I gained about 5 kg (10 pounds I think) and haven't been able to shift it. For about 3 months before I started my whole30, I have been eating mostly Paleo.

 

If I'm not losing any weight does that mean I'm eating too much? I have stuck 100% to the diet but we cannot afford to buy grass fed meats. Chicken is processed chemically free but other kinds of meats are straight from a regular butcher.

 

I have always been a stressed person and as I have a brain injury (car accident 12 years ago), I find thinking clearly a challenge. I find meal preparation challenging and off-times very difficult. I find it hard to wind down and stop doing things all the time in an attempt to feel organised. I have found the Master recipes and variations very simple to plan meals by but I desperately need a lot more variation for these basic recipes. More options to use with the master recipes. Does anyone know if this can be found somewhere? I particulary find breakfasts and lunches hard as lunches need to transportable (as I am looking at going back to work)

 

Does anyone have any suggestions, ideas, thoughts or links to anything that may help me?

[KathyBooth]

I wanted to add also, when I do decide to end this whole30 how exactly do I do it? This is a diet with a limited time period but I'm not sure how to go back to 'eating normally'. I have always reacted to gluten, so I won't be going back to that, but my husband cooks really yummy cakes and biscuits and I miss being able to eat them.

 

Exercise has been an issue for me. As in I do very little. I feel tired, stressed out and time poor all the time. What sort of exercise would be good to do? I have been able to fit a few walks in a week but nothing that will build any muscle. What is something I can do from home?

[AmyS]

First of all, congrats on completing your Whole30!  Improvements in digestion are certainly significant.  The fact that you're wondering what to reintroduce and how to go about it suggests that you may be more pleased with this way of eating than your other comments might seem to indicate. 

 

If you're concerned about your results and wondering if you need more time, you can certainly add time - say, another 15-30 days.  On the other hand, you could follow the reintroduction schedule as outlined in this article: Reintroduction .  This will help you make decisions about which foods you will keep in your life and which you will say good-bye to - perhaps except for special occasions, and perhaps not to return to them at all.

 

Next, it's very very important to be gentle with yourself when it comes to your depression, sleep, and mental clarity issues.  Since you deal with the results of a brain injury, you may find that healing is nonlinear (in other words, there may be no clear path, dietary or otherwise, to improvement).  Instead, you may find that being healthier overall helps you cope better with the long term effects of the injury - whether it be depression, difficulties with sleep, mental clarity, or other things that have an impact on your daily living.  If you have folks in your life who you really trust to tell you the truth (but gently), you might start asking them if they notice a difference in these areas, and ask them to point out where they see those differences.  It's also important to remember that any time you learn something new, it may take you longer than you want it to take before the new thing becomes truly comfortable for you.  That might be another reason to extend beyond 30 days - just to get more comfortable with the newness of it.

 

Finally, when it comes to simplicity combined with variety, there is nothing like changing the spices/flavorings of your meals.  You can group spice flavorings by what part of the world we associate those spices with - Asian, Italian, Greek, Southwestern US, Mexican, and so on.  For specific spice flavoring recipes, you can look at the back of It Starts With Food and also at Well Fed (and her blog, which you can find at theclothesmakethegirl.com).

 

Congratulations on a major success!  Best wishes on what you do next, whether it be reintroduction or a continuation of your Whole30.  And remember to be very gentle and kind with yourself.  You deserve it.

 

Editing to add, regarding exercise: walks a few times a week are a great start.  Keep those up, and once you get consistent, you can add something else.  Again, be gentle with yourself. 

[melbournegirl]

For many people, losing weight on a whole30 won't happen until hormones and stress and sleep patterns improve. It seems that for most people with additional problems, 60 or 90 days is needed to get a true reset. For others, nuts and nut butters and dried fruit make it difficult either through the concentrated source of calories or via inflammation from omega 6's an insulin response.

[praxisproject]

Also, if you were mostly paleo prior to starting Whole30, you won't see as dramatic changes as those coming from a SAD.

 

Have you had any tests done on things like cortisol? It can have a big impact on your sleep, blood sugar and things like depression. Insufficient or unsatisfying sleep can also throw you off everywhere else. I found out I have a gene problem that impacts all kinds of things, I'm doing much better since taking the right supplements, including sleeping better. If you're not taking any, Omega 3 may help, it's good for the brain and depression. Magnesium helps with sleep, I take the MagMin brand.

 

If your stress levels are high, avoid "chronic cardio" (high impact cardio can trigger more stress hormones) and try lifting some heavy things (cans from the cupboard will do, or heavy bags) and/or walking. On DVD you can get an indoor walking program, Walk Away The Pounds, it comes in different kinds of levels.

 

I really love the Well Fed & Well Fed 2 cookbooks (many are on her website, but not the meatballs http://theclothesmakethegirl.com ), hot plates and burgers/meatballs variations are many and they're easy. Meatballs are very portable, so is almost anything baked in a muffin pan. I really love her Zucchini Soup http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2012/11/05/silky-gingered-zucchini-soup/

 

See if you can get your husband into some paleo baking, so you can have some treats without feeling sick. There's even plenty of recipes the kids will like too. I love this banana bread (not Whole30 compliant, obviously - SWYPO) http://civilizedcavemancooking.com/grain-free-goodies/paleo-banana-bread/

[ventre123]

OK-I'm on day 10 of whole 30. I know I shouldn't weigh myself, but I have been (as is my friend who is doing it with me). Before I tell you how disapointed I am by the fact that I lost 2 lbs  the first week of the diet (yay!) but I am now back up those 2 lbs as of today (day 10), I must say that I am definitley sleeping better and my mood and energy levels are terrific as promised (yay!). I have also stopped taking my sinus medicine (10mg. Zyrtec) which I was taking daily . So overall I am very pleased with the changes I've experienced so far-but I have to say that I expected at least some weight loss in this process. I am currently going to Crossfit 3 times per week and doing the whole 30 diet religiously (absolutley no cheats).

 

So I'm wondering if anyone can make any suggestions. I am 57 years old post menepause and thinking perhaps I should consider go onto hormones for a few months (if the whole 30 does not work) to get rid of the excess weight (30+ lbs). Before I do that-please let me know if there are any tips anyone might have. SHould I be avoiding the ghee? The cashews?, Any advice would be much appreciated...thanks!

[GFChris]

OK-I'm on day 10 of whole 30. I know I shouldn't weigh myself, but I have been (as is my friend who is doing it with me). Before I tell you how disapointed I am by the fact that I lost 2 lbs  the first week of the diet (yay!) but I am now back up those 2 lbs as of today (day 10), I must say that I am definitley sleeping better and my mood and energy levels are terrific as promised (yay!). I have also stopped taking my sinus medicine (10mg. Zyrtec) which I was taking daily . So overall I am very pleased with the changes I've experienced so far-but I have to say that I expected at least some weight loss in this process. I am currently going to Crossfit 3 times per week and doing the whole 30 diet religiously (absolutley no cheats).

 

So I'm wondering if anyone can make any suggestions. I am 57 years old post menepause and thinking perhaps I should consider go onto hormones for a few months (if the whole 30 does not work) to get rid of the excess weight (30+ lbs). Before I do that-please let me know if there are any tips anyone might have. SHould I be avoiding the ghee? The cashews?, Any advice would be much appreciated...thanks!

First, please please please stop weighing yourself and hide the scale.  There are many other possible "yays" in store on the Whole30 that have nothing to do with the scale - focus on those areas instead.

A gentle reminder that it's a 30 day program. http://whole30.com/2014/01/whole30-tough-love/

The best way folks here can help you is to post 2-3 days worth of your log, including meals, pre/post WO fuel, exercise routine, daily water consumption, and nightly hours of sleep. Post this information in the Troubleshooting section and request feedback. 

[Physibeth]

OK-I'm on day 10 of whole 30. I know I shouldn't weigh myself, but I have been (as is my friend who is doing it with me). Before I tell you how disapointed I am by the fact that I lost 2 lbs  the first week of the diet (yay!) but I am now back up those 2 lbs as of today (day 10), I must say that I am definitley sleeping better and my mood and energy levels are terrific as promised (yay!). I have also stopped taking my sinus medicine (10mg. Zyrtec) which I was taking daily . So overall I am very pleased with the changes I've experienced so far-but I have to say that I expected at least some weight loss in this process. I am currently going to Crossfit 3 times per week and doing the whole 30 diet religiously (absolutley no cheats).

 

So I'm wondering if anyone can make any suggestions. I am 57 years old post menepause and thinking perhaps I should consider go onto hormones for a few months (if the whole 30 does not work) to get rid of the excess weight (30+ lbs). Before I do that-please let me know if there are any tips anyone might have. SHould I be avoiding the ghee? The cashews?, Any advice would be much appreciated...thanks!

 

You are on day 10 of a 30 day program. Hide your scale. No more scale until day 31. Please! There are so many reasons that is a rule but what you are experiencing right now is top of the list. You are feeling healthier and still doubting the process because of your bodies daily relationship with gravity. The other thing I would say is stop thinking of this as a diet. Whole30 is about learning a better lifestyle for eating. Yes it is a 30 day program but at the "end" is another beginning. The goal should be to find a permanent lifestyle of food relationship that will give you optimal health. If you want specific feedback on your food and any tweeks you can make there post a few days of your typical food, exercise, sleep, stress, and water intake in the troubleshooting section and we'd be happy to give you feedback.

 

A couple more articles on why we say no scale:

http://everydaypaleo.com/attention-scale-addicts/

http://everydaypaleo.com/attention-scale-addicts-part-2/

http://whole9life.com/2012/03/5-reasons-to-break-up-with-your-scale/

http://whole9life.com/2012/08/new-health-scale/

[Kristina Wright]

OK-I'm on day 10 of whole 30. I know I shouldn't weigh myself, but I have been (as is my friend who is doing it with me). Before I tell you how disapointed I am by the fact that I lost 2 lbs  the first week of the diet (yay!) but I am now back up those 2 lbs as of today (day 10), I must say that I am definitley sleeping better and my mood and energy levels are terrific as promised (yay!). I have also stopped taking my sinus medicine (10mg. Zyrtec) which I was taking daily . So overall I am very pleased with the changes I've experienced so far-but I have to say that I expected at least some weight loss in this process. I am currently going to Crossfit 3 times per week and doing the whole 30 diet religiously (absolutley no cheats).

 

So I'm wondering if anyone can make any suggestions. I am 57 years old post menepause and thinking perhaps I should consider go onto hormones for a few months (if the whole 30 does not work) to get rid of the excess weight (30+ lbs). Before I do that-please let me know if there are any tips anyone might have. SHould I be avoiding the ghee? The cashews?, Any advice would be much appreciated...thanks!

 

Honestly, get rid of your scale. It will do absolutely NOTHING for you except belittle your accomplishments.

 

This last Whole30 (August, my third Whole30) I weighed myself too, and I gained 2 lb and then lost it again. I was SO UPSET because on my first Whole30 a couple of years ago I lost 12 lbs, and I was 100% positive that if I could just commit to another Whole30 I would magically be thin by my 25th birthday (I have disordered thinking about my body weight. I go through phases during which losing weight is all I care about and I obsess over it for DAYS at a time). Well, I'll turn 25 on Friday and I am still the same weight as I was before, during, and after that Whole30 and it has NOTHING to do with my diet. I've been in physical therapy for a hip problem, I've been getting my sleep on track (and thus not exercising for an hour first thing in the morning), I've had job training that kept me from going to my dance classes for two weeks, and I sprained my toe tripping over the dog three weeks ago and so I can't go walking every morning on concrete sidewalks. Clearly, my weight issue is a lifestyle one, not a diet one. But I did SO MUCH MORE during my Whole30! I learned that, after no less than 5 false starts, I CAN stick to a Whole30. My sugar cravings are gone again, and I've learned more about how food affects me. This also taught me that if I can stick to a Whole30, I can stick to studying for my MCAT. I can stick to an exercise schedule once my sleep is sorted out and my toe heals. More importantly, I've learned that my weight loss doesn't hinge on one piece of bread or one hard cider, and I don't have to feel guilty about eating a piece of birthday cake this week.

 

The scale told me NONE of those things. Get rid of it. It has nothing constructive to say to you.