Day 9... Is this normal?

[jennl]

Hi everyone, I'm on day 9 and just want to make sure this is normal or if I'm doing something wrong... I usually eat 3 meals and 2 snacks but after starting Whole30 I've noticed that I'm not hungry most of the time. Is this a sign that I'm eating too much? I listed a few of my days below, any suggestions would be great!!

 

Meal 1 - potato, 2 eggs, apple

Meal 2 - Salad with ground turkey, green pepper, cumin, avocado and dressing (olive oil, cilantro, lime, garlic)

Meal 3 - zucchini fritters and kale (zucchini, egg, coconut flour, coconut oil)

 

Meal 1 - 3 eggs, spinach, mushroom 

Meal 2 - salad with chicken, avocado, green pepper, EVOO

Meal 3 - chicken curry

Snacks - guacamole and broccoli, kale 

 

Also... I've been getting dizzy when I go running... is this something that goes away after awhile? Or any advice? Thanks!!! 

[Tom Denham]

I think you are not eating enough. Compare what you are eating to the meal planning template and see if you don't need to eat more. I am concerned that you are especially light on protein, but fat could be too light too, depending upon how much guacamole you are eating as a snack. 

 

The ideal is to eat no snacks, but to eat so much at three meals that you are not hungry between meals. Automatically eating a snack messes with establishing your best hormonal rhythms. 

 

Not eating enough is normal when people start a Whole30. I find that I am constantly encouraging people to eat more. 

 

Getting dizzy when you exercise is not normal. That could be a sign of not eating enough or it could be from not drinking enough water or using enough salt when cooking. We recommend that you salt your food generously when cooking and that you drink 1/2 ounce of water per pound of body weight per day. So a 150 pound person would drink 75 ounces of water per day.

[jennl]

Thanks Tom!

 

I will go back again and compare with the template. Definitely drinking more than enough water but will give more salt a try! 

[frantastic]

Jennl - I was where you are exactly 10 days ago (I'm on day 19). And I'm pretty sure Tom had to give me the exact same advice!!

 

We are truly conditioned to try to eat small meals, and to feel "bad" if we are sitting down to a plate of food.  I (of course) don't know your motivation for starting your whole 30. I know that one of my motivations was the need for positive, healthy, sustainable change. Under-eating, even for 30 days, isn't sustainable. This is ESPECIALLY true when you're exercising. During my first week I had to sit down on the tennis court mid-point because I got so dizzy and felt so weird. Not my finest moment.

 

Here was the excellent advice that I got...

1) eat more food, especially at breakfast

2) make sure to eat a starchy vegetable the night before your workouts and in the meal after your workouts.

3) have the mini meals before and after workout. NOT fruit and nuts. protein-fat-veg (I tell myself that all the time, it's become like a mantra)

4) eat more fat. I've struggled with this, but it really makes a difference.

[jennl]

Great advice frantastic, thank you! Great to know that I'm not the only one having this issue! I completely agree with you, sustainable change is one of my goals and that will not be sustainable with under eating! I wasn't convinced that I was under eating until getting dizzy when running, it's weird, I'm full all of the time! Maybe that's because of the "for the love of gosling, my pants are tight" phase! haha

 

Still figuring out the mini meals before and after... what have been your favorite pre/post workout meals? And what are your go to fats?